The playoff race is starting to crystallize, and the NFL Week 14 schedule is only going to help that cause.
On Sunday, there were a host of terrific games between teams jockeying for position. Of them all, perhaps the most important saw the Atlanta Falcons (6–7) lose to the Minnesota Vikings (11–2), with Kirk Cousins throwing two more interceptions in his return to U.S. Bank Stadium.
In the late window, the Buffalo Bills (10–3) went toe-to-toe with the Los Angeles Rams (7–6) in an offensive spectacular, with the latter remaining one game back in the NFC West race by winning 44–42. Speaking of which, the Seattle Seahawks (8–5) kept their lead in the division, knocking off the Arizona Cardinals (6–7) to complete a season sweep.
Finally, Sunday night gave us the Kansas City Chiefs (12–1) playing host to the Los Angeles Chargers (8–5), and winning a ninth consecutive AFC West title on Matthew Wright’s 31-yard doink of a field goal as the clock expired.
Chiefs 19, Chargers 17
My take: Kansas City (12–1) won its ninth straight AFC West title on Sunday, and yet all is not well with the Chiefs. Against Los Angeles (8–5), Patrick Mahomes threw for just 210 yards and a touchdown on 5.7 yards per attempt. The defense gave up 17 second-half points without forcing a punt. The offensive line allowed 13 quarterback hits. And, yet, the Chiefs are now two games ahead in the race for the No. 1 seed, and the favorite to reach the Super Bowl out of the AFC for the fifth time in six years.
Stock up: Kansas City’s fourth-quarter knowhow. It’s almost never pretty, but the Chiefs consistently find ways to win in the closing seconds. Mahomes has repeatedly been nails in the last drive of games, the special teams has made countless plays and the result is another one-score win.
Stock down: Without J.K. Dobbins, the Chargers can’t run the ball. Los Angeles averaged just 3.9 yards per carry and totaled 94 yards, not giving quarterback Justin Herbert much support. It’s not going to work come playoff time if Dobbins is limited or out.
Up Next: Buccaneers at Chargers, 4:25 p.m. ET Dec. 15; Chiefs at Browns, 1 p.m. ET Dec. 15
Rams 44, Bills 42
My take: In the best offensive showing of the season, Los Angeles (7–6) outlasted Josh Allen and Buffalo (10–3), keeping dreams of an NFC West crown alive. The Rams and Bills combined for 902 yards, including six touchdowns for Allen and 424 total yards. Meanwhile, Matthew Stafford earned the win with 320 passing yards and two scores, as Puka Nacua nabbed 12 receptions for 162 yards and two touchdowns. For the Bills, it’s a tough loss in the AFC playoff picture, as Buffalo now needs the Chiefs to lose at least two games for a chance at the No. 1 seed.
Stock up: It has to be Nacua. The second-year man fought through a calf injury to give a virtuoso performance in a must-have moment for the Rams. While Cooper Kupp and Tutu Atwell also had good games, it was Nacua who did it all, including grabbing the game-winning touchdown in the final two minutes.
Stock down: Buffalo’s defense was a disaster. The Bills surrendered 452 yards and 28 first downs, while allowing 11 third-down conversions on 15 attempts. Buffalo needs to tighten up before visiting the Lions next weekend.
Up Next: Bills at Lions, 4:25 p.m. ET Dec. 15; Rams at 49ers, 8:15 p.m. ET Dec. 12
Vikings 42, Falcons 21
My take: Can Minnesota (11–2) win the NFC North? It’s certainly in play despite nobody talking much about the notion. The Vikings took down Atlanta (6–7) which has now struggled to a fourth consecutive defeat. Sam Darnold was the chief reason for the win, throwing for more than 300 yards and five touchdowns, including three to Jordan Addison and two to Justin Jefferson. As for the Falcons, Kirk Cousins had another bad day, throwing two more interceptions in plus territory.
Stock up: After toiling on the bench in San Francisco last season, Darnold has now thrown 28 touchdowns against 10 interceptions while leading Minnesota to 11 wins. What happens with him this offseason is going to be fascinating, considering he’s a free agent and J.J. McCarthy will be healthy.
Stock down: Raheem Morris is in a brutal spot. Cousins looks awful, having now thrown eight interceptions over the past four weeks. Morris can go to rookie Michael Penix Jr., but that comes with consequences. If Penix isn’t good, now both quarterbacks have no confidence. If he is good, fantastic, but now Cousins and his $40 million cap hit would sit disgruntled on the sideline.
Up Next: Falcons at Raiders, 8:30 p.m. ET Dec. 16; Bears at Vikings, 8 p.m. ET Dec. 16
Eagles 22, Panthers 16
My take: It wasn’t pretty, but Philadelphia (11–2) was able to stay one game back in the race for NFC home-field advantage while extending its division lead to three games over the idle Washington Commanders. The Eagles once again relied on Saquon Barkley, who ran for 124 yards on 6.2 yards per carry, helping him earn the single-season rushing record in franchise history. As for Carolina (3–10), it’s a tough loss but another stepping stone, as the Panthers have been a much tougher out over the past month and a half.
Stock up: Dave Canales. The Panthers should feel great about their most recent hire even though it’s another lost campaign in the standings for Carolina. Bryce Young is playing the best football of his young career while the Panthers have been right there with the Chiefs, Buccaneers and Eagles the past three weeks.
Stock down: This might be nitpicking, but the Eagles didn’t get a quality showing from their excellent offensive line in pass protection. Jalen Hurts was sacked four times, helping Carolina hold the former All-Pro quarterback to just 108 passing yards. The front was great in the run game, though, with Philadelphia churning out 211 yards on 6.8 YPC.
Up Next: Cowboys at Panthers, 1 p.m. ET Dec. 15; Steelers at Eagles, 4:25 p.m. ET Dec. 15
Steelers 27, Browns 14
My take: Pittsburgh (10–3) now holds a two-game lead in the AFC North over the Baltimore Ravens after beating Cleveland (3–10) at home. For the Steelers, it was a key win as their next three games include trips to face the Eagles and Ravens before coming home on a short week to face the Chiefs on Christmas Day. The offense was pitiful for much of the day against the Browns with Russell Wilson throwing for just 158 yards without George Pickens, but it was enough to handle a Cleveland team once again playing out the string.
Stock up: Mike Tomlin should be the Coach of the Year if Pittsburgh wins the division. The Steelers have average quarterback play, middling weapons and a defense that, while great up front, is simply fine in the back seven. Tomlin is an elite coach, and this might be his finest work considering Pittsburgh’s record comparative to its talent.
Stock down: Jameis Winston is an entertaining watch, but he’s a backup for a reason. A week ago in Denver, he threw three interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns. On Sunday, Winston had another awful interception on a screen pass, which led to Pittsburgh taking the lead for good. Winston makes some terrific throws, but he also throws his team out of games far too often.
Up Next: Chiefs at Browns, 1 p.m. ET Dec. 15; Steelers at Eagles, 4:25 p.m. ET Dec. 15
Seahawks 30, Cardinals 18
My take: Seattle (8–5) has all but buried Arizona (6–7) by sweeping the season series over the past three weeks. The Seahawks got a big day from Geno Smith and Zach Charbonnet, as Smith threw for 233 yards on 24-of-30 passing (more on Charbonnet below). Meanwhile, the defense was able to intercept Kyler Murray twice while getting a little luck, as Chad Ryland missed a 40-yard field goal in the fourth quarter which would have cut the lead to six points.
Stock up: With Kenneth Walker III inactive, Seattle had to rely heavily on second-year back Zach Charbonnet. He responded with a phenomenal performance, rushing for 134 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries.
Stock down: Arizona’s playoff hopes are on life support. At 6–7, the Cardinals are two games behind the Commanders for the final wild-card spot and also lose the head-to-head tiebreaker
Up Next: Packers at Seahawks, 8:20 p.m. ET Dec. 15; Patriots at Cardinals, 4:25 p.m. ET Dec. 15
49ers 38, Bears 13
My take: How bad was this game for Chicago (4–9)? At halftime, San Francisco (6–7) was leading 24–0 while outgaining the Bears 319–4 in total yardage. And this after firing coach Matt Eberflus after the time management fiasco on Thanksgiving, and having an extra half-week to prepare for the injury-hampered Niners. Chicago should be embarrassed by the effort, the performance and the inability to do anything other than lay down with a month remaining in the season.
Stock up: What a day for George Kittle. The veteran tight end finished the day with six catches and 151 yards after having five catches and 138 yards through the first half. San Francisco may be low on healthy weapons, but Kittle is still playing at an elite level.
Stock down: Everyone involved with the Bears. This wasn’t just losing. This was quitting. This was showing no interest in playing football. And while that isn’t true of every player, it’s true of enough players that general manager Ryan Poles should be pouring over film to decide who needs to go and who can stay, while also making a list of why a prospective head coach should want to inherit this mess beyond Caleb Williams’s promise.
Up Next: Bears at Vikings, 8 p.m. ET Dec. 16; Rams at 49ers, 8:15 p.m. ET Dec. 12
Dolphins 32, Jets 26 (OT)
My take: New York (3–10) is an embarrassment. The Jets had a first-and-10 with 1:14 remaining. Miami (6–7) had two timeouts left. Jeff Ulbrich’s team then lost five yards on a rush, lost six more on a sack, and then completed a pass that Davante Adams took out of bounds to stop the clock. The result was the Dolphins getting the ball back with 52 seconds instead of less than 15 seconds. Of course, the Jets weren’t done yet, allowing a 45-yard kick return to help Miami tie the game before winning in overtime. If that doesn’t explain New York this season, nothing does.
Stock up: It’s been a rough year for Aaron Rodgers and the Jets, but he had a banner Sunday. Rodgers threw for 339 yards, the first time he’s cracked the 300-yard threshold since Week 14 of the 2021 season.
Stock down: Miami typically has an effective, speed-driven rushing attack. Against New York, it wasn’t working. The Dolphins ran for just 41 yards on 2.3 yards per carry, putting all the onus on Tua Tagovailoa and the passing game to stay afloat in the playoff chase.
Up Next: Jets at Jaguars, 1 p.m. ET Dec. 15; Dolphins at Texans, 1 p.m. ET Dec. 15
Buccaneers 28, Raiders 13
My take: Tampa Bay (7–6) went from two games and a tiebreaker down to the Falcons in the NFC South just three weeks ago to now leading the division. The Buccaneers flirted with disaster against Las Vegas (2–11) but ultimately won at home, led by a defense holding the Raiders to 286 total yards while also forcing two turnovers. Moving forward, the only above-.500 opponent Tampa Bay faces the rest of the regular season comes next week with a trip to play the Chargers at SoFi Stadium.
Stock up: After missing a month with a hamstring injury. Mike Evans has come back rolling. Evans has 13 catches for 186 yards and a touchdown in a trio of wins. With Chris Godwin out for the season, the Buccaneers need Evans to continue playing at an elite level.
Stock down: The Raiders’ quarterback situation. Aidan O’Connell was lost in the second half to a leg injury that required a cart and an air cast. This comes only two weeks after Gardner Minshew II broke his collarbone. If he can stay healthy, it might be Desmond Ridder’s job for the rest of the season.
Up Next: Falcons at Raiders, 8:30 p.m. ET Dec. 16; Buccaneers at Chargers, 4:25 p.m. ET Dec. 15
Saints 14, Giants 11
My take: Brian Daboll might be a good coach stuck in an impossible spot. New York (2–11) lost once again at home, this time to New Orleans (5–8), making the Giants 0–7 in their own building this season. For the Saints, it’s a victory to stay reasonably alive in the NFC South, now one game behind the Falcons and two back of the Buccaneers.
Stock up: Give it up for Darren Rizzi. The New Jersey native went home and won against his hometown team, helping New Orleans get a win at MetLife Stadium. Rizzi is now 3–1 since taking over as the interim head coach after the firing of Dennis Allen.
Stock down: Enough of Drew Lock. Start Tommy DeVito. Start Danny DeVito. Run the wildcat. Kneel three times and punt. Anything is better than watching Lock throw the ball to any object other than his own receivers all day.
Up Next: Commanders at Saints, 1 p.m. ET Dec. 15; Ravens at Giants, 1 p.m. ET Dec. 15
Jaguars 10, Titans 6
My take: Jacksonville (3–10) has endured a nightmare season that could end with a housecleaning, but it found a way to beat Tennessee (3–10). For the Jaguars, it’s their first win on the road this year, and also their initial victory with Mac Jones as the starting quarterback. Jones was far from great, going 23-of-31 for 220 yards and two interceptions, but it was enough against a rancid Titans outfit.
Stock up: Dennard Wilson has done an excellent job with Tennessee’s defense in his first year as a coordinator. After working with four different NFL teams as a position coach, Wilson has taken over a unit with average talent and worked wonders with his defense ranking second in yards per play entering the weekend. Against the Jaguars, Tennessee allowed only 293 yards and registered two interceptions.
Stock down: Anybody who had nothing better to do than watch this. It’s rare that a game expected to be absolutely terrible somehow ends up being even more disastrous. For the first time all year, the Titans and Jaguars rose to the occasion and then some.
Up Next: Jets at Jaguars, 1 p.m. ET Dec. 15; Bengals at Titans, 1 p.m. ET Dec. 15
THURSDAY
Lions 34, Packers 31
My take: Detroit (12–1) is missing a slew of defensive players and yet continues to overcome. Against Green Bay (9–4), the Lions’ patchwork defense did just enough while the offense rolled up 391 yards behind Jared Goff and a run game that churned out 111 tough yards, including a key 7-yard run to essentially win the game on fourth-and-one with 43 seconds remaining. For the Packers, the loss isn’t crushing but puts them into the wild-card race, with the NFC North out of reach.
Stock up: Every defensive coach on Detroit’s sideline. The Lions are missing more than half their defensive starters from Week 1 and yet they haven’t lost since their second game of the season. Coordinator Aaron Glenn will have his biggest test next week with the Bills coming to town, but there’s no reason to believe his unit won’t once again figure it out.
Stock down: Again, it’s Green Bay’s divisional hopes. The Packers are now looking at having to go to the Super Bowl by winning three games on the road, quite likely including trips to Philadelphia and Detroit.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as NFL Week 14 Recap: Who’s Up, Who’s Down, What’s Next for Every Team.
