32. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-14)
Week 17 Result: Lost to New England 50-10
The Jaguars are just one game away from securing the No. 1 pick for a second consecutive season. They’ll likely enter next year as the favorite to pick first overall for a third time in a row. The team has several issues which stretches beyond the roster — though improving the talent around Trevor Lawrence is imperative. Finding a head coach is no easy task. Whoever does end up getting the Jacksonville job doesn’t have a terribly tough act to follow with the way the Urban Meyer era unceremoniously ended.
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31. Detroit Lions (2-13-1)
Week 17 Result: Lost to Seattle 51-29
There are the Lions we all know and love. Detroit was frisky offensively, but failed to provide much resistance to Seattle’s potent attack. Rookie wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown starred for the Lions in this one, recording 134 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. It’s the third-straight game for St. Brown with at least 90-plus receiving yards and a touchdown. He also became the first rookie in NFL history to record eight-plus receptions in five-straight. The Lions found themselves a gem with the fourth-round pick out of USC.
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30. Houston Texans (4-12)
Week 17 Result: Lost to San Francisco 23-7
We can cool off on the Davis Mills hype…for now. The first-year QB struggled mightily against the 49ers, throwing for just 163 yards on 32 pass attempts. Houston’s offensive line did the rookie no favors, as the dominant San Francisco defensive front was able to generate significant pressure in the second half. After jumping out to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter, the Texans surrendered 23-straight to fall to 4-12 on the year.
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29. New York Jets (4-12)
Week 17 Result: Lost to Tampa Bay 28-24
Even after leaving the AFC East, Tom Brady found a way to drill one more dagger in the heart of his former division rival. New York held a lead for nearly the entire game. Following a touchdown by Jets RB Ty Johnson, the Bucs faced a 24-10 hole versus a club with just four wins on the year. And then, Brady took over. With 15 seconds remaining, the 44-year-old delivered a perfect dart to WR Cyril Grayson for a 33-yard touchdown connection. You can’t make this stuff up. It’s as if Brady is destined to break the hearts of the Jets for the rest of time.
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28. New York Giants (4-12)
Week 17 Result: Lost to Chicago 29-3
The Giants ended an NFL game with -10 yards passing. Let that sink in. New York QB Mike Glennon completed six passes on Sunday – four to his own team and two to the Bears. The Giants leading receivers were Evan Engram and David Sills V — who both recorded one reception for 12 yards. It’s been dismal all year for the Giants on offense, but this is a new low.
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27. Carolina Panthers (5-11)
Week 17 Result: Lost to New Orleans 18-10
The Carolina offense has devolved into one of the worst weekly products in the league. Carolina scored on its first two drives versus the Saints – a 12-play, 61-yard drive that ended in a field goal, followed by a 10-play, 81-yard touchdown drive. The Panthers gained 52 total yards for the remainder of the game. 46 of those yards came on a 10-play drive which resulted in a missed field goal. Following the first two scoring drives, the Panthers had the ball eight more times on offense. Four of those drives ended with negative total yards. This team needs a facelift…and probably a new coach and QB.
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26. Seattle Seahawks (6-10)
Week 17 Result: Defeated Detroit 51-29
So that’s what it looks like when this Seahawks team is clicking offensively. Sure, it was against a team with two wins, but this is a Lions team that held the high-powered Cardinals to just 12 points a couple of weeks ago. Russell Wilson was essentially perfect as he tossed four touchdown passes with zero interceptions. WR DK Metcalf was the beneficiary of three of those scores – Metcalf had three touchdowns total in the previous eight games combined. Rashaad Penny continued his resurgence, rushing for 170 yards and two scores. Seattle has a chance to play spoiler in Week 18 versus a Cardinals team that still has a chance to win the NFC West.
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25. Washington Football Team (6-10)
Week 17 Result: Lost to Philadelphia 20-16
This game was the story of Washington’s season – stage a late rally but ultimately come up short in the end. Washington was actually winning this game going into halftime, but the Eagles scored 13 unanswered points in the second half to take a 20-16 lead. WFT QB Taylor Heinicke put together a strong final drive into Philadelphia’s red zone, but ended it by throwing an interception to Eagles safety Rodney McLeod. The game ended with a scary incident when a portion of the stands collapsed near the feet of Eagles QB Jalen Hurts. Nobody was badly injured in the accident, but the stadium literally falling apart is an accurate summation of this team’s current state.
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24. Chicago Bears (6-10)
Week 17 Result: Defeated New York Giants 29-3
The Bears are winners of two in a row following their most dominant victory of the season. Chicago’s defense was locked-in versus a Giants squad forced to start Mike Glennon. The defensive front feasted on an overmatched New York offensive line, sacking Glennon four times and recording four turnovers. Bears rusher Robert Quinn enjoyed a historic day. Not only did Quinn break the Bears single-season record with his 18th sack of the season, but the longtime veteran also crossed over the century mark with his 100th career sack.
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23. Atlanta Falcons (7-9)
Week 17 Result: Lost to Buffalo 29-15
The Falcons never had the look of a playoff team. They get blown out too often and aren’t nearly consistent enough on either side of the ball. Former league MVP Matt Ryan has flashes but is no longer an elite option at quarterback. Look no further than Kyle Pitts’ record-breaking year to fully realize Ryan’s shortcomings at 36 years old. Pitts became the first rookie tight end in 60 years to go over 1,000 yards receiving, yet has just one touchdown reception on the season. Atlanta’s red zone woes have been well-documented over the past several years. Head coach Arthur Smith was brought in to repair the offense near the goal line. The Falcons are ranked 26th in red zone efficiency this year. Their final ranking last season? 26th.
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22. Minnesota Vikings (7-9)
Week 17 Result: Lost to Green Bay 37-10
Sweeping changes appear to be on the horizon for Minnesota this offseason following another disappointing campaign. The Vikings will finish below .500 for the second year in a row despite possessing one of the league’s more potent offenses. We may have seen the last of Mike Zimmer on a Minnesota sideline. With Kirk Cousins unavailable Sunday night, Zimmer surprisingly chose to start Sean Mannion over third-round rookie Kellen Mond – much to the chagrin of Viking fans. Dalvin Cook fittingly had his worst game of the year in the 37-10 loss, totaling just 13 yards on 12 touches.
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21. Denver Broncos (7-9)
Week 17 Result: Lost to Los Angeles Chargers 34-13
Another lost season for a Denver team still in search of its first postseason berth since winning Super Bowl 50. Denver’s offense was never able to take off despite having plenty of talent at the skill positions. The injuries to Teddy Bridgewater were tough to overcome. Though Bridgewater doesn’t post gaudy stats, he’s an accomplished signal caller who can get the ball to his playmakers in space. The Broncos are now 0-4 in games that Drew Lock has been asked to throw over 10 passes.
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20. Miami Dolphins (8-8)
Week 17 Result: Lost to Tennessee 34-3
Miami’s playoff hopes were ended after seeing its seven-game winning streak snapped in emphatic fashion. A lone Jason Sanders field goal accounted for the only points the Dolphins offense scored in this 34-3 blowout. Tua Tagovailoa picked a bad time to have one of his worst games of the season. The second-year QB fumbled three times (losing one) and completed 18-of-38 for 205 yards and one interception. The Dolphins will have many questions to answer this offseason, but the uncertain quarterback situation must be addressed. Did Tagovailoa show enough to warrant another season as the team’s starter or will the front office look for a potential upgrade?
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19. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7-1)
Week 17 Result: vs Cleveland Monday Night
The Steelers will need to win out to have a chance at the postseason. It starts on Monday with a matchup against the Cleveland Browns. The Steelers squeaked out a 15-10 victory the last time these two teams met, but this matchup has a bit more at stake. Adding to the drama, Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger will be making his last start ever at Heinz Field. The two-time Super Bowl champion will need to be at his best over the final two weeks for a chance to extend his final season into the playoffs.
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18. Cleveland Browns (7-8)
Week 17 Result: at Pittsburgh Monday Night
A season that started with much promise, the Browns were officially knocked out of postseason contention thanks to a Chargers victory over the Broncos. No matter what happens over the final two weeks, the Browns will not be extending their playoff streak to two-straight (Cleveland hasn’t reached the playoffs in back-to-back years since 1989). The Browns face another long offseason and will have several questions to answer pertaining to QB Baker Mayfield and his future with the club.
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17. New Orleans Saints (8-8)
Week 17 Result: Defeated Carolina 18-10
With just one spot in the NFC playoff picture remaining, the Saints will be hoping for a Rams victory to help punch their ticket to the postseason. New Orleans’ 18-10 victory over the Panthers put the team within one game of the 49ers. San Francisco has been the better team over the last two months, but they face a daunting matchup versus a Rams team looking to clinch the NFC West. The Saints, on the other hand, will need to take care of the Atlanta Falcons to give themselves a chance. Taysom Hill returned in this one, but it was the New Orleans defense that powered the team to a win. New Orleans held Carolina’s offense to just 178 total yards.
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16. Baltimore Ravens (8-8)
Week 17 Result: Lost to Los Angeles Rams 20-19
Through three quarters, the Ravens held a 16-7 lead over the playoff bound Rams. Baltimore’s offense was without Lamar Jackson once again, but the team nearly knocked off Los Angeles. The defense came to play — intercepting Matt Stafford on two-straight possessions in the half — and staked the team a lead after returning Stafford’s first interception back for the opening touchdown. Overall, Baltimore forced three turnovers. Unfortunately, the defense surrendered back-to-back TDs to end the game.
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15. Philadelphia Eagles (9-7)
Week 17 Result: Defeated Washington 20-16
It may have been ugly, but the Eagles clinched a playoff berth with their 20-16 win over the Football Team. The game was a tale of two halves for Philadelphia’s defense. In the first half, the Eagles’ defense allowed points on all four of Washington’s drives — one touchdown and three field goals. After the intermission, Philly’s defense tightened the screws. Over the final 30 minutes of action, Philadelphia forced two punts, a turnover on downs, and intercepted a pass with 30 seconds remaining to secure the victory.
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14. Indianapolis Colts (9-7)
Week 17 Result: Lost to Las Vegas 23-20
In a shocking turn of events, the Indianapolis Colts lost a football game in which Jonathan Taylor rushed for more than 100 yards. Entering their matchup with the Raiders, the Colts had gone 9-0 this year when Taylor eclipsed the century mark. Taylor rushed for 108 yards against Vegas, but Indianapolis’ defense failed in the end. After entering the fourth quarter with a 17-13 lead, the Colts allowed Vegas to march down the field on back-to-back possessions to end the game — Vegas scored 10 points in the final frame, with the final three coming on a walk-off field goal.
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13. Las Vegas Raiders (9-7)
Week 17 Result: Defeated Indianapolis 23-20
As a result of their hard-earned victory in Indianapolis, the Raiders control their own destiny entering the final week of the regular season. Vegas’ defense held the Colts to just 262 total yards, and won the game despite losing the turnover battle 2-to-0. If the Raiders can topple their division rival Chargers Sunday night, the team will enter the postseason and will likely face the Chiefs in the opening round.
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12. Los Angeles Chargers (9-7)
Week 17 Result: Defeated Denver 34-13
The Chargers should be locked into the playoffs at this point, but their terrible loss at Houston two weeks ago means the Bolts face a do-or-die matchup this weekend. The first time the Chargers played the Raiders, LA walked away with a 28-14 victory. In that Week 4 meeting between the two rivals, the Chargers raced out to a 21-0 lead. This weekend, however, the game will be played in Las Vegas. Can the Chargers beat the Raiders for a second time? Or will the Raiders continue to shock the league…
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11. San Francisco 49ers (9-7)
Week 17 Result: Defeated Houston 23-7
The Niners are currently in position to make the playoffs, but they don’t have an ideal situation this upcoming weekend. At 9-7, San Francisco hold the No. 6 seed in the NFC. However, the Niners need either a win over the Rams (in Los Angeles) or a Saints loss to clinch a berth. This past Sunday, San Francisco turned to rookie Trey Lance to get the job done under center. Playing in place of an injured Jimmy Garoppolo, Lance threw two touchdown passes and accounted for 280 total yards.
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10. Dallas Cowboys (11-5)
Week 17 Result: Lost to Arizona 25-22
The Cowboys entered last weekend as the No. 2 seed in the NFC and controlled their own destiny moving forward. However, Dallas’ loss to Arizona has dropped the team to the No. 4 line in the conference and now face a tougher road to the Super Bowl. Against the Cardinals, Dallas’ offense mustered a meager seven points through three quarters. The Cowboys entered the final quarter facing a 15-point deficit, but Dak Prescott tossed two touchdown passes to bring his team to within three points with four minutes remaining…
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9. Arizona Cardinals (11-5)
Week 17 Result: Defeated Dallas 25-22
…but Arizona’s offense wasn’t going to let the team lose a fourth game in a row. Up 25-22 with 4:42 remaining on the clock, Kyler Murray led the Cardinals’ offense on a 10-play, 52-yard drive to end the game. While Arizona still doesn’t look like the team that raced out to an 8-1 record, its performance Sunday was a welcomed sight. Murray and Co. didn’t commit any turnovers, and were an impressive 7-of-16 on third down. The Cardinals have clinched a playoff berth, but they need some help next weekend in order to win the NFC West.
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8. New England Patriots (10-6)
Week 17 Result: Defeated Jacksonville 50-10
The Patriots enjoyed their afternoon tilt against the Jaguars. Mac Jones threw three touchdown passes, Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for two scores a piece, and New England’s defense snagged three interceptions on the day. At one point, the Pats led 50-3. We don’t need to say much more.
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7. Cincinnati Bengals (10-6)
Week 17 Result: Defeated Kansas City 34-31
Way to go, Cincinnati! Not only did the Bengals come from behind to knock off the two-time defending AFC Champion Chiefs, but they clinched the AFC North in the process. To start the game, Cincinnati’s defense was shredded by Kansas City’s potent attack. After forcing a punt on the game’s opening possession, the Bengals surrendered four-straight touchdowns to end the half. Luckily, the offense was able to put up 17 points to keep the team in the game. In the second half, Cincinnati’s defense surrendered three points. Offensively, Joe Burrow threw four TD passes and Ja’Marr Chase exploded for 11 catches, 266 yards, and three scores.
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6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (12-4)
Week 17 Result: Defeated New York Jets 28-24
The Bucs may be in trouble. Chris Godwin is out for the year with a torn ACL, and now Antonio Brown is no longer with the team after the former star wideout seemingly quit on the team during live play. Late in the third quarter of Tampa’s win over the Jets, Brown removed his jersey and pads, and threw his equipment into the stands before running off the field through the end zone — all while waving at the crowd and throwing his arms in the air. Without Godwin and Brown, Tampa’s offense could struggle to score against other playoff teams.
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5. Tennessee Titans (11-5)
Week 17 Result: Defeated Miami 34-3
Who could have predicted this when Derrick Henry went down with a serious injury? Entering the final week of the regular season, the Titans occupy the No. 1 seed in the AFC and only need a win over the Texans in order to clinch the top spot and a first-round bye. This past weekend, the Titans absolutely shellacked the red-hot Dolphins. D’Onta Foreman rushed for 132 yards and one score, Ryan Tannehill tossed two TD passes, and the defense forced two turnovers en route to an easy win.
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4. Buffalo Bills (10-6)
Week 17 Result: Defeated Atlanta 29-15
Josh Allen had a terrible day throwing the ball. Facing the Falcons at home, Allen completed 11-of-26 passes for 120 yards…and three interceptions. Despite his terrible performance through the air, Allen contributed to the win via his legs. In addition to rushing for 81 yards on 15 carries, Allen found the end zone twice. Defensively, Buffalo shutout the Falcons in the second half and held Matt Ryan and Co. to under 300 total yards.
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3. Kansas City Chiefs (11-5)
Week 17 Result: Lost to Cincinnati 34-31
The Chiefs are no longer the No. 1 seed in the AFC following their loss in Cincinnati. Kansas City is surely kicking itself for letting the top spot slip through its fingers. After scoring four-straight touchdowns in the first half, the Chiefs entered halftime with a 28-17 lead. However, the Chiefs’ offense took the field just three times after the intermission and the defense was unable to stop Cincinnati’s attack. Barring an unlikely Tennessee loss this weekend, the Chiefs will play host to the winner of the Raiders/Chargers game to start the postseason.
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2. Los Angeles Rams (12-4)
Week 17 Result: Defeated Baltimore 20-19
Los Angeles couldn’t have written a worse start to Sunday’s game against the Ravens. LA’s offense had three terrible results in a row to open the game — after missing a field goal on the opening possession, Matt Stafford threw back-to-back interceptions (including a pick-six). Remarkably, the team only trailed 10-0 after its horrid start. The offense continued to struggle until the fourth quarter. Down 16-7 entering the final quarter, LA scored two touchdowns in a row to eek out the win. With 57 seconds remaining, Odell Beckham Jr. hauled in a 7-yard pass for the winning score.
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1. Green Bay Packers (13-3)
Week 17 Result: Defeated Minnesota 37-10
With their win over the Vikings and Dallas’ loss to the Cardinals, the Packers clinched homefield advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. Aaron Rodgers added two touchdown passes to his resume, and AJ Dillon rushed for two scores to lead the Pack offensively. Green Bay limited Minnesota’s offense to 206 yards. This game was a snore. The Pack are the team to beat.
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