NFL Week 17: Biggest Takeaways and Playoff Implications from Sunday's Games
In Week 17, a couple of quarterbacks led their teams in playoff-clinching scenarios. One of them already has a strong legacy, and the other gained some respect.
In the NFC, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Giants punched their tickets to the postseason. Bleacher Report analyst Gary Davenport took a deep dive into Daniel Jones' role in Big Blue's 38-10 win over the Indianapolis Colts. We'll take a peek at what's ahead for the fourth-year signal-caller.
But first, we must start with Tom Brady and the Buccaneers, who proved you cannot bet against them in crucial moments. As the home team for a wild-card game, Tampa Bay will be a tough matchup for any opponent.
On the other side of the quarterback performance spectrum, the Philadelphia Eagles need their starter back on the field as soon as possible. Also, Carson Wentz had a chance to help his team hold on to a playoff spot but squandered an opportunity to show why he's still an NFL starter.
Let's untangle some playoff scenarios and go through the biggest takeaways from Sunday's games.
Packers Will Face Tough Challenge in Division Rival for a Playoff Spot
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The Green Bay Packers still need a win to clinch a postseason berth, but they performed at a playoff level in a 41-17 victory over the Minnesota Vikings.
Among NFC teams still in the hunt for the final wild-card spot, the Packers control their future. They must beat the Detroit Lions to extend their campaign. They would leapfrog the Seattle Seahawks because of a better conference record. If Green Bay loses, Seattle will claim the playoff spot with a victory. The Lions need a win and a Seahawks loss to earn the No. 7 seed.
Green Bay has won four consecutive games, though the club will face a squad that has won seven of its last nine. Moreover, the Lions had a decisive Week 17 win as well, knocking off the Chicago Bears 41-10.
With that said, the Packers dominated a playoff team, and their defense has forced eight turnovers over the last two weeks. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers hasn't had to do the heavy lifting during the winning streak because of an effective ground attack that has racked up an average of 138.8 yards.
Like Green Bay, Detroit can rack up points and force turnovers. Going into Sunday's contests, the Lions fielded the fifth-ranked scoring offense. They've registered a takeaway in all but two games this season. Though Detroit needs help to sneak into the postseason, it is good enough to keep Green Bay out.
All Eyes on AFC East in Battle for Final Wild-Card Spot
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Though the Pittsburgh Steelers remain in the hunt for an AFC playoff spot, the New England Patriots have a win-and-in scenario for their Week 18 matchup with the Buffalo Bills. If they lose, the Miami Dolphins will slide into the No. 7 slot with a win. In the event that both teams go down in defeat, the Steelers would clinch a spot if they win out.
Taking all that into account, the AFC East will shape the bottom of the playoff bracket. Remember, the Bills will have to play out the season for the No. 1 seed whether they win, lose or tie with the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday. With that in mind, the Patriots will face a top team with something to play for next week, so the Dolphins have a real shot to clinch a playoff berth with help from a division rival.
The New York Jets fell out of playoff contention with a 23-6 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, but they can play spoiler and beat a Dolphins team with question marks at quarterback.
On Sunday, Miami lost Teddy Bridgewater (broken finger), and Tua Tagovailoa is in the concussion protocol. Rookie seventh-rounder Skylar Thompson may have to step in against Gang Green as he did in a 40-17 Week 5 loss at MetLife Stadium.
If the Steelers beat the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night, they will root for the two AFC New York football teams next week.
Raiders QB Jarrett Stidham Has Decent Audition in First Career Start
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This week, the Las Vegas Raiders decided to bench quarterback Derek Carr as they seek a trade partner for him, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
In the meantime, the Raiders will take a good look at Jarrett Stidham, who made his first NFL start in a matchup against the San Francisco 49ers' No. 1-ranked defense in points and yards allowed. He finished 23-of-34 passing for 365 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions.
The 49ers adjusted after Stidham had an impressive first half, but he made the best of a tough situation and nearly led the Silver and Black to an upset victory. San Francisco won 37-34 in overtime, capitalizing on an interception.
Nonetheless, for a quarterback who had thrown 61 passes in four seasons, Stidham held his own against arguably the league's best defense, which features one Pro Bowl player on all three levels. He'll likely have another opportunity to showcase himself in a Week 18 matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs, who went into Sunday's games with the 20th-ranked pass defense and had allowed the most scores through the air (31).
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Tom Brady Turns Back the Clock in Time for Playoff Action
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This season, the Buccaneers offense has looked out of sorts, going into Week 17 listed 27th in scoring, which was down from its top-three rank from the previous three years. Heading into Sunday's contest with the Carolina Panthers, Tom Brady had thrown for 21 touchdowns against nine interceptions.
Brady picked a good time to have his best game of the season. With the NFC South title at stake, he threw for a season-high 432 yards and three touchdowns, logging his highest passer rating (127.3) of the campaign.
Brady and wide receiver Mike Evans haven't been in sync over the past two months. Before Week 17, the four-time Pro Bowler had eclipsed 59 receiving yards in a game once since Week 8. Against the Panthers, he registered season highs in catches (10), receiving yards (207) and touchdowns (three).
Based on what we saw in 2020 and 2021, many of us expected the Buccaneers offense to perform at a high level, but the unit has executed well exclusively late in games to complete comebacks. On Sunday, Tampa Bay trailed 21-10 early in the fourth quarter before scoring 20 unanswered points.
Now in the playoffs, the Buccaneers seem like one of the most dangerous wild-card teams in the field despite their 8-8 record. If Brady and Co. have indeed turned the corner, they will give the No. 5 seed everything it can handle in two weeks.
Daniel Jones Can Solidify Long-Term Future with the Giants
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After a solid rookie season and two underwhelming campaigns, Daniel Jones came into the 2022 term as a low-end starter.
Giants head coach Brian Daboll and offensive play-caller Mike Kafka, however, have reinvented Jones, who is more of a playmaker who can beat defenses with precision passing and his legs. Going into Week 17, he had career highs of a 66.5 completion percentage, 617 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns.
In a 38-10 win over the Colts, Jones had his first four-touchdown game of the season, throwing for two and rushing for a couple.
As a result of the victory, Big Blue clinched a playoff berth, which will allow Jones to showcase himself in a high-stakes setting. He can take advantage of that opportunity and solidify a future with the team.
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Giants want Jones back for the "2023 and beyond." Keep in mind that he has an expiring rookie contract. With a quality postseason performance, Jones could command a higher price tag while securing a starting job with New York.
Carson Wentz Will Be a Backup QB for the Foreseeable Future
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In consecutive years, Carson Wentz has played poorly down the stretch, which has cost the Colts and Washington Commanders playoff spots.
Last year, the Colts went into Week 17 with a 9-6 record and lost their final two contests. In those outings, Wentz completed fewer than 60 percent of his passes and racked up fewer than 186 yards through the air. He threw for two touchdowns with one interception.
The Commanders came into Sunday as the No. 7 seed in the NFC, and they chose to start Wentz over Taylor Heinicke. He threw for 143 yards with three interceptions and a 57.1 percent completion rate and rushed for a one-yard touchdown in a 24-10 loss.
This offseason, Washington acquired Wentz from Indianapolis and started him in Week 1. He suffered a finger injury and underwent surgery, which allowed Heinicke to take over.
Over the past few weeks, the offense sputtered, and the team lost two outings following its bye week before the coaching staff reinserted Wentz. He's 2-5 compared to Heinicke's 5-3-1 record.
Because of Wentz's subpar finishes to the last two terms, he may have to settle for a backup role going forward. He's under contract for two more years, but the Commanders can release him and save $26.2 million, per Over the Cap.
Eagles QB Jalen Hurts Should Get Significant Playing Time in Week 18
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Gardner Minshew's inability to take care of the football has hurt the Eagles in the last two games. He's a significant downgrade from Jalen Hurts, who also brings a lot more to the club's No. 4-ranked running game.
In Week 16, against the Dallas Cowboys, Minshew turned the ball over three times (two interceptions and a lost fumble). On Sunday, he fumbled twice but maintained those possessions. Unfortunately for Philadelphia, the fourth-year signal-caller threw a pick-six in the final quarter, and the New Orleans Saints earned a 20-10 victory.
Because of the Eagles' back-to-back losses, they have to play out the season to finish with the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Next week, Philadelphia will host the Giants, who are locked in to the No. 6 seed. Nonetheless, the Eagles shouldn't sleep on Big Blue.
If New York plays its starters, Philadelphia will have to work to win the game.
On top of that, head coach Nick Sirianni and his staff should want to see Hurts on the field, especially if the team gets a bye week before its first postseason action. He hasn't played since Dec. 18, which means he would have about a month between games if the Eagles clinch home-field advantage.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Hurts "is expected to be available" for Week 18. If he is, the Eagles should allow him to knock off some rust.
Jaguars Are Primed to Claim the AFC South Title
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The Jacksonville Jaguars blew out the Houston Texans 31-3, but that's not the story. They've won four in a row and look head and shoulders better than their division rivals.
The Texans (2-13-1) and Indianapolis Colts (4-11-1) have two of the NFL's five worst records. The Tennessee Titans have lost six consecutive games, and they have a quarterback quandary.
The Titans placed Ryan Tannehill on injured reserve after he underwent ankle surgery. On Thursday, in a 27-13 loss to the Cowboys, they started Joshua Dobbs over rookie third-rounder Malik Willis, whom they benched, per Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky.
Tennessee's decision to experiment with Dobbs leads to question marks at the most important position before a win-and-in game with Jacksonville in Week 18.
The Jaguars have shown they can beat teams through the air with quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who has hit his stride over the past two months. Even though he hasn't thrown a touchdown pass in two weeks, Jacksonville beat its last two opponents by a combined score of 50-6 because of an effective running game and stout defense.
Based on the stark difference in momentum between Jacksonville and Tennessee, the Jaguars seem like the clear favorites to win next week's matchup for the AFC South title.
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