Welcome to Week 14 of the NFL season, which sees all 14 playoff spots still up for grabs and – thanks to newly-minted L.A. Ram Baker Mayfield – is already bringing the kind of drama we dream of this time of year.
Mayfield set the tone for the weekend to come with his incredible – and, considering he had just one full day to prepare for his Rams debut, almost incomprehensible – late-game comeback against the Raiders. That victory kept L.A.’s slim playoff hopes alive, as a loss would’ve sealed the defending Super Bowl champions’ fate. (Alas, L.A. can still be eliminated this week if both the Seahawks and Giants win on Sunday.)
Looking ahead to a weekend that includes seven divisional matchups, three clinching scenarios, and countless implications, it seems there is plenty of drama still to come.
Heading into the weekend, no club has clinched a playoff spot just yet – though, for the Eagles especially, it’s really just a technicality at this point.
Three teams have clinching scenarios in Week 14: The Eagles and Vikings both have another shot to make playoffs a reality after missed opportunities last week, while the Kansas City Chiefs encounter their first chance this year to clinch both the division and a post-season berth.
Meanwhile, three teams – Rams, Cardinals, Broncos – risk officially having their playoff hopes dashed. They’ll join the Houston Texans and Chicago Bears (both eliminated in Week 13) should things not fall in their favour.
If the playoffs started today, here’s what the seeding and matchups would look like in the AFC:
No. 1 Bills (9-3) on bye
No. 2 Chiefs (9-3) vs. No. 7 Jets (7-5)
No. 3 Ravens (8-4) vs. No. 6 Dolphins (8-4)
No. 4 Titans (7-5) vs. No. 5 Bengals (8-4)
If the playoffs started today, here’s what the seeding and matchups would look like in the NFC:
No. 1 Eagles (11-1) on bye
No. 2 Vikings (10-2) vs. No. 7 Seahawks (7-5)
No. 3 49ers (8-4) vs. No. 6 Giants (7-4-1)
No. 4 Buccaneers (6-6) vs. No. 5 Cowboys (9-3)
WEEK 14 STORYLINES AND CLINCHING SCENARIOS
(*Teams with an opportunity to clinch are underlined)
Vikings (10-2) at Lions (5-7) | Sunday 1 p.m. ET
For Minnesota, it’s simple: Win, and you’re in. A victory over or tie against their division rival in Detroit means the Vikings can officially start planning for the playoffs and polishing their division crown.
That word – simple – isn’t something the Vikings are too familiar with, however. Contrary to what their record may indicate, wins haven’t come easy for these Vikings, whose self-inflicted wounds have forced many a late-game rally and one-score outcomes – and the betting lines reflect that, favouring the 5-7 Lions over the leader in the clubhouse by 1.5. Interesting.
Both clubs have momentum on their side, with Minnesota winning nine of their last 10 since their last meeting with the Lions – a wild comeback win for the Vikings at home. Detroit, meanwhile, looks like a totally different team since that early-season affair. They’ve won four of their last five and sit second in the NFC North.
Ravens (8-4) at Steelers (5-7) | Sunday 1 p.m. ET
Baltimore is without Lamar Jackson at the worst possible time. The starting QB is listed as week-to-week after suffering a PCL sprain last Sunday against Denver, with Tyler Huntley getting the start for this all-important divisional matchup. A loss opens the door for Cincinnati to take over the AFC North’s top spot. Of the Ravens’ final five games, four are divisional showdowns – including a season finale versus the Bengals in Week 18.
Browns (5-7) at Bengals (8-4) | Sunday 1 p.m. ET
Deshaun Watson’s first start with the Browns brought a victory against his former team, not because of his performance but despite it. Watson completed just 54.5 per cent of his passes for 131 yards, no touchdowns, and an interception on his only real scoring chance. All three of Cleveland’s touchdowns came on defence (two) and special teams (one).
Meanwhile, wherever Joe Burrow is mentioned these days, three letters – M-V-P! – are sure to follow. Burrow’s Bengals are coming off their third win over the Chiefs this calendar year, and are gaining steam with four straight wins. A win over the Browns, paired with a Ravens loss in Pittsburgh, would see Cincinnati take over the top spot in the AFC North.
Jets (7-5) at Bills (9-3) | Sunday 1 p.m. ET
The Bills ended Mike White’s hopes of a storybook streak last year, intercepting him four times in a Week 8 win that marked White’s third (and, as it happened, final) start of the campaign.
Now staring down his third start of this season over the still-benched Zach Wilson, White’s opportunity for redemption comes with the added pressure of playoff hopes. A loss for New York opens the door for the Patriots or Chargers to walk through it. The Jets upset Buffalo in these clubs’ first meeting of the season, so he’s not the only one entering this arena with baggage.
Texans (1-10-1) at Cowboys (9-3) | Sunday 1 p.m. ET
A lot of firsts on the field as these two Texas teams go head-to-head. The Cowboys’ line play has been elite – they sit first in sacks (48) and sacks allowed (a league-low 15) while the Texans are hoping for a different kind of first: the first overall pick at the 2023 draft.
Eagles (11-1) at Giants (7-4-1) | Sunday 1 p.m. ET
Every divisional matchup in the NFC East – the best foursome in football this season – from here on out is stacked full of post-season implications, especially after New York and Washington tied (!) last week. But while the Giants’ road ahead could get bumpy, Philadelphia’s path to clinching a playoff spot should be smooth.
The Eagles need a win or a tie against New York on Sunday to clinch a playoff spot. A second route to the post-season could see them clinch with a loss for both the 49ers (vs. Buccaneers) and Seahawks (vs. Panthers).
The Eagles cannot clinch the division this week.
Jaguars (4-8) at Titans (7-5) | Sunday 1 p.m. ET
Tennessee’s week started with a head-scratcher: the firing of general manager Jon Robinson. To say it’s rare for a division leader to fire its GM mid-season for football-related reasons would be an understatement, but head coach Mike Vrabel is preaching a message of consistency: Move on, and move forward.
Chiefs (9-3) at Broncos (3-9) | Sunday 4:05 p.m. ET
Kansas City’s path to the playoffs is clear: A Chiefs victory over the Broncos AND a Chargers loss (vs. Dolphins) would see Patrick Mahomes & Co. become the first team in the AFC to officially claim their division title and punch their ticket to the post-season.
If successful, this would mark the Chiefs’ seventh straight AFC West crown – a streak that started even before Mahomes’ time in Kansas City. Andy Reid’s got this franchise firmly in dynasty territory.
A loss for Denver officially eliminates Russell Wilson’s Broncos from post-season contention.
Panthers (4-8) at Seahawks (7-5) | Sunday 4:25 p.m. ET
This one’s for Turf.
Buccaneers (6-6) at 49ers (8-4) | Sunday 4:25 p.m. ET
Mr. Irrelevant 2022 is now suddenly very relevant.
After stepping in for the injured Jimmy Garoppolo last Sunday and seeing the team through to victory over Miami, third-string QB Brock Purdy, final draft pick of the class of 2022, gets his first career NFL start – against the GOAT, no less. A five-game win streak, built on a foundation of championship-calibre defence, has propelled the 49ers to the top of the NFC West. Can they win with Purdy? That’s most likely up to the defence to decide.
Dolphins (8-4) at Chargers (6-6) | Sunday 8:20 p.m. ET
Selected back-to-back in the first round of the 2020 draft, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (fifth) and Justin Herbert (sixth) are both so close to fulfilling the visions their respective teams had in mind when they called their names that spring: Playoffs.
A win for Miami would see them keep pace with Buffalo and keep their division title hopes alive, while the Chargers’ challenge is steeper. A wild card is the most likely route for L.A., and they’ll need to call in a favour from the Bills (vs. Jets) to stay in this race.
Patriots (6-6) at Cardinals (4-8) | Monday 8:15 p.m. ET
Despite underwhelming offensive numbers this season, the Patriots are knocking on the door as the current eighth seed just outside the playoff picture.
The Cardinals are one of three teams at risk of seeing their playoff hopes officially dashed this week. A loss against the Patriots AND a Seahawks win AND a Giants win or tie would officially eliminate Arizona (and likely seal head coach Kliff Kingsbury’s fate, too).
THE RACE TO THE BOTTOM
If the season ended today, here’s what the top 10 draft order of the 2023 NFL draft would look like:
1. Texans (1-10-1)
2. Bears (3-10)
3. Seahawks (7-5), via Broncos (3-9)
4. Lions (5-7), via Rams (4-9)
5. Eagles (11-1), via Saints (4-9)
6. Panthers (4-8)
7. Jaguars (4-8)
8. Cardinals (4-8)
9. Colts (4-8-1)
10. Raiders (5-8)
