By Lucas Camacho
Photos USA Today & AP
Another week of the NFL comes to a close as the clock continues to tick for some teams desperately trying to make the playoffs. In the last week where anyone has a bye, only the Arizona Cardinals and Washington Commanders didn’t play. Here’s how the rest of the league played out in Week 14.
PATRIOTS 21 – STEELERS 18
This was a meaningless game for the Patriots. Their playoff clock has run out and they became the second team mathematically eliminated from the playoffs (Carolina being the first last week). But with Bill Belichick’s legacy in jeopardy, the Patriots played their hearts out with Bailey Zappe throwing three touchdowns: two to tight end Hunter Henry and one to running back Ezekiel Elliott. It’s still too little too late for the Patriots…which is why this loss couldn’t come at a worse time for the Steelers. In a game they should have won, the Steelers’ margin for error has shrunk drastically. In their final four games, the Steelers play three games on the road…and all their opponents are vying for the playoffs. Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin has a lot on his plate this coming week…
BUCCANEERS 29 – FALCONS 25
This was one of the key matchups going into this week as all the teams in the NFC South, minus the Carolina Panthers, are all still fighting for the division crown. With less than a minute to go, and to avoid a very damaging loss, Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield needed someone to step up. With all the attention on Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, tight end Cade Otton was the next man up as he hauled in an 11-yard pass for a touchdown with just 31 seconds left on the clock. Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder may have had a better day going 26 for 40 for 347 yards, but Mayfield had the last laugh. The race for the NFC Southern Division Championship just got even hotter as the Buccaneers and Falcons are in a virtual tie with their other division rival, the New Orleans Saints, with a record of 6-7.
RAMS 31 – RAVENS 37
Many Rams fans will look at the video of punt returner Tylan Wallace’s return for 76 yards and make the argument that there was interference or penalties that should have been called. Because how could he have made a return for 76 yards for the winning touchdown. Regardless of whether you think so or not, one thing is certain: the Rams lost, and the Ravens won. It was an overtime thriller between two teams vying for the playoffs as Rams wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua put on a show along with Ravens wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. While the Ravens are in a position where they merely must hold off their struggling division rivals, the Rams’ position is much more difficult. The Rams have a small chance: their next three games are against opponents they can beat (the Commanders, Saints, and Giants). But the Rams’ playoff hopes may hinge on their week 18 matchup against…oh you gotta be kidding me…the San Francisco 49ers: the team that has constantly beaten them in the regular season, and the same team they beat on their way to the Super Bowl not long ago…
LIONS 13 – BEARS 28
Just last week, the Lions looked like a legitimate threat to the Eagles, Cowboys, and 49ers to win the NFC. Then they arrived at Soldier Field. It was a game they should have won, but the Bears had their best game of their season and held on for an impressive 28-13 win. Bears quarterback Justin Fields threw for a touchdown and ran for another, while Lions quarterback Jared Goff had a game, he’d rather forget throwing a touchdown and two interceptions. Justin Fields made a strong case to remain the Bears quarterback with the Bears having the number one pick in next year’s draft (thanks to their trade last year with the Panthers). If the Bears do pass on drafting a quarterback, then quarterback phenomena Caleb Williams could end up in a Patriots jersey.
COLTS 14 – BENGALS 34
Just a few weeks ago, everyone assumed the Bengals’ season was over after the loss of franchise quarterback Joe Burrow. Now, three starts later, quarterback Jake Browning has risen to a level of fame not seen since Brock Purdy last year. Browning went 18 for 24 for 275 yards getting two touchdowns and an interception. He did give Bengals fans a scare when he went to the locker room with muscle cramps in his throwing hand, but later returned. While the Bengals’ playoff hopes have been brought back after nearly flat lining, the Colts’ hopes took a hit. Their four-game winning streak came to an end, and they remain stubbornly stuck in second place behind the Jacksonville Jaguars. Add to the mix is that they are now tied with the Houston Texans and potential Rookie of the Year, CJ Stroud.
JAGUARS 27 – BROWNS 31
The Jaguars survived a terrifying scare when franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence went down last week, but he recovered enough to keep playing. However, the Jaguars couldn’t survive the three interceptions thrown by Lawrence as the Browns hung on 31-27. The Browns are no stranger to the Jaguars’ situation going into this week, as they did end up losing their star quarterback, Deshaun Watson. However, in true Cinderella Man-type fashion, Joe Flacco led the Browns to victory with an impressive showing, going 26 for 45 for 311 yards and passing for three touchdowns and an interception. The good news for the Jaguars is they still have a grip on first place in their division. Meanwhile, the Browns have passed the suddenly slumping Steelers to take second place in their division behind the formidable Baltimore Ravens.
PANTHERS 6 – SAINTS 28
This has been a terrible season for the Panthers…and Sunday made it worse. With the Saints banged up all over, they still hammered the Panthers for a landslide 28-6 win. It was a much-needed victory for Saints quarterback Derek Carr, who has struggled as of late, as he put together a respectable 18 for 26 for 119 yards passing with two touchdowns and an interception. The Saints are now in a three-way tie for their division with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Atlanta Falcons. The Carolina Panthers have a lot to think about this off season. To add insult to injury, they don’t have a pick in the first round of the draft this year because of the trade that landed them the struggling Bryce Young. Even worse, that pick could be used to draft a quarterback even better than Young: USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams.
TEXANS 6 – JETS 30
Houston fans watching the game this weekend was left stunned and on edge. Not only did the Texans get blown out 30-6 to a Jets team they SHOULD have beaten, but star Texans quarterback, and potential Rookie of the Year, CJ Stroud went down with a concussion. In a game where the offensive failed to find its footing, the Texans had arguably one of their worse games of the year. The Jets got five sacks during the game as the Texans’ offensive line obviously failed to protect the quarterback. There’s still a chance for the Texans to sneak into the playoffs, but they need some help, and they need to win…and they need Stroud to be healthy and protected. The Jets’ playoff chances are still on life support, but this win definitely gives them a breath of life…and the possibility of them sneaking in to get back quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
VIKINGS 3 – RAIDERS 0
No, this is not a baseball preseason game nor was it a hockey game. This, allegedly, was a football game. The score says it all as the Vikings and Raiders barely mustered any offense in a game where both teams could have been outscored by anyone, even by newly signed Dodgers two-way star, Shohei Ohtani. As ridiculous as that last sentence may be, what is true is the fact that it was the lowest scoring game in the NFL in 16 years. Vikings kicker Greg Joseph scored the only points of the game with a 36-yard field goal. But even in victory (if you can call it that), there was bad news for the Vikings. After finally getting back Justin Jefferson, who has been one of the best wide receivers in the last few years in the NFL, from injury…he went down again. After being examined at the nearby hospital, Jefferson was able to return to the team to head back to Minnesota. While the Vikings dodged a major bullet, the Raiders are in deep trouble. Their playoff hopes are on life support as quite a few teams are in front of them for one of the wild card spots, including both of their division rivals, the Broncos and Chargers.
SEAHAWKS 16 – 49ERS 28
And the first playoff spot goes to the San Francisco 49ers. The team, led by quarterback Brock Purdy, has looked like the best team in the NFL…when healthy. These two teams played each other not long ago…and the results were mostly the same. The 49ers pounded the Seahawks’ defense with the triple threat of Brock Purdy, running back Christian McCaffrey, and wide receiver Deebo Samuel for 527 total yards of offense. With the 49ers in the playoffs, all they must play for is seeding. They do hold the tie breaker over the Cowboys thanks to their earlier win. The Seahawks, on the other hand, are fighting for their lives. They are stuck behind the Rams and the Packers for the last playoff spot, and in need of help and better play from their players. But most importantly, Pete Carroll’s job may now be on the line as well.
BILLS 20 – CHIEFS 17
Last week, there were red flags being raised for the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs. Now we need to sound the air raid sirens or send out an SOS. Another game marked by uncharacteristic bad playing ended with the Chiefs losing a close game to the Bills. Quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen dueled to a near draw with both men throwing a touchdown and an interception a piece. On what should have been the miraculous winning touchdown, Travis Kelce threw a lateral on an impressive play…only to be waved off for an offsides penalty. The Chiefs were obviously irate that that was how the game was decided. If you look at the replay, and you take away any bias, the argument could be made that the Rams had a better case for a possible penalty on the Ravens’ game winning punt return than the Chiefs had in their opinion of there being no offsides. The Bills still need a lot of help to make the playoffs, and the Chiefs are suddenly in a dogfight for their division. Both teams have one problem they have in common: the surging Denver Broncos.
BRONCOS 24 – CHARGERS 7
This game couldn’t have gone better for the Broncos…and it couldn’t have gone worse for the Chargers. On the Denver side, the Broncos continued their remarkable success story after a miserable start to the season. Quarterback Russell Wilson threw 21 for 33 for 224 yards for two touchdowns and an interception. The Broncos are now right on the heels of the Chiefs for the division title, which would be their first since legendary quarterback Peyton Manning retired. On the Chargers’ side, it feels like a sad and somber funeral. As of this writing, Chargers star quarterback Justin Herbert is DONE FOR THE YEAR. After going down with a fractured index finger on his throwing hand, the team announced Tuesday he would have surgery on it…effectively ending Herbert’s season…and the Chargers’ hopes for the playoffs with it. Their offense looked hopeless without Herbert at the helm, managing just seven points against the Broncos. They now must face their rivals, the Las Vegas Raiders, on Thursday in a game where both teams’ playoff chances are on life support.
EAGLES 13 – COWBOYS 33
This was one of the big games of the week to watch. The Eagles at one point during the season looked like they were gonna cruise back to the NFC championship. Now…we must hold that thought. The Cowboys dominated this game to pull even with the Eagles in the NFC East. It was a surprisingly quiet performance for Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who was held without a touchdown pass and went 18 for 27 for 197 yards, but he didn’t throw an interception either. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott put together an impressive game going for 24 for 39 for 271 yards and two touchdowns. The division will come down to the last four games of the season…and that favors the Eagles. Philadelphia has a very easy schedule for the stretch run, including a game against the Cardinals and Seahawks, and two games against the Giants.
TITANS 28 – DOLPHINS 27
This Monday night showdown came down to the final minutes of the game. After a costly mistake by Titans quarterback Will Levis that ended in a fumble, Miami was poised to win the game after taking a 14-point lead. Four and a half minutes later…fans wondered what they just saw and if this was real life. In a stunning turn of events, the Titans rallied for two touchdowns to shock the Dolphins and the NFL world. This doesn’t do much for the Titans’ playoff hopes as they look to be one of the teams that could be mathematically eliminated in the next week or two. What it did do was knock the Dolphins off from the top spot in the AFC. Now the Dolphins must try and get the top spot back from the powerful Baltimore Ravens. Both teams will play each other on New Year’s Eve in a matchup that may determine who gets the top seed in the AFC for the playoffs.
PACKERS 22 – GIANTS 24
The Titans and Dolphins game wasn’t the only game on Monday night, and it turned out that the Packers and Giants game would be just as thrilling in the final seconds. Rookie Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito led the Giants to an improbable win in the final minutes to stun the Green Bay Packers. DeVito threw a crucial 32-yard pass to wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson that set up kicker Randy Bullock to kick the game winning 37-yard field goal with virtually no time left on the clock. It was the first Monday night loss for the Packers since Matt LaFleur took the reins as head coach back in 2019. While the Giants have a slim chance to make the playoffs, this was a game the Packers couldn’t afford to lose. If it were not for Ravens’ game winning punt return, the Packers would have been knocked out of the final playoff spot by the Rams. It’ll be an interesting final four weeks for the Packers and Rams to finish the season.