NFL 2023 Week 17 Recap
New York Jets at Cleveland Browns was the Thursday night game. The 10-5 Browns looked to take down the lowly Jets. The Browns began facing 3rd and 15 at their own 20. Joe Flacco went to David Njoku for 36. Ford ran for 10. Flacco went back to Njoku for 28. Flacco went to Ford for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Browns. After a touchback, Trevor Siemian went to Wilson for 22. Breece Hall ran for 26. On 3rd and 5 from the Cleveland 21, Siemian went to Hall for the touchdown and a 7-7 game. After a touchback, Ford ran for 16 and 11. On 3rd and 12 from midfield, Flacco went to Njoku for 43. Kareem Hunt ran for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 13-7 Browns. Riley Patterson missed the extra point. The Jets fumbled the ensuing kickoff but the Browns after recovering water the chance. On 4th and 4 from the Jets 6, Kevin Stefanski inexplicably went for it rather than take the easy field goal. Flacco threw incomplete. It didn’t matter/ Siemian was soon intercepted by Hickman, who returned the pick 30 yards for a defensive touchdown to make it 20-7 Browns. In the second quarter the Browns faced 3rd and 3 at their own 28. Flacco went to Moore for 24 and Akins for 28. On 3rd and 1 from the Jets 11, Flacco gained 3. On 3rd and goal at the 8, Flacco went to Moore for the touchdown to make it 27-7 Browns.
With 2 minutes left in the half, Flacco was intercepted by Johnson, who returned the pick 37 yards as 4th teams now had a defensive touchdown. The Jets were within 27-14, but not for long. After a touchback, Flacco went to Moore for 22 and to Ford for a 50 yard touchdown to make it 34-14 Browns with 1:25 left in the half. The Jets managed a field goal before the half but this game was not a contest. Zuerlein’s third quarter field goal try was blocked. Zuerlein hit from 44 to get the Jets within 34-20 with 9 minutes remaining in regulation. The Jets got it back with 5 1/2 minutes left but turned it over on downs in their own territory. Riley Patterson hit a 33 yard field goal with 3 minutes left to officially put the game on ice. The 11-5 Browns are marching toward the playoffs. 37-20 Browns
Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys was the Saturday night game. The 11-4 Lions had already clinched their division. They and the 10-5 Dallas Cowboys were now fighting over seeding as both teams had a shot at the top seed, home field advantage throughout the playoffs, and a first round bye. Both teams were unbeaten at home but quite mortal on the road. After an opening touchback, the Lions drove to a 1st and 10 at the Dallas 23. Jared Goff threw a pair of incompletions and a completion for no gain. Mike Badly hit the 41 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Lions. The Cowboys after a touchback moved to a 2nd and 4 at the Detroit 32. Dak Prescott threw incomplete and then was intercepted by Melifonwu, who returned the pick 24 yards to his own 43. The Lions moved to a 2nd and 4 at the Dallas 36. Then a run lost 4 yards and Goff was sacked to push the Lions out of field goal range. Then came a play for the ages. The Cowboys faced 3rd and 13 at their own 8 yard line. Prescott was nearly sacked in the end zone for a safety. He somehow escaped and heaved a desperation ball to a wide open CeeDee Lamb The defender fell down and Lamb coasted his way to a 92 yard touchdown and a 7-3 Cowboys lead.
The scoreless second quarter saw both teams blow scoring opportunities. From the Dallas 38, Goff was the victim of a diving interception by Lewis. The Cowboys moved to a 1st and goal at the 5. Prescott went to Lamb for 4 but he fumbled the ball through the back of the end zone. Instead of 14-3, it was a touchback. The Lions from their own 20 moved to a 1st and goal at the 2. A run lost 3 yards, Goff threw incomplete, and another run gained only one yard. On 4th and goal at the 4, the decision to kick a field goal was obvious. Yet Dan Campbell decided to go for it. Campbell has been very aggressive on 4th down and gets a lot of things right, but this seemed to cross the line from bold to reckless. Good threw incomplete as the Lions again came away with nothing.
The Lions in the third quarter took over at their own 26. David Montgomery ran for 3, 22, 4 and 4. On 3rd and 2 from the Dallas 41, Gibbs got stopped for no gain. Campbell went for it again. On 4th and 2, Goff hit Sam LaPorta for 4 and again for 7. Gibbs ran for 9. Goff hit Reynolds for 13. Montgomery did the rest, running for 6, 2, and on 3rd and 2 from the Dallas 3, the touchdown. The 13 play, 74 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive had the Lions up 10-7. After a touchback the Cowboys moved to a 2nd and 8 at the Detroit 33. Prescott threw incomplete twice. Aubrey nailed a 51 yard field goal for a 10-10 game as the third quarter was ending. After a touchback, the Lions moved to a 3rd and 3 at the Dallas 7. Goff threw incomplete. Dan Campbell decided to go for it again but this time it was just brinksmanship. The Lions tried to get the Cowboys to jump offside, but the defense didn’t bite. Badly hit from 30 as the Lions led 13-10 with 12 minutes left in the game.
After a touchback, Prescott hit Lamb for 11 and 5. On 3rd and 5 from his own 41, Prescott went to Brandin Cooks for 21. Prescott hit Tolbert for 9. Tony Pollard ran for 10 and 6. Prescott went to Cooks for the 8 yard touchdown. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Cowboys led 17-13. The Lions appeared all but dead when Goff was intercepted in his own territory with only 2:05 to play. Yet the Lions got a break when an offensive tripping penalty pushed the Cowboys back to 1st and 25. The Lions got another break when Mike McCarthy kept passing and an incompletion stopped the clock and saved Detroit a timeout. On 3rd and 14, a completion gained only 8. The Lions took their last timeout with 1:45 left. The incompletion saved the Lions 45 seconds. Aubrey hit the 43 yard field goal and the Cowboys led 20-13, but the Lions were very much alive with a chance to win. Then came the finish that will be debated for months to come if not longer.
After a touchback with 1:41 left, Goff put on a passing clinic. He hit LaPorta for gains of 10 and 25. He hit Amra St. Brown for 14. On 3rd and 10 from the Dallas 26, Goff hit Laporta for 15. Goff went to St. Brown for the 11 yard touchdown. With 23 seconds left, the Lions were an extra point from tying the game and possibly forcing overtime. Instead, Dan Campbell was going for it all with the 2 point conversion. A brilliant play call on a tackle eligible was completed as the Lions celebrated their 21-20 lead. Yet officials through a flag and ruled that the tackle was not eligible because he failed to report. Campbell went ballistic, insisting that the player did report. The 2 points were taken off the board. This will be debated forever, but what happened next should not be. With the ball back at the 7 yard line, now the extra point to tie the game was the only sane move. Perhaps Campbell let his emotions get the better of him, but he went for 2 again.
This time Goff threw incomplete but the Cowboys jumped offside. Now the ball was on the 3 1/2 yard line. Campbell had a 3rd chance to kick the extra point. Again, he went for it. This time Goff threw a pass in the flat that was low and dropped. Even had it been caught, the receiver would have been tackled well short of the end zone. It was a bitter defeat for the Lions, but both teams are 11-5. The Lions are still guaranteed at least one home playoff game while the Cowboys right now would be going on the road as a wildcard. Both teams still have an outside shot at home at the top seed. They could even meet in the playoffs, and in this case the game would be in Detroit. A rematch would be well worth watching. 20-19 Cowboys
Miami Dolphins at Baltimore Ravens — The 12-3 Ravens with a win would clinch the top seed, home field throughout the playoffs, and a the first round bye. The 11-4 Dolphins with a win and a win next week would rule the AFC. The Ravens went on the road and thrashed top seed san Francisco last week. After a touchback, Tua Tagovailoa went to Achane for 23, to Tyreek Hill for 12, and to Alec Ingold for 18. Achane ran for 13. On 3rd and goal at the 8, Tagovailoa went to Wilson for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Dolphins. The Ravens soon faced 3rd and 16 at their own 19. Lamar Jackson hit Justice Hill for 18. Zee Flowers for 25, Bateman for 14, and Hill again for a 20 yard touchdown to make it 7-7. The Dolphins quickly moved from their own 27 to a 3rd and 6 at the Baltimore 8. Tagovailoa threw incomplete. Jason Sanders hit a 27 yard field goal to make it 10-7 Dolphins. In the second quarter the Ravens took over at their own 11. Gud Edwards ran for 4 and 6. Jackson hit Nelson Agholor for 14. Edwards gained 6 and 12. Jackson went to O’Del Beckham Jr. for 33 down to the one. Edwards got the last yard to make it 14-10 Ravens. The Dolphins moved from their own 31 to a 4th and 5 at the Baltimore 45. Mike McDaniel went for it and Tagovailoa hit Hill for 25. Yet the Dolphins got nothing else. Sanders hit from 38 as the Dolphins were only down 14-13 with 3 minutes left in the half. Then this heavyweight fight changed.
On the first play after a touchback, Jackson went bombs away to Zee Flowers for a 75 yard touchdown to make it 21-13 Ravens. An interception of Tagovailoa gave the Ravens a short field at the Miami 38 with 1:50 left in the half. On 4th and 7, John Harbaugh decided to go for it rather than have Justin Tucker try a very makable 53 yard field goal. Jackson went to Isaiah Likely for the first down and the 35 yard touchdown as the Ravens led 28-13. The Dolphins after a touchback raced to a 4th and 1 at the Baltimore 48 With 15 seconds left. Tagovailoa went to Hill for 7 but offensive pass interference instead meant 4th and 11. The Ravens broke the game open when Justice Hill returned the second half kickoff 78 yards to the Miami 18. Jackson hit Likely for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 35-13 Ravens.
The Dolphins managed one more touchdown early in the fourth quarter but the Ravens just carpet-bombed them. A 3rd and goal at the 4 touchdown pass from Jackson to Ricard capped a 75 yard drive and made it 42-19 Ravens. The Dolphins turned it over on downs at their own 32. Melvin Gordon ran for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 49-19 Ravens. One play after a touchback the Dolphins fumbled and the Ravens took over at the Miami 8 yard line. Jackson was done for the day and backup Tyler Huntley came in. After moving backward on 3rd and goal at the 19, Huntley went to Kolar for the touchdown. The Ravens are the best team in football. In successive weeks they dismantled their closest competition in both conferences. The dolphins need to win next week to lock up their division. If they lose, they are a wildcard. The 13-3 Ravens locked up home field throughout the playoffs and the top seed first round bye. 56-19 Ravens
New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills — The 9-6 Bills were looking to make the playoffs. Yet 12 seconds into the game the Patriots led 7-0 when Jalen Reagor returned the opening kickoff 98b yards for a touchdown. Yet when the Patriots got it back at their own 18, their first play from scrimmage saw Bailey Zappe get intercepted. The Bills took over at the New England 21 and wasted the opportunity. On 2nd and 6, Josh Allen threw incomplete. Tyler Bass hit the 35 yard field goal to get the Bills within 7-3. Zappe was intercepted again and the 10 yard return had the Bills with gift field position again Allen ran for a one yard touchdown to make it 10-7 Bills. The Patriots then fumbled the ball to give the Bills yet another short field at the New England 30. On 3rd and goal at the 6, Allen threw incomplete. Bass hit the 24 yard field goal. Despite recovering 3 first quarter turnovers, the Bills only led 13-7. That changed when Zappe threw his 3rd interception. The 4th New England turnover of the half was a killer as Douglas returned the pick 40 yards for a defensive touchdown and a 20-7 Bills lead. No word on whether Bill Belichick contemplated retirement right on the spot.
The Patriots soon faced 3rd and 6 at his own 29. Zappe hit Harris for just enough. Zappe connected with Harris again for a 48 yard gain. Zappe ran for a 17 yard touchdown as the Patriots only trailed 20-14. An interception of Allen gave the Patriots a chance to take the lead. They moved from their own 11 to a 4th and 7 at the Buffalo 29. Ryland 47 yard field goal try was no good. The third quarter began with the Bills facing 2nd and 14 at their own 21. Allen went to Gabriel Davis for 15. Allen then went deep to Kincaid for 51. On 3rd and 1 from the 4, Allen gained 2. Allen ran for the one yard touchdown to make it 27-14 Bills. The Patriots began the fourth quarter facing 3rd and 1 at their own 25. Ezekiel Elliott gained 6. Zappe went deep to Reagor for 39. Zappe hit Douglas for 17 with unnecessary roughness adding 7 more. Elliott ran for a 6 yard touchdown. With 11 minutes left in regulation the Patriots were right back in it down 6 points. With 5 minute left the Patriots punted on 4th and 2 at their own 11. With 3 1/2 minutes left on 3rd and 7 from the New England 46, Allen hit Shakir for 11. With 2:41 left on 3rd and 1 from the New England 26, Allen gained 3. At the 2 minute warning on 3rd and 3 from the New England 16, Allen gained 4. The Patriots never got the ball back. With the win, the 10-6 Bills have a showdown with Miami next week. If the Bills win, they win the AFC East. A loss could knock them out of the playoffs altogether. 27-21 Bills
Atlanta Falcons at Chicago Bears — The 7-8 Falcons actually had a chance to win their awful division but they were one game back. Early on Younghoe Koo missed a 50 yard field goal try for the Falcons. The Bears took over at their own 40 and Justin Fields hit Moore for 32. On 3rd and 9 from the Atlanta 27, Fields hit Johnson for 24. On 3rd and goal at the 7, Fields hit Moore for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Bears. Koo then had a 42 yard field goal try that doinked off the upright no good. The Bears soon faced 3rd and 7 at their own 35. Fields went deep to Moore for 32. Fields ran for 9. The second quarter began with Fields hitting Robert Tonyan for 10. Fields ran for a 9 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Bears. Yet one play and 14 seconds after a touchback, the Falcons were right back in it. Taylor Heinecke hit Tyler Allgeier on a swing pass, and Allgeier broke free down the sideline for a 75 yard touchdown to get the Falcons within 14-7. The Bears soon faced 3rd and 8 at their own 27. Fields went to Moore for 9. Khalil Herbert gained 12. Fields went to Scott for 16 and Tonyan for 24. On 4th and 1 from the Atlanta 3, Matt Eberflus went for it. Fields got the yard. Johnson ran for the 2 yard touchdown to make it 21-7 Bears.
Cairo Santos missed a 55 yard field goal try on the last play of the half that would have extended the lead. Santos did hit from 22 in the third quarter to make it 24-7 Bears. Koo hit from 38 but Santo hit from 42 to have the bears up comfortably 27-10 after three quarters. The Falcons began the fourth quarter at their own 36. Robinson ran for 12 and 3. On 3rd and 7 just past midfield, Heinecke hit Jefferson for only 5 but defensive unnecessary roughness added 15 more. On 3rd and 5 from the Chicago 24, Heinecke ran for the touchdown to get the Falcons within 27-17 with 12 1/2 minutes left in regulation. A 15 yard punt return would give the Bears a short field at the Atlanta 44. Santos hit from 42 to make it 30-17 Bears. An interception of Heinecke meant another short field at the Atlanta 41. Herbert ran for 2, then ripped off a 38 yard gain, and then got the final yard to complete the scoring. Heinecke threw in one more interception. Both teams are 7-9 but the Falcons still have an outside shot of winning their awful division next week. 37-17 Bears
Las Vegas Raiders at Indianapolis Colts — The 7-8 Raiders and 8-7 Colts were both fighting for their playoff lives. The Colts were tied for the AFC South lead but did not hold the tie-breaker. The Raiders were coming off an emotional win at Kansas City where Aidan O’Connell completed 0 passes for 0 yards over the final 3 quarters. These teams met for the 6th straight year, with the road team winning the previous 5. The Colts made it look super easy early on. On 3rd and 5 from their own 30, Gardner Minshew went deep to Downs for a 50 yard gain. Jonathan Taylor did the rest, running for 5, 10, and the 5 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Colts less than 3 minutes into the game. After a touchback, to the surprise of everyone, O’Connell came out throwing. After a touchback, the Raiders drove to a 3rd and 9 at the Indianapolis 21. O’Connell threw incomplete. Daniel Carlson hit a 40 yard field goal to get the Raiders within 7-3.
The defenses dug in for awhile and in the second quarter the Colts took over at their own 10. Minshew hit Pittman for 11 and Jonathan Taylor for 8. With 4 minutes left in the half of a tight game, the key play came with the Colts facing 3rd and 1 at their own 42. Minshew escaped the pressure and went bombs away to Pierce for a 58 yard touchdown and a 14-3 Colts lead. After a third quarter touchback, the Raiders played power football. Zamir White ran for 4 and 6. Aidan O’Connell hit Davante Adams for 11. White gained 9. On 3rd and 1 from the Indianapolis 45, a run lost a yard. After taking a delay of game penalty, on 4th and 7 the Raiders punted, but a roughing the kicker penalty meant 15 yards and a new set of downs. O’Connell went to Austin Hooper for 8 and 13. On 3rd and 3 from the Indy 6, Bolden gained 4. On 3rd and goal at the 4, O’Connell went to Adams for the touchdown. The 15 play, 75 yard drive took 8 1/2 minutes off the clock. The Raiders were right back in it down 14-10.
Yet the Raiders could not get the stops when necessary. Matt Gay nailed a 38 yard field goal late in the third quarter and a 33 yarder midway through the fourth quarter to make it 20-10 Colts. The Raiders after a touchback moved to a 2nd and 6 at the Indy 15 with 4 1/2 minutes left. Yet O’Connell threw incomplete twice. Needing 2 scores, Carlson hit a 33 yard field goal to get the Raiders within 20-13. Yet after a touchback, the Raiders could not get a defensive stop. On 3rd and 8 from their own 38, Minshew threw incomplete but defensive pass interference on Jack Jones meant a 26 yard gain. With 3:20 to play the Raiders took their last timeout on defense with the Colts facing 4th and 5 at the Raiders 31. Gay was coming in for a 50 yard try to ice the game. The kick was no good. The Raiders had life. Yet they didn’t. Jack Jones was the hero the past 2 weeks. This week he was the goat. He jumped offside on the field goal try. Now Gay had a second chance from 45 yards out. This time he was good. The Colts led 23-13. The Raiders eventually scored, but it took a 4th and goal at the one miracle catch by Adams from O’Connell with only 43 seconds left. The onside kick failed and the Raiders were out of miracles. The Colts at 9-7 are still alive for the playoffs. The 7-9 Raiders were eliminated in gut-wrenching fashion. 23-20 Colts
Carolina Panthers at Jacksonville Jaguars — The 8-7 Jaguars came in having lost 4 straight. They were in a 3 way tie for their division lead and they held the tie-breaker. All they had to do was beat the worst team in the NFL. Sometimes a really bad team can go on the road and shock a better team. This was not that game. The Jaguars moved the ball up and down the field in the first half but could not reach the end zone. Brandon McManus hit field goals of 35 in the first quarter and 26 and 24 in the second quarter for a 9-0 Jaguars lead at halftime. In the third quarter, Travis Etienne broke free for a 62 yard touchdown run to make it 16-0 Jaguars. McManus hit his 4th field goal from 34 to make it 19-0 Jaguars. In the fourth quarter after the Panthers turned it over at their own 15, Etienne ran for a one yard touchdown. This is not why they play the games. The 9-7 Jaguars with a win next week win the NFC South. A loss could knock them out of the playoffs altogether. The Panthers are still on pace at 2-14 for the top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, but they already traded the pick away to Chicago. 26-0 Jaguars
Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans — The 8-7 Texans were in the thick of the playoff race. They were tied atop their division but did not hold the tie-breaker. CJ Stroud returned from injury, sparking the team. The Texans moved from their own 32 to a 1st and goal at the 10. Stroud completed a pass for nothing and then threw incomplete twice. Kaimi Fairbairn hit a 28 yard field goal for a 3-0 Texans lead. The Texans got it back at their own 6 and soon faced 4th and 5 at their own 11. The Texans punted but a running into the kicker penalty meant 5 yards and the Texans keep the ball. The second quarter began with the Texans facing 2nd and 5 at their own 32. Singletary ran for 24. Collins ran for7 and caught a pass from Stroud for 10. On 3rd and 8 from the Tennessee 25, Stroud went to Collins for 13 and to Jordan for 12 yard touchdown to cap the 13 play, 94 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive and make it 10-0 Texans. After a touchback, disaster struck the Titans. Will Levis was sacked and fumbled. Rankin returned the fumble 13 yards for a defensive touchdown to make it 17-0 Texans. Levis was injured on the play as Ryan Tannehill came in for the second straight week. The Texans got it back at their own 36 and moved to a 3rd and 10 at the Tennessee 24. Stroud only gained 4. Fairbairn hit from 38 as the Texans were winning 20-0. Nick Folk managed a 53 yard field goal on the last play of the half but that is all the Titans got. The second half was a defensive slog. Fairbairn hit field goals of 27 in the third quarter and 51 in the fourth quarter. The 9-7 Texans with a win next week could make the playoffs . The division is in reach but they do not hold the tie-breaker. A loss next week could knock them out altogether. 26-3 Texans
Los Angeles Rams at New York Giants — The Rams started 3-6 but have gone 5-1 since and at 8-7 were very much alive in the playoff race. The Rams after a touchback moved to a 4th and 3 at the Giants 21. Sean McVay passed up a 39 yard field goal try to go for it. Matthew Stafford threw incomplete. The Rams got it back at their own 28. Stafford hit Williams for 5 and Robinson for 9. Stafford went to Tyler Higbee for 14. Williams ran for 10 and 8. Stafford went to Higbee for 18. Williams ran for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Rams. After a touchback, Tyrod Taylor hit Saquon Barkley for 6 and Barkley ran for 10. On 3rd and 4 from the Giants 47, Taylor went to Robinson for 7. The second quarter had the Rams facing 3rd and 6 at the Rams 42. Taylor went to Hyatt for 18. Robinson ran for a 24 yard touchdown to make it 7-7. Stafford threw an interception but Brian Daboll went for it on 4th and 1 from his own 47 and Taylor fumbled the ball away.
The Rams rook over at the Giants 46. Stafford went to Higbee and Williams for a pair of 9 yard gains. Stafford hit Nacua for 13. Stafford found Cooper Kupp for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Rams. Taylor was intercepted and the Rams fumbled the ball right back. The Giants took over at the Rams 43 with one minute left in the half. With 4 seconds left, a 45 yard field goal try by Mason Crosby was blocked. Yet a defensive leaping penalty gave Crosby another chance from 31. This time he was good as the Giants trailed 14-10 at the break.
In the third quarter the Rams faced 3rd and 4 from their own 18. Stafford connected with Nacua on a short pass that went fo an 80 yard gain. On the next play Kyren Williams ran for a 2 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good as the Rams led 20-10. The Giants got it back and faced 3rd and 10 at their own 9. Taylor went o Darren Waller for 11. on the next play a short pass from Taylor to Darrius Slayton saw Slayton outrace everyone for an 80 yard touchdown. Another awful day for kickers saw another missed extra point as the Giants trailed 20-16. An interception of Stafford saw Belton return the pick 20 yards to the Rams 34. On 1st and goal at the 10 early in the fourth quarter, offensive holding killed the drive. Crosby hit a 32 yard field goal 90 seconds into the fourth quarter as the Giants trailed 20-19.
The Rams after a touchback struck quickly. Stafford went to Robinson for 37. Williams ran for a 28 yard touchdown. Lucas Havrisisk missed his 2nd consecutive extra point on the day as the Rams led 26-19. The Giants after touchback moved to a 4th and 1 at the Rams 33 with 8 1/2 minutes left in regulation. Brian Daboll went for it and a completion by Taylor lost a yard. With 3 1/2 minutes left the Rams punted on 4th and 17 from their own 36. The home crowd at Metlife Stadium exploded when Olszewski returned the punt 94 yards for a touchdown. In a game where neither kicker was able to make extra points, Daboll decided to go for the lead rather than the tie. Taylor threw incomplete and the Giants trailed by one. The Rams went 3 and out and the Giants got the ball back with 1:08 to play at their own 35. There was plenty of time to pull off the upset. Taylor ripped off a 31 yard gain to the Rams 34 and spiked the ball with 42 seconds left. Yet a run lost 2 yards and Taylor threw incomplete. With 34 seconds left, Crosby came in for the 54 yard field goal try to win it. Crosby was no good. As Paul Maguire said, “I hate kickers. They should be paid $50 per game.” The Rams survived to get to 9-7. With a win next week, they make the playoffs. With a loss, they are most likely out. 26-25 Rams
Arizona Cardinals at Philadelphia Eagles — The Eagles barely survived last week to snap a 3 game losing streak. At 11-5 they still had a realistic chance at the top seed and home field throughout the playoffs. A win would put them in the driver’s seat to lock up their division with a win next week. All they had to do was beat the awful Cardinals at home. The Cardinals from their own 26 moved 64 yards in 14 plays and nearly 8 minutes. On 1st and goal at the 3, a run by Murray lost 9 yards to kill the drive. Matt Prater hit a 28 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Cardinals. After a touchback, Jalen Hurts went to AJ Brown for 16. On 3rd and 3 from their own 48, Hurts hit Dallas Goedert for 23. On 4th and 1 from the Arizona 20, Hurts gained 2 and the defense jumping offside added 5. Hurts hit Jones for a 12 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Eagles. The Cardinals moved from their own 33 in the second quarter to a 3rd and 7 at the Philadelphia 24. Murray went for it all and was intercepted by Brown. Brown then electrified the home Philadelphia crowd by returning the interception 99 yards the other way. The defensive touchdown made it 14-3 Eagles.
The Cardinals after a touchback embarked on a mind-numbing drive that took 16 plays, went 59 yards, and consumed 10 minutes off the clock. Yet on 3rd and 7 from the Philadelphia 21, a false start killed the drive. Prater hit from 34 as the Cardinals trailed 14-6. After a touchback, the Eagles had 1:50 to work with. Hurts went to Smith for 8 and Brown for 9 and 10. On 3rd and 1 from the Arizona 39, Nick Sirianni went to the bag of tricks. Gainwell threw the halfback option to Smith for 17. Hurts then went to Jones for a 22 yard touchdown with 16 seconds left. The Eagles were winning a laugher 21-6 at the break.
The Cardinals began the third quarter facing 3rd and 1 at their own 34. Conner had already run for 4 and 5 and now he got the 10th yard. Carter ripped off a 16 yard run. Murray hit Wilson for 11 and 6. Carter ran for 21 more. Murray hit Carter for a 6 yard touchdown. The 10 play, 75 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive had the Cardinals within 21-13. The Eagles went 3 and out and the Cardinals got it back at their own 23. Conner ran for 4. Then Conner ripped off a 22 yard gain. Murray went to Dortch for 12 and Wilson for 13. Conner ran for 7. Murray went to Conner for a 5 yard touchdown. Jonathan Gannon went for a 2 point conversion. Murray hit Wilson successfully. All of a sudden, this game was tied 21-21 after three quarters.
After a touchback, Hurts ran for 9. Deandre Swift added 4, 16 and 10 to end the third quarter and 5 more to star the fourth quarter. Swift added 6 and 3 more. On 3rd and 1 from the Arizona 16, Hurts got stopped short. Nick sirianni went for it and on 4th and 1 Hurts got the yard. On 3rd and 4 from the Arizona 9, Hurts went to Dallas Goedert for the touchdown. With 10 minutes left in regulation, the Eagles led 28-21. The Cardinals took over at their own 23. Defensive pass interference added 29. Carter ran for 3, 18 and 2. Murray added 14. On 4th and 4 from the Philly 5 after an incompletion, there was still 5 1/2 minutes left in regulation. Jonathan Gannon went for it. Murray hit Wilson for the touchdown and the game was tied 28-28.
In a shocking turn of events, Jonathan Gannon put new meaning into the phrase nothing left to lose. The Cardinals are one of the worst teams in the league, but this game was tied. Gannon tried a surprise onside kick that did not work. The Eagles took over at the Arizona 39. On 1st and 10 from the Arizona 20, offensive holding killed the drive. Jake Elliott hit a 43 yard field goal to give the Eagles the 31-28 with 2 1/2 minutes left in regulation. The Cardinals took over at their own 30. Murray went to Moore for 12. Murray hit Dortch for 10 and again for 36. Conner ran for a 2 yard touchdown as the Cardinals and the 4 point lead in front of a shellshocked home crowd with 32 seconds left. After a touchback, the Eagles moved just shy of midfield with 14 seconds left. After Hurts threw deep incomplete, 7 seconds remained. Hurts’s Hail Mary reached the end zone and was intercepted. The Eagles with the loss are eliminated from the top seed. They fell back into a tie for the NFC East lead and they do not hold the tie-breaker. If they win next week and Dallas loses, the Eagles win the division and the first round bye most likely as the two seed. If the Eagles lose next week or Dallas wins, the Eagles drop all the way to the five seed wildcard. For the Cardinals, it was a stunner to build on. As ESPN uber-announcer Chris Berman reminds us: “THAT’s why they PLAY the GAMES!” 35-31 Cardinals
New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers — The 7-8 Saints and 8-7 Buccaneers battled for the NFC South and playoff survival. The Buccaneers with a win would lock up the division. The Saints began at their own 27. Although Derek Carr started, on the second play Taysom Hill hit Johnson for 11. Aviv Kamara ran for 13. On 3rd and 7 from the Tampa 42, Carr went to Chris Olave for 11. Williams ran for 4 and 7. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Carr went to Johnson for the touchdown. The 14 play, 73 yard, 8 minute drive made it 7-0 Saints. In the second quarter the Saints took over at their own 40. Carr went to Johnson for 12 and to Foster Moreau for 13. On 3rd and 7 from the Tampa Bay 29, Carr hit Johnson for just enough. Carr went to Hill for a 22 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Saints. Dennis Allen’s defense unleashed for three quarters. Blake Grupe hit field goals of 45 to end the half and from 28 after a third quarter fumble to make it 20-0 Saints. The Buccaneers managed a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter, but Grupe hit another field goal from 38 to make it 23-7 Saints with only 4 minutes left. The Buccaneers got another garbage touchdown with 1:37 left but the 2 point conversion try and onside kick both failed. Both teams are 8-8. If the Buccaneers win next week, they still win the division. If they lose and the Saints win, the Saints win the division. If both teams lose, 7-9 Atlanta with a losing record would win the 3 way tie-breaker and win the division. 23-13 Saints
San Francisco 49ers at Washington Commanders — Despite getting blown out last week at home by Baltimore, the 11-4 49ers with a win would lock up home field throughout the NFC playoffs. After an opening touchback, the 49ers moved to a 2nd and 6 at the Washington 15. A short pass lost 5 yards, killing the drive. Moody hit a 38 yard field goal to make it 10-0 49ers. The 49ers got it back at their own 37. Christian McCaffrey ran for 7 and Deebo Samuel added 10. On 3rd and 9 from the Washington 45, Brock Purdy went to Brandon Aiyuk for 17 and samuel for 16. McCaffrey ran for 10. Purdy hit Samuel for a 2 yard touchdown to make it 10-0 49ers. After a touchback, the Commanders moved to a 2nd and 8 at the San Francisco 28. A run lost a yard and Sam Howell then threw incomplete. Joey Slye hit a 47 yard field goal to get the Commanders within 10-3. The Commanders got it back at their own 16. Howell went to Terry McLaurin for 11. On 3rd and 2 from his own 40, Howell went deep to McLaurin for 42. Robinson gained 4, 8 and 3. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Howell went to McLaurin for the touchdown. With 4 1/2 minutes left in the half, the game was tied 10-10.
After that, reality set in. After a touchback, the 49ers moved to 1st and goal at the one. A run lost 3 yards and Purdy threw incomplete twice. Moody hit from 22 to end the half with the 49ers up 13-10. The second half belonged to the San Francisco defense. The 49ers in the third quarter took over at their own 17. Purdy hit McCaffrey for 10. Mitchell gained 7, 11 and 6. Purdy hit Aiyuk for 9 and Mitchell added 7. A defensive facemark added 15. On 3rd and 1 from the Washington 9, Mitchell ran for 4, 3 and the 2 yard touchdown. The 12 play, 83 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive made it 20-10 49ers. After a touchback, the Commanders moved to a 1st and goal at the 2 to start the fourth quarter. They were ready tog et right back in the game. Then Howell was intercepted by Ward. The 49ers took over at their own 5. Mitchell ran for 15 and 6. Purdy went to Kyle Juszczyk for 7 and 9. Purdy then went deep to Aiyuk for 38. On 3rd and 9 from the Washington 17, Purdy went to Aiyuk for the touchdown to lock up the win. The Commanders put up a fight, but the 49ers at 12-4 are the top seed in the NFC with home field advantage throughout the playoffs and a first round bye. 27-10 49ers
Pittsburgh Steelers at Seattle Seahawks — Both teams came in 8-7 and fighting for their playoff lives. The Steelers early on faced 3rd and 1 at their own 45. Mason Rudolph got stopped. Mike Tomlin went for it and this time Rudolph got the yard. Najee Harris ran for 8 and 5. Rudolph hit George Pickens for 10. Jaylen Warren ran for an 18 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Steelers. The Seahawks soon faced 3rd and 3 at their own 32. Geno Smith hit Noah Fant for 7. The second quarter began with Smith hitting DK Metcalf for 33. Walker ran for 11 and again for a 13 yard touchdown to make it 7-7. After a touchback, Warren ran for 23. Rudolph went to Pickens for 37. Yet on 3rd and 8 at the Seattle 13, Rudolph was sacked. Chris Boswell hit from 39 to make it 10-7 Steelers.
After a touchback, Smith hit Walker for 11 and Fant for 21. Walker ran for 7 and 9. Smith went to Metcalf for 21. On 3rd and 11 from the Pittsburgh 12, Smith went to Smith-Nigba for the touchdown and a 14-10 Seahawks lead. The Steelers soon faced 3rd and 4 at their own 31. Rudolph went to Pat Freiermuth for 25. Harris ran for 23. On 3rd and 4 from the Seattle 15, Rudolph went to Johnson for 5. Harris ran for a 9 yard touchdown to put the Steelers up 17-14 with 1:36 left in the half. The Seahawks began the third quarter at their own 35 and moved to a 3rd and 4 at the Pittsburgh 24. Smith threw incomplete. Jason Myers hit from 43 as this well-played game was tied 17-17.
The Steelers took over at their own 29. Rudolph went to Freiermuth for 14. Harris gained 5 and 7. Rudolph went to Johnson for 42. Harris ran for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 24-17 Steelers. The Seahakwd moved atom their own 14 to a 4th and 5 at the Pittsburgh 24 only 90 seconds into the fourth quarter. Myers hit the 42 yard field goal to get the Seahawks within 24-20. The Steelers moved from their own 27 to a 4th and 7 at the Seattle 8. Boswell hit from 26 to put the Steelers up 27-20 midway through the fourth quarter. One play after a touchback came the play of the game. Smith was sacked and fumbled. The Steelers took over at the Seattle 16. They settled for a 21 yard Boswell field goal, but the Steelers led 30-20 with only 4 1/2 minutes left. Needing 2 scores, the Seahawk moved to a 1st and goal at the 5. Yet Smith threw 3 straight incompletions. Pete Carroll opted for the field goal. Myers hit from 24 with 2:01 left. Yet the onside kick failed. At the 2 minute warning, Rudolph hit Pickens for 24. On 3rd and 7 from the Seattle 17, Harris gained 12 and slid to the ground as the Steelers ran out the clock. Both the 9-7 Steelers and 8-8 Seahawks need to win next week and get help to make the playoffs. 30-23 Steelers
Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs — For the last 2 years, this was the AFC Title Game. This time the 8-7 Bengals were fighting for playoff survival against a vulnerable 9-6 Chiefs team. After a touchback, the Bengals moved to a 4th and 7 at the Kansas City 16. Evan McPherson hit from 34 to make it 3-0 Bengals. After a touchback, Isaiah Pacheco ran for 9. Mahomes went to Rice for 18. Pacheco ran for 35. On 3rd and goal at the 8, Mahomes hit Pacheco for the touchdown to make it 7-3 Chiefs. The Bengals soon faced 3rd and 2 at their own 33. Jake Browning went deep to JaMarr Chase for 24. The second quarter began with Browning hitting Sample for 11 and Joe Mixon for 10. Browning hit Mixon for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 10-7 Bengals. The Chiefs soon faced 3rd and 7 at their own 28. Mahomes was sacked and fumbled. The Bengals recovered at the Kansas City 24. On 3rd and 2, Browning hit Hudson for 9. On 3rd and goal at the 6, Browning threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the one. On 3rd and goal, Browning got the yard for the touchdown with 6 1/2 minutes left in the half. For the second straight week, the Chiefs were losing at home by double digits by the exact same score as the Bengals led 17-7.
Yet after that the entire rest of the game belonged to the Kansas City defense and kicker Harrison Butker. Butker hit from 54 and 43 in the second quarter to get the Chiefs within 17-13. The Bengals moved to a 4th and 1 at the Kansas City 6 midway through the third quarter. Zac Taylor went for it and Mixon got blasted for a 3 yard loss. Butker hit a 27 yard field goal to have the Chiefs within 17-16 after three quarters. In the fourth quarter Butker hit field goals of 24, 48 and 46. Butker’s 6 field goals had the Chiefs up by 8 with 3 minutes left in regulation. The Bengals after a touchback faced 4th and 18 at their own 32. Browning hit Boyd for 23. Yet consecutive sacks of Browning had the Bengals facing 3rd and 27 at their own 38 with 1:19 to play. Browning threw deep incomplete twice and the Chiefs survived. At 8-8, the Bengals after 2 consecutive trips to the AFC Title Game including one Super Bowl appearance were out of the playoffs. Browning played admirably, but he is not Joe Burrow. As for the Chiefs, nothing came easy this year. Yet they at 10-6 are locked into the three seed and an rest their players next week if they choose. The Chiefs hung on to win the AFC West for the 8th straight year, making Andy Reid a most happy walrus indeed. 25-17 Chiefs
Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos — The 7-8 Broncos came into this game with slim playoff hopes against a Chargers team that was done for the year. Yet the controversial decision by Sean Payton to bench Russell Wilson for Jarrett Stidham sent shock waves through the Rocky Mountains. A hideous game became a battle of field goals. Wil Lutz hit from 32 in the first quarter for a 3-0 Broncos lead. Cameron Dicker hit from 36 in the second quarter to make it 3-3. The Broncos soon faced 3rd and 2 at their own 33. McLaughlin gained 11. On 3rd and 8 from their own 46, Stidham threw a short pass that Humphrey took for a 54 yard touchdown. The Broncos led 10-3, but that was the game’s only touchdown. The Chargers gambled on 4th and 1 from their own 44 but fumbled the snap and the Broncos recovered. Lutz hit from 43 to make it 13–3 Broncos. On the last play of the half, Lutz missed from 48. In the third quarter Dicker hit from 50 to get the Chargers within 13-6. The Chargers got it back and fumbled the ball away as the Broncos took over at the Chargers 38 to start the fourth quarter. Despite reaching 1st and goal at the one, the Broncos got stopped and Payton was not in a gambling mood. Lutz hit from 20 to make it 16-6 Broncos with 11 minutes left in regulation. With 6 1/2 minutes left from 50 yards out, Dicker was no good. Dicker did hit from 52 to get the Chargers within 7, but by then only 1:17 remained. The onside kick failed as the game’s only touchdown was the difference. The 8-8 Broncos despite the win were eliminated from playoff contention based on other games. 16-9 Broncos
Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings is the Sunday night game. Both teams came in 7-8 and fighting for their playoff lives. Yet with everything on the line, only one team showed up. The Packers moved from their own 20 and moved to a 2nd and 8 at the Minnesota 16. Jordan Love threw incomplete twice. Anders Carlson hit from 34 to make it 3-0 Packers. With Kirk Cousins injured and neither Joshua Dobbs or Nick Mullens getting it done, it was 4th string quarterback Hall who got the start. Hall was quickly intercepted to set up the Packers at the Minnesota 33. From that spot, Love went to Reed for the touchdown and the 10-0 Packers advantage. Greg Joseph did hit a 54 yard field goal for the Vikings in the second quarter, but the Packers after a touchback broke the game open. Love went to Reed for 15 and Kraft for 13. On 3rd and 1 from the Minnesota 24, Aaron Jones gained 8. Love ran for a 2 yard touchdown to make it 17-3 Packers with 4 minutes left in the half. With 30 seconds left in the half, Hall was sacked and fumbled. The Packers took over at the Minnesota 37.
Love went to Jayden Reed for a 25 yard touchdown with 8 seconds left in the half. The extra point was no good but the Packers led 23-3. The Bikings began the third quarter at their own 43 and moved to a 3rd and 3 at the Green Bay 8. A run lost a yard. Kevin O’Connell went for it on 4th and 4. Mullins, who took over after halftime for a floundering Hall, threw incomplete. From his own 10, Jones ran for 25. On 3rd and 8 from his own 37, Love went to Heath for 13. Love hit Kraft and Jones for 10 apiece. Love hit Melton for a 9 yard touchdown to cap the 90 yard drive and make it 30-3 Packers. An irrelevant fourth quarter saw the Vikings get a garbage touchdown and the Packers tack on one more field goal. The 8-8 Packers and 7-9 Vikings both need to win next week and get help to make the playoffs. 33-10 Packers