NFL NationDec 28, 2025, 05:00 PM ETCloseNFL Nation is made up of 32 team-specific reporters who cover the NFL year-round across ESPN.com, ESPN television shows, ESPN Radio, ESPN+ and social media platforms. It was established ahead of the 2013 season.
play0:33Quinn Ewers connects with Theo Wease Jr. for 63-yard TDThe Dolphins level the score on a 63-yard touchdown pass from Quinn Ewers to Theo Wease Jr..
play0:18Aaron Rodgers’ 4th down pass batted down by BrownsAaron Rodgers pass is deflected and incomplete to make a big stop for the Browns on 4th down.
play0:23Ja’Marr Chase picks up his 2nd TD vs. ArizonaJa’Marr Chase extends Cincinnati’s lead with an 8-yard touchdown, his second of the game.
play0:24Drake Maye throws his 4th TD of the first halfDrake Maye scans the field and throw it to a wide-open Hunter Henry for his fourth touchdown pass.
play0:19Derrick Henry secures the hat trick with 3rd TDDerrick Henry finds his way into the end zone for his third rushing touchdown of the game
play0:30Stroud launches a 75-yard TD to Jayden HigginsC.J. Stroud puts the Texans on top with a deep 75-yard touchdown pass to Jayden Higgins.
Zach Charbonnet seals the Seahawks’ win with 2nd TD (0:16)Zach Charbonnet rumbles in for a touchdown to give the Seahawks a 27-10 lead. (0:16)
Quinn Ewers connects with Theo Wease Jr. for 63-yard TDThe Dolphins level the score on a 63-yard touchdown pass from Quinn Ewers to Theo Wease Jr..
Aaron Rodgers’ 4th down pass batted down by BrownsAaron Rodgers pass is deflected and incomplete to make a big stop for the Browns on 4th down.
Ja’Marr Chase picks up his 2nd TD vs. ArizonaJa’Marr Chase extends Cincinnati’s lead with an 8-yard touchdown, his second of the game.
Drake Maye throws his 4th TD of the first halfDrake Maye scans the field and throw it to a wide-open Hunter Henry for his fourth touchdown pass.
Derrick Henry secures the hat trick with 3rd TDDerrick Henry finds his way into the end zone for his third rushing touchdown of the game
Stroud launches a 75-yard TD to Jayden HigginsC.J. Stroud puts the Texans on top with a deep 75-yard touchdown pass to Jayden Higgins.
Week 17 of the 2025 NFL season began on Christmas Day with an NFC East showdown between the Cowboys and the Commanders. Dallas jumped all over Washington early but had to hold on after giving up several big plays.
The action continued Saturday with the Texans beating the Chargers to clinch a third consecutive playoff berth for the first time in franchise history. Later, running back Derrick Henry carried the Ravens to victory over the Packers.
In the early window Sunday, the Steelers missed their chance to clinch the AFC North by losing a low-scoring affair to the Browns. The Bucs and Panthers both lost to set up a matchup for the NFC South title in Week 18. Meanwhile, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye threw four touchdown passes in the first half of their win over the Jets. The Bengals also dominated against the Cardinals, scoring 35-plus points for the second straight week.
Our NFL Nation reporters reacted to all the action, answering lingering questions coming out of each game and detailing everything you need to know for every team. Let’s get to it.
Trend to watch: The Seahawks’ running game has been a slog for much of the season, but it has come alive the past two games. After totaling 171 yards on the ground against the Rams, they had 164 before their late kneel-downs Sunday. Running back Zach Charbonnet led the way with 110 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries. — Brady Henderson
What to make of the QB performance: Bryce Young’s inconsistent season continued with a career-low 54 passing yards. He had 16 yards at halftime and 21 midway through the third quarter. Young was intercepted during a stretch of four offensive plays for Carolina that resulted in a pair of turnovers. He later managed a touchdown run, but wasn’t consistent enough to beat a really good Seattle team. — David Newton
Trend to watch: The Dolphins needed immediate production from this rookie class and got it, despite a disappointing season overall. The rookies stole the show Sunday, even beyond Ewers. Undrafted free agent wide receiver Theo Wease Jr. caught a 63-yard touchdown pass, defensive tackle Zeek Biggers blocked a field goal and cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. recorded his first career interception in the win. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Quinn Ewers connects with Theo Wease Jr. for 63-yard TD
The Dolphins level the score on a 63-yard touchdown pass from Quinn Ewers to Theo Wease Jr..
Trend to watch: Through Week 9, the Bucs allowed a QBR of 43.4 to opposing quarterbacks, the best in the NFL over that span. Then from Weeks 10-17, the Bucs have allowed a QBR of 64.3, trailing only the Cardinals for worst in the league. Arizona is 0-7 in that span. — Jenna Laine
How does this win impact the Browns’ offseason? Sunday’s game wasn’t just consequential for the Steelers, who could have clinched the AFC North with a win. The Browns’ win likely pushed them out of position for a top-two pick in the 2026 draft, which could presumably have been used on a top quarterback. Last year, the Browns finished behind the Titans and lost out on the opportunity to select Cam Ward with the top pick. So, this win could alter the trajectory of Cleveland’s offseason and future.
Stat to know: The Browns improved to 6-21 in games in which they’ve scored fewer than 14 points dating back to 2020. No other team has more than four such wins in that time (the Broncos are 4-17). — Daniel Oyefusi
Aaron Rodgers pass is deflected and incomplete to make a big stop for the Browns on 4th down.
Most surprising performance: Guard Cody Ford provided one of the most surprising plays of the entire NFL season. First, he lined up as a wide receiver. Then, he ran a route, catching the ball before turning upfield for a 21-yard reception. It was the kind of surprise that was worth the price of admission. — Ben Baby
Ja’Marr Chase extends Cincinnati’s lead with an 8-yard touchdown, his second of the game.
Stat to know: When Trey McBride made his first catch of the game early in the second quarter, he became the first tight end in NFL history to have 110 catches in multiple seasons. That further cemented his spot as one of the best tight ends — if not the best – in the league. — Josh Weinfuss
Drake Maye scans the field and throw it to a wide-open Hunter Henry for his fourth touchdown pass.
Stat to know: Running back Breece Hall reached the 1,000-yard rushing milestone for the first time in his career. It ended the NFL’s longest active drought; the previous 1,000-rushing season by a Jets player was Chris Ivory in 2015. Hall, who scored on a 59-yard run on a 111-yard rushing day, will be the Jets’ most important free agent. He’s a player they want — and need — to retain. — Rich Cimini
How did Ravens prevail without QB Lamar Jackson? Two words: Derrick Henry. The 31-year-old running back carried Baltimore in an elimination game, rushing for 216 yards and four touchdowns. After the Ravens endured a week of criticism for not giving Henry the ball enough — he didn’t get a carry in the last 12 minutes of Sunday’s 28-24 loss to the Patriots — they handed it off to Henry 36 times, which is a career high and the most carries by an NFL player this season.
Henry’s dominating performance helped him move into 10th place on the NFL’s all-time rushing list and fourth in rushing TDs. This was also Henry’s seventh career game with 200-plus yards rushing, breaking a tie with Adrian Peterson and O.J. Simpson.
This was a clutch performance by Henry and the Ravens, who would have been knocked out of playoff contention with a loss. With Jackson sidelined by a back injury, backup quarterback Tyler Huntley kept drives alive with his legs by totaling 55 yards, the most rushing yards by a Baltimore quarterback since Jackson in the season opener.
Derrick Henry finds his way into the end zone for his third rushing touchdown of the game
This team is not just limping to the finish line with three straight losses — it is banged up after losing five more players to game-ending injuries. This after entering the game without five key players because of season-ending injuries: Elgton Jenkins, Tucker Kraft, Micah Parsons, Devonte Wyatt and John FitzPatrick.
With a playoff berth clinched, what is the Texans’ biggest priority now? Winning the AFC South. The Texans still have a shot to claim the division title, but it depends on whether the Jacksonville Jaguars lose either of their next two games. It’s as simple as this: If the Jags fall to the Indianapolis Colts or the Tennessee Titans and Houston beats the Colts in Week 18, the Texans will win the AFC South for a third consecutive season.
Best quote from the locker room: On a night in which the Texans sacked Justin Herbert five times and picked him off once, safety Jalen Pitre said: “God is the greatest. The Texans defense is maybe second.”
C.J. Stroud puts the Texans on top with a deep 75-yard touchdown pass to Jayden Higgins.
Key stat to know: Cameron Dicker missed a field goal attempt from under 40 yards for the first time in his career. Dicker, the most accurate place-kicker in NFL history and a first-time Pro Bowl selection this season, pushed a 32-yard kick wide right to end the first half and later was unsuccessful on an extra point attempt. Dicker has been responsible for a large portion of the Chargers’ wins this season, but his misses loomed large for L.A. on Saturday. — Kris Rhim
Best quote from the locker room: The Chargers pride themselves in not allowing explosive plays, but allowed two 40-plus yard touchdowns to begin the game due to busted coverages. “The secondary was just all out of whack, not on the same page,” cornerback Donte Jackson said. “We can’t give s— away. We’ve got to be cleaner, more detailed, and execute way better.”
Was this enough to get safety Harrison Smith to play another season? It has been a while since the 36-year-old has made so many high-impact plays in a game. But Smith produced a sack, an interception, two batted passes and two tackles for loss as the Vikings’ defense forced six turnovers. Smith hasn’t said that he plans to retire, but there are many people in and around the franchise who suspect he will. But if he can still play like this, perhaps he could once against delay that decision.