The Baltimore Ravens secured the AFC top seed for the NFL playoffs in emphatic fashion on Sunday, crushing the Miami Dolphins 56-19 with Lamar Jackson throwing five touchdowns.
The San Francisco 49ers, meanwhile, will have the NFC top seed — and the home field advantage throughout the playoffs that comes with the ranking — after they won 27-10 at Washington.
Jackson is the frontrunner to win the league’s Most Valuable Player award and he hugely boosted his chances with an outstanding display against a Miami team that had hopes themselves of topping the conference.
The Ravens quarterback threw for 321 yards on 18 of 21 passing, averaging 15.3 yards per pass as he picked apart the Dolphins defence.
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After the Dolphins, who are also in the playoffs, had opened the scoring with Cedric Wilson collecting an eight-yard pass from Tua Tagovailoa, Jackson found Justice Hill with a 20-yard touchdown pass wide right.
The Ravens took a 14-10 lead through a Gus Edwards one-yard rushing touchdown and went in with a 28-13 advantage after Jackson threw two touchdowns late in the second quarter.
First, Jackson delivered a 75-yard touchdown pass to Zay Flowers and then, after Tagovailoa was picked off by Roquan Smith, Jackson connected with Isaiah Likely for a 35-yard score.
Jackson found Likely again for a seven-yard score in the third and although De’Von Achane’s touchdown early in the fourth gave the Dolphins some hope, the Ravens ran away with the game.
Patrick Ricard pulled in a four-yard pass from Jackson before Melvin Gordon ran in from three yards and, with the starting quarterback rested in the final minutes, there was time for back-up Tyler Huntley to find Charlie Kolar with a 19-yard touchdown pass.
After last week’s convincing victory over the 49ers, the Ravens will be many experts’ choice for the Super Bowl title, but Jackson has seen enough false dawns to be wary of such talk.
“We have still got to keep our mindset of one game at a time. We’ve got keep being locked down. We can’t get overwhelmed with what’s going on right now,” he said.
Miami can clinch the AFC East division title if they beat Buffalo next week but their injury problems are mounting.
Head coach Mike McDaniel was without wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and his main running back, Raheem Mostert, and suffered another blow when outside linebacker Bradley Chubb was carried off with what looked to be a serious knee injury.
PURDY BOUNCES BACK, EAGLES BLOW BIG OPPORTUNITY
The Ravens had picked off 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy four times in their win last week but he bounced back to form as San Francisco clinched the NFC top seed at Washington.
Purdy threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns on 22-of-28 throwing with no interceptions and has set a club record for single season passing yards, passing Jeff Garcia’s previous mark of 4,279.
After leading 13-10 at halftime, the Niners extended their lead with Elijah Mitchell’s two-yard rushing score and wrapped things up in the fourth when Purdy found Brandon Aiyuk with a 17-yard touchdown pass. Aiyuk had 114 yards receiving.
The 49ers were assured of the NFC top seed when the Philadelphia Eagles fell in a surprise 35-31 loss at home to the Arizona Cardinals (4-12).
James Conner’s two-yard touchdown run with 32 seconds remaining claimed the upset win for Arizona and the result opens the door to Dallas pipping Philadelphia to the NFC East title.
“It’s very disheartening,” Australian left tackle Jordan Mailata said post-game, per Philly Inquirer’s Josh Tolentino.
“I think we have a lot of pride. It’s tough when you drop one like that. It’s real hard. We said it’s playoff mode, then we come out here and play like that.”
Star wide receiver AJ Brown, meanwhile, had nothing to say. Literally.
The Cowboys can win the division with a victory at Washington next week.
Atlanta’s playoff hopes were severely dented with a 37-17 loss to the Chicago Bears while the Buffalo Bills enter their AFC East decider with Miami off a 27-21 win over New England.
The Los Angeles Rams (9-7) clinched a wildcard spot at minimum with a 26-25 win at the New York Giants, their third straight victory.
That came as a result of Pittsburgh defeating Seattle 30-23 as Steelers running back duo Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren dominated on the ground for 197 rushing yards.
Young Pittsburgh receiver George Pickens, meanwhile, backed up last week’s big game against the Bengals with a 131-yard effort.
Elsewhere, Denver recorded a scrappy 16-9 win over the Chargers but was knocked out of playoff contention after Kansas City clinched the AFC West with a 25-17 victory over the Bengals.
Patrick Mahomes threw just one touchdown pass in the win with the Chiefs instead heavily relying on the boot of Harrison Butker, who made six field goals.
Chicago clinched the top pick in the 2024 NFL when Carolina lost 26-0 at Jacksonville. The Bears obtained Carolina’s 2024 top pick in a trade deal that gave the Panthers last year’s top choice, which they used on quarterback Bryce Young.
TWIST AS ANOTHER REF MISTAKE REVEALED AFTER DALLAS WIN
On Sunday, the Dallas Cowboys survived a controversial finish to beat the Detroit Lions 20-19 and ensure they end with a 100 percent home record this season.
With Dallas leading 20-13 and 23 seconds remaining in the battle of two teams already assured of the playoffs, Amon-Ra St. Brown caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Jared Goff to bring the Lions within a point of levelling the game.
True to his style, Detroit head coach Dan Campbell opted to go for two and take the lead rather than settle for the extra point.
The move looked to have paid off when Goff found lineman Taylor Decker in the end zone for the two points but the referee ruled that Decker had been an ineligible receiver.
The Lions protested the decision furiously arguing that Decker had reported as per the rules which state that players not normally receivers, such as Decker an offensive tackle, need to report as eligible receivers.
Despite being penalised back to the seven yard line for the repeat of the play, Campbell stuck to his guns and although Goff was intercepted, the Cowboys were penalised this time for offside.
That gave the Lions a third chance for the two points with Campbell sticking to his guns but James Mitchell was unable to collect Goff’s pass.
The Cowboys returned Detroit’s onsides kick attempt and were able to run out the clock and secure their eighth win in eight home games this season.
Campbell was fuming at the end of the game.
“70 (Dan Skipper) reported and 68 (Decker) didn’t that was the explanation,” said Campbell who insisted the referees had got it wrong and Decker had reported as eligible.
Decker said he had reported as required.
“All I want to say on it, so that I don’t get myself into trouble is that I did exactly what coach told me to do and went to the ref and said ‘report’….you can see the video of it,” he said.
Video footage did show Decker and Skipper both approach the referee separately before the two point attempt.
It was not the only suspect call though, with ESPN insider Adam Schefter later revealing on Monday morning that officials had incorrectly penalised the Cowboys for a trip in a twist.
Dallas led 17-13 at that point and were on Detroit’s 29-yard line with 2:05 on the clock when Tony Pollard gained seven yards on the ground, only for the play to be called back with Cowboys tight end Peyton Hendershot called for tripping.
That pushed Dallas back to a 1st-and-25 on the 44-yard line but ESPN has since reported that it was Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson who should have been flagged for the tripping attempt.
Being pushed back further, of course, meant the Cowboys weren’t able to take more time off the clock before Detroit’s final drive of the game that led to the St. Brown touchdown.
Schefter reported on Monday morning that “a large part” of referee Brad Allen’s crew “is not going to be officiating in the postseason”.
“They’re going to get downgraded, and the chances are that many of them are not going to be involved in the postseason,” Schefter added on ESPN.
Dallas had taken a 7-3 lead in spectacular fashion when scrambling quarterback Dak Prescott threw to CeeDee Lamb on the 50 yard line and he raced home for a 92-yard touchdown.
Detroit got ahead through a three-yard rush from David Montgomery but Dallas put themselves in a game winning position thanks to an eight-yard touchdown pass from Prescott to Brandin Cooks and a 43-yard field goal from the reliable Brandon Aubrey.
The late drama somewhat overshadowed the milestones reached by Lamb who overtook Michael Irvin for the most receiving yards in a season as he reached 1,604.
“It means everything It means all the work that me and my guys put in is showing,” said Lamb who also surpassed the watching Irvin for the most receptions in a season with his 112th of the year.
NFC Playoff Picture
DIVISION LEADERS
1. 49ers (12-4): Clinched NFC West, No.1 seed
2. Cowboys (11-5): Clinched playoffs
3. Lions (11-5): Clinched NFC North
4. Buccaneers (8-8): 56 per cent playoff probability (clinch South with win over Panthers in Week 18)
WILD CARDS
5. Eagles (11-5): Clinched playoffs
6. Rams (9-7): Clinched playoffs
7. Packers (8-8): 68 per cent playoff probability (clinch wildcard by beating Bears in Week 18)
IN CONTENTION
8. Seahawks (8-8): 21 per cent playoff probability (need to beat Cardinals in Week 18 plus Bears def Packers)
9. Saints (8-8): 34 per cent playoff probability (clinch South with win over Falcons + Buccaneers loss OR wildcard with win + Packers, Seahawks lose)
10. Vikings (7-9): 3 per cent playoff probability (need to beat Lions + Packers, Seahawks and one of Buccaneers/Saints lose)
11. Bears (7-9): less than 1 per cent playoff probability
12. Falcons (7-9): 17 per cent playoff probability
ELIMINATED
13. Giants (5-11): Eliminated
14. Commanders (4-12): Eliminated
15. Cardinals (4-12): Eliminated
16. Panthers (2-14): Eliminated
AFC Playoff Picture
DIVISION LEADERS
1. Ravens (13-3): Clinched AFC North, No.1 seed.
2. Dolphins (11-5): Clinched playoffs (clinch East, No.2 seed with win over Buffalo in Week 18)
3. Chiefs (10-6): Clinched AFC West, No.3 seed
4. Jaguars (9-7): 77 per cent playoff probability (clinch South with win over Tennessee in Week 18)
WILD CARDS
5. Browns (11-5): Clinched playoffs, No.5 seed
6. Bills (10-6): 95 per cent playoff probability (clinch East with win over Miami in Week 18, can miss playoffs with a loss + Pittsburgh and Jacksonville wins)
7. Colts (9-7): 52 per cent playoff probability (need to beat Texans in Week 18)
IN CONTENTION
8. Texans (9-7): 48 per cent playoff probability (need to beat Colts in Week 18)
9. Steelers (9-7): 28 per cent playoff probability (need to beat Ravens in Week 18 + hoping Bills lose to Dolphins)
ELIMINATED
10. Bengals (8-8): Eliminated
11. Broncos (8-8): Eliminated
12. Raiders (7-9): Eliminated
13. Jets (6-10): Eliminated
14. Chargers (5-11): Eliminated
15. Titans (5-11): Eliminated
16. Patriots (4-12): Eliminated
All odds via New York Times
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