The Bengals and Cardinals were both mathematically eliminated heading into today’s game and had nothing to play for, but the Bengals showed up while the Cardinals did not.
Bengas quarterback Joe Burrow had an excellent game, completing 24 of 31 passes for 305 yards and two touchdowns (both to Ja’Marr Chase) and no interceptions. Bengals running back Chase Brown added 22 carries for 101 yards and two touchdowns of his own.
The Bengals won 37-14, and it wasn’t even that close, as the score was 37-7 in the third quarter before the Bengals took their foot off the gas.
It was a meaningless game and the Bengals were winning a blowout, so in the third quarter they decided to have some fun, lining up offensive lineman Cody Ford at wide receiver and throwing to him — and he caught the ball, broke a tackle and gained 21 yards. Today is Ford’s 29th birthday, and that was a great gift.
The Cardinals’ lone bright spot came in the form of tight end Trey McBride, who caught 10 passes and set a new NFL record for catches in a season by a tight end.
With the win, the Bengals improve to 6-10 on the season. The Cardinals fall to 3-13.
The Panthers added rookie Tetairoa McMillan to their injury report with an illness on Sunday morning, but they won’t have to go without their top wide receiver against the Seahawks.
McMillan is active for their home game against the NFC West frontrunners. The first-round pick has 65 catches for 924 yards and seven touchdowns so far this season.
The Panthers will win the NFC South on Sunday with a win and a Buccaneers loss to the Dolphins. If they don’t get that combination of results, the two teams will okay for the division crown in Week 18.
Seahawks at Panthers
Seahawks: WR Hunter Renfrow, S Demani Richardson, DT Jared Harrison-Hunte, TE James Mitchell, DT Tershawn Wharton
Panthers: QB Jalen Milroe, CB Coby Bryant, LB Jared Ivey, T Charles Cross, G Bryce Cabledue, OL Mason Richman, DL Brandon Pili
Steelers at Browns
Steelers: QB Will Howard, WR Calvin Austin, RB Kaleb Johnson, CB Brandin Echols, CB James Pierre, G Isaac Seumalo, EDGE T.J. Watt, DL Logan Lee
Browns: OL Jeremiah Byers, QB Dillon Gabriel, OL Kendrick Green, CB Myles Harden, DL Sam Kamara, TE David Njoku, WR Jamari Thrash
Patriots at Jets
Patriots: QB Tommy DeVito, WR Kayshon Boutte, OT Marcus Bryant, G Jared Wilson, NT Khyiris Tonga, LB Robert Spillane, LB Harold Landry
Jets: QB Tyrod Taylor, OL Marquis Hayes, WR Quentin Skinner, TE Mason Taylor, DL Mazi Smith, S Chris Smith
Saints at Titans
Saints: S Ugo Amadi, WR Mason Tipton, CB Rejzohn Wright, RB Alvin Kamara, G Cesar Ruiz, TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden, DT Bryan Bresee
Titans: S Jerrick Reed, OL Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, OL Garrett Dellinger, OL Drew Moss, DL Cam Horsley
Jaguars at Colts
Jaguars: CB Keith Taylor, RB Bhayshul Tuten, G Patrick Mekari, C Robert Hainsey, TE Hunter Long, DL Danny Striggow, DT Maason Smith
Colts: C Tanor Bortolini, RB Tyler Goodson, S Reuben Lowery, S George Odum, OL Dalton Tucker, DL JT Tuimoloau
Buccaneers at Dolphins
Buccaneers: QB Connor Bazelak, WR Sterling Shepard, S Rashad Wisdom, LB John Bullock, OT Tristan Wirfs, EDGE Anthony Nelson
Dolphins: QB Tua Tagovailoa, S Minkah Fitzpatrick, WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, OL Kendall Lamm, C Aaron Brewer, LB Derrick McClendon
Cardinals at Bengals
Cardinals: S Budda Baker, OL Evan Brown, TE Pharaoh Brown, CB Kei’Trel Clark, K Joshua Karty, CB Kalen King, DL PJ Mustipher
Bengals: QB Jake Browning, WR Charlie Jones, CB Josh Newton, S PJ Jules, DE Joseph Ossai, TE Cam Grandy, DT Jordan Jefferson
For the second consecutive season, Cardinals left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. will end the year on injured reserve with a knee injury.
Johnson injured his knee in the Week 14 loss to the Rams and hasn’t played since. He missed the final two games of the 2024 season with a knee injury.
The Cardinals now have 22 players on injured reserve, with Sean Murphy-Bunting on the non-football injury list.
Rookie Josh Fryar has replaced Johnson this season, with Demontrey Jacobs also getting some snaps at the position.
The Cardinals used the roster spot to promote defensive lineman Zachary Carter from the practice squad.
They also announced they elevated cornerback Jaden Davis and wide receiver Steven Sims from the practice squad for Sunday’s game against the Bengals.
The Cardinals ruled out safety Budda Baker (concussion/thumb). He did not practice this week after experiencing concussion symptoms.
Baker played all 17 games of the 2024 season, and he last missed a game in Weeks 2-6 of 2023 when he sat out with a hamstring injury.
The ninth-year veteran has totaled 111 tackles, 1/2 a sack, two tackles for loss and five pass breakups this season.
Rabbit Taylor-Demerson will make his fourth start of the season, replacing Baker.
Fellow safety Jalen Thompson (hamstring) is questionable to play.
The Cardinals also ruled out left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. (knee), cornerback Kei’Trel Clark (back) and left guard Evan Brown (personal). None of the three practiced this week.
Outside linebacker Josh Sweat (knee/ankle) also didn’t practice this week, but he is questionable to play against the Bengals.
Wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (heel), center Hjalte Froholdt (elbow) and cornerbacks Max Melton (heel) and Will Johnson (thumb/chest) also are questionable.
Bengals center Matt Lee was designated to return from injured reserve, opening his 21-day practice window.
Lee, a second-year player, landed on injured reserve on Oct. 28 with a knee injury.
He has played five games this season, seeing action on 16 special teams snaps.
A seventh-round pick in 2024, Lee played all 17 games as a rookie, including one start. He saw action on 27 offensive snaps and 86 on special teams.
The Bengals play the Cardinals on Sunday before closing out the season against the Browns.
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow rebounded in a big way in Week 16.
Burrow had one of the worst games of his career in a Week 15 loss to the Ravens that ended any playoff hopes for his team, but he was back on track against the Dolphins last Sunday. Burrow was 25-of-32 for 309 yards and four touchdowns in a 45-21 win over the Dolphins.
The game was Burrow’s fourth since returning from the toe injury that kept him out for two months of the season.
The NFL announced on Wednesday that Burrow has been named the AFC offensive player of the week for the eighth time in his career. It’s the first time he’s won the award this season.
The AFC and NFC rosters for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games were announced on Tuesday morning.
Votes from fans, coaches and players were used to select the teams. Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce led the fan vote and was named to his 11th Pro Bowl. Bills quarterback Josh Allen, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, and Bears safety Kevin Byard were the other leaders in that vote, but Williams is not on the initial NFC roster.
Chargers tackle Joe Alt did make the AFC roster despite playing in only six games before being shut down with an ankle injury.
Three teams — the Jets, Saints and Vikings — have no Pro Bowlers. The Broncos, 49ers, Ravens, and Seahawks each had six players selected.
The Pro Bowl Games will be held in San Francisco on February
The full rosters appear below with starters indicated by an asterisk.
AFC
Quarterback: Josh Allen*, Buffalo Bills; Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers; Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Running back: De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins; James Cook, Buffalo Bills; Jonathan Taylor*, Indianapolis Colts
Fullback: Patrick Ricard*, Baltimore Ravens
Wide receiver: Ja’Marr Chase*, Cincinnati Bengals; Nico Collins*, Houston Texans; Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens; Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos
Tight end: Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders*; Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
Offensive tackle: Joe Alt*, Los Angeles Chargers; Garett Bolles*, Denver Broncos; Dion Dawkins, Buffalo Bills
Offensive guard: Quinn Meinerz*, Denver Broncos; Quenton Nelson*, Indianapolis Colts; Trey Smith, Kansas City Chiefs
Center: Creed Humphrey*, Kansas City Chiefs; Tyler Linderbaum, Baltimore Ravens
Defensive end: Will Anderson Jr.*, Houston Texans; Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders; Myles Garrett*, Cleveland Browns
Interior linemen: Zach Allen, Denver Broncos; Chris Jones*, Kansas City Chiefs; Jeffrey Simmons*, Tennessee Titans
Outside linebacker: Nik Bonitto*, Denver Broncos; Tuli Tuipulotu, Los Angeles Chargers; T.J. Watt*, Pittsburgh Steelers
Inside/middle linebacker: Azeez Al-Shaair, Houston Texans; Roquan Smith*, Baltimore Ravens
Cornerback: Christian Gonzalez, New England Patriots; Derek Stingley Jr.*, Houston Texans; Pat Surtain II*, Denver Broncos; Denzel Ward, Cleveland Browns
Free safety: Jalen Ramsey*, Pittsburgh Steelers
Strong safety: Kyle Hamilton*, Baltimore Ravens; Derwin James Jr., Los Angeles Chargers
Long-snapper: Ross Matiscik*, Jacksonville Jaguars
Punter: Jordan Stout*, Baltimore Ravens
Place-kicker: Cameron Dicker*, Los Angeles Chargers
Return specialist: Chimere Dike*, Tennessee Titans
Special-teamer: Ben Skowronek*, Pittsburgh
NFC
Quarterback: Matthew Stafford*, Los Angeles Rams; Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks; Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Running back: Jahmyr Gibbs*, Detroit Lions; Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers; Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
Fullback: Kyle Juszczyk*, San Francisco 49ers
Wide receiver: Puka Nacua*, Los Angeles Rams; Jaxon Smith-Njigba*, Seattle Seahawks; George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys; Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
Tight end: Trey McBride*, Arizona Cardinals; George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
Offensive tackle: Penei Sewell*, Detroit Lions; Tristan Wirfs* Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Trent Williams, San Francisco 49ers
Offensive guard: Tyler Smith*, Dallas Cowboys; Joe Thuney*, Chicago Bears; Chris Lindstrom, Atlanta Falcons
Center: Drew Dalman*, Chicago Bears; Cam Jurgens, Philadelphia Eagles
Defensive end: Aidan Hutchinson*, Detroit Lions; Micah Parsons*, Green Bay Packers; DeMarcus Lawrence, Seattle Seahawks
Interior linemen: Jalen Carter*, Philadelphia Eagles; Leonard Williams*, Seattle Seahawks, Quinnen Williams, Dallas Cowboys
Outside linebacker: Brian Burns*, New York Giants, Jared Verse*, Los Angeles Rams; Byron Young, Los Angeles Rams
Inside/middle linebacker: Jack Campbell*, Detroit Lions; Zack Baun, Philadelphia Eagles
Cornerback: Jaycee Horn*, Carolina Panthers; Devon Witherspoon, Seattle Seahawks
Free safety: Kevin Byard III*, Chicago Bears; Antoine Winfield Jr., Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Strong safety: Budda Baker*, Arizona Cardinals
Long-snapper: Jon Weeks*, San Francisco 49ers
Punter: Tress Way*, Washington Commanders
Placekicker: Brandon Aubrey*, Dallas Cowboys
Return specialist: Rashid Shaheed*, Seattle Seahawks
Special-teamer: Luke Gifford*, San Francisco 49ers
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has been raising eyebrows with some of his recent press conference comments.
But at least for one day, Burrow was able to have some fun playing football.
The quarterback finished Sunday’s victory over the Dolphins having completed 25-of-32 passes for 309 yards with four touchdowns and no picks. His 146.5 passer rating was the second-highest of his career.
“It was fun,” Burrow said in his postgame press conference. “I’m having fun playing football. Not playing football is not fun. Sitting in the locker room rehabbing all day, that’s not why you do it. This is why you do it right here.”
Particularly after Burrow’s Week 15 performance in the 24-0 loss to the Ravens, Burrow felt better about Sunday’s result.
“I thought I played a clean game,” Burrow said. “I thought I protected the ball for the most part. I got greedy with one over the middle, but that’s how I have to play — play within the scheme and then take my opportunities to try to make a play when I can. But going to limit that for the most part at this point, I was just happy with how we all executed today.”
Though the Bengals have been eliminated from postseason contention, they’ll have two more chances to have fun playing football with home games against the Cardinals and Browns to end 2025.
Joe Burrow passed for 309 yards and threw four touchdown passes to lead the Bengals to a 45-21 rout of the Dolphins.
Miami led 14-10 with 2:24 remaining in the second quarter, but Cincinnati scored touchdowns on five consecutive drives, not counting a one-play kneel down to end the first half. Running back Chase Brown had three of the touchdowns on a run of 12 yards and receptions of 9 and 5 yards.
Brown had 12 carries for 66 yards and four catches for 43 yards.
The Bengals ran a 28-0 run to open the second half, with drives of 34, 35, 53 and 52 yards. They gained 221 yards in the first half and 186 in the second.
Ja’Marr Chase caught nine passes for 109 yards. He went over 500 catches for his career, leaving him as the only wide receiver with at least 500 catches, at least 6,500 yards and at least 50 touchdowns in his first five seasons.
Tee Higgins had three catches for 53 yards and a touchdown.
Dolphins rookie Quinn Ewers, who has replaced Tua Tagovailoa as the starter, made his NFL debut and completed 20 of 30 passes for 260 yards and two interceptions. Both picks, one by Barrett Carter and one by Jalen Davis, came in the second half, and the Bengals converted both into touchdowns.
De’Von Achane had 15 carries for 81 yards and a touchdown and three catches for 9 yards, and Jaylen Waddle caught five passes for 72 yards.
Malik Washington scored on a 9-yard run and Jaylen Wright on a 3-yard run.
Quinn Ewers has not thrown his first touchdown pass yet, but he has the Dolphins competitive with the Bengals.
Ewers, who has replaced Tua Tagovailoa as the team’s starter, is 10-of-12 for 109 yards in his NFL debut. He had the Dolphins out to a 14-10 lead over the Bengals before Samaje Perine ran 4 yards for a touchdown with 1:24 left in the half.
The Bengals lead 17-14 at halftime.
The Bengals have outgained the Dolphins 221 to 194, with Joe Burrow going 16-of-22 for 193 yards and a touchdown. He threw a 9-yard score to Tee Higgins, who has three catches for 53 yards.
Ja’Marr Chase has seven receptions for 58 yards, giving him more than 500 catches, 6,500 yards and 50 touchdowns in his career. He is the only player in NFL history to accomplish that in his first five seasons.
De’Von Achane scored on a 48-yard run and has 65 yards on nine carries. Malik Washington had the Dolphins’ other touchdown on a 9-yard run.
Jaylen Waddle has four catches for 54 yards.
