At the conclusion of the league’s second to last week, fans are still left wondering what the playoff picture will look like. Both of the top spots in each conference have been claimed, but plenty of room is still open for those teams on the cusp of postseason hopes. As the season transitions into 2024, the true excitement is only just beginning.
Here is everything that went down during week seventeen of the NFL:
Thursday Night Football
New York Jets 20 – Cleveland Browns 37
The triumphant return of quarterback Joe Flacco continued Thursday night after he tossed multiple touchdowns for a fifth straight week. Flacco tossed an interception for Cleveland just before halftime which led to a Jets’ touchdown, but played stellar otherwise. He found running back Jerome Ford in the end zone twice and also tossed a touchdown to wide receiver Elijah Moore. To put the cherry on top, Flacco threw over 300 yards in helping the Browns secure a playoff spot for the first time in three seasons.
The Browns also earned a touchdown by returning an interception, which was thrown by Jets’ quarterback Trevor Siemian. The game saw three turnovers on fumbles, two of which came from Cleveland. Its win was made possible not only through the efforts of Flacco but by earning more first downs and less penalties. The Jets have been eliminated from the playoffs while the Browns will play the Bengals next week to decide their playoff opponent.
Saturday Night Football
Detroit Lions 19 – Dallas Cowboys 20
A gusty last minute decision for the Lions ended in failure and saw the Cowboys beating them for the sixth time straight. Each team had two turnovers as Dallas committed a fumble and interception, while Lions’ quarterback Jared Goff tossed two interceptions. He failed to throw a touchdown until his team’s final drive, which brought it within one point of the Cowboys. Instead of kicking an extra point, the Lions decided to go for the win with a two point conversion. This did not pay off as Goff’s pass to tight end James Mitchell was incomplete. Cowboys’ quarterback Dak Prescott threw his interception on the team’s first drive but played well throughout the game.
He completed two touchdown passes and threw over 300 yards for the first time in five weeks. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb shined for Dallas, as he caught a touchdown and earned a season high 227 receiving yards. Detroit held the ball just over a minute longer than Dallas, and earned more first downs and yards. It had the chance to send the game to overtime but had its mind on victory instead, which resulted in the opposite. The Lions have already won their division and are not hurt too bad by the loss. The Cowboys have yet to win their division and a win against Washington next weekend will be mandatory to do so.
Sunday
Miami Dolphins 19 – Baltimore Ravens 56
The number one spot in the AFC was claimed by Baltimore after the top two teams in the conference battled it out. A win came in convincing fashion for the Ravens after they scored 28 points in each half. Quarterback Lamar Jackson threw an impressive five touchdown passes for Baltimore who was trailing until the second quarter. He also completed 18 of 21 attempts as he continued to lead the MVP candidacy. A touchdown pass was also thrown for Baltimore by backup quarterback Tyler Huntley.
The Dolphins only managed to score six points in the second half after seeing a touchdown and two field goals in the first. Their quarterback Tua Tagovailoa tossed two touchdowns but also two interceptions, while Dolphins’ backup quarterback Mike White fumbled the ball. Despite the large deficit in scoring, Miami earned only four less first downs than Baltimore while completing more fourth down attempts. The Dolphins also completed more third downs; however, the Ravens were only forced to attempt seven throughout the game. Next week will see Baltimore face off against Pittsburgh before it will have the first week of the postseason to rest.
New England Patriots 21 – Buffalo Bills 27
After its season looked in jeopardy back in late November, Buffalo completed its fourth win in a row during its trek towards playoffs. Its victory was guided by three interceptions from Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe who also failed to throw a touchdown. The game opened with a 98 yard kickoff return from Patriots’ wide receiver Jalen Reagor, which gave New England its only lead of the game. The remainder of its scoring was earned by two rushing touchdowns, one from Zappe and the other from running back Ezekiel Elliot.
Bills’ quarterback Josh Allen also failed to throw a touchdown and tossed an interception instead. He earned two rushing touchdowns while Zappe’s third interception was returned by Bills cornerback Rasul Douglas for a touchdown. Two field goals were completed by Bills’ kicker Tyler Bass, while Patriots’ kicker Chad Ryland missed his only attempt. Neither team attempted a fourth down while the Bills win may have been made possible with their five minutes more of possession. They still have yet to completely lock in a playoff spot and will need to defeat Miami next week to do so.
Atlanta Falcons 17 – Chicago Bears 37
Despite earning the number one draft pick for next year, Bears’ fans may want to hold on to their quarterback a little longer after Sunday’s performance. Justin Fields has picked up the pace immensely for Chicago after winning four of his last five starts. He tossed a touchdown and 268 yards against Atlanta while also completing a rushing touchdown. Two more Bears earned rushing touchdowns while their kicker Cairo Santos knocked back three of his four field goal attempts. Chicago’s victory was made easy after Falcons’ quarterback Taylor Heinicke tossed three interceptions. Quarterback Desmond Ridder also threw an interception after replacing Heinicke.
A passing and rushing touchdown were earned by Heinicke but his past blunders cost his team the game and possibly the playoffs. Seven more first downs were earned by the Bears, while they also held the ball nearly 15 minutes longer than Atlanta. The Falcons remain in the playoff hunt while the Bears have been eliminated, but a win must fuel future hope for Chicago. If Atlanta defeats the Saints next week and the Buccaneers lose to the Panthers, it will be handed a playoff spot.
Las Vegas Raiders 20 – Indianapolis Colts 23
The Colts’ playoff hopes were kept alive after a third victory in four games over the Raiders. The Colts led the entire time in a game which saw zero turnovers from each side. Quarterback Aidan O’Connell played well for Las Vegas, throwing two touchdown passes and 299 passing yards. He found wide receiver Davante Adams at the end of both passes, who finished the game with 126 receiving yards. The duo’s second touchdown came with 45 seconds remaining, allowing the Colts to wind down the remainder of the clock for a victory.
Indianapolis quarterback Gardner Minshew completed 15 of 23 attempts and threw a touchdown in the second quarter. Each team’s kicker had a perfect day with Daniel Carlson completing two field goals and extra points for the Raiders, and Matt Gay knocking back three field goals and two extra points for Indianapolis. Both sides completed all fourth down attempts taken, while the Raiders earned 10 more first downs despite losing. Colts’ fans will hope for a Jacksonville loss next week. They will also need their team to win in order to see the playoffs come true.
Carolina Panthers 0 – Jacksonville Jaguars 26
A much needed win was earned by the Jaguars against the Panthers after they had lost four games straight. Jacksonville has yet to secure itself a playoff spot, but allowed only seven first downs to its opponents. The Panthers were only able to muster 124 offensive yards on top of the measly amount of first downs. It completed only one of its 13 third down attempts, but half of its six tries on fourth down. Quarterback Bryce Young failed to throw a touchdown and tossed an interception on the teams’ last drive.
As for the Jaguars, they played without starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence but were not harmed in doing so. C.J. Beathard got the start at quarterback and threw 178 yards while completing 17 of 24 pass attempts. Jaguars’ running back Travis Etienne earned two rushing touchdowns while kicker Brandon McManus completed all four of his field goal attempts. A win for Jacksonville is crucial next week, as a victory for either Houston or Indianapolis in their game could spell elimination for the Jaguars.
Tennessee Titans 3 – Houston Texans 26
For the second time in three weeks the Texans defeated the Titans, allowing themselves to stay in the playoff picture. The only scoring allowed by the Texans was a field goal from Titans’ kicker Nick Folk in the second quarter. Quarterback Will Levis fumbled and lost the ball for Tennessee which led to a touchdown return for Texans’ defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins. Levis was forced to exit the game early due to an injury on the same play. He was replaced by Ryan Tannehill who completed 16 of 20 pass attempts and threw 168 yards.
Meanwhile, Texans’ quarterback C.J. Stroud tallied 213 passing yards and a touchdown, while their kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn scored all four of his field goal attempts. The Titans earned 11 first downs to Houston’s 20 and completed only one third down on 12 attempts. Houston will be hoping for a Jacksonville loss just as much as its opponents next weekend. It plays Indianapolis, who it will need to defeat in order to make the postseason.
Los Angeles Rams 26 – New York Giants 25
The Rams have turned their season around after concluding Sunday’s game with six wins in their last seven games. The Rams held the lead throughout the entire game but their largest lead was only 10 points. The game was made closer by three turnovers from Los Angeles, two of which led to Giants’ field goal drives. Quarterback Matthew Stafford threw a touchdown but two interceptions for the Rams while wide receiver Demarcus Robinson fumbled the ball. Running back Kyren Williams led his side to victory, scoring three rushing touchdowns for Los Angeles.
New York’s quarterback Tyrod Taylor earned 319 passing yards along with a touchdown pass and interception. The Giants’ final chance at victory began with wide receiver Gunner Olszewski completing a 94 yard punt return for a touchdown. As only three minutes remained, the team made a bold choice by going for two points instead of one. The play failed and resulted in a one point defeat for New York. It has lost to the Rams four times straight and picked up a third consecutive loss on the season. It has the chance to play spoiler to Philadelphia’s shot at a division title next week.
Arizona Cardinals 35 – Philadelphia Eagles 31
Not many fans expected the outcome of this game, which concluded in Philadelphia perhaps missing out on its division’s top spot. The Eagles had a 15 point lead at halftime after scoring three first half touchdowns, one of which included a 99 yard interception returned by safety Sydney Brown. That was the only turnover of the game for Arizona and nearly the only mistake for its quarterback Kyler Murray. He came to life in the second half, completing three passing touchdowns and finishing the game with 25 completions on 31 attempts. Arizona finished the game with 31 first downs and only allowed 17 to the Eagles.
Despite the Cardinals’ burst of energy, Philadelphia continued to stay strong, maintaining its lead. The advantage was not gained for Arizona until 36 seconds remained on the clock after a rushing touchdown from running back James Conner. The Eagles’ final drive concluded with an interception thrown by quarterback Jalen Hurts in the game’s dying seconds. Hurts finished the game with three passing touchdowns as well, and completed 18 of 23 attempts. All three fourth downs during the game were converted, while the Cardinals held the ball nearly 20 minutes longer. The Eagles will need to defeat the Giants next week in order to keep its division title hopes alive.
New Orleans Saints 23 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers 13
Each of these sides possess an even record after a result which puts the NFC South division title up for grabs. The Saints were able to hold the Buccaneers scoreless at halftime, while scoring two touchdowns and a field goal of their own. Both of those first half touchdowns were fired by Saints’ quarterback Derek Carr into the endzone who finished the game completing 24 of 32 attempts. The remainder of New Orleans’ scoring came from kicker Blake Grupe who scored all three of his field goal attempts. Tampa Bay scored all of its points in the final quarter and finished the game with four turnovers.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield completed two touchdown passes for Tampa Bay but also tossed two interceptions. The ball was also lost on fumbles from Buccaneers’ wide receiver Trey Palmer, and running back Rachaad White. Only two third downs were completed by Tampa Bay; however, it managed almost 30 more offensive yards than its opponents. One of these two teams will end up winning their division and it will depend on their performances next weekend. A win for each side will see the Buccaneers keeping the playoff spot that is currently theirs.
San Francisco 49ers 27 – Washington Commanders 10
The only scoring done by Washington came in the second quarter, where otherwise it looked helpless. It only trailed by three at halftime but allowed two 49ers’ touchdowns and committed two turnovers. Both of those were interceptions by Commanders’ quarterback Sam Howell who also finished the game with a passing touchdown. Washington was only able to manage 12 first downs, while the 49ers had no trouble completing 28 of its own.
Quarterback Brock Purdy excelled for San Francisco, completing two passing touchdowns and tossing 230 yards. The 49ers also dominated the game by holding the ball nearly 20 minutes longer than their opponents and earning almost 200 more offensive yards. Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk led the 49ers’ offense, catching a touchdown and earning 114 receiving yards. San Francisco will have the first weekend of the playoffs to rest after clinching the top spot in the NFC.
Pittsburgh Steelers 30 – Seattle Seahawks 23
Each of these teams currently sit on the brink of the playoffs after Sunday’s result. Seattle only led during four minutes of the game, as Pittsburgh had a majority of control. The winning quarterback Mason Rudolph failed to toss a touchdown for Pittsburgh but completed 18 of 24 pass attempts and 274 passing yards. Seahawks’ quarterback Geno Smith threw a touchdown pass to wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the second quarter to give his side its only lead.
Nearly half the game’s scoring came from its kickers. Chris Boswell made all three of his field goals and extra points for Pittsburgh while Jason Myers scored three field goals and two extra points for Seattle. The only turnover of the game was a fumble by Smith in the final quarter. The Steelers held the ball 15 minutes longer than Seattle. Each side must count on a win next week to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Cincinnati Bengals 17 – Kansas City Chiefs 25
After losing three of their last four matchups, the Chiefs were in dire need of a victory to secure their playoff spot once and for all. That victory came easy with the help of kicker Harrison Butker who scored all six of his field goal attempts. Butker scored a majority of his team’s points, while the rest were served with a first quarter touchdown pass from quarterback Patrick Mahomes. He finished the game with 245 passing yards, but lost the ball on a fumble in the second quarter. That turnover led to a touchdown drive for the Bengals led by quarterback Jake Browning.
A passing and rushing touchdown were earned by Browning during the game who completed 197 passing yards. Bengals’ kicker Evan McPherson was only given the opportunity to take one field goal, which he made. Cincinnati’s final drive concluded with a turnover on downs as just over a minute remained on the clock. Five more first downs were earned by the Bengals despite the loss as well as five more third downs. The Bengals have been eliminated from the playoffs while a division title has been secured for the Chiefs.
Los Angeles Chargers 9 – Denver Broncos 16
Despite the triumphant grit shown by the Broncos midseason, a win against the Chargers was not enough to earn a playoff spot. Denver entered Sunday’s game with two losses in a row, hurting its postseason chances big time. Quarterback Jarrett Stidham got the start for Denver and completed a touchdown pass along with 20 of 32 pass attempts. Broncos’ kicker Will Lutz earned a majority of his side’s points, scoring three of his four field goal attempts.
One less first down was earned by the winning Broncos who completed five more third downs than Los Angeles. All of the Chargers’ points were accumulated by kicker Cameron Dicker who also completed three of his four field goals. Their quarterback Easton Stick tossed 280 passing yards, but no touchdowns. The only turnover of the game came from Chargers’ running back Austin Ekeler who lost the ball during a fumble in the final quarter. Both of these sides only have one game remaining this season as the playoffs are hopeless.
Green Bay Packers 33 – Minnesota Vikings 10
The final game of 2023 saw the Packers take a temporary hold on the last playoff spot in the NFC. They led throughout the entire game and only allowed their opponents one touchdown and field goal. Quarterback Jordan Love played well for Green Bay tossing three touchdowns and 256 passing yards while completing a rushing touchdown. The remainder of his side’s points came from Packers’ kicker Anders Carlson who completed both of his field goal attempts. He also knocked back three extra points at the end of each touchdown.
As for Minnesota, quarterback Jaren Hall earned the start but was replaced after his first quarter interception. He was replaced by quarterback Nick Mullens who did not toss a touchdown until the final quarter. His side was held to 13 first downs throughout the game, while Green Bay earned nearly 260 more offensive yards. Neither team completed a fourth down out of three combined attempts and Green Bay held the ball 15 minutes longer. The home team did not get the result it wanted as the Vikings have been eliminated from the playoffs.
