NFL Week 18 Reacap
**Chiefs vs. Broncos**
The Broncos left no doubt in this game as they secured their playoff spot. Bo Nix and the Denver offense jumped out to an early 21-0 lead, scoring touchdowns on their first three drives. Meanwhile, the defense held the Kansas City Chiefs to zero points, leading to a decisive 38-0 victory for the Broncos. Nix wrapped up his rookie season by completing 26 of 29 passes for 321 yards, four touchdowns, and a passer rating of 152.4. The Denver defense sacked Kansas City quarterbacks five times, with Carson Wentz being sacked four times.
This performance made the Rookie of the Year conversation just a little more challenging. Daniels left the Commanders after the first half, and in many ways, Nix faced different challenges. No rookie outperformed their preseason projections better than Nix, who many assumed would serve merely as a system quarterback, supporting Sean Payton's self-guided offense. Instead, the Broncos may have found a star and a future Super Bowl winner in Nix. He completed his first 18 passes in this game, setting a rookie record. While the Chiefs had little to play for, this achievement was still impressive. Nix and the Broncos will advance to play the Bills in the Wildcard round.
**Falcons vs. Panthers**
In an unexpected shootout, Bryce Young and Michael Penix went head-to-head in a thrilling battle. Both offenses scored over 38 points after regulation, leading the Falcons and Panthers into overtime. A Spencer Rattler pass intended for Marquez Valdes-Scantling skipped off the receiver's hands, ending the Falcons' season. Despite the loss, Michael Penix put forth his best effort as a starter, but Bryce Young ultimately outdueled him in this battle of young quarterbacks. The Panthers scored the first points of overtime, winning the game 44-38 and halting the Falcons' season at 9-8, missing the playoffs.
In his final game of the season, Bryce Young completed 25 of 34 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns, averaging more than 10 yards per completion. The Panthers scored four touchdowns in the second half, resulting in a back-and-forth scoring battle between the two teams. Michael Penix Jr. registered his first 300-yard game, finishing with 312 passing yards, two touchdowns, one interception, 11.5 completed air yards per attempt, and an 88.9 passer rating. Penix achieved numerous big plays throughout the game. Bijan Robinson rushed for 170 yards on 28 carries, averaging 6.1 yards per carry, with two touchdowns—his best game as a Falcon. Drake London also had a remarkable game, recording 10 receptions for 187 yards and two touchdowns. The Falcons amassed 537 yards of offense, outgaining the Panthers by 112 yards but ultimately falling short in overtime.
The Falcons did not wait too long to start Penix, who took several games to find his rhythm as a passer in this league. Instead, the offense struggled with inconsistent performances throughout the year, suffering unnecessary losses to the Saints and Seahawks. However, the team must find some solace in what they saw from Penix during his three starts. The Falcons' offseason will raise questions about their offensive talent, as Drake London enters early extension talks, and tight end Kyle Pitts has a significant option to pick up. London achieved his first 1,000-yard receiving season of his career but still feels like an incomplete product—he has the potential to dominate more, making him the team's top talent.
The Panthers will need to secure better weapons for Bryce Young going forward, as they cannot rely on Adam Thielen to maintain his high level of play this late in his career. Young’s final performance serves as an audition tape before a whirlwind offseason of speculation regarding his future with the Panthers and the NFL. His performance will be scrutinized closely for insights into his potential and where the organization needs to invest more in his development. The Falcons seem to have their future at quarterback with Michael Penix Jr., whose emergence came earlier than expected. He has shown flashes of being able to lead a team into the future, even with the Falcons’ playoff hopes hanging in the balance.
During the opening drive against the Panthers, Penix leaned on his running game to help the Falcons reach the red zone, but three straight incompletions resulted in a field goal attempt. Overall, the Falcons' offense did not look much different under Kirk for stretches. Penix started the game 2 of 7, and the Falcons took an early lead with a field goal. The Panthers’ passing offense showed improvement, with multiple big plays, including a 25-yard completion from Young to Thielen and a pass from Jalen Coker to Miles Sanders on a wide-receiver throw. However, the Panthers stalled in the red zone.
Penix and the passing game struggled throughout the game, as he and his wide receivers never truly synced up, preventing the Falcons from sustaining drives and reaching the end zone. Bryce Young scored the first touchdown of the game, finishing off an 11-play, 58-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run, giving the Panthers a 10-3 lead early in the game.
**Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings**
Two teams faced off for the top spot in the division, the number one seed in the conference, a first-round bye, and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. No game carried more significance than this Super Bowl-level matchup between these two rivals of the North. The game started as a defensive masterclass for both teams, as these two high-powered offenses were forced to punt on their first drives. The Lions struck first, with Jahmyr Gibbs scoring a 25-yard rushing touchdown, capping off a 9-play, 78-yard drive. This drive required a fourth-down conversion, as Goff connected with Jameson Williams for a 14-yard catch-and-run on fourth and five, setting up Gibbs’ score.
For the Vikings, Sam Darnold struggled with accuracy during crucial moments of the game. His deep passes sailed away from their intended targets. Darnold connected with Justin Jefferson for a 31-yard gain that set the Vikings up within the ten-yard line, but the drive ended on downs as Darnold failed to connect with Jefferson on fourth down. The difficulties in connecting with Jefferson continued during the Vikings’ subsequent red zone drive. After picking off Jared Goff, the Vikings set up at the seven-yard line, but again, the connection between Darnold and Jefferson failed to secure a touchdown, forcing the Vikings to settle for a field goal.
Despite early setbacks, the Viking's defense played at a high level, even when getting burned on blitzes several times. The Lions held a 7-6 lead at halftime, with Darnold going 9-for-20 for less than 100 yards and Jared Goff faring better at 13-for-17 with 115 passing yards, though he had one interception.
Coming out of halftime, the Vikings’ offense drove into the red zone once more. Although Darnold continued to struggle, a remarkable 58-yard run by Cam Akers helped propel the Vikings into scoring position. The Vikings had traded for Akers from the Texans mid-season, and with Aaron Jones out briefly, Akers took over the rushing responsibilities and delivered impressively. However, the rushing attack stalled in the short field, and the Vikings turned to Darnold, who again failed to convert, throwing three straight incompletions and turning the ball over on downs.
On the ensuing Lions drive Goff threw a deep interception from his end zone, effectively turning the ball back into Vikings territory. The Vikings began a promising drive, including a big play from Justin Jefferson, but again settled for a field goal. Regardless of how promising their plays looked, the Vikings could only manage field goals. The next two Lions drives saw Goff and the Lions’ offense assert their dominance, as Detroit scored three touchdowns—each by Jahmyr Gibbs—after a slow start and two turnovers by Goff. The Lions eventually blew out the Vikings, winning 31-9. With this victory, Detroit swept the series and secured the division title, earning the NFC crown and a first-round bye. Gibbs finished with 28 touches for 170 total yards, including 139 yards on the ground. Jared Goff had an efficient game with 27 completions on 33 attempts for 231 passing yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions, ending with an 80.7 passer rating.
Despite the Vikings' defensive performance against Goff, the offense could not get on track, finishing 3-for-13 on third downs and 0-for-4 in the red zone. The Vikings will assume the fifth seed and face the Rams, the only other team besides the Lions to beat Minnesota this season. Sam Darnold ended his near-MVP season with a disappointing performance, completing 18 of 41 passes for 166 yards, taking two sacks, and finishing with a 55.5 passer rating. Justin Jefferson’s stat line was 3 receptions on 9 targets for 54 yards. The winner of the matchup between the four and five seeds will face Detroit again in two weeks.
**Commanders vs. Cowboys**
The Commanders completed the most surprising season in football. Jayden Daniels, an experienced rookie who played five years of college football, exceeded expectations by leading one of the NFL’s best offenses with his ability to run and throw accurately across the field. The Commanders struck gold, but now they had to finish the season on a high note by defeating the Cowboys to secure the sixth seed while waiting to see their first-round matchup. The Cowboys started Trey Lance at quarterback for their season finale. Like Daniels, Lance was the same age and had a similar profile and expectations coming out of college, but he has not yet demonstrated the dual-threat capabilities that Daniels has.
Lance started the game strong, going 5-for-8 for 82 passing yards, leading the Cowboys to a 3-0 lead early in the game. The Cowboys’ special teams provided the team with a red zone opportunity after a punting collision on the Commanders' return, leading to another punt after a failed three plays, which resulted in a 6-0 lead. The Commanders pulled off a second-half comeback and defeated the Cowboys 23-19, thanks to a touchdown drive led by Marcus Mariota to close the game. The Commanders' coaching staff opted to pull Jayden Daniels from the game after a couple of series; he finished with 6 completions on 12 attempts for 38 yards and four sacks.
**Buccaneers vs. Saints**
The Buccaneers started poorly in this must-win contest, finding themselves down 16-6 at halftime. Tampa's top offense didn't score a touchdown until the beginning of the second half, as Baker Mayfield and the Bucs struggled with drive after drive stalling out, ultimately settling for field goals. The Buccaneers finally got on the board in the second half when Baker Mayfield connected with tight end Payne Durham, capping off a 10-play, 72-yard drive. While Mayfield did throw his customary interception, the Saints provided the Bucs with ample opportunities throughout the game.
In the fourth quarter, Mayfield made up for his earlier struggles by connecting with Jalen McMillan for a 32-yard touchdown. This drive featured a crucial 4th-and-8 conversion, where Mayfield found McMillan for a 33-yard gain. The Saints, under Spencer Rattler, played well for stretches but ran out of steam in the second half, managing only one field goal after scoring 16 points in the first half. The Buccaneers extended their lead to 20-19 by adding another touchdown—a rushing score from running back Bucky Irving for 11 yards. The Saints' final drive entered Buccaneers territory but ended with Rattler unable to connect on any of his last five passes.
With less than a minute remaining, the Bucs ran one last play to get Mike Evans the ball, securing the star receiver his 11th straight season of 1,000 yards or more. Some coaches and analysts might argue that the play lacked sportsmanship, but the record meant a lot to the Bucs. Spencer Rattler finished the game with 26 completions on 42 attempts for 240 passing yards, one touchdown, and a passer rating of 85.4, playing well against a struggling Buccaneers defense in the first half. The Saints finished 3-for-13 on third down.
Despite struggling early on, the Buccaneers outgained the Saints by 103 yards offensively. Baker Mayfield completed 21 of 32 passes for 221 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. The Buccaneers received strong contributions from players like Jalen McMillan and running back Bucky Irving.
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**Bears vs. Packers**
The Bears could finish the year on an eleven-game losing streak, capping off a season that held some promise with a highly-rated quarterback, a defense that ranked near the top of the league, and a head coach who started the season as a favorite for Coach of the Year. Unfortunately, even promising players like Rome Odunze and a talented group of wide receivers did not live up to the hype. Now, the Bears enter another year with disappointing impressions and ongoing questions, particularly regarding their head coach and overall morale.
In a messy game filled with turnovers, penalties, and injuries for the Packers, Cairo Santos kicked a 51-yard field goal, ending the Bears' longest losing streak at 11 games and sending the Packers to the playoffs as the seventh seed. Packers quarterback Jordan Love left the game with a hand injury in the second quarter, paving the way for Malik Willis. Willis led the Packers back from an eight-point deficit, with a touchdown by Emmanuel Wilson—set up by his connection to Malik Heath—that brought Green Bay within two points at 21-19. The Packers then scored a field goal following a fumble by DJ Moore of the Bears.
Willis continued to lead the Packers, orchestrating another field goal with 54 seconds left in the game. Caleb Williams completed 4 of 5 passes, including a beautiful throw to Rome Odunze for 15 yards, and drew an illegal horse-collar tackle to initiate the drive. The Bears managed to drive 47 yards in six plays to score a field goal, winning the game 24-22. This victory snapped a losing streak that began with the Commanders' Hail Mary fiasco. Caleb Williams finished the game with 21 completions on 29 attempts for 148 passing yards and one touchdown. While his overall numbers weren't spectacular, he excelled when it mattered most, completing just three passes over ten air yards. Malik Willis also played effectively, completing 10 of 13 passes for 136 yards.
The two teams combined for four turnovers. The Packers outgained the Bears offensively, 367 to 224 yards, but the Bears capitalized on the Packers' mistakes.
The health of Jordan Love will be closely monitored ahead of their playoff matchup with the Eagles, as the 7 vs. 2 seed. The Packers have the talent to compete against the best teams in the conference, but Love's health and performance will heavily influence the outcome. He finished the year with a 63% completion percentage, though some of his interceptions raised questions. The health of receiver Christian Watson will also be a critical factor.
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**Jets vs. Dolphins**
This Jets season may mark the last we've seen of Aaron Rodgers. It has been called the best season of his Hall of Fame career, filled with drama, sound bites, tensions, and upheaval. However, the Jets ended on a high note. Despite some early struggles, including an interception and ineffective play calls, the Jets rallied behind a historic night from Aaron Rodgers and defeated the Dolphins 32-20.**Buccaneers Saints**
The Buccaneers started poorly in this must-win contest, finding themselves down 16-6 at halftime. Tampa's top offense didn't score a touchdown until the beginning of the second half, as Baker Mayfield and the Bucs struggled with drive after drive stalling out, ultimately settling for field goals. The Buccaneers finally got on the board in the second half when Baker Mayfield connected with tight end Payne Durham, capping off a 10-play, 72-yard drive. While Mayfield did throw his customary interception, the Saints provided the Bucs with ample opportunities throughout the game.
In the fourth quarter, Mayfield made up for his earlier struggles by connecting with Jalen McMillan for a 32-yard touchdown. This drive featured a crucial 4th-and-8 conversion, where Mayfield found McMillan for a 33-yard gain. The Saints, under Spencer Rattler, played well for stretches but ran out of steam in the second half, managing only one field goal after scoring 16 points in the first half. The Buccaneers extended their lead to 20-19 by adding another touchdown—a rushing score from running back Bucky Irving for 11 yards. The Saints' final drive entered Buccaneers territory but ended with Rattler unable to connect on any of his last five passes.
With less than a minute remaining, the Bucs ran one last play to get Mike Evans the ball, securing the star receiver his 11th straight season of 1,000 yards or more. Some coaches and analysts might argue that the play lacked sportsmanship, but the record meant a lot to the Bucs. Spencer Rattler finished the game with 26 completions on 42 attempts for 240 passing yards, one touchdown, and a passer rating of 85.4, playing well against a struggling Buccaneers defense in the first half. The Saints finished 3-for-13 on third down.
Despite struggling early on, the Buccaneers outgained the Saints by 103 yards offensively. Baker Mayfield completed 21 of 32 passes for 221 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. The Buccaneers received strong contributions from players like Jalen McMillan and running back Bucky Irving.
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**Bears vs. Packers**
The Bears could finish the year on an eleven-game losing streak, capping off a season that held some promise with a highly-rated quarterback, a defense that ranked near the top of the league, and a head coach who started the season as a favorite for Coach of the Year. Unfortunately, even promising players like Rome Odunze and a talented group of wide receivers did not live up to the hype. Now, the Bears enter another year with disappointing impressions and ongoing questions, particularly regarding their head coach and overall morale.
In a messy game filled with turnovers, penalties, and injuries for the Packers, Cairo Santos kicked a 51-yard field goal, ending the Bears' longest losing streak at 11 games and sending the Packers to the playoffs as the seventh seed. Packers quarterback Jordan Love left the game with a hand injury in the second quarter, paving the way for Malik Willis. Willis led the Packers back from an eight-point deficit, with a touchdown by Emmanuel Wilson—set up by his connection to Malik Heath—that brought Green Bay within two points at 21-19. The Packers then scored a field goal following a fumble by DJ Moore of the Bears.
Willis continued to lead the Packers, orchestrating another field goal with 54 seconds left in the game. Caleb Williams completed 4 of 5 passes, including a beautiful throw to Rome Odunze for 15 yards, and drew an illegal horse-collar tackle to initiate the drive. The Bears managed to drive 47 yards in six plays to score a field goal, winning the game 24-22. This victory snapped a losing streak that began with the Commanders' Hail Mary fiasco. Caleb Williams finished the game with 21 completions on 29 attempts for 148 passing yards and one touchdown. While his overall numbers weren't spectacular, he excelled when it mattered most, completing just three passes over ten air yards. Malik Willis also played effectively, completing 10 of 13 passes for 136 yards.
The two teams combined for four turnovers. The Packers outgained the Bears offensively, 367 to 224 yards, but the Bears capitalized on the Packers' mistakes.
The health of Jordan Love will be closely monitored ahead of their playoff matchup with the Eagles, as the 7 vs. 2 seed. The Packers have the talent to compete against the best teams in the conference, but Love's health and performance will heavily influence the outcome. He finished the year with a 63% completion percentage, though some of his interceptions raised questions. The health of receiver Christian Watson will also be a critical factor.
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**Jets vs. Dolphins**
This Jets season may mark the last we've seen of Aaron Rodgers. It has been called the best season of his Hall of Fame career, filled with drama, sound bites, tensions, and upheaval. However, the Jets ended on a high note. Despite some early struggles, including an interception and ineffective play calls, the Jets rallied behind a historic night from Aaron Rodgers and defeated the Dolphins 32-20.
