Somebody’s received to win the AFC North and the NFC South, proper? Proper?
Properly, inform that to the Steelers, Panthers and Buccaneers, all of whom have had alternatives over the previous few weeks to both clinch or run away with the division title.
As a substitute, we head in the direction of Week 18 with these two divisions nonetheless up for grabs.
Let’s begin within the South. The Buccaneers began the season off scorching, rolling into November and their bye week with a 6-2 file. However since their Week 9 bye, the whole lot has gone downhill.
Baker Mayfield and the Bucs have gone 1-7, performed with out stars Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Bucky Irving for prolonged intervals of time, misplaced three consecutive divisional video games, and now get set for a must-win Week 18 recreation.
They’re additionally on a four-game shedding skid after falling to Quinn Ewers — a seventh-rounder making his second profession begin — and the Miami Dolphins in a mistake-filled recreation.
“I feel we received to erase that (recreation) from our heads as a result of now we have to get ourselves collectively earlier than we fear about Carolina or anybody else,” head coach Todd Bowles stated post-game. “We’re simply taking pictures ourselves within the foot at each probability.
“If we play and do the issues we did as we speak, subsequent week we can’t be going anyplace.”
At the very least Bowles acknowledges that their downfall has been their very own doing.
Tampa Bay’s solely win since its bye was in opposition to the 3-13 Cardinals, and its victory in opposition to the 49ers on Oct. 12 marks the final time it defeated an above .500 opponent.
Then there’s Bryce Younger and the Carolina Panthers, who might be on the alternative sideline subsequent Sunday and have alternated wins and losses since mid-October.
The Panthers defeated the Bucs simply final week, and now head to Tampa for the prospect to take the crown for the primary time since Cam Newton led them to the highest in 2015.
Carolina squandered its alternative to clinch the title on Sunday after an abysmal offensive exhibiting in opposition to the Seahawks, the place it totalled simply 139 yards — 40 of which have been via the air.
Within the AFC, there’s Mike Tomlin and his Steelers who’ve been allergic to nine- and 10-win seasons since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement.
Pittsburgh waltzed into Huntington Financial institution Subject with the AFC North title up for grabs, however appeared extra enthusiastic about stopping Myles Garrett from reaching the single-season sack file than really successful the sport.
The Steelers fell to the now four-win Browns 13-6 and can face off in opposition to the Ravens in Week 18 with out prime move catcher DK Metcalf and six-foot-seven, 311-pound tight finish Darnell Washington after he broke his arm.
With the fantasy season now over and most groups left with nothing to achieve, not less than these two divisional matchups will give soccer followers one thing to sit up for within the closing week of the common season.
Listed here are another takeaways from across the NFL in Week 17:
Nothing says you are on a heater like dropping 42 factors on prime time in opposition to one of many prime defences with out your star tight finish.
That is simply been the San Francisco 49ers this season — at all times capable of overcome accidents as they sit at 12-4 and have an opportunity to win the NFC subsequent week.
The 49ers have performed video games this season with out beginning quarterback Brock Purdy, WRs Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings, TE George Kittle, DE Nick Bosa and LB Fred Warner, amongst many extra.
However they carry on successful and proving they’re among the many NFC’s elite regardless of absences from star gamers.
With no Kittle on Sunday, the 49ers outlasted the Chicago Bears 42-38 in one of many extra entertaining video games of the 12 months. It was a real back-and-forth affair, tied at 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 — the primary time that is occurred in common season historical past.
The win units up an exciting Saturday night time matchup, the place the winner between San Francisco and Seattle will declare the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye within the NFC.
However, the Bears have been 4 yards away from a walk-off landing after clinching the NFC North earlier within the week.
Caleb Williams is wanting the half, tossing two lengthy TDs (35, 36 yards) throughout the span of about six minutes. The defence, which leads the league in takeaways, recorded a pick-six on the primary play of the sport.
However Purdy and Co. are a resilient bunch, and the Niners are the speak of the NFL city as they experience a six-game successful streak into 2026.
Giants throw away probability at No. 1 choose
As soon as once more, the New York Giants aborted the tank.
The Giants entered Sunday’s tilt in opposition to the lowly Raiders with an opportunity to safe the No. 1 choose in April’s draft. However Jaxson Dart and the G-Males had different plans, routing the Raiders 34-10 whereas handing them the keys to the highest choose.
New York’s win marks the second straight season during which it entered Week 17 with an opportunity to clinch the highest choice, however got here away with a win.
Final 12 months seems to have labored out nicely for the Giants, choosing Abdul Carter with the third choose earlier than taking QB Jaxson Dart — who seems to be to be the staff’s franchise man — twenty fifth general.
Will the draft gods favour the Giants as soon as once more after choking away the highest choose? We’ll see.
However let’s give credit score the place it is due, because the Giants entertained and saved followers from the bathroom bowl match because the lone 4:05 p.m. ET recreation.
In the meantime, Las Vegas now owns an 80 per cent probability for the No. 1 choose and can cement it with a loss to the Chiefs in Week 18.
AFC East runs via New England as soon as once more
For the primary time because the Tom Brady period, the New England Patriots are AFC East champions.
To not take something away from the New England’s dismantling of the New York Jets on Sunday, however Pats followers can ship some Completely happy New 12 months playing cards to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Patriots wanted a Buffalo loss to clinch the title as we speak, and the Eagles snuck by Josh Allen and the Payments after a failed two-point conversion with simply seconds left.
Allen has reigned supreme over the division since 2020, however now it is Drake Maye’s flip.
Maye tossed a career-high 5 touchdowns and solely two incompletions in lower than three quarters, cementing his squad as one of many prime seeds within the AFC and holding them within the race for the No. 1 spot.
An opportunity for a first-round bye heading into Week 18 was a long-shot thought getting into the season, even amongst Pats followers. But it surely’s been an incredible story in Foxborough, fully flipping the script following consecutive four-win campaigns.
However via all of the staff success lies potential particular person accolades, even when they solely have two Professional Bowlers.
Maye, a second-year QB, pushed himself nearer to MVP standing along with his efficiency, whereas head coach Mike Vrabel is the favorite for Coach of the 12 months in his first season on the helm in New England.
Tyler Shough is the person in The Massive Straightforward
4 wins in a row for the New Orleans Saints. Ought to we simply make them the NFC South champions?
Simply kidding, however the Saints are rolling and seem to have discovered their man below centre for the foreseeable future.
QB Tyler Shough is proving the doubters unsuitable, tossing for 333 yards and two scores on Sunday for his second straight 300-yard efficiency.
Since taking up because the starter, the 26-year-old rookie has thrown for 1,664 yards and 9 TDs, with an extra 152 yards and two scores on the bottom.
However most significantly, New Orleans is 5-3 when Shough begins.
Shough has confirmed that the offence — which has been with out Alvin Kamara since Week 12 — can perform at a excessive degree with out its star working again. Wideout Chris Olave has as soon as once more eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark, whereas TE Juwan Johnson has loved a profession season with bests in catches (74) and yards (828).
The Saints nonetheless have a methods to go earlier than reclaiming the division title, however with the development of Shough, the tradition first-year HC Kellen Moore has instilled and a wide-open division, New Orleans could also be kings of the South ahead of later.
Cardinals followers, hopefully you requested for 21 extra Trey McBrides for Christmas.
For those who did not, be grateful you’ve gotten one because the different 31 groups wished they did.
McBride separated himself from the remainder of the pack on Sunday, catching 10 passes to provide him 119 on the 12 months and eclipsing Zach Ertz (116 in 2018) for essentially the most receptions by a TE in a season.
The 26-year-old has been one of many few vivid spots in what’s been an abysmal season for an Arizona squad that is began virtually as many QBs because it has wins.
It feels virtually sure that McBride may have a brand new QB subsequent season, however the star TE has already proved that it does not matter who throws him the ball.
In a 2026 season that will not characteristic future Corridor of Famer Travis Kelce, McBride appears poised to hold the torch as the following nice tight finish.
