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NFL Capsules: 4pm Games

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New York Jets (3-13) at Buffalo Bills (11-5)

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)

FanDuel odds: Bills -1.5, Total 50.5

Series Rewind: Buffalo has won five of the past six meetings with the Jets.

The Bills bid a likely farewell to Highmark Stadium where the franchise is 246-163 record dating to the original nameplate of Rich Stadium when it opened in 1973 and later Ralph Wilson Stadium. Buffalo will play its home games in a new facility next season and already has a playoff spot secured, but the Bills’ streak of five straight AFC East titles ended when last weekend’s 13-12 loss to Philadelphia handed the division title to New England. That also means the Bills will hit the road to begin the playoffs. The Bills can be seeded as high as No. 5 for the AFC playoffs if they beat the Jets, but their seeding will depend on the results of Week 18 games that involve the Los Angeles Chargers, Jacksonville and Houston. The Jets have lost their last four games and six of their last seven. When New York coach Aaron Glenn was asked Wednesday how he felt about his job security, he said his focus is on Sunday’s game. Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen, the 2024 NFL MVP, has completed 69.3% of his passes this season. He’s thrown 25 touchdown passes and has been intercepted 10 times. Allen has also run for 14 TDs, which is third in the NFL, but he has been dealing with a foot injury and didn’t practice Wednesday. McDermott said Allen is moving in the right direction. Although Tyrod Taylor has returned to the Jets after dealing with a personal situation, Glenn said rookie Brady Cook will be the starting quarterback Sunday. It will be the fourth straight game Cook has started. He has one TD pass and seven interceptions during that span.

Detroit Lions (8-8) at Chicago Bears (11-5)

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Bears -3, Total 50.5

Series Rewind: Detroit destroyed the Bears when they met in September, a 52-21 final and the Lions’ sixth victory in the last seven games against the Bears.

The Chicago Bears, surprisingly, are playing for a higher playoff seed with the NFC North title already clinched. The visiting Detroit Lions, unexpectedly, are playing for pride. Chicago lost any chance of gaining the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs when it dropped a 42-38 thriller to San Francisco on Sunday night. The Bears can still gain the No. 2 seed with a win over the Lions or a Philadelphia home loss to Washington. In that scenario, the Bears would host Green Bay during the wild-card round next weekend. The Bears would be the No. 3 seed with a loss to Detroit and a Philadelphia victory. Chicago would then host either the Los Angeles Rams or the 49ers in the wild-card round. Williams exceeded 300 passing yards for the first time this season against San Francisco, throwing for 330 yards and two touchdowns. He can become the first QB in franchise history to reach 4,000 yards in a season by throwing for 270 yards on Sunday. Detroit fell out of the playoff race by losing three straight following a win over Dallas to open the month of December. The Lions were held to 231 total yards and quarterback Jared Goff was sacked five times in a 23-10 loss to Minnesota on Christmas Day which formally ended the team’s playoff hopes. Goff plans to play against the Bears.

Los Angeles Chargers (11-5) at Denver Broncos (13-3)

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)

FanDuel odds: Broncos -12.5, Total 37.5

Series Rewind: The Chargers are undefeated in the AFC West. Broncos QB Bo Nix lost for the third time in three career tries when the teams met Sept. 21 in Los Angeles.

The Chargers stumbled last week and the Broncos clinched the division when Los Angeles lost at home to Houston. The Chargers head to Denver as a wild-card team trying to secure the highest seed for the playoffs. They could be anywhere between the fifth and seventh seed, but would fall no further than sixth with a win. The Broncos would secure the AFC No. 1 seed, a first-round bye and homefield advantage for the postseason with a win. QB Justin Herbert won’t play for the Chargers on Sunday, improving the Broncos’ chances of getting the top seed. Herbert, who has been playing through a fractured left hand since Week 13, has thrown for 3,727 yards, 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions and has a career-high 498 rushing yards. Denver will face Trey Lance, who is 7-for-13 passing for 90 yards in three games this season. The Broncos have been without running back J.K. Dobbins for the past six games after he had season-ending foot surgery, and rookie RJ Harvey has become the lead back. He has 512 yards rushing on 131 carries and 46 receptions for 351 yards with 12 total touchdowns. Nix has nearly matched Herbert’s stats for the year. He has 3,790 yards passing with 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions and has rushed for 307 yards and five more scores. Nix has spread the ball around but his top receiver is Courtland Sutton, who has 73 receptions for 1,012 yards and seven touchdowns. It is the second straight season and third time in his eight-year career he has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards.

Arizona Cardinals (3-13) at Los Angeles Rams (11-5)

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET (FOX)

FanDuel odds: Rams -7.5, Total 45.5

Series Rewind: Arizona has one victory over the Rams in the past five head-to-head meetings.

If the Seattle Seahawks defeat the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday, then Los Angeles will land the No. 5 seed with a win. That will put the Rams on the road to open the playoffs with a less daunting challenge against the NFC South champion. A 49ers win or a Rams loss makes Los Angeles the No. 6 seed with a visit to either Chicago or Philadelphia ahead in the wild-card round. Stafford has thrown a franchise-record 42 touchdown passes, but he threw a season-high three interceptions in a 27-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Monday that was a blow to his MVP chances. He also had two interceptions in a Nov. 30 loss at Carolina. He tossed just two picks in the Rams’ first 11 games. The Cardinals are playing out the string in a disappointing season that has them on an eight-game losing streak following a 37-14 road loss to the Cincinnati Bengals last Sunday. Kyler Murray is done for the season with a foot injury sustained in a devastating Week 5 loss to the Tennessee Titans, who scored 16 fourth-quarter points. Jacoby Brissett has taken over and completed 64.5% of his passes in 13 games (11 starts) with 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions. At issue has been a Cardinals defense that has allowed 35.0 points per game during the current losing streak. That includes allowing a season-high 45 points to the Rams in a Dec. 7 blowout loss.

Miami Dolphins (7-9) at New England Patriots (13-3)

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET (FOX)

FanDuel odds: Patriots -11.5, Total 44.5

Series Rewind: New England claimed a 33-27 win at Miami on Sept. 14, the Patriots’ first win over the Dolphins in three seasons.

The Patriots can win 14 games in a season for the first time since 2016 when they won Super Bowl LI and can clinch the top seed in the AFC plaoyffs with a win over the Dolphins and a loss or tie by the Denver Broncos against the L.A. Chargers. New England would like this pursuit to be its sole focus but has been dealing with legal issues surrounding two key players — receiver Stefon Diggs and defensive tackle Christian Barmore. The Patriots were fresh off celebrating their first division title since 2019 when reports surfaced of Diggs facing charges of felony strangulation or suffocation, and misdemeanor assault and battery stemming from an incident that took place on Dec. 2. Diggs is scheduled to be arraigned on Jan. 23. In an unrelated incident, Barmore faces a misdemeanor charge of one count of assault and battery on a family/household member alleged to have occurred on Aug. 8. New England coach Mike Vrabel said before the team’s practice Wednesday he hadn’t heard anything that would keep either player from being available to play against Miami, though Diggs’ status for the postseason remains unclear. The Patriots’ tumultuous week came after a stress-free 42-10 victory over the New York Jets during which quarterback Drake Maye threw a career-high five touchdown passes. Maye threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran for another in Week 2 when the Patriots beat the Dolphins 33-27 in Miami. Since being eliminated from postseason consideration, the Dolphins have turned their focus toward their future over the past two weeks. That has included benching starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Rookie Quinn Ewers is expected to make his third career start — and first on the road — on Sunday. After struggling during a 45-21 loss to Cincinnati in which he threw two interceptions, Ewers bounced back last week and led Miami to a 20-17 win over Tampa Bay. Ewers tossed his first two touchdown passes, committed no turnovers and completed 14 of 22 passes for 172 yards.

Kansas City Chiefs (6-10) at Las Vegas Raiders (2-14)

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)

FanDuel odds: Chiefs -5.5, Total 35.5

Series Rewind: The Chiefs are 9-1 in the past 10 games with the Raiders.

When the Raiders hired Pete Carroll in January, the expectation was that the Super Bowl-winning head coach would help return the franchise to relevance, with the support of minority owner and decision-maker Tom Brady and general manager John Spytek. At the very least, the belief was that Carroll would be a steadying force for a team that had used four different coaches since 2021. The reality hasn’t matched the expectations, to say the least. The Raiders are even worse under Carroll than they were under the much-maligned Antonio Pierce regime a year ago. The team traded away a star receiver for the second straight season in Jakobi Meyers, and even stalwart defensive end Maxx Crosby had a highly publicized spat with the team after being shut down for the season ahead of their Week 17 loss to the New York Giants. Carroll, 74, has been adamant throughout the season that the decisions he’s made since taking over the Raiders were made with the intention of meaningfully competing in Year 1. The word “rebuild” was essentially forbidden in the facility. As for the Chiefs, it was reasonable to believe this season would have been somewhat of a trip back to earth after three straight Super Bowl appearances. It turned out to be far more humbling. They were eliminated from playoff contention Week 15.

Washington Commanders (4-12) at Philadelphia Eagles (11-5)

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)

FanDuel odds: Eagles -3.5, Total 38.5

Series Rewind: The Eagles are winners of four of the past five in this NFC East series and aim for a series sweep for the sixth time in nine years.

Philadelphia took both meetings from Washington in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2023 and registered a 29-18 victory two weeks ago in Landover, Md. The rematch features a familiar Week 18 NFL storyline with both teams wrestling with whether to play their starters. The Eagles still have a chance to secure the No. 2 seed in the NFC — if they beat the Commanders and Chicago loses to Detroit — but reportedly are planning to rest their regulars for the wild-card round. At worst, they will have the No. 3 seed. The Commanders have lost 10 of their last 11 games and have little to play for — other than the proverbial pride and a few potential personal payouts — and may decide to give younger players a chance to audition for 2026. The Eagles will sit quarterback Jalen Hurts and several starters. Tanner McKee, the Eagles’ sixth-round pick in 2023, will make his second NFL start in place of Hurts. He also started in Week 18 last year, throwing for 269 yards and two TDs in a 20-13 win over the New York Giants. This season, McKee has completed 3 of 3 passes for 33 yards in three cameo appearances. With Marcus Mariota (quad) ruled out, Washington will give 39-year-old journeyman quarterback Josh Johnson his second straight start. Johnson, who has only one win in 10 career starts since he was drafted in 2008, took over after Mariota sustained hand and quad injuries in the Week 16 loss to the Eagles. Johnson completed 15 of 23 passes for 198 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions in a 30-23 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Christmas.

NFL Playoff Picture: Week 18

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PITTSBURGH – (Wire Service Report) – The Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers are starting the playoffs one week early.

At least that’s the mindset shared by Broncos coach Sean Payton with Denver (13-3) in line to secure the No. 1 seed, first-round bye and home-field advantage in the AFC by beating the Los Angeles Chargers (11-5) on Sunday.

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Week 18 shapes up as a maze for many teams assured only a spot — but not their current seeding — in the postseason bracket.

The Seahawks and 49ers settle the NFC West in a Saturday night game that also decides the No. 1 seed in the conference.

Two other division titles — and playoff spots — are up for grabs in the regular-season finale. The Buccaneers and Panthers play for the second time in three weeks for the NFC South crown in which the eliminated Atlanta Falcons are suddenly a significant factor.

Because of Atlanta’s win over the Rams on Monday night, the Buccaneers now face a two-tiered clinching scenario.

Even if the Buccaneers win Saturday, they would still need the Falcons (7-9) to lose at home to the New Orleans Saints (6-10).

And if the Panthers lose, but Atlanta beats the Saints, Carolina would win the division. Wins by the Bucs and Falcons would create a three-way tie with the Panthers at 8-9. But Carolina would win the first tiebreaker by virtue of their head-to-head record (currently 2-0 vs. Falcons, 1-0 vs. Buccaneers).

AFC North rivals Baltimore and Pittsburgh drop the gloves in primetime Sunday for the final spot in the playoff field.

If the Broncos stumble against the Chargers, a Denver loss kicks the door open for the New England Patriots to jump to the front of the pack in the AFC. The Patriots host the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

Should Denver and New England lose, the Jacksonville Jaguars could claim the top seed with a home win Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

Here’s a look at the current playoff picture by conference:

Clinched AFC playoff and/or division:
Denver Broncos (13-3) — AFC West
New England Patriots (13-3) — AFC East
Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4) — playoff berth
Buffalo Bills (11-5) — playoff berth
Houston Texans (11-5) — playoff berth
Los Angeles Chargers (11-5) — playoff berth

Clinch AFC playoff and division with win Sunday:
Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7)
Baltimore Ravens (8-8)

Diggs Facing Felony Charges

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FOXBORO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs is facing a felony charge of strangulation or suffocation and a misdemeanor charge of assault and battery.

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The charges were announced Tuesday morning in Dedham (Mass.) District Court with Diggs’ attorney, Michael DiStefano, calling in via phone, according to a Boston 25 News report.

DiStefano reportedly sought to have the police report sealed so that the details are not made public. He also shared that Diggs has made a financial offer to the alleged victim in an effort to end the dispute.

The judge is expected to make a ruling on whether the details will be impounded or not ahead of Diggs’ scheduled arraignment on Jan. 23.

The alleged incident in question occurred Dec. 2, the day after New England’s 33-15 win over the New York Giants on “Monday Night Football.”

“The New England Patriots are aware of the accusations that have been made regarding Stefon Diggs. Stefon has informed the organization that he categorically denies the allegations. We support Stefon,” the Patriots said in a statement. “We will continue to gather information and will cooperate fully with the appropriate authorities and the NFL as necessary. Out of respect for all parties involved, and given that this is an ongoing legal matter, we will have no further comment at this time.”

The team did not share an update on Diggs’ status for Sunday’s Week 18 home game against the Miami Dolphins. The four-time Pro Bowl receiver could be placed on the NFL’s Commissioner Exempt List and be ineligible to play depending on what the league learns about the alleged incident.

Diggs, 32, signed a three-year, $69 million contract which includes $26 million guaranteed with New England in March. In his first season with the Patriots, he leads the team in catches (82) and receiving yards (970) with four touchdowns in 16 games (all starts).

New England (13-3) enters the final week of the regular season in second place in the AFC, although it could claim the No. 1 seed, a first-round bye and homefield advantage to the Super Bowl with a win on Sunday paired with a Denver loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.

As of now, Diggs’ arraignment is scheduled for two days before the AFC championship game. However, the judge is considering moving the arraignment to March in order to not conflict with the potentially ongoing Patriots season.

–Field Level Media

Pro Football Hall Finalists

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Kraft and Belichick Both Up for Enshrinement in 2026

CANTON – (Wire Service Report) – Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Drew Brees and Eli Manning and one of the most clutch kickers in league history, Adam Vinatieri, are among 15 finalists up for enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026.

The Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee meets prior to Super Bowl LX, and any players selected will be revealed February 5 during the “NFL Honors” broadcast in San Francisco.

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Brees, Manning, Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and edge rusher Terrell Suggs (Ravens, Cardinals, Chiefs) are among the candidates up for debate by the Selection Committee in February.

Four other players — Willie Anderson, Torry Holt, Luke Kuechly and Vinatieri — reached the committee’s Final 7 for election with the Class of 2025 and were automatically advanced in the 2026 class.

Holt and returning finalist Reggie Wayne (Colts) have been finalists seven times and this is the fifth year Anderson is among the group openly debated for election.

Former Cowboys safety Darren Woodson (fourth time as a finalist) is in his 18th year of eligibility. He’s joined by first-timer and former Dallas tight end Jason Witten. Brees, Fitzgerald, running back Frank Gore (five teams in 16 seasons) and former Vikings defensive tackle Kevin Williams are also first-time finalists. Williams has been eligible for six years.

Up to five “Modern Era” players for the Class of 2026 can be elected by the Selection Committee, which requires a minimum positive vote of 80%.

Seniors category finalists Ken Anderson, Roger Craig and L.C. Greenwood, coach finalist Bill Belichick and contributor finalist Robert Kraft are candidates for the Class of 2026 with voting held separately and a maximum of three of these five finalists can be elected.

Between four and eight total enshrinees can be elected in a given year according to the Hall of Fame bylaws.

Willie Anderson, a right tackle with four All-Pro seasons for the Bengals, has been eligible for 13 years and this is the 12th year for Holt. Holt had 920 career receptions for 13,382 yards and 74 TDs and caught at least 80 passes in eight consecutive seasons with the Rams.

The 2026 Modern-Era Finalists (positions, years and teams):

Willie Anderson, Right Tackle — 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals, 2008 Baltimore Ravens
Drew Brees, Quarterback — 2001-05 San Diego Chargers, 2006-20 New Orleans Saints
Jahri Evans, Guard — 2006-16 New Orleans Saints, 2017 Green Bay Packers
Larry Fitzgerald, Wide Receiver — 2004-20 Arizona Cardinals
Frank Gore, Running Back — 2005-14 San Francisco 49ers, 2015-17 Indianapolis Colts, 2018 Miami Dolphins, 2019 Buffalo Bills, 2020 New York Jets
Torry Holt, Wide Receiver — 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars
Luke Kuechly, Linebacker — 2012-19 Carolina Panthers
Eli Manning, Quarterback — 2004-19 New York Giants
Terrell Suggs, Outside Linebacker/Defensive End — 2003-18 Baltimore Ravens, 2019 Arizona Cardinals, 2019 Kansas City Chiefs
Adam Vinatieri, Kicker — 1996-2005 New England Patriots, 2006-19 Indianapolis Colts
Reggie Wayne, Wide Receiver — 2001-14 Indianapolis Colts
Kevin Williams, Defensive Tackle — 2003-13 Minnesota Vikings, 2014 Seattle Seahawks, 2015 New Orleans Saints
Jason Witten, Tight End — 2003-17, 2019 Dallas Cowboys, 2020 Las Vegas Raiders
Darren Woodson, Safety — 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys
Marshal Yanda, Guard/Tackle — 2007-19 Baltimore Ravens

–Field Level Media

Maye Tosses 5-TDs in 42-10 Win

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EAST RUTHERFORD – (Wire Service Report) – Drake Maye completed 19 of 21 passes for 256 yards and five touchdowns to lead the visiting New England Patriots to a 42-10 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday.

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Maye completed his first 11 attempts and tossed TD passes to tight end Austin Hooper (2 yards), running back Rhamondre Stevenson (22 yards), wide receiver Stefon Diggs (3 yards), tight end Hunter Henry (13 yards) and wide receiver Efton Chism (10 yards). It was Chism’s first NFL touchdown.

Maye, who was pulled in the third quarter after his fifth TD pass, became the fourth Patriots quarterback to pass for at least five touchdowns in a game, joining Tom Brady, Steve Grogan and Babe Parilli.

Stevenson also scored on a 1-yard run to help the Patriots (13-3) improve their road record to 8-0. Rookie TreVeyon Henderson led the New England ground attack with 82 yards on 19 carries.

New York quarterback Brady Cook completed 18 of 32 passes for 152 yards with one interception in the loss.

Breece Hall scored New York’s only touchdown on a 59-yard run. The TD helped trim New England’s lead to 42-10 with 14:51 to play. Hall gained 111 yards on 14 carries and became the first Jet to rush for at least 1,000 yards in a season since Chris Ivory in 2015.

Nick Folk added a 39-yard field goal for the Jets (3-13), who have lost four games in a row and six of their last seven.

The Patriots were up 14-0 after one quarter, 35-3 at halftime and 42-3 entering the fourth.

New England outgained New York 344-77 in the first half, when the Patriots had a 23-3 edge in first downs.

The Patriots finished the game with a 440-307 advantage in total yards, and had twice as many first downs as the Jets (28-14).

New York defensive back Qwan’tez Stiggers recorded a game-high 10 tackles.

–Field Level Media

Pats in Playoffs and “Digg It”

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BALTIMORE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – New England quarterback Drake Maye completed 31 of 44 passes for 380 yards and two touchdowns as the Patriots improved their road record to 7-0 by beating the Baltimore Ravens 28-24 on Sunday night. In doing so, New England clinched a spot in the NFL’s AFC Playoffs.

New England (12-3) trailed 24-21 until Rhamondre Stevenson scored on a 21-yard run and Andy Borregales kicked the extra point with 2:07 to play. The Patriots recovered a Baltimore fumble on the second play of the ensuing drive and ran out the clock.

Derrick Henry rushed for 128 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries for the Ravens (7-8).

New England’s Stefon Diggs had nine receptions for 138 yards.

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The Ravens played most of the night without quarterback Lamar Jackson, who left the game because of a back injury with 1:16 remaining in the first half and did not return. Backup QB Tyler Huntley was 9-of-10 passing for 65 yards.

New England running back TreVeyon Henderson also missed the second half with a head injury.

The Ravens struck first on Henry’s 21-yard touchdown run with 12:21 left in the first quarter. It was the 10th opening-drive score the Patriots have allowed this season — tied for most in the NFL — and the seventh time they’ve given up a touchdown on their opponents’ first drive.

It was 7-7 after Maye tossed a 1-yard TD pass to Hunter Henry and Borregales kicked the PAT with 11:17 remaining in the second quarter.

Borregales put the Patriots up 10-7 on a 45-yard field goal with 5:39 left in the first half. Baltimore tied the game on Tyler Loop’s 36-yard field goal with 1:03 remaining in the second quarter for 10-10 at halftime.

Borregales kicked a 41-yard field goal to give New England a 13-10 advantage, but Zay Flowers regained the lead for the Ravens with an 18-yard TD run. The PAT put Baltimore in front 17-13 with 4:35 left in the third.

Henry’s second TD run came from 2 yards away with 12:50 to play in regulation. Loop’s PAT gave the Ravens a 24-13 advantage.

New England answered with a 37-yard TD pass from Maye to Kyle Williams, and was within 24-21 after Maye completed a pass to Stevenson for the two-point conversion with 9:01 remaining in the fourth.

–Field Level Media

NFL SNF: Patriots at Ravens

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New England Patriots (11-3) at Baltimore Ravens (7-7)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Ravens -3, Total 48.5
Series Rewind: The teams have split the past eight meetings after the Patriots won seven of the first eight (including playoffs).

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The Patriots are 6-0 on the road this season and stand one game behind the Denver Broncos in the battle for the No. 1 seed in the AFC. New England will know when it takes the field Sunday night whether it can clinch a playoff spot with a win. Results involving the Indianapolis Colts (vs. San Francisco 49ers) and Houston Texans (vs. Las Vegas Raiders) are in play. Drake Maye passed for a season-low 155 yards in last week’s 35-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The setback ended a 10-game winning streak. Rookie TreVeyon Henderson rushed for 148 yards — one more than his previous high — and two touchdowns. Baltimore is two games behind the Texans in the wild-card chase so its best bet to reach the playoffs is overtaking the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North. Baltimore is one game behind but will play at Pittsburgh in the final week of the season. The Ravens halted a two-game losing streak with a strong 24-0 win over the Cincinnati Bengals last week. The Bengals had clobbered Baltimore 17 days earlier. Derrick Henry rushed for 100 yards on just 11 carries and ranks fifth in the NFL with 1,125 yards. Linebacker Roquan Smith racked up 14 tackles and leads the squad with 114.

–Field Level Media

Pats Try to Avoid Back-to-Back Losses

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BALTIMORE – (Wire Service Report) – The New England Patriots will be looking to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time this season and remain in the hunt for the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs when they visit the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night.

The Patriots (11-3) are coming off last Sunday’s 35-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Denver (12-2) is the only AFC team with a better record than New England, but the Broncos own the tiebreaker against the Patriots if the teams finish with the same record.

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New England would clinch a playoff berth with a win. Coach Mike Vrabel was asked Wednesday if a team can benefit from a late-season loss.

“I would say that’s TBD,” Vrabel said. “I don’t know. It’s only depending on how you respond, how you prepare, how you practice and ultimately how you play. So, we’ll see. There’s a lot of good things in there and we’ll need all those things on Sunday night against this football team that’s 6-2 after their bye, and really coming off a big win last week. A dominant win.”

The Ravens (7-7) ended a two-game losing streak by beating Cincinnati 24-0 last Sunday. Baltimore, however, will likely need a strong finish to earn a playoff berth.

If the Ravens win their final three regular-season games (New England, at Green Bay and at Pittsburgh), they will win the AFC North, although there are other scenarios in which Baltimore can qualify for the playoffs.

“You just assume that you have to take care of your business,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “It would be a stretch for us not to have to win out. So, we’ll plan on that and that’s what we’re going to have to try to do.”

New England is 6-0 on the road this season and will be facing a Baltimore team that’s 3-5 at home. The Ravens were without quarterback Lamar Jackson for home losses to Houston (44-10) and the Los Angeles Rams (7-3) in early October because of a hamstring injury.

“The Houston game was probably our worst home game that I can ever remember, (but) our guys were fighting their butts off — the guys that were out there playing, who were playing in the game,” Harbaugh said. “That game is what it was. The Rams game is what it was. Guys are fighting their butts off in that game, too. So, those games are history.”

New England ranks seventh among NFL teams in both scoring offense (27.3) and scoring defense (19.7). Baltimore is 14th in scoring offense (23.9) and 15th in scoring defense (22.8).

“Obviously, someone is coming into our house,” Baltimore center Tyler Linderbaum said. “We have to win games. We have to put on a show for our crowd and end up getting wins like how we’re supposed to.”

Jackson (illness) is one of six Ravens who didn’t participate in practice Wednesday. Linebacker Roquan Smith (knee), linebacker Kyle Van Noy (quadriceps) linebacker Teddye Buchanan (knee), tackle Ronnie Stanley (knee/ankle) and cornerback Chidobe Awuzie (foot) are the others.

Five Patriots did not participate in practice Wednesday: cornerback Carlton Davis (hip), cornerback Marcus Jones (knee), linebacker Robert Spillane (ankle), linebacker Harold Landry (knee) and linebacker Christian Ellliss (illness). Defensive tackle Christian Barmore was listed as a limited participant on the team’s participation report, but his situation is non-injury related.

–Field Level Media

Sophomore Hijinx

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FOXBORO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Drake Maye completed 24 of 31 passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns, and Marcus Jones returned a punt for a score as the New England Patriots extended their winning streak to 10 games by beating the New York Giants 33-15 on Monday night in Massachusetts.

Kicker Andy Borregales added four field goals for the Patriots (11-2).

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New England tight end Hunter Henry caught four passes for a team-high 73 yards. The Patriots had a 395-239 advantage in total offense.

New York quarterback Jaxson Dart returned from a concussion and completed 17 of 24 passes for 139 yards and one touchdown. Devin Singletary led the Giants’ rushing attack with 67 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries.

New York (2-11) has lost its last seven games.

The Patriots jumped out to a 17-0 lead after one quarter and led 30-7 at halftime. It remained 30-7 entering the fourth.

After Borregales opened the scoring by kicking a 22-yard field goal on New England’s opening drive, Jones returned a punt 94 yards for a touchdown that helped stretch the lead to 10-0.

Maye’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Kayshon Boutte, plus a Borregales PAT, gave New England a 17-0 advantage with one minute remaining in the first quarter.

The Giants scored on a 30-yard pass from Dart to Darius Slayton with 12:46 left in the second quarter, but New England answered when Maye connected with Kyle Williams for a 33-yard touch.

Borregales extended New England’s lead to 27-7 by making a 30-yard field goal with 1:48 remaining in the first half, and he made it 30-7 with a 28-yard field goal on the final play of the half.

Singletary scored on a 22-yard run on the first play of the fourth quarter. It was 30-15 after Dart completed a pass to Slayton for the two-point conversion.

Borregales finalized the scoring on a 23-yard field goal with 2:14 to play.

–Field Level Media

Patriots: Nine Game Win Streak vs NYG

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FOXBORO – (Wire Service Preview) – The New England Patriots haven’t dealt with a tremendous amount of adversity this season, but they’ll be dealing with some when they face the New York Giants on Monday night in Massachusetts. New England (10-2) enters the matchup on a nine-game winning streak, but its offense will be without starting left tackle Will Campbell and starting left guard Jared Wilson.

Campbell, the fourth pick in the 2025 draft, was placed on injured reserve Wednesday after he reportedly sustained an MCL sprain last Sunday in the 26-20 victory over Cincinnati. He will miss at least the next four games. Wilson (ankle) will not play Sunday, New England coach Mike Vrabel told reporters Wednesday.

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New England quarterback Drake Maye has been sacked 37 times this season — third most in the NFL — and Vrabel said New York’s defensive line presents plenty of challenges.

“I think 57 of the 66 quarterback hits come from those guys up front,” he said. “Three edge guys with (Brian) Burns, (Kayvon) Thibodeaux, (Abdul) Carter. Obviously what Big Dex (Dexter Lawrence II) can do inside and (Roy) Robertson-Harris. So, those guys are certainly impactful players that have to be accounted for every play. They rotate them through there pretty good, and so there’s a lot of juice there. There’s a lot of disruption.”

Through the first 12 games of this season, Maye leads the NFL with 3,130 passing yards and a 71.0 completion percentage. His 21 passing touchdowns rank fifth.

The Giants (2-10) are hoping to have rookie Jaxson Dart back at quarterback after he missed two games following a concussion he suffered against Chicago on Nov. 9. Dart threw for 10 touchdowns and had three passes intercepted in his first seven NFL starts. He was 19 of 29 for 242 yards against the Bears before his concussion. Jameis Winston was New York’s starting quarterback for its last two games.

Dart cleared concussion protocol on Thursday, but Lawrence (elbow) and Thibodeaux (shoulder) were both held out of practice Wednesday. Thibodeaux hasn’t played in New York’s past two games.

“If he’s healthy and cleared to go, then I’d like Jaxson Dart to play,” New York interim head coach Mike Kafka said last week of Dart’s return timeline. “Only if he’s healthy and ready to go, and that’s based on what the doctors say.”

The Giants will be seeking their first road victory since Week 5 of last season, when they beat Seattle 29-20. New York has lost 12 straight road games since then.

New York fired defensive coordinator Shane Bowen on Monday, 12 games into his second season in that role. Outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen was named as the interim replacement.

“The results just weren’t where we wanted them to be and so Charlie’s going to step up for us and rally the group,” Kafka said. “The defensive staff will rally around Charlie and put together a great plan. I got a lot of confidence in the room and a lot of confidence in our staff to do that.”

New York enters the game against the Patriots ranked 32nd among NFL teams in rushing defense, 23rd in passing defense and 30th in scoring defense.

In addition to Wilson, five other New England players did not practice Wednesday: tight end CJ Dippre (back), linebacker Harold Landry III (knee), offensive tackle Morgan Moses (illness), safety Brenden Schooler (ankle) and linebacker Jahlani Tavai (personal).

–Field Level Media