In some ways the playoff picture is starting to take shape as the NFL hits Week 14. In others, it’s only getting more cloudy.
Here is how Sunday’s games played out.
Ravens 16, Steelers 14
PITTSBURGH (AP) — J.K. Dobbins ran for 120 yards and a touchdown in his return from a knee injury, helping the Baltimore Ravens overcome the loss of backup quarterback Tyler Huntley to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 16-14 Sunday.
Huntley filled in for injured star Lamar Jackson but entered concussion protocol in the second half. He was replaced by undrafted rookie free agent Anthony Brown.
Justin Tucker kicked three field goals to help Baltimore (9-4) end a four-game losing streak to the Steelers, who also lost their quarterback, Kenny Pickett, to concussion protocol.
Brown essentially spent most of his quarter-plus of play handing off to Dobbins or Gus Edwards while the Steelers self-destructed. Baltimore ran for 215 yards, the most Pittsburgh has allowed since giving up 249 to the Ravens in the 2021 regular-season finale.
The Steelers (5-8) won that game to reach the playoffs. Any chance of making a late run at another postseason berth likely evaporated under a steady stream of turnovers, missed tackles and missed opportunities.
Pittsburgh lost Pickett to a concussion in the first half, and backup Mitch Trubisky — who was benched in favour of Pickett in early October — threw three interceptions in Baltimore territory to thwart potential scoring drives.
Trubisky finished 22 of 30 for 276 yards and a 10-yard touchdown pass with 2:30 remaining to get the Steelers within two. Baltimore churned out a first down on its ensuing possession to run out the clock.
Eagles 48, Giants 22
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Jalen Hurts threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as the NFL-best Philadelphia Eagles punched their ticket to the playoffs with a 48-22 victory over the fading New York Giants on Sunday.
Hurts improved his MVP credentials by throwing for 217 yards and hitting DaVonta Smith on a 41-yard fourth-down TD strike and A.J. Brown on a 33-yarder as the Eagles (12-1) scored on their first three possessions. The third-year quarterback also ran for 77 yards, highlighted by a 10-yard TD scamper late in the third quarter.
Miles Sanders ran for 144 yards and scored on runs of 3 and 40 yards as the Eagles handed the Giants their worst loss under first-year coach Brian Daboll. Jake Elliott kicked two field goals for Philadelphia, which secured its second straight postseason appearance and fifth in six seasons.
The Eagles finished with seven sacks, including three by Brandon Graham.
Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor threw touchdown passes for for the Giants (7-5-1). They have one win in their last six games (1-4-1) and their hopes of their first playoff berth since 2016 are slipping with four games remaining.
The Eagles, who have the league’s second-ranked defense and third-ranked offense, dominated from the start. They sacked Jones twice on the opening series and Hurts then took over, driving them 84 and 91 yards for touchdowns.
The Giants’ third possession had a comical conclusion. Jamie Gillen lost the ball as he went to punt. The ball bounced and he kicked it 15 yards to the Eagles 42. It was an illegal kick and the Giants were penalized 10 yards with a loss of down. Hurts hit a wide-open Brown for a 21-0 lead on the next play.
Hurts, Sanders and Brown each have scored 10 touchdowns for the Eagles, who have scored at least 30 points in each of the last three weeks.
