THE TYGRRRR EXPRESS

NFL 2024-2025 Divisionals Prequel

The NFL 2024-2025 Wildcards are in the books. This weekend brings the Divisionals round. 

Saturday January 18, 2024, 4:30pm on ESPN

AFC: (4) Houston Texans at (1) Kansas City Chiefs (-7 1/2) — The 10-7 Texans did win a playoff game, but the 15-2 Chiefs lost their regular season finale because they played backups. The Chiefs offense isn’t as high octane as in years past but defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has the top defense in the NFL. A few years ago the Texans took a 24-0 first quarter lead at Kansas City. By halftime the Chiefs led 28-24 en route to a 51-31 win. With Walrus Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes, they are always a threat. The Chiefs are seeking to reach the AFC Title Game for the 7th straight year, with 6 of those 7 games being at home in Arrowhead. The Chiefs are too deep and too experienced. Chiefs cover

8pm on FOX

NFC: (6) Washington Commanders at (1) Detroit Lions (-9 1/2) — The Commanders are a very good football team. Jayden Daniels has been leading them to victories in Cardiac fashion. Yet the Detroit Lions are a wrecking ball. Yes, their defense is injury-riddled. At home in their dome, their pinball wizard offense can outscore anyone. Dan Campbell and Dan Quinn both take 4th down risks. The Lions are well rested from their bye week. Go with Jared Goff and his many offensive weapons to win the game, but the spread is high. Given Detroit’s defensive injuries and Washington’s resilience, beating the spread is certainly possible. Lions win but fail to cover

Sunday, January 19, 3pm on NBC

NFC: (4) Los Angeles Rams at (2) Philadelphia Eagles (-6) — The 10-7 Rams won the NFC West and then knocked off 14-3 Minnesota in the Wildcard. Now they were at the 14-3 Eagles, who won the NFC East. In the regular season the Eagles went into Los Angeles and throttled the Rams 37-20. Saquon Barkley is running wild and gives the Eagles the advantage. As much of an offensive wizard as Sean McVay is, the Eagles between Barkley and the home field should be able to win this game to get back to the NFC Title Game for the second time in three years. Yet the Rams are a confident bunch and the Eagles do not blow teams out. Their offense did very little against Green Bay last week. Eagles win but fail to cover

6:30pm

AFC: (3) Baltimore Ravens (-1 1/2) at (2) Buffalo Bills — Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen were both in contention for the league MVP. The winner of this game goes to the AFC Title Game. The 13-4 Bills and 12-5 Ravens met early in the regular season, with the Ravens winning a 35-10 blowout. Yet that game was in Baltimore. The rematch is in Buffalo. Derrick Henry is running with authority but the Buffalo defense is stout. Both of these teams are phenomenal, but this is one game where the home field truly matters. The weather is expected to be cold and bad, which is Buffalo weather. Upset special, Bills win outright

eric

NFL 2024-2025 Wildcard Recap

The 18 weeks of the NFL 2024 regular season are in the history books.

The Wildcard playoffs are set:

AFC (5) Chargers at (4) Texans was the Saturday afternoon game. Thankfully for the 11-6 Chargers, their playoff game was on the road. The Los Angeles wildfires have been devastating, and some of the players played with heavy hearts. Yet if anyone will keep a team focused on football, it’s Jim Harbaugh. They took on the 10-7 Texans. The Chargers after a touchback moved easily to a 3rd and 1 at the Houston 14. JK Dobbins got the carry and got buried by the Houston defense for a 2 yard loss. Cameron Dicker hit the 35 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Chargers. On the first play from scrimmage after a touchback, a short pass turned disastrous when the receiver fumbled. Derwin James just ripped it out of the receiver’s hands as the Chargers took over again at the Houston 33. A sack of herbert followed by a dropped pass near the first down marker killed the drive. Dicker hit again from 39 to make it 6-0 Chargers. The defenses then dug in as the quarterbacks traded second quarter interceptions. 

A great punt late in the half pinned the Texans at their own one yard line. After barely avoiding an intentional grounding call for a safety, one play just before the 2 minute warning shifted momentum. On 3rd and 3 from their own 8, CJ Stroud hit Nico Collins for 5. Then on 3rd and 16 from their own 17, all chaos broke out. Out of the shotgun, a wild snap went way passed Stroud. He picked it up, scrambled all the way to his right, and turned a busted play into a 34 yard completion to Hutchinson. Stroud then went deep to Collins for 37. On 3rd and 11 from the Chargers 13, Stroud went to Collins for the touchdown. Despite being dominated for the first 28 minutes, the Texans led 7-6 with one minute left in the half. The Chargers went 3 and out and took only 20 seconds off the clock. The Texans got it back at their own 32 with 27 seconds left. Stroud ripped off a 27 yard run. Kaimi Fairbairn hit a 41 yard field goal to have the Texans up 10-6 lead at the half.

The third quarter began with Stroud connecting with Collins for a 41 yard gain. Yet on the next pay from the Chargers 24, a trick play by DeMeco Ryans backfired. Joe Mixon took a lateral, set up for the halfback option pass, decided to keep the ball, and fumbled. The Chargers took over at their own 26 and moved to a 4th and 2 at the Houston 34. Jim Harbaugh passed up a 52 yard field goal try and went for it. Herbert hit Johnston near the sticks but perfect defense by Stingley caused the ball to hit the ground during the catch for an incompletion and a turnover on downs. The Texans moved to a 1st and 10 at the Chargers 19. offensive penalties on 3 straight plays had the Texans facing a crazy 2nd and 40. A defensive offside and a pair of completions got the Texans to a much more manageable 4th and 10. Fairbairn hit the 37 yard field goal to make it 13-6 Texans with 5 minutes left in the third quarter. 

Very late in the third quarter the Chargers took over at their own 28. On the first play from scrimmage, Herbert found Murray in the flat. Problem: Murray plays defense for the Texans. Murray coasted 38 yards for a defensive touchdown to have the Texans up 20-6 after three quarters. After a touchback the Chargers began the fourth quarter by quickly moving to a 1st and 10 at the Houston 39. Herbert had his next pass bounce right out of Will Dissly’s hands and into the arms of Stingley. Problem: Stingley plays defense for the Texans. He had a convoy of blockers but was caught from behind after returning the interception 54 yards to the Chargers 13 yard line. A sack of Stroud killed the drive but Fairbairn’s 30 yard field goal had the Texans up 23-6 with 12 minutes left in regulation. 

Consecutive sacks of Herbert had the Chargers facing 3rd and 26 from their own 14. with the Chargers pretty much dead, Herbert fired over the middle to Ladd McConkey, who was a few yards short of the sticks. Then McConkey broke a tackle and outraced everyone for a stunning 86 yard touchdown. Just like that, the Chargers were back in it. Yet seconds later, their momentum was gone in a big way. The extra point was blocked by Autry. Kicker Dicker could have caught the extra point and gotten tackled or just gone down. Yet perhaps because he did not know the rule, he just batted the ball to the ground thinking it would end the play like an incomplete pass. It was still a live ball, and Deangelo Ross picked up the ball and returned it all the way for a 2 point play for the defense. Dicker’s gaffe was hardly on the level of Garo Yepremian in the Super Bowl, but it was a blunder. Instead of being within 23-13, the Chargers trailed 25-12 with 10 1/2 minutes left in regulation. After a touchback the Texans just ground the Chargers into dust. On 4th and 1 from the Chargers 17, Mixon took the carry off left tackle, broke through a tackle and made it to the pylon for the dagger touchdown. The 14 play, 74 yard, 7 minute drive iced the game with 3:42 to play. Herbert was then intercepted by Stingley again. The Chargers had 9 turnovers the entire regular season, the fewest in franchise history. They had 5 on this day including 4 interceptions of Herbert. Herbert only had 3 interceptions in the entire regular season. 32-12 Texans

AFC (6) Steelers at (3) Ravens was the Saturday night game. These fierce rivals split the season series. The 10-7 Steelers entered having lost four straight. They lost to the 12-5 Ravens a few weeks ago to lose control of the division. Lamar Jackson was a legitimate league MVP candidate. The crowd at the Big Crabcake in Baltimore was pumped up before the game with retired Ravens Hall of Fame Ray Lewis doing his sUgar dance. Early on the Ravens fumbled a punt dangerously close to their own goal line but retained possession at their 5 yard line. On 3rd and 2 from their own 13, Jackson ran for 4, one, 8, on 3rd and 1 from his own 26 another 5, and finally 4. Jackson carried the ball 5 straight times. Yes, he is the quarterback and not the running back. Yet of his over 5,000 total yards from scrimmage during the season, nearly 20% of it came on the ground. The actual running back is Derrick Henry, and he ripped off punishing runs of 12 and 34. On 3rd and 13 from the Pittsburgh 15, Jackson fired over the middle to Rashad Bateman for the touchdown. The 13 play, 95 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive made it 7-0 Ravens. 

On the first play after a touchback Mike Tomlin tried a flea flicker. Yet with nobody to throw to, Russell Wilson got taken down hard for a 3 yard loss. The defenses dug in as the game went to the second quarter. The Ravens then took over at their own 15 and pounded the Steelers defense into submission with 13 straight runs and 0 passes. On 3rd and 1 from their own 24, receiver Mark Andrews ran for 3. On 3rd and 1 from their own 35, Henry gained 3. On 2nd and 13 from their own 36, Jackson ran for 20. Henry did the rest, running for 3, 17, and the 8 yard touchdown. The 13 play, 85 yard, 8 minute drive made it 14-0 Ravens. The lone bright spot for the Steelers was a 50 yard deep bomb, but it was wiped away by offensive pass interference. 

The Ravens got it back at their own 10 with 1:53 left in the half. On 3rd and 2, after 15 straight runs, Jackson found Bateman for 9. Jackson the went deep to Nelson Agholor for 25. Jackson went to Andrews for 20 and to Isaiah Likely for 19. Jackson spiked the ball to stop the clock and set up 2nd and goal at the 5 with 11 seconds left in the half. Jackson avoided a sack and scrambled around without a timeout. At the last moment Jackson fired to Justice Hill for the touchdown with 2 seconds left. The Ravens led 21-0 at the half of a game that even more lopsided statistically than on the scoreboard. The Ravens had over 300 yards of offense in the first half, with 160 yards on the ground. 

I the third quarter John Harbaugh decided not to gamble on 4th and 2 just past midfield. A great punt had the Steelers pinned at their own 2 yard line. On 3rd and 9, Russell Wilson avoided a sack and a safety and completed a 25 yard pass to Austin. Austin got blasted but somehow hung on to the ball. On 3rd and 5 from their own 33, Wilson went deep again to Williams for 37 more. On 3rd and 10 from the Baltimore 30, Wilson went deep again to Van Jefferson for the touchdown. The 98 yard drive had the Steelers within 21-7 midway through the third quarter. After a touchback, Jackson was sacked for an 11 yard loss. Yet as quickly as the Steelers gained momentum, the Ravens took it back. On 2nd and 21 from his own 19, Jackson quickly went to Wallace for 21. Sims then ran for 15. Henry broke free for a 44 yard touchdown to have the Ravens up 28-7 with 6 minutes left in the third quarter. by this point the Ravens already had 242 yards rushing, with 159 by Henry alone. 

After a touchback, Wilson went to Najee Harris for 9 and again for 21. Wilson went deep to George Pickens, who got hit by 2 defenders, one on each side. Yet somehow they both bounced off of him simultaneously as he glided to the end zone for a 36 yard touchdown. The Steelers still had life down by 14 with 3 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. After being dormant in the first half, the Steelers offense scored on both of their first two third quarter possessions. The Steelers got it back at their own 20 and moved to a 3rd and 8 from their own 44. Wilson got taken down hard for an 8 yard sack as the third quarter ended. As the fourth quarter began, the Ravens had a chance to grind down clock and ice the game. 

From their own 17, the Ravens didn’t put the game away, but they did take 6 1/2 minutes off the clock. The Steelers took over at their own 25 with 8 1/2 minutes left in the game. The Steelers moved to a 1st and 10 at the Baltimore 38, but Wilson was sacked for a 12 yard loss. Mike Tomlin pretty much had to go for it on 4th and 15 from the Baltimore 43 with 6 minutes left. Wilson went bombs away to the end zone into triple coverage. The ball should have been intercepted, but the Ravens were better off with the defender dropping it for an incompletion. The Ravens were a few first downs from closing out the game. On 3rd and 1 from the Pittsburgh 48, Jackson gained 5. Defensive holding meant another automatic first down. On 2nd and 2 from the Pittsburgh 26, Hill gained 3 as the clock hit the 2 minute warning. On 3rd and 1 from the Pittsburgh 14, for the third time in the game it was Andrews taking the snap and powering ahead for two yards. 

Jackson then took a knee as the fourth quarter was scoreless. Jackson only threw 21 passes, completing 16 of them for 175 yards and 2 touchdowns with 0 interceptions. Yet the Ravens ran the ball 50 times, piling up 299 yards on the ground. They could have gotten the 300th rushing yard but John Harbaugh did the right thing having Jackson take a knee. Henry led all rushers with 186 yards on 26 carries. The Ravens held the ball for nearly 40 minutes to only 20 minutes for the Steelers. The Steelers were held to only 29 yards rushing. This was old-school smash mouth football, but with the home team doing the smashing and the road team getting smashed.  28-14 Ravens

AFC (7) Broncos at (2) Bills was the Sunday morning game. The 10-7 Broncos finally clinched their seven seed Wildcard on the final week of the regular season. They throttled Kansas City, who was playing their backups. The Bills coasted to a 13-4 record and the two seed, clinching the AFC East for the 4th straight year. Josh Allen is a legitimate MVP candidate. The Bills were heavily favored at home to steamroll the Broncos. The Bills were a perfect 8-0 at home in the regular season. The Broncos quickly began facing 3rd and 8 from their own 32. Bo nix went over the middle to Cortland Sutton for 19. Nix then went bombs away to Franklin, who beat the coverage and caught the perfectly thrown ball for a 43 yard touchdown. Less than 2 1/2 minutes into the game, the Broncos led 7-0. The remaining 57 1/2 minutes were tougher.

The Bills took over at their own 33 and moved to a 2nd and 7 at the Denver 8. Allen threw incomplete twice. Tyler Bass  hit the 26 yard field goal as the Bills trailed 7-3. The Bills took over at their own 19. Allen went to Kincaid for 7. Johnson ran for 11 and James Cook added 16. On 3rd and 3 from the Denver 40, Allen gained 7. On 3rd and 5 from the DeNVER 28, Allen hit Samuel for 7 as the first quarter ended. The second quarter began with the Bills facing 3rd and 3 at the Denver 14. Allen gained 9. Cook ran for the 5 yard touchdown. The 13 play, 81 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive had the Bills up 10-7.

After a touchback the Broncos soon faced 4th and 8 at their own 43. Sean Payton called a fake punt and punter Dixon hit Marvin Mims for 15. Yet on 2nd and 4 from the Buffalo 36, a completion from Nix to Mims lost 3 yards. Nix then threw incomplete. Sean Payton decided against going for it or trying a 57 yard field goal. He chose to punt and play field position. This time Dixon did punt, and he pinned the Bills at their own one yard line. They held the ball for 6 1/2 minutes but couldn’t get past their own 40, punting at the 2 minute warning. Return man Mims got belted on a perfectly timed hit, with a personal foul on the receiving team pinning the Broncos at their own 8 yard line. The Broncos quickly moved to the Buffalo 32 with 5 seconds left. Wil Lutz’s 50 yard field goal try to tie the game doinked off the right upright no good. 

The Bills in the third quarter moved from their own 35 to a 2nd and goal at the 6. Cook got stopped for no good and Allen was then sacked. Officials missed a blatant defensive holding penalty in the end zone. Bass hit the 27 yard field goal to have the Bills up 13-7. The Bills got it back at their own 27. Allen went to Shakir for 13. On 2nd and 13 from their own 38, Allen threw incomplete but a defensive personal foul for a hit to the head meant 15 yards. Allen went to Dawson Knox for 13. On 4th and 1 from the Denver 24, a field goal would make it a 2 score game. Sean McDermott gambled. Allen with all kinds of time fired to the end zone. Ty Johnson made a sliding acrobatic catch in the back of the end zone. Johnson caught the ball just above the ground and just before he slid out of bounds. Allen went to Coleman for the 2 point conversion to have the Bills up 21-7 with 3 minutes left in the third quarter. 

The Bills were dominating statistically in yards and first downs, as well as holding the ball for 30 of the first 42 minutes. Now that imbalance was finally reflecting on the scoreboard. The Bills began the fourth quarter with a 23 yard punt return to start them at their own 41. On 3rd and 6, Allen went bombs away to Samuel, who weaved through traffic for a 55 yard touchdown dagger. The game was now a blowout with the Bills leading 28-7. The Broncos moved from their own 25 to a 4th and 2 at the Buffalo 14. Rather than throw past the first down marker, a swing pass in the flat gained only one yard as the Broncos turned it over on downs. Bass tacked on a 34 yard field goal with 4 1/2 minutes remaining to pad the lead. After the Broncos failed to convert 4th and 17, the Bills took over at the Denver 23. Allen was done for the day as Mitchell Trubisky played mop up. The Broncos are a good team who could be a great team next year. The Bills are a great team now. 31-7 Bills

NFC (7) Packers at (2) Eagles was the Sunday afternoon game. These teams played in the NFL regular season opener in Brazil. The Eagles won a squeaker. The rematch in Philadelphia has the 11-6 Packers dealing with Jordan Love who is not at 100%. The 14-3 Eagles who rested their starters in the regular season finale. Jalen Hurts is ready and Saquon Barkley had over 2,000 yards rushing. The Packers are suspect given that 5 of their 6 losses came against teams with better records. Yet Josh Jacobs runs with authority. On the opening kickoff, the Packers return man got blasted with a perfect hit to the chest and fumbled. The Eagles began at the Green Bay 28. On the first play from scrimmage Barkley gained 16. Hurts went to Dotson for an 11 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Eagles less than 2 minutes into the game. Later in the first quarter the Eagles moved from their own 30 to a 1st and 10 at the Green Bay 13. Jalen Hurts threw 3 incompletions. Jake Elliott hit the 31 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Eagles after the first quarter. 

The second quarter was scoreless as Love threw 2 interceptions and Brandon McManus missed a 38 yard field goal try for the Packers. Hurts completed his first 6 passes but missed his next 7 as Green Bay’s defense kept the Packers in the game. In the third quarter the Packers moved from their own 16 to a 2nd and goal at the 8. Love thew incomplete twice. McManus hit from 26 to get the Packers within 10-3 with 6 minutes left in the third quarter. The Eagles soon faced 3rd and 3 at their own 39. After being bottled up all game, Hurts went to Devonta Smith for 28 and again for 9. Hurts then went to Dallas Goedert, who stiff-armed the defender twice on the same play to complete the 24 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good as the Eagles led 16-3 with 3:20 left in the third quarter. 

The Packers took over at their own 22. Love went to Jacobs for 15 and to Reed for 13. On 3rd and 7 from the Philadelphia 42, Love went to Wicks for 10. On the last play of the third quarter Jacobs barreled over people and dragged a tackler along for a 31 yard run down to the one. On the first play of the fourth quarter Jacobs got the carry and after appearing stopped, barely broke the plane of the goal line while standing up. The touchdown had the Packers right back in it down 16-10. The Eagles after a touchback moved to a 4th and 8 at the Green Bay 12. Elliott hit the 30 yard field goal. The 13 play, 58 yard drive took 7 1/2 minutes off the clock and gave the Eagles breathing room up 19-10 midway through the fourth quarter. The Packers faced 4th and 3 at their own 40 with 5 minutes left. Needing 2 scores Matt LaFleur had to go for it. Love found Heath by the sideline past the first down marker, but Heath came down with one foot just barely out of bounds for a killer incompletion. Elliott tacked on one 32 yard field goal and Love threw one more interception. After 6 straight games without an interception, Love threw 3 in this game. 22-10 Eagles

NFC (6) Commanders at (3) Buccaneers was the Sunday night game. The 12-5 Commanders have been revitalized by Dan Quinn. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels has been sensational. The Buccaneers won the NFC South for the fourth straight year, but they were only 10-7 in a pathetic division. They clinched on the final week of the regular season. Baker Mayfield has been playing like the top overall Draft pick he was. After an opening touchback the Buccaneers moved to a 2nd and 7 at the Washington 32. mayfield threw incomplete twice. Chase McLaughlin hit the 50 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Buccaneers. The Commanders moved from their own 33 to a 3rd and 2 at the Tampa Bay 20. Daniels got stopped for no gain. Rather than just kick a 38 yard field goal to tie the game, Dan Quinn went for it. On 4th and 2, Daniels threw incomplete. 

The Commanders got it back at their own 8 yard line. On 3rd and 6, Jayden Daniels went to Zac Ertz for 9 and to Terry McLaurin for 18. Austin Ekeler ran for 12 to end the first quarter. On the first play of the second quarter from the Tampa Bay 45, Daniels hit Robinson for 13. On 4th and 1 from the Tampa Bay 23, Dan Quinn gambled again. Ekeler gained 2. On 3rd and 3 from the Tampa Bay 14, Daniels went to Zaccheaus for 6. On 3rd and goal at the 10, Daniels went to Brown for the touchdown. The mind-numbing 17 play, 92 yard drive took 9 minutes off the clock and had the Commanders up 7-3. The Buccaneers got it back at their own 30 and moved to a 2nd and 6 at the Tampa Bay 33. Daniels threw incomplete twice. Zane Gonzalez hit the 52 yard field goal to have the Commanders up 10-3 with 1:52 left in the half. 

The Buccaneers soon faced 3rd and 9 at their own 27. Mayfield ran for 18. Mayfield went to Mike Evans for 11, to Cade Otton for 12, and to Evans again for 20. Defensive pass interference added 11 yards down to the one. Mayfield went to Evans for the touchdown with 10 seconds left in the half for a 10-10 game. After a third quarter touchback the Commanders moved to a 1st and goal at the 3. A run lost a yard and Daniels threw incomplete twice. Gonzalez hit from 22 to make it 13-10 Commanders. The Buccaneers took over at their own 28. A defensive facemark added 15. On 3rd and 4 from midfield Mayfield went to Evans for 18. Irving got around the end for 19 more. Mayfield threw a 4 yard touchdown to Irving to give the Buccaneers the 17-13 lead. 

The Commanders after a touchback moved 67 yards in 12 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. The fourth quarter began with a 22 yard defensive pass interference penalty giving he Commanders 1st and goal at the one. Daniels threw incomplete twice sandwiched around a run that lost 2 yards. With a full 14minutes remaining, it made sense to kick the chip shot field goal and get within 17-16. Instead, Dan Quinn went for it. Daniels threw incomplete. The Tampa Bay defense had an inspired goal line stand, but the offense from their own 15 self-destructed. An attempted handoff from Mayfield to Wagner on a sweep was fumbled and the Commanders recovered at the Tampa Bay 13. On 4th and 2 from the 5, again Quinn could have kicked a field goal. Again, Quinn gambled. This time Daniels hit Mclaurin for the touchdown to make it 20-17 Commanders with 10 minutes left in regulation.

The Buccaneers moved from their own 25 to a 3rd and 1 at the Washington 12. A touchdown would have given the Buccaneers the lead. Instead, Irving was taken down for a 2 yard loss. McLaughlin hit the 32 yard field goal to tie the game 20-20 with 4:40 left. After a touchback, Daniels hit Brown for 21 and Ekeler for 18 as the Commanders took the clock all the way down. With 3 seconds left Gonzalez came in for the 37 yard field goal try and the win. Mayfield grimaced and hoped he would get overtime and a chance with the football. The kick was high stakes drama for everyone. Gonzalez doinked it off the right upright but got the lucky bounce as it caromed inside the left upright and over the crossbar good. The Commanders won their first playoff game in 19 years, which was also at Tampa Bay. 23-20 Commanders

NFC (5) Vikings at (4) Rams is the Monday night game. Because of the devastating Los Angeles Wildfires, the Rams home game was moved to Arizona. Given that Arizona is an NFC West rival, this could be a home game for the Vikings instead. The 14-3 Vikings are the highest rated Wildcard ever, having missed out on the top seed and the first round bye due to losing their regular season finale at Detroit. The 10-7 Rams finished tied with Seattle for the NFC West division lead, but the Rams won the tie-breaker. They got the crown while Seattle stayed home for the playoffs. The Vikings are clearly the better team but never underestimate a team led by Sean McVay. Nevertheless, Sam Darnold had a great season and Justin Jefferson is all world.

The Rams are the only team other than Detroit to beat the Vikings this season. After n openinga touchback Matthew Stafford went right tinwork hitting Puka Nacua deep for 27 yards and Tyler Higbee for 23 more. On 4th and 1 from the Minnesota 10, the defense bit on the hard count and jumped into the neutral zone. Stafford then went to Kyren Williams for the 5 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Rams. The Rams got it back at their own 22 and moved to a 4th and 5 at the Minnesota 16. Joshua Harty hit the 34 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Rams.

After a touchback the Vikings finally moved the ball. The second quarter began with the Vikings facing 4th and 2 at the Rams 16. Kevin O’Connell was not in a gambling mood. Will Reichard hit the 34 yard field goal to get the Vikings within 10-3. After a touchback, chaos ensued when Stafford was hit and fumbled. Cashman returned the fumble for a 26 yard defensive touchdown. Before the Vikings could celebrate a 10-10 game, officials reversed the fumble to an incomplete pass. Replay clearly showed Stafford shoveling the ball forward. The Vikings eventually got it back at their own 27 and moved to a 3rd and 7 at the Rams 47. Darnold went to the sideline and Durant jumped the route for an interception. The Vikings got it back at their own 10 and moved to a 3rd and 7 at the Rams 38. Darnold was sacked, and it was definitely a fumble. Verse picked it up off the bounce and rumbled for a 57 yard defensive touchdown to make it 17-3 Rams with 4 1/2 minutes left in the half.

After a touchback the Vikings moved to a 4th and 2 at midfield at the 2 minute warning. Kevin O’Connell gambled and Darnold was sacked for an 11 yard loss. From the Minnesota 39, Williams ran for 9 and 5. Stafford hit Nacua for 12 and Allen for 13 with 15 seconds left in the half. The Rams were dominating up 24-3. Darnold was sacked 6 times in the first half. In the third quarter the Rams moved from their own 23 to a 3rd and 5 at the Rams 19. Stafford was sacked. Harty hit from 44 to make it 27-3 Rams. The Vikings got it back and soon faced 3rd and 5 at their own 43. Darnold went to Nailor for 14. After a defensive holding penalty, Darnold went to Nailor again for 12. Darnold then went to TJ Hockenson for a 26 yard touchdown. The 2 point conversion failed but with 5 minutes left in the third quarter, the Vikings finally showed life. It was too little, too late, as Darnold was sacked 9 times overall.  27-9 Rams

The top seeds have the bye week.

AFC (1) Kansas City Chiefs

NFC (1) Detroit Lions

The Divisional Playoff games are set:

AFC:

(4) Houston Texans at (1) Kansas City Chiefs

(3) Baltimore Ravens at (2) Buffalo Bills

NFC: 

(6) Washington Commanders at (1) Detroit Lions

(4) Los Angeles Rams at (2) Philadelphia Eagles

NFL 2024-2025 Wildcard Prequel

The 18 weeks of the NFL 2024 regular season are in the history books.

The Wildcard playoffs are set:

Saturday, January 11, 2025, 4:30pm on CBS

AFC (5) (11-6) Chargers (-3) at (4)(10-7) Texans — This is a case of contenders against pretenders. The Texans are pretenders and everybody knows it. Yes, CJ Stroud is a very good quarterback. Yet his team plays in the horrendous AFC South. The Chargers have a stud quarterback in Justin Herbert. Jim Harbaugh has turned the Chargers around. Weather will not be a factor. Neither team is elite, but the Chargers are just better. Chargers cover

8pm on Prime Video

AFC (6)(10-7) Steelers at (3)(12-5) Ravens (-9 1/2) — Ignore the records. Home field does not matter in this series, although this was a rare year where they split the season series and both teams won at home. The Steelers come in having lost four straight games, including at the Ravens a couple of weeks ago. Nevertheless, these teams play physical matchups. The spread is way too high for two teams who know each other inside out. Lamar Jackson is playing lights out. Derrick Henry is running with purpose. Yet with two well-coached physical defenses, an upset is possible. Ravens win but fail to cover

Sunday, January 12, 1pm on CBS

AFC (7)(10-7) Broncos at (2)(13-4) Bills (-8 1/2) — The Broncos ended their nine year playoff drought by beating up on Kansas City’s backups. Yet Bo Nix is playing well. Josh Allen has been playing spectacular football. He has a ton of weapons. While home field does matter in this game, the Broncos will not be intimidated by cold weather. The Bills are in Super Bowl or bust mode while the Broncos are a year away from being elite. The spread is too high given that the Broncos are well coached and play hard on defense. Bills win but fail to cover

4:30pm on FOX

NFC (7)(11-6) Packers at (2)(14-3) Eagles (-4 1/2) — In the regular season opener, the Eagles eked out a win in Brazil. Jalen Hurts will be rested and ready, as will sequin Barkley. The problem with the Packers is that their record is a bit deceptive. five of their six losses came to playoff teams with better records. Jordan Love is a good quarterback but the Eagles are the superior team. The Eagles tend to win close games rather than blow teams out. Eagles win but fail to cover

8pm on NBC

NFC (6) (12-5) Commanders at (3) (10-7) Buccaneers (-3) — This one could go either way. Jayden Daniels has had a sensational rookie year while Baker Mayfield has had his best season. Dan Quinn and Todd Bowles both know defense, but Washington seems to have the better defense. The Buccaneers play in a very soft division. The Buccaneers have playoff experience. The Commanders do not. Yet Daniels is too special to ignore. Upset special, Commanders win outright

Monday, January 13, 8pm on ESPN

NFC (5)(14-3) Vikings (-2) at (10-7)(4) Rams — Despite losing at Detroit, the Vikings are the greatest regular season Wildcard in NFL history based on their record. In any of the other seven divisions, they would have been division champions. Sam Darnold has had a sensational year until the regular season finale. Of the three Vikings losses, two were to Detroit and the third one was at the Rams earlier in the season. The Vikings are a much better team than they were earlier in the year. Sean McVay is a stud coach, and Matthew Stafford can still sling it. Yet Minnesota’s defense is much improved. Justin Jefferson is the best receiver in the NFL. The Rams are the only thing standing in the way of the Vikings getting a third rubber match with Detroit. Home field will not matter. This could go either way, but go with the better record and defense. Vikings cover

The top seeds have the bye week.

AFC (1) Kansas City Chiefs
NFC (1) Detroit Lions

eric

NFL 2024 Week 18 Recap

Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens was the Saturday afternoon game. The Browns are done for the year. The 11-5 Ravens are one game up in the AFC North. They are currently the three seed. If they win, they win the division. A loss coupled with a Pittsburgh win would cost them the division and drop them to the five seed Wildcard. The Ravens were a whopping 20 point favorites, an unthinkable spread in the NFL. The Browns with a loss would be guaranteed a top 3 Draft pick and possibly the top pick. Yet earlier in the year, the Browns defeated the Ravens. The Browns were starting newly acquired fourth string quarterback Bailey Zappe, who was previously on Kansas City’s practice squad. Lamar Jackson was having a lights out year, entering the game with 39 touchdowns and only 4 interceptions.Derrick Henry was running like a beast. Last year the Ravens had the AFC Title Game at home and lost. In the first quarter Zappe threw a sideline route to Wiggins. Problem: Wiggins plays defense for he Ravens. Wiggins glided 26 yards for the interception touchdown to make it 7-0 Ravens. 

The Browns soon faced 3rd and 1 at their own 39. Foreman got stopped short. Kevin Stefanski gambled. On 4th and 1 Zappe went deep incomplete. With a short field the Ravens moved to a 3rd and 1 at the Cleveland 9. Mark Andrews got stopped short. John Harbaugh went for it on 4th and 1. Jackson tried ro run and at the last moment flipped a pass to a wide open Henry in the end zone. Jackson overthrew Henry incomplete. Both coaches got too cute by half and turned it over on downs. 

Late in the first quarter Zappe was already taken out as Dorian Thompson-Robinson took over. Later in the first half, zapped was back in. A shanked 26 yard punt gave the Ravens the ball at the Cleveland 47 to start the second quarter. On 3rd and 6 Jackson went to Henry for 10. Bay Flowers gained 9 and caught a pass from Jackson for 12. Jackson went to Andrews for a 12 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Ravens. A strong kickoff return had the Browns at their own 40. They moved to a 4th and goal at the 5. Stefanski played it safe. Dustin Hopkins hit from 23 to get the Browns on the board. The Ravens after a third quarter touchback saw Henry run for 25. Jackson hit Isaiah Likely for 14. On 2nd and 15 from the Cleveland 35, Jackson went deep to Andrews. Andrews made a sliding catch for a 30 yard gain. Jackson went to Rashad Bateman for a 7 yard touchdown to have the Ravens cruising up 21-3. 

Late in the third quarter the Browns faced 3rd and 4 at their own 34. Zappe found Jerry Jeudy for 10. The fourth quarter began with the Browns facing 3rd and 16 at their own 38. Zappe was sacked but the defense jumped offsides. On 3rd and 11, Zappe threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 17 yard gain. Zappe found Jeudy for 10. On 3rd and 5 from the Baltimore 25, Zappe went to Moore for 8. On 3rd and 9 from the Baltimore 16, Zappe hit Akins for the touchdown. With 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation, the Browns were only down 21-10. The Ravens soon faced 3rd and 8 at their own 32. Jackson went to Bateman for 24 and again for 20. Henry ran for 15. Jackson hit Picard for 14. Henry ran for the 2 yard touchdown to make it 28-10 Ravens to ice the game with 6:45 to play. 

In desperation mode the Browns and to go for it on 4th and 4 just past midfield. Zappe threw incomplete. Henry delivered the exclamation point, running for 8 and then for a 42 yard touchdown to complete the scoring. The Ravens finished with 220 yards rushing on 35 carries, led by Henry’s 138 yards on 20 carries. With the win, the 12-5 Ravens clinched the AFC North and locked up the three seed. They will host a playoff game on Wildcard weekend. Based on Sunday games the next day, the Browns assured themselves that they will pick second in the Draft. Kevin Stefanski is not expected to be a Black Monday casualty, but on Sunday the Browns fired their offensive coordinator. 35-10 Ravens

Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers was the Saturday night game. The 8-8 Bengals have won 4 straight but are on the outside looking in. They need to win and get help to sneak into the playoffs. The 10-6 Steelers are one game back in the AFC North. If the Steelers lose, they settle for a Wildcard. Yet if they win and Baltimore loses, the Steelers win the tie-breaker and the division. They would vault to the three seed. Yet Baltimore won earlier in the day, putting the division out of reach. The Steelers began the game at best a five seed Wildcard who would be playing road playoff games. Nevertheless, Mike Tomlin played his starters in an attempt to prevent the Steelers from possibly falling to the six seed. Very light snow flurries fell throughout the game, but not enough to make any impact. The Bengals began the game at their own 27. Joe Burrow hit Mike Gesicki for 12, Tee Higgins for 9 and Gesicki again for 16. On 3rd and 1 from the Pittsburgh 27, Burrow went to Chase for gains of 8, 7, and finally the 12 yard touchdown o make it 7-0 Bengals. Despite dominating the game, the Bengals would not reach the end zone again in the final 54 minutes. The Bengals moved from their own 33 to a 2nd and 6 at the Pittsburgh 26. Burrow threw incomplete and was then sacked. Cade York hit the 48 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Bengals. 

The Steelers got it back at their own 27. Najee Harris ran for 10. On 3rd and 11 Russell Wilson went deep ti Williams for a 25 yard gain to end the first quarter. The second quarter had the Steelers facing 3rd and 5 at the Cincinnati 34. Wilson threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 5 yard gain. Harris gained 11. On 3rd and 1 from the Cincinnati 9, Wilson got the yard. On 3rd and goal at the 6 Wilson threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the one. Harris got in to have the Steelers within 10-7. With 49 seconds left in the half, the Steelers faced 3rd and 1 at their own 37. Wilson took the quarterback sneak. After initially being ruled to have the first down, officials reversed it to 4th and inches. Mike Tomlin went for it. Jalen Warren was initially ruled to have gotten the first down but officials again reversed it to short. 

The Bengals took the short field and moved to a 1st and goal at the 9 with 27 seconds left. Burrow threw 3 straight incompletions. York hit from 27. In the third quarter the Bengals took over at their own 36 and moved 47 yards on 11 plays in 6 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and 2 from the Pittsburgh 5, Burrow was sacked. York hit from 35 to make it 16-7 Bengals. The Bengals got it back at their own 13 and moved 82 yards in 15 plays, taking 8 1/2 minutes off the clock. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Burrow threw incomplete. York hit the 23 yarder. 3 straight drives saw the Bengals reach the red zone. 3 straight drives saw the settle for field goals. The Bengals led 19-7 with 11 minutes left in regulation, but their inability for their normally high octane offense to score touchdowns put their season at risk. 

 The Steelers took over at their own 35. Short passes led to a 3rd and 2 at the Cincinnati 47. Wilson hit Harris for 4 and again for 12. Wilson ran for 12. Wilson went to Pat Freiermuth for a 19 yard touchdown. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Steelers were right back in it down 19-14. The Steelers got a major break when the Bengals fumbled a punt to set up the Steelers at the Cincinnati 38. On 2nd and 9 from the Cincinnati 27, a sack followed by offensive holding killed the drive. Chris Boswell nailed a 54 yard field goal. With 2:40 to play, the Steelers were within two points. They had all 3 timeouts and the 2 minute warning. A strong kickoff return had the Bengals taking over at their own 44. One or 2 first downs would end the game. Yet on 3rd and 3 just past midfield, Burrow was sacked. 

The Steelers took over at their own 24 with one timeout and 1:51 left needing only a field goal to win. The Cincinnati defense had been porous all year. They were stout for most of this game but were on the verge of blowing it. On 3rd and 9 from his own 25, Wilson fired to Freiermuth for 17. Yet rather than spike the ball, Wilson decided to scramble. He gained only 3 yards and was tackled in bounds. Then Wilson was sacked, forcing the Steelers to take their final timeout with 20 seconds left. Wilson threw deep to Pickens but the throw was off the mark and incomplete. Pickens had a miserable game, catching only one ball for 0 yards while dropping 3 passes. So with Pickens shaky, on 4th and 12 from his own 40 with 15 seconds left, Wilson went to reliable Freiermuth. The pass was perfectly thrown and this time Freiermuth just dropped it. The Steelers are in the playoffs at 10-7, but they enter having lost 4 straight. They dropped to the six seed, but if the Chargers lose on Sunday, the Steelers move back up to the five seed. The 9-8 Bengals ended the regular season winning 5 straight. They did their part but it might be enough. The Bengals needed Denver and Miami to both lose on Sunday. Otherwise the Bengals are out. On Sunday, Miami lost but Denver won, eliminating the Bengals. 19-17 Bengals

Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans — The Titans are done and with a loss still had a chance at the top pick in the Draft. The 9-7 Texans are AFC South Division champs and are locked into the four seed. Demeco Ryans was able to rest his starters for the playoffs but decided to start them. The Texans began at their own 31 CJ Stroud hit Nico Collins for 11 and 5. Stroud went to Dalton Schultz for 13. On 3rd and 1 from the Tennessee 25, Stroud went to Collins for 14. Joe Mixon ran for 10. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Stroud went to Collins for the touchdown. The 11 play, 69 yard , 7 1/2 minute drive made it 7-0 Texans. That was enough as the starters played only one drive. Davis Mills played quarterback the rest of the way. The Texans got the ball back early in the second quarter at their own 8 yard line. Damien Pierce got the carry and raced for a 92 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good but the Texans led 13-0. 

The Titans finally got on the board with a 35 yard Matt Wright field goal with 1:41 left in the half. Kaimi Fairbairn answered from 27 for the Texans to end the half. The Titans held the ball for over 8 minutes to start the third quarter but settled for a 38 yard Wright field goal to trail 16-6. The Texans moved from their own 31 to a 3rd and goal at the one. Mills threw incomplete. DeMeco Ryans went for it on 4th and goal and Mills threw incomplete. The fourth quarter began with the Titans facing 3rd and 10 from their own one. Will Levis went deep to Calvin Ridley for 39. Yet 2 plays later Levis fumbled. Barnett picked up the fumble and rumbled 36 yards for a defensive touchdown. The Texans led 23-6 and coasted. The Titans got a garbage touchdown on a Hail Mary prayer that was answered but nothing else. With the loss, the Titans guaranteed themselves the top pick in the 2025 Draft. The Titans lost to backups. The 10-7 Texans as the four seed will host a playoff game on Wildcard Weekend with well rested players. 23-14 Texans 

Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons — The Panthers are done for the year. The 8-8 Falcons are on the outside looking in. They are one game back in their division. If they win and Tampa Bay loses, the Falcons win the tie-breaker and the NFC South and are the four seed. Otherwise, the Falcons are out. The Falcons began at their own 29 and moved to a 1st and 10 at the Carolina 13. Michael Penix threw 3 incompletions. Riley Patterson hit a 31 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Falcons. The Panthers after a touchback moved to a 2nd and 9 at the Atlanta 18. Bryce Young completed a pass for no gain and then threw incomplete. Eddie Pineiro hit from 35 to make it 3-3. The Falcons moved from their 31 to a 4th and 4 at the Carolina 42. Raheem Morris went for it. Michael Penix threw incomplete. In the second quarter both offenses exploded.

On 3rd and 2 from midfield, Boone ran for 6. Young hit Legette for 10. On 3rd and 6 from the Atlanta 17, Young went to Legette for 15. Young ran for the 2 yard touchdown to make it 10-3 Panthers. After a touchback from their own 41, Penix went to London for 24. Bijan Robinson ran for 15, 9, 2 and 6. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Penix ran for the touchdown to make it 10-10. The Panthers took over at their own 25. Young went to Franks for 12. Blackshear ran for 26. Young went deep to Sanders for a 33 yard touchdown. With 2:48 left in the half, the Panthers led 17-10. 

After a touchback Penix hit London for 9, Pitts for 9, and London for 26. Robinson ran for 20, then 3, and finally a 3 yard touchdown to make it 17-17 with 1:34 left. The Falcons got it back at their own 19 with 40 seconds left. Penix went to London for 19. On 3rd and 10 from their own 38, Penix went deep to McCloud for 42. Penix went deep to London for a 20 yard touchdown with 3 seconds left in the half. The Falcons led 24-17 at the intermission.

A third quarter interception of Penix had the Panthers at the Atlanta 21. On 4th and 1, Dave Canales went for it. Young hit Tommy Tremble for the 12 yard touchdown to tie the game 24-24. The Falcons moved from their own 32 to a 2nd and 9 at the Carolina 30. A completion lost 2 yards and then Penix was sacked. Patterson, in for an injured Younghoe Koo, came in for a 52 yard field goal try to give the Falcons the lead. Patterson was wide right no good. The Panthers took over at their own 42. Sanders gained 7 and Young added 11. On 3rd and 8 from the Atlanta 38, Young went to Oker for 14. Sanders ran for 6 and 7. Young found Moore for a 9 yard touchdown as the Panthers led 31-24 after three quarters. 

The Falcons took over at their own 26. Penix went deep to London for 39. Robinson ran for 3 to end the third quarter, for 5 more to start the fourth quarter, and on 3rd and 2 from the Atlanta 27, 6 more. On 4th and 1 from the Carolina 12, Raheem Morris went for it. Robinson got the yard. On 3rd and 20 from the Carolina 21, Penix went to London for the touchdown. With 10 minutes left in regulation the game was tied 31-31. After a touchback, Young hit Coker for 9 and 7. On 3rd and 2 just past midfield, Blackshear gained 17. An offensive facemark on the next play had the Panthers facing 1st and 25 at their own 47. Young went deep to Sanders for 28. On 3rd and 1 from the Atlanta 10, Young ran for the touchdown. The Panthers had a 38-31 lead with 4 minutes left.

After a touchback, Robinson ran for 12, 9 and 5. Penix went to London for 9. Robinson ran for 10. On 3rd and 10 from the Carolina 25, Penix went to London for 11. Robinson ran for 4 and then for a 4 yard touchdown. The game that had been tied 3-3, 10-10, 17-17, 24-24 and 31-31 was now tied for a 6th time at 38-38 with 46 seconds left in regulation. The Panthers won the overtime coin toss. After a touchback Sanders ran for 4 and 11. Young hit Tremble for 18. On 3rd and 4 from the Atlanta 31, Young went to Coker for 8. On 2nd and 12 from the Atlanta 25, Young hit Coker for 14 and again for 10 down to the one. Sanders ran it in to end the game with just over 3 minutes left in an overtime where the Falcons never saw the ball. 

The Falcons finished 8-9 and missed the playoffs, but they have a young talented quarterback in Penix. He threw for 310 yards in this this game. The Falcons rushed for 227 yards on 38 carries, led by 170 yards on 28 carries for Robinson. The Falcons had well over 500 yards of offense in this game and never punted. The teams combined for nearly 1,000 yards of offense. The Falcons may unload Kirk Cousins for draft picks. The arrow is trending up in Atlanta. It also is in Carolina. The Panthers finished 5-12, but Young overcame being benched earlier this year to vastly improve in the second half of the season. He threw 3 touchdown passes in the finale. 44-38 Panthers, OT

New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers — The Saints are done for the year. The 9-7 Buccaneers are one game up in their division. They win the NFC South with a win or if they lose and Atlanta also loses. If the Buccaneers lose and Atlanta wins, the Buccaneers lose the tie-breaker and are out of the playoffs. Spencer Rattler began at quarterback for the Saints after an opening touchback. The Saints moved to a 3rd and 2 at the Tampa Bay 15. A short pass by Rattler lost a yard. Blake Grupe hit a 35 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Saints. The Buccaneers took over at their own 23 and moved to a 4th and 10 at the New Orleans 39. Todd Bowles opted to punt but the Saints were penalized for running into the kicker. That made it 4th and 5 and field goal range. Chase McLaughlin hit from 52 to make it 3-3. After a touchback the Saints moved to a 3rd and 3 at the Tampa 21 to start the fourth quarter. Rattler threw incomplete. Grupe hit from 39 to make it 6-3 Saints. 

The Saints got it back at their own 21. Rattler went deep to Johnson for 26. Rattler went to Holker for 5 and 6 and to Clyde Edwards-Helaire for 14. Darren Rizzi went for it on 4th and 1 from the Tampa Bay 21. Williams gained 6. On 3rd and 1 from the Tampa Bay 6, Williams gained 3. Rattler went to Bettis for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 13-3 Saints. After a touchback the Buccaneers moved to a 3rd and 4 at the New Orleans 7. Baker Mayfield threw incomplete. McLaughlin hit from 25 to have the Buccaneers within 13-6 with one minute left in the half. After a touchback the Saints moved to a 2nd and 7 at the Tampa Bay 21 with 20 seconds left. Rattler threw incomplete twice. Blake Grupe hit from 39 as the Saints took the surprising 16-6 lead to the locker rooms. Mayfield was 0-43 in his career when trailing by double digits, the worst mark since the 1950s. 

The Buccaneers began the third quarter facing 3rd and 6 at their own 32. Mayfield ran for 10. On 3rd and 3 just shy of midfield, Mayfield went to Shepard for 11 with defensive unnecessary roughness adding 15 more. A defensive facemark on the next play added 12 more. On 3rd and 5 from the New Orleans 6, Mayfield went to Durham for the touchdown to get the Buccaneers within 16-13. The Buccaneers got it back but Mayfield was intercepted. The Saints had a short field at the Tampa Bay 37. On 2nd and 3, a run lost a yard. Then Rattler threw incomplete. Grupe hit from 49. Four field goals had the Saints up 19-13, but the inability to finish drives left the door open. 

The Buccaneers took over at their own 18. On 3rd and 6 from their own 22, Mayfield went to Culp for 20 as the third quarter ended. On 3rd and 4 just shy of midfield early in the fourth quarter, Mayfield gained 7. On 3rd and 1 from the New Orleans 35, Mayfield was sacked. Todd Bowles went for it on 4th and 8. Mayfield went deep to McMillan for a 33 yard gain. After offensive penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct and holding, Mayfield calmly went back to McMillan for a 32 yard touchdown. With 10 minutes left the Buccaneers had their first lead up 20-19. The Buccaneers got it back at their own 6 yard line. On 3rd and 9 Mayfield went to Mike Evans for just enough. On 3rd and 14 from their own 12, Mayfield scrambled for 28. Defensive unnecessary roughness added 15. Tucker ran for 14. Mayfield went to Evans for 12. Irving ran for 8 and then for the 11 yard touchdown. With 1:51 left the Buccaneers led by 8 points. 

After a touchback the Saints moved to a 3rd and 5 at the Tampa Bay 32 with 47 seconds left. Rattler threw incomplete twice. With only 36 seconds left, all Mayfield had to do was take a knee. Yet the Buccaneers made a very controversial decision. Evans needed 5 more receiving yards to reach 1,000 for the 11th straight year. So Mayfield threw to Evans for a 9 yard gain. The Buccaneers let that be the game’s final play. Evans is now 2nd all time in this category behind Jerry Rice, who had 1,000 receiving yards for 14 straight seasons. Evans also won a 3 million dollar bonus for the achievement. Yet what if Mayfield had his pass intercepted and returned for a touchdown? It was a dangerous decision to put an individual achievement over the good of the team. Others would say no harm, no foul. 

The 5-12 Saints awaited Black Monday, with Darren Rizzi possibly being a coaching casualty. The 10-7 Buccaneers won the NFC South for the 4th straight year. Because the Rams lost, the Buccaneers moved up from the 4th seed to the 3rd seed. They will host a playoff game on Wildcard Weekend. 27-19 Buccaneers

Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots — The Patriots are done for the year. With a loss the Patriots would guarantee themselves the top pick in the 2025 Draft. The 13-3 Bills have clinched the AFC East and are locked into the two seed. This allowed Sean McDermott to rest his starters for the playoffs, so it was very surprising when Josh Allen started the game. He played exactly one snap to keep his consecutive games started streak alive. After handing the ball off, he headed to the bench for the rest of the day. Mitchell Trubisky played the rest of the game. Drake Maye played the first series for the Patriots. Yet when the Patriots began their second series at their own 45, Maye was out and Joe Milton was in. This was Milton’s very first NFL game. 

Milton hit Douglas for 12. On 3rd and 2 from the Buffalo 35, Milton went to Douglas for 7. On 4th and 1 from the Buffalo 18, Milton got the yard. On 3rd and 4 from the Buffalo 12, Milton hit Gibson for 11. Milton got the yard to cap the 13 play, 55 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive and make it 7-0 Patriots. The Bills took over at there own 25. Trubisky hit Coleman for 9. James Cook ran for 6 and 5. Trubisky hit Mack Hollins for 11 and 13. On 3rd and 1 from the New England 5, Gilliam gained 4. On 4th and goal from the 2, Sean McDermott went for it. Trubisky hit Davis for the touchdown to make it 7-7 early in the second quarter. The Patriots soon faced 3rd and 9 at their own 31. Milton went to Boutte for 14. Milton then rolled out and went deep to a wide open Boutte for a 48 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Patriots.  

The Bills after a touchback moved to a 4th and 7 at the New England 31. Tyler Bass hit the 49 yard field goal to get the Bills within 14-10. In the third quarter Milton fumbled and the Bills recovered at the new England 16. On 3rd and 1, Trubisky gained 4. Cook ran for a one yard touchdown. The extra point was no good but the Bills led 16-14 midway through the third quarter. Trubisky was done for the day as well as Sean McDermott brought in 3rd stringer White to finish the final 1 1/2 quarters. The rest of the game belonged to Patriots kicker Joey Slye. Slye hit from 41 late in the third quarter, from 42 with 9 minutes left in regulation, and from 50 with 1:55 left to have the Patriots up by 7. The Bills took over at their own 29 and White quickly threw 4 straight incompletions. 

The Bills at 13-4 will have well rested starters as the two seed. They host a Wildcard playoff game next week. The Patriots finished the season 4-13. With the win, the Patriots tumbled from the top pick in the Draft to pick number four. There is no tanking in the NFL. The Patriots and other and teams played with heart and integrity. The Patriots victory was marred after the game by the Kraft family. Owner Robert Kraft has always portrayed the Patriots as a classy organization that does things the right way. They were classless after this win. They immediately after the game on Sunday fired Jerod Mayo after only one season. They really could have waited until Black Monday to let the players enjoy the win. Mayo won his first game and his last game, but too few games in between. 23-16 Patriots

Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts — Both teams are done for the year. After an opening touchback the Colts struck quickly. Joe Flacco went to Alex Ogletree for 21, to Pittman for 9, and deep to Pierce for a 40 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Colts. After a touchback Mac Jones went to Strange for 12. Travis Etienne gained 11. Tank Bigsby added 11 more. Jones hit Thomas for 17. Bigsby ran for the one yard touchdown to make it 7-7. Late in the first quarter Shane Steichen gambled on 4th and 1 from his own 48. Flacco got taken down for no gain. The good field position allowed Cam Little to start the second quarter with a 53 yard field goal to make it 10-7 Jaguars. 

After a touchback Jonathan Taylor ran for 8, 9 and 3. Flacco went to Pittman for 26. Taylor ran for 9, 2, and the 6 yard touchdown to make it 14-10 Colts. The Colts got it back at their own 26 and moved to a 2nd and 6 at the Jacksonville 31. Flacco threw incomplete twice. Matt Gay hit from 49 make it 17-10 Colts.  The Jaguars after a touchback moved to a 2nd and goal at the 9.  Jones threw incomplete twice. Little hit from 28 to get the Jaguars within 17-13. A touchback left 1:25 on the clock, which was enough time for the Colts to move to a 1st and 10 at the Jacksonville 18. Falco threw 3 straight incompletions. Gay hit from 36 to have the Colts up 20-13. The third quarter was scoreless as Jones threw an interceptions and Gay missed a 51 yard field goal try that would have extended the lead. 

The Jaguars began the fourth quarter at their own 16. On 3rd and 4, Jones went to Strange for 11 and again for 26. On 3rd and 11 from the Indianapolis 37, Johnson ran for a 22 yard gain. On 2nd and goal at the 9, Jones went to Washington for 8. Washington was hit at the one yard line and fumbled. Washington recovered his own fumble at the one and rolled into the end zone without being touched. The touchdown counter as the game was tied 20-20 midway through the fourth quarter. 

After a touchback the Colts moved to a 4th and 1 at the Jacksonville 22. Shane Steichen lined up to go for it but it was a bluff. The defense didn’t bite as the delay of game made it 4th and 6. Gay hit the 45 yard field goal to make it 23-20 Colts with 4 minutes left. After a touchback the Jaguars moved to a 4th and 3 at the Indianapolis 35 with 1:44 left. Doug Pederson opted for the field goal. Little hit from 53 for a 23-23 game. 

After a touchback the Colts moved to a 3rd and 3 at midfield with 28 seconds left. Flacco was sacked. If ever a game did not deserve overtime, this was it. The Colts won the coin toss. After a touchback the Colts moved to a 2nd and 3 at the Jacksonville 18. A run lost 2 yards and Flacco threw incomplete. Gay hit from 38 to put the Colts up by 3 midway through overtime. The Jaguars would still get a chance with the ball. After a touchback on 3rd and 6, Jone was sacked On 4th and 22 from their own 18, Jones went to Thomas for 20, two yards short. The Colts finished the season 8-9. The 4-13 Jaguars will have the 5th pick in the Draft as Doug Pederson awaited Black Monday. He is expected to return. 26-23 Colts, OT

Washington Commanders at Dallas Cowboys — The Cowboys are done for the year. The 11-5 Commanders have clinched a Wildcard and are currently the six seed. The Cowboys started third string quarterback Trey Lance. If the Commanders lose and Green Bay wins, the Commanders fall to the seven seed. On 2 of the first 3 plays, Jayden Daniels was sacked by Micah Parsons. The Cowboys moved from their own 9 to a 3rd and 3 at the Washington 16. Lance threw incomplete. Brandon Aubrey hit a 34 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Cowboys. In the second quarter the Commanders fumbled a punt to set up the Cowboys at the Washington 22. A sack of Lance killed the drive. Aubrey hit from 41 to make it 6-0 Cowboys. The Commanders moved from their own 37 to a 3rd and 2 at the Dallas 28. Daniels completed a pass that lost a yard. Zane Gonzalez hit from 47 to have the Commanders within 6-3. After a third quarter touchback, the Cowboys moved to a 3rd and goal at the 9. Lance was sacked. Aubrey hit from 36 to make it 9-3 Cowboys. Jayden Daniels has had a spectacular rookie season but he was a miserable 6 of 12 for 38 yards in the first half. Dan Quinn decided to sit him down for his health. Marcus Mariota played the second half.

After a touchback on 3rd and 3 from his own 37, Mariota went to Austin Ekeler for 14. Mariota ran for 10. On 3rd and 5 from the Dallas 34, Mariota went to Zaccheaus for 29. Mariota went to Zac Ertz for a 5 yard touchdown to put the Commanders up 10-9 with 5 minutes left in the third quarter. After a touchback the Cowboys moved 68 yards in 15 plays and over 6 minutes. The Cowboys began the fourth quarter facing 2nd and goal at the 4. Lance threw incomplete twice. Aubrey hit from 22 to have the Cowboys back up 12-10. After a touchback Mariota went to Zaccheaus for 22. On 3rd and 3 from the Dallas 41, Mariota went to Terry McLaurin for 8 and 10. Mariota then went to Ertz for 11. Mariota ran for a 5 yard touchdown. Dan Quinn went for 2. Mariota threw incomplete but the Commanders led 16-12 with 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation.  After a touchback on 3rd and 5, Lance threw incomplete but defensive holding meant 5 yards. Lance went deep to Jalen Tolbert for 32 and to Flournoy for 10. Defensive pass interference added 20 down to the one. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Rico Dowdle got in to have the Cowboys up 19-16 midway through the fourth quarter. 

With 3:18 left in regulation, the Commanders began their final drive at their own 9 yard line. A sack of Mariota was wiped away by  15 yard defensive facemark call. On 3rd and 4 from their own 36, Mariota hit McLaurin for 6. With 33 seconds to play, the Commanders faced 4th and 1 just past midfield. Mariota kept it and broke free for a 33 yard gain. The Commanders took their last timeout with 25 seconds left. Mariota hit Ertz for 11. On 1st and goal at the 5, the Commanders raced to the line and Mariota spiked the ball to stop the clock with 6 seconds left. The Cowboys took their last timeout on defense. Dan Quinn did not want overtime. Mariota fred to McLaurin for the touchdown with 3 seconds left. Kevontate Turpin took the kickoff 8 yards deep in his end zone but was tackled at his own 22 to end the game. The Cowboys finished the season 7-10 as Mike McCarthy awaited Black Monday. He is expected to survive. The 12-5 Commanders held the six seed Wildcard and will be on the road for their playoff games. 23-19 Commanders

New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles — The Giants are done for the year. The 13-3 Eagles have clinched the NFC East and are locked into the two seed. Saquon Barkley needs 101 yards to break Eric Dickerson’s all time single season NFL rushing record. Yet coach Nick Sirianni made the controversial decision to sit Barkley to keep him rested for the playoffs. It was not a popular decision, given the chance to make history. Nick Sirianni sat Jalen Hurts and went with third string quarterback Tanner McKee. The Giants started third string quarterback Drew Lock. Brian Daboll gambled early on 4th and 7 just past midfield. Lock threw incomplete. From that spot McKee went to Dallas Goedert for 16 and 17 and to Smith for a 15 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Eagles. In the second quarter Jake Elliott missed from 39 but hit from 24 to make it 10-0 Eagles. The Giants finally got on the board with a 25 yard Grahan Gano field goal midway through the third quarter. The Eagles took over at their own 39. McKee went to Dotson for 12. McKee went to Wilson for 9 and Dotson for 19. On the first play of the fourth quarter McKee went to Jenkins for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 17-3 Eagles.

The Giants after a touchback soon faced 3rd and 1 a their own 39. Lock gained 3. On 3rd and 8 from the Philadelphia 45, Lock went deep to Nabers for the touchdown. with 10 1/2 minutes left in regulation the Giants were only down 17-10. A 25 yard punt return gave the Giants gift field position at the Philadelphia 38. The Giants wasted the field position. Gano hit a 53 yard field goal to have the Giants within 17-13 midway through the fourth quarter. After a touchback the Eagles mounted a mind-numbing 16 play, 56 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive. On 3rd and 7 from the Giants 14 with 1:36 left and the Giants out of timeouts, Nick Sirianni played it very safe. Kenneth Gainwell got stopped for no gain. Jake Elliott hit the 32 yard field goal to put the Eagles up by 7 wit 47 seconds left. On 3rd and 2 from his own 38, Lock went deep and was intercepted. The 3-14 Giants will have the 3rd pick in the Draft. Brian Daboll may be a Black Monday casualty. The Giants lost to backups. The 14-3 Eagles will be a well rested two seed when they host a Wildcard Weekend playoff game next week. 20-13 Eagles

Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers — The Bears are done for the year. They can in having lost 10 straight games overall and 11 straight games to the Packers. The 11-5 Packers have clinched a Wildcard and are currently the seven seed. If they win and Washington loses, the Packers can move up to the six seed. In the first quarter Interim Coach Thomas Brown went to his bag of tricks on special teams. Knowing this might be his last game as coach before Black Monday, he went old school sandlot. The punt returner on the left side of the field pretended like he fielded the punt. Meanwhile, it was actually a second punt returner all the way on the right side of the field who actually caught it. That was Blackwell, who returned it with a convoy for a 94 yard touchdown and a 7-0 Bears lead. 

The Packers moved from their own 29 to a 4th and 6 at the Chicago 19. Brandon McManus hit a 37 yard field goal to get the Packers within 7-3. The Packers got the ball back and immediately fumbled it away.Owens returned the fumble 13 yards to gift the Bears field position at the Green Bay 21. Caleb Williams hit Moore for 15 on the first play of the second quarter. Deandre Swift ran for a 4 yard touchdown to have the Bears up 14-3. 

The Packers took over at their own 37. Jordan Love went to Wicks for 16. Yet Love injured his throwing hand on the play and went to the sideline as a precaution. Malik Willis came in. Josh Jacobs ran for 12. Willis went to Kraft for 11 and again for 20. Jacobs ran for a 9 yard touchdown to get the Packers within 14-10. The Packers got it back at their own 20 and moved to a 4th and 4 at the Chicago 12 at the 2 minute warning. McManus hit from 30 to get the Packers within 14-13. The Bears tried a trick play that resulted in an interception. The Packers fumbled the ball back. The Packers got it back and on the first play of the fourth quarter Matt LaFleur gambled on 4th and 3 from the Chicago 37. Reed lost 2 yards. 

The Bears on 3rd and 6 from their own 43 saw Williams hit Moore for 7. On 3rd and 5 from the Green Bay 45, Williams hit Moore or 9. Williams went to Moore again for a 32 yard touchdown to make it 21-13 Bears. A relatively short 36 yard punt allowed the Packers to take over just shy of midfield with 6 minutes left in regulation. On 3rd and 21, Willis went deep to Heath for a 41 yard gain. Wilson got around the end for a 21 yard touchdown. The 2 point red failed but the Packers were within 21-19 with 4 1/2 minutes left. 

The Bears took over at their own 33 and moved to a 1st and 10 at the Green Bay 43 at the 2 minute warning. All they had to do was run the ball. A first down would all but end it. First came offensive holding. That stopped the clock with 1:55 left. On 1st and 20, running the ball was still necessary. Instead, the Bears called a mindless West Coast Offense dink and dunk pass that was sideways rather than forward. Williams hit Moore, who lost a yard and then fumbled the ball. Yes, just trying to run out the clock, the Bears passed and fumbled. These are the Bears. The Packers took over at the Chicago 43. On 3rd and 2, a run lost 2 yards. With one minute left, McManus came in for a 55 yard try to give the Packers the lead. McManus hit a low line drive that cleared the crossbar for the 22-21 Packers lead. These are the Bears.  

The Bears took over at their own 20 only 48 seconds away from their 11th straight loss to end the season and their 12th straight loss to Green Bay. Yet they needed only a field goal to win. Williams got sacked, but a defensive horsecllar tackle penalty gave the Bears 15 yards. Williams went to Odunze for 15 to midfield. With 14 seconds left the Bears faced 3rd and 11. Williams went to Moore for 18 as the Bearded to the line. Williams spiked the ball to stop the clock with 3 seconds left. Cairo Santos came in for a 51 yard field goal try. With everything on the line, Santos snuck the ball over the crossbar and inside the left upright good. The Bad News Bears finally won a game to end the season 5-12. Thomas Brown may not survive Black Monday, but he got his first win as an NFL head coach. The 11-6 Packers ended the season losing two straight and will be the seven seed Wildcard. All their playoff games will be on the road. Their main concern is the heath of Love’s throwing hand. 24-22 Bears

Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Rams — The 9-7 Seahawks are done for the year. The 10-6 Rams have clinched the NFC West. They entered this game the three seed. Due to Tampa Bay winning earlier in the day, the Rams need to win to preserve the three seed. A loss would drop the Rams to the four seed. That was not enough of an incentive for Sean McVay who decided to rest his starters including Matthew Stafford. It was a controversial decision given that the four seed was expected to have a much tougher playoff matchup. For those who had no idea who the backup quarterback of the Rams it, it turns out to be former enemy San Francisco quarterback and current journeyman Jimmy Garoppolo. 

A field position game and a 17 yard punt return had the Seahawks taking over at their own 45. Charbonnet ran for 12. Geno Smith went to Fant fo 32. Smith hit Bobo for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Seahawks. The Rams moved from their own 32 to a 3rd and 2 at the Seattle 19. Garoppolo threw incomplete. Joshua Karty hit from 37 to get the Rams within 7-3. The Seahawks began the second quarterback after a touchback facing 3rd and 1 at their own 39. Smith ran for 15. Smith went to DK Metcalf for 22. On 3rd and 6 from the Rams 20, Smith went to Metcalf for the touchdown to make it 14-3 Seahawks. 

The Rams took over at their own 22. Garoppolo went to Corum for 12, to Johnson for 20, and to Whittington for 12. A defensive facemark added 13. On 3rd and 3 at the Seattle 6, Garoppolo went to Tyler Higbee for the touchdown to get the Rams within 14-10. The Seahawks moved from their own 27 to a 3rd and 5 from the Rams 33. Smith was sacked. Yet Jason Myers nailed a 56 yard field goal to put the Seahawks up 17-10. Garoppolo was intercepted but the Rams got the ball back at their own 20 with 53 seconds left. They moved to a 1st and 10 at the Seattle 40 with 9 seconds left. Garoppolo threw deep incomplete. Harty leveled a 58 yard field goal to have the Rams within 17-13 at the intermission. In the third quarter the Rams moved from their own 21 to a 3rd and 1 at the Seattle 31. Garoppolo was sacked. Yet Karty again bailed the Rams out with a 57 yard field goal to get them within 17-16 midway through the third quarter.

The Seahawks after a touchback on 3rd and 10 saw Smith throw sideways to non-relative Smith-Nigba, who then lateraled to Charbonnet for a 32 yard gain. McIntosh ran for 12 and 8. On 3rd and 1 from the Rams 12, Smith went to Barner for 10. Smith went to Barner again for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 24-16 Seahawks. After a touchback on 3rd and 5 from their own 35, Garoppolo hit Tutu Atwell for just enough. Garoppolo went to Higbee for 13 and to Whittington for 24 to end the third quarter. Garoppolo hit Rovers for 9 to start the fourth quarter. Rivers ran for 8 and 2. Garoppolo hit Johnson for a 4 yard touchdown. Sean McVay went for 2 to tie the game but Garoppolo threw incomplete. The Rams were within 24-22. 

The Rams got it back and soon faced 3r and 4 at their own 28. Garoppolo went deep to Whittington for a 50 yard gain. On 2nd and 8 from the Seattle 20, Garoppolo threw incomplete twice. Harty hit his 4th field goal from 38 to put the Rams back up 25-24 midway through the fourth quarter. After a touchback, McIntosh ran for 10. Chabonnet ran for 3 and 7. Smith found Barner for 10. On 3rd and 2 from the Rams 27, Smith went to Tyler Lockett for 11. Smith found Fant for a 16 yard touchdown. Mike McDonald went for 2 but Smith threw incomplete. The Seahawks reclaimed the lead by 5 points with 3:19 left. 

The Rams after a touchback moved to a 4th and 3 at the Seattle 9 with 20 seconds left. It was all up to Garoppolo. With the 2019 49ers, Garoppolo’s team had a 20-10 lead after three quarters of the Super Bowl. After falling behind 24-20, Garoppolo overthrew a wide open receiver on a bomb that would have given the 49ers the lead again. The 49ers lost the Super Bowl. With the 2020 49ers in the NFC Title game, the 49ers led 17-7 after three quarters. Yet offensive miscues killed them. With the game tied, Garoppolo threw a killer interception. The 49ers lost 20-17. That was against the Rams. Now Garoppolo had a chance to be the hero for the Rams. He threw low and incomplete. 

Both teams finished the year 10-7, yet all records are not equal. The Seahawks are a good football team who lost the division tie-breaker and finished one game back in the competitive Wildcard race. The Seahawks are out of the playoffs. The Rams as division winners will host a Wildcard playoff game. Yet because Tampa Bay won, the Rams dropped from the three seed to the four seed. That means the Rams have a much tougher Wildcard game against a 14 win team. 30-25 Seahawks

Miami Dolphins at New York Jets — The Jets are done for the year. The 8-8 Dolphins are on the outside looking in. If they win and Denver loses, the Dolphins grab the Wildcard seven seed. Otherwise, the Dolphins are out. Aaron Rodgers needed one touchdown pass to reach 500 for his career. There was rampant speculation that this would be not only his last game with the Jets, but his final game in his future first ballot Hall of Fame career. With the Dolphins fighting for their playoff lives, they would have to be without the injured Tua Tagovailoa. Tyler Huntley got the start. Jason Sanders hit first quarter field goals of 26 and 28 to make it 6-0 Dolphins, with the first kick set up by an interception of Rodgers. 

In the second quarter the Jets took over at their own 21. Breece Hall ran for 8. Rodgers hit Davantae Adams for 16m Garrett Wilson for 11, and Allen Lazard for 15. On 3rd and 6 from the Miami 25, Rodgers went to Wilson for 20. Rodgers then went to Tyler Conklin for the 5 yard touchdown and the history books. Rodgers cradled the ball and gave it to his equipment manager to preserve. Rodgers trails only Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and Brett Favre. Midway through the second quarter, the Jets led 7-6. After that the game got ugly. Huntley was intercepted. Jeff Ulbrich gambled on 4th and 5 from the Miami 38. Rodgers was sacked. Huntley was then sacked and fumbled. 

The Jets took over with a short field at the Miami 39. Hall gained 13. Rodgers went to Yeboah for 13. Rodgers went to Lazard for the 13 yard touchdown. Jeff Ulbrich went for a pointless 2 point try that succeeded when Hall got in. After another Huntley interception, the Jets led 15-6 at the half. In the third quarter the Dolphins fumbled and the Jets recovered just past midfield. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Rodgers threw incomplete. Ulbrich played it safe. Greg Joseph hit from 20 to have the Jets up 18-6. 

The Dolphins took over at their own 22. From their 33, Huntley hit Smith for 12. On 3rd and 8 from their 47, Huntley hit Washington for 12. Wright gained 3 and 8. The fourth quarter began with the Dolphins facing 3rd and 6 at the Jets 26. Huntley went to Cracraft for 11. Devon Achane ran for a 15 yard touchdown to get the Dolphins within 18-13. After a touchback the Jets soon faced 3rd and 8 at their own 44. Rodgers went deep to Lazard for 43 yards. Rodgers hit Wilson for 9 and then went to Adams for a 4 yard touchdown. The Jets led 25-13 with 10 1/2 minutes left in regulation. 

After a touchback the Dolphins were down to their last gasp facing 4th and 7 at their own 48 with 9 minutes left. Huntley went to Washington for 20, to Jalen Waddle for 17, and to Smith for 9. On 3rd and 1 from the Jets 6, a run lost 2 yards. Again it was desperation time. On 4th and 3 from the Jets 8, Huntley hit Cracraft for 4. Huntley went to Smith for a 4 yard touchdown. The Dolphins were right back in it down 25-20 with a full 5 1/2 minutes left. The Jets soon faced 3rd and 8 at their own 32. Rodgers went deep to Adams for 29 and to Wilson for 11. On 3rd and 6 from the Miami 24, Hall ran for 17. The Miami defense desperately needed a stop to keep it a one score game. Rodgers went to Hall for a 6 yard touchdown to ice the game with 2 1/2 minutes left. 

The 8-9 Dolphins were eliminated from the playoffs while the 5-12 Jets ended a long losing streak to end the season on a high note. Tyreek Hill, angry at missing the playoffs for the first time in his career, said he was leaving the Dolphins to play for a winner. Jeff Ulbrich awaited Black Monday, at least being able to end the season if not his head coaching tenure with a win. Rodgers threw 4 touchdown passes, putting him at 503 and only 5 touchdown passes behind Favre. If that doesn’t keep Rodgers playing, nothing will. 32-20 Jets 

Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos — The 15-1 Chiefs have locked up the AFC West and the top seed in the conference with the first round bye. This allowed Walrus Andy Reid to rest his starters in the finale. The 9-7 Broncos are currently the seven seed Wildcard but have clinched nothing. If the Broncos lose, they would still get in if Miami and Cincinnati also lost. Yet Cincinnati won on Saturday, making the Broncos finale a do or die game. If the Broncos win they are in. If they lose, the Broncos lose the tie-breaker and are out. For the Chiefs, it was a chance for Patrick Mahomes to learn how to hold a clipboard. For his backup Carson Wentz, it was a chance for redemption and a chance to audition for other teams. This game was never a contest.

After an opening touchback, Bo Nix went to Adkins for 12. Nix hit Franklin for 7 and Vele for 5. Williams ran for 10. Nix connected with Marvin Mims for a 32 yard touchdown to have the Broncos up 7-0 only 3 minutes into the game. The Broncos got it back at their own 15. On 3rd and 4 Nix hit Humphrey for 9. On 4th and 1 from their own 39, Sean Payton gambled and Nix got the yard. Nix then went deep to Cortland Sutton for 47 yards. Nix hit Sutton for a 10 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Broncos. The Broncos got it back at their own 11. Runs and short passes had the Broncos facing 3rd and 2 at their own 31. Nix gained 12 as the first quarter ended. More runs and short passes in the second quarter had the Broncos facing 4th and 1 at the Kansas City 38. Payton gambled again and Nix gained 2. Nix hit Williams for 12. On 3rd and 1 from the Kansas City 15, Nix got the yard. Nix hit Vele for a 3 yard touchdown to have the Broncos cruising 21-0. The rest of the game was pointless. 

Harrison Butker missed a 51 yard field goal with one minute left in the half that would have gotten the Chiefs on the board. Nix from his own 41 quickly moved the Broncos to a 1st and 10 at the Kansas City 15 with 10 seconds left. Nix threw incomplete. Wil Lutz hit from 33 to have the Broncos up 24-0. In the third quarter the Broncos took over at their own 21. On 3rd and 3 Nix found Sutton for 7. Nix went to Williams for 25. On 3rd and 11 from the Kansas City 42, Nix went to Vele for 32. On 3rd and goal at the 7, Nix went to Mims for the touchdown to make it 31-0 Broncos. The Chiefs went for it on 4th and 7 fro the Denver 42. Wentz was sacked. In the fourth quarter Estime ran for a one yard touchdown to complete the scoring. 

Wentz was awful, throwing for less than 100 yards. He was benched. For those wondering who the Chiefs 3rd stringer is, it is Chris Oladokun. Despite entering with a full 9:40 to play in regulation, Oladukon did not throw a single pass. He was sacked once as the Chiefs failed to avoid the shutout. Yet this was a win for both teams. The 10-7 Broncos punched their ticket to the playoffs for the first time in 9 years when Peyton Manning went out on top. Nix was lights out, going 26 of 29 for 321 yards, 4 touchdown passes, and 0 interceptions. As the 7 seed wildcard, all their playoff games will be road games. If they somehow get past the Wildcard round, their second playoff game would be a rematch with Kansas City. The difference is this time the game would be in Kansas City and Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the starters would be playing. The 15-2 Chiefs will have a healthy and very well rested team, making Andy Reid a most Happy Walrus indeed. 38-0 Broncos

Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders — The Raiders have won 2 straight but are done for the year. the 10-6 Chargers have clinched a Wildcard and entered the weekend as the six seed. Yet with Pittsburgh losing on Saturday, the Chargers moved up to the five seed. A win would keep them at the five seed but a loss would drop them back to the six seed. In the first quarter Cameron Dicker missed a 51 yard field goal try for the Chargers. Before that miss he was 35 of 37 on the year. He would redeem himself in a big way during this game. Daniel Carlson hit from 40 to have the Raiders on the board first. Dicker hit from 33 to tie the game 3-3 after the first quarter. After a touchback Alexander Mattison ran for 11 to end the first quarter. The second quarter began with Aidan O’Connell hitting Jakobi Meyers for 22. O’Connell went deep to Meyers for a 25 yard touchdown. The Raiders led 10-3, but in too many games this season their offense would score an early touchdown and then take most if not all of the game off. The exhausted defense would then break. 

The Chargers gradually chipped away. Dicker hit second quarter field goals of 32 and 49 to have the Chargers within 10-9 with one minute left in the half. All the Raiders had to do was be smart with the football and get to the half with the lead. On 2nd and 5 from their own 31, O’Connell threw an ill-advised pass under duress that was deflected and intercepted by Henley. The Chargers took over with gift field position at the Raiders 30 with 38 seconds left. Justin Herbert went to Quentin Johnston for 19 and spiked the ball to stop the clock with 10 seconds left. Herbert fired to DJ Chark for the touchdown. Herbert went to Ladd McConkey for the 2 point conversion to have the Chargers up 17-10 at the half. After a third quarter touchback, the Chargers moved to a 1st and goal at the one. 3 straight runs up the middle got stopped cold. On 4th and goal at the one, Jim Harbaugh played it safe to make it a 2 score game. Dicker hit from 20 to make it 20-10 Chargers. 

After a touchback the Raiders moved to a 4th and 6 at the Chargers 29. Carlson hit from 47 to get the Raiders within 20-13. After a touchback the Chargers moved to a 2nd and 4 at the Raiders 45 to start the fourth quarter. Herbert scrambled for a 41 yard gain. Herbert hit Will Dissly for a 2 yard touchdown to make it 27-13 Chargers. The Raiders took over at their own 42. O’Connell was injured on the drive and Desmond Ridder came in. On 1st and 10 from the Chargers 18, Ridder threw incomplete and a run went nowhere. O’Connell came back in on 3rd and 10 and threw incomplete. With 11 minutes left in regulation a field goal was a reasonable decision. Antonio Pierce went for it on 4th and 10. O’Connell threw deep incomplete. The Chargers marched 81 yards to turn a once close game into a blowout. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Haskins got in to make it 34-13 Chargers. 

The Chargers scored on 7 straight possessions. 4 of those first 5 scores were field goals, but the 2 fourth quarter touchdowns showed how bad the mismatch was. The early missed field goal prevented it from being 8 straight scoring drives. The Raiders got a garbage touchdown with 25 seconds left. Herbert torched the Raiders by going 28 of 36 for 346 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Jim Harbaugh pounded the ball, running 35 times for 137 yards. The 4-13 Raiders have the sixth pick in the Draft. Antonio Pierce Awaited his Black Monday fate although he is expected to survive and return next year. The Raiders could have had Jim Harbaugh. Instead, he quickly turned around the 10-7 Chargers. They are the five seed and will play road playoff games. 34-20 Chargers

San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals — Both teams are done for the year. With Brock Purdy out, Joshua Dobbs got the start for the 49ers. This was a very strange game. The first quarter was defense. Jake Moody hit a 51 yard field goal for the 49ers. Moody then missed from 47. Ryland hit from 51 for a 3-3 game. Dobbs was then intercepted. The second quarter featured plenty of offense as the Cardinals took over at the San Francisco 45. On 3rd and 2, Kyler Murray hit McBride for just enough. On 3rd and 8 from the San Francisco 23, Murray found Dortch for the touchdown to make it 10-3 Cardinals. The 49ers took over at their own 26. Taylor ran for 12 and 23. Dobbs found Saubert for 11. Taylor ran for 9. On 3rd and goal at the one, Dobbs got in for a 10-10 game.

After a touchback, Murray ran for 9. Murray hit McBride for gains of 28 and 12. On 3rd and 3 at the San Francisco 12, Murray ran for 7. Murray hit McBride for a 2 yard touchdown to make it 17-10 Cardinals with 1:51 left in the half. After a touchback, Taylor ran for 12. Dobbs hit Coney and Saubert for 9 apiece. Dobbs went to Conley for 21. Dobbs found Cowing for  14. On 3rd and goal at the 6, Dobbs hit Ricky Pearsall for the touchdown. With only 16 seconds left in the half, the 49ers had tied the game for the third time 17-17.

After a touchback, Murray quickly went to Zay Jones for 25 and to Dortch for 9. Ryalnd nailed a 49 yard field goal to put the Cardinals back on top 20-17 at the half. A 17 yard third quarter punt return had the Cardinals taking over just past midfield. Murray went to Marvin Harrison Jr for 14. Murray ran for 6. Carter added 9 and 2 on the ground and caught a pass from Murray for 9. Murray found Dortch for a 2 yard touchdown. Jonathan Gannon went for a pointless 2 point try that failed, but the Cardinals led 26-17. After a touchback Dobbs hit Cowing for 16. Kyle Shanahan gambled on 4th and 1 from the Arizona 45. Taylor gained 9. Dobbs went to Kyle Uszczyk for a 36 yard touchdown. The 49ers were within 26-24. Yet after three quarters of a good football game, the fourth quarter was one-sided. 

After a touchback Murray went to Jones for 9, to Harrison for 20, and to McBride for 14. On 3rd and 12 from the San Francisco 17, Murray went to Dortch for 13. The fourth quarter began with Carter running for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 33-24 Cardinals. The 49ers moved from their own 18 to a 1st and 10 at the Arizona 20. On 2nd and 12, Dobbs fumbled the ball away. The 49ers got it back but on 3rd and 10 from their own 34, Dobbs was intercepted. The Cardinals took over at the San Francisco 39. Defensive pass interference added 24 yards. Murray went to Harrison for a 12 yard touchdown to make it 40-24 Cardinals. On 2nd and 6 from the Arizona 43, Dobbs threw incomplete thrice. Jones ran for a 46 yard touchdown with 1:47 left as a 21 point fourth quarter explosion completed the blowout. The 8-9 Cardinals and 6-11 49ers now face the offseason. 47-24 Cardinals 

Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions was the regular season finale Sunday night game. This is for all the marbles. The Vikings are 14-2. The Lions are 14-2. The Lions hold the tie-breaker, which is meaningless. The winner of this game wins the NFC North and is the top seed in the conference with the first round bye. The loser tumbles to the five seed Wildcard with the best Wildcard record in NFL history. This game is why we watch football. It was expected to be a shootout. Instead, the first three quarters were a defensive slugfest. Midway through the first quarter the Lions took over at their own 22. From their own 33, Jared Goff went to Amra St Brown for 23. On 4th and 5 from the Minnesota 39, it was time for the first of several Dan Campbell gambles. Goff hit Williams for 14. Jahmyr Gibbs ran for a 25 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Lions after the first quarter. The second quarter was about defense, especially red zone defense.

A field position game had the Vikings taking over at midfield. They moved to a 2nd and goal at the 3. Sam Darnold threw incomplete twice. Kevin O’Connell should have kicked the field goal, but he decided to replicate Dan Campbell’s approach. Darnold threw incomplete a third time. Yet a few plays later from his own 26, Goff had an ill-advised pass deflected and intercepted. The Vikings received gift field position at the Detroit 7 yard line. 3 times Darnold looked for Justin Jefferson and 3 times came up snake eyes. The last 2 throws saw Jefferson wide open and Darnold throw high and incomplete. Will Reichard hit the 25 yard field goal to get within 7-3. After a touchback the Lions moved to a 4th and 1 at the Minnesota 42. This time the Campbell gamble failed as Goff threw incomplete. The good field position allowed the Vikings to move to a 3rd and 5 at the Detroit 13. Darnold threw incomplete. Reichard hit from 31 as the Vikings were within 7–6. Only 20 seconds remained in the half. 

Yet Reichard hit the ensuing kickoff out of bounds to set up the Lions at their own 40. That was enough time for Goff to hit St. Brow for 19 and Raymond for 11 and leave 2 seconds. Bates hit from 48 to have the Lions up 10-6 at the half. The third quarter brought more red zone defense. After a touchback the Vikings moved to a 3rd and goal at the 2. Darnold threw incomplete. Kevin O’Connell gambled. On 4th and goal, Darnold threw incomplete again. In the shadow of his own goal line, Goff went bombs away. This is Dan Campbell football. Yet this time it backfired as Goff was intercepted. The Vikings took over at their own 46. They moved to a 3rd and 6 at the Detroit 33. Darnold threw incomplete. Reichard hit from 51. The Vikings were within 10-9. This was shaping up to be a brutal NFC North street fight. 

After a touchback Gibbs ran for 9 and 2. On 2nd and 19 from their own 42, Goff went to Sam LaPorta for 17. On 3rd and 2 Goff hit St Brown for 12. On 4th and 2 from the Minnesota 10 in a game where points were not coming easy, a field goal made sense. Yet instead it was another Dan Campbell gamble. It’s just who he is. Goff fired to Gibbs over the middle for the touchdown. The 13 play, 70 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive hit the Vikings in the mouth and put the Lions up 17-9 late in the third quarter. The Vikings after a touchback moved to a 3rd and 4 at the Detroit 34. Darnold threw incomplete. From 51 yards out, Reichard was no good. The Lions took over at their own 41. Goff hit Gibbs for 14 as the third quarter ended. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Goff hit LaPorta for 11. the game then nearly changed drastically. On first and 10 from the Minnesota 34, Goff had a pass deflected and nearly intercepted by Ale Van Ginkel. Ginkel had a clear path to the end zone the other way. Goff was lucky the ball hit the ground incomplete. 

Yet Goff kept throwing, hitting St Brown for 9. On 3rd and 1 from the Minnesota 25, Goff hit  Williams for 12. Gibbs ran around the end for a 13 yard touchdown. Instead of a 17-17 game, the Lions led 24-9. The Lions took over at their own 26 and quickly moved to turn out the lights. Gibbs ran for a 47 yard gain. Gibbs then ran for 3, 10 and 5. On 4th and 2 from the Minnesota 6, a field goal would lock up the win. Remember, in last year’s NFC Title Game the Lions passed up a field goal that would have put them up 27-10. Instead they gambled, lost, and fell apart. Yet Dan Campbell is who he is. He has been too successful to change his approach. So again he went for it. It could have been a buff, but either way the defense jumped into the neutral zone. On the next play Gibbs ran for a 4 yard touchdown to turn a fistfight into a blowout. 

The Vikings with the loss dropped to 14-3. They are the five seed Wildcard and will play road playoff games. They are the highest winning regular season wildcard in NFL history, but for the very first time, 14 wins did not win a division. These Vikings are why we have Wildcards to begin with. Yet 2 of their 3 losses came against Detroit. The 15-2 Lions won 15 games for the first time in franchise history. They won consecutive division titles for the first time since 1952-1954. The Lions earned the top seed in the conference for the first time in franchise history. Goff was 27 of 33 for only 216 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Darnold finished a brutal 18 of 41 for 166 yards without a touchdown or interception but several missed red zone opportunities. The iLons pounded the ball for 178 yards in 31 carries led by 139 yards on 23 carries by Gibbs. Gibbs had 4 touchdowns, 3 on the ground. The Lions have the first round bye. If the Vikings win their first playoff game, they would then play at Detroit. A very classy Dan Campbell told Kevin O’Connell after the game that these teams might meet again in 2 weeks. Don’t be fooled by the score. The rematch would be very tough and the most anticipated playoff game in years. 31-9 Lions

The Wildcard playoffs are set:

Saturday:

AFC (5) Chargers at (4) Texans

AFC (6) Steelers at (3) Ravens

Sunday:

AFC (7) Broncos at (2) Bills

NFC (7) Packers at (2) Eagles

NFC (6) Commanders at 3 (Buccaneers)

Monday:

NFC (5) Vikings at (4) Rams

NFL 2024 Week 18 Prequel 

THIS. IS. WHEN. THE. BIG. DOGS. COME. OUT.

Saturday, January 4, 2025, 4:30pm

Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens (-17 1/2) — The 11-5 Ravens with a win lock up the AFC North and the three seed. If they lose and Pittsburgh wins, the Ravens lose the division and drop to the Wildcard, meaning road playoff games. A Browns win would be the upset of the year. It is not going to happen. The Ravens are too focused and Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry will put this game away early. A garbage touchdown could defeat the spread. Ravens win but fail to cover

8pm

Cincinnati Bengals (-2 1/2) at Pittsburgh Steelers — The 8-8 Bengals have won four straight but they need to win and have Denver lose to sneak into the playoffs as a Wildcard. The 10-6 Steelers are already a Wildcard. If they win and Baltimore loses, the Steelers win the AFC North and are the three seed. Yet Baltimore is heavily favored and their game will be over by the time this game starts. If Baltimore wins, the Steelers have nothing to play for. Mike Tomlin could rest his starters. Joe Burrow has been lights out but has not gotten much help from his defense. If the Steelers play their starters, the calculus changes. Assuming the Steelers play the backups, go with the hot offense playing the starters. Bengals cover

Sunday, January 5, 1pm

Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans (-4 1/2) — The 9-7 Texans won the AFC South and are locked into the four seed. DeMeco Ryans will most likely rest his starters. Yet the Titans are so awful that the Texans might still defeat the point spread. Titans win but fail to cover

Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons (-7 1/2) — The 8-8 Falcons need to win and have Tampa Bay lose to win the NFC South and sneak into the playoffs as the four seed. The Panthers are done for the year but they have been playing better football in recent weeks. Rookie Michael Penix has serious talent. He will make sure the Falcons handle their business, although the Panthers could get a garbage touchdown to beat the spread. Falcons win but fail to cover

New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-14) — The 9-7 Buccaneers have a simple mission. Win at home and win the NFC South to be the four seed in the playoffs. If the Buccaneers lose and Atlanta wins, the Buccaneers are out. The Buccaneers with a win and a Rams loss can even move up to the three seed. With everything to play for, the Buccaneers will put this game away early. Baker Mayfield has been on fire. He has so many weapons. The Saints are down to their fourth string quarterback. Buccaneers cover

Buffalo Bills (-2 1/2) at New England Patriots — The 13-3 Bills clinched the AFC East and are locked into the two seed. Sean McDermott may rest his starters. The Patriots put up a fight a couple of weeks ago in Buffalo. The Patriots with a loss are guaranteed the top pick in the 2025 Draft, but Jerod Mayo could be coaching for his job. Drake Maye has talent. The Bills have nothing to play for. The Patriots would love to end their miserable season on a high note. Upset special, Patriots win outright

Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts (-5 1/2) — Both teams are eliminated from playoff contention. The Jaguars still have a shot at the top Draft pick.  Joe Flacco is better than Mac Jones. Jonathan Taylor still runs well. Colts cover

Washington Commanders (-3) at Dallas Cowboys — The 11-5 Commanders have clinched a Wildcard spot and are currently the six seed. A loss combined with a Green Bay win would drop the Commanders to the seven seed. This means Dan Quinn will probably play his starters. The Cowboys have been terrible at home all year. Jayden Daniels has been spectacular. Commanders cover

New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles (-3 1/2) — The 13-3 Eagles clinched the NFC East and are locked into the two seed. Nick Sirianni will rest his starters with one notable exception. Former Giants running back Saquon Barkley has passed 2,000 yards rushing and needs another 101 yards to break Erick Dickerson’s all time single season rushing record. It would be even sweeter to break the record against the team that let him walk. Yet he may be pulled early if he struggles while playing with backups. The Giants are terrible and still have a shot at the top Draft pick. Even playing against backups, asking the Giants to win this game on the road is too much to ask. Eagles cover

Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers (-9 1/2) — The 11-5 Packers clinched the seven seed Wildcard. Yet if they win and Washington loses, the Packers can move up to the six seed. This means Matt LaFleur will most likely be playing his starters. That is bad news for the Bad News Bears, who have lost 10 straight. Packers cover

4pm

Seattle Seahawks (-2 1/2) at Los Angeles Rams — The 10-6 Rams clinched the NFC West and are the current three seed. This point spread makes no sense unless Sean McVay rests his starters.. Yet the Rams should play their starters. If they lose and Tampa Bay wins, the Rams fall to the four seed. So the Rams do have something to play for. Upset special, Rams cover

Miami Dolphins (-2 1/2) at New York Jets — The 8-8 Dolphins are on the outside looking in. They need to win and hope Denver loses to sneak into the playoffs as the seven seed wildcard. The Dolphins have everything to play for. The Jets are horrendous. This could be Aaron Rodgers’s final game in his only season with the Jets. Dolphins cover

Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos (-9 1/2) — The 15-1 Chiefs have nothing to play for. They have clinched the AFC West and the top seed with home field advantage throughout the playoffs with the first round bye. Walrus Andy Reid will rest his starters. The 9-7 Broncos have everything to play for. They are currently the seven seed Wildcard. If they win, they are in. If they lose and either Miami or Cincinnati wins, the Broncos are out. While the Chiefs would love to keep their rivals from the playoffs for the 9th straight year, getting healthy for the postseason matters more. Yet the spread is still too high. Broncos win but fail to cover

Los Angeles Chargers (-5 1/2) at Las Vegas Raiders — The Raiders have won two straight after losing 10 straight, but the 10-6 Chargers are on a mission. The Chargers have clinched a Wildcard and are currently the six seed. If the Chargers win and Pittsburgh loses, the Chargers move up to the five seed. Pittsburgh plays the day before so by the time this game kicks off, the Chargers could already be locked into the six seed. In that scenario Jim Harbaugh might rest his starters, Either way, the Chargers have more talent than a Raiders team with very little talent on offense. Home field advantage has rarely mattered in this rivalry. Chargers win but fail to cover

San Francisco 49ers (-1) at Arizona Cardinals — Both teams are eliminated from the playoffs. Neither one is in position for a top 10 Draft pick. Go with Kyler Murray and James Conner even though home field does not matter in this series. Upset special, Cardinals win outright

8pm

Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions (-2 1/2) — This is why we watch football. The 272nd and last game of the regular season is also its best. For the first time in NFL history, two 14-2 teams will compete in the regular season. This is winner take all. The winner clinches the NFC North and the top seed in the conference along with home field advantage throughout the playoffs and a the first round bye. The loser drops to the five seed Wildcard and plays road playoff games. The Lions have the better offense but more injuries on defense. Dan Campbell gambles are the X factor. Go with the home field. The Vikings are a great team but the Lions seem to be a team of destiny. This could be a shootout for the ages. Lions cover

NFL 2024 Black Monday Head Coach Firing Predictions

Happy New Year. You’re history. Happy Hanukkah. Clean out your desk. Merry Christmas. You’re fired. The NFL coaching carousel is about to spin like a dreidel. The NFL is a cold place in losing environments. The annual ritual of firing coaches on Black Monday is a long-established NFL tradition. As retired coach Jerry Glanville used to say, the NFL stands for “Not For Long.”

Thankfully, Black Monday now comes past the holiday season, allowing coaches to enjoy time with their families. The pink-slips come afterward.

This season’s NFL 2024 Black Monday Coach Firing Carousel

The 2024 regular season coaching carousel saw three coaches fired during the season. The Chicago Bears fired Matt Eberflus. The New Orleans Saints fired Dennis Allen. The New York Jets fired Robert Sales. More changes will come Black Monday. 

A time to fire: Rules of the Black Monday coach firing ritual

Owners can fire any employee they want whenever they want, but that does not mean they should. There are certain unwritten rules that owners should consider before firing (or not) NFL coaches on Black Monday.

• Never fire a coach after a winning season. No matter how badly the team underachieves, some teams would kill to go 9-8.
• Do not fire a coach unless it is absolutely definite that a better replacement option exists.
• Do not fire a coach after one season unless there is zero hope for improvement. Bill Parcells won only three games in his first season as an NFL head coach. Jimmy Johnson won one game. Tom Landry won zero games and tied one.
• Do not fire a coach after two losing seasons if they had four or five winning seasons prior. Allow two or even three bad seasons if the coach has the ability to turn things around.
• If a coach has won a Super Bowl for you, leave him alone for a few years.
• If he has won two Super Bowls for you in non-consecutive years, give him a lifetime contract.
• Lastly, if it is a close call, give the coach one more year.

With that, here are the NFL 2024 Black Monday Coach Firing predictions.

Black Monday firings that are necessary:

New York Jets: Jeff Ulbrich

What should happen:

Jeff Ulbrich is just a placeholder. The Jets may also move on from Aaron Rodgers. The team needs a quarterback whisperer who will unleash Rodgers or nurture his replacement. 

What will happen:

Ulbrich is gone. 

Chicago Bears: Thomas Brown

What should happen: Thomas Brown is also just a placeholder. The Bears need to develop rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. This team also needs a quarterback whisperer.

What will happen: Brown is gone. 

New York Giants: Brian Daboll

What should happen: Brian Daboll just saw the Giants snap their 10 game losing streak. Yet the Giants have no talent whatsoever. Ownership traded away Saquon Barkley, who is lighting up the league in Philadelphia. The Giants have no quarterback. 

What will happen: 

Despite being utterly bereft of talent, the Giants ownership will make the coach the fall guy to deflect from their own organizational bungling. Daboll is gone. 

Deserve to stay but will be fired: None.

Deserve to stay and will stay:

Las Vegas Raiders: Antonio Pierce

What should happen:

Josh McDaniels was an unmitigated disaster. Antonio Pierce inherited a mess. The defense was a mess. Now with Patrick Graham as defensive coordinator, the defense is vastly improved. The secondary is even improved. The Raiders have very little talent on offense. They have no quarterback, no running back, and no offensive line. Despite a 10 game losing streak, Pierce held the team together and they won consecutive games heading into their finale. He deserves to continue, especially if the Raiders finally draft offensive talent.

What will happen:

Mark Davis is already paying money to ex-coaches Jon Gruden and Josh McDaniels. He knows the cupboard is bare. Pierce stays, but the team must improve in 2025. 

New England Patriots: Jerod Mayo

What should happen: After 24 years of Bill Belichick, Mayo is in his first season. Going into the finale the Patriots have the top pick in the Draft. Drake Maye has showed promise as a rookie quarterback. Mayo deserves another year to see what he can do.

What will happen: 

Robert Kraft is a beloved owner. He would lose some of that luster if he quickly fires Mayo. Mayo will be given more time. 

Jacksonville Jaguars: Doug Pederson

What should happen: This team was 8-3 last year before Trevor Lawrence got injured and the team fell apart. This year has been a disaster. Lawrence went down again on an illegal hit but the team was already a mess before his injury. 

What will happen: Shad Khan is known as a patient owner. Pederson is a good coach who took the Jaguars to the playoffs two years ago. The team is in rebuilding mode and he deserves to be part of it. He fixed Lawrence once and can do so again. Barring a shocking development, Pederson isn’t going anywhere. 

Dallas Cowboys: Mike McCarthy

What should happen: After three straight 12 win seasons, the Cowboys were embarrassed at home in the Wildcard round last year. This year the Cowboys suffered several blowout home losses. Dak Prescott became the highest paid player in the league and CeeDee Lamb became the highest paid receiver. The roof caved in. Prescott is out injured, but the real problem is Prescott is overrated. Jerry Jones shelled out dollars to players that did not deserve it. Jerry desperately wants to win another Super Bowl, but a better alternative is not out there.

What will happen: Jerrah will huff and puff and count his money, but McCarthy isn’t going anywhere. He has never been a good fit in Dallas, but he is a good coach. Jerrah has gotten more patient with coaches in his older years after driving away good coaches in his younger years. If McCarthy leaves, it’s because he is fed up. That is not his style. 

Could go either way: 

Tennessee Titans: Brian Callahan 

What should happen: Mike Vrabel never should have been fired. Brian Callahan is only 3-13, but the team has little talent. They let Derrick Henry leave, and he is now crushing it in Baltimore. 

What will happen: Flip a coin. A coach needs more than one year, but the Titans ownership may just decide to call this a failed experiment. 

New Orleans Saints: Darren Rizzi

What should happen:

Dennis Allen is a terrific defensive coordinator who is not a head coach. Darren Rizzi is a good special teams coach who briefly sparked the Saints upon taking over on an interim basis. The Saints regressed in their last two games, but they have been devastated by injuries. They were down to their fourth string quarterback last week and their third stringer this week. Rizzi has the fire and passion to be an NFL head coach. 

What will happen:

Rizzi should stay unless a better option exists. Right now it does not. Rizzi is given a chance. 

Cleveland Browns: Kevin Stefanski:

What should happen: After the Browns went on the road in the playoffs and shocked Pittsburgh, Stefanski was a hero. Then owner Jimmy Haslam got rid of Baker Mayfield in favor of Deshaun Watson. Injuries had the Browns starting their fourth stringer Dorian Thompson-Robinson by the end of the year.  Stefanski deserves to see if Watson has any gas left in the tank. 

What will happen: This is another case of ownership possibly throwing a coach under the bus to hide the incompetence of the ownership. Stefanski could be gone, but keeping him would not be the worst decision. The Browns make awful decisions, which bodes badly for Stefanski.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Todd Bowles:

This may seem odd given that the Buccaneers are 9-7 and on the verge of winning their fourth straight NFC South Championship. Todd Bowles is a very good defensive coordinator. Yet this year his offense is playing well as Baker Mayfield is lighting up the league. The problem is Bowles wins just enough games to survive but does not seem to be able to get a team with talent to the next level. 

What will happen:

If the Buccaneers make the playoffs, Bowles isn’t going anywhere. If the Buccaneers collapse against a weak Carolina team in their finale and miss the playoffs, he probably still stays.  He may be gone next year unless he can finally make a deep playoff run with a talented roster. 

eric