Unbelievable NFL Week 16 Moments That Could Change the Playoff Landscape Forever

Like every weekend on the slate, Week 16 of the NFL season had some incredible performances, bad injuries and perplexing outcomes. We take a look at some of the highlights, lowlights, news and stats.

Another Test Aced by Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars

There has been a lot written about how well the Jacksonville Jaguars have been playing lately, and rightfully so.

Trevor Lawrence has been playing the best football of his NFL career and it’s vaulted the offense to new heights.

Yet, there was always a “but” at the end of sentences about how well the Jaguars are playing. The Jaguars look good, but they’ve played an easy schedule. Trevor Lawrence is rolling, but will he revert to past form when the pressure gets turned up against a lethal defense?

The Denver Broncos represented a test in Week 16 to see how far the Jaguars had really come. This wasn’t the New York Jets or Tennessee Titans like in recent weeks, this was the top seed in the AFC with one of the best defenses in the NFL.

Lawrence didn’t just pass the test. He aced it with flying colors.

The fifth-year pro threw for 279 yards and had four total touchdowns in the Jaguars’ 34-20 victory. The Broncos got to him for five sacks, but he didn’t have a turnover and continuously made the right play.

Jakobi Meyers has been excellent since joining the Jaguars and recently signed an extension to remain with the team beyond this year. But it was the Parker Washington show in Week 16, as he tallied six catches for 145 yards and a touchdown. It was the first time the Broncos had allowed more than 120 receiving yards in a game all season.

Washington broke out after injuries to Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter Jr., but the trade for Meyers and return of Thomas made it seem like he may revert to a reduced role. He had just three targets in each of the last two games prior to this week.

But, once again, Lawrence took what the defense gave him and that was a lot of available throws to Washington.

Credit to Liam Coen and Lawrence for remaking the offense on the fly after the injury to Hunter and the injury and underperformance from Thomas.  The Jaguars traded up to take a receiver (and cornerback) with the No. 2 overall pick and had a returning player coming off a sensational rookie year. To get less than expected production from both of those players and still find a way to succeed in the passing game is a testament to the coach’s malleability and the quarterback’s ability to lift the players around him when he’s on his game.

At 11-4, the Jaguars aren’t just thinking about the playoffs anymore, they have a real shot at the No. 1 overall seed. Entering Sunday night, the Broncos lead the AFC at 12-3, while the Patriots sit a half-game back at 11-3 and the Jaguars are tied with the Bills.

With Lawrence and Coen, the Jaguars look like a legitimate threat in the AFC. That would’ve been hard to imagine even six weeks ago.

Bryce Young Leads the Way in Panthers Win

The NFC South has been the butt of a lot of jokes this year.

While the battle for a wild-card spot in the NFC has been extremely contentious, the NFC South has seemed like a battle of “Who wants it the least?”

But the Carolina Panthers aren’t going to apologize for being the playoff hunt, even if it’s due to a weak division. Not after they won seven games combined over the past two seasons. Not after they’ve had one winning record and one playoff appearance in the nine years following Cam Newton’s march to the NFC title and an appearance in Super Bowl 50.

So the Panthers moving to 8-7 and taking control of the NFC South by beating the Buccaneers 23-20 on Sunday isn’t something to be mocked. Rather, it represents the growth of a franchise that seemed stuck in neutral just one season ago.

The growth was especially evident in the play of Bryce Young, the much-maligned quarterback whose play has steadily improved as of late. After throwing nine interceptions in his first 11 games, Young had his third consecutive game without a pick.

For most of his NFL career, Young has looked overwhelmed by the blitz. That’s a big problem against the ultra-aggressive Todd Bowles and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense.

But Young has gotten the ball out much quicker against blitzes lately and it showed against the Bucs, particularly on his 22-yard touchdown pass to Tetairoa McMillan in the second quarter.