Did the Chiefs simply doink their option to a division title?
Sort of.
Did they strengthen their lead within the race for the AFC’s high seed?
Absolutely.
No matter how Matthew Wright’s 31-yard discipline aim discovered its manner by the aim posts late Sunday evening at Arrowhead, the Chiefs’ ridiculous stretch of success in one-score video games continued with a 19-17 win over the Chargers — that’s now 15 straight wins relationship to final season.
Los Angeles made it a sport within the third quarter, scoring consecutive touchdowns to take a 14-13 lead, and was in entrance 17-16 late within the fourth till, effectively, Patrick Mahomes occurred. After driving the Chiefs down the sphere, the two-time MVP hit trusty goal Travis Kelce on a essential third-and-7 deep in L.A. territory to arrange Wright’s 31-yarder as time expired.
Suddenly, the Chiefs are two video games forward of everybody within the AFC.
GO DEEPER
NFL Week 14 takeaways: A pink flag for Bills protection? Should Falcons bench Cousins for Penix?
That’s as a result of the Bills are beatable. Riding a seven-game win streak — together with consecutive victories over every of final season’s Super Bowl groups — Buffalo obtained six complete touchdowns from MVP front-runner Josh Allen and nonetheless couldn’t depart Los Angeles with a win. That’s as a result of Puka Nacua was unstoppable, and the Rams put collectively their greatest outing of the season in a 44-42 victory, maintaining their playoff hopes alive whereas slowing the Bills’ pursuit of the AFC’s high seed. It was the NFL’s highest-scoring sport of the season, and Allen grew to become the primary participant in historical past with three passing touchdowns and three speeding touchdowns in the identical sport.
Sticking with the contenders, the Eagles weren’t at their greatest however nonetheless held off Bryce Young and the Panthers 22-16 for his or her ninth straight win. At 11-2, they’re the fourth workforce to clinch a spot within the playoffs, becoming a member of the Chiefs, Bills and Lions. “They did a great job, and we did a foul job,” Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts mentioned after the sport. “That begins with me.” Hurts completed with simply 108 passing yards. Asked what the workforce must do higher transferring ahead, star wideout A.J. Brown mentioned, merely, “Passing.”
On the brilliant aspect, Saquon Barkley grew to become the Eagles’ all-time chief for speeding yards in a season. He has 1,623 and is on tempo for two,122, which might eclipse Eric Dickerson’s NFL report of two,105, set manner again in 1984. Barkley may have a great shot at historical past, too: Three of Philly’s closing 4 opponents rank twenty seventh or worse in rush protection.
The Steelers beat the Browns in Pittsburgh for the twenty first straight season. Yes, that’s an actual stat — not since 2003 has Cleveland gained a regular-season sport within the Steel City (although the Browns did defeat the Steelers in a 2020 wild-card playoff sport in Pittsburgh). With the victory, Mike Tomlin’s workforce strikes to 10-3, two video games forward of Baltimore within the AFC North race. When it involves the perfect teaching selections of the season, Tomlin’s name to go along with Russell Wilson as his beginning quarterback seven weeks in the past needs to be proper up there. The Steelers are 6-1 since.
In Miami, the Dolphins escaped with a 32-26 additional time win over the Jets to maintain their playoff hopes alive and formally seal New York’s 14th straight season and not using a journey to the postseason. Tua Tagovailoa led a game-tying discipline aim drive within the closing moments of regulation, then missed only one throw throughout an eight-play, 70-yard landing drive in additional time. The Dolphins have gained 4 of 5, respiration life right into a season that seemed misplaced in mid-October.
The Jets’ playoff-less streak is the longest such energetic drought within the league. Maybe firing Robert Saleh 5 video games into the season wasn’t the perfect concept? New York has dropped seven of eight since.
In San Francisco, the 49ers seemed like perennial Super Bowl contenders of years previous in a simple 38-13 victory over the Bears. This one was traditionally one-sided within the first half: San Francisco outgained Chicago a staggering 319 yards to 4. The Niners, all however written off after three straight losses, are 6-7 and one way or the other nonetheless alive within the NFC West. The Bears have been as soon as 4-2. They’re now 4-9.
In Arizona, the Seahawks strengthened their NFC West lead with a fourth straight win, 30-18, over the Cardinals. Geno Smith has gained 5 straight begins versus Kyler Murray, and Seattle is heating up once more after dropping 5 of six by Week 9.
Here’s what stood out from the NFL’s Week 14:
Chiefs maintain discovering methods to win
The film retains repeating itself, all the time with the identical ending. If it’s a decent sport, the Chiefs discover a manner. It’s why Kansas City finds itself 12-1 and two video games up on the remainder of the AFC.
Thanks to a different game-winning drive from Mahomes, and that 31-yarder from fill-in kicker Wright — a kick that banged off the left upright earlier than ricocheting by — the Chiefs earned a bit separation within the race for the AFC’s high seed and lone bye.
Mahomes threw for 210 yards and a landing, nothing electrical. Kelce had simply 45 receiving yards however the essential catch late. Led by cornerback Trent McDuffie, Kansas City’s protection pitched a shutout within the first half. Two fourth-quarter discipline targets from Wright have been sufficient.
It was one other chapter within the Chiefs’ unusual season. So many wild finishes. So many shut wins. But as flawed and unconvincing as Kansas City has been at instances, the outcomes are plain: The Chiefs are actually 10-0 in one-possession video games.
For the Chargers, the agony continues: It’s their tenth straight loss in video games determined by three factors or fewer. And it’s their eleventh loss to the Chiefs in 13 tries since Mahomes took over the beginning job in 2018.
Separation in wild-card race
The playoffs are 5 weeks away. Here’s the place we stand.
In the AFC, the Chiefs, Bills, Steelers and Texans lead their respective divisions. The Ravens, Broncos and Chargers are all 8-5, solidly within the playoff discipline with 4 video games to go. Of these three groups, Baltimore owns the tiebreaker, having defeated Denver and L.A. this season.
The Colts and Dolphins, each 6-7, are two video games again of the seventh and closing playoff spot, although Indianapolis has an ideal alternative to chop into Denver’s lead subsequent week when the groups sq. off at Empower Field at Mile High.
In the NFC, the Lions, Eagles, Seahawks and Bucs at present lead the divisions, with the Lions and Eagles having clinched playoff spots. The Vikings (11-2) and Packers (9-4) are in an ideal place to earn two of the wild-card spots — that’s, if Minnesota doesn’t overtake Detroit for the NFC North crown (the groups meet in Week 18.) Washington is at present within the seventh spot, with a one-game lead over the Rams (7-6).
But three groups are only a sport behind L.A: the Falcons, Cardinals and 49ers are all 6-7.
The NFC West stays the tightest division in soccer; all 4 groups are inside two video games of one another.
Vikings cross one other take a look at
In July, the Vikings weathered the tragic lack of fourth-round draft choose Khyree Jackson, who died in a automotive accident. They have been pummeled with accidents in coaching camp, together with a torn ACL for cornerback Mekhi Blackmon and a torn meniscus for first-round choose J.J. McCarthy. And this was after their beginning quarterback of the final six seasons, Kirk Cousins, bolted for Atlanta in free company.
Sam Darnold — on his fourth workforce in 5 years — would step in. Would a misplaced season in Minnesota comply with?
“There’s been some issues that … take a look at your tradition and basis and locker room and constructing,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell mentioned in August.
Four months later, the decision’s in: O’Connell’s workforce was up for the take a look at.
Following Sunday’s 42-21 rout of Cousins and the Falcons, the Vikings are 11-2, tied for the second-best report within the NFC, and only a sport again of the one-loss Lions. Minnesota stays one of many extra exceptional tales of this NFL season — and certain essentially the most underappreciated.
Under the tutelage of Kevin O’Connell (proper), Sam Darnold has flourished in Minnesota. (Stephen Maturen / Getty Images)
It begins with O’Connell, who’s completed nearly as good of a job as some other coach in soccer. He’s weathered each offseason and in-season challenges (beginning left sort out Christian Darrisaw is on IR, and beginning nook Stephon Gilmore has been sidelined with a hamstring damage). He’s guided Darnold to the perfect season of his profession. And he’s lifted the Vikings into reliable playoff contenders.
“Y’all want to begin speaking about us,” cornerback Byron Murphy advised NFL Network after the sport. “Talk in regards to the Vikings, as a result of we on one proper now.”
Darnold threw for 347 yards and a career-high 5 touchdowns Sunday, outplaying his Vikings predecessor, who completed with 344 passing yards however no touchdowns and two interceptions. Darnold’s 28 touchdowns are simply essentially the most he’s ever thrown in a season, and there are nonetheless 4 video games left. The purple-clad followers at U.S. Bank Stadium introduced out the “M-V-P!” chant on the finish of this one, and Darnold stood on the sideline, waving a towel in acknowledgment.
“That was a number of emotion for me,” he mentioned later. “It was fairly enjoyable, man.”
Darnold, on a measly one-year, $10 million contract, deserves loads of credit score for the Vikings’ shock season. So does defensive coordinator Brian Flores, whose unit hasn’t allowed greater than 30 factors since Week 8. So does normal supervisor Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, who didn’t panic after Cousins left within the spring and bolstered his roster with the kind of depth items which are paying off in December.
Meanwhile, the Falcons are in a free-for-all. Once 6-3, Atlanta has misplaced 4 straight and trails the Bucs by a sport within the division.
Cousins is amid one of many worst stretches of his profession: He’s thrown eight interceptions in his final 4 video games, and of the 13 he’s thrown this season, eight have come within the fourth quarter. With first-round choose Michael Penix Jr. ready within the wings and Atlanta’s NFC South lead formally historical past, you need to surprise how for much longer coach Raheem Morris can stick along with his struggling starter.
Giants, Raiders in race for high general choose
Before the Giants kicked off Sunday’s sport in opposition to the Saints, a aircraft flew over MetLife Stadium towing a banner that spoke to the sorry state of the franchise.
“MR. MARA ENOUGH — PLZ FIX THIS DUMPSTER FIRE,” it learn.
Mr. Mara — that might be Giants proprietor John Mara — has some essential selections looming over the following few months, beginning with whether or not to maintain normal supervisor Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll for 2025. (Mara has mentioned not too long ago he intends on maintaining each.)
Another weighty determination might comply with in late April. The Giants have a shot to earn the franchise’s first No. 1 choose in 60 years.
Sunday’s 14-11 loss to New Orleans dropped New York to 2-11, which is tied with Las Vegas — 28-13 losers to Tampa Bay on Sunday — for the worst report within the league. Another of the league’s two-win groups getting into Sunday, the Jaguars, beat the Titans to maneuver to 3-10.
So this may be a race between the Giants and Raiders down the stretch. The Giants will see 4 groups with playoff aspirations: the Ravens, Falcons, Colts and Eagles. The Raiders will face the Falcons, Jaguars, Saints and Chargers.
Quarterback is an apparent want for each the Giants and Raiders getting into 2025, however The Athletic’s draft guru Dane Brugler labeled this yr’s class “perhaps essentially the most polarizing” he’s studied in twenty years. Is Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders the highest choose? Or his teammate, large receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter? Or Miami quarterback Cam Ward?
What appears sure, a minimum of at this juncture: When it involves taking a QB, this isn’t the Class of 2024. Or 2023. Or 2020. That’s dangerous information for 2 franchises determined for some hope at a very powerful place on the sphere.
The Raiders haven’t had the primary general choice since 2007, and lacking on that choose — they went with JaMarcus Russell, keep in mind — set the franchise again years. The Giants haven’t picked first since 1965 (New York picked fourth in 2004 however traded with the Chargers for Eli Manning, who went first general).
(Photo of Patrick Mahomes: Jamie Squire / Getty Images)
