Seattle Seahawks Dynasty (FOF9)

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Week 17 NFL News

GAME of the WEEK:
LAC 19 @ DEN 23
DEN QB Russell Wilson 27-36, 320 Yds, 3 TD, 129.4 QB Rating *Player of the Game*
DEN RB Javonte Williams 10 Car, 24 Yds, 5 Rec, 20 Yds
DEN WR Jerry Jeudy 9 Rec, 122 Yds, TD
DEN TE Greg Dulcich 4 Rec, 40 Yds, TD
LAC QB Justin Herbert 28-47, 308 Yds, 2 TD, 93.2 QBR
LAC RB Austin Ekeler 13 Car, 99 Yds, 6 Rec, 43 Yds
LAC WR Josh Palmer 5 Rec, 88 Yds
LAC TE Gerald Everett 5 Rec, 49 Yds, TD
DEN S Justin Simmons 7 Tckl, Ast, TFL
DEN OLB Frank Clark 6 Tckl, 3 Ast
DEN LB Baron Browning 6 Tckl, Ast, Sack, FR
DEN DE Kerry Hyder Sack, 4 Pressures
DEN LB Josey Jewell 3 Tckl, FF, FR
DEN CB Bradley Roby FF, PD
DEN CB Cornell Armstron 2 PD
DEN S Kareem Jackson 3 PD
LAC S Derwin James 9 Tckl, 2 Ast, 2 TFL, FF
LAC LB Eric Kendrick 6 Tckl, Ast
LAC OLB Chris Rumph 4 Tckl, 2 Ast, Sack, TFL, PD
LAC OLB Joey Bosa 3 Tckl, Ast, FR, 6 Pressures
LAC CB Deane Leonard 2 PD
The Broncos jumped out to a 13-0 lead in the first half while their defense kept the Chargers off the board. Los Angeles got their first points in the third quarter when Derwin James tackled Javonte Williams for a safety. The Chargers continued with their momentum in a 6 play 82 yard drive that culminated in a touchdown and a missed two point convert. In the fourth quarter Denver extended their lead with a 50 yard field goal from Wil Lutz. The Chargers tied when a 7 yard touchdown pass to Gerald Everett was followed up with a successful two point convert, also to Everett. With 2:30 to play Cameron Dicker gave the Chargers a three point lead. Russell Wilson took only three plays to drive it down the field 75 yards, completing a one yard pass to TE Greg Dulcich to go ahead 23-19 with 1:44 to go. The Chargers started their drive with 1:38 on the clock but only moved the ball 29 yards in nine plays, failing a fourth down conversion on the last play of the game.

NOTABLE GAMES:
LV (11-5) 21 @ IND (9-7) 7 (LV QB Brian Hoyer 13-19, 110 Yds, TD; LV RB Josh Jacobs 30 Car, 108 Yds; IND QB Gardner Minshew 23-36, 243 Yds, TD, 4 INT; IND WR Ashton Dulin 5 Rec, 51 Yds, TD; LV S Trevon Moehrig 3 Tckl, 2 Ast, FF, 3 PD, INT, TD; LV CB Marcus Peters 2 INT; LV DE Chandler Jones 1.5 Sacks; LV DE Maxx Crosby Sack; IND LB Zaire Franklin 15 Tckl, 4 Ast, 0.5 Sacks, 2 TFL; IND DT DeForest Buckner 6 Tckl, 0.5 Sacks, TFL, FF; IND DT Taven Bryan Sack)
GB (6-10) 22 @ MIN (9-7) 23 (MIN QB Nick Mullens 24-34, 253 Yds, 2 TD, INT; MIN RB Alexander Mattison 15 Car, 72 Yds; MIN WR Justin Jefferson 8 Rec, 115 Yds; MIN WR Jordan Addison 5 Rec, 31 Yds, TD; GB QB Jordan Love 22-40, 251 Yds, TD; GB WR Jayden Reed 3 Rec, 54 Yds, TD; MIN CB Byron Murphy 12 Tckl, 3 Ast, 2 TFL, PD; MIN LB Brian Asamoah 6 Tckl, 2 Ast; MIN OLB D.J. Wonnum 5 Tckl, Ast, Sack, PD; MIN S Camryn Bynum 3 PD; GB S Jonathan Owens 11 Tckl, Ast; GB S Darnell Savage 9 Tckl, 2 Ast, PD; GB LB De'Vondre Campbell 6 Tckl, 2 Ast; GB OLB Rashan Gary 5 Tckl, Ast, Sack; GB CB Jaire Alexander INT)
DET (7-9) 10 @ DAL (11-5) 30 (DAL QB Dak Prescott 23-34, 237 Yds, 3 TD, INT; DAL RB Tony Pollard 12 Car, 101 Yds; DAL WR Brandin Cooks 10 Rec, 89 Yds, TD; DAL WR CeeDee Lamb 5 Rec, 89 Yds, TD; DET QB Jared Goff 19-30, 167 Yds, 2 INT; DET RB David Montgomery 20 Car, 86 Yds; DET TE Sam LaPorta 6 Rec, 62 Yds; DAL CB Trevon Diggs TFL, INT, TD; DAL CB DaRon Bland Sack, INT; DAL DT Johnathan Hankins 4 Tckl, Ast, 2 Sacks, FF, FR; DET S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson 7 Tckl, 2 Ast, PD, INT; DET OLB Alex Anzalone 6 Tckl, 4 Ast; DET DE Marquise Copeland Sack)
NO (7-9) 13 @ TB (9-7) 30 (TB QB Baker Mayfield 17-27, 166 Yds, TD; TB RB Chase Edmonds 18 Car, 62 Yds; TB RB Rachaad White 16 Car, 61 Yds; NO QB Derek Carr 22-37, TD, 3 INT; NO RB Kendre Miller 7 Car, 83 Yds; NO WR Chris Olave 5 Rec, 39 Yds, TD; TB S Antoine Winfield PD, 2 INT, 2 TD; TB S Ryan Neal 6 Tckl, 2 Ast, INT; TB LB Lavonte David 8 Tckl, 2 Ast; TB OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka Sack, TFL, FF; TB OLB Cam Gill 4 Tckl, 3 Ast, Sack, TFL, FR; NO S Marcus Maye 7 Tckl, 4 Ast, TFL, PD; NO LB D'Marco Jackson 7 Tckl, 4 Ast, TFL, PD; NO OLB Andre Dowell 2 Sacks, FF, PD; NO CB Marshon Lattimore PD, FR)
MIA (9-7) 16 @ BAL (10-6) 27 (BAL QB Lamar Jackson 14-26, 198 Yds, 2 TD, INT, 10 Car, 78 Yds, TD; BAL RB J.K. Dobbins 9 Car, 62 Yds; BAL WR Devin Duvernay 8 Rec, 95 Yds, TD; MIA QB Tua Tagovailoa 25-34, 257 Yds, TD; MIA WR Jaylen Waddle 11 Rec, 118 Yds; BAL LB Roquan Smith 11 Tckl, 5 Ast, TFL, 2 FF; BAL S Marcus Williams 7 Tckl, 2 Ast, 2 TFL; BAL S Kyle Hamilton 6 Tckl, 4 Ast, Sack; BAL CB Rock Ya-Sin 0.5 Sacks, FR, PD; MIA S Jevon Holland 8 Tckl, 3 Ast, FR, INT; MIA OLB Bradley Chubb 5 Rckl, 2 Ast, 0.5 Sacks; MIA CB Xavien Howard 2 PD)

NOTABLE INJURIES:
CLE QB Deshaun Watson - Torn LCL
DAL OLB Malik Jefferson - Partial Achilles Tendon Tear
DAL OLB Micah Parsons - Concussion
MIA DE Christian Wilkins - Major PCL Tear
BUF DT Leonard Floyd - Torn ACL
BUF WR Gabe Davis - Pulled Groin
LV TE Austin Hooper - Sprained PCL
IND OT Bernhard Raimann - Torn MCL
IND DT DeForest Buckner - Elbow Bursitis
JAX LB Devin Lloyd - Strained Calf Muscle
JAX TE Ross Dwelley - Sprained MCL
LAR WR Puka Nacua - Triceps Tear
NYG TE Daniel Bellinger - Partial Achilles TEndon Tear
ARI DT Benito Jones - Partial Achilles Tendon Tear
PHI C Jason Kelce - Strained Abdominal Muscle
PHI OT Lane Johnson - Partial Achilles Tendon Tear
TB OT Tristan Wirfs - Strained Quadriceps
NO DE Cameron Jordan - Sprained MCL
SF DT Arik Armstead - Concussion
SEA OLB Darrell Taylor - Strained Triceps (Re-aggravation)
PIT WR George Pickens - Sprained Ankle
KC LB Nick Bolton - Concussion

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NFL Playoff Race

AFC

Buffalo has clinched the AFC East, Jacksonville has clinched the South and the Raiders have clinched the West. The AFC North should belong to the Browns as even if they lose to the Bengals they hold the tiebreak over Baltimore and Pittsburgh.

The Steelers Ravens matchup is going to be a huge game with playoff ramifications for both teams. The winner gets into the playoffs as the top wild card seed. The loser goes into a potentially large group of 10-7 teams and will have to depend on tie breakers. Cincinnati is almost out but there is a scenario where they could win and have a lot of other games go their way and sneak in still.

The Colts are currently sitting in the final wild card spot and need to beat the Texans to clinch. If they fail to do so the door will be left open for Denver or Miami to get in ahead of them. The Chargers and Titans both sit at 8-8 and will need to win and have a lot go right but they are not officially out yet.

NFC

The Cowboys hold the tie break over the Eagles so if they both win in week 18 Dallas will win the Division and the Eagles will be the top Wild Card seed. If Dallas loses to the Commanders the Eagles can take the division by beating the Giants.

Detroit needed to beat Dallas on Week 17 to have a chance to win the Division in their upcoming game against Minnesota. Instead they lost and the Vikings have clinched the NFC North no matter the outcome on week 18.

The Buccaneers lead the NFC South and can win it cleanly with a victory over the Panthers in week 18. If they lose they still hold the tie break so the division will be theirs either way. The Falcons are the only NFC team currently outside the playoff picture but technically still alive. They will have to beat the Saints in their final game and also have either Seattle or the Rams lose in order to get in.

The NFC West is currently locked in a three way tie. The Rams hold the tie breaker so if they defeat the 49ers they will go into the postseason as the Division Winner, but if they lose and Seattle and Atlanta win they could find themselves watching instead of playing the playoffs. The 49ers will miss the playoffs if Atlanta wins and they lose. They could win the division if they beat the Rams and the Seahawks somehow lose to the 1-15 Cardinals. Seattle needs the Rams to lose in order for a win over Arizona to vault them into first in the Division. If Seattle loses and Atlanta and San Francisco both win the Seahawks could miss out on the playoffs entirely.

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Pre-Game Press Conference






Reporter: Coach, how have you approached preparation for this game? The Cardinals are the worst team in football right now, but you also need to win to guarantee a playoff spot. Is this a trap game or are your guys going to have no problem being focused and fired up?

Pete: We approach it the same as every week. Every game counts the same in the standings. And every team in this league is capable of winning against any other team. It's a tough league. The numbers in the standings don't always show just how much parity we have. There's a lot of games get decided by just one score and you can end up on the wrong side of that but the Cardinals, they're still a good team, Kyler is a dangerous quarterback and we've had to gameplan for that. Yeah, our guys are going to be ready to go. We need this game, we're going to bear down on Sunday and bring our best effort.

Reporter: Do you have any concerns about your defense? Your team has slid to 27th in the NFL in points allowed and your defense has allowed at least twenty one points for eight straight games.

Pete: Our defense has been good when it needs to be for the most part. They've kept us in games and made key stops. It's a tough league to hold teams under twenty points nowadays, a lot is geared toward offense and you have to be patient with it. I'm confident in our group. They're going to get it done when they need to.

Reporter: How big of an impact has it made on your defense to be without Witherspoon the rest of the year and do you have any concerns about his ability to recover and be ready to play to the same level next year?

Pete: Yeah well Spoon was a big part obviously of what we were doing on defense and he's just such a dynamic playmaker on defense and you can't just replace that but it's always next man up for us and we have a lot of talent and depth in our secondary and we believe in the guys we have out there. Coby has really stepped up and Tre Brown as well. I'll leave the recovery stuff to the medical team. I have a lot of faith in them, they're top notch professionals and I expect they'll do everything they have to to get Spoon ready for next year. Right now my focus is just on the next game and with Spoon just walking through the process with him and keeping his head in a good space. He's a competitive guy and this is hard on him for sure.

Reporter: Dre'Mont Jones is listed as probable yet you and your staff are planning to keep him inactive, a decision that may be met with some criticismm, what is your rationale there?

Pete: Well, I would love to have Dre'Mont playing. He's a huge part of our D-Line. But we've talked together with the medical staff and they tell us there's a moderate chance of re-injury if he pushes it so we'd rather give him the time to be fully healthy and ready to go for the playoffs. We'll miss him out there but our guys will rally together and get the job done still. I have faith in them.

Reporter: Budda Baker is a dynamic player from the safety position and leads the Cardinals in tackles and interceptions. How do you gameplan for him?

Pete: Yeah well you're right he's a huge influence on the game and one of the best safeties in the league and obviously you need to protect the ball with him out there and always be aware of where he is. He's going to make his plays and get his tackles and we don't want to allow him to dictate to us how to play our game on offense but we are going to be aware of him and focused out there on gameday.

Reporter: Carson Wentz was signed mid-season when Geno Smith went down and stepped right in as a starter and he is clearly becoming more comfortable in your offense each week. How big has that been to have him step in and the offense barely miss a beat?

Pete: Yeah Carson's been a real pro and done everything we asked and he's worked so hard to get to where he is. We also have an incredible group of playmakers on offense. We're so proud to have both D.K. and Tyler break 1,000 yards receiving and if it goes well on Sunday maybe Kenneth can crack 1,000 rushing yards too. We've got JSN and Dissly and DeeJay Dallas who've all been clutch for us at different times this season. Our guys on the line have been giving him time to make throws. It's a total team effort out there and these guys are all pulling together.

Reporter: Any closing comments as you head into the final game of the regular season?

Pete: Yeah it's been such a pleasure with these guys all season just competing for each other and I'm so proud of all of them and we're hopeful that we can keep playing football for a few more weeks still. Thank you.

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Week 18, Seattle Seahawks (9-7) @ Arizona Cardinals (1-15)

Weather: Sunny, 76 degrees, 3 mph wind

Injury Report:

SEATTLE
QB Geno Smith OUT (IR)
DE Mario Edwards OUT (IR)
OLB Derick Hall OUT
CB Devon Witherspoon OUT
OLB Darrell Taylor QUESTIONABLE (Inactive)
DE Dre'Mont Jones PROBABLE (Inactive)
OLB Tyreke Smith PROBABLE

ARIZONA
WR Marquise Brown OUT (IR)
WR Michael Wilson OUT (IR)
RD Corey Clement OUT (IR)
C Pat Elflein OUT (IR)
DT Benito Jones OUT (IR)
P Nolan Cooney OUT (IR)
WR Zach Pascal OUT
DE L.J. Collier OUT
FB Cary Liles QUESTIONABLE (Inactive)
OG Dennis Daley QUESTIONABLE (Inactive)

Point Spread: Seattle by 6

Starting Quarterbacks:

Seattle - Carson Wentz (109-162, 67.3%, 1096 Yds, 6 TD, 4 INT, 88.4 QBR, 9 Car, 35 Yds, 3.89 Avg, 2 TD)

Arizona - Kyler Murray (328-553, 59.3%, 3227 Yds, 25 TD, 16 INT, 78.8 QBR, 65 Car, 522 Yds, 8.03 Avg, 3 TD)

Recap:

1st Quarter
Arizona takes the ball to start and their first drive moves the ball 42 yards in 7 plays before Matt Prater hits a 50 yard field goal to start the scoring. Arizona 3, Seattle 0. Seattle's first drive started with a strip sack of Carson Wentz by DE Jonathan Ledbetter but TE Will Dissly recovered the fumble and Seattle would go on to move the ball efficiently and steadily into the red zone. From the Arizona 17 Wentz completed a 13 yard pass to Fant for a first and goal and the Seahawks ran a reverse to Jaxon Smith-Njigba for the four yard touchdown with Charles Cross making the key block. Seattle 7, Arizona 3. The Cardinals picked up a first down on a 14 yard pass to Zach Ertz but they were stopped on the next set of downs when S Julian Love jumped up and tackled RB James Conner in the backfield on a third down screen pass. Seattle again moved the ball methodiall, getting a couple first downs by penalty and a third down conversion on a 17 yard pass to TE Will Dissly, moving the ball into Arizona territory by the end of the quarter.

2nd Quarter
On a third and two Kenneth Walker picked up another first down on the ground and on a third and ten from the Arizona 35 Carson Wentz kept it and gained ten yards for the first down. The drive would end when a short pass on 3rd and 9 to Metcalf was stopped just short of the first down. LB Kyzir White made the key tackle for Arizona but looked to be seriously injured on the play. Jason Myers would come out and make the 36 yard field goal. Seattle 10, Arizona 3. Arizona moved quickly back down the field, putting together a ten play seventy five yard drive that was capped off with a 10 yard touchdown pass to Kaden Davis. Kyler Murray went 5-7 for 61 yards through the air on the drive. Arizona 10, Seattle 10. Seattle went three and out when Dissly dropped a pass on third down. The Cardinals picked up one first down on their next drive but a holding penalty on third down pushed them back and they were forced to punt after an incomplete pass on third and long. Seattle took the ball at their 29 after the punt. On a 3rd and 20 Wentz completed a pass to WR Tyler Lockett for 24 yards for a big time conversion to keep the drive going. On third and one from the Arizona 38 yard line Kenneth Walker got the carry and ran behind Damien Lewis' key block to pick up the first down at the two minute warning. Lockett caught an 11 yard pass but on the subsequent first down DE Jonathan Ledbetter sacked Carson Wentz, pushing Seattle into a 2nd and 14. Went would hit Lockett on a slant and Lockett took it past the first down marker for a 15 yard catch. Carson Wentz connected with TE Will Dissly who rumbled into the end zone for the 11 yard touchdown at 1:02. Seattle 17, Arizona 10. The Cardinals had a big play with seven seconds left, completing a 37 yard pass to Rondale Moore but time expired before they could do anything with the field position.

3rd Quarter
Seattle started the half with possession but went three and out after consecutive incompletions on second and third down. The Cardinals began their first drive of the half at their own 27 and their first play on that drive was an interception by S Julian Love, setting Seattle up at the Arizona 25. An 11 yard pass to Metcalf gave them a first down in the red zone and Kenneth Walker III completed the short drive with a 14 yard touchdown run. Seattle 24, Arizona 10. Seattle OLB Uchenna Nwosu sacked Kyler Murray on second down but a flag on Jamal Adams gifted the Cardinals a first down to get their drive going. A 23 yard pass to Zach Ertz moved the ball into Seattle territory. Murray and Ertz hooked up again two plays later for 22 yards, moving the ball into the red zone. On a 3rd and 3 James Conner picked up the first down, bringing the ball to the 8. On second and goal from the 2 Conner ran inside behind Will Hernandez' key block for the touchdown. Kyler Murray passed to Rondale Moore for the successful two point conversion. Seattle 24, Arizona 18. Seattle's three and out gave the Cardinals the ball back at their own 26. A 25 yard pass to TE Trey McBride on third and long moved the ball to midfield. After a DPI on Riq Woolen moved the Cardinals into field goal range the defense held so Matt Prater came out for the 47 field goal attempt and it was good. Seattle 24, Arizona 21. The Seahawks moved the ball effectively, picking up three first downs, including a third and long conversion with a 27 yard completion to D.K. Metcalf but after a flag on second down Seattle would go into the fourth quarter facing a 3rd and 14 from the 37 yard line.

4th Quarter
On a playaction pass Wentz found Metcalf on a short pass but LB Krys Barnes sniffed it out and stopped it for no gain. Seattle chose to punt it and Michael Dickson's punt was fair caught at the 9 yard line. A 26 yard pass to Rondale Moore got the Cards out from the shadow of their own goalposts but the Seattle defense would allow only three yards on the next three plays to bring out the punt team. Bart Veach blasted a 54 yard punt that was muffed by DeeJay Dallas and recovered by Arizona's Geoff Swaim who scooped it up at the 8 yard line and ran it in for the go ahead touchdown. Arizona 28, Seattle 24. Seattle took over at their own 19 after the kickoff. They moved it into field goal range but on 3rd and long from the 33 a screen pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba gained only one yard. Jason Myers nailed the 49 yard field goal. Arizona 28, Seattle 27. The Seahawks defense came through with a big stop, forcing a 3 and out to get the ball back quickly but the offense fizzled, gaining only six yards then choosing to punt on 4th and 4. On the return Seattle LB Jordyn Brooks appeared to sustain a serious injury. Arizona opened their series with a 42 yard completion to Kaden Davis. Quandre Diggs made a big tackle on third down to stop TE Trey McBride three yards shy of the first down but Matt Prater was successful in his 44 yard field goal attempt to extend the Arizona lead. Arizona 31, Seattle 27. With 3:37 to go Carson Wentz took over at his own 13 after a poor return by DeeJay Dallas. On 3rd and 2 Wentz was hurried by DT Leki Fotu and missed his throw. On 4th and 2 his pass for Will Dissly was incomplete and they turned it over on downs. They made three stops for almost no gain against the run and used up their three timeouts, forcing Matt Prater to come out for another field goal and he easily made the 33 yard kick. Arizona 34, Seattle 27. With 2:18 to play Carson Wentz got the ball at his own 25 down by seven. At the two minute warning it was 3rd and 7. On 4th and 5 Wentz completed a 16 yard pass to Lockett to keep the drive alive. On 2nd down DE Jonathan Ledbetter sacked Wentz for a loss of 7 yards. A short pass over the middle to Metcalf kept the clock moving and Seattle faced a 4th and 13 from their own 43. Carson Wentz passed to TE Will Dissly at the the sticks but the chain gang would come out and find that CB Christian Matthew had stopped him inches short and the ball went over on downs with 33 seconds left on the clock and Seattle out of timeouts. Murray took a knee and Arizona picked up win number two of their season.

Final Score: Arizona 34, Seattle 27.

Summary:

Seattle looked to have the game reasonably in hand but the tide was already turning a bit with Arizona's TD, two point convert and field goal to draw close when DeeJay Dallas mishandled a punt and Geoff Swaim took full advantage and picked up the special teams touchdown to go ahead. Arizona never looked back, staying ahead the rest of the game as Seattle's two minute offense looked relatively inept, turning it over on downs twice to concede the game. Arizona DE Jonathan Ledbetter was named player of the game with 3 sacks, including a critical one on the last Seattle drive of the game, and a forced fumble. He had six total pressures in the game.

Defensive Stats:

SEATTLE
S Jamal Adams 8 Tckl, 3 Ast, TFL
S Julian Love 7 Tckl, 4 Ast, TFL, INT
LB Bobby Wagner 7 Tckl, 2 Ast
OLB Tyreke Smith 2 Tckl, 2 PD

ARIZONA
S Budda Baker 8 Tckl, 4 Ast
LB Kyzir White 6 Tckl
LB Krys Barnes 5 Tckl, Ast
CB Christian Matthew 5 Tckl, 2 TFL, FF
OLB B.J. Ojulari 4 Tckl, Sack, PD
DE Jonathan Ledbetter 3 Sacks, FF, 6 Pressures

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Week 18 NFL News

GAME of the WEEK:
HOU (5-12) 29 @ IND (9-8) 28
HOU QB C.J. Stroud 26-35, 356 Yds, 4 TD, INT, 132.5 QBR *Player of the Game*
HOU RB Devin Singletary 16 Car, 61 Yds, 3 Rec, 29 Yds
HOU WR Nico Collins 11 Rec, 161 Yds, TD
HOU TE Dalton Schultz 4 Rec, 81 Yds, TD
IND QB Gardner Minshew 23-35, 296 Yds, 2 TD, 2 INT, 87.3 QBR
IND RB Zack Moss 16 Car, 54 Yds
IND WR Michael Pittman 10 Rec, 140 Yds, TD
IND TE Mo Alie-Cox 5 Rec, 60 Yds, TD
HOU CB Derek Stingley TFL, PD, 2 INT
HOU S Jimmie Ward 12 Tckl, 3 Ast
HOU OLB Blake Cashman 7 Tckl, Ast
HOU DT Sheldon Rankins 4 Tckl, 2 Ast, Sack
IND LB Zaire Franklin 8 Tckl, Ast, PD
IND DE A.J. Epenesa 7 Tckl, 2 Ast, 0.5 Sacks
IND OLB Shaquille Leonard 6 Tckl
IND S Henry Black 5 Tckl, INT, TD
IND OLB A.J. Klein Sack, PD
IND CB Tony Brown 2 PD

NOTABLE GAMES:
CLE (11-6) 19 @ CIN (9-8) 27 (CIN QB Graham Meng 22-29, 225 Yds, 2 TD; CIN RB Joe Mixon 17 Car, 144 Yds, TD; CIN TE Irv Smith 8 Rec, 65 Yds, 2 TD; CLE QB P.J. Walker 30-40, 247 Yds, TD; CLE RB Nick Chubb 14 Car, 52 Yds; CLE WR Amari Cooper 8 Rec, 72 Yds; CLE TE David Njoku 10 Rec, 49 Yds; CIN LB Logan Wilson 7 Tckl, 6 Ast; CIN CB Chidobe Awuzie 7 Tckl, 2 Ast, TFL, FF, PD; CIN OLB Akeem Davis-Gaither 7 Tckl, 2 Ast, 2 TFL, PD; CLE S Juan Thornhill 7 Tckl; CLE LB Anthony Walker 6 Tckl, 3 Ast, PD; CLE OLB Sione Takitaki Sack; CLE DT Jordan Elliott Sack)
BUF (12-5) 23 @ MIA (10-7) 30 (MIA QB Tua Tagovailoa 18-25, 287 Yds, 2 TD, 2 INT; MIA RB Raheem Mostert 13 Car, 59 Yds, TD; MIA WR Tyreek Hill 6 Rec, 126 Yds, TD; MIA WR Jaylen Waddle 7 Rec, 116 Yds, TD; BUF QB Josh Allen 35-55, 329 Yds, 2 TD, 10 Car, 66 Yds; BUF TE Johnnie Loveless 9 Rec, 97 Yds, 2 TD; BUF WR Stefon Diggs 8 Rec, 83 Yds; MIA S DeShon Elliott 13 Tckl, 2 Ast, TFL, PD; MIA CB Xavien Howard 2 PD; MIA CB Jalen Ramsey 2 PD; MIA LB Jerome Baker 5 Tckl, Ast, TFL; MIA DE Brady Lichter Sack, 4 Pressures, FF, FR; MIA DE Zach Sieler Sack; BUF S Jordan Poyer 8 Tckl, 2 Ast, PD; BUF S Micah Hyde 6 Tckl, Ast, TFL, INT; BUF CB Kaiir Elam INT; BUF LB Frank Ginda 7 Tckl, 2 Ast; BUF DT Ed Oliver 4 Tckl, Ast, 0.5 Sacks)
PIT (10-7) 6 @ BAL (11-6) 27 (BAL QB Lamar Jackson 19-27, 229 Yds, 3 TD, INT, 10 Car, 106 Yds; BAL WR Laquon Treadwell 5 Rec, 84 Yds, TD; BAL WR Rashod Bateman 6 Rec, 77 Yds, TD; PIT QB Mason Rudolph 19-35, 187 Yds, 3 INT; PIT RB Najee Harris 14 Car, 137 Yds; PIT WR Diontae Johnson 8 Rec, 105 Yds; BAL S Marcus Williams 10 Tckl, 3 Ast; BAL DE Justin Madubuike 5 Tckl, 2 Ast, Sack, TFL, 3 Pressures; BAL OLB Odafe Oweh 3 Tckl, 2 Ast, Sack, INT; BAL DE Broderick Washington Sack; BAL DT Poona Ford Sack, 3 Pressures; BAL CB Rock Ya-Sin 2 INT; BAL CB Marlon Humphrey 2 PD; PIT CB Patrick Peterson 9 Tckl, Ast, FF, PD; PIT S Keanu Neal 8 Tckl, 2 Ast, PD; PIT S Damontae Kazee 7 Tckl, TFL, PD; PIT OLB T.J. Watt 7 Tckl, 2.5 Sacks, TFL, 5 Pressures; PIT LB Elandon Roberts 3 Tckl, Ast, TFL, FR; PIT DT Montravius Adams 3 Tckl, Ast, Sack, FF, FR; PIT CB Levi Wallace FF, PD, INT)
LAR (9-8) 13 @ SF (10-7) 36 (SF QB Brock Purdy 25-32, 286 Yds, 3 TD; SF RB Christian McCaffrey 20 Car, 122 Yds; SF RB Elijah Mitchell 14 Car, 57 Yds, 6 Rec, 34 Yds, TD; SF WR Deebo Samuel 9 Rec, 131 Yds, TD; LAR QB Stetson Bennett 11-17, 132 Yds, TD *starting QB Dwayne Woodruff was benched at the half after throwing two interceptions and being down 29-3*; LAR RB Kyren Williams 11 Car, 27 Yds, 5 Rec, 51 Yds; LAR WR Ben Skowronek 2 Rec, 45 Yds, TD; SF OLB Dre Greenlaw 7 Tckl, Ast, TFL, FF; SF LB Fred Warner 4 Tckl, 4 Ast, TFL, 2 PD; SF DE Drake Jackson 4 Tckl, 2.5 Sacks; SF S Talanoa Hufanga PD, INT; SF CB Charvarius Ward INT; SF DE Nick Bosa 0.5 Sacks, 3 Pressures; LAR S John Johnson 8 Tckl, 5 Ast; LAR LB Jake Hummel 7 Tckl, 3 Ast; LAR LB Tariq Carpenter 7 Tckl, Ast, PD)
DEN (10-7) 32 @ LV (11-6) 7 (DEN QB Russell Wilson 18-26, 124 Yds, TD; DEN RB Javonte Williams 23 Car, 96 Yds, TD; DEN WR Jerry Jeudy 7 Rec, 46 Yds, TD; LV QB Brian Hoyer 15-24, 105 Yds, INT; LV RB Josh Jacob 10 Car, 60 Yds, TD; LV WR Marquez Callaway 4 Rec, 60 Yds; DEN S Justin Simmons 6 Tckl, 4 Ast, 2 INT, TD; DEN OLB Frank Clark 4 Tckl, Sack, FF, FR; DEN OLB Jonathon Cooper 4 Tckl, 0.5 Sacks, FR; DEN OLB Randy Gregory Sack, FR; DEN DE Eyioma Uwazurike Sack, 3 Pressures, FF; LV LB Dorian Switzer 9 Tckl; LV DE Chandler Jones 8 Tckl, TFL; LV S Marcus Epps 5 Tckl, 5 Ast, Sack; LV DE Maxx Crosby 4 Tckl, Ast, 2.5 Sacks, 5 Pressures)
ATL (8-9) 10 @ NO (8-9) 19 (NO QB Derek Carr 28-43, 248 Yds, TD; NO RB Kendre Miller 12 Car, 49 Yds; NO WR Chris Olave 10 Rec, 92 Yds; ATL QB Taylor Heinicke 22-34, 211 Yds; ATL RB Bijan Robinson 6 Car, 35 Yds, Rec, 12 Yds; ATL RB Cordarrelle Patterson 6 Car, 12 Yds, TD, 3 Rec, 29 Yds; ATL WR Scott Miller 7 Rec, 93 Yds; NO LB D'Marco Jackson 9 Tckl, 2 Ast, Sack, TFL, FF, PD; NO S Tyrann Mathieu 7 Tckl, 2 Ast, 2 PD; NO CB Marshon Lattimore 2 PD; NO DE Payton Turner 2 Sacks; NO DT Carl Granderson 2 Sacks, FF, FR; ATL S Richie Grant 7 Tckl, 5 Ast, TFL, 2 PD; ATL OLB Arnold Ebiketie 7 Tckl, 2 Ast, 2 Sacks; ATL LB Nate Landman 7 Tckl, Ast; ATL OLB Lorenzo Carter 5 Tckl, Ast, Sack, TFL, FF; ATL S Jessie Bates 5 Tckl, Ast, Sack, 2 PD; ATL LB Lionel Willkens 3 Tckl, 2 Ast, Sack, FF; ATL CB A.J. Terrell 2 PD; ATL CB Tre Flowers 2 PD)

NOTABLE INJURIES:
SEA LB Jordyn Brooks - Torn Foot Ligament
ARI LB Kyzir White - Hamstring Tear
BAL LB Roquan Smith - Partial Patellar Tendon Tear
CIN WR Tee Higgins - Strained Abdominal Muscle
CIN OT Orlando Brown - Major MCL Tear
CLE CB Kahlef Hailassie - Strained Abdominal Muscle
CLE LB Anthony Walker - Pulled Groin
MIN WR Jordan Addison - Turf Toe
HOU LB Denzel Perryman - Partial Achilles Tendon Tear
LAC DE Austin Johnson - Biceps Tear
KC CB L'Jarius Sneed - Strained Back Muscle
LV CB Marcus Peters - Bruised Heel
BUF CB Taron Johnson - Concussion
BUF RB Damien Harris - Bruised Thigh
MIA OLB Emmanuel Ogbah - Sprained PCL
NE WR Ty Montgomery - High Ankle Sprain
SF WR Brandon Aiyuk - Stress Fracture in Leg
JAX CB Tyson Campbell - Sprained Ankle
JAX LB Shaquille Quarterman - Strained Rotator Cuff (Re-aggravation)

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Week 18 NFL Storylines

With loss to Baltimore the Steelers fall short of the playoffs on the last week of the season
Mike Tomlin oversaw another winning season but he won't be in the playoffs after losing the critical game to Baltimore. Mason Rudolph threw three interceptions and they will maybe be looking for a different answer at quarterback or else hoping for Kenny Pickett to develop over the offseason.

Miami makes the playoffs with big win against Buffalo
Despite an impressive showing from Josh Allen the Bills lost to Miami, missing out on a first round bye and allowing the Dolphins into the playoffs. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle both gained over a hundred yards receiving in the win. The Dolphins and Bills will play a rematch in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.

Texans knock Colts out of playoffs with fourth quarter comeback
Houston was down 28-14 at the end of the third quarter but they scored 15 unanswered points in the final quarter, getting a succesful two point convert on their first touchdown and then scoring the go ahead points with 9:44 to play. Their defense held after that, with Derek Stingley coming up with two key interceptions to hold the Colts at bay, and Indy kicker Matt Gay missed a 57 yard field goal that could've taken the lead. Rookie QB C.J. Stroud, probably the front runner for OROTY with 4196 passing yards and 25 touchdowns, earned player of the game honours, throwing for 356 yards and 4 touchdowns to lead Houston to only its fifth win of the season.

Denver makes playoffs with statement win against division leading Raiders
Russell Wilson is going to the playoffs. The Broncos have gone 7-2 since his return from injury and are currently riding a four game win streak. He can thank his defense for this one, the Broncos forced five turnovers, including two interceptions by S Justin Simmons (one of which was returned for a TD). Denver looked down and out, on track for another disappointing season when they started the year 2-5 and were running with third string QB Holton Ahlers but they have turned it around and been one of the hottest teams in the NFL in the back half of the season, squeezing into a last minute playoff spot with this victory.

Graham Meng's Cinderella story ends but not without a compelling final act
With Joe Burrow out unknown undrafted rookie Graham Meng started 11 games for the Benals, going 5-6 and keeping them in the playoff conversation all year despite the ups and downs. He finishes the year with a 67.8% completion percentage and 2951 passing yards, throwing for 20 TDs and 12 INTs and achieving a QB Rating of 96.7. The Bengals finish with a winning record after their impressive win over the Division champion Browns but miss the playoffs. How much is Meng's success going to be attributed to the environment he was in and the weapons he had available? Could anyone be reasonably successful passing to Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins and handing it off to Joe Mixon? Will the Bengals commit longer term to him as a backup or will another team swoop in and pay him or is he going to be a flash in the pan that is forgotten in a year? At any rate he has been a story this season, coming out of nowhere to play competent NFL football as an undrafted rookie QB.

Atlanta fumbles their opportunity, misses playoffs in mediocre performance
The Falcons had their chance with Seattle losing to the Cardinals in the unlikeliest of upsets but they couldn't overcome division rival New Orleans and they only mustered 10 points on offense. Taylor Heinicke was sacked eight times and lost two fumbles and the team managed only 68 yards on the ground. With a golden opportunity to sneak into the playoffs the Falcons instead lost their seventh straight game in what has been a total collapse down the stretch. They were 8-3 after beating the Saints in week 12 but that was their final win of the season. They'll have a lot of questions to answer this offseason, including whether they hang onto Desmond Ridder and count on him developing into a starting QB or look for another answer at the position because it looks like Taylor Heinicke isn't it.

Rams stumble into playoffs despite loss to 49ers but with Stafford still out have they lost confidence in Dwayne Woodruff?
Woodruff has been another incredible story as a rookie undrafted QB who took the reigns when a star QB went down early in the year. He is 8-7 as the Rams starter this season and tied for third in the league with 28 TD passes but against the 49ers he didn't have it and when Stetson Bennett came in for the second half they outscored the Niners 10-7. Woodruff threw two interceptions in 12 pass attempts in that first half before being benched. Will they go back to him for the playoffs? How shaken is McVay's trust in his rookie QB after that performance?

Is Derwin James the DPOTY?
The Chargers safety did it all this year, leading the league in tackles, tackles for a loss and interceptions. He had the best pass defense percentage (85.2%) out of all defenders who played more than 200 snaps against the pass. He was also tied for third in the NFL with 23 passes defended. With sacks down somewhat across the league is this the year an edge rusher doesn't win and a DB does?

Jamal Agnew finds his groove with Jacksonville
The Jaguars used receiver Jamal Agnew as their primary punt returner and he didn't disappoint, leading the NFL with 3 returning touchdowns and averaging 17 yards per punt return. He could be a real X-factor for them in the playoffs.

Cowboys are the hottest team in football
Dallas has rattled off seven straight wins and they've earned themselves a week off to prepare for the Divional round of the NFC playoffs. MVP candidate Dak Prescott leads the most potent offense in football, producing an NFL best 28.6 points per game. They also lead the league in total yards (418.6) but are 27th in yards allowed. Their defense is the best in the NFL against the run, allowing an average of 104.9 rushing yards per game but their pass defense is the worst, allowing 288.8 passing yards per game. They play a bend don't break style and capitalize on turnovers, leading the NFL in turnover differential with +18, in large part due to Dak Prescott's incredible season throwing only four picks all year. Two Dallas Cowboys defenders have more interceptions than Prescott has thrown all season.

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NFL 2023 Statistics - Offense

Passing
Jared Goff led the league in passing yards despite missing the playoffs but he also threw 16 interceptions. Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence missed three games due to injury or he likely would be getting MVP consideration himself, he was fourth in QB Rating. Josh Allen missed time this year due to injury, starting only 12 games for the Bills and throwing for 2675 yards with an impressive 20 TDs to only 1 INT and finishing second to Prescott in QB Rating with 118.3. Justin Herbert threw for 4000 yards and had a good 27:8 TD to INT ratio but couldn't lead the Chargers into the playoffs. Lamar Jackson likely put to rest questions about his ability as a passer, throwing for almost 4000 yards and 28 TDs. The Aaron Rodgers era didn't lead to a playoff berth for the Jets but Rodgers delivered for 4129 passing yards, good for fifth in the league. C.J. Stroud, the likely OROTY, was 4th in the NFL in passing yards and threw for 25 yards but had some serious growing pains early and threw for a disappointing 18 interceptions. The Colts gave Gardner Minshew 13 starts and he rewarded them by throwing a league worst 22 interceptions and collecting the worst QB Rating of any QB in the top 30 in yards. The Browns will miss Deshaun Watson who is out for the Wild Card round of the playoffs. Watson missed three games during the season but he was third in the NFL in completion percentage.

Rushing
Josh Jacobs finishes as the NFL's top rusher with 1550 yards but Nick Chubb missed two games or he would have given him a run for his money. Chubb did lead the league in rushing touchdowns with 13. Tony Pollard established himself as a top running back, taking the lion's share of the snaps in Dallas and finishing third in the NFL in rushing yards. Green Bay's Aaron Jones missed three games due to injury but was stellar when healthy, leading all running backs of 800 yards or more in average yards per carry at 6.63. Two QBs finished in the top ten in rushing yards with Lamar Jackson and Justin Fields both breaking the 1000 yard mark. Minnesota had two running backs finish in the top 20 in rushing, Myles Gaskin and Alexander Mattison, who combined for 2036 rushing yards and 12 TDs.

Receiving
Justin Jefferson and Amari Cooper etablished themselves as the top receivers in the game, both exceeding 1700 yards. The Dolphins have probably the top wide receiver duo in the game between Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill, they combined for 2499 yards and 15 TDs. Seattle's dynamic duo of Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf comes in second in that regard with 2301 yards and 17 touchdowns between them. Out of receivers with at least 900 yards Tyreek Hill had the fewest drops and the third highest yards per catch. In the same group of receivers Gabe Davis had the best percentage of catches to targets with 77.6% of his targets being caught. D.J. Moore averaged 15.47 yards per catch, the best in that cohort. Ja'Marr Chase was the only 1000 yard receiver to drop less than five passes all year. David Njoku of Cleveland led all Tight Ends in receptions (83) and yards (892), however Arizona's Trey McBride caught 9 TDs, the best out of all TEs. New York Giants TE Darren Waller was on pace for a 1000 yard season before he was injured after only seven games. Detroit Lions rookie Sam LaPorta caught 57 passes for 606 yards and 2 TDs, good for 12th in the NFL among TEs and enough to have him in consideration for OROTY along with teammate Jahmyr Gibbs and Packers rookie receiver Jayden Reed, although Texans QB C.J. Stroud is expected to run away with it and Rams undrafted rookie QB Dwayne Woodruff is also in the running.

Blocking
Jason Kelce doesn't seem to be losing the battle to father time just yet, leading the NFL in Key Run blocks and third in pancakes while being the key cog in an Eagles O-Line that was otherwise decimated by injuries this year. Of all linemen with at least 40 key run blocks Vikings center Garrett Bradbury had the best run block percentage. 49ers Tackle Trent Williams led all NFL offensive linemen in pancake blocks with 13. Cleveland guard Wyatt Teller led all guards with 58 successful key run blocks. The Browns also had C Ethan Pocic and OT Alex Leatherwood in the top fifteen in the league in that category and Leatherwood led all tackles in the top 20 with a 51.2% run block success rate. Frank Ragnow of the Lions led all offensive linemen (minimum 300 passing snaps) in Pass Block Success Percentage. He allowed only two pressures all season. Two players in the top ten in PB% allowed 0 sacks all year, OT Terron Armstead of the Dolphins and OT Lane Johnson of the Eagles. Indianapolis Colts OG Quenton Nelson allowed only one sack and three total pressures all year and was sixth in PB%. Miami was the only team with two linemen in the top ten in pass blocking, with Armstead joined by C Connor Williams.

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NFL 2023 Statistics - Defense and Special Teams

Tackles
Yes, it is the year of the safety in the NFL. Pass heavy offenses and some special talent at the safety position has led to fewer linebackers at the top of the NFL's tackle charts. C.J. Mosley of the Jets still came in second to Chargers S Derwin James and linebackers Zaire Franklin and Tremaine Edmunds still finished top five. Some of the other top linebackers included Kyzir White of Arizona, T.J. Edwards of Chicago, De'Vondre Campbell of Green Bay, Frankie Luvu of Carolina and Azeez Al-Shaair of Tennessee. C.J. Mosley's 11 TFLs were the best of any LB this year. Denver S Justin Simmons was third in tackles this seaon. Philadelphia S Terrell Edmunds was second to Derwin James in TFLs with 13. Budda Baker of the Cardinals was sixth in the NFL with 132 tackles.

Sacks/Pressures
Maxx Crosby led the NFL in sacks with 15.5, a bit of a drop off from previous seasons. Some of the top edge rushers suffered injuries or had off years, with Micah Parsons, T.J. Watt and Myles Garrett all having down years statistically. Nick Bosa of the 49ers led the league with 67 pressures, he is considered a top DPOTY candidate alongside Derwin James of the Chargers. Aaron Donald of the Rams was second with 62. Maxx Crosby had 54 (*graphic is wrong, dyslexic moment lol) and was third. Bosa and Von Miller tied for second in sacks with 14 while Miller's complement on the other side in Buffalo, Gregory Rousseau was fourth with 13.5.

Interceptions
Derwin James had a dominant year, not only shutting down the run and leading the league in tackles but also with a league leading 8 interceptions, 2 of them returned for touchdowns. Antoine Winfield and Kevin Byard also had 2 pick sixes on the year. Jaire Alexander and Jessie Bates tied for the most PDs in the NFL with 27. Denver S Justin Simmons, who was 3rd in the NFL in tackles and may have an outside shot at DPOTY along with DE Maxx Crosby, was 2nd in interceptions with 7, including two in a key week 18 win that got the Broncos into the playoffs. Three CBs tied for the most interceptions at the position, with Jalen Ramsey, Levi Wallace and DaRon Bland all accumulating six on the year. The Buccaneers had an elite ballhawking secondary with the safety tandem of Winfield and Ryan Neal combining for 12 picks. The Dolphins had Ramsey, Xavien Howard and S Jevon Holland combine for 16 interceptions between the three of them. DeMarvio Overshown of the Cowboys leads all linebackers with five interceptions on the season and is a serious candidate for DROTY, though Jacksonville CB Christian Braswell should also get some consideration with 3 interceptions and a sterling 92.9 pass defense percentage (albeit in only 132 defensive snaps against the pass). Seattle's rookie CB Devon Witherspoon could get a look at DROTY despite being injured and missing almost 4 games, he still compiled 3 interceptions, 4 PDs, 0.5 Sacks, 4 TFL and a FF.

Field Goals
Jason Sanders of Miami led the NFL in FG% and total FGs made. Jacksonville's Brandon McManus led all kickers in points, with 39 extra points and 40 field goals for 159 points. He was also second in FG% and FGs behind Sanders. Jake Elliott of the Eagles was the best from over 50 yards, going 6/8 on long kicks. Evan McPherson of the Bengals had fewer opportunities with only 31 attempts but was third in the NFL in FG%. Graham Gano of the Giants kicked the longest field goal of the year at 57 yards. Brett Maher of the Rams and Eddy Pineiro of the Panthers were both perfect on extra points. Greg Joseph of the Vikings missed a league worst 14 field goals, although seven of those were from over 50 yards. Ka'imi Fairbairn of the Texans missed 13. Chase McLaughlin of the Buccaneers missed an embarrassing 7 extra points and was only 77.4% on extra points all year, worst in the league by a significant margin. Jason Myers of the Seahawks and Brett Maher of the Rams were the only two kickers to have 3 field goals blocked this year. Green Bay rookie Anders Carlson was 4th in the NFL in FG%.