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Lions beat Packers and clinch playoff spot. Plus, your NFL Week 14 preview 🏈

Jim Reineking   Paste BN

This is the Paste BN Sports NFL newsletter, 4th and Monday. If this newsletter isn't already getting conveniently delivered to your inbox, click here to subscribe.

NFL Week 14 is here. Our comprehensive weekly NFL preview includes (but is not exclusive to):

➤ About last night: Detroit Lions 34, Green Bay Packers 31 — Dan Campbell gambled late, and it paid off as the Lions ran out the clock and set up Jake Bates' winning field goal. The Lions clinched a playoff berth with the victory — the first NFC team to secure a postseason spot — and essentially eliminated the division-rival Packers from NFC North title contention.

➤ Game of the week: Los Angeles Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs — With a win, the Chiefs (11-1) clinch a ninth consecutive AFC West title, which would be the second-longest division-title streak behind the New England Patriots' AFC East reign from 2009 to 2019. The Chiefs face the AFC West-rival Chargers on "Sunday Night Football." Barring a massive collapse by the Chiefs, the Chargers (8-4) don't pose a threat for the division title, but are in the thick of the AFC playoff race and continue on their stretch of games against playoff contenders. The Chiefs seem incapable of not making wins interesting — they won because of a botched snap last week — which makes this showdown a must-watch encounter.

➤ Sneaky-good game of the week: Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers — Two weeks ago, the Browns collected a memorable win in the ❄️ on "Thursday Night Football" against the division-rival Steelers. Heading into the season's final stretch, the Steelers (9-3) own a game-and-a-half lead over the Baltimore Ravens (8-5) in the AFC North. The Browns (3-9) can only play spoiler at this point, but behind Jameis Winston this team has been quite a wild card to throw into the AFC playoff race. The Browns nearly dealt the Denver Broncos a setback in a wild "Monday Night Football" game.

➤ Game I'm mildly interested in, and not just because I have T.J. Hockenson on my fantasy team: Atlanta Falcons at Minnesota Vikings — Expensive veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins returns to the Gjallarhorn-adorned confines of U.S. Bank Stadium to face his former team. The Falcons (6-6) hold a precarious lead in the NFC South, despite a three-game losing streak. Cousins is at least partially to blame for Atlanta's struggles — he tied a career high with four interceptions in last week's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Vagabond quarterback Sam Darnold has kept the Vikings (10-2) nipping at the heels of the Lions all season. This is a big one for both teams.

➤ Dude of the week: New York Jets at Miami Dolphins — Before the season started, this December matchup between division rivals likely was circled on the calendar as one that could determine playoff positioning. Instead, the Jets (3-9) have crash landed with veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers at the helm and the postseason hopes of the Dolphins (5-7) froze on a frigid Thanksgiving night at Lambeau Field.

➤ Just going to rank some games I'm interested in watching without giving any context:

  1. Buffalo Bills at Los Angeles Rams
  2. Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals
  3. Cincinnati Bengals at Dallas Cowboys
  4. Carolina Panthers at Philadelphia Eagles
  5. Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers

📸: Fans, mascots, cheerleaders and celebrities at NFL games

NFL Week 14: Pigskin prognostications, betting tips, rankings

➤ Week 14 picks: This is where Paste BN Sports' panel of experts has provided fans with the great public service of making prognostications for every game this weekend, both straight up and against the spread.

➤ NFL Week 14 betting odds: Which teams are favored this week?

➤ Best bets for Week 14: Lorenzo Reyes is back with his favorite NFL bets for Week 14, including why he likes lines involving the Chargers, Saints and Seahawks this weekend.

➤ Power rankings: See how all 32 teams stack up after 13 weeks of play. The Lions remain No. 1, but is there another team that should be considered for the top spot?

NFL news, notes and analysis

➤ QB in crisis? Kirk Cousins' slump has come at an inopportune time, as the fierce defense of his former team awaits the Falcons quarterback on Sunday, Jarrett Bell writes.

➤ Bears coaching job may seem attractive. History tells a different story: The way the Bears mishandled the Matt Eberflus firing should be a massive red flag to anyone considering the Chicago job, Nancy Armour writes.

➤ Super Bowl kicker says Ravens have tough call on Justin Tucker: Two-time Super Bowl winner Lawrence Tynes has analyzed the slump being endured by Tucker. What if Tucker can't fix it?

➤ Texans coach blaming Trevor Lawrence for late hit is downright dirty: In defending Azeez Al-Shaair after the linebacker's late hit on Trevor Lawrence, DeMeco Ryans undermined the NFL's player safety rules, Jarrett Bell writes.

➤ We've got another mock draft for you! This time, Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz's first-round projection ponders just how high Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty could be picked.

Fantasy football: It's kind of a big week

For many fantasy football leagues, Week 14 represents the final week of the regular season. In reality, Week 14 also represents the final week that teams will be on a bye. Unfortunately for fantasy owners, it's a "bye-mageddon." There are six teams on a bye week, which could wreak havoc on your starting lineup. As always, you can count on Paste BN Sports to help you out.

➤ Fantasy rankings for Week 14: For your convenience, these position-by-position rankings were updated for this week's games.

➤ Start 'em ⬆ and sit 'em ⬇ for Week 14: Here is where we list eight players to start, and eight to sit, this weekend. Find out why you should start Baker Mayfield.

➤ Start 'em/sit 'em by position: QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | Kickers | Defenses/special teams

➤ Waiver wire: If you haven't already done so, these are the players to consider adding to your roster this week.

➤ Risers and fallers: Find out why QB Russell Wilson, RB Isaac Guerendo and WR Parker Washington are looking up 📈, and QB Kirk Cousins, RB Aaron Jones and WR Amari Cooper are trending down 📉.

Week 14 NFL schedule

(All times Eastern)

Thursday

Sunday

Monday

Bye week: Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Washington Commanders

📅: Complete 2024 NFL schedule

From the YouTube algorithm 🏈📺

This is where we reprise some NFL lore and recall a classic, memorable game from yesteryear that featured Week 14 opponents.

Nov. 27 marked the 30th anniversary of arguably the most memorable play in the long history of the Miami Dolphins-New York Jets rivalry, and quite possibly the most famous play made by Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino.

"The Fake Spike Game" featured, well, a fake spike to stop the clock in the final seconds by Marino, who instead threw a touchdown pass to Mark Ingram. It's a play that is quasi-common in today's game, but was a revelation back during the NFL's 75th anniversary season.

During Week 13 of the 1994 season, the Dolphins (7-4) and Jets (6-5) were in a tussle for first place in the AFC East at the Meadowlands. The Jets had built a 24-6 lead in the third quarter, but, being the Jets, the team allowed the Dolphins to get back into the game. Trailing 24-21 late in the fourth quarter, Marino mounted a drive to, at the very least, tie up the game with a field goal. With 8 seconds left and the ball at the Jets' 8-yard line, Marino had other ideas. Marino took the snap, pretended to spike the ball to stop the clock, and threw a touchdown pass to Ingram, who was open after rookie cornerback Aaron Glenn bought Marino's fake.

The Dolphins won 28-24, went on to win the AFC East, but fell to the San Diego Chargers in the divisional playoffs. The Jets, meanwhile, didn't win another game that season under first-year coach Pete Carroll, finished 6-10, fired Carroll and then hired Rich Kotite (that went poorly!).

📸: NFL teams wearing alternate or throwback uniforms

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