NFL Winners and Losers, late Sunday video games: Broncos beat Chargers to get to 14-3, clinch AFC’s No. 1 seed

The Denver Broncos’ No. 1 seed-clinching efficiency wasn’t spectacular or memorable. But it acquired the job accomplished, which has just about been the Broncos’ strategy this season.

Denver won’t be probably the most dominant high seed ever, however it’s arduous to go 14-3 within the NFL. And now the Broncos, just like the Seattle Seahawks within the NFC, are two house wins from Super Bowl LX.

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The Broncos outlasted the Chargers 19-3 in an uninspiring recreation. They have been ok to beat a Chargers group that had little to play for and was resting starters, however they didn’t appear to be among the finest groups within the NFL. Denver’s offense didn’t rating a landing. Its protection was good, because it has been all season, and the Broncos ought to be glad about that. The offense should be higher to beat whoever they host on divisional spherical weekend. The vital half is that they’re internet hosting somebody on divisional spherical weekend because the No. 1 seed.

The final time the Broncos hosted a playoff recreation, Peyton Manning was the successful quarterback. They beat Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and the New England Patriots within the AFC championship recreation, and two weeks later they defeated MVP Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50. There was a drought after that, and it bottomed out in Nathaniel Hackett’s beyond-awful season as head coach.

Things, nonetheless, can flip round quick within the NFL. The Broncos traded for head coach Sean Payton and drafted quarterback Bo Nix, which helped resolve their two greatest issues. The Broncos overcame wage cap issues and draft picks misplaced within the horrific Russell Wilson commerce to make the playoffs final season and turn into the AFC’s greatest group this season, ending the Kansas City Chiefs’ streak of 9 straight AFC West titles.

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The Broncos caught a break in Week 17 when the Texans beat the Chargers. Had the Chargers received, they’d have been taking part in for the AFC West championship in Week 18. Instead, they have been caught with a wild-card spot, with little likelihood of bettering their seeding in a significant approach, and so they sat some gamers, together with quarterback Justin Herbert. The path to a No. 1 seed was quite a bit simpler in opposition to a disinterested Chargers group.

It nonetheless wasn’t simple. Denver’s protection accounted for the primary landing of the sport when Trey Lance’s move was deflected and intercepted by Ja’Quan McMillian, who returned it 45 yards for a landing. That ended up being the one TD of the sport.

The Broncos’ protection was good, as typical. Lance had an enormous alternative to impress in a uncommon begin, however appeared like little greater than a profession backup. It’s arduous for many quarterbacks to generate a lot in opposition to the Broncos. That’s what makes them a harmful opponent within the playoffs, particularly with the bye arising.

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The Broncos received’t get the identical respect that almost all No. 1 seeds get. They have received an inordinate quantity of shut video games this season. The offense has not taken a step ahead in Nix’s second season, and is vulnerable to unhealthy video games prefer it had Sunday. That group had hassle with the Chargers’ JV group. But the Broncos has a respectable home-field benefit within the altitude and received’t have to depart Colorado till the Super Bowl, in the event that they make it. And for anybody underestimating Denver on account of fashion factors: It’s arduous to win 14 video games by chance.

Here are the remainder of the winners and losers from the late video games of Week 18. (The AFC South champion Jacksonville Jaguars led winners and losers from the early video games):

WINNERS

Rhamondre Stevenson: The New England Patriots didn’t have a ton to play for Sunday, other than praying the resting Chargers beat the Broncos to open up the opportunity of a No. 1 seed. But the Patriots did play their starters, and Stevenson had a profession day.

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The Patriots ran over the Miami Dolphins to win 38-10 and end the season 14-3. The Broncos take the tiebreaker for the No. 1 seed, and the Patriots will perpetually lament blowing a 21-0 lead at house to the Bills and dropping a number of weeks in the past, however New England can really feel good going into the playoffs on a excessive notice.

Stevenson stole the present. He had 131 yards dashing and two touchdowns on solely seven carries, and likewise had a receiving landing. Fellow working again TreVeyon Henderson added two extra touchdowns.

The Patriots received’t get the bye because the No. 1 seed. But it was a productive day.

Las Vegas Raiders: The Raiders didn’t attempt to disguise their disgrace of desperately chasing the No. 1 choose within the 2026 NFL Draft. At least they didn’t screw up and really acquired the highest choose.

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The Raiders had the primary choose clinched earlier than their season finale in opposition to the Kansas City Chiefs kicked off. They landed the highest choose when the Giants received within the early set of video games. That approach, it didn’t even matter once they beat a Kansas City Chiefs group that crawled throughout the end line on the finish of the season. In one of many uglier video games of the season, the Raiders beat the Chiefs 14-12. The groups traded discipline targets within the last 1:01, the ultimate one a 60-yarder from Daniel Carlson with eight seconds remaining. Neither group scored a landing.

If it was Travis Kelce’s last recreation, it was an unceremonious option to exit. While that period would possibly finish for the Chiefs, one other will start quickly for the Raiders.

The Raiders virtually definitely will take a quarterback with the primary choose. Fernando Mendoza of Indiana has led the dialogue, however Oregon’s Dante Moore might be a candidate if he enters the draft. It’s an important offseason arising. The Raiders appear prone to transfer on from head coach Pete Carroll, so a brand new workers will take over. And the Raiders will get a quarterback who can lastly present some hope of higher days forward.

Matthew Stafford’s MVP possibilities: Is it attainable that Stafford overtook Drake Maye on the ultimate day of the season to win his first MVP?

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It might be a tricky determination for voters. Stafford made his last case with 4 landing passes in a 37-20 win over the Arizona Cardinals. The Rams didn’t play effectively for many of the recreation however turned it on late. Stafford had two landing passes within the fourth quarter to push the Rams to the win. It was his fourth four-touchdown recreation of the season. He finishes with 46 touchdowns on the season. With the win, the Rams clinched the No. 5 seed and can face the Panthers on Saturday’s first recreation of wild-card weekend.

The MVP race has been a two-man battle for some time between Stafford and Maye. New England received Sunday night too, however Maye had a comparatively quiet day with 191 yards and a landing.

Maye in all probability had the lead going into Week 18, after Stafford struggled in opposition to the Falcons final week. Stafford had the extra prolific recreation Sunday. Will that flip the vote again in Stafford’s favor?

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LOSERS

Philadelphia Eagles: Maybe the Eagles ought to have performed for the No. 2 seed.

The Eagles rested starters, selecting to not chase the No. 2 seed and a wild-card matchup in opposition to the Green Bay Packers, who’re in all probability probably the most susceptible of the wild-card groups after Micah Parsons’ harm. The Eagles wanted to win and have the Bears be upset by the Lions. The Eagles performed backups, and the Bears have been upset. So have been the Eagles, as Washington received 24-17 with third-string quarterback Josh Johnson main the way in which.

Maybe it received’t matter. A rested Eagles group will face the 49ers on wild-card weekend, and maybe the remaining might be extra vital than the better matchup in opposition to Green Bay. But in the event that they lose that recreation, or a attainable street recreation on the No. 2 seeded Bears the following weekend, there might be some second-guessing over why they didn’t attempt to get the extra advantageous seed.

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Chicago Bears: Sunday’s efficiency by the Bears was troubling.

They had one thing tangible to play for in opposition to a Detroit Lions group that was eradicated from the playoff race final week. Getting the No. 2 seed with a win would clinch a matchup in opposition to a susceptible Green Bay Packers group, quite than dealing with both the Rams or 49ers. The Bears performed their starters and nonetheless acquired the No. 2 seed due to Philadelphia’s loss to Washington, however it’s arduous to view Sunday as a constructive day for the Bears.

The Lions dominated the Bears in Chicago for many of the first three quarters. The Bears rallied within the fourth quarter to tie it, with Caleb Williams and the passing recreation lastly coming alive after struggling many of the recreation, however the Lions received 19-16 on a discipline objective as time expired.

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The Bears didn’t relaxation their key gamers and misplaced anyway. They didn’t look significantly good in doing it, both. Now on wild-card weekend they’ll face a Packers group that did relaxation its starters in Week 18.

Aaron Glenn: To be honest, Glenn has been all the way down to his third-string quarterback and a shell of the protection he began the season with. But the Jets have been impossibly unhealthy for many of Glenn’s first season as a head coach.

The Jets began the season 0-7 and completed by being blown out for many of their video games since November. The newest loss was as unhealthy because it will get, being completely overmatched in opposition to a Buffalo Bills group that rested starters earlier than the playoffs begin subsequent weekend. The Bills despatched out Highmark Stadium a winner within the last regular-season season recreation there, beating the Jets 35-8.

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The Jets have been taking part in Bills backups and couldn’t even compete. When the Bills took a 21-0 lead with 4:58 left within the first half, the Bills have been outgaining the Jets 248-29 and had 15 first downs to 1 for the Jets. If that occurred in opposition to Josh Allen and James Cook, it will be unhealthy. Against Mitchell Trubisky and Ray Davis, it was embarrassing. Trubisky had 259 yards and 4 touchdowns. The Jets didn’t get an interception, inexplicably turning into the primary group in NFL historical past to not document a single interception over the course of a season.

There hasn’t been a lot hypothesis that Glenn is in hassle after a 3-14 season. But there aren’t any tangible indicators that he’s the appropriate coach for the job. We’ll discover out extra subsequent season.