| Dates: 7 September 2023 – 7 January 2024 |
| BBC protection: Hearken to dwell commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports activities Further and the BBC Sport web site each Sunday. |
The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs have been livid with a late penalty that noticed them lose to the Buffalo Payments, whereas the San Francisco 49ers rolled on with a fifth win in a row in week 14 of the NFL.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was incensed because the Tremendous Bowl champions noticed a late landing dominated out by the referees to slide to a fourth defeat in six.
The Philadelphia Eagles are additionally struggling after falling to consecutive defeats when being nicely crushed by the Dallas Cowboys, whereas the Baltimore Ravens grabbed a dramatic walk-off victory over the Los Angeles Rams in time beyond regulation.
There have been extra thrilling finishes as groups begin to line up for play-off locations, however not a lot in Las Vegas as only a single subject objective inside the ultimate two minutes noticed the Minnesota Vikings beat the Raiders within the lowest scoring sport for 16 years.
Late penalty ‘powerful to swallow’ as Chiefs lose once more
Travis Kelce’s second of magic regarded to have gained the sport for the Chiefs after he caught a Mahomes go then offloaded it to Kadarius Toney to attain with only a minute left, however a penalty flag noticed the landing dominated out.
Toney himself was penalised for standing offside earlier than the ball was snapped, and that left Arrowhead Stadium flat because the Payments held on for an intense, hard-fought 20-17 victory, impressed once more by Josh Allen, that retains their play-off hopes alive.
Offensive offside continues to be a uncommon name by officers even when there have been 11 penalties for it this season in contrast with simply three over the earlier two years, and it left a normally calm Mahomes incensed on the sideline and in his post-match interviews.
“Loss for phrases, man, it is powerful to swallow,” mentioned Mahomes. “I’ve performed seven years and by no means had offensive offside referred to as. One other sport, we’re speaking in regards to the refs. It isn’t what we would like for the NFL. It isn’t what we would like for soccer.”
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid added: “It is a bit embarrassing within the Nationwide Soccer League for that to happen. I have been within the league for a very long time, have not had one like that.”
It was Toney’s mistake although and added to but extra drops from Chiefs receivers as Kansas Metropolis misplaced consecutive video games for the primary time in two years to slide to 8-5. The AFC high seed is slipping away from the Chiefs, making it extra seemingly Mahomes will face a play-off sport on the street for the primary time in his profession.
San Francisco strike the entrance in three-way NFC title race
The 49ers sit on high of the NFC standings after beating the Seattle Seahawks 28-16 for a fifth win in a row – together with emphatic victories over Dallas and Philadelphia which give them the sting with all three now on 10-3 data.
San Francisco’s assault appears to be like essentially the most dynamic and full within the NFL proper now, with Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel equally as harmful as runners or receivers.
Samuel had 150 complete yards and scored a speeding and receiving landing, McCaffrey ran for 145 yards and Brandon Aiyuk added 126 within the air as quarterback Brock Purdy had a career-best 368 yards passing.
The Eagles are nonetheless struggling after once more being outplayed in a complete 33-13 defeat in Dallas that noticed the Cowboys go above them within the NFC East and cheer up their head coach Mike McCarthy – who had emergency appendix surgical procedure on Wednesday however was again on the sideline on Sunday.
Dak Prescott continued his facet’s red-hot scoring kind as these two outdated rivals will now go toe-to-toe for what might be essential play-off seedings – nevertheless it appears seemingly now that the NFC path to the Tremendous Bowl will run via San Francisco.
Ravens stun Rams with time beyond regulation walk-off win
The Ravens high the AFC standings, however solely due to back-up punt returner Tylan Wallace taking a kick in time beyond regulation all the best way for a landing to lastly see off the Rams 37-31 in Baltimore.
Quarterbacks Matthew Stafford and Lamar Jackson traded late touchdowns earlier than the Rams compelled time beyond regulation in an thrilling contest with a Lucas Havrisik subject objective – however Wallace produced a powerful twisting 76-yard run to ship the Ravens to 10-3.
In his first sport returning punts, Wallace turned simply the fourth participant to attain a walk-off landing return in time beyond regulation – however the second this season after Xavier Gipson did it for the New York Jets in week one.
Crowded play-off image & lowest scoring sport for 16 years
Trevor Lawrence threw three interceptions because the Jacksonville Jaguars misplaced 31-27 in Cleveland as former Tremendous Bowl winner Joe Flacco threw three touchdowns to place the Browns within the high wildcard spot within the AFC at 8-5.
Regardless of successive defeats, the Jags nonetheless high the AFC South after the Indianapolis Colts misplaced 34-14 on the Cincinnati Bengals and the Houston Texans have been crushed 30-6 by a rejuvenated Zach Wilson and the New York Jets.
The Denver Broncos joined the group of six groups jostling for place on 7-6 with a snug 24-7 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.
It is a good job the Detroit Lions have a wholesome NFC North lead after they suffered a shock 28-13 loss on the Chicago Bears, whereas a quirk of the NFL play-off system means the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 29-25 win over the Atlanta Falcons places them within the fourth seed spot as division leaders regardless of their 6-7 document.
The New Orleans Saints have been 28-6 winners over the Carolina Panthers whereas the Minnesota Vikings beat the Las Vegas Raiders 3-0 within the lowest scoring sport since 2007 – with solely a Greg Joseph subject objective stopping the primary 0-0 since 1943.
