NFL Analysis
12/15/24
8 min read
Biggest Winners, Losers From 2024 NFL Week 15
NFL Week 15 was the best week of NFL action to date. Multiple games came down to the final play, and there were a few heavy-weight fights in the late afternoon window.
But which players improved their stock the most? And who came up just a little bit short? Here are the biggest winners and losers coming out of a fantastic week of games.
NFL Week 15 Winners, Losers
Honorable Mentions
Winner: Nik Bonitto, EDGE, Denver Broncos
Loser: Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins
Winner: Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Loser: Shane Steichen, HC, Indianapolis Colts
⬆️Winner: Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
Josh Allen was the heavy MVP favorite coming into Week 15, but don’t forget about Lamar Jackson. Not only is Jackson posting better numbers than he did last year, but he just had arguably the best game of his career against the Giants.
Jackson had more passing touchdowns (5) than incompletions (4) in Week 15, as the Ravens destroyed the Giants. Baltimore was a 16.5-point favorite on the road, and it still managed to cover that spread.
Jackson finished the game with 290 passing yards and a career-high five passing touchdowns. He also racked up 65 rushing yards on six carries as the Ravens scored 21 first-half points. Jackson hardly played in the fourth quarter as Baltimore held a 35-7 lead. Otherwise, he would have added to his already stellar day.
After throwing 24 touchdowns last season, Jackson has already thrown 34 this season with three games left to play. He’s averaging a career-high in passing yards per attempt and should smash all of his other previous highs across the board. Jackson might not win the MVP because of the season that Josh Allen is putting together, but make no mistake, this is the best season of Jackson’s career.
⬆️Winner: Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
If Jackson doesn’t win the NFL MVP award, the reason will be because of Josh Allen. This was another 400+ yard day for Allen, who threw for two touchdowns and rushed for two more against the top-seeded team in the NFC. Allen was nearly flawless against the Lions, making every big play when needed.
Buffalo has now scored 30 or more points in eight straight games and has scored 42 or more in back-to-back road games. And despite injuries galore on both sides of the ball, Allen continues to produce. He is already at 37 touchdowns on the season and has posted nine games with a passer rating over 100.
Allen is the total package, and the Bills have won double-digit games in six consecutive seasons. Patrick Mahomes is still the gold standard, but it sure seems like Allen has closed the gap this year. He’s been nearly flawless for the Bills, and this could end up being their best chance to win a Super Bowl during the Allen era.
Why Josh Allen Should Win MVP This Season
⬆️Winner: Rico Dowdle, RB, Dallas Cowboys
It took until Nov. 15 for the Dallas Cowboys to figure out who their best running back is on the roster. Dallas used a heavy running back by committee approach to start the season, with Ezekiel Elliott being listed as the starter. But Dallas had one of the league’s worst run games in the first two months of the season.
Mike McCarthy announced on Nov. 15 that Rico Dowdle would be the starter going forward, and that has been one of the best decisions he’s made this season. Dowdle has now posted three straight 100-yard rushing performances, and he is the first undrafted free agent to do so since Arian Foster.
Dowdle had another strong performance in Week 15, rushing for a career-high 149 yards on 25 carries (6.0 yards per carry). He’s averaging nearly 120 rushing yards per game during the last four weeks and continues to show that he can be a high-level starter in the NFL.
But this isn’t just a four-week thing blip. Dowdle has the second-most rushing yards in the NFL (634) since Week 9. Only Saquon Barkley has more during that time frame. He’s averaging 5.37 yards per carry in that stretch and has been arguably the best player on offense for the Cowboys.
Dallas has certainly had its fair share of problems this season, but Dowdle isn’t one of them. He’s just 120 yards away from his first 1,000-yard season of his career, and at this point, it sure seems like a lock that he’ll get there.
⬇️Loser: Jameis Winston, QB, Cleveland Browns
We shouldn’t be expecting much from Jameis Winston on a 3-10 team. But he has had some big games this season, and the offense has put up a lot of points against some good defenses. However, this was a good reminder of why Winston has been a backup quarterback for most of his career despite being the No. 1 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.
The Browns had plenty of chances to upset the Chiefs in Week 15. Cleveland’s defense allowed just seven points in the second half and held Patrick Mahomes to just 4.2 yards per attempt on 38 attempts. However, Winston's more back-breaking turnovers caused the Browns to fall short.
Twice, Winston was intercepted in the end zone when the Browns were in scoring position. Both interceptions were ill-advised and were thrown into double coverage. Winston finished the game with three interceptions, and he took five sacks, crushing Cleveland’s chances to get back into the game.
With the game still hanging in the balance, Winston was replaced by second-year quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who was also picked off late. Winston has now thrown eight interceptions in the last three games, and his play has really declined in that stretch.
Winston is a fun story, but he can’t be viewed as a long-term option for the Browns in 2025. He’s fine for a backup, but viewing him as anything more will be a problem for Cleveland moving forward.
⬇️Loser: Second-Year Quarterbacks
Sunday was not a good day for second-year quarterbacks. Bryce Young, Anthony Richardson, and Will Levis all had rough outings and combined to throw seven interceptions in Week 15.
Levis was so awful against the Bengals that he was benched for Mason Rudolph, who instantly threw two touchdowns and provided stability for the offense. Levis has had some nice moments this year, but his inaccuracy and decision-making has left a lot to be desired.
Richardson had another performance where he completed less than 50 percent of his passes. He did rush for a touchdown, but his two interceptions and passer rating of 36.3 have effectively eliminated the Colts from playoff contention. He’s had some nice games since returning to the lineup, but it’s been more of the same for him in Year 2.
Young didn’t play awful against Dallas, but he had four turnovers and looked overwhelmed. Young’s overall trajectory has been much better since he’s returned to action, but this was certainly a step in the wrong direction.
C.J. Stroud had a fine performance, and the Texans clinched a playoff spot. But for the rest of the 2023 quarterback class, it was a day to forget. It sure seems like we are only going to get one franchise-level quarterback from that class.
⬇️Loser: Aaron Glenn, DC, Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions have been in a rough spot with injuries on defense during the last few games. Not only are they playing without Aidan Hutchinson, but they’ve also lost several defensive linemen this year, especially in the last couple of weeks.
So, it’s not fair to overreact too much to the Lions' defense, but it’s safe to say that Aaron Glenn had a poor day on Sunday. His defense had no chance against Josh Allen and the Bills, as it allowed 48 points at home. Buffalo averaged a whopping 8.2 yards per play and totaled 559 yards of offense in this massive Week 15 matchup.
Detroit was out-schemed all game long as Buffalo utilized the running backs in the passing game and exposed the Lions' linebackers. Ty Johnson, James Cook, and Ray Davis totaled 156 yards through the air on just eight receptions. Buffalo also ran for nearly 200 yards, as the Lions looked incredibly slow in the middle of their defense.
The Lions have now given up 79 points in the last two weeks, and it’s clear that Glenn is running out of solutions. Again, it’s not entirely his fault, as the unit deals with injuries.
However, it is obvious that the defense could be a major problem in the playoffs. The Lions still have the 49ers and Vikings left on their schedule, and we’ll see if they can figure things out on that side of the ball. Still, the defense has to be a big concern for Dan Campbell and Glenn.
