Pittsburgh survives controversial finish while Jaguars upset Broncos and Panthers stun Buccaneers in week 16
An afternoon of professional football delivered some of the most dramatic finishes of the entire season Sunday, with playoff implications hanging in the balance and controversial calls deciding outcomes. The most chaotic ending came in the Steelers-Lions matchup, where Pittsburgh escaped with a victory after officials negated what appeared to be a game-winning touchdown by Detroit.
The controversial finish in Pittsburgh
The Steelers appeared ready to celebrate a hard-fought victory when kicker Chris Boswell missed a field goal with just over two minutes remaining, giving the Lions one final opportunity trailing 29-24. Detroit drove deep into Pittsburgh territory thanks to a pair of penalties against the home team, setting up multiple chances to score from close range.
In the final seconds, Jared Goff threw a pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown that was initially ruled a touchdown, but officials called offensive pass interference to wipe the score off the board. On the next play, with time expired, Goff completed a short pass to St. Brown just shy of the end zone. The wide receiver lateraled the ball back to his quarterback, who crossed the goal line for an apparent touchdown that sent the Detroit sideline into celebration.
However, officials threw another flag for offensive pass interference on St. Brown during the play. Because the game clock had expired, the penalty ended the contest immediately rather than allowing Pittsburgh another defensive snap. The Steelers walked away with the victory despite appearing to lose the game twice in the final minute.
Jacksonville pulls off the upset
The Jaguars kept the race for the AFC’s top seed wide open by defeating the Broncos 34-20 in Denver. Trevor Lawrence continued his impressive recent stretch, following up his six-touchdown performance from the previous week with another dominant outing. He threw for 169 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for 15 yards and a score.
Lawrence’s 1-yard rushing touchdown midway through the third quarter gave Jacksonville a 24-17 advantage. After Denver tied the game at 17-17 on the opening drive of the second half with a 38-yard touchdown run by rookie RJ Harvey, the Jaguars responded with an 80-yard scoring drive. Lawrence connected with Travis Etienne for a 10-yard touchdown pass, pushing the lead to 31-17.
The big play on that drive came when Lawrence found Parker Washington in the flat. Washington split two Denver defenders and broke free for a 63-yard gain that set up the score. Jacksonville added a 47-yard field goal by Cam Little to extend the advantage before halftime, demonstrating their ability to consistently move the ball against one of the league’s top defenses. The victory marked the eighth consecutive game the Jaguars have scored at least 20 points.
Chaos in the final seconds in Detroit 😳 pic.twitter.com/Q6BriP9Qv4
— NFL (@NFL) December 22, 2025
Carolina takes control of NFC South
The Panthers shocked the Buccaneers 23-20 in Charlotte, moving into first place in the division at 8-7 while Tampa Bay fell to 7-8. The game came down to the final possession, with Baker Mayfield driving the Buccaneers to the Carolina 37-yard line in position for a potential game-tying field goal attempt.
Instead, Mayfield threw an interception to Panthers defensive back Lathan Ransom in the final minute, sealing the upset victory. The turnover represented the only giveaway of the entire contest. Mayfield finished with just 145 yards passing as Tampa Bay’s offense struggled throughout the afternoon. Ryan Fitzgerald’s 48-yard field goal gave Carolina the three-point lead with 2:20 remaining, setting up the dramatic final drive.
Bryce Young delivered an efficient performance for the Panthers, completing 16 of 25 passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns. Young eluded a sack on Carolina’s go-ahead scoring drive and found tight end JaTavion Sanders for a 6-yard touchdown that put the home team up 20-17 late in the third quarter. The victory gives Carolina control of its playoff destiny with three weeks remaining in the regular season.
Other notable results from Sunday
The Bills survived a scare from the Browns despite losing starting quarterback Josh Allen to a foot injury in the first half. X-rays returned negative and Allen played in the second half, helping Buffalo secure a 23-20 victory. Rookie running back Quinshon Judkins was carted off with a leg injury and ruled out for Cleveland.
The Chargers dominated the Cowboys 34-17 in Dallas, scoring 20 consecutive points after trailing 17-14 late in the first half. Justin Herbert threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score as Los Angeles improved to 11-4. The Cowboys were officially eliminated from playoff contention Saturday despite the loss.
In another upset, the Titans defeated the Chiefs 26-9 after Kansas City lost backup quarterback Gardner Minshew to a knee injury. Third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun completed 8 of 11 passes for 81 yards in relief, but the Chiefs offense struggled throughout. Kansas City is dealing with the loss of Patrick Mahomes to a torn ACL from the previous week.
The Vikings edged the Giants 16-13 despite losing starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy to a left hand injury at halftime. Undrafted rookie Max Brosmer finished the game for Minnesota, which also lost two running backs to ankle injuries on the opening drive. The Saints dominated the Jets 29-6 behind rookie quarterback Tyler Shough, who threw for 281 yards and a touchdown.
Playoff picture continues evolving
These results significantly impacted the playoff races in both conferences. The Steelers’ controversial victory keeps them in strong position for a playoff berth, while the Lions missed an opportunity to solidify their standing. Jacksonville’s upset of Denver tightened the AFC wild-card race considerably, giving multiple teams hope of sneaking into the postseason.
Carolina’s win over Tampa Bay completely reshuffled the NFC South hierarchy with three weeks remaining. The Panthers now control their fate in the division race, having won six of their last seven games to surge into contention. Tampa Bay has lost six of its last seven contests, putting significant pressure on the Buccaneers to regroup quickly.