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Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Bryce shines in season finale as Panthers' QB outduels Penix Jr. Bryce Young played with aplomb, destroying a Falcons defense that had no answers for the second-year quarterback. It's taken time, but Young showed all the promise the Panthers hoped for when they drafted him No. 1 in 2023. Young showed poise, dropped dimes, darted lasers and made the right reads all game. He finished 25-of-34 passing for 251 yards with three touchdowns for a 123.5 passer rating. Young also showed good pocket movement and knew when to flee the pocket, rushing five times for 24 yards with two touchdown scampers. The 73.5 completion percentage is a season best for Young. Carolina put up 425 yards of offense. After an early-season benching, Young has responded exactly how the Panthers hoped, improving by the week, showing calmness in the pocket where he'd previously panic and much better accuracy. Young's development to close the campaign provides optimism for a Carolina club heading into the 2025 offseason. Now, management needs to help the defense.
2. Falcons come up short of postseason. Raheem Morris' club wouldn't have made the playoffs even with a win, as the Buccaneers beat New Orleans to clinch the division, but the loss added salt to the wound. For the second consecutive week, Morris eschewed a chance for a game-winning two-point try after Michael Penix Jr. drove them for a late fourth-quarter score. For the second consecutive week, Atlanta then lost in OT. The defeat culminates a disappointing end of the season in which ATL fell from 6-3 to 8-9, with the only wins coming against the Raiders and Giants.
3. Penix Jr. provides a silver lining for Atlanta. The season came up shy, but the big-armed rookie proved he's the future of the franchise. Penix played stellar in his third career start. The signal-caller completed 21 of 38 passes for 312 yards with two touchdowns and one interception (which bounced off a receiver's hands). Atlanta didn't punt, and the offense put up 537 yards -- if the defense had stopped Young at all, it would have been a win. Penix showed off a big arm, driving rockets into tight windows and peppering the Panthers' defense with darts. There isn't a throw the rookie can't make. His play, anticipation and ability to fit the ball between defenders helped open up Drake London. The receiver went for 10 catches, 187 yards and two touchdowns. That's something to build on. The loss can start questions about how the franchise handles Kirk Cousins' future. The simple reality is that after how Penix finished the season, there should be zero chance he goes back to the bench.

Next Gen Stats Insight for (via ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøPro): Bijan Robinson carried the ball 28 times for a career-high 170 yards and two touchdowns against the Panthers, with 118 of his yards and both touchdowns coming on 20 carries outside the tackles. Robinson also forced nine missed tackles, giving him 117 on the season, the most in the NFL.

¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøResearch: Only Bryce Young, Jalen Hurts and Josh Allen have a game with two or more touchdown passes and rushing TDs this season. Hurts and Young did it once, Allen three times.

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Michael Baca's takeaways:

1. Mariota pushes Washington into No. 6 seed. Following a mistake-filled first half by the starting offense, Marcus Mariota came in to save the day and punctuated his great performance with a spectacular game-winning touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter. Down three points with six seconds left to play and no timeouts from the Dallas 5-yard line, kicking a field goal for overtime was on the table for Dan Quinn, but he nodded for one more shot at the end zone. Mariota delivered, lofting a pretty jump ball for Terry McLaurin, who came down with the game-winning catch with two seconds left. It was the final play of an 11-play, 81-yard drive led by the Commanders' backup quarterback, who completed five of six passes for 41 yards on the possession and kept it alive with a 33-yard run on fourth down three plays prior to his game-sealing throw. Mariota, who finished 15-of-18 passing for 161 yards and three total touchdowns (two passing, rushing), led the Commanders to TDs on three of four second-half possessions, and earned Washington the NFC's No. 6 seed with the victory. If there was ever an example of the importance of having a seasoned veteran at backup QB, this was it. And Mariota turned around an otherwise gloomy day into a celebration as Washington ends its regular season on a high note. 
2. Lance showcases himself in season finale. Making his first start since Week 2 of the 2022 season, Trey Lance got a chance to show where he stands before entering free agency. Those results were up and down. The 24-year-old came out of the gate hot, completing his first three passes for 70 yards, but the chain-moving drive only set up what would be a continuous struggle in the red zone. The Cowboys settled for field goals on four of six red-zone opportunities and Lance's inaccuracy in close quarters was partly to blame. The best example was on Dallas' final drive of the first half when Lance impressively scrambled out of pressure on fourth-and-goal but underthrew a wide-open Rico Dowdle for a would-be TD. It was one of several TD opportunities for Lance, who finished 20-of-34 passing for 244 yards while adding 26 rushing yards, but he remains without a TD toss in over three years. His ability to move the chains and leading a turnover-less offense showed he could command, but ultimately falling short in the red zone resulted in Dallas dropping an otherwise winnable game. Lance concludes his fourth season with a respectable performance, but whether it catapults him into the starting opportunity he's seeking in 2025 remains to be seen.
3. Commanders' starting offense sloppy in Week 18. Through two quarters, things looked bleak for Washington having produced its worst first-half performance this season with 64 total yards, 20 passing yards, and four first downs (all season lows). Jayden Daniels immediately felt that wrath, getting sacked on two of the first three plays of the game and twice more before getting sat out of precaution after halftime. His final numbers on the day (6 of 12 for 38 yards) could have been better if not for a couple of uncharacteristic drops by McLaurin and another big one by Olamide Zaccheaus in the second quarter that would've been for a TD. The Commanders' silent rushing attack didn't help Daniels' cause and Jamison Crowder's muffed punt in the first half (caused by his own teammates) was another example of Washington's sleep walk in Week 18. Thanks to Mariota, the Commanders avoided an ugly loss before the playoffs, but there will be plenty of material for them to improve upon as they head into the wild-card round.

Next Gen Stats Insight for (via ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøPro): Terry McLaurin hauled in eight catches for 62 yards on 12 targets in Week 18 against the Cowboys, including the game-winning touchdown with six seconds remaining in regulation; 57 of his 62 yards came in the fourth quarter. McLaurin faced Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland on 28 routes, which accounted for seven of his eight receptions, 56 of his 62 yards, and the game-winning touchdown.

¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøResearch: The Commanders won 12-plus games in a season for the first time since 1991 (14-2, won Super Bowl XXVI).

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• READ: Packers' Watson believed to have suffered torn ACL

Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Packers couldn’t improve their seed as Love, Watson were injured. The Packers had something to play for Sunday, needing a victory and a Washington loss to move up from the No. 7 seed to the sixth slot. But there were some tense moments as the Bears got off to a first-half lead and both Jordan Love and Christian Watson were injured. Watson (knee) was ruled out after a non-contact injury after 10 snaps. Love appeared to be hit on the funny bone after completing a wild checkdown pass, and though he flexed his hand and warmed up throughout the second half, the Packers smartly sat him for the remainder of the game. Backup QB Malik Willis took a shot from Bears safety Kevin Byard and coughed the ball up on a sack, adding to the pre-playoffs tension. The worry on Watson feels higher than Love; there’s no way Love would have been warming up on the sideline if he truly was injured. It’s a different story heading into the postseason with Watson’s injury, as he’s been in and out of the lineup the past two seasons and can’t seem to stay healthy for long stretches.
2. Bears’ miserable season ended on a high note. The Bears had nothing to play for but pride, but pride was on display until the final seconds in a 24-22 victory at Green Bay -- the franchise’s first at Lambeau Field since the 2015 season. Caleb Williams and the offense got off to a tough start, as they failed to score on their first offensive possession Sunday for the 17th time in 17 games, but the defense and special teams kept them in the game. They even came prepared with a pretty cool trick play. Josh Blackwell's punt-return TD (where was this one all season?) gave the Bears their first lead in a game since Nov. 24. The Packers took the lead in the final minute with a Brandon McManus field goal, but the embattled Williams dragged the Bears downfield -- with help from a 15-yard penalty -- to set up Cairo Santos game-winning kick. Considering the Bears were in this spot against the Packers at Soldier Field earlier this season, it was no gimme, but Santos nailed it. The win ended a 10-game losing streak and gave the Bears some hope heading into the offseason. 
3. Packers must clean up after sloppy performance, get more from receivers. The Packers suffered from execution and coaching errors in their loss to the Bears, which was pretty disappointing considering that Green Bay had a reason to play hard. Once the Commanders pulled ahead in the fourth quarter, the improved seed was out of the mix. But the early special teams breakdowns -- a high snap on the first punt, followed by Chicago pulling off punt return misdirection – put the Packers in a hole. Then Jayden Reed had a costly fumble, which led to another Bears TD, which put Chicago up, 14-3. He atoned with a circus catch from Malik Willis late in the second quarter, but Reed has been in a mini-slump in recent games. They’ll need to be sure he’s buttoned up and ready for the wild-card game next week, especially if Watson is out. Malik Heath and Dontayvion Wicks stepped up with some nice plays, and Luke Musgrave made a key stab of a low pass, but the Packers need all hands on deck, operating at a high level next week.

Next Gen Stats Insight for (via ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøPro): Malik Willis entered the game early in the second quarter for an injured Jordan Love (hand), where he got the ball out quicker (2.52 seconds) and averaged more air yards per attempt (9.3) than Love (3.22 seconds and 6.4 air yards per attempt). Willis recorded a +13.3% completion percentage over expected on the day, the highest CPOE by a Packers quarterback in a game this season (minimum 10 attempts).

¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøResearch: Caleb Williams finished his rookie season with 3,541 passing yards, which is the fifth-most by any Bears QB. Erik Kramer holds the top spot with 3,838 yards in 1995, followed by Jay Cutler (2014, 2009 and 2015), who holds the next three spots on that list.

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Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Colts head into offseason on positive note. Indianapolis' disappointing showing in its upset Week 17 loss to the Giants could have sent the Colts into a tailspin and an ugly showing in the season finale. They'd surrendered their remaining playoff hopes and knew this was it for this campaign. And yet, the Colts still played hard, racking up over 400 yards of offense. Joe Flacco's receiving corps made a number of excellent grabs to help him out, Jonathan Taylor continued to pace the offense on the ground and Indianapolis' defense -- in what was expected to be defensive coordinator Gus Bradley's last game -- played well enough to keep a narrow lead and seal the win by forcing a turnover on downs. That's the type of performance Shane Steichen needed to quell rumblings regarding his job security, but it isn't going to fix everything. Still, it's better than ending this season with a loss to a lowly division rival.
2. Jaguars battle to the end of forgettable season. Most expect the Doug Pederson era to end in the next 24-48 hours, making Sunday a farewell game for the coach with Jacksonville. The Jaguars showed him plenty of respect and appreciation in how they carried themselves in the season finale, fighting for 60 minutes plus overtime in a game that had little meaning outside of future employment. The game itself and the final outcome fit the story of these 2024 Jaguars, who haven't had their starting quarterback available to them for a while now, but still managed to claw back and force OT. Now, they prepare for an offseason that is almost certain to include change.
3. Taylor is definitely back. Frankly, we've known this for weeks. Indianapolis has leaned heavily on their bell cow back, Jonathan Taylor, with high-volume games in recent weeks, watching him average 150 rushing yards on 27.6 carries per contest in their last three outings. It was fitting, then, that the Colts followed the same approach in Week 18, handing Taylor 34 carries and watching him rumble for 177 yards and a touchdown. Sheer volume alone can produce these numbers, but Taylor's consistency and ability to break through to the second level has been consistently apparent during this run, just as it was Sunday. That's a great sign for a Colts team that hasn't been able to count on him much in recent seasons, but might want to rely on him as a key part of their offense entering 2025, especially when considering how unstable the quarterback position has been for them in the last few years.

Next Gen Stats Insight from (via ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøPro): Jonathan Taylor rushed for 177 yards and a touchdown on 34 carries against the Jaguars, finishing with a 61.8% rush success rate on the day, his highest mark of the season. The Colts offensive line allowed contact behind the line of scrimmage on only 17.6% of his carries, the second-lowest rate for Taylor this season.

¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøResearch: With seven catches for 103 yards, Brian Thomas pushed his total of games with 75-plus receiving yards to 11, the most such games by a rookie in the Super Bowl era.

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• READ: Bills to host Broncos on Wild Card Weekend

Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Patriots coughed up No. 1 draft pick in Mayo’s final game. The Patriots knew that losing Sunday would guarantee them receiving the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøDraft, but their victory dropped them to the fourth slot. Patriots fans watching their 4-13 team lose all season got a win when they might not have wanted one. This might not be some catastrophic result, as having Drake Maye prevents the need to move up for a QB prospect. There is plenty to achieve this offseason, and the Patriots also have more than $100 million in salary-cap space to help, and they should get a good player at No. 4 if they choose to stay there. And it will be a new head coach who reaps the reward of any offseason additions. Less than an hour after the game, the Patriots surprisingly announced that Jerod Mayo would be fired following his one season as Bill Belichick’s handpicked successor. It will be a long offseason but a critical one for this franchise to return to competitiveness.
2. Bills took their foot off the gas in Week 18. Did the Bills want the Patriots to lose Sunday? After starting and taking one snap to keep his starting streak alive, Josh Allen sat, which was no surprise given that nothing was at stake. But with chances to win the game several times in the second half, the Bills appeared fine with the Patriots beating them and coughing up the top pick in the draft. Sean McDermott passed at a chance to kick a 53-yard field goal to give punter Sam Martin a shot to earn a $100,000 incentive with a punt inside the Patriots’ 20-yard line (he was successful). Even Pro Bowl snub James Cook got some run, scoring his league-best 16th rushing touchdown when he really didn’t need to be out there. Mitchell Trubisky took Allen’s place and played into the third quarter, attempting only three passes 20-plus yards downfield. Then Mike White took Trubisky’s place. White’s final six pass attempts fell incomplete, and the Bills turned their thoughts to the postseason. If the Patriots miss out on a superstar in the draft, we might revisit this one down the road.
3. Milton looked impressive in debut. Drake Maye started but went to the bench after a three-snap outing, giving way to fellow rookie Joe Milton III -- and what an ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íødebut it was for him. He completed 22 of 29 passes for 241 yards and made plays all game with his legs. The Patriots’ 2024 draft class certainly has its warts right now, but Maye was a hit and Milton’s one outing -- even against Bills backups -- offers some fascinating future potential. Milton’s first drive as an ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íøquarterback was fantastic. He completed all six of his passes for 51 yards and ran in a 1-yard TD to give New England a 7-0 lead. He was credited with a fumble lost (not his fault) and also was guilty of intentional grounding midway through the fourth quarter in the Bills’ red zone, but most Patriots fans were probably OK with that, given how many of them might have wanted a loss Sunday. Then Milton had a brilliant TD pass wiped out by Caedan Wallace's hold, one of a handful of unsuccessful Patriots plays where Milton opened eyes. The Patriots’ coaching staff has faced some heat this season, but give a hat tip to QB coach T.C. McCartney, who has done a very good job preparing two rookie quarterbacks to play this season.

Next Gen Stats Insight for (via ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøPro): Kayshon Boutte caught all seven of his targets for 117 yards and a touchdown in the Patriots’ Week 18 win over the Bills, generating 96 yards and his TD on four downfield receptions (10+ air yards). He recorded the most receiving yards by a Patriots player on downfield passes in the last two seasons, while becoming the first Patriots pass catcher since Rob Gronkowski (Week 1, 2018) to catch 100% of his downfield targets for at least 90 receiving yards in a game.

¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøResearch: Josh Allen started his 115th straight game (including playoffs), extending the longest such streak in franchise history and the longest active streak in the league. The second-longest belongs to the Lions’ Jared Goff, who sits at 55.

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Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. McKee, Eagles backups beat up Giants to close out regular season. The Eagles' third-string quarterback, Tanner McKee, diced up the Giants' beleaguered defense to the tune of 27-of-41 passing for 269 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. McKee was calm in the pocket, peppering the New York defense with short darts. The third-stringer displayed a good understanding of what the defense was trying to do pre-snap and hit the correct targets. Despite playing without the starting receivers and having little ground support, McKee and the Eagles put up 303 yards, including 211 in the first half to build a 10-0 lead. Philly fans have been clamoring for McKee to get a chance at the backup gig after good preseason outings. The Eagles have resisted in the past. Perhaps Sunday's performance will change the calculus in 2025. 
2. Nabers shines in another loss. In a forgettable season, at least the Giants had Malik Nabers. The rookie caught five passes for 64 yards and the Giants' only touchdown. Nabers is sensational, and despite missing two games, finishes the season with 109 total catches -- a rookie wide receiver record and briefly leapfrogs Raiders tight end Brock Bowers for the most ever by a rookie. However, the season ended in predictable fashion for the 2024 New York Giants. Defenders jumped offsides on fourth downs, a host of missed tackles, and a Drew Lock interception to seal the deal. Despite Philly sitting every starter it could possibly muster, Big Blue played small. The offense couldn't sustain drives, failing twice on downs in the first half and going three-and-out thrice. The defense got punctured by a third-string QB and backup pass catchers. The loss to backups gives Giants ownership another level to consider in deciding whether or not to move forward with general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll.
3. Eagles get out healthy ahead of wild-card meeting with Packers.  Philly sat the likes of Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown, Zack Baun and others to give their key playmakers a rest before the postseason. Those who did play, like Dallas Goedert (coming off injury) or Jordan Davis, came through unscathed. Mission accomplished for Nick Sirianni's club, which will take on the Green Bay Packers in the opening round. It's a rematch of Week 1, when the Eagles outlasted the Packers in Brazil.

Next Gen Stats Insight for (via ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøPro): Malik Nabers hauled in five of his eight targets for 64 yards and a touchdown in Week 18, accounting for 51.8% of the Giants' air yards. Nabers recorded his lone touchdown on a 45-yard reception in the fourth quarter, which was his second-deepest reception by air yards (29) this season. 

 ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøResearch: A 14th loss marks a franchise worst for the New York Giants, who went winless in the NFC East. 

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• READ: Bucs' Evans earns 11th-straight 1K season, tying Rice's all-time mark
• READ: Tampa Bay to host Washington on Wild Card Weekend

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Baker carries the Bucs to the playoffs. Tampa Bay was authoring an especially disappointing performance through two and a half quarters Sunday, seemingly allowing its hopes of winning a division title to drift away via a poor showing against a familiar opponent. The Buccaneers' high-powered offense was stuck in a low gear and their defense couldn't get after inexperienced quarterback Spencer Rattler, allowing the Saints to take a 10-point lead into halftime. Baker Mayfield found his groove in the fourth quarter, though, doing everything in his power -- including scrambling -- to try to will his team to the postseason. He did just that in the final period, leading a 12-play, 82-yard drive capped by a laser of a throw to Jalen McMillan for a touchdown, which rescued the Bucs from a terrible down-and-distance situation while needing a touchdown to take the lead. He followed that up by leading another emphatic drive, covering 94 yards over 12 plays and taking nearly six minutes off the clock before the Bucs tacked seven more points onto the scoreboard. That final period is what makes Mayfield a favorite in Tampa. He's a supreme competitor, and even on a day in which he and the Bucs offense struggled plenty, he found a way to get the job done.
2. Saints fight valiantly, but run out of steam. New Orleans' hopes of the postseason ended weeks ago, but with one more game left on the calendar, the Saints boarded a flight to Tampa to take on the division rival Buccaneers with a chance to play spoiler. Through three quarters, it appeared as though they might do just that, winning the battle of wills and outplaying their opponent. Spencer Rattler delivered one of his best halves of football in his young career, completing 21 of 28 first-half passes for 181 yards and one touchdown and keeping the Saints offense moving. New Orleans' defense caused problems for Mayfield and the Buccaneers, keeping the low-scoring affair in their favor. Eventually, though, the Saints ran out of fuel. With an increased sense of urgency, the Buccaneers awoke in the fourth quarter, beating the Saints on the margins in key moments and suffocating New Orleans' offense. The eight-point loss, while close, doesn't quite capture the full story of this game, which New Orleans owned for at least two quarters. At minimum, it was a positive showing from a team that is approaching an offseason of change.
3. McMillan is blossoming before our eyes. Jalen McMillan took a while to get his feet underneath him in his rookie season, but he's been on fire in recent weeks. Tampa Bay needed a quality second option at receiver after losing Chris Godwin to injury and they've found it in McMillan, who made it seven touchdown receptions in five games with his clutch catch in the fourth quarter Sunday. That play was satisfying, crucial and redeeming all at once. McMillan hauled in a huge grab on a must-have fourth down attempt earlier in the drive, but was flagged for taunting, putting the Bucs well behind the sticks on a highly important drive. His touchdown catch erased that mistake and pushed the Buccaneers ahead in their race to the playoffs, which they won less than an hour later. Mike Evans isn't getting any younger, so the Buccaneers will need another quality option at receiver for the long haul. McMillan has done plenty to suggest he can be that guy in the future.

Next Gen Stats Insight from (via ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøPro): Baker Mayfield had more scramble runs (seven) and rushing yards on scrambles (75) than any other game in his career, converting three first downs on the ground. On the season, Mayfield has recorded career highs in scrambles (46) and scramble yards (379), while scrambling for 21 first downs, tied for the fourth-most among quarterbacks.

¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøResearch: Baker Mayfield became the third player in ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íøhistory to have a 70-plus completion percentage, 4,500-plus pass yards and 40-plus passing touchdowns in a season.

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Coral Smith's takeaways:

1. Houston’s starters get back on track. It was a short outing for C.J. Stroud and the first-string offense, but it might have been exactly what the doctor ordered. After last week’s game against the Ravens saw the Texans shut out on offense, Week 18 provided an opportunity for the team to get its head back on straight in a game that had no true consequences with Houston locked in to the No. 4 seed. And it seemed to be the perfect get-right game, as it was only a single drive for Stroud, he was perfect on the possession, going 6 for 6 for 50 yards passing, while Joe Mixon ran five times for 32 yards. Nico Collins ended the drive off with a 2-yard touchdown reception, finishing up an 11-play, 73-yard drive that had to soothe the nerves of the team and fans alike after last week’s lackluster outing. Houston will host the Chargers next week to open the postseason, and the Texans will hope this week’s outing was the reset they needed to get back on track for a deep run.
2. Attention turns to 2025 for Tennessee. If there was any thought that the Titans’ quarterback of the future is on their current roster, that hope was likely squashed on Sunday. Neither Will Levis or Mason Rudolph made a convincing case in their final gameday audition before the offseason decisions begin. Levis got the start and finished the game in the fourth quarter, and while he had some pretty plays and threw the sole touchdown, he also had two fumbles, one lost and returned for a touchdown, indicative of his struggles with turnovers this year. Rudolph led two field goal drives, but was largely unable to get real offensive movement, finishing with an underwhelming 70 yards on 7-for-9 passing. There’s some solid pieces on this offense to build around, including Calvin Ridley, who had an acrobatic 39-yard grab to open the fourth quarter and put him above 1,000 yards on the season, and Tony Pollard, who returned from injury to record 62 yards and add to his third consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season. But the Titans need to solve the uncertainty at signal-caller. We’ll have to wait and see how the No. 1 draft pick the Titans officially secured Sunday could be used in the hunt for a franchise QB.
3. Texans get big plays from usual backups. With some of the usual top names for the Texans inactive or out after the first drive, it was an opportunity for other players to take the spotlight on Sunday. On offense, running back Dameon Pierce, who broke out as a rookie but has slowed in production the two years since, took over for Mixon after the opening drive and quickly made a statement. He broke through on the first play of the Texans’ third drive to sprint 92 yards to the house for a touchdown, the longest run of his career and his second TD of the season. He finished with 19 carries for 176 yards, his highest single-game total in his three years in the NFL. On the other side of the ball, Derek Barnett, getting his first start of the season, had himself a career game. Barnett was all over the field from the first defensive possession, recording a tackle for loss and a sack on that first series. He added on to his day with a 36-yard scoop-and-score in the fourth quarter, snatching up a loose ball from Will Levis and rumbling into the end zone while dragging a Titan the last 10 yards. It was his second fumble recovery for a touchdown this year.

Next Gen Stats Insight for (via ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøPro): Dameon Pierce carried the ball 19 times for a career-high 176 yards and a touchdown Sunday, generating a +117 rushing yards over expected (third-most by a player in a game this season). Pierce also recorded a top speed of 20.99 mph on his 92-yard rushing touchdown, the fastest play as a ball-carrier of his career and the sixth-fastest by a Texans ball-carrier this season.

¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøResearch: With his 36-yard scoop-and-score on Sunday, the Texans’ Derek Barnett became the 12^th defensive lineman in ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íøhistory to record two fumble return touchdowns in a season.

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Coral Smith's takeaways:

1. Arizona ends season with offensive explosion. Neither of these teams had a chance to play for the postseason on Sunday, but it didn’t mean the Cardinals didn’t pull out all the stops. Arizona scored six touchdowns in the win over its NFC West foes, gradually pulling away from what was still a three-point game at halftime to score 47 total points, the Cardinals' highest total of the season and almost double San Francisco’s score. The Cardinals pulled off a successful fake punt in the first quarter en route to their first field goal, following that up with touchdowns to Greg Dortch and Trey McBride before the break. The second half brought another TD toss to Dortch, as well as one to ï»¿ï»¿ï»¿Marvin Harrison Jr., and a pair of scores on the ground, as well. Kyler Murray was dealing throughout the afternoon as he spread the wealth among his receivers, showcasing the offensive potential many were hoping to see from the team this season but that didn’t always materialize when needed. Pair that with the defense collecting three sacks and three turnovers, and the Cardinals finished the year on a hopeful note for what this team could build toward with their young talent.
2. Errors take S.F. out of the game. The 49ers outgained the Cardinals 436 yards to 393, and yet lost the game due to multiple mistakes in key moments to end the year on a frustrating note. Jake Moody had another kick go wide left on Sunday early on to bring his season miss total to 10. Jauan Jennings, who had his eyes on a 1,000-yard season, instead got ejected in the second quarter after fighting with two Cardinals defenders. Quarterback Joshua Dobbs, who came into Sunday viewing it as an audition for his upcoming free agency, might not have earned the leading role after throwing two interceptions and losing a fumble. It wasn’t all duds, with Ricky Pearsall hauling in a touchdown and Patrick Taylor coming in clutch in the run game (17 rushes for 109 yards) after yet another injury at the position to Isaac Guerendo. But still, a tough finish to a season that started with hopes of a Super Bowl return.
3. McBride caps off stellar season. It was an overall great day for the Cardinals offense, but the standout was still tight end Trey McBride, who was all over the field for Arizona, leading the team with seven catches on 11 targets for 65 yards. That included a hurdle over a defender for a first down in the second quarter, and then a 2-yard touchdown reception on a dot from Kyler Murray to finish that drive. That score was McBride’s second in the last two weeks after going without a touchdown for the first 15 games of the season. He finishes the year with 111 catches for 1,146 yards, second behind only the Raiders’ Brock Bowers in receptions and receiving yards for a TE. On a team with a couple rising stars to keep an eye on, McBride stood out Sunday.

Next Gen Stats Insight for (via ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøPro): Kyler Murray was efficient on dropbacks under 2.5 seconds, completing 18 of his 21 attempts for 161 yards and all four TDs (+12.4% CPOE). Murray averaged a 2.57 second time to throw, his fourth quickest in a game this season.

¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøResearch: With his seven receptions on Sunday, Trey McBride has 221 career catches, officially passing the 49ers’ George Kittle (216) for the most receptions by a tight end in their first three ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íøseasons.

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• READ: Broncos return to playoffs for first time since winning Super Bowl 50
• READ: Broncos to face Bills on Wild Card Weekend

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Nix, Broncos blast K.C. backups to secure playoff berth. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix didn’t throw an incomplete pass until his final toss of the first half, going 18 of his first 19 passes, as Denver got up early and coasted into the postseason tournament. The Broncos had as many touchdowns as the Chiefs had first downs through two quarters. Nix led three consecutive scoring drives to open the game -- if not for a wayward ball on his final pass of the half, it would have been four straight TD drives. Nix was surgical, slicing up Steve Spagnuolo’s defense, which sat key players on every level, for 321 yards and four TD tosses on 26-of-29 passing for a 152.4 passer rating before sitting in favor of Jarrett Stidham in the fourth quarter of the blowout. The rookie peppered the Chiefs underneath and hit several deep shots when the Chiefs crept up, nailing a pass to Courtland Sutton for 47 yards and two 32-yarders. The game was effectively over after two drives, with Nix carving up the defense and Vance Joseph’s defense smothering Carson Wentz. The party was on for the final three quarters of the shutout.
2. Broncos end long playoff drought. Denver hadn’t been to the dance since Peyton Manning’s final game, the longest postseason drought following a Super Bowl win at eight seasons. It took Sean Payton just two seasons to wipe that ignominious record away and make it a dance party in Denver. Nix’s improvement as the season progressed spoke volumes of Payton’s job this season. The offense continually outmaneuvered defenses on the periphery. The Broncos did again Sunday. Couple Nix’s play with a dominant defense that generated another five sacks Sunday, and this was a playoff team that overcame an 0-2 start to the season. Back-to-back losses to the Chargers and Bengals put some doubt that Denver could break its drought. However, facing Chiefs backups provided a favorable situation for a blowout win to sprint into the tournament.
3. Wentz stymied in relief of Mahomes. Carson Wentz couldn’t generate much offense all afternoon. The QB went 10-of-17 passing for a meager 98 passing yards, taking four sacks. K.C. generated just five total first downs and 98 total yards on the afternoon. Chris Oladokun replaced Wentz in the fourth quarter. An already wanting pass-catching corps was further thinned with players sitting. Nikko Remigio led the Chiefs with two catches for 48 yards. The situation wasn’t optimal for Wentz, but the former Eagles first-rounder did little to put himself in a position to be sought after in the offseason. Already clinching the No. 1 seed, there was little to play for K.C. on Sunday. The fact that its Week 18 loss helped keep Joe Burrow out of the postseason probably takes some sting away from getting shut out by a division rival.

Next Gen Stats Insight for (via ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøPro): Courtland Sutton hauled in five of seven targets for 98 yards and a touchdown against the Chiefs, including two receptions for 79 yards on go routes. On the season, Sutton has now recorded 13 receptions on go routes (T-most in NFL) for 304 yards (eighth) and five touchdowns (T-4th).

¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøResearch: Bo Nix’s 18 straight completions to start the game today were the most by any rookie to open a game in ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íøhistory.

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• READ: Rams to host Vikings on Wild Card Weekend

Michael Baca's takeaways:

1. Geno cashes in with efficient outing in season finale. Despite the Seahawks being out of the playoff hunt, Geno Smith had plenty to play for. According to Sunday's broadcast on FOX, Smith needed to finish the season surpassing 4,282 passing yards, maintain a completion rate higher than 69.75% and earn Seattle its 10th win of the season to hit three contract escalators worth $2 million apiece. Completing 20 of 27 passes (improving his 70.2 completion percentage going into Week 18) for 223 yards and four touchdowns in a victory against the Rams in Week 18, Smith earned an extra $6 million in the final game of the season. The Seahawks quarterback needed to orchestrate a go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter to accomplish all three marks and wasn't refraining from passing to get there, zipping a 16-yard pass to Noah Fant with 3:24 left to take the lead. The Seahawks defense did the rest by forcing a turnover on downs on the Rams' ensuing possession, but Smith certainly earned the check coming his way. 
2. Garoppolo shakes off rust in first action of 2024. By resting a majority of their starters for Week 18, the Rams seemingly forwent the NFC's No. 3 seed, but they did get a good look at Jimmy Garoppolo before the playoffs and the veteran QB nearly led Los Angeles to win in the process. Garoppolo led scoring drives on six of 10 possessions to keep the Rams in contention on Sunday, finishing 27-of-41 passing for 334 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for a 97.0 passer rating. The 33-year-old had a chance to lead a game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter, but an incompletion on fourth down in the red zone ultimately sealed the fate of the game. Considering this was his first game action since Week 8 of the 2023 season and with Rams backups at his side, Garoppolo's performance was better than expected. He did need to seemingly shake off some rust, however, with a bad interception in the first half being the most glaring of his miscues, but as the game went on, Garoppolo got better. Perhaps the Rams will feel better going into the playoffs knowing their backup got some useful experience beforehand. 
3. Karty maintains sure foot; Rivers prepping for bigger role? The Rams might also rest assured knowing their rookie kicker has a hot foot entering the postseason. Joshua Karty made all four of his field goal attempts in the loss, the longest one coming from 57 yards in the third quarter and his last from 38 yards out securing a fourth-quarter lead. The rookie sixth-rounder extended his streak of made FGs to 13 straight as the Rams enter the playoffs, and perhaps that will come into account for Sean McVay as he faces a big decision next week. Rams running back Blake Corum is out for the playoffs due to a broken forearm suffered Sunday, and it provided Ronnie Rivers the opportunity to see even more playing time. The third-year RB accounted for himself well with 48 rushing yards off 12 carries and added four receptions for 34 yards.  

Next Gen Stats Insight for (via ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøPro): Jimmy Garoppolo utilized play-action on 53.3% of his dropbacks in Week 18 against the Seahawks, his highest play-action rate in a game since Week 7, 2020 with the 49ers (63.0%). Garoppolo finished 18 of 22 for 174 yards and two touchdowns off of play-action, compared to just 9 of 19 for 160 yards and interception without a play fake. Garoppolo was also most effective on shorter passes, completing 21 of his 27 attempts under 10 air yards for 195 yards and a touchdown.

¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøResearch: With two sacks on Sunday, Leonard Williams became the first Seahawk since 2018 (Frank Clark, Jarran Reed) to eclipse the double-digit sack mark in a season. 

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• READ: Chargers-Raiders on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Chargers to play Texans on Wild Card Weekend

Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Chargers overcame sluggish start to clinch 5-seed. The Chargers settled for their third field goal (on four tries) and looked resigned to be down, 10-9, at halftime. But Daiyan Henley picked Aidan O'Connell’s errant pass with 44 seconds left, and Justin Herbert woke up the offense with a nice touchdown pass to D.J. Chark. The two-point conversion was even sweeter, as Herbert bought time and found Ladd McConkey in the back of the end zone. The ever-improving McConkey and Quentin Johnston each came up with big catches all game, as the Chargers kept the momentum going after halftime. They took a two-TD lead on the back of Herbert, whose 41-yard scramble set up his 2-yard TD pass to Will Dissly. The early game red-zone struggles echoed some past demons, and the run game was stuck in neutral most of the game, but one key turnover kick-started Herbert and the passing game to reach some impressive levels.
2. O’Connell up and down in Raiders. There are a lot of unknowns heading into this Raiders offseason, with quarterback high on the list. Aidan O’Connell likely has the best chance of the Raiders’ three quarterbacks on the roster to have a shot to compete for the starting job -- regardless of what the coaching staff looks like next season. If Sunday was a pre-audition for 2025, AOC had an up-and-down day overall against a good Chargers defense that was playing its starters in Week 18. Early on, he found some rhythm, including a nice TD pass to Jakobi Meyers, but O’Connell’s biggest mistake was the pick before the half. It stunted all the Raiders’ early momentum and shifted control to the Chargers. He navigated pressure well and took no sacks into the fourth quarter, but O’Connell left briefly after a hard hit. The problem was not being able to get the ball into Brock Bowers’ hands until the third quarter, as well as a non-existent run game. O’Connell finally hit Bowers on a 21-yard pass, a nice throw stepping up amid pressure, and hit him on a garbage-time TD, but the turnover was the lasting memory of the outing. After an injury plagued, inconsistent season (that certainly wasn’t all his fault), O’Connell certainly will have competition if he’s back.
3. Chargers offensive line looms as concern heading into playoffs. The Chargers were already shorthanded Sunday, with Rashawn Slater (knee) inactive. That shifted Joe Alt to left tackle, Jamaree Salyer to right guard and Trey Pipkins to right tackle. All of these guys have started before, but the chemistry was off early, and Pipkins was guilty of a holding call that wiped out a Derius Davis TD catch. Pipkins later was carted off with an oblique injury, which put Foster Sarell at right tackle. Shortly thereafter, the Chargers were stuffed on three straight runs from the 1-yard line, settling for another field goal. It didn’t fester into a bigger issue in the win, but the last thing the Chargers want to have heading into the postseason are offensive line concerns. They’ve spent major resources on this unit being a major part of the team’s identity. The results have been more good than bad, but there have been concerning moments this season up front. They have to hope that Slater’s knee responds and he can go next week. The Chargers will have their hands full against the Texans’ Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter.

Next Gen Stats Insight for (via ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøPro): Quentin Johnston hauled in 13 of his 14 targets for 186 yards in Week 18, recording career highs in targets, receptions, receiving yards and target rate (41.2%). Johnston was most productive on open targets (3+ yards of separation), catching 10 of his 11 such targets for 121 yards. Johnston finished the regular season with 495 receiving yards and five touchdowns on open targets, after recording just 129 receiving yards and one touchdown on open targets in 2023.

¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøResearch: Brock Bowers finished with 112 catches in 2024, passing Malik Nabers (109) to officially secure the ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íørecord for most receptions by a rookie at any position in ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íøhistory. Bowers entered Week 18 with the rookie mark, Nabers briefly passed him Sunday, but Bowers caught four passes in the loss to the Chargers, securing the record.

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• READ: Rodgers throws 500th career TD pass in potential final game
• READ: WR Hill indicates he's done playing in Miami: 'I'm out'

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Rodgers goes out on a high note. In what was billed as Aaron Rodgers' possible final game in the NFL, the 41-year-old delivered a worthy performance, tossing four touchdowns while showing mobility to navigate and escape the pocket, extending plays before whipping passes for scores. Sure, recognizable frustrations appeared early in this game, such as when Rodgers fired a pass that went off his receiver's hands and was intercepted, but for the most part, the Jets found a reliable rhythm that saw them finish with 375 yards of offense and put 32 points on the board. That was because Rodgers overcame the early challenges and spread the ball around quite well, connecting with eight targets and throwing a touchdown pass to four different teammates. For all the negativity that has followed Rodgers in recent years, it was nice to see him have a good day for once -- especially if it was his last.
2. Dolphins' playoff bid collapses. Miami's chances of reaching the postseason officially evaporated once the Broncos finished off their bludgeoning of the Chiefs in Denver -- perhaps contributing to the Dolphins' poor showing Sunday -- but even if the Broncos had lost to the Chiefs, the Dolphins simply didn't do enough to win their way. They were careless with the football, turning it over four times. They collapsed under the weight of the Jets' pass rush, failed to convert third downs (finishing 3 for 12), fell short in advantageous situations (e.g., settling for three after beginning a drive on New York's 15), wasted a 121-yard day from De'Von Achane and allowed themselves to be carved up by Aaron Rodgers and the Jets offense, which didn't exactly start the game on the right foot. The outcome fit the Dolphins' final standing: 8-9, outside the playoffs and headed toward some tough questions in the offseason.
3. Jets head into crucial offseason with mild optimism. New York was trudging toward the offseason with little reason to be hopeful entering 2025. The Jets likely need a new solution at quarterback and have a roster that includes young talent, but also lacks a clear direction. A win in Week 18 isn't going to change that, but it will leave a better taste in the mouths of their fans, who have been subjected to mediocrity (or worse) for far too long. If New York is going to right the ship, it begins now. Luckily, the Jets will embark on such a journey with the good feeling gained from a win in their pocket.

Next Gen Stats Insight from (via ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøPro): De’Von Achane set season highs in rushing yards (121) and rushing yards over expected (+63) in his final game of the 2024 season. Achane recorded four explosive runs (tying his season high) on just 11 carries, while forcing six missed tackles on the ground for 90 yards.

¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøResearch: Aaron Rodgers reached the 500 passing touchdown club in Week 18, joining Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and Brett Favre as the only players in ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íøhistory to do so. Out of that group, only Manning did it in fewer games than Rodgers' 248.