Sunday NFL games in Week 18: Bills stun Dolphins in thrilling playoff-clinching ties – A complete overview
Thrilling upsets and playoff-bound teams conclude NFL's grueling 18-week season Bills stun Dolphins, Packers secure playoff return, while a record-breaking rookie wide receiver shines Explore the full scores of Sunday's intense Week 18 action
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In the second quarter of the Steelers' 17-10 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday, January 6, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris carried the ball up the field.
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Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown scores a touchdown as Dallas Cowboys cornerback Stephon Gilmore tries to stop him.
New York Giants wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson, right, and teammates react to their 33-25 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday, December 25.
During the Kansas City Chiefs' 20-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, quarterback Patrick Mahomes managed to recover his fumble after being hit. The defeat also means that the Chiefs are unable to secure the No.1 seed in the AFC and have to delay claiming their eighth consecutive AFC West title, as they now have a 9-6 record. (Photo credit: Jay Biggerstaff/USA Today Network/Reuters)
During the fourth quarter, DJ Chark Jr., the wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers, scored a touchdown to even the game against the Green Bay Packers. In the final moments, the Packers secured a 33-30 victory with a successful field goal.
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In the first quarter of the Monday Night Football game on December 18, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock was focused on making a pass against the Philadelphia Eagles. Lock, who made his second start of the season that night, played a crucial role in leading his team to a 20-17 victory.
Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert runs the ball during a the team's 30-0 win against the New York Jets.
Darnell Mooney, wide receiver for the Chicago Bears, came close to making a game-changing catch on a Hail Mary pass in the closing moments of the Bears' matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Despite his effort, Mooney was unable to come down with the ball, resulting in a 20-17 victory for the Browns.
Miami Dolphins linebacker Bradley Chubb sacks New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson.
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Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta dives into the end zone for a touchdown on Saturday, December 16. The Lions beat the Denver Broncos 42-17.
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D.J. Moore of the Chicago Bears celebrates a touchdown during the first quarter of the Bears' 28-13 upset win over the Detroit Lions on Sunday, November 10.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes looks to pass in the fourth quarter of a narrow 20-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown. The Falcons lost 29-25 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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Nick Bosa of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates his sack of Seattle Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock. Lock, who started for the Seahawks on Sunday in place of the inactive veteran Geno Smith, couldn't hold off the 49ers, who won 28-16.
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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk a catches touchdown pass in the end zone.
Brandin Cooks, the wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys, made a crucial catch for a first down while being defended by Seattle Seahawks safety Jamal Adams during the Cowboys' thrilling 41-35 victory on Thursday Night Football on November 30th.
On Monday, November 27, Chicago Bears offensive lineman Lucas Patrick celebrated the game-winning field goal by lifting placekicker Cairo Santos. The Bears secured a 12-10 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. (Photo credit: Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Drew Sample dives into the end zone for a touchdown during the Bengals' 16-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott eats a turkey leg after the Cowboys' 45-10 Thanksgiving Day victory over the Washington Commanders on November 23.
In the Monday Night Football game on November 20, the Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling failed to catch a pass late in the fourth quarter. The Philadelphia Eagles emerged victorious in the Super Bowl rematch, defeating the Chiefs 21-17.
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon sacks Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. The Seahawks beat the Rams 17-16.
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After intercepting the ball, Indianapolis Colts safety Julian Blackmon celebrates with his teammates following their 10-6 triumph over the New England Patriots in Frankfurt, Germany, on November 12.
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New England Patriots wide receiver Demario Douglas evades Indianapolis Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II.
Noah Sewell, right, and Jaquan Brisker of the Chicago Bears celebrate during the Bears' 16-13 Thursday Night Football win over the Carolina Panthers on November 9.
Joshua Dobbs, the backup quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings, makes a stretch for the pylon as the Vikings secure a 31-28 win against the Atlanta Falcons. Dobbs, who was recently traded to the Vikings, impressed with 158 passing yards, two aerial touchdowns, and one rushing touchdown.
During the first half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans dropped back to pass. He ultimately threw for 470 yards in the Texans' close 39-37 victory. (Photo: Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet catches a touchdown pass while defended by Tyrann Mathieu of the New Orleans Saints. The Saints beat the Bears 24-17.
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A spectacular one-handed catch by Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown results in a touchdown against Washington Commanders cornerback Benjamin St-Juste. The Eagles secured a 38-31 victory over the Commanders.
Following the Chiefs' loss to the Denver Broncos, quarterback Patrick Mahomes walked off the field. Despite the potential for making history with a win, Mahomes threw two interceptions and no touchdowns.
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Irv Smith Jr. runs past San Francisco 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga. The Bengals beat the 49ers 31-17.
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On October 22, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick achieved his 300th regular-season victory with a 29-25 win over the Buffalo Bills, and shared a warm embrace with Bills head coach Sean McDermott.
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Marquez Valdes-Scantling is mobbed by teammates after scoring a touchdown in the game against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Kansas City Chiefs emerged victorious with a final score of 31-17.
Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert jumps over Carolina Panthers cornerback CJ Henderson. Mostert had two touchdowns during the Dolphins' 42-21 victory.
Before the Chicago Bears' game against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field in Chicago, quarterback Justin Fields paid tribute to the late Dick Butkus by warming up wearing a #51 patch. Butkus, a revered Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker known for his hard-hitting style, played nine seasons for the Bears and passed away on October 5.
Quincy Williams of the New York Jets tackles Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith. The Eagles are 5-1 for the season after their 20-14 loss to the Jets.
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New York Jets running back Breece Hall carries the ball during a game against the Denver Broncos. The Jets won 31-21.
Zack Moss, the running back for the Indianapolis Colts, swiftly carried the ball into the end zone for a touchdown in the first quarter of the game against the Tennessee Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Colts emerged victorious, defeating the Titans with a final score of 23-16.
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens celebrates after catching a 41-yard touchdown pass during the Steelers' 17-10 win over the Baltimore Ravens.
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Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack made a total of six sacks during the team's 24-17 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on October 1, becoming the fifth player in NFL history to achieve this in a single game. The quarterback he sacked was Aidan O'Connell.
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Damar Hamlin, safety for the Buffalo Bills, can be seen shouting as he warms up before the Bills' game against the Miami Dolphins. This marked his first regular season appearance after overcoming a cardiac arrest on the field almost nine months earlier. The Bills went on to win the game 48-20.
Kareem Jackson of the Denver Broncos celebrates intercepting a pass thrown by Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields. The Broncos won 31-28.
In the second quarter at Levi's Stadium, San Francisco 49ers running back Elijah Mitchell was tackled by New York Giants linebacker Micah McFadden. The 49ers maintained their perfect record after a 30-12 victory on Thursday Night Football on September 21.
Taylor Swift, a Grammy Award-winning singer, was seen cheering on the Kansas City Chiefs from the family suite of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. This show of support comes after weeks of speculation about her relationship with Kelce. Swift had plenty to celebrate as the Chiefs secured a victory against the Chicago Bears, with a final score of 41-10.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen leaps into the endzone for a touchdown during his team's 37-3 win over the Washington Commanders.
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In a 30-10 victory over the New York Jets at AT&T Stadium on September 17, Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson found the end zone in the first half. This marked the Jets' first game without quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who sustained an ankle injury during his Week 1 debut with the team.
At Raymond James Stadium, Chicago Bears running back Khalil Herbert searches for an opening to carry the ball while eluding Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David. The Bears ultimately suffered a 27-17 defeat.
In the second half of the game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder was tackled by linebacker Preston Smith in their 25-24 victory against the Green Bay Packers.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Noah Gray receives a pass. The Chiefs beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 17-9.
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In the first quarter at Empower Field at Mile High, Las Vegas Raiders WR Jakobi Meyers made a crucial touchdown catch, outplaying Denver Broncos CB Damarri Mathis. This score proved to be crucial as the Raiders narrowly defeated the home side, 17-16.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Deven Thompkins runs with the ball during the fourth quarter of a 20-17 win against the Minnesota Vikings at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
Los Angeles Chargers kicker JK Scott punts the ball against the Miami Dolphins in the second half at SoFi Stadium. The Chargers would lose 36-34 to the Dolphins.
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Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker TJ Watt sacks San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. It was to be one of the only highlights for the home fans as the Niners won 30-7.
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The best photos from the 2023 NFL season
The Bills secured a playoff spot before their game against the Miami Dolphins, but they still put on a spectacular performance, with quarterback Josh Allen leading them to a 21-14 victory and securing the AFC East division title and the AFC's No. 2 seed.
The team's turbulent season was captured perfectly by Allen on Sunday. He threw two terrible interceptions in the opening quarter of the game, but then rallied late to lead the Bills to victory. Buffalo got a boost in the fourth quarter when Deonte Harty returned a punt 96 yards for a touchdown, igniting the Bills' offense.
Despite the team's season appearing hopeless halfway through the year, Allen stressed that he and his teammates united around a common purpose when they were teetering at a 6-6 record.
"We were aware of the challenge ahead, had numerous team discussions, and trusted each other in this locker room," Allen informed reporters. "Ultimately, this is exciting, and I will never turn down the opportunity to win a division."
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Miami head coach Mike McDaniel emphasized the need for his team to turn the page after their loss on Sunday, referring to the upcoming game against the Chiefs as a fresh start. "As difficult as it may be, that's why you experience so much joy in the game, because when you come out on top, there's nothing like it," he explained to reporters. "But on the other hand, when you miss opportunities, it can be all-consuming."
McDaniel talks to officials before the game against the Bills.
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Packers return to playoffs
The Green Bay Packers faced a daunting task of rebuilding their team after Aaron Rodgers left in the off-season, especially with a young group of offensive players.
Love completed 27 of 32 passes for 316 yards and two touchdowns, both of which were caught by fifth-round rookie Dontayvion Wicks. This impressive performance helped the Packers secure their 10th consecutive victory over the Bears.
Later on, LaFleur honored his quarterback, describing him as a "resilient and determined individual."
"His family deserves credit for instilling such strong values in him," he shared with the media. "He embodies all the qualities of a true professional, showing up to work with a positive attitude every single day. He's a team player and has shown significant growth over the past four years. I'm genuinely thrilled for him. He's worked hard and deserves this recognition."
NFC playoff schedule
Green Bay Packers @ Dallas Cowboys - Sunday, January 14, 4:30 p.m. ET
Rookie wide receiver completes historic season
When Puka Nacua was selected in the fifth round of this years NFL Draft, it came with little fanfare.
Nacua set a new rookie receiving yards record with a six-yard catch in the third quarter of the Los Angeles Rams 21-20 win against the San Francisco 49ers. This broke Bill Groman's 1960 record of 1,473 yards in a 14-game season, as Nacua finished the game with 1,486 receiving yards.
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From breaking records to LeBron James shoutouts, meet Puka Nacua, the special rookie wide receiver
Nacua catches a touchdown against Charvarius Ward of the San Francisco 49ers in the first quarter.
Stafford was selected as the first overall pick by Detroit in the 2009 draft and played for the team for 12 seasons. In 2021, he was traded to the Rams and achieved a Super Bowl victory in his first season with the team in Los Angeles.
Cleveland Browns 14-31 Cincinnati Bengals
Minnesota Vikings 20-30 Detroit Lions
Jacksonville Jaguars 20-28 Tennessee Titans
Seattle Seahawks 21-20 Arizona Cardinals
Los Angeles Rams 21-20 San Francisco 49ers
Dallas Cowboys 38-10 Washington Commanders
