1. Week 15 Takeaways
-DKrom: The AFC truly is wide open this year
-Hal: Patrick Mahomes and Micah Parsons' ACL injuries changed the trajectory for the 2025 season...and maybe the 2026 season as well
2. Week 15 Honors
-GOAT of the Week (DKrom: Trevor Lawrence/Bo Nix, Hal: Chargers OL)
-Dunce of the Week (DKrom: Lathan Ransom, Hal: Shane Steichen)
3. On Monday night in Pittsburgh, the Dolphins were officially eliminated from playoff contention due in large part to another atrocious performance by Tua Tagovailoa. Today, Miami benched Tua and rookie Quinn Ewers is slated to start the final three games. Is this the end of Tua Time in South Florida? It's possible, but very complicated from a financial perspective. Keep in mind, Tua already has $54M of his 2026 salary guaranteed and $3M of his 2027 salary fully vests on March 15. Releasing Tua Tagovailoa in 2026 would result in a gargantuan $99M dead money charge. And a post-June 1 release would result in $67.4M in dead money in 2026, and another $31.8 million in 2027. Many are going to naturally point to the Broncos swallowing $85M in dead money over these last two years by releasing Russell Wilson, but Dolphins ownership doesn't nearly have half the cash Denver's ownership does. So my question to you Hal is this: If you are the Dolphins next GM, would you be willing to release Tua Tagovailoa before March 15 and eat $99M over the next two seasons?
4. Panic Meter
-Packers Super Bowl chances without Micah Parsons
-Baker Mayfield
-Seahawks offensive struggles
-Rams offense minus Davante Adams on a short week against the Seahawks on the road
-Patrick Mahomes not being 100% for the entirety of 2026
-Bengals fans on the chances Joe Burrow wants out of Cincinnati
-Patriots run defense
-Broncos defense
5. Truth or Exaggeration
-If the Seahawks beat the Rams on Thursday, the 49ers will be the NFC’s eventual #1 seed
-The Steelers will be one-and-done in the playoffs again regardless of who they end up hosting in the Wild Card round
-Should the Bucs not make the playoffs, Todd Bowles will be fired as head coach
-Unless the Jets can trade up into the top 2 to take Fernando Mendoza or Dante Moore, Kyler Murray will be their starting QB in 2026
-The Bears should trade WR D.J. Moore and release TE Cole Kmet and use the cap savings from both moves to sign Trey Hendrickson in free agency
-The Chiefs will re-hire Eric Bieniemy as OC and he will bring along with him the run game scheme the Bears have run this season
-Raheem Morris will get a third season as Falcons head coach
-If the road to Super Bowl LX in the AFC does not run through Denver, and IF the Patriots lose to the Ravens on Sunday night, the road to Super Bowl LX in the AFC will go through…Jacksonville
6. Week 16 Game Picks
-Lock of the Week (DKrom: Texans over Raiders, Hal: Bills over Browns)
-Upset Special (DKrom: Titans over Chiefs, Hal: Giants over Vikings)
-Rams at Seahawks
-Eagles at Commanders
-Packers at Bears
-Jets at Saints
-Chargers at Cowboys
-Bucs at Panthers
-Bengals at Dolphins
-Jaguars at Broncos
-Falcons at Cardinals
-Steelers at Lions
-Patriots at Ravens
-49ers at Colts
7. Week 16 Bold Predictions
-DKrom: Broncos are up 24-20 at the two minute warning and have 4th-and-1 at the 39 of the Jaguars. Broncos go for it and the Jags stuff them for no gain. Trevor Lawrence then leads the Jaguars on a 61 yard, 1:42 drive culminating in the game-winning TD pass on 3rd-and-Goal from the 8...to former Bronco Tim Patrick!
-Hal: Ravens, Jaguars, and Bucs will all win their divisions despite losing in Week 16...and the Giants will still end up the #1 overall pick in the 2026 draft despite winning in Week 16
8. Challenge Flags
-DKrom: Sam Darnold...just take care of the football and stay ahead of the sticks against the Rams!
-Hal: Shane Steichen...BENCH PHILIP RIVERS!!!
