Sunday Rundown: Instant takeaways from early Week 15 games

Sunday Rundown recaps the most important developments from the day's action and examines their significance moving forward.

Chiefs officially done

For the first time since 2011, the Chiefs won't be in the playoffs. Sunday's loss to the Chargers, along with a few other relevant AFC results, made it official with three weeks still left to play. That's how poorly this season has gone in Kansas City. For a while, it seemed like it would only be a matter of time before the three-time defending conference champions were going to turn it on. We'd seen far too much magic from Patrick Mahomes and Co. to rule anything out. Recently, though, it started to become clear that this wasn't going to be an easy fix. The receiving corps getting back to full strength provided reason for optimism midseason, but that group was evidently never enough to salvage what proved to be a broken offense. While many will be expecting some splashy offseason moves in an effort to reload, keep in mind that this team enters the offseason a projected $43.7 million over the salary cap. A rebound season will hinge almost entirely on this coaching staff's ability to look in the mirror a reimagine an offensive system that is no longer working and Mahomes coming back healthy.

Bills have my attention

I've been pretty dismissive of the Bills for much of this season, and I stand by all of my critiques. This is the most flawed team Buffalo has fielded in the last five years. Immediately digging itself a 21-0 hole Sunday in New England was just another example of that reality. The second half, on the other hand, was a reminder of why the Bills are still very much a contender anyways. Josh Allen once again went into Superman mode with his team on the ropes, orchestrating five consecutive touchdown drives to storm back and knock off the first-place Patriots. Constantly needing those kinds of heroics isn't exactly a sustainable recipe for success. Depending on a quarterback, no matter how spectacular, to string together four such performances in the playoffs is beyond unfair. But Allen, more so than any player in the game today, could be up to the task. And with neither Patrick Mahomes nor Joe Burrow standing in the way, this is shaping up to be the most favorable road to the Super Bowl yet. Could the stars finally be aligning for the Bills in the year we least expect it?

T-Law makes it 2 in a row

Trevor Lawrence might be back, folks. I've always been a big believer in his upside, but even I had to admit things were starting to look bleak. It had been years since that promising sophomore campaign, and he was arguably the main factor holding back Liam Coen's offense over the first half of this season. But it sure seems like something has clicked over the last few games. I wrote last week that Lawrence's performance in the rain against the Colts was one of the best I had seen from him since that faux-breakout in 2022. He followed that up with an even better game Sunday against the Jets, completing 20 of 32 passes for 330 yards and five touchdowns. He also added a team-high 51 yards and another score on the ground. Lawrence's 0.73 EPA/dropback marks the most productive game of his pro career and the seventh-best single-game output from any quarterback this season, according to TruMedia. The Jaguars are a real contender if they get anything close to this level of quarterback play from here on out.

A positive step

The Ravens have been a frustrating watch for majority of this season. Lamar Jackson's return from injury was supposed to be the catalyst for a late run, but the Baltimore offense was still searching for answers after consecutive losses to the Bengals and Steelers. Perhaps getting one back this week can be the start of a season-saving ascent. The Ravens will have to do it against far more capable opponents in January, but a 24-0 win against the same Cincinnati team that shocked them on Thanksgiving can only be taken as a positive sign. The defense came up big with a pair of interceptions, including a wild pick-6 in the fourth quarter, to hand the Bengals their first shutout since 2017. The run game showed some promising signs, too, with Derrick Henry recording 100 yards on just 11 carries while Keaton Mitchell chipped in 66 yards on eight attempts. The next two games (at Patriots, at Packers) should tell us what to expect from this team - if anything - in January.

Texans' offense trending up

The Texans made easy work of the Cardinals on Sunday, but it probably wasn't in the way that most had been expecting. A typically dominant Houston defense didn't quite impose its will on a vulnerable Arizona offense, finishing the day with its second-worst performance of the year by both EPA/play and success rate. Still, the Cardinals never stood much of a chance. That's because the Texans' offense stepped up with one of its most complete performances of the season. C.J. Stroud was nearly perfect in the pass game, completing 22 of 29 passes for 260 yards and three scores. The run game also did its part despite being without Nick Chubb and losing Woody Marks in the first half, with former sixth-round pick Jawhar Jordan going off for 101 yards on 15 carries. The Texans won't get to face a team like the Cardinals in the playoffs, but the offense flashing this type of competence is an incredibly encouraging development looking ahead. They might have all they need to complement the league's premier defense.

Carroll has to go

I have no idea whether the Raiders will actually fire Pete Carroll. This hire was supposed to be the move that established some sort of stability looking to the future. And after years of constant turnover under Mark Davis' watch, I could absolutely envision a scenario where they opt to bring him back for no other reason than to avoid having to admit another mistake so soon. Much like everything else this organization does, that would be a monumental error. Not only have the Raiders somehow gotten worse since Carroll's arrival, but it's trending further in the wrong direction with every passing week. A pathetic, non-competitive effort in Philly - the Raiders' second 31-0 loss of the season - is probably grounds to rip off the Band-Aid right now. The timing ultimately isn't important, though. All that matters is that this team doesn't let the mistakes compound. Start fresh with a coaching staff that actually has an interest in aligning with the front office on a long-term vision. Running it back with a 74-year-old coach focused on winning now will only hurt their chances of rebuilding in the way they so desperately need.

Dan Wilkins is theScore's senior NFL writer.