NFL Week 17 Saturday Reviews

The Chargers Secure Their Playoff Spot With A Win Over The Patriots In A Game where The Offense Looked Like Its Best Self The Broncos Bengals Matchup Did Not Disappoint As Denver’s Defense And Cincy’s Offense Squared Off With Cincy Prevailing In Overtime. The Loss Didnt Deny But merely Delayed The Broncos Hopes To Punch Their Playoff Bid With A Division Game With The Chiefs In Week 18 The Final Note.

**Broncos vs. Bengals**With just over a minute and a half left in regulation, the Bengals made one of the strangest and most questionable decisions in football. The offense, at the two-yard line, With Game Tied 17-17, decided to score. A Joe Burrow Two Yard sneak would give the Bengals their third touchdown, putting them ahead 24-17 over the Broncos with 1:29 left. The Time Variance Authority, i.e., my Twitter feed, explained that the Bengals could have run down the clock for about 40 seconds With a Series Of KLneels And Plays, putting Denver in a deeper hole. The Bengals’ Offense Also Could’ve Of Suffered A Turnover But That’s A Moot Point Now. Presumably, the Bengals assumed that the Broncos, lacking a feared offense, wouldn’t be able to score again no matter how much time was left despite being previously gashed for 51 yards deep. A FAir assumption But One That Betrayed The bengals.

Instead, the Broncos achieved one of the most improbable touchdowns of the weekend in a game filled with unexpected moments. Marvin Mims caught a stunning touchdown as time expired, recovering from a 51-yard pass that appeared to be the game's play. Mims leaped over two defenders to secure the game-tying catch, forcing overtime.

The Bengals displayed remarkable resilience despite a punt and a missed field goal. After the missed field goal, they forced a punt with a little over two minutes to go. Burrow connected with Tee Higgins for a massive 31-yard catch that placed the Bengals on the three-yard line. This time, the Bengals scored again, with a Burrow-to-Higgins completion on an out route sealing the game at 30-24.

Burrow continued to impress, extending his streak to seven consecutive games with over 250 passing yards and at least three touchdowns. In this game, he completed 39 of 49 passes for 412 yards, throwing three passing touchdowns and adding one rushing touchdown along with four carries for 25 rushing yards. His efficiency was remarkable, even though he was sacked seven times. Tee Higgins had an impressive performance with 11 catches for 131 yards and three touchdowns, while Ja'Marr Chase contributed with nine catches for 102 yards. The Bengals generated nearly 500 yards of offense against one of the league's best defenses.

Bo Nix attempted to match Burrow but fell short, finishing 24 of 31 for 219 passing yards and three touchdowns, with a passer rating of 114.9. While the loss doesn't signify a complete collapse for the Broncos, their offense needed one last first down in overtime and failed to convert. Marvin Mims had an impressive game with eight catches for 103 receiving yards, including a crucial fourth-and-one completion while Nix was pressured, with only a 13.9% completion probability.

Jaleel McLaughlin carried the ball 10 times for 69 yards. The Broncos still have a solid chance for the playoffs, as the Chiefs will likely rest their starters, giving Denver an opportunity. Even if the Bengals miss the playoffs, they have given fans an incredible ride. The team avoided an early offseason and can now focus on their game against the Steelers, especially since both the Colts and Dolphins have starters out and appear to be waving the white flag.

Questions about Bengals head coach Zach Taylor have persisted, but this game offered both a setback and a rallying point. While the Bengals did surrender a touchdown on a botched late-quarter scenario, they responded with a touchdown of their own. One way to avoid missed game-winning field goals is to score a touchdown.

I can’t think of a game this season that has held as much magnitude as the Bengals vs. Broncos matchup. Last season, the Bengals attempted another late-season turnaround, only for Joe Burrow's injury to extinguish all hopes. Now, they're back in a similar position, needing to win out to make the playoffs. Should playoff teams fear the Bengals sneaking in? Probably not. Cincinnati has played some remarkable football this year. Still, they’ve lost all seven contests against teams with winning records, including an inexcusable loss to the Patriots at the start of the season.

As much as Cincinnati can entertain fans, the Broncos have a chance to secure their first playoff berth in a while. In this matchup of contrasting identities, the Broncos had one of the best defenses in the league, facing off against one of the top offenses in the Bengals. The Bengals, despite having one of the weakest defenses, played against a Broncos offense that struggled.

The first quarter unfolded as expected—neither team was able to move the ball effectively, and the Broncos took a three-point lead. The Bengals' first red zone drive occurred midway through the second quarter, ending in a turnover on downs as Ja'Marr Chase couldn’t hang onto a pass in the corner, resulting in a sack for Burrow just three yards from the end zone. Although the Bengals’ defense held, it seemed they should have taken the three points to build some momentum—holding the score at 3-0.

The Bengals quickly redeemed themselves, getting back inside the ten. Ja'Marr Chase caught a 13-yard strike that set up a three-yard touchdown to Tee Higgins, giving the Bengals the lead before halftime. This touchdown marked Burrow's 40th of the season, as the Bengals' explosive offense began to prevail. While the Bengals’ defense had struggled for most of the season, in recent weeks they improved their ranking to 11th in EPA per dropback and managed to sack Bo Nix twice in the first half.

**Chargers vs. Patriots**

The Chargers dominated the Patriots with a score of 40-7, leaving no room for New England to make a contest of this matchup. The Chargers' offense had struggled for much of the season and lacked a consistent threat downfield, but they caught fire against the Patriots, marking the team's second outing with 40 points in the past three games. Justin Herbert threw three touchdown passes, amassing 281 passing yards.

If the Chargers’ offense can maintain this performance, my previous belief that they couldn’t challenge any team in the AFC playoffs might change. The Patriots, while not needing to offend their fans with a win, could have at least put on a promising performance; instead, their offense floundered for most of four quarters, managing only seven points. With this victory, the Chargers secured their playoff spot, and with Pittsburgh losing, they could find themselves in that coveted fifth seed, facing the Texans in the first round. Justin Herbert also made his way into the record books by recording the most passing yards in a player's first five seasons in NFL history.

The Chargers need just one more win to lock up their second playoff appearance in Justin Herbert’s career. This Chargers team under Jim Harbaugh hasn’t generated the same buzz as those under Brandon Staley. However, the Chargers know how to handle teams with records at or below .500, such as the 3-12 Patriots. The Chargers offense did struggle with drops, as evident during their first offensive drive when both Quentin Johnston and Ladd McConkey dropped passes, forcing the team to punt.

Derius Davis, an unsung talent in Los Angeles, recorded the first score of the game on a 23-yard pass, capping off an 11-play, 91-yard drive in the first quarter. The Chargers faced a fourth down on the drive, but Herbert connected with Johnston for 19 yards to convert and ultimately score a touchdown. After a slow start, the Chargers left no doubt, scoring another touchdown on their fourth drive following a field goal on the previous drive. This time, rookie Ladd McConkey secured a vintage Justin Herbert pass in traffic to finish a 9-play, 44-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown, redeeming his earlier drop.

The Patriots looked disjointed on offense. They didn’t record their first non-penalty first down until just before the two-minute warning, generating only 18 yards off their first ten plays. Following the two-minute warning, the Patriots managed their first scoring drive of the afternoon with a 36-yard bomb from Drake Maye to a sliding Pop Douglas. An offside penalty against the Chargers created a "free" play opportunity, and Maye capitalized, giving the Patriots their only seven points of the game. This sequence reminded fans that while the Patriots' record reflects their struggles, there are flashes of promise for a brighter future.

The Chargers added a field goal before halftime as they looked to close out the game. That one touchdown drive would end up being the only successful possession for the Patriots, as punts and downs exhausted their second-half efforts. Only two of the Patriots’ final six drives gained more than ten yards, and the closest they came to the red zone was the Chargers’ 24-yard line in the dying moments of the game. After their initial punt to start the game, the Chargers did not punt again until midway through the fourth quarter, scoring 23 unanswered points. The Chargers outgained the Patriots 428-181 in total offensive yardage and generated 29 first downs compared to just 11 for New England. The Chargers’ defense sacked Drake Maye four times, while Justin Herbert walked away virtually unscathed with just four quarterback hits, finishing 12 of 22 for 117 yards and one touchdown.