Broncos

The Broncos had a critical opportunity to clinch a playoff spot against the Bengals, and head coach Sean Payton chose to kick the extra point, leading the game into overtime. Following the match, he stood by his choice to keep the game alive beyond regulation.

“We discussed it all,” Payton remarked in his postgame press conference. “There was plenty of time. The decision we made was the right one… A lot of it comes from your gut and how the toss goes. Our offense was gaining momentum, plus we had to consider the odds of the two-point conversion, which influenced our decision.”

• In Week 16, Broncos LB Jonathon Cooper received a fine of $12,668 for unnecessary roughness (horse-collar tackle), DL Malcolm Roach was fined $11,255 for unsportsmanlike conduct (taunting), and RB Blake Watson was penalized $4,463 for unnecessary roughness (use of the helmet).

Chargers

• During Week 16, Chargers S Tony Jefferson was fined $6,722 for unnecessary roughness (use of the helmet), while DL Tuli Tuipulotu faced a fine of $8,297 for the same offense.

Raiders

In Week 17, the Raiders celebrated their second consecutive victory, propelled by 140 total yards from seasoned RB Ameer Abdullah. Las Vegas head coach Antonio Pierce praised Abdullah for stepping up in a significant role late in the season.

“He found the fountain of youth,” Pierce stated, as reported by Vic Tafur of The Athletic. “It’s remarkable… at 31 years old, we threw him into the deep end towards the end of the season. Hats off to him for being resilient and demonstrating professionalism. He’s a fantastic special teams player and returner who seized his starting opportunity.”

Abdullah isn’t surprised by achieving career-high stats at this stage of his career, attributing it to his consistent hard work.

“Achieving my career-high in Year 10 doesn’t shock me,” Abdullah shared. “I’ve put in a tremendous amount of work and maintained consistency, which has allowed me to perform at this level for so long.”

Even without postseason aspirations, Abdullah values the team’s bond and their commitment to performing well for one another later in the season.

“It underscores how much we care for each other. We aren’t playing for any external rewards; it’s just about our collective goals. That drive inspires us to give our all and execute at peak performance. I am incredibly proud of how we rallied today.”

“This is arguably one of the closest-knit teams I’ve ever been part of, in terms of relationships. We genuinely care for one another. We’ve navigated some tough low points together and witnessed each other’s vulnerabilities, all while acknowledging the hard work each person puts in.”