Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels delivered an incredible late rally to help the Washington Commanders impress the Philadelphia Eagles on a Sunday filled with playoff momentum in the NFL.

Daniels showed why he could be a big star in the NFL by ending Philadelphia’s long winning streak while the Eagles struggled with the loss of their own quarterback, Jalen Hurts, to a concussion.

That puts the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings on a collision course for what could be a huge showdown in the final week – as the two division rivals are locked in a battle for first place in the NFC.

But it was the end for the San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals, all of whom were eliminated from playoff contention, while the Los Angeles Rams and Atlanta Falcons boosted their chances with decisive victories.

Daniels ensures epic comeback victory

Washington’s number five, Daniels, threw five touchdowns, overcame five team turnovers and led the team in a thrilling 36-33 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in the final minute.

Philadelphia lost Hurts to an early concussion, but Saquon Barkley rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns in a brilliant first quarter.

However, he only managed 34 more yards as Washington’s defense tightened and Daniels demonstrated his special talents – including adding 81 rushing yards to his five touchdown passes, a statistic that no rookie quarterback had ever achieved before .

Scoring a 57-yard drive and game-winning touchdown pass with just six seconds left on the clock is special – doing it as a rookie against the best defense in the NFL is simply incredible.

“I always believe that we can win the game no matter what,” Daniels said. “The game is never over until the clock reaches zero. If you really love this sport, you live for the big moments when the finish matters.”

Daniels’ heroics pushed Washington to 10-5, its best record since their victorious 1991 Super Bowl season, ended Philly’s 10-game winning streak and, as an added bonus for Commanders fans, also eliminated Dallas from the playoffs. offs.

Lions and Vikings are fighting for the NFC top spot

Philadelphia’s loss means they are one game behind in the race for first place in the NFC, with both Detroit and Minnesota winning 13-2 in a battle that will come down to the final minute.

The Lions dominated the Chicago Bears 34-17 and won 13 for the first time in their history. Their 7-0 away record and 493 total points this season are also team records.

However, the Lions simply cannot prevail against the Minnesota Vikings, who came from behind to beat the Seattle Seahawks 27-24 and beat Detroit 13-2 – only the second time the team had posted such a record.

Quarterback Sam Darnold, who was considered a one-year stopgap this season, impressed again with three touchdown passes – two of them to Justin Jefferson, who had a massive 144-yard game.

With two games left, this battle could reach a thrilling climax when the Lions and Vikings meet in Detroit last weekend – and with the No. 1 seed getting a bye and home-field advantage in the playoffs, there’s a lot at stake.

Cowboys and 49ers out of the playoff hunt

The San Francisco 49ers, last season’s losing Super Bowl team, struggled with injuries all season and were put out of their misery by exiting the playoffs before their loss at the Miami Dolphins.

After three 12-win seasons, the famous Dallas Cowboys were also eliminated before their game – but they still beat Tampa Bay 26-24, dealing a major blow to the Buccaneers’ playoff hopes.

The Bucs had won four straight to lead the NFC South, but a loss in Dallas coupled with Atlanta’s dominant 34-7 win at the New York Giants meant the Falcons were back on top and Tampa Bay out eliminated from the play-off places.

Atlanta started rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in place of veteran Kirk Cousins, and his debut couldn’t have gone more smoothly.

Both teams are 8-7, but only the division winner is likely to advance.

The Los Angeles Rams also took control of their division after defeating the New York Jets 19-9 to take a game lead over the Seahawks – with Seattle now needing a Rams loss ahead of their divisional showdown last week.

It was also over for the Arizona Cardinals after an overtime defeat against the Carolina Panthers, leaving only six teams in the hunt for four remaining playoff spots.

The Green Bay Packers can secure one of these with a win over the New Orleans Saints on Monday (01:15 GMT, Tuesday).

Bills chasing Chiefs & Bengals are still alive in the AFC

The Buffalo Bills were heavy favorites against the New England Patriots, who won three times, but division games in the NFL are never that easy – and the hosts needed a big defensive performance to earn a 24-21 victory.

MVP favorite Josh Allen had one of his quieter games and also suffered a late blow to his throwing arm, while cornerback Taron Johnson’s opportunistic fumble recovery touchdown proved the difference.

Miami’s victory over the 49ers moved them to 7-8, alongside the Indianapolis Colts and Cincinnati Bengals – both of whom also won to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

Jonathan Taylor had a monster game with 218 rushing yards and three touchdowns as the Colts beat the Tennessee Titans and showed why they should have run the ball a lot more all season.

Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase continued to deliver breathtaking performances as the Bengals defeated the Cleveland Browns for the third straight time and continued to hold on.

Burrow passed for more than 250 yards and three touchdown passes for the seventh straight game, another NFL record in an extraordinary season he set despite the Bengals’ struggles.

The Bengals, Colts and Dolphins all need to win their final two games and hope that results elsewhere somehow help them clinch one of the two AFC wild card spots.

The Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars are both doing well, but the Raiders at least ended their 10-game losing streak with a win against the Jags.

NFL Results – Week 16

NFL Highlights – Week 16