Week 15 Roundup: Riley Moss Delivers, Mahomes Faces the Road Back, and Pressure Builds in Vegas
Broncos: Riley Moss Gets Redemption in Crunch Time
Riley Moss has been tested all season, and in Week 15, he finally got his moment. With the Broncos clinging to a late lead over the Packers, the rookie cornerback came up with a game-sealing interception-his first of the year. And for Moss, it felt like justice.
“It was great, long overdue,” Moss said after the game. “You know, the ball doesn’t lie, right?”
Earlier in the game, Moss was flagged for pass interference-his eighth of the season, the most in the league. The call drew plenty of criticism, including from Broncos head coach Sean Payton, who didn’t mince words when asked about it.
“There’s been-look, he continues to compete. I can’t say the word, but it begins with an A, relative to that call,” Payton said, clearly frustrated.
“It’s just-holy cow. It’s something that’s frustrating, I’m sure for him.
But he’ll keep competing. He’s tough, came back with the big interception.”
Payton also referenced another questionable flag Moss took earlier in the season in New York, calling it “brutal.” But despite the penalties, the message from the Broncos’ sideline is clear: Moss is a fighter, and they’re standing behind him.
Denver’s secondary has taken its lumps this season, but Moss’s late-game heroics could be a turning point-not just for him, but for a defense that’s been clawing for consistency. The interception wasn’t just a stat-it was a statement.
Chiefs: Mahomes’ Injury Draws Support from a Legend
When Patrick Mahomes went down with a torn ACL in Week 15, it sent shockwaves through the league. A season-ending injury to one of the game’s brightest stars is never easy to absorb, and few people understand that journey better than Tom Brady.
Brady, who tore his ACL in 2008, offered insight into what lies ahead for Mahomes-and it’s not just physical.
“It’s a tough rehab,” Brady said. “It’s one of the toughest rehabs.
I just remember every day pushing myself. And it’s always the same amount of pain and discomfort, except you’re making progress through that pain and discomfort, which is a hard psychological thing to battle.”
Brady emphasized the mental grind that comes with this kind of injury. It’s not just about regaining strength-it’s about trusting your body again, day by day.
“You feel like, ‘God, every day it doesn’t feel right.’ Except you’re gaining range of motion and you’re gaining strength, and you are on the road to recovery,” Brady added. “So, I wish him the very best.”
His advice to Mahomes? Lock in, focus forward, and don’t look back.
“This is part of what my career is going to be,” Brady said. “A lot of people have gone through it, and a lot of people have overcome it. You’ve just got to put as much diligence into the rehab process.”
Brady also warned against falling into a passive mindset.
“Sometimes people will pace themselves. Instead of training mode, they’re in rehab mode,” he said.
“I think you’ve got to get through rehab mode as fast as possible, and then you get back to training mode. But that requires an all-out commitment.”
For Mahomes, the road ahead is steep-but if anyone has the work ethic and mental toughness to climb it, it’s him. And with Brady’s blueprint in hand, he’s not walking it alone.
Raiders: Quarterback Questions and Coaching Pressure
In Las Vegas, the Raiders are staring down a 2-12 record, and the pressure is mounting. Head coach Pete Carroll, in his first season with the team, said there’s a “good chance” Geno Smith will be back under center in Week 16 against the Texans. But the quarterback carousel is just one piece of the puzzle.
According to reports, the organization expected 2025 to be a rebuilding year-but not like this. One team source put it bluntly: “It wasn’t supposed to be this bad.”
The Raiders have struggled to stay competitive, and the frustration is starting to boil over. Internally, there’s a growing sense that the team needs the kind of energy and upside they believed they had with former interim head coach Antonio Pierce.
One source close to the organization described the ideal fit as a “high-energy first-time head coach with a high ceiling,” suggesting that the team may have pulled the plug on Pierce too early.
Now, with the season winding down and few bright spots to lean on, the Raiders are facing tough questions about leadership, direction, and identity. Carroll’s future is uncertain, and so is the team’s long-term quarterback plan.
Week 16 looms large-not just for who starts at QB, but for what kind of statement the Raiders can make about the fight they still have left.