THE HFL CRIMSON CHRONICLE
Denver and Cincinnati both push to 15-0, a one-point classic decides the Game of the Week, and Warren Davis and Marvin Daniels turn a Broncos-Titans shootout into the highest-scoring game of the week.
Cincinnati handled the Chargers 45-27 and Denver outlasted Tennessee 38-35, and the league's two unbeaten teams are both 15-0 with two weeks left. Tampa Bay survived the closest game of the season in the Game of the Week, holding off Seattle 35-34. And in Denver, Warren Davis threw for 412 yards and five total touchdowns while Jahmyr Gibbs quietly pushed his season rushing total to 2,663 yards — comfortably on pace to break the single-season record with two games left.
Week 16 Scoreboard
| Rams | 20 | 49ers | 27 |
| Chiefs | 30 | Patriots | 22 |
| Vikings | 17 | Commanders | 31 |
| Lions | 21 | Texans | 48 |
| Bengals | 45 | Chargers | 27 |
| Jets | 29 | Dolphins | 31 |
| Packers | 31 | Colts | 3 |
| Panthers | 24 | Saints | 28 |
| Cowboys | 14 | Giants | 20 |
| Jaguars | 21 | Raiders | 20 |
| Browns | 28 | Bills | 34 |
| Bears | 26 | Eagles | 33 |
| Seahawks | 34 | Buccaneers ★ | 35 |
| Broncos | 38 | Titans | 35 |
| Cardinals | 16 | Falcons | 13 |
| Steelers | 29 | Ravens | 21 |
All 32 teams were in action.
Justin Herbert threw for 355 yards and three touchdowns despite three interceptions, and Deebo Samuel Sr caught ten passes for 150 yards and a score, as Tampa Bay survived a track meet. Bucky Irving added two short touchdowns and Parker Washington caught two more, and the Buccaneers needed every one of them.
Louis Geyer caught ten passes for 151 yards and four touchdowns for Seattle, and Bo Nix threw for three touchdowns of his own despite three interceptions, but it wasn't quite enough. Tampa Bay improves to 9-6. Seattle falls to 1-14 with the best losing performance of its season.
Around the League
Trevor Lawrence threw for 245 yards and two touchdowns despite two interceptions for Los Angeles, and Romeo Doubs caught seven passes for 90 yards, but Drake London's touchdown catch among his 94 yards gave San Francisco enough to hold on. San Francisco improves to 10-5. Los Angeles falls to 5-9-1.
Jalen Milroe threw for 248 yards and a touchdown, and J.K. Dobbins ran for 81 yards and two more scores, an 80-yard burst included, as Kansas City upset New England. Drake Maye threw for 245 yards and two touchdowns for the Patriots, but it wasn't enough to escape with the win. Kansas City improves to 6-9. New England falls to 6-9.
Anthony Richardson Sr threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a third, and Brevin Jordan caught two touchdowns on just three targets, as Washington pulled away from Minnesota. Jordan Love threw for 200 yards and a touchdown and ran for a second for the Vikings, but it wasn't enough offense to keep pace. Washington improves to 13-2. Minnesota falls to 4-11.
Quintin Warner threw for 318 yards and four touchdowns without an interception, and Bijan Robinson accounted for 209 total yards and four touchdowns of his own — 110 rushing, 99 receiving — as Houston routed Detroit. Brandon Aiyuk caught a touchdown among his 117 yards and Chuba Hubbard ran for 137 yards and two scores for the Lions, but it wasn't nearly enough to keep pace. Houston improves to 10-5. Detroit falls to 5-10.
Jaydon Blue ran for 213 yards and two touchdowns, a 78-yard burst included, and Jihaad Campbell intercepted three passes as Cincinnati stayed perfect. Shane Dressler threw for 318 yards for the Chargers, but five interceptions overwhelmed anything Los Angeles could build. The Bengals are 15-0. Los Angeles falls to 9-6.
Riley Leonard threw for 388 yards and three touchdowns and ran for a fourth, and both Darrius Patterson and Dillon Day caught touchdown passes, but New York came up two points short. Carlos Wiggins scored two touchdowns for Miami — a 93-yard run and a 76-yard catch among them — and Baker Mayfield threw for 246 yards and two more scores. Miami improves to 11-4. New York falls to 11-4.
Jayden Daniels went a perfect 10-of-10 for 160 yards and two touchdowns, and Nick Bosa had two sacks on defense, as Green Bay cruised past Indianapolis. Green Bay improves to 14-1. Indianapolis falls to 1-14.
Lamar Jackson threw for 199 yards and a touchdown and ran for three more, and Trey Hendrickson had three sacks on defense, as New Orleans held off Carolina. Joe Burrow threw for 293 yards for the Panthers, and Joshua Palmer caught twelve passes for 129 yards, but it wasn't enough to complete the comeback. New Orleans improves to 10-5. Carolina falls to 6-9.
Patrick Mahomes threw for 186 yards and two touchdowns despite three interceptions, and New York's defense made it stand up. New York improves to 8-7. Dallas falls to 5-10.
Ja'Marr Chase caught six passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns, and Jaxson Dart threw for 321 yards and two touchdowns for Las Vegas, but three Dart interceptions kept it close. Jonathon Brooks accounted for 104 total yards and two touchdowns for Jacksonville, and the Jaguars' defense forced three interceptions of their own to seal it. Jacksonville improves to 6-9. Las Vegas falls to 2-13.
Josh Allen threw for 338 yards and three touchdowns without an interception, and Amon-Ra St. Brown caught nine passes for 200 yards and three touchdowns of his own, as Buffalo held off Cleveland. Ashton Jeanty ran for 168 yards and a touchdown for the Browns, and Dominic Lovett caught a touchdown among his 97 yards, but it wasn't enough offense to complete the comeback. Buffalo improves to 7-8. Cleveland falls to 2-13.
Jonathan Taylor ran for 238 yards and a touchdown, a 62-yard burst included, and Caleb Williams threw for two more scores despite three interceptions, as Philadelphia held off Chicago. Joshua Karty made all six of his field goals for the Bears, a 57-yarder included, and Ja'Quan Wofford caught six passes for 118 yards, but it wasn't enough to complete the upset. Philadelphia improves to 11-4. Chicago falls to 7-7-1.
Brock Purdy threw for 299 yards without a touchdown, and Rod Gosener caught twelve passes for 191 yards, and Jermaine Johnson II had two and a half sacks as Arizona's defense made a low-scoring afternoon hold up. Jalen Hurts threw for 235 yards and a touchdown for Atlanta, and Arian Smith caught a touchdown among his 96 yards, but it wasn't enough to escape with the win. Arizona improves to 11-4. Atlanta falls to 5-10.
Emmett Bennett threw for 161 yards and a touchdown and ran for 87 more, and Eric Cardona intercepted two passes on defense, including one returned 94 yards for a touchdown, as Pittsburgh held off Baltimore. J.J. McCarthy threw for 297 yards for the Ravens, and Michael Pittman Jr caught five passes for 92 yards, but three McCarthy interceptions were too costly. Pittsburgh improves to 5-10. Baltimore falls to 2-13.
Warren Davis threw for 412 yards and four touchdowns and ran for a fifth without an interception, spreading the ball to Kyle Williams (139 yards, a touchdown), Dont'e Thornton Jr. (120 yards, a touchdown) and Jakobi Meyers (99 yards) — and Jahmyr Gibbs quietly added 65 rushing yards and a receiving touchdown of his own. See this issue's Feature Story for the full account. Dak Prescott answered with 425 yards and three touchdowns for Tennessee, and Marvin Daniels caught eight passes for 247 yards and three touchdowns of his own, the best receiving day of the week by anyone in the league, but it wasn't enough to escape with the loss. The Broncos are 15-0. Tennessee falls to 7-8.
The All-HFL Weekly Team
Week 16's honor roll, built straight from the box scores.
QB, Broncos
HB, Texans
WR, Titans
TE, Commanders
REDGE, Saints
MIKE, Bengals
K, Bears
Streaks & Trends
- Denver and Cincinnati are both 15-0. Two weeks left, and neither has lost.
- Tampa Bay 35, Seattle 34 — the closest game the Chronicle has logged all season, decided by one point.
- Warren Davis accounted for 412 passing yards and five total touchdowns in a 38-35 shootout win. See this issue's Feature Story.
- Marvin Daniels caught eight passes for 247 yards and three touchdowns in the loss — the best receiving day anyone had this week.
- Louis Geyer caught four touchdowns in the Game of the Week — his third huge statistical game in as many issues.
- Joshua Karty made all six of his field goal attempts, including a 57-yarder, in a losing effort.
Milestone Watch
- Jahmyr Gibbs, HB, Broncos. 2,663 rushing yards through 15 games — a 177.5-yard-per-game pace, after a quiet-by-his-standards 65-yard day. He needs 261 more yards over the final two weeks, about 131 per game, to break Bijan Robinson's single-season record of 2,924 — well within his season pace.
Record Book Watch
Nothing in the all-time top five changed this week, but Louis Geyer's four receiving touchdowns tie for the third-most the Chronicle has ever logged in a single game.
Feature Story: Denver's Whole Offense Showed Up
Denver beat Tennessee 38-35 in a game that needed every bit of it. Warren Davis threw for 412 yards and four touchdowns and added a rushing score of his own — five total touchdowns — spreading the ball to three different receivers over 99 yards apiece. Jahmyr Gibbs, working quietly underneath all of it, added 65 rushing yards and a receiving touchdown, pushing his season total to 2,663.
Kyle Williams caught six passes for 139 yards and a score, Dont'e Thornton Jr. added 120 yards and a touchdown of his own, and Jakobi Meyers chipped in 99 more — Davis had answers everywhere he looked. He needed all of them, because Tennessee refused to go quietly: Dak Prescott threw for 425 yards and three touchdowns, and Marvin Daniels caught eight passes for 247 yards and three touchdowns, the best receiving day by anyone in the league this week.
Buried in the shootout is the number that matters most for the rest of the season: Gibbs is now at 2,663 rushing yards with two games to play, needing 261 more to break the single-season record — comfortably inside his own pace, on a day nobody was talking about him at all.
Press Row & Transaction Wire
Press Row
No letters reached the desk this week. Press Row stays open — a word about your own team, a shot across the division, a prediction you'll put your name to. It runs in Issue 17.
Transaction Wire & Injury Report
Nothing crossed the trade wire this week, and the injury report is unchanged from last issue: Sam LaPorta, TE, Packers, Will McDonald IV, LEDGE, Dolphins, Zach Sieler, DT, Dolphins, Bobby Brown III, DT, Dolphins, John Campa, TE, Vikings and Cam Beasley, FS, Patriots all remain out with no change in status.
Rookie Watch
Both rookie quarterbacks are still undefeated as starters, though one had his roughest statistical week of the season.
Offensive Rookie of the Year lean: Warren Davis and Nicholas Battle remain the story — Denver and Cincinnati are a combined 30-0 in games their rookie quarterbacks have started. Battle threw three interceptions against the Chargers, his roughest day of the season, but Cincinnati won by 18 points anyway.
Defensive Rookie of the Year lean: still wide open. No rookie had a signature defensive week.
Upcoming Week Preview — Week 17
Cincinnati is 15-0 and hasn't been seriously tested in weeks; Buffalo is 7-8 and has nothing left to lose.
Jenna's pick: Bengals
A housekeeping note: all 32 teams are in action in Week 17. The picks below cover all sixteen games.
Miami is 11-4; Pittsburgh is 5-10.
Philadelphia is 11-4; Baltimore is 2-13.
New York is 11-4; New England is 6-9.
Green Bay is 14-1; Atlanta is 5-10.
Tennessee is 7-8 off a 425-yard day from Dak Prescott; Cleveland is 2-13.
Los Angeles is 9-6; Jacksonville is 6-9.
Washington is 13-2; Dallas is 5-10.
Chicago is 7-7-1; Minnesota is 4-11.
New York is 8-7; Detroit is 5-10.
Kansas City is 6-9 off an upset of New England; Las Vegas is 2-13.
Denver is 15-0; Los Angeles is 5-9-1.
Houston is 10-5 off Bijan Robinson's 209-yard day; Indianapolis is 1-14.
Tampa Bay is 9-6 off last issue's Game of the Week; Carolina is 6-9.
Arizona is 11-4; Seattle is 1-14 despite Louis Geyer's four-touchdown day.
Both teams are 10-5; San Francisco gets the nod at home.
Jenna's Picks — Season Record: 176-61-1 (74.0%)
Fourteen right, two wrong in Week 16 — the Chiefs over the Patriots and the Dolphins over the Jets were the two the desk missed. A strong week pushes the season mark to 74%.
Fan Mailbag
No letters reached the desk this week, so the Chronicle wrote the questions it's confident somebody in this league is asking. The real mailbag is open and runs with your name on it.
League Poll
Results from last issue's poll are in: both votes went to "Denver vs. Cincinnati — who finishes 18-0, if either does." Both teams are still perfect after Sunday, so that race is still very much alive.
Sixteen weeks down, two to go. Denver and Cincinnati are both still perfect, a one-point classic in the Game of the Week might be the best game of the season, and Jahmyr Gibbs's march toward the rushing record keeps going, one quiet Sunday at a time.
Press Row is open, the mailbag runs with your name on it, and the poll is live — vote, and the Chronicle will see everybody back here after Week 17.
Until next week, the Chronicle stands with all 32.
— Jenna Tulls, Senior HFL Correspondent
Beat Jenna
Every Game of the Week pick, scored. Jenna is 7-1 on the 8 games she has called.
| Member | W | L | Beat Jenna | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MrPlanters NE | 7 | 0 | 1/5 |
| 2 | luke2612 | 1 | 0 | 0/0 |
| 3 | skeem__ | 0 | 1 | 0/0 |
| — | Jenna Tulls DESK | 7 | 1 | — |
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