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Rested Broncos Prep for Bills

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DENVER – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – For the first time in 10 years, the Denver Broncos enter the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the AFC. The last time they were the No. 1 seed — 2015, Peyton Manning’s fourth and final season in Denver — happens to be the last time they won a Super Bowl.

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Broncos coach Sean Payton knows the potential benefit of being No. 1. When his New Orleans Saints won Super XLIV in 2009, they were the NFC’s top seed.

But entering Saturday’s playoff opener against the visiting Buffalo Bills, Payton is also well aware that regular-season success and the No. 1 seed don’t guarantee anything when it comes to the postseason.

“The (bye) is important, but myth No. 2 is that (it) ensures the fast start. It doesn’t,” Payton said Tuesday. “Understand this: We’re playing a team that’s coming off one of their biggest wins in the last 10 years. We have to earn a fast start and take advantage of the energy, take advantage of the rest. But it has to be done out (on the field).”

Payton also knows the challenges presented by the Bills, who handily beat the Broncos 31-7 in last season’s wild-card round.

The Bills are still alive for the rematch thanks to their first road playoff win since the 1992 season, 27-24 at Jacksonville on Sunday.

Josh Allen, who entered with a foot injury and twice visited the injury tent during the game with head, hand and knee injuries, gutted out a performance that included 306 total yards, three total touchdowns and a pair of go-ahead fourth-quarter touchdown drives.

“I feel good. Honestly, I feel a little better than I have the last couple weeks,” Allen said on Tuesday.

Allen, who has won his first playoff game in each of the last six seasons, would secure his third AFC Championship Game appearance with a win over the Broncos.

However, he will have quite a limited receiver room entering the matchup after both Tyrell Shavers and Gabe Davis sustained torn ACLs in the win over the Jaguars. That leaves Buffalo with just three wide receivers on its active roster — Keon Coleman, Brandin Cooks and Khalil Shakir.

Shakir led the team with 719 receiving yards in the regular season, adding a game-high 12 catches for 82 yards against Jacksonville. Coleman, the team’s 2024 second-round pick, took a step back in production in Year 2 with 404 yards.

Curtis Samuel (elbow) had his practice window for a return from injured reserve opened Tuesday and was a full participant in the first two practices of the week.

“Another guy’s got to step up. That’s point-blank what it means,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said. “And I don’t mean to be short. It’s just right now, it’s full confidence in the guys in that room.”

Standout defensive tackle Ed Oliver (bicep) also saw his practice window open on Tuesday, making it possible that he will play his first game since Oct. 26. He was limited in Tuesday and Wednesday’s practices.

For Denver quarterback Bo Nix, this will be his first home playoff game. He completed 59.1% of his passes for 144 yards and a touchdown in the loss to Buffalo.

“I think everybody would say they’d rather be at home in this situation,” Nix said. “Last year was a tough environment, tough road experience. Good for a young person like me to go gain that experience (in my) first year. It’s obviously nice to be at home. It’s nice for that challenge to be on the other side.”

Nix will be assisted by a Broncos defense that set a franchise record with 68 sacks, 11 more than any other team and just four off the NFL record set by the 1984 Bears.

Buffalo running back Ty Johnson (ankle), cornerback Maxwell Hairston (ankle) and safety Jordan Poyer (hamstring) did not practice Tuesday or Wednesday. Team sack leader Greg Rousseau (back), linebacker Matt Milano (ankle) and tight end Dalton Kincaid (knee) have been limited.

Denver has just four players on the injury report, none of whom have missed a practice this week. Tight end Lucas Krull (foot) and linebackers Dre Greenlaw (hamstring) and Drew Sanders (ankle) have been limited.

The Bills have beaten the Broncos four of the last five times they’ve faced off and won both postseason matchups, including a 10-7 win in the 1991 AFC Championship Game.

–Field Level Media

See You on the Dark Side of the Boom

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SEATTLE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Every great NFL defense needs a nickname.

From the Purple People Eaters (Vikings) to the Steel Curtain (Steelers), the Monsters of the Midway (Bears) to the Doomsday Defense (Cowboys), the Fearsome Foursome (Rams) to the New York Sack Exchange (Jets) and the Orange Crush (Broncos) to the Legion of Boom (Seahawks), the best all got monikers.

Even the Dolphins’ No-Name Defense of the 1970s.

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The current Seattle Seahawks defense hasn’t yet matched the Legion of Boom, which led the NFL in fewest points allowed from 2012 to 2015, but it has come up with a nickname just in case — the “Dark Side.”

That unit will be key when the top-seeded Seahawks (14-3) play host to the sixth-seeded San Francisco 49ers (13-5) on Saturday in an NFC divisional-round playoff game.

“I think throughout the season, we were just feeling like we had a really special defense, you know, special players, and we were also just doing special things,” Seahawks defensive lineman Leonard Williams said. “We always hear of ‘Legion of Boom,’ especially being in here. We were starting to get to a point like, ‘Hey, maybe we deserve our own name.’”

The Seahawks had the league’s top-ranked scoring defense at 17.2 points per game.

Their best performance came in the regular-season finale in Santa Clara, Calif., against the 49ers in a game to determine the NFC West division title and the conference’s top playoff seed, which included a first-round bye. The Seahawks allowed just 173 yards of total offense in a 13-3 victory.

That dropped the 49ers to the No. 6 seed. They went on the road and defeated the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles 23-19 on Sunday to advance.

Christian McCaffrey gained just 48 yards on 15 carries but made six receptions for 66 yards and two touchdowns to boost San Francisco. Little-used receiver Demarcus Robinson added six catches for 111 yards and a score.

It was a costly victory, however, as star tight end George Kittle sustained a torn right Achilles tendon.

The 49ers will be without Kittle and All-Pro defender Nick Bosa (knee) against Seattle.

San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner, who was designated to return from injured reserve on Tuesday, was more likely to return should the 49ers advance to the NFC Championship Game, but Warner didn’t rule out playing this week. He has been sidelined since Oct. 12 with a fractured and dislocated right ankle.

Niners safety Ji’Ayir Brown (hamstring) and linebacker Luke Gifford (quadriceps) also sat out practice on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“I think that made us stronger for stuff like this,” Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams said about the 49ers’ injury-marred season. “Kittle going down in the first half (at Philadelphia). I think if we didn’t have experience with that, it would have been easy for everybody to fold and nobody would have blamed us. They would say, ‘Hey, they don’t have this player, don’t have that player, they probably should lose.’”

Offensive tackle Josh Jones (knee) was the only active Seattle player to miss both the Tuesday and Wednesday practices. Linebacker Tyrice Knight (shoulder) was limited Wednesday after missing Tuesday, and linebacker Ernest Jones (illness) sat out the Wednesday session.

Starting left tackle Charles Cross was a full participant Tuesday after missing the final three games of the regular season, but he was listed as limited Wednesday with knee and hamstring issues when the hamstring previously was the only injury listed.

The Seahawks will be playing their first playoff game at home since January 2021.

“We need it loud, man,” defensive lineman Jarran Reed said, “so the Dark Side can come alive.”

The 49ers won 17-13 at Seattle in the season opener, thanks to Bosa’s strip sack of Sam Darnold with 36 seconds left and the Seahawks at San Francisco’s 9-yard line. Brock Purdy threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to backup tight end Jake Tonges with 1:34 remaining for the go-ahead score.

–Field Level Media

Drake Maye vs. NFL’s Best Defense

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FOXBORO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Drake Maye’s first career start came against the Houston Texans and their vaunted defense. Maye will get another look at perhaps the finest defense in the NFL on Sunday when the New England Patriots battle the Texans in the AFC divisional round on Sunday in Massachusetts.

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Maye is an MVP candidate after starring in his second regular season, but the quarterback relishes that first start against Houston. The Patriots lost 41-21 on Oct. 13, 2024.

“It feels like 10 years ago,” Maye said Wednesday. “It’s been a long journey. Just taking time to reflect on running out there with the team (and having) first-snap jitters was pretty cool. It’s fun to look back on.”

Maye was intercepted twice that day while throwing for 243 yards and three touchdowns. That provides a hint at the challenge ahead in trying to help the Patriots advance to the AFC title contest.

“We got our hands full,” Maye said. “We know it’s going to be a tough game. We have to play the game the right way.”

Patriots coach Mike Vrabel also is concerned with the Texans, who led the NFL in total defense and finished second in scoring defense and takeaway margin during the regular season.

“They chase the football and they get a lot of hats to the football,” Vrabel said. “They create turnovers. They play physical.”

Maye helped lead second-seeded New England to a 16-3 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, the franchise’s first postseason win since Super Bowl LIII against the Los Angeles Rams. He passed for 268 yards and one touchdown and was intercepted once.

Maye was sacked five times and this week’s matchup features Houston pass rushers Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr., known for their speed and relentless style.

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans — a former two-time Pro Bowl linebacker — is concerned about the foot speed of Maye, who had 66 yards on 10 rushes against the Chargers.

“Where he’s taking that next step is his ability to escape the pocket,” Ryans said Wednesday. “I think it really doesn’t get talked about much, but his athletic ability, his ability to escape the pocket has been really clutch for them. He’s made some big runs to really hurt a lot of defenses, so we have to be conscious of that.”

The fifth-seeded Texans advanced with a 30-6 road victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night.

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Sheldon Rankins returned a fumble for a touchdown after Anderson’s strip-sack of Aaron Rodgers and Calen Bullock intercepted Rodgers’ final pass of the game and returned it for a score. The Texans allowed just 175 total yards and 13 first downs.

Quarterback C.J. Stroud passed for 250 yards and a touchdown but was sloppy with three turnovers (one interception, two lost fumbles).

Stroud admitted he must be better with ball protection. He’s now focused on notching a second straight playoff win in a tough road atmosphere.

“I think last week was a good test for us,” Stroud said. “I think being able to get past that with a ‘W,’ this next week is going to be the same type of environment — loud.”

Regardless, Houston has the opportunity to reach the AFC Championship Game for the first time in franchise history.

“I don’t take it lightly to be one of the final four teams left in the AFC,” Ryans said. “It’s where you want to be, it’s the position you want to be in if you’re a competitor and I’m a true competitor.”

It appears Houston won’t have Nico Collins on Sunday. The three-time 1,000-yard receiver sustained a concussion during the Monday night game and was one of four Texans to miss practice Wednesday. The others are defensive end Denico Autry (knee), offensive tackle Trent Brown (ankle) and receiver Justin Watson (concussion). Autry has blocked 14 kicks in his career.

Sitting out for New England were offensive tackles Morgan Moses and Thayer Munford Jr., both with knee ailments. Cornerback Christian Gonzalez remains in concussion protocol after being hurt against the Chargers. Vrabel is hopeful Gonzalez will be cleared by Sunday.

–Field Level Media

Rams Gear-Up for Chicago’s Finest

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CHICAGO – (Staff  and Wire Service Report) – Any skeptics left doubting the merit of Caleb Williams’ nickname might look to the mercury for confirmation on Sunday night when the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams stage the finale of a four-game NFL Divisional Playoff weekend.

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Williams’ late-game heroics and growing legend for cool under pressure hit a new level last week. He led Chicago back from a 21-3 deficit with a team-playoff record 361 passing yards to lift the Bears over the rival Green Bay Packers, the first postseason win for the franchise since 2011. It was the seventh game-winning fourth-quarter drive for Williams this season.

“I feel calm in those moments. I feel my conditioning is the best in those moments. I feel that I’m the best in those moments because of what I’ve prepared to be in those moments,” Williams said. “For myself, it’s just ‘next play, next play, next play,’ and then when you have to go make a play, it’s life or death in those moments.”

As the Rams roll into Chicago (12-6), the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs, the challenge is heating back up following a 34-31 win over the Panthers in the wild-card round last Saturday. Frigid temperatures are in the forecast for gametime — highs in the teens with snow flurries around kickoff time at 6:30 p.m. ET.

A little precipitation and chill might not hurt Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, who is 4-1 at Chicago in his career when the kickoff temperature is below 40 degrees. He’s not alone. L.A.’s lead running back, Kyren Williams, is from St. Louis and played at Notre Dame. Wide receiver Davante Adams, the NFL leader with 14 touchdown catches, spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Packers and knows his way around frosty Soldier Field, too.

Stafford said he’s not feeling any pain or lingering issues with his sprained right index finger. He was hurt at Carolina last week but didn’t miss a snap and led the Rams to a comeback win with 304 yards and three TDs.

Williams had 3,942 passing yards and 27 touchdowns in 2025. The Rams are quick and relentless along the defensive line and had 47 sacks in the regular season. Los Angeles (13-5) will test Williams’ eye discipline and gauge the readiness of left tackles Theo Benedet and Braxton Jones, activated from injured reserve this week. Both have started this season, but the Bears lost Ozzy Trapilo (knee) to a season-ending injury against the Packers.

“Obviously it’s a bit of a whirlwind,” Benedet said of coming off the bench last week for the game-winning drive and resuming his role as the starting left tackle.

It’s not unthinkable the game could be won by two dudes under stocking hats on the sideline.

Rams coach Sean McVay and Bears coach Ben Johnson are regarded as two of the game’s brightest offensive minds. McVay enters his 15th career playoff game against a 15th different team but is very familiar with Johnson, who shares common pupils with McVay in Stafford and Lions quarterback Jared Goff. Before McVay helped pry Stafford from Detroit in a trade, Johnson was on the coaching staff with the Lions for two seasons. Then the Rams sent Goff to the Lions in the QB swap.

“He does a great job. I’ve studied him really closely since he took over and started it doing it in Detroit,” McVay said. “I think what shows his flexibility is the ability to have one of the best offenses with a player like Jared, who’s really special, and then being able to have some similar foundational principles with Caleb but also accentuate the things that make him really unique with the athleticism, move the spot and take advantage of their skill around it.”

Bears fans will recognize the bloodlines of the Rams’ offensive coordinator — Mike LaFleur — and Packers coach Matt LaFleur and McVay are longtime friends and coaching allies from their days as assistants with the Washington Commanders organization.

Did McVay phone a friend for tips on taking down the Bears?

“What do you think? We watch the tape, we do our work, and Matt is a very close friend of mine,” he said.

Year 17 has been a brilliant season for Stafford. He led the NFL in passing yards (4,707) and touchdowns (46) in the regular season. Adams and Puka Nacua, the league leader with 129 receptions, loom as massive worries even for a defense that was first in the NFL in interceptions (23) and takeaways (33).

“I’ve got so much respect for that guy. You talk about the ultimate competitor,” Johnson said. “He’s one of the more talented throwers of the football I’ve ever been around. He’s outstanding. He’s a great teammate. … His toughness. Physical toughness.”

McVay said the Rams are spending extra time drilling all 11 defensive players on playing until they hear a whistle because of Williams’ flair for flourishing on unrehearsed extensions of busted plays.

“Some of those second reaction plays where he’s getting flushed to his right or getting flushed to his left and guys understand how to be able to work with him,” McVay said, “those are the ones that are really scary.”

When he lost No. 1 wide receiver Rome Odunze for five weeks due to a foot injury, Williams turned to rookie tight end Colston Loveland to fill that void. Loveland, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2025 draft, had eight receptions for 137 yards last week.

“I know Caleb has an immense amount of trust in him,” Johnson said. “He’s one of the first ones in the building every single day. He is always studying his playbook while he’s eating breakfast. He is always the last one off the practice field, doing the jugs machine. Model of consistency, which for a rookie speaks volumes.”

The winner of Sunday’s game plays in the NFC title game next week, meeting either the San Francisco 49ers (13-5) or Seattle Seahawks (14-3).

The Rams beat the 49ers in the 2021 NFC Championship, 20-17, and beat the Saints in the 2018 conference championship game.

Chicago last won the NFC Championship Game in 2006 and also won in 1985 prior to winning Super Bowl XX. The Bears lost the 2010 NFC Championship to the Packers.

Rams nose tackle Poona Ford (elbow) and offensive lineman Kevin Dotson (ankle) were limited on Wednesday but plan to play Sunday. Dotson has been out since he was hurt in Week 16 against the Seahawks.

Dotson is an essential cog in the running game.

“He’s a beast. When he was playing this year, I thought he was one of the best guards, if not the best guard in the league,” Stafford said. “So if we can get him back, obviously that would be a huge boost.”

Odunze and wide receiver D.J. Moore (knee) were limited to start the week but Bears safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson (concussion) was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice.

–Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Jan 11th

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

Could it happen?

As one who doubted the success of the New England Patriots as the 2025 NFL season began, it’s hard to believe there’s enough Kool Aid in all of Boston to go out on an ice-covered limb and predict the Patriots as Super Bowl LX champions.

That’s an especially difficult task as this year’s NFL is about as even and unpredictable as any season in the last 50 years. Just look at the fact a preseason pick of the Detroit Lions to play the Kansas City Chiefs (or the Baltimore Ravens) would’ve been a credible choice for any NFL maven.

Nope. No Chiefs. No Lions. No Ravens. You mean an NFL maven says, “Doubt the Ravens, Evermore?”

That leaves us with a really WILD pro football wild card weekend with only AFC regular season champion Denver Broncos and NFC top seed Seattle Seahawks assured to play in the divisional round of January 17-18.

Everyone else? Good luck with your predictions.

Here are mine.

NFL PLAYOFF PICKS: With two games being played as this bulldog edition hits Al Gore ‘s online creation, it’s time to make some predictions with a possible goose-egg Saturday start just as likely as two correct picks, although the LA Rams look pretty good. Admittedly, the columnist has had a gallon of clam chowder flavored Kool-Aid, New England stylewith the final, Super Bowl selection … Here are the picks and, of course, there’s a chance the NFL brackets do not set up the way these picks are chosen, but, what the hell.

WILD CARD

AFC Wild Card Winner 1 – Bills

AFC Wild Card Winner 2 – Patriots

AFC Wild Card Winner 3 – Texans

NFC Wild Card Winner 1 – Rams

NFC Wild Card Winner 2 – Bears

NFC Wild Card Winner 3 – Eagles

DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS

AFC Division Winner 1 – Broncos

AFC Division Winner 2 – Patriots

NFC Division Winner 1 – Seahawks

NFC Division Winner 2 – Eagles

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

AFC Conference Winner – Patriots

NFC Conference Winner – Eagles

SUPER BOWL LX

Super Bowl Champion – Patriots

BOB WEIR / REST IN PEACE:

RIGHT AT PRESS TIME: The news of the Grateful Dead founding member, guitarist, vocalist, magician and storyteller Bob Weir’s death hit the airwaves via a heartfelt SOCIAL MEDIA post from Chloe Weir. The announcement of his death said he went peacefully. He was battling cancer but died of some underlying complications of the lungs.

These two clips are from Bob’s final shows at Golden Gate Park, performed this past summer (August 1-3, 2025), a three-night stand celebrating 60 years of music – pure magical music. My indoctrination into the Dead was way back in high school, but my Ph D. came from the late, great Bill Walton who often dove deep into the lyrics and vibes to lead the way for many of us.

Wrote Chloe on behalf of the family: “It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Bobby Weir. He transitioned peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, after courageously beating cancer as only Bobby could. Unfortunately, he succumbed to underlying lung issues.

For over sixty years, Bobby took to the road. A guitarist, vocalist, storyteller, and founding member of the Grateful Dead. Bobby will forever be a guiding force whose unique artistry reshaped American music. His work did more than fill rooms with music; it was warm sunlight that filled the soul, building a community, a language, and a feeling of family that generations of fans carry with them. Every chord he played, every word he sang was an integral part of the stories he wove. There was an invitation: to feel, to question, to wander, and to belong.

Bobby’s final months reflected the same spirit that defined his life. Diagnosed in July, he began treatment only weeks before returning to his hometown stage for a three-night celebration of 60 years of music at Golden Gate Park. Those performances, emotional, soulful, and full of light, were not farewells, but gifts. Another act of resilience. An artist choosing, even then, to keep going by his own design. As we remember Bobby, it’s hard not to feel the echo of the way he lived. A man driftin’ and dreamin’, never worrying if the road would lead him home. A child of countless trees. A child of boundless seas.

There is no final curtain here, not really. Only the sense of someone setting off again.”

“It must be getting early, clocks are running late

Paint-by-number morning sky looks so phony

Dawn is breaking everywhere, light a candle, curse the glare

Draw the curtains, I don’t care ‘cause it’s alright,

I will get by

I will get by

I will get by

I will survive.”

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: As long as we were playing the prediction game up above, how about a few more for 2026?

  • The “U” to win the CFP championship as tough “D” and home field advantage win out at Hard Rock. Indiana will have put up a fight like no other.
  • Jannik Sinner to win Down Under at the 2026 Australian Open
  • William Byron to make it a three-peat at the 2026 Daytona 500
  • Canada to win the gold at Milan Winter Olympics men’s ice hockey
  • UConn to win 2026 BIG EAST men’s basketball tournament (and women’s, too)
  • Michigan to take the 2026 Final Four in men’s hoops
  • Scottie Scheffler to get back on track and win The Masters
  • Colorado Avs and Florida Panthers to meet for The Cup (Avs to win)
  • OKC to repeat at the NBA Finals and take their second Larry O’Brien Trophy
  • LA Dodgers to repeat at 2026 World Series, defeating the NYY
  • No Triple Crown winner in 2026
  • Cameron Boozer to go No. 1 in NBA Draft
  • Jannik Sinner to repeat at Wimbledon (singles)
  • Iga Świątek to repeat in Ladies’ singles in London
  • Scottie Scheffler to take the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup

Some more in-depth analysis and additional predictions to come before each season/playoffs begin. In the list above, you’ll notice a LOT of chalk. The WWYI office reports, “Carlos Alcaraz is on Line One.”

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: Good News: Zach Harper of The Athletic pointed out that Muggsy Bogues turned 61 years of age on Friday. The 5-foot-3 guard entertained NBA audiences for a solid 14 seasons. … Bad News: Former NBAer and shot blocker extraordinaire Jawann Oldham died this past week in Atlanta at the age of 68. Oldham hailed from Seattle, Washington.

The Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation, the Florida-based creator and sponsor of the Fred Biletnikoff Award, honored unanimous 1st-Team All-America receiver Makai Lemon of the University of Southern California as the 2025 winner of the prestigious Biletnikoff Award.

Legendary sportscaster Al Michaels will return to call the 2026-27 NFL season for Prime Video, according to a report by Richard Deitsch of The Sports Business Journal.

Former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh seems to be the answer to every NFL team’s dreams. Harbaugh, fired by Baltimore this week, put the brakes on every NFL team that drew their ax on NFL Black Monday (maybe we should call it Red Monday, thus with the ax falling)? … The NY Post has been swooning over a possible Harbaugh hiring for the football Giants.

New York Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer is the likely Calder Trophy winner come April/May and he’s proving to be the best NYI blue-liner since the great Denis Potvin (not to put any pressure on the rook).

The LIV Tour started its season this week with a qualifier at Black Diamond Ranch in Lecanto, Florida while the PGA Tour opens this Thursday at the SONY Open in Honolulu, Hawaii. Pro golf is back but Brooks Koepka is not.

As expected, pro golfer Brooks Koepka applied for reinstatement to the PGA TOUR. ESPN first reported that the expected became true. Koepka, 35, decided to leave LIV Golf and announced it on December 23. He had one year left on his contract with the Saudi-backed pro circuit. Koepka will not be eligible to return to the PGA Tour until August, 2026 at the very earliest.

Koepka was one of the top PGA Tour players to jumo to LIV Golf in 2022, reportedly cashing a $125 million check as an enticement for the love.

Brick building with arched entrance and windows
Photo by T R on Unsplash

BASEBALL HALL of FAME: Neither WWYI nor Digital Sports Desk have a ballot for the Baseball Hall of Fame. That’s fine, but it doesn’t stop a baseball scribe from casting a phantom ballot. Here are the picks this year, using the less is more theory with five choices for baseball infamy amongst the 27 players eligible on the BBWAA official ballot.

  • Carlos Beltran
  • Andruw Jones
  • Andy Pettitte
  • Alex Rodriguez
  • David Wright

NFL Playoff Preview: Chargers at Patriots

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Los Angeles Chargers (11-6) at New England Patriots (14-3)
Sunday, 8 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Patriots -3.5, Total 46.5
Series Rewind: New England leads the all-time series 27-17-2 and has won each of the three times they’ve faced off in the NFL playoffs (2007, 2008, 2019). But Los Angeles beat the Patriots in 2023 and 2024 by a combined score of 46-7.

Patriots MVP candidate Drake Maye is set to make his playoff debut after a stellar second season in which he led the league with a 72.0 completion percentage along with 4,394 yards and 31 TDs to eight picks. He led an offense which finished second in scoring (28.8 points per game) and third in total offense (379.4 yards). But he was also sacked 47 times, fourth-most of any NFL QB, and will be facing a Chargers defense which ranked 10th in the league in sacks (45). Chargers QB Justin Herbert has actually been sacked even more (54 times, third in the NFL) behind a ramshackle line missing two tackles. Herbert is looking for some playoff redemption after his first two postseason games did not go according to plan. Los Angeles blew a 27-0 lead in a 2022 wild-card game at Jacksonville, and he threw a career-high four picks in a 32-12 wild-card game last season at Houston. Herbert (left hand) has practiced fully this week after sitting out the regular-season finale with minimal stakes. Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs (1,013 receiving yards) and rookie RB Tre’Veyon Henderson (911 yards, nine touchdowns) have boosted Maye, who could be down two starting offensive linemen this week with left guard Jared Wilson (concussion) and center Garrett Bradbury (illness) missing practice or limited.

New England Patriots: Game Preview

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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.

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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.

NFL Capsules: 1pm Games

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New Orleans Saints (6-10) at Atlanta Falcons (7-9)

Sunday, 1 p.m. (FOX)

FanDuel odds: Falcons -3, Total 44.5

Series Rewind: The Falcons defeated the Saints 24-10 on Nov. 23, which tied the all-time regular-season series at 56-56.

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Rookie QB Tyler Shough is acquitting himself nicely since the decision by the Saints to make a switch at QB1. He had 333 passing yards, two TDs and a 142.7 passer rating last week. New Orleans has four consecutive wins and wraps up the regular season without top TD producer Chris Olave, who landed on injured reserve this week after scoring nine of the team’s 26 offensive touchdowns. Atlanta has three wins in a row and became a factor in the NFC South playoff picture by proxy with a win over the Rams on Monday. The Falcons can play a spoiler role if the Buccaneers beat the Panthers, which puts the division postseason entry in the hands of Atlanta. If the Falcons win after a loss by the Panthers, Carolina would still advance to the postseason as division champion. They’ll put the game in the hands of RB Bijan Robinson. He tallied a career-high 195 yards rushing and scored twice last week.

Cleveland Browns (4-12) at Cincinnati Bengals (6-10)

Sunday, 1 p.m. (CBS)

FanDuel odds: Bengals -7.5, Total 44.5

Series Rewind: The Bengals have won five of the past six meetings.

The Bengals escaped with a narrow 17-16 win in Cleveland in the opener when Browns rookie kicker Andre Szmyt missed an extra point and a 36-yard field goal. Cleveland started current Cincinnati backup Joe Flacco in that game. The Bengals aim to close out the regular season with their first three-game winning streak of the season after blowout wins over Miami and Arizona in the past two weeks. The 45-21 victory in Week 16 at Miami followed by a 37-14 romp in Week 17 against Arizona at home marked the first time the Bengals won back-to-back games by a margin of 20 or more points since Weeks 6-7 in 2021. Cincinnati’s offense has exploded in the last two weeks, earning season highs in first downs (29) and net yards (429) against Arizona. On defense, the Bengals tallied four sacks and held the Cardinals to 42 yards rushing. The Browns enter after their most emotional win of the season, a 13-6 defeat of rival Pittsburgh last Sunday in their home finale in Cleveland. The biggest storyline for the Browns heading into the season finale continues to be star defensive edge Myles Garrett and his pursuit of the NFL single-season sack record. Entering with 22 on the season, Garrett had two sacks of Joe Burrow on Sept. 7. Garrett’s 15 sacks in 13 games against Cincinnati are the most in his career against any opponent.

Indianapolis Colts (8-8) at Houston Texans (11-5)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)

FanDuel odds: Texans -10.5, Total 38.5

Series Rewind: The Texans have won five of the past six meetings against the Colts.

A ninth consecutive victory for the Texans would put the Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4) in a must-win spot to claim the AFC South. The Texans previously clinched at least a wild-card berth but winning the division and getting a home playoff game would rate as a much better situation. The Texans have ridden their top-ranked defense during the solid winning streak in which they have won by 10 or more points on just two occasions. Houston is coming off a 20-16 home win over the Los Angeles Chargers, another playoff team. Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud passed for 244 yards and tossed scoring passes of 75 yards to Jayden Higgins and 43 yards to Jaylin Noel in the opening six minutes. Indianapolis was flying high with an 8-2 record entering a Week 11 bye. But Colts quarterback Daniel Jones was playing with a fractured fibula and then tore an Achilles in Week 14 against Jacksonville. Indianapolis continued to plummet, as signing 44-year-old Philip Rivers to a contract couldn’t stop the losing streak from reaching six games and eliminating Indianapolis from the playoffs. Riley Leonard, a sixth-round selection in last April’s draft, gets his first career start for the Colts with nothing on the line Sunday.

Tennessee Titans (3-13) at Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)

FanDuel odds: Jaguars -12.5, Total 47.5

Series Rewind: The Jaguars have won six of the past seven games in the series and defeated the Titans 25-3 on Nov. 30.

The Titans have won two of their last four games and QB Cam Ward is finishing his rookie season with a kick. He’s going for a fifth consecutive game with two or more touchdowns, but Tennessee averages only 17.3 points per game this season. The Jaguars are steamrolling into January with seven wins in a row and have no trouble putting up points. QB Trevor Lawrence leads a Jacksonville offense which had scored 34-plus points in its last three games and 24-plus points in eight straight before encountering a bit of a wall against the Colts. The offense amassed 370 yards — its fourth most in a game this season — but three turnovers inside the Colts’ 25 stymied the Jaguars’ scoring. Lawrence threw his first interception in five games and had just his third game without a touchdown this season, his first since Week 9 vs. Las Vegas. Jacksonville’s defense picked up the slack, allowing just seven points over Indianapolis’ final nine possessions after Indianapolis leapt out to a 10-0 lead on its first two drives. With two fourth-quarter interceptions, the Jaguars defense is up to 21 on the season, tying the franchise record and the second most in the NFL.

Green Bay Packers (9-6-1) at Minnesota Vikings (8-8)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)

FanDuel odds: Packers -8.5, Total 36.5

Series Rewind: Green Bay defeated Minnesota 23-6 on Nov. 23, but the Vikings have won two of the past three meetings.

The Packers want to get healthy heading into the playoffs, where they already have clinched a wild-card berth. This weekend’s game will do nothing to change their No. 7 NFC playoff seed. Green Bay has no shot at the NFC North division title after the Chicago Bears claimed that last week. The Packers know they will open the playoffs on the road next weekend, with the opponent and starting time to be determined. Packers quarterback Jordan Love cleared the league’s concussion protocol, but coach Matt LaFleur announced Thursday that third-stringer Clayton Tune will start instead. Backup Malik Willis, who has started with Love out, also is dealing with shoulder and hamstring injuries. Tune has made 14 appearances in the NFL and is 0-1 as a starter. His lone start came in 2023 as a member of the Arizona Cardinals. There is far less indecision in Minnesota, where J.J. McCarthy is set to make his 10th start in his first season of NFL action. McCarthy missed all of last season because of a knee injury. An ankle injury cost him five games early in the 2025 campaign, and he sat out another contest while in concussion protocol. McCarthy was sidelined last week due to a hairline fracture in his throwing hand, but he returned to full practice late this week. He has 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in his first nine games.

Dallas Cowboys (7-8-1) at New York Giants (3-13)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)

FanDuel odds: Cowboys – 3.5, Total 49.5

Series Rewind: The Cowboys are 16-1 in the past 17 meetings with the Giants.

The Giants ended an eight-game losing streak and by defeating the Raiders last week, are likely out of the running for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft.

Quarterback Dak Prescott enters Week 18 with a league-high 4,482 passing yards, 34 ahead of the Los Angeles Rams’ Matthew Stafford. Prescott could become the first Dallas quarterback to lead the NFL in aerial yardage. While Dallas aims for a .500 finish, New York could still earn the No. 1 overall pick if Kansas City beats the Raiders thanks to an inferior strength of schedule. Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart threw for 207 yards on 22-of-30 passing while adding 48 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Dart’s nine rushing scores are a franchise record for a quarterback and the third most by a rookie QB in NFL history. Dart could end his first year in the league with a bang. The Cowboys own the league’s worst passing defense (253.6 yards per game allowed) and are tied for the most passing touchdowns allowed (33).

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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.

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Baltimore Ravens (8-8) at Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7)

Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC)

FanDuel odds: Ravens -3.5, Total 41.5

Series Rewind: The Steelers took control of the AFC North race with a 27-22 victory at Baltimore on Dec. 7, Pittsburgh’s fifth win in the past six meetings.

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Pittsburgh can clinch the AFC North title with a win or tie, while Baltimore (8-8) takes the division crown with a victory. There’s no wild-card consolation prize for the team that doesn’t take the division. The Ravens rebounded from a 1-5 start with a five-game winning streak after their bye. While Baltimore is just 2-3 since Thanksgiving — including a home loss to Pittsburgh on Dec. 7 — the Steelers’ recent scuffles have created an opportunity. A victory last week over a 3-12 Cleveland Browns squad would have clinched Pittsburgh’s first division title since 2020. But the Steelers and quarterback Aaron Rodgers struggled to find a rhythm offensively with top wide receiver DK Metcalf serving the first of a two-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the NFL. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (back contusion) was back at practice for the final three days of the week and proclaimed himself as ready to play after missing last week. Steelers counterpart Mike Tomlin acknowledged the disappointment of missing the chance to earn a playoff berth last week, but said he has “learned to always move forward” and that “frustration doesn’t get the job done.” Visiting Pittsburgh edged Baltimore 27-22 in Week 14, prevailing despite a big afternoon from the Ravens’ ground game. Baltimore rushed for 217 yards (5.4 yards per carry) as Derrick Henry led the attack with 94 yards on 25 attempts. Rodgers went 23-for-34 for 284 yards and a touchdown pass to Jaylen Warren that stretched the lead to 27-16 late in the third quarter. Metcalf contributed seven catches for 148 yards, both season highs in his first campaign with the Steelers.

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