With Week 15 nearly in the books and just one game left on the slate, the 2025 NFL season continues to deliver drama at a historic pace. We’ve now seen 53 games decided by a game-winning score in the final two minutes of regulation or overtime - a number that speaks to just how tight the margins are this year.
The latest? A 47-yard dagger from New Orleans kicker Charlie Smyth with just two ticks left on the clock.
That clutch kick marked the 53rd such finish, and it’s yet another reminder: no lead is safe, and no Sunday is predictable.
This week also tied an NFL record for the most teams to erase double-digit deficits and come out on top - six in total. That’s only happened a handful of times before, most recently in Week 5 of this season.
The comeback of the week? That belongs to the Buffalo Bills, who stormed back from 21 points down to stun the New England Patriots, 35-31.
That’s the kind of win that can change the trajectory of a season - and maybe even a franchise.
Atlanta got the party started early with a Thursday Night Football rally, clawing back from a 14-point hole to take down the Buccaneers. The Chargers, Rams, Saints, and Seahawks each flipped the script in their own games after trailing by at least 10 points. In a league built on parity, Week 15 was a masterclass in resilience.
And it wasn’t just the games themselves that delivered - the stakes were sky-high. Only two teams have officially punched their postseason tickets so far: the Los Angeles Rams and the Denver Broncos.
The Rams locked up their spot with a win over the Detroit Lions, continuing a late-season surge that’s made them one of the more dangerous teams in the NFC. The Broncos, meanwhile, held serve at home against the Packers to secure their place in the playoff picture.
But perhaps the biggest storyline coming out of Week 15 isn’t who’s in - it’s who’s out.
For the first time since 2015, the Kansas City Chiefs won’t be part of the postseason. That’s a seismic shift in the AFC landscape.
The Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys, two teams with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations just a few months ago, have also seen their playoff hopes fade. In a season defined by razor-thin finishes and late-game heroics, it’s clear that even the league’s elite aren’t immune to the grind.
The upside? New contenders are stepping into the spotlight.
With perennial powers on the sidelines, the door is wide open for fresh faces to make a run. The playoff race is far from over, but one thing’s for sure - the NFL’s next generation is ready to take center stage.