With most of the NFL Week 17 schedule in the books, it is time to take a look at some of the biggest winners and losers from around the league.
Winners
Baker Mayfield, quarterback, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mayfield's career resurgence in Tampa Bay has been incredible, and he has the Buccaneers one step closer to another potential NFC South title. He was sensational on Sunday completing 27-of-32 passes for 359 yards, five touchdowns and zero interceptions. For the season he has accounted for 42 touchdowns (39 passing and three rushing).
Saquon Barkley, running back, Philadelphia Eagles
Barkley entered the week needing to average 134 yards over his remaining two games to break Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record. He gained 167 in a 41-7 win over the Dallas Cowboys to help the Eagles clinch the NFC East and put him over 2,000 yards for the season (just the ninth player to ever do it). He is just 101 yards away from the record. The question now is whether or not he plays in Week 18 against his former team.
Brock Bowers, tight end, Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders have won two games in a row and have one of the NFL's best young playmakers in Bowers. He set two rookie records on Sunday, breaking Mike Ditka's record for most receiving yards by a rookie tight end (1,144) and also setting a new mark for all rookies with 108 receptions. He has been a bright spot in a disappointing season for the Raiders.
Drew Lock, quarterback, New York Giants
The Giants had nothing to play for as a team, but players like Lock are playing for their future in the league. Lock made a big statement against the Colts by completing 17-of-23 passes for 309 yards, four touchdown passes and a rushing touchdown.
Sam Darnold, quarterback, Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings have a chance to secure the No. 1 seed and a bye week next Sunday, and Darnold is a big reason why. He was outstanding in a 27-25 win over the Green Bay Packers, completing 33-of-43 passes for 377 yards and three touchdowns. He remains the biggest surprise success story in the NFL this season.
Miami Dolphins' playoff chances
They need some help, but thanks to a 20-3 win over the Cleveland Browns the Dolphins still have something to play for in Week 18. A Dolphins win over the New York Jets, combined with a Denver Broncos loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, will put the Dolphins in the playoffs.
Losers
Indianapolis Colts
This organization just keeps finding way to miss the playoffs with an improbable string of late-season, embarrassing losses to teams they should be favored to beat. Sunday's loss to the New York Giants to knock them out of playoff contention this season was an appalling display of defense.
Aaron Rodgers, quarterback, New York Jets
How bad was Rodgers in a 40-14 loss to the Buffalo Bills? He was not only benched for Tyrod Taylor, he not only got called for an unnecessary roughness penalty after his second interception, but he played worse than any NFL quarterback — statistically — since Davis Mills .... three years ago.
Aaron Rodgers' 1.2 QBR today is the lowest QBR game since Davis Mills' 0.8 in Week 4 of 2021.
— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) December 30, 2024
Cooper Rush, quarterback, Dallas Cowboys
Rush has shown some positive things in the second half of the season, but Sunday was not one of those days. He completed only 15-of-28 passes for 147 yards and was picked off twice, including one that was returned for a touchdown.
Fans cheering for draft pick position
Fans of the New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars were probably hoping to see their teams lose on Sunday to secure better draft positions for the 2025 NFL Draft class. They did not lose. As a result the Giants went from No. 1 to No. 4, while the Raiders and Jaguars both fell out of the top-five.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson, quarterback, Cleveland Browns
Thompson-Robinson has had a chance to show he should be in the running for the starting quarterback job next season, but has not done anything to prove he is worthy of it. He managed only 170 yards on 47 attempts on Sunday (just 3.6 yards per attempt), was intercepted, sacked once and committed three intentional groundings.
Green Bay's time management
It was not overly egregious, but the Packers let a minute roll off the clock late in the fourth quarter when they failed to get out of bounds, and then were stopped on a running play on first-and-goal as they attempted to rally against the Vikings.
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