By Lucas Camacho
Twas the week of Christmas, and all through the league…playoff hopes came true while some playoff hopes looked bleaker or dashed all together. The days of the postseason are nearly upon us football fans, and that means teams grinding for the remaining spots or for better seeding. Let’s have a look at some of the games and how it impacted the playoff picture.
CHARGERS 40 – PATRIOTS 7
The Chargers only needed to win to clinch their spot in the playoffs. They definitely got the win…granted it may have been overkill. Beating the daylights out of the Patriots in Foxborough puts them in the playoffs with the potential to overtake the Steelers for the 5 seed (and with it a more favorable matchup against the weaker Texans). Justin Herbert sure did put on a show, completing 26 of 38 passes for 281 yards and 3 touchdowns. As great as the Chargers’ season has been (even more so considering their slow start), things look bleak for the Patriots. They played like a team with nothing to play for, and…big surprise…Drake Maye committed another turnover. This doesn’t say anything good about the direction of the Patriots heading into a difficult and uncertain offseason. Just because coach Mayo says they’re not focused on the number one pick, doesn’t mean it isn’t a possibility considering the man whose got his finger on the button: owner Robert Kraft. We’ll have to wait and see what the owner does, because with a half-empty stadium and not enough to bring in people to fill the seats…it’s only a matter of time before Mr. Kraft gets involved. PLAYOFF IMPACT: Chargers clinch Wild Card spot.
CARDINALS 9 – RAMS 13
This game would have meant more than a few weeks ago back when the Cardinals were still in first and the Rams were on the outside looking in. The roles have obviously flipped: with the Rams in the driver’s seat and the Cardinals getting eliminated from playoff contention last week. To add insult to injury, the Cardinals failed to spoil the Rams’ mojo by losing to them on Saturday. You can’t blame Kyler Murray for the Cardinals losing, as he threw for 321 yards and a touchdown, but Murray did throw 2 interceptions. Now, people may argue that the Rams’ slow starts will catch up to them…but the Chiefs have lucked out this long so the Rams might also. As for the Cardinals, better luck next year. Yes, tight end Trey McBride has been getting better since being drafted in the 2022 NFL Draft. But before you put him in the elite category, just remember it took him 3 seasons to get a 1,000 receiving yard season…Raiders’ rookie tight end Brock Bowers did it in his first season. PLAYOFF IMPACT: See recap for Falcons-Commanders.
CHIEFS 29 – STEELERS 10
Both the Chiefs and Steelers are in the playoffs, so there wasn’t much to lose. Although the Steelers look like they’re getting relegated to a wild card spot as they lost to the Chiefs and their hold on the division title. The Chiefs did all their damage in the air as Patrick Mahomes threw for 320 yards and 3 touchdowns, while the running game only produced 69 yards and a single touchdown. The Chiefs are a formidable team if they play like this, and they should be resting players next week after going through 3 games in 11 days. As for the Steelers, they may be playoff-bound, but their struggles have everyone questioning their chances. Russell Wilson is suddenly slumping and looking like the Wilson we saw in the tail-end of his time with the Broncos. PLAYOFF IMPACT: Steelers lose control of division, Chiefs clinch number one seed.
RAVENS 31 – TEXANS 2
No, this is not a misprint…the Ravens gave the Texans a taste of what to expect in the playoffs with one big beatdown. Lamar Jackson threw for 168 yards and 2 touchdowns while also rushing himself for 87 yards and another touchdown to keep himself alive in the MVP race. Of course, this year Jackson hopes to lead the Ravens back to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2012. While they looked convincing…the Texans did not. The Texans won the AFC South, and they’ll be hosting a playoff game, but they don’t look very promising. This is a surprise for a team with high hopes and led by last year’s Rookie of the Year. To be fair, not all of this is CJ Stroud’s fault as his offensive line has done a poor job of protecting him this year. The Texans only hope might be a matchup against a team that is in as big of a slide as them: the Steelers. PLAYOFF IMPACT: The Ravens move into first place with the possibility of clinching division next week.
SEAHAWKS 6 – BEARS 3
From blowout games on Christmas to a boring game on Thursday Night Football (sorry Netflix and Amazon…). In a game where either team could have been outscored by the World Series Champion Dodgers, the Seahawks beat the Bears that kept their playoff hopes alive. Again, this wasn’t a great game. Geno Smith passed for 160 yards while Caleb Williams only passed for 122 yards. We were supposed to get some action-packed games with this Christmas slate of games, but we didn’t even come close to meeting those expectations…and this was the worst of the three. Honestly, the Seahawks don’t look ready for the playoffs with performances like this, and the Bears will need to go through an overhaul on the offense this offseason. Despite the Bears having a great quarterback in Caleb Williams, the problems on offense haven’t gone away because clearly the Bears haven’t done enough to protect Williams. PLAYOFF IMPACT: See recap for Falcons-Commanders.
BRONCOS 24 – BENGALS 30
HOLY MOLE HOLES! Just when everyone counted the Bengals down and out…they pulled off the upset against the Broncos. Their hot streak couldn’t have come at a better time as the Bengals live to fight another day. Joe Burrow is putting up MVP numbers, throwing for 412 yards and 3 touchdowns. Whether the Bengals make the playoffs or not, the question has become if wide receiver Tee Higgins has played his last game in Cincinnati. His contract is up at the end of the season, and there are teams like the Chargers who could use a talented receiver like him. As for the Broncos, the good news is that they’re still in the driver’s seat. As of now, they still hold the advantage over the Dolphins and Bengals for the very last playoff spot in the AFC. But now next week is a must win game. Under normal circumstances, a make or break game against the defending champion Chiefs is a tall order, but it is expected that the Chiefs will opt to rest their players after a brutal three game stretch in 11 days and with the number one seed already locked up (but mostly to rest their players who have been getting banged up against some pretty physical defenses). PLAYOFF IMPACT: Bengals remain in playoff race. Broncos need one more win to clinch final spot, while the Bengals need a win + a Broncos and Dolphins loss.
JETS 14 – BILLS 40
There were plenty of games this week where there were playoff implications involved. This wasn’t one of them, but the Bills still knocked the Jets aside with brute force in what could be their final tune-up before the playoffs. This may have been Josh Allen’s last chance to make a case for MVP as he threw for 182 yards and 2 touchdowns. Expect the Bills to probably rest their players next week in preparation for their first round matchup as they attempt to finally bring a Super Bowl title to Buffalo. As for the Jets, Aaron Rodgers finally passed the legendary Tom Brady…but not in the good way. Rodgers is now the most SACKED quarterback in NFL history with 568 (Tom Brady was sacked 565 times). When Rodgers is up for the Hall of Fame, he should still get in…but his years with the New York Jets may cost him a vote or two. PLAYOFF IMPACT: None, the Bills already were locked into the number 2 seed with the Chiefs clinching the number 1 seed prior to this game.
RAIDERS 25 – SAINTS 10
There was nothing to play for in this game but pride. Turns out, the banged-up Saints can’t even win a game for pride as they dropped another game at home against DA RAIDERS! The highlight of the game was rookie tight end Brock Bowers. He caught 7 passes for 77 yards, and that’s significant. It means that Bowers beats Mike Ditka’s 1961 rookie tight end mark of 1,067 yards receiving and Puka Nacua’s 2023 mark of 105 catches by a rookie at any position. Bowers also surpassed Darren Waller’s 2020 franchise mark of 107 receptions in a season. While this doesn’t improve their chances of a high draft pick (and consequently getting a high end quarterback), it does make the case for the Raiders to keep coach Antonio Pierce. If I may make a suggestion for next year for the Raiders, here are three keys for being successful next year: 1) GIVE, 2) BROCK BOWERS, 3) THE BALL! As for the Saints, sorry, I got nothing. The team fell apart at the seams and now there are some tough choices to make. Will their stars be able to return to form? Can they bounce back? What do they do with their high draft pick? First things first: this rebuild must start with a new coach. PLAYOFF IMPACT: None. Both teams were already eliminated from playoff contention going into this week.
Our own THT reporter Billy Shields was there in person at this game and is a big Raiders fan, so he truly enjoyed the win there in person in New Orleans.
COLTS 33 – GIANTS 45
Following the Bengals victory over the Broncos, the Colts’ path to the playoffs looked a lot brighter…only for them to fall to the league’s worst team, the Giants. It didn’t help that the Colts had to go with the aging Joe Flacco as Anthony Richardson was ruled out for this game. To be fair, Flacco did put up respectable numbers, throwing for 330 yards and 2 touchdowns, but he did throw 2 interceptions. Drew Lock had an amazing game, throwing for 309 yards and 4 touchdowns. This was definitely the Giants’ best game of the year. They also avoided the unfortunate distinction of being the first team to finish 0-9 at home in a season. However, it also means that the Patriots are the front runners for the number one pick. If the draft order holds up, we’ll have to see if both teams are desperate enough to make a deal. As for the Colts, the loss officially eliminates them from playoff contention. Only time will tell what other consequences will come from a third late-season, playoff-ending failure in the last four seasons (unfortunately, two of those letdowns came against a team with the worst record in the NFL). PLAYOFF IMPACT: Colts eliminated from playoff contention.
COWBOYS 7 – EAGLES 41
The Eagles managed to clinch their division in the best way possible; beating down their hated rivals, the Cowboys (to highlight how much the Cowboys and Eagles hate each other…remember the 2017 NFL Draft when Cowboys legend Drew Pearson Trolled the Eagles’ fans when Philadelphia hosted the draft that year?). The Eagles may be missing Jalen Hurts, but they still managed to blow out their hated rivals with 167 big rushing yards from Saquon Barkley. With NFC East and the number 2 seed locked up, the Eagles can rest up for their first playoff game, and hope that they don’t have a collapse like last year. As for the Cowboys, there really isn’t anything to play for. Yes, the argument could be made that the Cowboys’ players will be fighting for the job of coach Mike McCarthy. However, Jerry Jones may have already seen enough to make a judgement. PLAYOFF IMPACT: Eagles clinch NFC East title and the number 2 seed in the NFC.
PANTHERS 14 – BUCCANEERS 48
The Buccaneers needed a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. Like the Chargers on Saturday, this may have been overkill as the Buccaneers routed the Panthers. Baker Mayfield played like a man on fire completing 27 of 32 passes for 359 yards and 5 touchdowns (which was unfortunate since I was playing against him in my fantasy football league championship). The Buccaneers have managed to make another late playoff run, and this was a good sign for their chances as they look for their first Super Bowl since Tom Brady’s retirement. As for the Panthers, they were already eliminated and therefore had nothing to play for…and boy did they play like it. Fortunately, this season is almost mercifully over for the lowly Panthers. After next week, they must move on and prepare for the offseason. The first thing they should do is keep Adam Thielen, who is still the most dependable wide receiver on the team. Letting Thielen go leaves the Panthers with a very young wide receiver corps with no discernable leader while opening the door for a team that could use Thielen’s services (the Chargers are one team that springs to mind). If the Panthers want any hope of developing Bryce Young into a dependable quarterback…do NOT let Thielen go! PLAYOFF IMPACT: Buccaneers remain in playoff contention. Please see Falcons-Commanders recap for more details.
TITANS 13 – JAGUARS 20
Let’s get another meaningless game out of the way. The Jaguars managed to outlast the Titans, whose last second drive failed. Mac Jones continued to make the most of his opportunity to start at quarterback with Trevor Lawrence shut down for the year. Jones threw for 174 yards and 2 touchdowns…not great numbers, but good enough for the win. This has been a forgettable year for the Jaguars, with one small caveat. Rookie Brian Thomas Jr. has been a huge revelation this year as he added 7 catches for 91 yards and a touchdown. That gave him his 8th game with at least 60 yards and a score, putting him on par with legendary Hall of Famer Randy Moss for the most by a rookie in NFL history. Whoever is the coach for the Jaguars next year, you’ve got a pretty good player to work with. As for the Titans, Mason Rudolph may be the answer for their quarterback situation. He certainly has done the most with his opportunities, and the Titans have been doing more on offense with Rudolph at quarterback. At the least, keeping Rudolph gives the Titans more time to find a long-term solution. PLAYOFF IMPACT: None. Both teams were already eliminated from playoff contention going into this week.
DOLPHINS 20 – BROWNS 3
Despite not having Tua Tagovailoa, the Dolphins lived to fight another day with a much-needed win over the Browns. Tyler Huntley was in at quarterback for the Dolphins, throwing for 225 yards and a touchdown. The Dolphins are very fortunate to be playing a Browns team that is well below par, and for the Broncos and Colts losing. Their playoff hopes are bleak, but still alive, and that’s all they need going into the final week of the season. As for the Browns, this loss may be a blessing in disguise. They now are projected to get the number 3 pick in the draft. There are plenty of impactful players that can help them available at that pick, or maybe trade down and build up draft capital. Maybe we’ll get Draft Day for real for the Browns this year. PLAYOFF IMPACT: The Dolphins remain mathematically in contention for wild card spot, need win + Broncos loss to clinch playoff spot next week.
PACKERS 25 – VIKINGS 27
There is nothing like a divisional rivalry game, and this game (unlike the Christmas slate of games) did not disappoint. The Vikings managed to hold off the Packers in this epic game as both teams tested their metal before the playoffs. Sam Darnold threw an interception, but still led the Vikings with 337 yards and 3 touchdowns in the air, including 8 completions for 92 yards to Justin Jefferson. The Vikings have come a long way since their last meeting against the Lions and have stayed with their division rival every step of the way. Now it comes down to what might be the most legendary winner-take-all matchup next week, with the division title and the first round bye on the line. As for the Packers, they didn’t have much to play for except seeding. They’ll be alright going into the playoffs, but there is an area of concern. The Packers are now 0-5 against the top three teams in the NFC: the Lions, Vikings, and Eagles. Their path to the Super Bowl WILL go through one of those three teams, and they better have answers. PLAYOFF IMPACT: Vikings remain in race for NFC North and number 1 seed. Must win next week.
FALCONS 24 – COMMANDERS 30 (OT)
This is one scrappy Commanders team…and this was one amazing game. The Falcons had a bad Super Bowl flashback; blowing a late game lead and losing in overtime (in a game they couldn’t afford to lose). Jayden Daniels led the way for the Commanders in what may be his last chance to make his case for Rookie of the Year; throwing for 227 yards and 3 touchdowns plus an interception. Going into the year, many said that the Commanders were in the middle of a rebuild (although coach Dan Quinn preferred the term “recalibrating”). As for the Falcons, their destiny is now out of their hands, and their playoff hopes are now on life support with only one playoff spot left in the NFC: the NFC South division title. PLAYOFF IMPACT: Commanders clinch the last wild card spot. The Rams clinch the NFC West by SOV (strength of victory). The Seahawks were eliminated from playoff contention. The Falcons lose control of the division. The Buccaneers clinch the NFC South with a win/tie or Falcon’s loss. The Falcons clinched the NFC South with a win + Buccaneers loss.
LIONS 40 – 49ERS 34
The Lions have been consistently the best team in the NFL this season, but this narrow victory over the 49ers puts a small dent in their chances. Still, a victory is a victory as the Lions win to set up a juggernaut matchup next Sunday night against the Vikings. Brock Purdy threw for more yards than Jared Goff (377 to 303 yards respectively), but Goff had a clean sheet while Purdy was picked off twice. Still, it’s obvious that the Lions’ defense has lost its teeth. That’s not a good thing going into a matchup against the Vikings’ vaunted offense led by top receiver Justin Jefferson. As for the 49ers, it was a good try. They showed flashes of what we thought they were capable of this season. But, like their season this year, they fell short. However, the great effort may result in coach Kyle Shanahan being kept off the hot seat in the offseason. PLAYOFF IMPACT: The victory sets the Lions up with a winner-take-all matchup with the Vikings next week. The winner clinches the NFC North division title and the top seed in the NFC playoff bracket.
