By Lucas Camacho
Another week has come and gone as the NFL season inches closer to the finish line. Fantasy football managers called this week “bye-mageddon” due to six teams being on bye: the Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, Buffalo Bills, and New York Giants. Every other team was playing, with some having heavy playoff implications. Here is a brief recap of all the games and the playoff hopes of each team going forward.
- SEAHAWKS 35 – COWBOYS 41
It was another masterful performance for Dak Prescott in the Thursday Night showdown with the Seattle Seahawks. Three touchdown passes from Prescott turned out to be enough in this slugfest as the Cowboys extended their home winning streak to 14. While the Cowboys strengthened their hold on a possible playoff spot, the Seahawks’ playoff hopes have taken a nose dive with their third straight loss.
- CHARGERS 6 – PATRIOTS 0
This score may indicate that this was a preseason baseball game, but rest assured…it was a football game. The Chargers’ wide receivers have struggled as of late to catch the ball. Nevertheless, 212 passing yards from one of the best Quarterbacks in the league, Justin Herbert, and two field goals gave the Chargers a victory over the Patriots in dreadful New England weather. It was another embarrassing loss for legendary coach Bill Belichick as the Patriots fell further into obscurity while the Chargers’ fading playoff hopes got a new breath of life.
- LIONS 33 – SAINTS 28
What seemed like an absurd possibility at the beginning of the season now seems to be a reality: the Detroit Lions look like contenders. The Lions jumped out to a mind-boggling 21 point lead in the first few minutes of the game, but the offense seemed to disappear after that. Nevertheless, the defense kept the Saints at bay to score another win for the Lions. The Saints were left shaking their heads after losing another game they could have won, while Derek Carr continues to struggle. The Lions prepare for the stretch run that includes two games with their division rivals, the Vikings, who will be getting back top Wide Receiver Justin Jefferson.
- FALCONS 13 – JETS 8
The weather on the east coast turned several games into sloppy slugfests, and this one was no exception. Despite not looking sharp at all, Desmond Riddler and the Falcons pulled out an ugly victory over the struggling Jets. The rain fell, the penalty flags flew, and the Jets were sent packing in another tight loss. The loss puts the idea of Quarterback Aaron Rodgers returning in grave doubt as the Jets’ playoff hopes are on life support. Meanwhile, the Falcons maintained their lead in the struggling NFC South division.
- CARDINALS 24 – STEELERS 10
With lightning strikes all over the area disrupting game play, James Conner put on a show in his return to Pittsburg. The Cardinals shocked the Steelers in a game that was delayed several times. Conner rushed for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns against his former team. It has been a brutal season for the Cardinals, as this was only their third win of the year. All eyes are on the Steelers as Quarterback Kenny Pickett left the game with an injury. The Steelers hopes for a playoff berth are now as questionable as Pickett’s status going forward.
- COLTS 31 – TITANS 28
This was a high stakes duel between Colts Quarterback Gardner Minshew and Titans Running Back Derrick Henry. Several costly errors on special teams ended up costing the Titans as the Colts won the thrilling game in overtime. Minshew threw the ball to star Wide Receiver Michael Pittman Jr. for the game winning catch. The Colts keep their playoff hopes alive while the Titans hopes to make the playoffs are in grave doubt.
- DOLPHINS 45 – COMMANDERS 15
Tyreek Hill had an eye-popping game that he will remember for a long time…while the Commanders continued to suffer a horrid season. The Dolphins marched into Washington and ran all over the Commanders in a dominating win. There was little the Commanders could do to stop the Dolphins and Hill, who caught only five passes but went for 157 yards and two touchdowns. The Dolphins continue their improbable season and strengthened their hold on the AFC East. Meanwhile, the scandal-plagued Commanders don’t seem to be any closer to the light at the end of the tunnel in a season they’d rather soon forget.
- BRONCOS 17 – TEXANS 22
Texans rookie Quarterback, CJ Stroud, continued to build his solid Rookie of the Year resume Sunday in a close victory over the surprisingly surging Denver Broncos. Houston’s defense came up with a big interception to seal a close victory for the Texans to maintain the team’s hopes of a playoff berth while Stroud maintained his status as the favorite to win Rookie of the Year honors. The Broncos have done a complete 180 after starting the year in a virtual No Man’s Land. Despite the loss, the Broncos’ strong showing proves they are not going away any time soon, and they remain a threat to the AFC…and surprisingly a threat to the Chiefs.
- PANTHERS 18 – BUCCANEERS 21
It was a little too close for comfort for Buccaneers fans, but a win is a win. The Buccaneers won a tight game in front of their home crowd over division rivals, the Carolina Panthers. Buccaneers Wide Receiver Mike Evans hauled in seven catches for 162 yards and a touchdown. It also means that Evans has topped 1,000 receiving yards for a tenth straight year. The Buccaneers are riding high as they find themselves in a dogfight with both the Falcons and the Saints for the NFC South division crown. Meanwhile, the Carolina Panthers became the first NFL team to be mathematically eliminated from playoff contention a week after firing their head coach. A year that had such high hopes and dreams has turned into a massive nightmare, as the first pick from the 2023 Draft, Quarterback Bryce Young, continues to struggle. Young’s numbers have been abysmal, especially compared to the numbers of the second pick from the 2023 Draft: Texans Quarterback CJ Stroud.
- BROWNS 19 – RAMS 36
Going into their bye week, things looked pretty bleak for the Rams. Now, the Rams look like a team on a mission. Their win at SoFi Stadium on Sunday was their 3rd in a row as they took down a fearsome Cleveland Browns squad. Rookie sensation Puka Nacua reeled in another four catches for 105 yards and a touchdown to continue his bid to win Rookie of the Year. Meanwhile, the Browns find themselves struggling to find who they are and find a way into the playoffs after losing star Quarterback Deshaun Watson for the year. Despite the result of this game, time is running out for BOTH teams’ hopes of getting into the playoffs with both teams needing help during the stretch run.
- 49ERS 42 – EAGLES 19
It’s scary how good the 49ers look when they’re healthy, and that was evident in their dominant win over the Eagles in Philadelphia. The tables were definitely turned in this rematch of last season’s NFC Championship, as Eagles Quarterback Jalen Hurts got injured while 49ers Quarterback Brock Purdy shined. 49ers Wide Receiver Deebo Samuel only hauled in four catches, but made the most of it with 116 yards and two touchdowns. It’s possible we’ll see these two teams face off again in the playoffs as the 49ers have a stranglehold on the NFC West. Whether or not the Eagles enter the playoffs with the division crown will depend on if they can hold off the vaunted Dallas Cowboys and the health of Jalen Hurts going forward.
- CHIEFS 19 – PACKERS 27
You are not reading this score wrong: the defending champs are on their heels. The Chiefs were outdueled by the Packers on Sunday night at legendary Lambeau Field. Packers Quarterback Jordan Love gave a magnificent performance, going 25 for 36 for 267 yards and three touchdowns. The playoff hopes of the Packers are still very much alive with their third consecutive win. Meanwhile, the defending champions have a lot to think about as their season has been filled with red flags: from their stunning opening night loss to the Lions to only mustering one touchdown in two games against the Broncos. Going into the season, the Chiefs were expected to win the AFC West with no problem. Now they have some soul searching to do with the Broncos, Chargers, and Raiders getting closer in their rearview mirror…
- BENGALS 34 – JAGUARS 31
In a game that saw the lead change hands numerous times, the Bengals outlasted the Jaguars in this battle of attrition. Jake Browning stole the spotlight in what turned into the most entertaining game of the week; going 32 for 37 in passing for 354 yards and a touchdown. Despite losing star Quarterback Joe Burrow, the Bengals have defied the odds to fight another day for a coveted playoff spot. All eyes are on Jacksonville, however, as the face of the Jaguars’ franchise, Quarterback Trevor Lawrence, went down with a nasty injury after having his ankle stepped on by one of his own players. Lawrence is a crucial component of this Jaguars’ team, but now their fans have to hold their breath as to whether he’ll be back…and whether their hopes of going to the Super Bowl will end if Lawrence’s season ends…
Photo USA Today