Week 17 of the NFL regular season brought some of the most entertaining matchups of the year, as there were stunning results and photo finishes.
After 17 weeks, the AFC East still has just one team at the top of the division – the Miami Dolphins at 11-5.
Mike McDaniel’s team coming off of a victory over the Dallas Cowboys, traveled to Maryland where they took on the Baltimore Ravens. The first-seeded Ravens dismantled Miami’s defense, putting up 56 points with five touchdowns coming from Lamar Jackson’s arm. The Dolphins also turned the ball over three times, including two interceptions by Tua Tagovailoa that could’ve altered the course of the game.
The Buffalo Bills barely hung on for a 27-21 win over the New England Patriots despite Bill Belichick’s team committing four turnovers. Josh Allen was mediocre at best, completing just 50% of his passes for 169 yards and an interception. However, he did run well, scoring twice on the ground. Their victory earned them a one-game playoff with the Dolphins for the division in Week 18.
For New England, Bailey Zappe looked completely lost, throwing three interceptions on his 26 attempts. The running game didn’t look great either, as Ezekiel Elliott rushed for just 39 yards and a score on 14 carries. Their defense still looks decent, but the best news for them was the fact that they’re now in a three-way tie for the second pick in next year’s draft.
The New York Jets played on Thursday night, and they were beaten down by the Cleveland Browns 37-20. New York’s impressive defense allowed former Jets quarterback Joe Flacco, who’s now leading Cleveland’s offense, to throw for 309 yards and three touchdowns in a game in which he didn’t have his best target – Amari Cooper. Trevor Siemian got the start for New York, and his play left a lot to be desired. Their lone bright spot continues to be Breece Hall, who rushed for 84 yards on 6.5 yards per attempt and brought in another 42 yards and a score on nine receptions.
Week 18 AFC East matchups:
- Miami Dolphins (11-5) vs. Buffalo Bills (10-6) – SNF
- New York Jets (6-10) vs. New England Patriots (4-12)
