The Jacksonville Jaguars agonisingly missed out on the play-offs by shedding their final sport of the season, whereas the Inexperienced Bay Packers claimed a powerful victory of their must-win sport and the Buffalo Payments beat Miami within the massive conflict of the night time.
The ultimate Sunday of normal season motion noticed the Jaguars produce the most important stumble as their loss to the five-win Tennessee Titans opened the door for the Payments and Pittsburgh Steelers to clinch play-off spots.
After having their spot confirmed, Buffalo later beat the Dolphins in Miami to say the second seed within the AFC and two doable house play-off video games.
There have been no nice surprises within the NFC, because the spectacular Packers and battling Tampa Bay Buccaneers claimed the ultimate two spots obtainable to set-up two vastly intriguing wildcard video games subsequent weekend.
Exterior the play-offs, Invoice Belichick’s New England Patriots ended the worst season of his teaching profession in a colorless 17-3 defeat by the New York Jets – though the Atlanta Falcons beat them to the punch by firing Arthur Smith straight after their defeat by the New Orleans Saints.
In a while Monday, Scott Fitterer was sacked by the Carolina Panthers and Ron Rivera was dismissed by the Washington Commanders after they failed to achieve post-season.
All younger Packers want is Love
The Inexperienced Bay Packers turned the youngest crew to make the play-offs because the NFL started preserving data in 1978, due to a 17-9 victory over the Chicago Bears, with quarterback Jordan Love exhibiting precisely why the crew had been able to lose Aaron Rodgers.
4-time MVP Rodgers did not get the Packers over the road within the last sport of final season, however Love made no mistake at Lambeau Discipline to cap a advantageous finish to the marketing campaign after a 2-5 begin and make it 10 wins in a row towards their oldest rivals.
Love ends his first season as a starter with 4,159 passing yards and 32 touchdowns – solely Patrick Mahomes and Kurt Warner have ever produced higher debut season numbers.
“I believe everybody knew what we had been able to,” stated Love. “All of the video games we misplaced had been shut video games that we knew there have been little issues we might repair that might put us over the hump to win these video games.”
Inexperienced Bay will go to former Packers coach Mike McCarthy and his Dallas crew in a mouth-watering wildcard spherical sport after Dak Prescott’s 4 touchdowns gave the Cowboys a 38-10 victory on the Washington Commanders and the NFC East title.
Stafford to return to Lions’ den
One of many highlights of wildcard weekend shall be Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford returning to Detroit because the Lions host a play-off sport for the primary time in 30 years.
Stafford spent 12 seasons in Detroit earlier than becoming a member of the Rams in 2021 and profitable the Tremendous Bowl that season – with Jared Goff going the opposite method and main the Lions to a uncommon post-season berth.
“I do know it is going to be rocking there,” stated Stafford. “Have not had a play-off sport there for about 30 years or no matter it’s, so it will be a terrific ambiance. It will be a tricky job for us, however [I’m] undoubtedly excited.”
There’s nothing uncommon concerning the Tampa Bay Buccaneers being within the play-offs as they battled to an unpleasant 9-0 win over the Carolina Panthers to win the NFC South for a 3rd straight season – they usually’ll fancy their probabilities as they host the faltering Philadelphia Eagles.
From the very best crew within the league at 10-1, the Eagles have collapsed down the stretch and their 27-10 loss on the New York Giants was their fifth of their closing six video games.
Final yr’s overwhelmed Tremendous Bowl facet maintain the doubtful honour of being simply the third crew to complete 1-5 and nonetheless make the play-offs, however they’re limping into a visit to Tampa Bay and have an enormous damage fear over quarterback Jalen Hurts, who broken the center finger on his throwing hand.
NFC wildcard fixtures & schedule (All instances GMT)
(1) San Francisco 49ers (first spherical bye)
(7) Inexperienced Bay Packers at (2) Dallas Cowboys (21:30 Sunday)
(6) Los Angeles Rams at (3) Detroit Lions (01:00 Monday)
(5) Philadelphia Eagles at (4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (01:15 Tuesday)
Jaguars fall on the last hurdle
Over within the AFC, the Jacksonville Jaguars suffered the most important disappointment of the day as they misplaced 28-20 on the Tennessee Titans, who entered the sport with simply 5 wins and nothing to play for.
A win would have given the Jags the AFC South title, however quarterback Trevor Lawrence summed up their season when he was stopped inches wanting the objective line within the fourth quarter as Jacksonville noticed their promising season finish with a whimper.
Jacksonville had been in command of the division when 8-3, however misplaced 5 of their final six at hand the division to the Houston Texans – who beat the Indianapolis Colts 23-19 on Saturday night time – and a house play-off sport towards the Cleveland Browns.
Which means rookie quarterback CJ Stroud will get into the play-offs in his debut season, the place he’ll face 38-year-old former Tremendous Bowl winner Joe Flacco – who was and not using a crew just a few months in the past however got here off the sofa to grow to be the fourth beginning quarterback of the season for the Browns.
Payments claims second seed with Miami win
The Buffalo Payments struggled for giant components of the season however have completed sturdy – with their 21-14 victory on the Miami Dolphins their fifth straight win as they claimed the AFC East title and essential second seed.
Very similar to their total season, the Payments struggled for lots of the sport in Miami, with drops, errors and Josh Allen turnovers wanting like costing them till two fourth-quarter touchdowns noticed them win their division for the fourth yr operating.
Crucially meaning the Payments will play at house in subsequent week’s wildcard spherical as they host the Pittsburgh Steelers, whereas the Dolphins must journey to Arrowhead to face the defending champions the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.
AFC wildcard fixtures & schedule (All instances GMT)
(1) Baltimore Ravens (first spherical bye)
(7) Pittsburgh Steelers at (2) Buffalo Payments (18:00 Sunday)
(6) Miami Dolphins at (3) Kansas Metropolis Chiefs (01:00 Sunday)
(5) Cleveland Browns at (4.) Houston Texans (21:30 Saturday)