Play.
After Rodgers broke his Packers' record, Favre congratulates him.
The quarterback connects with Allen Lazard for an 11 yard touchdown. The play moves Rodgers past another Packer. (0:39)
8:00 PM
The playoff races in both conferences should be clear in Week 16 of the NFL season.
Rodgers set a Packers record in the early game, throwing his 443rd touchdown pass. The Packers beat the Browns last week and now have a playoff spot.
The 49ers loss to the Tennessee was the start of the week. San Francisco led by 10 at the half.
The reporters of the NFL Nation are reacting to the questions. They look at the bigger picture with their current team confidence rating, a 0-10 grade of how they feel about a team's outlook coming out of the week. Let's get to it.
Go to:
There are two places: CLE-GB and IND-ARI.
The Green Bay Packers defeated the Cleveland Indians.
The Packers.
Quarterback Rodgers might have a late Christmas wish, for people to stop stepping on his toe. It happened twice in the first half, once by the defensive end and once by the right guard, who got pushed into Rodgers by Jackson. Rodgers took a shot from Ifeadi Odenigbo that left him limping at the end of the series. It gets stepped on or kicked when Rodgers' fractured left toe starts to feel better. Rodgers may have to have surgery if this continues. He said he could have surgery without missing a game. It's another reason why the Packers would love to have a bye in the playoffs.
Can the Packers' defense live up to its potential? They won't be playing Baker Mayfield every week in the playoffs. Their pattern of giving up a touchdown twice or getting an interception on the first five possessions might not be a good way to live against a quarterback who takes care of the ball. The three first-half picks were considered off-target. He entered the game with the fourth-highest off-target rate. Sure, the Packers loved to see the likes of Chandon Sullivan and Rasul Douglas come up with picks, but good old fashioned third-down stops to end drives might be more important when play a quarterback who doesn't. The Packers have recorded at least five sacks and four turnovers in two of the last three seasons. The last team to do it was the Falcons.
Demovsky's confidence rating went up from 8.5 to 10. The only way to beat the Packers is to run the ball. The Packers allowed 4.5 yards per rush, which was better than only seven teams. Some teams have abandoned the run because they've played from behind. Chubb averaged 7.4 yards per carry on Sunday and finished with 17 on 126.
The next game is against the Vikings. The time is later.
They are called the Browns.
What to know: Rodgers threw all three of Baker's first half picks into the air for touchdown passes. Cleveland's once promising playoff hopes continue to fade, as the Packers picked off a fourth time in the final seconds to seal the 24-22 victory Saturday.
Can the team still make the playoffs? They only have a chance to win the AFC North at this point. If the Ravens beat Cincinnati on Sunday, it will help since the Cleveland Indians already beat the Cincinnati Reds this season. The Browns are going to need a lot of help. They will have to win their final two games, including Monday Night Football in Pittsburgh, to have any chance.
Trotter's confidence rating was down from 6. The Browns lost their sixth game of the season by six or fewer points, as they can't win close games in the fourth quarter.
The next game is at the Steelers. The time is later.
Tennessee 20, San Francisco 17.
They are the TITANS.
The offense is back with A.J. Brown. Ryan Tannehill threw for more than 200 yards for the first time in five games. Tannehill had a touchdown pass for the first time in three games. It ended a streak of passes without a touchdown. The first team to have at least five conversions on third-and-10 or longer in a game was the Titans. Brown caught eight passes, the most in a game over the past 30 seasons.
Is it possible that Jones could be a complement to Brown? Yes. Two years ago, Jones was the same player. He needs to be a presence that can beat single coverage when the defense is focused on Brown. Jones had one reception for seven yards so there's a lot to be desired. Ryan Tannehill mentioned how Jones was able to get coverage when he connected with Brown. It would be great for the team if they could get a productive game from Jones to make defenses think twice about paying attention to Brown.
Davenport's confidence rating went up from 8 to 10. The signs of life the offense showed is encouraging, and the combination of the defense and the offense will make the team a tough out down the stretch.
The next game is against the Dolphins. The time is later.
The 49ers.
The 49ers offered a reminder Thursday of the narrow margin for error, as they have been over the past month and a half. The 49ers aren't a team that can overwhelm anyone with their front four or a dynamic running game. The Niners have to find a way to get off the field on third down consistently, and they can't afford to turn the ball over in key situations. They lost a game they should have won. San Francisco should make the playoffs, but it has to beat the Houston Texans on New Year's Day.
What version of Jimmy Garoppolo will the Niners get? Thursday's loss was the full Garoppolo experience. The Niners scored an opening touchdown. He threw a bad pick in the end zone, missed a wide open Kyle Juszczyk for a would-be touchdown, and threw another bad pick that led to a Tennessee touchdown. The Niners had a recent surge, but Bad Jimmy hadn't been seen much. Bad Jimmy needs to go back into hiding if the Niners are going to make the playoffs.
Wagoner's confidence rating was down from 7.2 to zero. The Niners lost but how they lost doesn't inspire confidence because there will be teams like Tennessee in the playoffs and they will try to follow a similar plan.
The next game is against the Texans. The time is later.
