Let me start off by saying that my heart goes out to Bills safety Damar Hamlin, his family, and the rest of the Bills faithful as they continue dealing with his medical emergency. The situation is truly an unprecedented one, as the game was suspended by staff on both teams. I’ve never seen anything like it, and my hope is that I will never have to again in my lifetime. Week 17 in the NFL was fairly uneventful, with only three games (Bucs-Panthers, Ravens-Steelers, Patriots-Dolphins) carrying any sort of important relevance and proximity in score. Despite that, last week’s outcomes set the stage for a huge Week 18, the regular season’s finale. Let’s dive in & find out about all of the latest drama and storylines around the NFL in Week 18.
Titans (7-9) at Jaguars (8-8) on ESPN (Saturday Night Football)
This one’s for all the marbles as these teams face off with the AFC South title on the line. It’s win or go home for both teams as there are no other playoff scenarios in which they are alive. Joshua Dobbs will make his second career start here for the Titans with their season on the brink. His first start came last week against the Cowboys, where he threw for 1 TD & 1 INT in the loss. Meanwhile, the Jaguars beat the crap out of the Texans on the road in their 31-3 blowout victory. These two teams are obviously not the same, as the Jaguars have hit their stride & are surging at the right time while the Titans have absolutely crumbled & simply fallen apart down the stretch. Despite their differences, these rivals are on equal footing as they battle for the division crown.
Lions (8-8) at Packers (8-8) on NBC (Sunday Night Football)
Wow, who could’ve seen this coming at midseason this year? Both of these teams have risen from the ashes to suddenly become playoff-relevant, and one of them should make it in. The Packers control their own destiny, as it’s simply win or go home for Aaron Rodgers’ squad. Things aren’t quite as simplistic for the Lions, who need help in order to make the tournament. My hope is that the Seahawks lose to the Rams so that this game is meaningful for both teams. Otherwise, the Lions will simply look to play spoiler to the Packers playoff hopes in primetime. Dan Campbell’s crew needs to first take care of business by pulling off the road upset on SNF.
Patriots (8-8) at Bills (12-3) on CBS (Sunday, 1:00 P.M. ET)
I’m hopeful that Damar Hamlin will be at home resting by the time this game is played. That development would surely make his family, friends, and Bills teammates feel a lot better. Anyways, this game means a lot to each of these division rivals in terms of playoff implications. The playoff clinching scenarios for a whole host of AFC teams have become quite murky due to the Bills-Bengals game being put on hiatus; however, the Bills could still seize the AFC’s No. 1 seed while the Patriots control their own destiny as they continue battling for a late playoff berth. Will Josh Allen & company put the Patriots playoff hopes on thin ice? Or will Bill Belichick’s crew pull off the improbable road upset? Tune in on Sunday to watch this key matchup unfold.
Ravens (10-6) at Bengals (11-4) on CBS (Sunday, 1:00 P.M. ET)
The AFC North division title is pretty much up for grabs here in this heated rivalry game. Lamar Jackson’s status for the game is in doubt, so Tyler Huntley will start again for the Ravens. Huntley’s team already has a playoff spot nailed down, but their ambitions are for so much more. Meanwhile, the Bengals have looked like one of the best teams in the NFL since mid-November. Currently riding a seven-game winning streak, the team looks like a legit Super Bowl contender. Since the Ravens won their first head-to-head matchup, it’s vital for the Bengals to win this one. A loss here would be extremely tough, though the Bengals still have one more game to make up. Regardless, expect both of these teams to give it their all in this back-and-forth divisional affair.
The Sports Beacon 