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| Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs dominated in big win over the Vikings. |
The Denver Broncos (10-7) clinched the seventh and final AFC playoff spot with a 38-0 shutout win at home against the top seeded Kansas City Chiefs (15-2), who rested their starting players. Broncos rookie QB Bo Nix passed for 321 yards and four touchdowns to lead the rout. The Chiefs managed just five first downs in the loss and only 98 total yards in offense.
In Dallas, the Washington Commanders (12-5) toppled the Cowboys, 23-19 when wide receiver Terry McLaurin hauled in a five-yard TD pass from backup QB Marcus Mariota with just three seconds remaining in the game. Dallas finished the season at 7-10 and missed the playoffs for the first time in four years. The Commanders are the sixth seed in the NFC playoffs.
The Chicago Bears (5-12) snapped a ten game losing streak and played spoiler (of sorts) by knocking off the host Green Bay Packers, 24-22 on a 51-yard field goal by Cairo Santos as time expired. The Packers (11-6) took a 22-21 lead when Brandon McManus kicked a 55-yard field goal with 58 seconds left to play. Green Bay slipped to the seventh seed in the NFC playoffs as a result of them loss. The Bears took a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter when Josh Blackwell took a punt back 94 yards for a touchdown. The lead increased to 21-13 with 4:53 left to go in the fourth quarter when Bears QB Caleb Williams threw a 32-yard TD pass to wide receiver DJ Moore. The Packers trimmed the deficit to 21-19 on a 21-yard TD run by Emanuel Wilson with 1:30 left, but the two-point conversion failed.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7) clinched the NFC South division with a 27-19 win against the visiting New Orleans Saints (5-12) by scoring two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Bucs QB Baker Mayfield threw his second scoring pass of the game with 10:09 left and then RB Bucky Irving scored on an 11-yard run with 1:51 remaining.
The Atlanta Falcons (8-9) lost at home, 44-38 in overtime against the Carolina Panthers (5-12) to finish out of the playoffs (by virtue of Tampa Bay winning their game) by losing for the sixth time in the final eight games this season. Panthers QB Bryce Young threw for three touchdowns and also ran for two more scores to pace the offense, which gained 425 yards. The Falcons totaled 537 yards in offense in the loss, as rookie QB Michael Penix, Jr. had two TD passes and a scoring run and RB Bijan Robinson (170 yards on 28 carries) scored two rushing touchdowns.
In Philadelphia, the Eagles (14-3) beat the New York Giants, 20-13 with many starters sitting out the game. Backup QB Tanner McKee had two TD passes along with 269 passing yards in the win. The Giants (3-14) only touchdown came on a 45-yard pass from QB Drew Lock to WR Malik Nabers.
The Los Angeles Chargers (11-6) jumped past the Pittsburgh Steelers in
the AFC playoff standings with a 34-20 road win against the Las Vegas
Raiders (4-13) as QB Justin Herbert passed for a pair of touchdowns
along with 346 passing yards. The Chargers defense led the NFL is
scoring defense this season (301 points allowed) as they stifled the
Raiders in the second half after trailing 10-3 in the second quarter.
Raiders rookie tight end Brock Bowers let a record for receptions in a
season and hauled in a 12-yard TD pass from Aidan O'Connell in defeat.
In the two Saturday games, the Baltimore Ravens (12-5) clinched the AFC North division title with a 35-10 thumping of the visiting Cleveland Browns (3-14) behind two rushing touchdowns and 138 yards (on 20 carries) from running back Derick Henry and two TD passes from QB Lamar Jackson. (both pictured right) On defense, cornerback Nate Wiggins had a 26-yard interception return for another score as the Browns managed just 230 yards in total offense.
Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh later that night, the Cincinnati Bengals (9-8) won, 19-17 against the Steelers (10-7) as Cade York made four field goals and Joe Burrow threw for a touchdown. The Steelers lost their fourth consecutive game to end the season as Najee Harris scored a rushing touchdown and QB Russell Wilson threw a scoring pass in the loss. The Bengals were eliminated from playoff contention when Denver won on Sunday while the Steelers made the AFC playoffs as a wild card team.
The New England Patriots (4-13) beat the visiting Buffalo Bills (13-4), who already had sewn up the number two seed in the AFC and rested many players, by a 23-16 score and after the game, the Patriots fired first year Head Coach Jerod Mayo. New England QB Joe Milton III scored a rushing touchdown and also had a scoring pass and kicker Joey Slye made three field goals in the second half to help provide the winning margin.
The New York Jets won 32-20 at home against the Miami Dolphins (8-9) to finish the season at 5-12 as QB Aaron Rodgers threw four TD passes (surpassing 500 touchdown passes in his career). Dolphins RB De'Von Achane scored a touchdown and ran for 121 yards on just 11 carries in the loss.
The Houston Texans (10-7) finished up the regular season with a 23-14 road win against the hapless Tennessee Titans (3-14 and the team that will have the number one pick in the NFL draft) as C.J. Stroud threw a TD pass and RB Dameon Pierce scored on a 92-yard run and totaled 176 rushing yards on 19 carries to lead the way. Texans defensive lineman Derek Barnett had a 36-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown as well. Titans QB Will Levis had a TD pass in defeat.
Indianapolis rode the legs of running back Jonathan Taylor (177 yards on 34 carries and two TD) in a 26-23 overtime victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-13). The Colts (8-9) also got a scoring pass from QB Joe Flacco and Matt Gay's 38-yard field goal in the OT made the difference. Following the season ending game, the Jaguars fired Head Coach Doug Pederson.
The Los Angeles Rams (10-7) were already in the NFC playoffs as West division champions, so they went with many backups in a 30-25 loss against the visiting Seattle Seahawks (10-7), who got four TD passes from QB Geno Smith to offset two scoring passes from Rams backup QB Jimmy Garoppolo.
The Arizona Cardinals (8-9) opened it up in the fourth quarter (scoring 21 points) as they blasted the visiting San Francisco 49ers, 47-24 as QB Kyler Murray had four TD passes. The 49ers (6-11) went with Joshua Dobbs at quarterback and he had 326 passing yards and two TD passes and one interception in the loss.
WEEK EIGHTEEN RESULTS
Baltimore 35, Cleveland 10
Cincinnati 19, Pittsburgh 17
Houston 23, Tennessee 14
New England 23, Buffalo 16
Chicago 24, Green Bay 22
Philadelphia 20, N.Y. Giants 13
Washington 23, Dallas 19
Tampa Bay 27, New Orleans 19
Indianapolis 26, Jacksonville 23 (OT)
Carolina 44, Atlanta 38 (OT)
L.A. Chargers 34, Las Vegas 20
N.Y. Jets 32, Miami 20
Denver 38, Kansas City 0
Arizona 47, San Francisco 24
Seattle 30, L.A. Rams 25
Detroit 31, Minnesota 9
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