As the season winds down, a handful of contenders are beginning to separate themselves from the pretenders at the top of the playoff race in their respective conferences. Elsewhere, the chasing pack is gaining ground, and as the battle for the AFC and NFC wild-card spots heats up, there are multiple scenarios that could unfold in the final four weeks.
Read on as we look at some of the key takeaways of Week 14 of the NFL. We’ll analyze some of the results and discuss the latest NFL news, injury reports, and updated NFL odds.
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NFL Week 13 Highlights & Lessons Learned
Eagles Clinch Division, Playoff Spot
Philadelphia’s incredible season reached a pivotal milestone in Week 14 as the Eagles became the first team to punch their playoff ticket by clinching the NFC East title on Sunday. Jalen Hurts and Co. didn’t mess around either, putting on a veritable clinic in the 48-22 evisceration of the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium.
The Eagles improved to a 12-1-0 record and an 8-5-0 against-the-spread (ATS) record. They are a few wins (or less) away from securing the No. 1 spot in the NFC and have a favorable schedule with which to pull off the feat. Their last four games see them visit the Chicago Bears and the Dallas Cowboys before returning home to welcome the New Orleans Saints and the Giants.
MVP Him! 🏆 @JalenHurts #ProBowlVote pic.twitter.com/k7m0hzi1vO
— Lane Johnson (@LaneJohnson65) December 13, 2022
Scoop on Free Play from the Locker Room
Minnesota Vikings Falter
The Vikings were one win away from wrapping up the NFC North title, but they stumbled rather spectacularly against the surging Detroit Lions (6-7-0), who are doing everything in order to muscle their way into the playoff frame down the stretch.
The Vikings (10-3-0) are the sure-fire bet to win the division title before all is said and done. Where they might have shot themselves in the foot, by taking the 34-23 loss against the Lions, is in the key battle for the No.1 seed. The Vikings were one of three teams that had a theoretical shot to challenge the presumptive favorites Philadelphia.
Brock Purdy Is Relevant
The so-called Mr. Irrelevant isn’t so irrelevant after all. On the contrary, nothing is more relevant than handing the undisputed Goat Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a veritable 35-7 spanking in your first-ever NFL start. Who would have thought it?
Although the San Francisco 49ers did go into the game as the firm home favorites, most believed their defense would carry them to victory. And they did. But not at the expense of rookie quarterback Brock Purdy, who was the last player selected in the 2022 NFL Draft. Purdy held his own. He punched well above his perceived weight class and threw down the gauntlet in unprecedented fashion.
On Thursday night, the Niners will take on the Seattle Seahawks in a pivotal game that could see them sew up the NFC West title.
Brock Purdy becomes the only QB to beat Tom Brady in his first career start 😮
16/21 Comp/Att
185 Pass Yards
3 Total TD
134 Passer RatingMr. Relevant 👏 @brockpurdy13 pic.twitter.com/AxHbOXpqM8
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 12, 2022
Bills Stay In Front
The Buffalo Bills (10-3-0) took a step closer to the AFC East title, beating the New York Jets 20-12 at Orchard Park under some of the most challenging conditions as sleet and snow pelted down on them. Later that day, they got a significant boost in the division standings when their closest rivals, the Miami Dolphins (8-5-0), were upset by the Los Angeles Chargers 23-17 on Sunday Night Football.
Chiefs One Win from Seventh AFC West Title in a Row
Patrick Mahomes overcame a roller-coaster performance to put the Kansas City Chiefs within reach of the AFC West title. The Chiefs could have wrapped it up on Sunday, but they needed a Chargers loss to close the deal.
As it is, it’s only delayed the inevitable as the Chiefs need one more win to rubber-stamp their impressive domination over the division in the Andy Reid era.
Jared Goff >>> Kirk Cousins pic.twitter.com/0NbHwkueZl
— Woodward Sports Network (@woodwardsports) December 11, 2022
Lions on Late-Season Surge
After going on a woeful 1-6 run at the start of the season, the Lions miraculously flipped the script and reeled off five wins in their last six games to improve to a 6-7-0 record and a healthy 8-5-0 ATS record.
The Lions are second in the NFC North and just on the fringe of the playoff picture. Their remarkable turnaround was sparked by the improved play of Jared Goff, who’s been lights out during this stretch. Indeed, after Jalen Hurts, Goff emerged as the second-best quarterback in the NFC since November.
However, the Lions have very little margin for error if they hope to clinch a playoff berth when the curtain on the regular season comes down. Their remaining four games are no walk in the park, with three dates on the road: at the Jets, at the Panthers, vs. the Bears, and at the Packers.
