game of the week
Minnesota Vikings (14-2) v Detroit Lions (14-2)
The final game of the regular season is all that matters. Two giants battle it out for the NFC North crown, home-field advantage until the Super Bowl, and the ivory tower of a first-round bye. The loser earns the No. 5 seed and plays a stomach-churning road game in the wild-card round.
Detroit’s injury-ravaged roster needs more rest weeks for the winner, but will this be too much for Dan Campbell’s team in a title game? The Vikings certainly feel like they have the advantage as they have won nine straight games, but six of those games have been by one point and four have been by three points or less. If there’s one offense that can keep pace with strong opponents in the shootout, it’s Jared Goff and his Indomitable Lions.
What the Vikings need to do to win: Minnesota has to stop Jahmil Gibbs. Running backs are a key part of Detroit’s success. Since David Montgomery suffered a season-ending injury, Gibbs has increased his role in the last two games and excelled in both with over 100 rushing yards and over 40 receiving yards. The only game he reached this point was a 31-29 win over the Vikings in October.
It’s crucial for Minnesota’s defense, especially elite linebacker Blake Cashman, to establish dominance in space and overwhelm Gibbs. His cuts and momentum shifts are deadly if developed. The numbers bear this out. He has 23 rushes of 15 yards or more, second only to Saquon Barkley’s 25, and has attempted 118 fewer attempts than Philadelphia’s MVP candidate. Gibbs is also the first player since 2018 to average 2.5 yards per carry before contact and 5 yards per carry after contact in the same year.
What the Lions need to do to win: Detroit needs to keep Jameson Williams’ winning streak going. Over the past two weeks, against single-high safeties in Chicago and San Francisco, Williams had two of his best days in the NFL, gaining 143 yards and a touchdown, followed by 77 yards and another score. “That’s the potential Jameson (Williams) has offensively, and it’s beautiful to see that kind of post vs. single high,” Ben Johnson said of Williams after the win over the Bears. “Our offensive line, the season is over here, going into the postseason, it’s phenomenal to put that kind of thing on tape.” The Lions continue to send Williams deep to stretch Minnesota’s defense. , it would be wise to open up a catching lane for Gibbs underneath. This maneuver is essential to finding the weaknesses in Brian Flores’ excellent defense.
Rising: Mike Evans
How would you sum up the greatness of Mike Evans? Guinness ads remind us of the great swimmers of old who raced against the clock, the champion who always achieved his goals with a little help from his mates. Although the swimmer’s glory days have faded, his beloved public still flocks to watch him beat the clock year after year. He is unavoidable. The only thing the Carolina Panthers, and especially Caleb Farley, can prove is that the comparison is unfair to the 31-year-old.
“But I’m getting older, too,” Evans says. “You’ll lose someday.” Don’t worry. Baker Mayfield knows the score. There’s no need to run a route when you can lean casually into your 6-foot-5 frame, first outsmart the defender, then outdo his flapping efforts for a 1-yard touchdown. Even on an unstoppable afternoon, he gained 97 yards receiving, leaving him just 85 yards shy of his 11th consecutive season with over 1,000 total yards. During that time, he missed three games with a hamstring injury.
Any Bucs fan will have high hopes for the big man, but much of the mystique may be dispelled as Tampa Bay needs to beat New Orleans to make the postseason. Don’t miss his victory lap on Sunday.
Eliminated: Denver Broncos
How does Sean Payton want to recreate the second half of Denver’s loss to the Los Angeles Charges in December? They led 24-13 midway through the third quarter and looked like they would advance to the playoffs, but the Broncos, especially their defense, fell short. Los Angeles threw three unanswered touchdowns against the Bengals, giving them yet another win. After that, the defense failed to force a single punt against Cincinnati, continuing a miserable losing streak.
One of the best units in the league is struggling, coupled with Sean Payton’s conservative play calling that has cost them games, and Denver is under pressure. They now have to beat a Kansas City Chiefs team quarterbacked by Carson Wentz. On paper, this seems easy enough, but while Andy Reid still controls the script of the game, this is by no means a difficult task for Denver. While the Miami Dolphins, or, somewhat unbelievably, the Bengals themselves, who have struggled for much of the season, could sneak into the playoffs with a win, the Broncos continue to play with severe FOMO.
Battle for first draft pick
Cleveland, New York Giants, Tennessee, New England. Drew Lock conspired to win the New York Giants over the competition after getting a rock-solid top pick. Now, entering the final week, the NFL’s Ram Quartet all share a record of 3 wins and 13 losses, but due to scheduling conflicts, the New England Patriots are the No. 1 pick. However, they will face the Buffalo Bills, who are expected to use a blend of starters and reserve players, so there is a slim chance that they will fall out of first place.
If Tennessee, Cleveland, and the Giants are picked in their current order, they will face Houston, Baltimore, and Philadelphia, respectively. If the Texans continue to hit rock bottom like they did on Christmas Day, they have a good chance of beating the Titans. The Browns could benefit, as the Ravens must win to secure the AFC North championship. This would be another hopeful opportunity for Cleveland to hasten the transition from the Deshaun Watson era by drafting a rookie quarterback. Unfortunately, Watson will remain with the team next year after restructuring his contract and changing Hit’s cap from $73 million to $37 million in 2025. The logic is that a bigger cap would be less painful for the franchise and move the hit to the future they can spend in free agency now. It remains to be seen how the Browns will fare with having this quarterback on the roster for two seasons while basically asking him to stay away from the team. Both moves are necessary evils in a disappointing story that might find its way to an end.
