Division Leaders and Streaks
In the AFC, the Jacksonville Jaguars (14-3) finished strong with a three-game winning streak, capping off their dominance of the AFC South. The Miami Dolphins (12-5), despite leading the AFC East, stumbled at the finish line with two consecutive losses. Meanwhile, in the AFC North, the Baltimore Ravens (11-6) surged into the playoffs on a two-game winning streak, while the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals both ended their seasons with back-to-back losses.
Over in the NFC, the Seattle Seahawks (16-1) continued their five-game winning streak, finishing the season as the most dominant team. The Dallas Cowboys (15-2) also finished on a high note, winning their last two games. The Minnesota Vikings, on the other hand, had the worst form in the league, ending the season on an eight-game losing streak.

Close Games and Nail-Biters
Several matchups came down to the wire. The New York Jets edged out the New England Patriots 20-17 in overtime, thanks to a clutch field goal by Greg Zuerlein. The Dallas Cowboys narrowly escaped with a 31-29 win over Washington, relying on Brandon Aubrey’s last-second kick. Kansas City and Los Angeles AFC played a thriller, but the Chargers held on for a 27-24 victory.
Division Leader Wins and Losses
Among the dominant teams, the Jacksonville Jaguars continued their roll, handling the Tennessee Titans 30-16 behind a standout performance from Evan Engram. The Seattle Seahawks comfortably defeated Arizona 33-13, capping off their remarkable season.
Meanwhile, some division leaders suffered setbacks. The San Francisco 49ers fell to the Los Angeles Rams 41-31, as Matthew Stafford torched their defense with five touchdown passes. The Miami Dolphins, already on a losing streak, suffered a humiliating 75-17 defeat to Buffalo, with Josh Allen throwing for a staggering 605 yards and nine touchdowns.
Blowouts and Dominant Performances
The Detroit Lions delivered a crushing 30-0 shutout against the Minnesota Vikings, completely stifling their offense. Buffalo’s 75-17 thrashing of Miami was perhaps the most lopsided result of the week, marking a historic collapse for the Dolphins.
In summary, the final week of the season featured thrilling finishes, major upsets, and dominant displays from the league’s best teams. The playoffs promise to bring even more excitement, as hot teams like the Seahawks, Cowboys, and Jaguars aim to continue their momentum, while teams like the Dolphins look to recover from a rough end to the regular season.
Division Leaders: Rising and Falling
The Seattle Seahawks (16-1) ended their dominant season on a high, finishing with a five-game winning streak after a convincing 33-13 victory over Arizona. Their balanced offense and suffocating defense proved why they are the team to beat in the NFC. The Dallas Cowboys (15-2) also looked playoff-ready, securing their second straight win with a 31-29 thriller over Washington.
In the AFC, the Jacksonville Jaguars (14-3) continued their impressive form, closing the season on a three-game winning streak after a 30-16 win over Tennessee. The Jaguars’ offense looked sharp, and they will enter the playoffs as one of the most in-form teams in the league. The Baltimore Ravens (11-6) ended strong with a 49-36 shootout win over Pittsburgh, ensuring they carried momentum into the postseason.
Not all division leaders finished the season on a high note. The Miami Dolphins (12-5), who had led the AFC East for most of the season, faltered down the stretch, losing their final two games, including an embarrassing 75-17 defeat to Buffalo. The San Francisco 49ers (13-4) also stumbled in the final week, dropping a 41-31 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, with their defense struggling to contain Matthew Stafford’s five-touchdown performance.
Perhaps the biggest collapse of the season belonged to the Minnesota Vikings (4-13), who ended their year on a disastrous eight-game losing streak. Their woes culminated in a 30-0 shutout loss to the Detroit Lions, a humiliating finish for a team that had once shown promise.
Thrilling Close Games
Several matchups went down to the wire, making for a dramatic final week.
- The Dallas Cowboys edged Washington 31-29, winning on a last-second field goal from Brandon Aubrey. The Commanders had taken the lead late in the fourth quarter, but the Cowboys’ offense responded just in time.
- The New York Jets outlasted the New England Patriots 20-17 in overtime, sealing the victory with a clutch field goal from Greg Zuerlein. Running back Breece Hall was the hero, racking up 122 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
- In another divisional battle, the Los Angeles Chargers barely held on to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs 27-24. The Chargers controlled the ground game with Austin Ekeler’s 120 rushing yards, but Patrick Mahomes nearly led a comeback before falling short in the final minutes.
- The Green Bay Packers secured a 20-17 win over the Chicago Bears, clinching victory in the fourth quarter with a Jordan Love touchdown pass.
Lopsided Blowouts
While some games were nail-biters, others were outright demolitions.
The Buffalo Bills delivered the most jaw-dropping performance of the week, annihilating the Miami Dolphins 75-17. Josh Allen put up one of the most remarkable stat lines in history, throwing for 605 yards and nine touchdowns as the Bills dominated in every phase of the game. The Dolphins’ once-promising season took a nosedive, and they enter the playoffs with serious concerns.
The Detroit Lions crushed the Minnesota Vikings 30-0, completely dismantling their offense. Jared Goff threw three touchdowns, and the defense suffocated the Vikings all game long, forcing multiple turnovers.
The Baltimore Ravens outscored Pittsburgh 49-36 in a game that saw seven lead changes before the Ravens exploded for 25 fourth-quarter points. Lamar Jackson was in top form, leading Baltimore’s offense in both the air and on the ground.
Division Rivalries and Playoff Shakeups
Division matchups dominated the week, with several teams securing their spots in the playoffs or dashing their rivals’ hopes.
- The Jacksonville Jaguars proved why they are the kings of the AFC South by defeating the Tennessee Titans 30-16. C.J. Beathard threw for 288 yards, and Evan Engram had a monster game with 121 receiving yards.
- The Cleveland Browns secured a 24-12 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, dominating the ground game and controlling the clock. Jerome Ford’s 72 rushing yards helped the Browns wear down Cincinnati’s defense.
- The Atlanta Falcons upset the New Orleans Saints 24-19, finishing their season on a positive note with a strong defensive effort.
Looking Ahead to the Playoffs
With the regular season now over, the focus shifts to the playoffs.
- The Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys enter the postseason as the two most in-form NFC teams, while the San Francisco 49ers look to recover after a rough loss.
- In the AFC, the Jacksonville Jaguars and Baltimore Ravens finished hot, while Buffalo’s explosive offense makes them a dangerous threat heading into the playoffs.
- The Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings stumble into the offseason with major question marks, after ending the season on brutal losing streaks.
This final week brought a thrilling end to the regular season, setting the stage for what promises to be an action-packed playoff run.
Final Playoff Picture
AFC:
1. Jacksonville 14-3
2. Miami 12-5
3. Baltimore 11-6
4. LA Chargers 10-7 (Better record vs. common opponents 8-4 vs. KC 7-5)
5. Houston 11-6
6. Kansas CIty 10-7 (Better Conf Record 8-4 vs. Buf/Cle both 7-5)
7. Buffalo 10-7 (Better record vs. common opponents 3-2 vs. Cle 2-3)
NFC:
1. Seattle 16-1
2. Dallas 15-2
3. Detroit 12-5
4. New Orleans 11-6
5. San Francisco 13-4
6. Green Bay 11-5-1
7. Atlanta 10-7
Hard Luck Bracket
The Cleveland Browns will unfortunately miss this year’s playoffs, despite a strong 10-7 record. While they tied the Chiefs and Bills with 10 wins, the Browns were knocked out of playoff contention because the Chiefs had a better Conference Record, and the Bills had a better record vs. common opponents. Great season Dan, sorry to see that you weren’t able to jump into the playoffs – you deserve it taking your team to a double-digit winning record.
Top Performers
Quarterbacks
- Josh Allen (Buffalo) – 605 passing yards, 9 touchdowns, 37 completions on 53 attempts (MVP performance in Buffalo’s 75-17 rout of Miami).
- Matthew Stafford (Los Angeles NFC) – 269 passing yards, 5 touchdowns, 28 completions on 45 attempts (Led Rams to a 41-31 win over San Francisco).
- Mason Rudolph (Pittsburgh) – 359 passing yards, 4 touchdowns (Despite his efforts, Pittsburgh fell to Baltimore).
- Sam Howell (Washington) – 373 passing yards, 2 touchdowns (Nearly led Washington to an upset over Dallas).
- C.J. Beathard (Jacksonville) – 288 passing yards, 28 completions (Helped Jacksonville secure a 30-16 win over Tennessee).
Wide Receivers & Tight Ends
- Stefon Diggs (Buffalo) – 272 receiving yards, 9 receptions, 1 touchdown (Key target in Buffalo’s massive victory).
- Puka Nacua (Los Angeles NFC) – 4 receiving touchdowns, 10 receptions (Big-time playmaker in the Rams’ win).
- George Pickens (Pittsburgh) – 166 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns (Standout in Pittsburgh’s loss to Baltimore).
- Evan Engram (Jacksonville) – 121 receiving yards, 12 receptions, 1 touchdown (Crucial for Jacksonville’s offense).
- James Cook (Buffalo) – 15 receptions, 154 receiving yards, 3 touchdowns (Dual-threat weapon for Buffalo).
Running Backs
- Christian McCaffrey (San Francisco) – 233 rushing yards, 29 carries (Dominated the ground game despite a team loss).
- Derrick Henry (Tennessee) – 196 rushing yards, 29 carries (Strong performance in a losing effort).
- Josh Jacobs (Las Vegas) – 142 rushing yards, 20 carries, 1 touchdown (Helped Las Vegas secure a win over Denver).
- Breece Hall (New York AFC) – 122 rushing yards, 2 touchdowns (Led the Jets to a 20-17 OT win over New England).
- Kenneth Walker III (Seattle) – 2 touchdowns, 11 receptions (Major impact in Seattle’s win over Arizona).
Special Teams
- Kicking Leaders:
- Brandon Aubrey (Dallas) – 17 points (5 field goals, 2 extra points).
- Tyler Bass (Buffalo) – 15 points (helped Buffalo pile on 75 points against Miami).
- Jake Elliott (Philadelphia) – 14 points (including a 57-yard field goal).
- Punting Leaders:
- Michael Dickson (Seattle) – 64.0-yard average.
- Corey Bojorquez (Cleveland) – 63.0-yard average.
Defensive Standouts
- Maxx Crosby (Las Vegas) – 4 sacks (Dominant pass-rusher in Raiders’ win over Denver).
- Frankie Luvu (Carolina) – 19 tackles (Defensive workhorse in a tough loss).
- Aidan Hutchinson (Detroit) – 3 sacks (Key to Detroit’s 30-0 shutout of Minnesota).
- Denzel Ward (Cleveland) – 2 interceptions (Helped Cleveland defeat Cincinnati).
- Israel Mukuamu (Dallas) – 2 interceptions (Played a big role in Dallas’ close win over Washington).
These performances shaped a thrilling final week of the regular season, with playoff-bound teams looking to carry this momentum into the postseason.