The Blitz Read: Brutal Week 16 for playoff-bound Raiders, Seahawks

Ron Clements

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The Blitz Read: Brutal Week 16 for playoff-bound Raiders, Seahawks image

Tom Brady's Patriots are in the playoffs. Ben Roethlisberger's Steelers will likely join them. Alex Smith and the Chiefs can secure a playoff berth with a win Sunday over the Broncos. 

While the Raiders have secured a playoff spot and can still clinch the No. 2 seed in the AFC, they will be led in the postseason by Matt McGloin. Tom Savage will lead the Texans, who clinched the AFC South with a 12-10 win over the Bengals. 

MORE: Updated NFL playoff picture

Houston's win eliminated the Titans, who had to finish Saturday's 38-17 loss to the Jaguars with Matt Cassel after starting quarterback Marcus Mariota broke his right fibula. That's the same injury suffered by Raiders quarterback Derek Carr to force McGloin into action. 

Carr was injured when he was spun around by Colts linebacker Trent Moore on a sack early in the fourth quarter of Oakland's 33-25 win. Carr will spend Christmas Day in the operating room. 

"We all felt it," Raiders coach Jack Del Rio said. "The stadium felt it. It went from really really good to getting the wind knocked out of us."

MORE: SN's NFL scoreboard

The injuries make for a quarterback list that's not exactly daunting enough to concern the Patriots, who walloped the Jets on Saturday and can clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a win next week at Miami. 

Injury report

Carr and Mariota weren't the only quarterbacks to leave with injuries. Cleveland's Robert Griffin III suffered a concussion on Saturday, but the Browns still got their first win of the season, 20-17 over the Chargers. 

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Jets quarterback Bryce Petty suffered a separated left shoulder in the 41-3 loss to the Patriots. He's scheduled for an MRI on Christmas Day.

The injuries weren't limited to quarterbacks as Seahawks receiver Tyler Lockett broke both the tibia and fibula in his right leg in what was a gruesome injury against the Cardinals. 

The Jets also lost running back Khiry Robinson (leg), tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins (hamstring) and defensive lineman Leonard Williams (chest).

By the numbers

Aaron Rodgers threw four touchdown passes in Saturday's 38-25 win over the Vikings, with two of them going to Jordy Nelson. Rodgers and Nelson have now connected for 58 touchdowns in their nine seasons together to pass Brett Favre and Antonio Freeman for the most by a quarterback/receiver tandem in Packers history. Nelson also passed Don Hutson for fourth on Green Bay's all-time receptions list. Nelson (491 receptions) is now behind only James Lofton (530), Sterling Sharpe (595) and Donald Driver (743) in team annals. 

Rodgers and Nelson have a ways to go for the NFL record, however. Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison hooked up for 114 scores with the Colts. 

Rodgers now has 293 passing touchdowns, passing Johnny Unitas and Warren Moon to move into 11th place on the NFL's all-time list. He also joined Fran Tarkenton, John Elway and Donovan McNabb as the only quarterbacks in league history with at least 35,000 passing yards and 2,500 rushing yards. 

Atlanta's 33-16 win over the Panthers in Charlotte was briefly interrupted in the first half to recognize Carolina tight end Greg Olsen, who went over 1,000 receiving yards this season to become the first tight end in NFL history with three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. Olsen caught six passes for 59 yards in a losing effort. 

Larry Fitzgerald needs 31 receiving yards to pass Reggie Wayne (14,345) for ninth all time. Lions receiver Anquan Boldin (1,067) is also just four receptions shy of passing Wayne for ninth on the NFL's all-time receptions list. The Lions will play the Cowboys on Monday. 

Miami's Jay Ajayi ran for 206 yards in Saturday's 34-31 overtime victory in Buffalo. It was Ajayi's third game with at least 200 rushing yards this season as the Dolphins running back joins O.J. Simpson, Earl Campbell and Tiki Barber as the only players with three 200-games in a single season. 

Colts running back Frank Gore had 73 rushing yards on 13 carries and a 12-yard reception against the Raiders to become the first player in NFL history with 11 consecutive seasons of 1,200 yards from scrimmage. He passed Barry Sanders, Emmitt Smith and Curtis Martin, who each had 10 straight such seasons.

Cardinals running back David Johnson tied Barry Sanders for the longest streak (15) of 100-yard games in league history.

Highlights

Rodgers spun away from one would-be tackler and then juked another on his 6-yard touchdown run. 

Despite the loss, Minnesota's Adam Thielen had a huge game with 12 catches for 202 yards and two touchdowns.

The Falcons had everything working in their 33-16 win over the Panthers to help them clinch the NFC South. The victory was punctuated by Tevin Coleman's 55-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter.

Miami's Devante Parker would not be tackled on his 56-yard touchdown in the 34-31 win at Buffalo.

The Jaguars got creative in their 38-17 upset of the Titans. After Blake Bortles threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Marqise Lee, the receiver returned the favor by tossing a 20-yard scoring strike to his quarterback.

The Redskins picked off Bears quarterback Matt Barkley five times in their 41-21 win at Soldier Field. Josh Norman had two of them, including a diving interception in the third quarter. 

Ohio native Jamie Meder blocked Josh Lambo's field-goal attempt to help the Browns secure their first win of the season. 

The Buccaneers lost to the Saints, but Mike Evans still had the play of the game with a 34-yard touchdown pass.

The 49ers snapped their 13-game losing streak with a 22-21 win over the Rams with Colin Kaepernick diving into the end zone on a two-point conversion with 11 seconds remaining.

Alfred Blue's 24-yard touchdown run proved to be the game-winner to help the Texans clinch the AFC South.

Quotables

Bucs coach Dirk Koetter on decision to bench running back Doug Martin: "We got four backs. We can't give' em all touches."

Browns tight end Gary Barnidge after handing coach Hue Jackson the game following Cleveland's first win of the season: "For sticking with us through the whole year, it hasn't been the way we wanted, but this one's for you. Merry Christmas."

Week 16 results

Thursday's game

Eagles 24, Giants 19

Saturday's games

Dolphins 34, Bills 31, OT
Falcons 33, Panthers 16
Redskins 41, Bears 21
Browns 20, Chargers 17
Packers 38, Vikings 25
Jaguars 38, Titans 17
Patriots 41, Jets 3
Raiders 33, Colts 25
Saints 31, Buccaneers 24
49ers 22, Rams 21
Cardinals 34, Seahawks 31
Texans 12, Bengals 10

Sunday's games

Ravens at Steelers, 4:30 p.m. ET
Broncos at Chiefs, 8:30 p.m. ET

Monday's game

Lions at Cowboys, 8:30 p.m. ET

Ron Clements