NFL Power Rankings Week 16
Mackenzie Salmon discusses the movers and shakers in this week's NFL power rankings.
Week 16's Saturday nightcap features two teams going in completely different directions.
The Buffalo Bills (8-6) have won three of four games since firing offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey and face the Dallas Cowboys in Week 15. As the season draws to a close, the Bills are gunning for an AFC Wild Card playoff spot.
The Los Angeles Chargers (5-9), meanwhile, are vying for a top-10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. After last week's embarrassment against the Las Vegas Raiders, the Chargers fired head coach Brandon Staley and GM Tom Telesco. Giff Smith was named interim coach to steer this sinking ship through the final three games.
USA TODAY Sports will provide the latest updates, scores, highlights, wild plays, analysis and more during the Bills-Chargers game. Consequences.
The Bills' star wide receiver Stefon Diggs was shaken on Buffalo's first offensive snap. Diggs was injured after being brought down by Chargers safety Derwin James following a short completion. Diggs was able to jog off the field. He only missed one game. A few plays later, the Bills were forced to punt the football.
What time is the Bills vs. Chargers game?
The Bills-Chargers game kicks off at 8:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, December 23rd at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
The Bills-Chargers game will be streamed live on Peacock.
This is the first NFL regular season game to air exclusively on Peacock. Peacock – which streams all “Sunday Night Football” games broadcast on NBC – will also stream a Wild Card Playoff game on Saturday, January 13, 2024.
According to BetMGM NFL odds, the Bills are the favorites to win over the Chargers.
- Spread: Bills (-12)
- Moneyline: Bills (-700); Chargers (+550)
- Over/under: 44
USA TODAY Sports' personnel picks for this game:
- Lorenzo Reyes: Bills 29, Chargers 14 — It will be interesting to see how the Chargers recover from Brandon Staley's shooting. Teams often experience a small disruption in the week after a coaching change. But Buffalo is red hot and looks to be the most dangerous team in the AFC right now, and Los Angeles is still starting Easton Stick. Logic says that the team is stronger, even with the big line.
- Tyler Dragon: Bills 31, Chargers 13 — The Bills are one of the hottest teams in the NFL right now. Meanwhile, the Chargers, who fired coach Brandon Staley and GM Tom Telesco, are already thinking about next season. One team is pushing for a playoff spot, the other is playing for pride while also considering vacation plans. We know how it will turn out.
- Safid Deen: Bills 27, Chargers 13 – The Chargers embarrassingly forfeited the white flag against the Raiders last Thursday, and the end of the year can't come soon enough. Meanwhile, the Bills see their way to the postseason within reach and should easily win in Los Angeles.
- Victoria Hernandez: Bills 27, Chargers 19 – Buffalo has a lot of momentum after a surprising win. Josh Allen admitted his performance was far from great, but it was perfectly fine for James Cook to carry the Bills. Los Angeles doesn't have enough tools to compete. For an away game that requires the Bills to travel across the country, that's a huge spread, so take the moneyline.
- Jordan Mendoza: Bills 33, Chargers 13 — It could well be that this game will only be available on Peacock, as it may not be worth checking out. The Chargers hit a new low last week, and things won't get any easier against an offense that has found its rhythm. Buffalo makes it no contest and wins its third straight.
After the Chargers fired head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco following the team's 21-63 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, outside linebackers coach Giff Smith was named interim head coach.
Smith, 55, has been a coach for 32 years, including 12 in the NFL. Smith served as the Chargers' outside linebackers coach during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Previously, he was the Chargers' defensive line coach for six seasons (2016-2021). Before joining the Chargers (at that time the team was still based in San Diego), Smith worked for the Tennessee Titans (2014-15 as defensive coach) and the Buffalo Bills (2010-12 as defensive coach).
You're never too old to get going.
In October, Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James hosted “Derwin's Disco” at the Wallis Annenberg GenSpace, a community center for older adults in Los Angeles. His goal was to bring joy to an often forgotten population.
James rocked an afro and wore a colorful jacket and white bell-bottoms for the event, which was attended by about 100 GenSpace members. He took selfies, ran the “YMCA” and danced individually with several guests. –Victoria Hernandez
The top NFL betting apps list the Los Angeles Chargers as one of the best bets for NFL Week 16 in their main game against the Buffalo Bills. According to BetMGM NFL odds, the Chargers will score 12.5 points at home. Would you like to bet? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering NFL betting promotions in 2023.
According to the top NFL betting apps, neither team has a player with the best NFL MVP betting odds. Neither team is listed with the best Super Bowl betting odds in 2023.
Not interested in this game? Check out our guide to NFL betting odds, tips and spreads for Thursday Night Football, Sunday Night Football and/or Monday Night Football odds.
If you are new to sports betting, don’t worry. We have tips for beginners on how to place a bet online. And USA TODAY readers can score exclusive promotions and bonus codes at these online sportsbooks and sports betting sites. –Richard Morin
Despite the adversity on and off the field, the Bills are a real threat for the postseason. The division title is even possible as the Miami Dolphins face a discouraging two-game record (against the Dallas Cowboys and at the Baltimore Ravens) before hosting the Bills in the regular season finale. – Nate Davis
There is some decent consolation for the Chargers' disappointing season… a possible top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft (and thus a prominent spot in the seemingly endless series of mock drafts).
Here are the top 10 draft regulations for 2024, starting in Week 16:
The last time the Chargers made the top 10 was in 2020, when the team selected quarterback Justin Herbert with the No. 6 overall pick. —Jim Reineking
According to OverTheCap.com, the NFL's top 15 players with average annual salary are all quarterbacks. As Joe Burrow proved in his new contract with the Cincinnati Bengals, teams place a high value on having a quality QB under center. Burrow's five-year, $275 million contract extension made him the league's highest-paid player, with an incredible average annual value of $55 million. San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa is the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league after signing a five-year contract extension worth $170 million.
Here is the full list of the highest paid players in the league.
We have a complete list at each position:
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