By Lucas Camacho
NFL RECAP: WEEK 18
Here we are at the end of another exciting season of the NFL. We had ups and downs, we had surprises and letdowns, and everything in-between. But the most important thing after this week is that the playoffs are all set. We’re heading for a roller-coaster postseason as the Chiefs try to become three-peat champions. Let’s have a quick look at the last week of games for the NFL.
SEAHAWKS 30 – RAMS 25
This was a forgettable game for the Rams to end their season as the Seahawks came up big in an effort that can only be described as “too little too late”. Matthew Stafford was given the week off, and backup Jimmy Garoppolo came in. Yes, he threw for 334 yards and 2 touchdowns, but he only completed 27 of 41 passes and threw an interception. However, the fact that the backups did so well for the Rams that they nearly won is an encouraging sign as they get ready to host a playoff game next week on Monday night. While the Rams look forward to the postseason, the Seahawks will now start their offseason. Their biggest priority must be helping Geno Smith. Their run game was anything but consistent, and that doesn’t help any quarterback. Along with left guard and in the interior line spot up for grabs, there are a lot of holes to fill that the Seahawks need to plug or else come up short again.
CHARGERS 34 – RAIDERS 20
While the Rams were resting their players a state away, the Chargers let their players play the final game of the season, beating the Raiders in their final tune-up before the playoffs. Quarterback Justin Herbert put on a show, completing 28 of 36 passes for 346 yards and 2 touchdowns. With the victory, the Chargers move into the 5th seed, and now have a showdown this Sunday against the Houston Texans. Now, the Chargers’ offense is a little inconsistent, even with Herbert at the helm, but they have Jim Harbaugh and whatever Hogwarts magic he used to turn the Chargers’ fortunes around. We’ll have to see if it’s enough to at least get past the Texans. As for the Raiders, it’s reflection time. There’s no doubt they got the steal of the draft last year when they picked Brock Bowers, but now it’s time to settle the quarterback situation. Gardner Minshew proved he wasn’t the answer, and it probably is going to take more than a small late season winning streak to save Aidan O’Connell’s job. Speaking of people losing their jobs, I am shocked that the Raiders ended up firing Antonio Pierce. It is unfortunate, as the quarterback situation put him in an untenable position. We’ll have to see who the next coach up next season for DA RAIDERS will be! Whoever it is will inherit both a messy quarterback situation and one of the best emerging stars in the NFL in Bowers.
BROWNS 10 – RAVENS 35
The Ravens were looking to lock up another division title this weekend, and they sure as heck weren’t going to let the Browns upset them AGAIN. The Ravens showed up to play as they slammed the Browns to take AFC North and the number 3 seed with brute force. This was Lamar Jackson’s last chance to make his case to retain his MVP title, completing 16 of 32 passes for 2 touchdowns. The Ravens sure have reason to be hopeful. They’ve been playing their best ball of the year down the stretch and just in time to snatch the AFC North away from the Steelers. Obviously, Jackson’s poor playoff record is a bit of a concern, but that also means he is hungry for the chance to put his postseason demons to bed. As for the Browns, the season is over and it’s time to take stock. They’re obviously not satisfied with Deshaun Watson, but with a $7209 million cap hit…there’s little the Browns can do about him. There is the possibility that they bring in competition for him to restoke his fire with the number 2 pick, but I think overhauling the offensive line is a bigger priority than that.
BENGALS 19 – STEELERS 17
The Steelers already knew that the Ravens had clinched the AFC North by the time for the kickoff, but they could have at least played to knock the Bengals out of playoff contention. Turned out, they couldn’t do that either as the Bengals did their part to keep their playoff hopes alive. Joe Burrow has now done everything in his power to make his case for MVP, completing 37 of 46 passes for a touchdown and an interception. I try to avoid spoilers when I write these, but if you’re reading this despite knowing what happened, then you know that the Bengals’ efforts were in vain when the Broncos defeated the Chiefs to win the last playoff spot. So then, what do the Bengals do know that they’ve been eliminated? First off, let me just give the Bengals a hand and say “thank you for not giving up.” Their chances to get into the playoffs were slim after their mediocre start, but they never gave up in true Don Beebe fashion. Going forward, keeping Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins has to be the priority, but they desperately need to fix their problems at the line at guard…a problem that might offer an explanation as to why the Bengals’ season didn’t go the way they hoped. As for the Steelers, it’s time to shake this off and get ready for another showdown with the Ravens. Russell Wilson is a cause for both hope and concern. He’s given the offense the first breath of life since the departure of Ben Roethlisberger, but the recent string of red zone turnovers is concerning. We’ll see if Wilson and the defense can hold it together against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens.
PANTHERS 44 – FALCONS 38 (OT)
The Falcons needed some magic to go their way going into this game. They needed to win and they needed the Buccaneers to lose. Unfortunately, the Panthers weren’t going to give them the satisfaction and forced it into overtime. The Falcons’ magic never materialized…not only did the Buccaneers win before overtime even started, thus eliminating the Falcons, they also ended up losing in overtime thanks to Panthers running back Miles Sanders. I have to say, Bryce Young finally looks like a NFL quarterback, completing 25 of 34 passes for 251 yards and 3 touchdowns. If Young can play like this next year, he may finally shape up to be the quarterback everyone thought he was. Unfortunately, that only fixes the Panthers’ problems on one side of the ball. Their defense is in terrible shape, and the injuries they suffered didn’t help matters at all. It might help the Panthers to trade back in order to draft some reinforcements for the defense that can get to the opponent’s quarterback. As for the eliminated Atlanta Falcons, they’ve got a problem. What do they do with Kirk Cousins now that Michael Penix Jr. has taken his job? Clearly having Penix play behind Cousins worked and he’s ready now to be a starting quarterback, but that leaves them with a pretty expensive backup (who probably doesn’t want to be a backup). This is going to be a very interesting offseason for the Falcons, that much is for sure.
COMMANDERS 23 – COWBOYS 19
The Commanders were already playoff bound and didn’t need the win, but it helped as a final tune-up before the postseason as they bested the Cowboys in their final game of the season. Jayden Daniels, who hopes he’s done enough to win Rookie of the Year honors, got to sit back for the most part and let journeyman Marcus Mariota do the dirty work, completing 15 of 18 passes for 161 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Commanders look like a playoff contender with rookie Jayden Daniels leading the way. Their run defense could use some work as they have the lowest ranked run defense among playoff teams. As for the Cowboys, all eyes will be on what the owner does. Obviously, Jerry Jones isn’t happy about how this season ended, and the question will be if he lets coach Mike McCarthy walk. Yes, the Cowboys did perform better down the stretch, but a 7-9 record and an early elimination from playoff contention is not good for Mr. Jones. We’ve already seen several owners take action…will Mr. Jones be next? Whatever the Cowboys do next, they better not be foolish in letting cornerback Jourdan Lewis go as he has been a real shot in the arm for the Cowboys defense.
BEARS 24 – PACKERS 22
The Packers were already playoff bound, and were treating this matchup with their bitter rivals, the Bears, as a good final tune-up before the postseason. Instead, they got tuned out as the Bears broke the Packers’ hearts with a game winning field goal in the final seconds of the game. This was a forgettable game for the Packers but Bears wide receiver DJ Moore had a great game hauling in 9 of his 10 targets for 86 yards and a touchdown. This victory was a great morale booster for the Bears going into an offseason where the priority is the development of Caleb Williams. He’s shown flashes of what he’s capable of, but, as former player and football analyst Robert Griffin III would agree with, he needs the right coach. One name that has been thrown out there is within their own division: Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. No matter what, the next coach HAS to be the right fit for Caleb Williams. As for the Packers, we all have bumps in the road, but this definitely leaves a bitter taste in their mouths finishing the season losing to a Bears team that wasn’t even going to the playoffs. Now, the Packers still do two things better than most teams: run the ball and force turnovers. The only problem is their record against the NFC’s elite teams. They’re a combined 0-5 against the Vikings, Lions, and the Eagles (who they play in the first round). They need to find a way to beat the better teams, while also having to deal with one of their wide receivers, Christian Watson, being done for year with a torn ACL, or else their time in the playoffs will not be long.
TEXANS 23 – TITANS 14
This hasn’t been an easy season for the Texans, but they managed to end it on a high note against the Titans in their final game before the postseason. With Joe Mixon starting to struggle, the Texans gave Dameon Pierce more touches with 19. He made the most of it with 176 yards and a touchdown (that was 92 yards alone). Going into the postseason, the Texans’ offense is very troubling despite having the reigning Rookie of the Year in CJ Stroud, but the injuries they’ve suffered has something to do with it. However, the Texans’ defense has been surprisingly good at pressuring opposing quarterbacks. This will be helpful in compensating for the lack of offense, provided the Texans can get past a disciplined Chargers team under coach Harbaugh. As for the Titans, there’s only a very few numbers of teams in the league that need a quarterback this offseason than the Titans. Mason Rudolph was definitely better than Will Levis, but neither seem to be a long-term option for coach Brian Callahan. Fortunately, the Titans hold the number one pick in this year’s draft, which means they get carte blanche as to who will be the next quarterback for the Titans.
JAGUARS 23 – COLTS 26 (OT)
Both the Jaguars and the Colts had nothing but the offseason to look forward to after this game was over, so this game was all about pride. The Colts were able to pull off the victory in overtime in a game where both teams treated this matchup like the Super Bowl. On one side, Colts running back put on a show with 177 rushing yards and a touchdown. On the other, rookie Brian Thomas Jr. made his last case for Rookie of the Year with 7 catches for 103 yards. Both teams have tough decisions ahead. The Colts are already retaining their general manager and head coach, but they did fire their defensive coordinator. However, they may be operating this offseason with more scrutiny than ever as they’ve gone eight seasons under general manager Chris Ballard, and it’s only yielded one appearance in the playoffs (that resulted in them getting an early exit). Over with the Jaguars, we all saw it coming, but they fired coach Doug Pederson. Whoever takes the job next will inherit one of the league’s worst defenses and with the task of getting Trevor Lawrence back to his dominant ways. This is going to be a job hire that will come with a lot of pressure.
BILLS 16 – PATRIOTS 23
Clearly the Bills didn’t care about winning this game (since they rested quite a few of their players for the playoffs) as the Patriots beat them to close out the season. Drake Maye was taken out of the game after one series due to an issue with his throwing hand. In came Joe Milton III at quarterback, and I wish I could see the Patriots this season with THIS guy at quarterback. He completed 22 of 29 passes for an impressive 241 yards and a touchdown. The Patriots will begin their offseason looking for a new coach. Clearly, coach Jerod Mayo wasn’t up to the task of filling Bill Belichick’s shoes (or in this case hoodie). Now it’s up to the Patriots to find a new coach, and that’s not all. If they insist on keeping Drake Maye, the least they can do is better protect him by fixing the offensive line (and a few more tweaks to the defense wouldn’t hurt either). As for the Bills, their hopes are as high as they can be. They have Josh Allen, who has emerged as a strong contender to take the MVP title from Lamar Jackson. However, their defense has shown signs of concern, particularly when it comes to third downs. They got lucky earlier when they faced the Chiefs, who have not been very consistent on offense this year either. The Bills will need more from their defense than just takeaways against some of the offenses in the AFC playoff bracket.
GIANTS 13 – EAGLES 20
Even when they weren’t trying that hard, the Eagles still managed to win against a hapless Giants team, whose terrible season is mercifully over at last. The only bright spot this season for the Giants has to be rookie Malik Nabers, who added 5 more catches for 64 yards and a touchdown to finish his rookie season. The Eagles can now turn to the playoffs standing at the number 2 seed in the NFC. The Eagles are loaded with talent with a formidable wide receiver duo in A.J. Brown and DaVonta Smith, and MVP candidate Saquon Barkley (and that’s just a few names). It stands to reason that there’s no way the Eagles can be stopped from getting to the Super Bowl, right? Well…there is one thing that can beat them: themselves. More specifically, the Eagles’ slowly starts need to stop happening. They failed to score in the first quarter in 10 of their games this year. There are too many good teams in the NFC to fall behind early. As for the Giants, their offseason goal is pretty clear: find a new quarterback. They should find a decent one as they hold the number 3 pick in the draft. But I am certainly surprised that the Giants will be keeping both their coach and their general manager. However, if they put together a roster that is just as bad as these years…they may be out of a job this time next year.
SAINTS 19 – BUCCANEERS 27
In a game they needed to win, the Buccaneers came up big and beat the Saints to clinch the NFC South and the last playoff spot in the NFC. The Buccaneers finished the game by letting Mike Evans make history. Evans’ 9 catches for 89 yards, including a 9-yard pass on the final play, gave him enough to surpass 1,000 yards for the 11th straight season…a feat that puts him on par with the legendary Jerry Rice. Thanks to the Rams’ loss, the Buccaneers will go into the playoffs as the number 3 seed in the NFC. Their opponent will be the Commanders, who they beat earlier this season. However, they might find that this Commanders team A LOT different than the one they faced in week one. As for the Saints, they start this offseason with practically no cap space to work with, and a head coach position to fill. Add to the question of can their injured players from this season bounce back next year…and you have what could be a LONG offseason for the Saints as they will try to end their 4-year playoff drought next season.
CHIEFS 0 – BRONCOS 38
With the Chiefs resting their stars, they naturally lost to their division rivals, the Broncos, who needed the win to clinch the last spot in the AFC playoffs. Rookie Bo Nix led the way for the Broncos in his last chance to plead his case for Rookie of the Year; completing 26 of 29 passes for 321 yards and 4 touchdowns. Both teams now turn to the playoffs, with the Chiefs having the top seed in the AFC again. Now the Chiefs’ offense has gotten better with the return of Hollywood Brown, but just remember how the Chiefs really got here: luck. A few lucky breaks and some questionable referee calls have gotten the Chiefs through nearly every game this season. So it’s going to take more than just Brown and rookie Xavier Worthy to turn things around for the Chiefs to win another championship. While the Chiefs are the top of the heap, the Broncos are the last team in at the number 7 seed (and with it, a matchup against the team that has the best chance to put down the Chiefs; the number 2 seed Bills). The Broncos have a rock-solid defense going into these playoffs, which is a welcome sign since the last time the Broncos won a Super Bowl was when they had a great defense (and Payton Manning, but that’s not the point). However, their failures to convert on third downs is reason for concern. They’ll have to find more creative ways to get the offense to continue the drive…or else their defense is going to burn out.
DOLPHINS 20 – JETS 32
With the Broncos’ easy victory, the Dolphins were already eliminated even before they were let down by their offense against the lowly Jets. Again, too little too late for Aaron Rodgers, who threw for 274 yards, 4 touchdowns, and an interception. It’s back to the drawing board for both teams, especially for the Jets who need both a coach and general manager. The new bosses will have to rebuild the Jets (yes…again), and then figure out the elephant in the room: what to do with the aging Aaron Rodgers (a better defense wouldn’t hurt either). As for the Dolphins, who also suffer from the “too little too late” brand, the offseason looks to be an interesting one. With another injury plagued season for Tua Tagovailoa, including YET another concussion, the Dolphins need a backup that is capable of filling in at quarterback. They also have some drama already as wide receiver Tyreek Hill’s comments after the game indicates he may not want to return. If that is the case, and he’s traded, there are plenty of teams who need a top wide receiver calling the Dolphins (the Chargers for example).
49ERS 24 – CARDINALS 47
After a season in which the Super Bowl aspirations turned into bitter disappointment for the 49ers, their disastrous season mercifully ended in being blown out (fittingly) by the Cardinals. Kyler Murray showed his stuff for the Cardinals, completing 25 of 35 passes for 242 yards and 4 touchdowns. So now the offseason starts for both teams. Now the Cardinals need help on both sides of the ball, specifically better corners and better linemen to protect Murray (and adding yet another playmaker for Murray wouldn’t hurt either). The 49ers will be spending their offseason in a virtual wilderness. They and no one else imagined that their offseason would start this early. In fact, many people had them favorite to win the Super Bowl. Now they’ll be watching the postseason from the couch while wondering what to do with the number 11 pick in the draft. Injuries and bad breaks are big obstacles for any team, but while the Dodgers thrived despite their injury problems…the 49ers took a dive. The key to this offseason is to get their players healthy and figure out Brock Purdy’s contract (Purdy is a free agent in 2026). They’ll have to figure out how much Purdy is worth without breaking the bank…otherwise they won’t be able to build a suitable team around him.
VIKINGS 9 – LIONS 31
The final game of the regular season. This game was to determine who would win the NFC North and who would claim the number 1 seed (and the first-round bye that comes with it). It was supposed to be a battle of epic proportions…and ended up another Lions’ landslide victory. It’s a good thing that Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs was on his game, rushing for 139 yards and 3 touchdowns, because this wasn’t a great game for quarterback Jared Goff who threw 2 interceptions. Sam Darnold didn’t have a great game either as he was held to 166 yards passing. The problem for the Vikings was the inability to effectively get the ball to their star wide receiver Justin Jefferson and being unable to take advantage of a banged-up Lions defense. Going into the playoffs next week, the Lions will have time to get healthy while the Vikings travel to LA to take on the red-hot Rams. The Vikings still have a variety of ways to win, whether it’s their defense, offense, or being carried by Jefferson. Aside from their inability to find a way to beat the Lions, the only area of true worry that I can find is their kicker Will Reichard. He’s in a bit of a slump, and while that happens to everyone…it’s not something you want from a rookie kicker entering the postseason. As for the Lions, their offense will have to carry the load as their defense has suffered a string of injuries. It may work as the Chiefs got by doing that when Patrick Mahomes was the top quarterback in the league, so it stands to reason that the Lions can, too. Of course, if the Vikings win next week, it could potentially set up another rematch between the two teams…but this time the Vikings have a much clearer understanding of the state of the Lions’ defense…which may be the Lions’ only Achilles heel.
OTHER SPORTS NEWS: NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION UPDATE
In my last article, I went over the state of Los Angeles’ sports teams going into the next year. Upon reviewing it, I realize I missed a few teams. So let me quickly go over them:
NWSL – ANGEL CITY FC
I did not neglect Angel City because they’re women…I’m just a bonehead. Anyway, Angel City FC finished in 12th place last season, and then parted ways with coach Becki Tweed. For now, Eleri Earnshaw is the head coach, but the team is already looking for a permanent coach. The bosses of Angel FC have a lot of work to do. With investments from notable figures such as Serena William, Natalie Portman, Eva Longoria, Jennifer Garner, America Ferrera, Willow Bay, and Disney CEO Bob Iger…Angel City FC is reportedly the most valuable franchise in women’s sports. That means HIGH expectations…especially for a team playing in the same city as the World Series champion Dodgers. But they do have exciting up and coming players such as goalkeeper Angelina Anderson and forward Alyssa Thompson, the next head coach will find some interesting challenges ahead.
HONORABLE MENTIONS – DUCKS AND ANGELS
Of course, I must mention the two teams just down the freeway from LA: the Ducks and the Angels. Unlike the Dodgers, the Angels are currently in the bottom tier of the league, but it’s not like they did nothing…in fact, quite contrary. The Angels immediately struck right after the Dodgers won the World Series, probably eager to catch their dreaded Freeway Series foe. They made a trade with the Braves for Jorge Soler and signed pitchers Kyle Hendricks and Yusei Kikuchi. Here’s to hoping that the Angels can make things more interesting.
As for the Ducks, things aren’t great…but they can be worse. As of now, the Ducks sit in 12th in the western conference, but they’re not dead dog last and they have had some wins to be proud of. The reason to watch the Ducks is that teams that are contending for the Stanley Cup have their eyes on John Gibson, the veteran goalie he hasn’t lost his touch. Now, the Ducks could trade him for a quality price to speed up their rebuild, or stand pat. Either way, they’re the ones in the driver’s seat…and that’s not a bad place to be.
There, all caught up. Now let’s all get ready for the NFL playoffs.
