In Week 14 of the NFL season, huge games happened in both conferences and there were huge playoff implications. On Thursday Night Football the Dallas Cowboys went to Chicago to take on the Bears. The Bears were fighting for a playoff spot and the Cowboys were in desperate need of a win. With a good defense showing, and Mitch Trubisky throwing the football in the right place the Bears won 31-24. The Bears improved to 7-6 and they keep their playoff hopes alive. As for the Cowboys, they fall to 6-7 and the seat for Jason Garret gets hotter, and they might not win the division this year after starting 3-0.

Some of the early game headlines in the NFC were that the Falcons win by 20 at home over the Panthers. Packers win by five in a close matchup with the Redskins. Vikings take care of business at home against the Lions 20-7. Buccaneers come back to win against the Colts 38-35. 49ers and Saints go toe to toe all throughout the game, but the 49ers get the game-winning field goal as time expired to 48-46. 

The game highlights in the AFC are that Lamar Jackson and the Ravens clinch a playoff spot over the Bills 24-17. Nick Chubb leads the way in Browns win over the Bengals at home. Sam Ficken kicks the game-winning field goal as time expired for the Jets win 22-21. Drew Lock and the Broncos stunned the Texans on the road 38-24. The Chargers pound the Jaguars in Jacksonville 45-10. Tannehill and the Titans continue their hot streak and put the Raiders in a black hole 42-21. Patriots’ offensive struggles continue against the Chiefs 23-16. The Steelers defense and special teams lead the way in a 23-17 win over the Cardinals. 

For the Sunday Night Football game it was the Seattle Seahawks going into Los Angeles to take on the LA Rams. The Seahawks scored first with a field goal, but couldn’t get anything going after that. The Rams responded with a 75-yard drive which was capped off by a 1-yard touchdown by Malcolm Brown. On the Rams’ next possession, they went 12 plays and 85 yards which resulted in a 2-yard touchdown catch by Robert Woods. On the Rams last possession of the first half, they went 12 plays and 72 yards which were the result of a Cooper Kupp touchdown. 21-3 Rams at halftime. To begin the second half Seahawks got a pick-six and all of a sudden it was 21-9. In the fourth quarter, the Rams got a touchdown run from Todd Gurley and that would seal it. 28-12 would be the final score, and the Rams’ playoff hopes were still alive.

The last game of the week was the Monday Night Game in Philadelphia were the desperate Eagles would host the struggling New York Giants. Daniel Jones was injured for this primetime matchup, so Eli Manning was back at quarterback. The Giants started off strong with Manning throwing two second-quarter touchdowns to Darius Slayton. Aldrick Rosas and Jake Elliot kicked field goals in the second quarter and the score at the half was 17-3. Even though they were trailing, Wentz and the Eagles fought their way back. Boston Scott scored a two-yard touchdown to end the fourth quarter. The score was 17-10. Then Wentz led the Eagles on a two-minute drive on most likely their last possession of the game. They went 14 plays and 85 yards for the game-tying score to make it 17-17 and force the game to overtime. Eagles got the ball to begin overtime and made no mistake. Wentz drove the Eagles down the field and scored the game-winning touchdown. The touchdown was a 2-yard pass from Carson Wentz to Zach Ertz for the 23-17 win, and to keep the playoff hopes alive. 

The next game coming up is the Thursday Night Game featuring Lamar Jackson and the Ravens (11-2), and Sam Darnold and the Jets (5-8).  

Division Leaders after Week 14

AFC East: Patriots (10-3) 15- @ Bengals (1-11) 

AFC North: Ravens (11-2) x 15- vs Jets (5-8)    

AFC South: Texans (8-5) 15- @ Titans (8-5)

AFC West: Chiefs (9-4) z 15- vs Broncos (5-8)

NFC East: Cowboys (6-7) 15- vs Rams (8-5)

NFC North: Packers (10-3) 15- vs Bears (7-6)

NFC South: Saints (10-3) z  15- vs Colts (6-7) 

NFC West: 49ers (11-2) 15- vs Falcons (4-9)

Wild Card Teams after Week 14 

AFC Wild Card #1: Bills (9-4) 15- @ Steelers 

AFC Wild Card #2: Steelers (8-5) 15- vs Bills 

NFC Wild Card #1: Seahawks (10-3) 15- @ Panthers 

NFC Wild Card #2: Vikings (9-3) 15- @ Chargers 

Z–: Clinched Division

X–: Clinched Playoff Berth

Scenarios: 

• Ravens: if the Ravens win 1 of the next 3 games they will clinch the AFC North 
• Texans: if the Texans win 2 of the next 3 games or Titans lose 2 of 3 games or beat Titans twice  
• Patriots: If the Patriots win once they will clinch a playoff berth or if they beat either the Bengals or the Jets, and they beat the Bills they will win their division
• Bills: win against the Steelers or if they beat either the Steelers or the Jets, and they beat the Patriots they will win their division. 
• Chiefs: If the Chiefs win the next two of three games and the Patriots and Bills lose two of the next three games they will have a first-round bye   
• Steelers: need to win out to win the division, win against Buffalo and win against either the Ravens or Jets/ Titans lose 2 of 3 games or Bills lose 2 of 3 games 
• Titans: if the Titans win 2 of 3 games and the Texans lose 2 of 3 games they will win the division or win 2 of 3 games, and Steelers lose two of three games, or Bills lose two of three games
• Colts: win out or Texans, Titans, Steelers, Raiders, and Bills to lose out 
• Browns: win out or Texans, Titans, Steelers, Bills, Colts, and Raiders to lose out 
• Raiders: win out or Texans, Titans, Steelers, Bills, Colts, and Browns to lose out 

• 49ers: if they win this against the Falcons in week 15, they will clinch a playoff spot or if the Packers lose 2 of 3 games and the 49ers win 2 of 3 they will have a first-round bye
• Packers: if they win against the Bears in week 15, they will clinch a playoff spot or if they win 2 of the next 3 they will clinch the division, and if they could win two of three games and the Saints lose 2 of 3 games they will clinch a first-round bye
• Saints: if the Saints win out and the Packers win only two of three games, then the Saints will have a first-round bye
• Cowboys: if they win 2 of 3 including the Eagles game they win the division 
• Eagles: if they win 2 of three including the game against the Cowboys they win the division 
• Vikings: if the Packers lose out, and the Vikings win out then they win the division or if they win the next two of three games they clinch a playoff spot
• Rams: if they win 2 of 3, and the Seahawks only win 1 of 3 games then they are in or 49ers lose out and the Seahawks lose out they win the division or the Vikings lose 2 of 3 games and the Rams win 2 of 3 games 
• Seahawks: 1 win and they are in/ 49ers lose 2 of 3, and Seahawks win 2 of 3 they get the division  
• Bears: win out or Packers and Vikings to lose out/ Seahawks and Rams to lose out