NFL Week 18 breakdown: Looking ahead to 'Super Wild-Card Weekend' after thrilling end to season
Week 18 is in the books and the playoff picture is complete. Here were some of Sunday's highlights:
- The playoff field is set and postseason game times have been announced.
- The Raiders-Chargers regular-season finale was also one of the wildest games of the year.
- With Sunday's stunning upset, the Jaguars have now won seven straight at home against the Colts.
- The Jaguars own the No. 1 overall draft pick again as the order for the top 18 selections is set.
The 2021 NFL regular season concluded with one of the most exciting and bonkers games in recent memory.
The Raiders' overtime win over the AFC West rival Chargers not only sent the Silver and Black into the playoffs for the first time since 2016, but also put the Steelers into the postseason.
The Raiders won't have much time to bask in the glory of their playoff-clinching triumph. They open "Super Wild-Card Weekend" against the Bengals in Cincinnati.
Here's a look at next weekend's playoff matchups:
Saturday
- Las Vegas Raiders at Cincinnati Bengals, 4:35 p.m. ET (NBC)
- New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills, 8:15 p.m. ET (CBS)
Sunday
- Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1:05 p.m. ET (FOX)
- San Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys, 4:40 p.m. ET (CBS/Nickelodeon)
- Pittsburgh Steelers at Kansas City Chiefs, 8:15 p.m. ET (NBC)
Monday
- Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams, 8:15 p.m. ET (ESPN/ESPN2/ABC)
NFL Week 18 analysis
- Winners and losers: A bye week for the Titans gives Derrick Henry another week to get ready. Steelers fans had a nerve-racking Sunday night.
- 32 things we learned: What seemed like a straightforward final Sunday to the NFL regular season turned out to be anything but.
- Colts' choke reveals Carson Wentz isn't a good enough QB to trust: Wentz isn't good enough for Colts moving forward, Gregg Doyel writes, but who might actually be the answer for the team at QB?
- Brutal end to another lost Giants' season leaves coach vulnerable: The Giants are facing an unsettled future. What comes next regarding the direction of the front office and where Joe Judge fits remains to be seen.
Biggest moments of NFL Week 18
- The Steelers' T.J. Watt tied the NFL's single-season sack record of 22½, set by Michael Strahan during the 2001 season.
- For the second consecutive year, the Jaguars will kick off the NFL draft.
- Jaguars fans wore clown costumes to protest owner Shad Khan for keeping general manager Trent Baalke.
- The Jaguars' Jamal Agnew savagely roasted the Colts after Jacksonville's stunning upset of a playoff hopeful.
- The Giants are going to be mocked – and rightfully so – for what transpired late in the first half against Washington.
- Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle broke Anquan Boldin's rookie receptions record.
- Tom Brady set yet another record, this one for most pass completions in a single season.
NFL Week 18 rundown
- Raiders 35, Chargers 32 (OT): Daniel Carlson's game-winning kick not only sent the Raiders into the playoffs, but also put the Steelers into the postseason.
- Bills 27, Jets 10: The Bills are AFC East winners for the second consecutive year and enter the playoffs as the conference's No. 3 seed.
- Buccaneers 41, Panthers 17: The defending Super Bowl champions enter the playoffs as the NFC's No. 2 seed.
- Dolphins 33, Patriots 24: After starting the season 1-7, the Dolphins won eight of their last nine games, finishing 9-8.
- 49ers 27, Rams 24 (OT): The 49ers rallied from a 17-point deficit to win an overtime thriller and qualify for the playoffs.
- Seahawks 38, Cardinals 30: The Seahawks spoiled the Cardinals' chances of winning the NFC West.
- Saints 30, Falcons 20: The Saints just missed the playoffs after the 49ers' overtime win over the Rams.
- Football Team 22, Giants 7: Washington sent the hapless Giants into an offseason that could include some major upheaval.
- Browns 21, Bengals 16: Case Keenum, starting in place of Baker Mayfield, helped the Browns complete a season sweep of the AFC North champs.
- Steelers 16, Ravens 13 (OT): Ben Roethlisberger's retirement has been put on hold.
- Lions 37, Packers 30: The Lions closed out coach Dan Campbell's first season with plenty of pride after knocking off the NFC's top playoff seed.
- Jaguars 26, Colts 11: All the Colts had to do was defeat the worst team in the NFL to make the playoffs. Instead, it endured one of the worst losses in franchise history. The victory also did not cost the Jaguars the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft, thanks to the Lions' win.
- Vikings 31, Bears 17: The Vikings won a matchup of eliminated teams with coaches facing uncertain futures.
- Titans 28, Texans 25: The road to the Super Bowl in the AFC goes through Nashville.
- Chiefs 28, Broncos 24 (Saturday): The Chiefs got their 13th consecutive win over their longtime division rivals, who fired their coach the next day.
- Cowboys 51, Eagles 26 (Saturday): Dak Prescott set a team record against an Eagles team that rested Jalen Hurts and other key starters.
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