National Football League

NFL Christmas Day Top Plays: Colts, Packers earn big wins

Updated Dec. 25, 2021 11:54 p.m. ET

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Week 16 NFL action continued Saturday with two thrilling Christmas Day matchups!

Kicking things off, Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers snagged their 12th win of the year after dropping the Cleveland Browns 24-22, as Baker Mayfield recorded his first career four-interception game. 

Closing out Saturday's action, the Indianapolis Colts went on the road and upset the Arizona Cardinals in the desert, 22-16. The Colts improve to 9-6 on the season and have now won eight of their last 10 games.

Here are the top plays from Christmas Day.

Indianapolis Colts 22, Arizona Cardinals 16

FIRST QUARTER

After charging downfield on their opening drive, the Cardinals came up short after missing a field goal. 

On the Colts' first possession, Jonathan Taylor kicked things off with a 43-yard run up the middle to cross into Arizona territory.

Then, Carson Wentz connected with T.Y. Hilton for the Colts' first score of the night, as Indy took a 7-0 lead.

On the Cardinals' ensuing drive, Kyler Murray broke off for a dazzling 57-yard gain to put Arizona on the 2-yard line. 

Then, Chase Edmonds punched it in for the Cards to keep the Colts within arm's reach at 7-6 after a missed extra point.

SECOND QUARTER

The Colts caught a break when the Cardinals turned the ball over on downs just outside the red zone after Zach Ertz wasn't able to reel in this pass on fourth down:

Indianapolis caught another break when a fumble recovered by Arizona turned into an automatic first down after the Cardinals drew an illegal contact penalty. 

Then, the Colts picked up a safety on this doozy of a play to take a 9-6 lead.

The Colts extended their lead to 12-6 with a field goal in the final seconds of the first half.

THIRD QUARTER

Arizona had a few tricks up its sleeve to start the second half:

The Cardinals took their first lead of the game when Murray found Antoine Wesley for a 24-yard TD.

After a huge pickup from tight end Mo Alie-Cox, the Colts retook the lead, 15-13, with a short field goal ahead of the fourth. 

FOURTH QUARTER

The Cardinals missed the go-ahead field goal early in the fourth, Matt Prater's third miscue of the night.

Meanwhile, the Colts wasted no time moving the sticks.

Indianapolis capped off the seven-play, 69-yard drive with a Dezmon Patmon TD, good for a nine-point lead.

The Cardinals added a field goal to close the gap, but it was too little, too late, and things ended there.

Green Bay Packers 24, Cleveland Browns 22

FIRST QUARTER

Cleveland was the first to strike at Lambeau Field, with Nick Chubb getting into the end zone on first-and-goal. The Browns missed the extra point and settled for an early 6-0 lead.

After Cleveland forced Green Bay to punt, Mayfield gave it right back to the Packers on an interception by Darnell Savage.
 

On Green Bay's ensuing drive, Rodgers officially passed Brett Favre for most TD passes in Packers history.

He did it with 193 fewer interceptions than Favre.

And the Packers legend and Hall of Famer had a few words for Rodgers after his history-making drive.

On Cleveland's following drive, Chubb continued to dominate, exploding for 27 yards to push the Browns downfield.

The Browns' drive was stopped short just shy of the red zone when Mayfield tossed his second INT of the half.

Then, Allen Lazard gifted us all with an unreal one-handed catch on the last play of the opening quarter. 

SECOND QUARTER

The turnover ended in another Davante Adams TD, as the Packers took a 14-6 lead early in the second.

It was Adams' 66th career TD catch from Rodgers, making the pair the most productive duo in Packers history, surpassing Rodgers and Jordy Nelson (65 TDs).

The Browns were able to keep Green Bay within arm's reach, as Mayfield found a wide-open Harrison Bryant in the end zone. After a failed two-point conversion, it remained a two-point game at 14-12.

Mayfield came up with a big third-down conversion before throwing his third INT of the half, giving the Packers the ball at the two-minute warning. 

After the turnover, Green Bay capped off a nine-play, 49-yard drive with another Adams TD to take a 21-12 lead at the break.

THIRD QUARTER

It was more of the same for the Packers to open the second half.

The Browns were able to get something going, too, as Mayfield picked up a huge third down to move the sticks. And after trading field goals in the third, it was a nine-point game headed into the final frame at 24-15 Packers.

FOURTH QUARTER

The Browns pulled within two when Mayfield found Anthony Schwartz in the back of the end zone to make it a one-possession game in Green Bay, 24-22. 

But in the end, the Browns weren't able to stage a comeback, as Mayfield was picked off for the fourth time, and things ended there.

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National Football League

Green Bay Packers

Cleveland Browns

Indianapolis Colts

Arizona Cardinals

NFL - Cleveland Browns vs. Green Bay Packers - 12/25/2021

NFL - Indianapolis Colts vs. Arizona Cardinals - 12/26/2021

Aaron Rodgers

Baker Mayfield

Carson Wentz

Kyler Murray

Nick Chubb

Darnell Savage

Chandon Sullivan

Allen Lazard

Davante Adams

Harrison Bryant

Rasul Douglas

Jonathan Taylor

T.Y. Hilton

Chase Edmonds

Zach Ertz

Antoine Wesley

Mo Alie-Cox

Dezmon Patmon