As the regular season approaches its final week, four divisions and five playoff positions remain contested. The top two seeds in each conference lead these rankings, with Baltimore demonstrating their dominance in the league in recent weeks. Conversely, teams such as New England, Washington, and Carolina are eagerly anticipating the end of their dismal seasons.
Over the Christmas period, the Ravens strongly asserted their dominance in the NFL, defeating the San Francisco 49ers by 14 points and scoring 56 against the Miami Dolphins, their closest AFC rivals. In doing so, Lamar Jackson virtually secured the MVP award.
The Niners regained their momentum with their 27-10 win against the Washington Commanders last Sunday, making San Francisco a major contender for the Super Bowl in the NFC. Having secured the bye week, they now have the opportunity to give some of their injured players a rest. The most significant of these is running back Christian McCaffrey, who is nursing a calf injury.
The defeat on Christmas Eve against Miami was difficult to accept, and they almost lost to the Detroit Lions on Saturday night if not for some intervention from the officials. However, they performed well for a significant part of that match and have now achieved 16 consecutive home victories. If they win on Sunday, they will secure at least one home playoff game.
The Dolphins didn’t merely suffer a defeat in Baltimore; they faced humiliation and now must regroup to secure a division they’ve dominated for most of the year. While Tua Tagovailoa’s throwing shoulder is troubling, Jaylen Waddle’s ankle and the season-ending loss of Bradley Chubb are more alarming.
The Bills have secured four consecutive wins, putting them in a position to potentially claim the AFC East title for the fourth consecutive year. Despite a somewhat unstable performance in the past two weeks, Buffalo has managed to scrape through tough games against the Chargers and the Patriots. A more polished performance will be needed when they face Miami.
The Lions consistently demonstrate their skill and determination. No matter the outcome in Week 18, they are set to host a Wild Card Round playoff game, aiming for their first postseason win since the 1991 season. Their opponent is yet to be determined, but the Lions are likely to be favored.
The previously unstoppable offense near the red zone is now struggling near the goal-line. To secure the AFC West crown on Sunday, Kansas City needed six field goals from Harrison Butker. If the Chiefs aim for a prolonged playoff run, their top-tier defense will need to keep shouldering the burden.
Joe Flacco has truly been the savior of the season for the Cleveland Browns. Ever since he was signed to improve upon the performances of Dorian Thompson-Robinson and P.J. Walker, the 38-year-old has steered Cleveland to a 4-1 record. Impressively, Flacco has also achieved at least 300 yards in four consecutive games. What a remarkable narrative!
The Eagles are going through a rough patch, losing four of their most recent five games at the most inopportune time. The defense was unable to stop Arizona from accumulating 449 yards and scoring 35 points on Sunday. The once formidable pass rush from the previous year is now absent. In Philadelphia, frustration is escalating on all fronts.
The Texans are just one win shy of making the playoffs, which would bring their total victories for the season to 10. This is almost the same as their combined wins of 11 over the past three seasons. This impressive turnaround can be attributed to the exceptional young quarterback, C.J. Stroud. Given this, the future seems extremely promising for Houston.
The Rams have secured a spot in the playoffs as one of the NFL’s top-performing teams, boasting victories in six of their last seven games. Their single loss during this streak was a 37-31 overtime defeat in Baltimore, which is nothing to be ashamed of! Week 18 is inconsequential and is predicted to be a game mostly played by backups against the San Francisco 49ers.
The Jaguars managed to break their four-game losing streak with a definitive victory over Carolina last week. However, the question remains, what does their 26-0 win truly reveal? Trevor Lawrence must improve his performance as the playoffs near, otherwise, the Jags will be forced to rely even more heavily on the outstanding Josh Allen and his defensive teammates.
I’m at a loss to identify the current state of the Colts. They suffered a severe defeat to Cincinnati in Week 14, yet triumphed over Pittsburgh with ease in Week 15. Atlanta then routed them in Week 16, but they emerged victorious from a strenuous contest with the Raiders in Week 17. However, one thing is certain – a victory on Saturday will secure them 10 wins and a place in the playoffs.
The Pittsburgh passing attack has greatly benefited from the contributions of Mason Rudolph and George Pickens. Consequently, this will relegate a fully recovered Kenny Pickett to the sidelines in Week 18. The Steelers, with their nine wins, are assured of another winning season. However, I believe they will rue their defeats to Arizona and New England.
The Bucs squandered their initial chance to lock down the NFC South when the New Orleans Saints effortlessly ended their four-game winning streak. This could be worrisome for Tampa. However, they are expected to easily claim the division title with a triumph over the struggling Panthers in Week 18.
For the second consecutive year, the Packers are in a must-win situation at Lambeau Field, cheered on by their home crowd. Their promising and rapidly progressing quarterback, Jordan Love, is to be credited for this. He has spearheaded Green Bay to a 5-2 record in the last seven weeks. Love is poised to be their long-term solution at the quarterback position.
The Saints managed to balance their record at 8-8 after their strongest performance of the season against Tampa Bay during Week 17. However, they might have left themselves with too much to accomplish. They need to conquer Atlanta in Week 18 and hope for Tampa to falter to secure the division. Alternatively, they can claim victory and rely on losses from Green Bay and Seattle to secure a spot in the playoffs.
Following their Week 17 loss to Pittsburgh, where they allowed the Steelers to freely move up and down the field, the Seattle Seahawks no longer have control over their destiny. They now must defeat the unexpectedly competitive Cardinals, all while keeping an eye on the scoreboard and hoping for a Chicago victory at Lambeau Field. Both games will commence simultaneously.
The season for Cincinnati has come to an end, and honestly, it never truly kicked off. Authentic hopes for the Super Bowl were crushed the instant Joe Burrow sustained a calf injury during training camp. Those aspirations were completely obliterated when he was sidelined for the remainder of the year and the defense significantly deteriorated in the latter half of the season.
Heading into the offseason, the Bears have a more positive outlook on their future. Just like their Sunday opponents, Green Bay, they’ve secured victories in five of their last seven games. Justin Fields, in particular, has been exceptional towards the end. However, the question remains about their decision for 2024 – will they continue with Fields or gamble on the top emerging college QB?
In Week 18, the Broncos have exited the playoff race and are now contemplating their immediate future. This likely includes a complex and costly separation with quarterback Russell Wilson. Sean Payton, however, does not have a ready solution for that position and has explicitly stated that Wilson is not his choice.
Though technically still in the game, the Vikings need a victory against Detroit on Sunday, along with four other favorable outcomes. Their recent losing streak of five out of the last six games can largely be attributed to the underperformance of Josh Dobbs, Jaren Hall, and Nick Mullens compared to Kirk Cousins’ usual gameplay.
As the Raiders approach their last game of the season, it could set a positive tone for the offseason. If they secure a victory against Denver, it would guarantee a 3-1 finish for Antonio Pierce. This could potentially elevate his role beyond being the team’s interim head coach. Many believe he is the perfect candidate for a long-term position.
The Falcons have recently lost their grip on the NFC South, having lost three of their last four games. However, they still have a chance to secure the division if they defeat the Saints and the Bucs lose to Carolina. Given their recent performance, this seems unlikely. Arthur Smith, the coach, might potentially lose his job due to Atlanta’s absence of a top-tier quarterback.
Despite suffering three consecutive losses, the Titans’ recent defeat against Houston marked their first non-competitive game since mid-November. Mike Vrabel, known for demanding tenacity and dedication, is expected to receive such traits from quarterback Will Levis. Although Levis may not be flawless, his style of play leaves spectators eager for more.
The Cardinals currently hold only four victories this year, but they’ve managed to secure significant wins against Dallas and Philadelphia. They are set to have a high selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, but it remains uncertain whether this will lead to them acquiring a new quarterback. Head coach Jonathan Gannon firmly maintains that Kyler Murray is their go-to player. His performance against the Eagles certainly supported this claim.
This season, the Giants have secured only five victories, however, their head coach Brian Daboll should take solace in the team’s relentless efforts. They triumphed over Green Bay in Week 14, nearly upset Philly on Christmas Day, and came close to defeating the Rams in Week 17. Is there a need for a new quarterback in 2024?
There’s nothing noteworthy here, carry on! The Chargers are enduring a lackluster season without Justin Herbert leading at quarterback and without a fixed head coach. Alert me when Herbert is back in health and either Bill Belichick or Jim Harbaugh is appointed as his new head coach.
The Jets are eager to put this dreadful season behind them and start envisioning a 2024 run led by Aaron Rodgers. However, before that can happen, they need to strengthen their offensive line, which would have been insufficient this season even if Rodgers had been in peak condition.
The Patriots are at their lowest point, recording 12 losses in a season for the first time since 1992 and ending up at the bottom of the AFC East for the first time since 2000. Belichick’s last days in New England, which I predict will end by mid-next week, have been as bleak and dismal as he could have ever anticipated.
Ron Rivera, the head coach of the Washington Commanders, is seemingly on borrowed time. His position has been undermined by instability in the quarterback role. While his Washington teams have shown competitive potential, they have consistently struggled to find a solution to the NFL’s most critical position.
The Panthers persist in humiliating themselves both on and off the field. The defeats keep accumulating, and now, team owner David Tepper has been penalized with a $300,000 fine for tossing a drink at fans in Jacksonville the previous week. It’s hard for me to envision a high-profile head coach considering this vacancy in the forthcoming offseason.
