NFL Week 16's Worst Performances: Units and Players Who Came Up Short When It Mattered Most
With the playoff picture coming into focus, Week 16 was a proving ground for teams and players hoping to make a final push-or at least finish strong. But for a handful of squads and individuals, it was anything but a festive showing.
Whether it was a defense that didn’t show up, a quarterback who couldn’t find rhythm, or an offensive line that left its signal-caller out to dry, these performances stood out for all the wrong reasons. Here’s a closer look at five of the most disappointing efforts from Week 16.
Dallas Cowboys Defense: Flat When the Stakes Were Already Low
The Cowboys had already been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention the day before, but you’d still expect some fight at home. Instead, the defense played like a unit ready to pack it in for the winter. In a 34-17 loss to the Chargers, Dallas looked overmatched and underprepared.
What made this performance even more troubling was the context. Justin Herbert was playing through a recent surgery on his non-throwing hand and was protected by a patchwork offensive line that lost yet another starter early in the game.
None of that mattered. Herbert carved up the Cowboys with surgical precision, going 23-of-29 for 300 yards and two touchdowns.
According to NFL Next Gen Stats, he racked up 23.9 expected points added on 33 dropbacks-second-best by any quarterback all season. That’s not just a good day for Herbert; that’s a defensive meltdown for Dallas.
Miami Dolphins Defense: No Help for the Rookie
Making your first NFL start is tough enough. Doing it against Joe Burrow with a playoff-hungry defense behind you?
That’s a tall order. But that’s exactly what rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers faced in his debut for the Dolphins, and his defense didn’t do him any favors.
Miami’s defense got torched in a 45-21 loss to the Bengals, who had been shut out the previous week. Cincinnati scored touchdowns on all six of their red-zone trips, and Burrow looked every bit the former No. 1 pick, picking apart Miami’s secondary with ease.
Ewers, to his credit, showed flashes-completing two-thirds of his passes and averaging 8.7 yards per attempt. But with the defense giving up points at will, he was forced into a shootout he had no business being in.
The result? Two interceptions and a blowout loss that wasn’t entirely on the rookie.
Jaxson Dart, QB, New York Giants: Hitting the Rookie Wall Hard
Jaxson Dart’s rookie campaign started with promise, but Week 16 was a clear low point. In a 16-13 loss to the Vikings, the Giants’ offense was stuck in neutral-and Dart was at the center of it.
The numbers tell the story: 7-of-13 passing, just 33 yards through the air, and one interception. Add in five sacks that cost him 20 yards, and the Giants ended up with as many net passing yards as points-13.
The offensive line didn’t help, and the play-calling didn’t do him many favors, but Dart looked hesitant and out of sync all afternoon. For a team already deep into evaluation mode, this outing raised more questions than answers about their first-round pick’s development.
New York Jets Offensive Line: A Rough Day Gets Rougher
The Jets’ offensive line has been a revolving door all season, and in Week 16, it finally came off the hinges. Facing a Saints defense that had been average at best in the pass rush department, New York allowed a season-high eight sacks in a 29-6 loss.
Brady Cook, making just his second career start, had little time to breathe, let alone operate. Every time the Jets looked like they might build some momentum, the offensive line found a way to derail it-whether through breakdowns in protection or untimely penalties.
A chop block wiped out an early third-down conversion, and two holding calls stalled drives before they even got going. It wasn’t just a bad day-it was a full-blown collapse up front.
Baker Mayfield, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: A Costly Mistake at the Worst Time
The Bucs had a golden opportunity to take control of the NFC South. Instead, they fell to second place after a 23-20 loss to the Panthers-and Baker Mayfield’s late-game miscue was a big reason why.
With under a minute to go and Tampa Bay driving, Mayfield rolled out on 2nd-and-9 from the Carolina 42-yard line and made a risky, off-platform throw that missed badly. Rookie safety Lathan Ransom was waiting and picked it off, sealing the win for the Panthers. It was a frustrating end to a pedestrian outing for Mayfield, who finished 18-of-26 for 145 yards, one touchdown, and the game-losing interception.
Now at 7-8, the Bucs need to win out to claim their fifth straight NFC South title. But if Mayfield continues to make critical mistakes in crunch time, that streak may be coming to an end sooner than expected.
Final Word
Week 16 reminded us that December football is about more than just talent-it’s about execution, urgency, and rising to the moment. For these players and units, the moment was too big, the mistakes too costly. With just two weeks left in the regular season, there’s still time to bounce back-but the margin for error is shrinking fast.