Close Menu
    Friday, January 9
    Football

    DK Metcalf’s miracle, Myles Garrett’s record: The NFL season’s best plays, week by week

    By 11 Mins Read
    DK Metcalf’s miracle, Myles Garrett’s record: The NFL season’s best plays, week by week

    With all 272 regular-season games in the rearview, we can finally celebrate the NFL’s 2025 campaign as a full work. And what a year it was.

    Blockbuster comebacks were uncorked week after week. Playoff pushes were as eventful as ever. The first Sunday night marquee was remarkable (our apologies, Lamar Jackson). The last Sunday night marquee was remarkable (more apologies, Lamar Jackson). The past four months gave us a parade of absurd catches and Herculean strength.

    Before we march into the postseason, let’s relive the athletic feats that defined our Sundays (and Thursdays, and Mondays, and sometimes Saturdays). We’re picking one top play to represent each of the 18 weeks, with it all coming together as an extensive highlight reel.

    You can watch NFL games on Fubo (Stream Free Now).

    Week 1: Metcalf’s miracle

    With his Pittsburgh Steelers down 32-31 in swirling Meadowlands winds, DK Metcalf stepped up for a proper re-introduction. The new black-and-yellow WR1 salvaged this pinball action on a pass from Aaron Rodgers — who was in revenge mode against his former team, the New York Jets — to cue Chris Boswell’s go-ahead 60-yard field goal. As we know now, Pittsburgh won its division title by the narrowest of margins, which made this circus catch even more clutch. A mix of steely concentration and sheer luck on opening weekend:

    Runner-up: Isaac TeSlaa’s sublime one-hander.

    Week 2: Ward on the board

    The No. 1 draft pick went through a rather arduous rookie season. His Tennessee Titans went 3-14. His coach was fired after six games. He took a league-worst 55 sacks. Yet this September standout against the Los Angeles Rams deserves our recognition. Cam Ward’s first NFL touchdown was cinematic — the escape from would-be tackler Tyler Davis, then the sideline scramble and the cross-body heave to fellow rookie Elic Ayomanor. World-class improvisation in Nashville:

    Runner-up: Malik Nabers’ sprawling touchdown.

    Week 3: Walk-off block off

    For reasons still unknown, Week 3 became an event horizon for blocked field goals. There were five stuffed kicks during the Sept. 21 slate, and none was more important than this Philadelphia Eagles game-sealer. Philly trailed the Rams 26-9 in the third quarter, before the defending champs stormed back with righteous (and historic) fury. Jalen Carter notched a momentous block earlier in the afternoon, but the best was yet to come.

    L.A. still had its chance to pull out a win in the final seconds, until Jordan Davis rejected Joshua Karty … and then took it 61 yards for the exclamation point:

    Week 4: Pickens picks it up

    The Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers made game-of-the-year material with their 40-40 tie on “Sunday Night Football.” Highlights came in rapid succession, though one play was imprinted with prime-time theatrics. George Pickens split two defenders, tightroped the corner sideline, then hit us with an “are you not entertained?” pose:

    Runner-up: Jalen Tolbert’s toe-tapper from the same game.

    Week 5: Devin Lloyd, to the house

    Back in October, the Kansas City Chiefs still looked like football’s final boss, while the Jacksonville Jaguars were just a spotted teal novelty. This Monday night duel in Duval gave us a lot of clarity on both sides, and it built up confidence for Liam Coen’s young team. Though the game was ultimately settled in its waning seconds, this 99-yard interception return was a true hinge point. Lloyd made a razor-sharp, goal-line read on two-time NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes:

    Runner-up: Trevor Lawrence’s stumble-to-score, also from that same game.

    Week 6: Baker with the shaker

    If this league gave out midseason hardware, Baker Mayfield might have been the first-half MVP. And this would’ve been the crowning moment. “He’s not going to have a cha— oh yes he is!” Jim Nantz said from the booth. Mayfield’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers improved to 5-1 off the strength of this relentlessness versus the San Francisco 49ers. He escaped Bryce Huff and Keion White deep in his dropback, then shed two more tackle attempts for the extended third-down conversion:

    Runner-up: Bijan Robinson’s 81-yard TD dash.

    Week 7: One-handed Horn

    His father was famous for pulling a flip phone out of the end zone. More than two decades later, Jaycee Horn had his own unforgettable turn atop the painted turf. The Carolina Panthers corner backpedaled to box out Josh Reynolds, then stretched out his right hand to pick off Tyrod Taylor. Commentators and crowd alike could not believe it — the latter because their Jets defense didn’t have a single interception all year. Horn snared a career-high five INTs in 2025, none better than this heater:

    Runner-up: Bo Nix’s scramble amid an all-time comeback.

    Week 8: Tricking and treating

    How else could these star-crossed Jets scoop their first win? With a road comeback in the works and the two-minute warning in effect, Aaron Glenn dialed up a trick play: a pass from running back Breece Hall to Mason Taylor. The call was audacious enough. But the execution was surreal.

    Hall faked out the Cincinnati Bengals front with a tight pump fake, then let it fly as five defenders converged on him. Taylor plucked this ball from the helmet crest of DJ Turner II, who sat in decent coverage given the mayhem. And what mayhem it was, on the Sunday before Halloween:

    Runner-up: Michael Pittman Jr.’s gem.

    Week 9: Caleb, Colston, clutch

    Back-to-back thrillers at the expense of the Bengals’ plastic bag defense. Even the coldest cynics among us had to praise this loopy finish. After seven lead changes, 31 fourth-quarter points and a unique late collapse, Ben Johnson’s Chicago Bears seemed to be on the wrong end of this marathon. There were just 25 seconds left, and Chicago had used all of its timeouts. Caleb Williams and Colston Loveland were thoroughly unconcerned:

    Runner-up: Drake London’s hat-trick trickiness.

    Week 10: A Berlin burst

    The Indianapolis Colts limped and winced to some bad breaks down the stretch, but we should not discount their reinvented offense, which was must-see stuff through the first 10 weeks. Indy’s engine all year was Jonathan Taylor, who recorded his fourth season of at least 1,400 scrimmage yards.

    Of his league-leading 20 touchdowns, this sprint past the Atlanta Falcons was perhaps his coolest. He looked all bottled up at Atlanta’s 20-yard line, until he darted out of the scrum and into the open field. Berlin’s max-capacity crowd was hooked:

    Runner-up: Derek Stingley Jr.’s diving INT.

    Week 11: Watson for the win

    The Packers were on upset alert, and the New York Giants were grooving in their throwback threads. Jordan Love bobbled the shotgun snap, then felt pressure from a four-man rush. He was still able to loft an absolute dime between double coverage. Christian Watson did the rest, as he hulked up to the ball in suspension of gravity. “Up tooooop … it is cauuuuught!” Adam Amin narrated in disbelief:

    Runner-up: Mark Andrews’ fourth-quarter, fourth-down rushing TD.

    Week 12: Kafkaesque

    Brian Daboll got the Big Blue pink slip in November, which gave a glowing green light to interim coach Mike Kafka. Nothing says “nothing to lose” quite like a fourth-quarter reverse pass on the road. Ford Field was bellowing for its Detroit Lions, who desperately needed the win.

    This was high-difficulty trickeration. The receiver-turned-passer was Gunner Olszewski, a special teams specialist who played DB in college. The passer-turned-receiver was Jameis Winston, third-string QB with zero reputation for mobility. What happened next felt more like Franz Kafka surrealism than Mike Kafka scheming. Olszewski ducked out of pressure, stepped into the pocket and fired a spiral. Winston turned back for the catch, juked LB Derrick Barnes, then shed his second tackle attempt at the pylon. The more we watch it, the less it makes any sense:

    Runner-up: DeVonta Smith’s supine stunner.

    Week 13: Nacua, no way

    This 13th Sunday gave us three wild receptions to choose from. Treylon Burks capped a fade route with Odell Beckham-esque swagger. Brock Bowers broke our brains with his contorted one-handed touchdown. But we’ll give the top spot here to Puka Nacua against the Panthers.

    The sensational Rams receiver is best known for his crunching, over-the-middle toughness. He showed museum-wing grace in the Charlotte rain, though. Nacua played this like an MLB outfielder at the warning track … except the mitt was his hand, the ball was an oblong leather projectile and the wall was 6-foot-1 Mike Jackson:

    Runner-up: Treylon Burks’ SNF acrobatics.

    Week 14: Six in the snow

    The enduring visual here was Josh Allen dashing through the billowing snow. But the play of the evening (and the week) was Christian Benford’s spider-web pick-six. His Buffalo Bills were down 28-25, and Joe Burrow was driving the Bengals down the field with less than six minutes to go. Everything changed as Benford instinctively leaped in front of Ja’Marr Chase. What should’ve been a routine screen pass turned to a game-warping flash. Joe Davis nailed the call:

    Runner-up: Tee Higgins’ haul, despite the contact.

    Week 15: Williams to Moore, Part I

    We can direct our marveling to either node of this ridiculous Bears TD. Williams made the cannon throw across his body and beyond two outstretched defenders. DJ Moore snuck to the back of the end zone and pierced through the traffic. Everyone won here, the Cleveland Browns notwithstanding:

    Runner-up: Kyle Van Noy’s pick-six lateral to Alohi Gilman.

    Week 16: Williams to Moore, Part II

    In perhaps the biggest Chicago sports moment since the 2016 World Series revelation, Williams found Moore in single coverage for an overtime classic. None of it was possible without that hectic, improbable onside kick recovery. The Bears then took advantage of their divine opportunity with this aggressive call on first down.

    The veteran receiver cooked Keisean Nixon on a post route (he had sealed a Bears loss just two weeks prior). The second-year QB put the ball precisely where it needed to be  — and minted his “Iceman” nickname. Soldier Field erupted as its heroes beat the archrival Green Bay Packers at home for the first time in seven years:

    Runner-up: Kenneth Gainwell’s grab.

    Week 17: Purdy good

    After three electric hits on this list, the Bears finally find themselves on the other end of a highlight. San Francisco survived Chicago in their SNF banger, and we don’t arrive at that 42-38 final without this Brock Purdy mastery. Mr. Not-So-Irrelevant expanded his pocket and extended the play, back to front, before he hit Kyle Juszczyk for a score. Defenders Andrew Billings and Austin Booker were relegated to props. Purdy was amped, as was Mike Tirico:

    Runner-up: Chase Young’s “gimme that” sack-to-score

    Week 18: Garrett sets the record

    It was another year to forget for the Browns. But Myles Garrett’s greatness transcends all that compounded misery. With this takedown of Burrow in the Week 18 finale, Garrett set the NFL record for most sacks in a season at 23. The prodigious edge rusher is on his way to a fifth first-team All-Pro nod, and he’s logged double-digit sack totals in every campaign since his 2017 rookie run. Garrett gassed by Bengals left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., a four-time Pro Bowler in his own right, to rewrite the record book:

    Runner-up: Lamar Jackson’s late 50-yard strike to Zay Flowers.

    Streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process, and do not review stories before publication.

    Share.

    Related Posts

    Popular Categories

    Trending News

    Useful Links

    © 2026 PlayActionNews .