Aaron Rodgers and the Inexperienced Bay Packers missed out on the NFL play-offs after shedding 20-16 at house to the Detroit Lions in a dramatic ending to the common season.
The Seattle Seahawks acquired in at Inexperienced Bay’s expense whereas the Philadelphia Eagles secured high spot within the NFC and the Dallas Cowboys limped into the play-offs.
The Buffalo Payments had an emotional victory in opposition to the New England Patriots to assist the Miami Dolphins pinch the ultimate AFC play-off spot.
Seahawks pip Packers as Rodgers misses out
After a powerful restoration from 4-8 with 4 straight victories, the Packers have been in charge of their future, needing a win at house in opposition to the Detroit Lions – who discovered simply earlier than kick-off that they’d been eradicated from play-off rivalry.
The Seattle Seahawks had earned a dramatic additional time victory over the Los Angeles Rams, which means solely Inexperienced Bay might deny them within the 271st and really final recreation of the common season.
And fittingly for this season, nothing went fairly as anticipated. The Lions stored it shut regardless of having nothing to play for, the Packers had a participant ejected and Rodgers threw a late interception in what might properly be his ultimate act within the NFL.
Rookie Kerby Joseph grew to become the primary participant to intercept Rodgers 3 times in a single season. And whether or not the 39-year-old, named the NFL’s Most Precious Participant 4 occasions, shall be again subsequent season continues to be unknown. Rodgers is underneath contract with Inexperienced Bay for subsequent season, however has repeatedly forged doubt on whether or not he’ll return.
It is now the Seahawks who journey to the San Francisco 49ers subsequent week within the play-offs, after rookie quarterback Brock Purdy led the Niners to a tenth straight victory and the second seed within the NFC.
Eagles seize high spot as Dallas disappoint
The Philadelphia Eagles gave star quarterback Jalen Hurts a mild runout in his return from harm as they beat the New York Giants back-ups 22-16 to assert high spot within the NFC East and the NFC’s high seed – which means they’re going to get subsequent week off as they obtain a bye by means of the primary spherical of play-off video games.
Hurts had been an enormous miss as Philadelphia had misplaced their earlier two video games, and though he went by means of the motions barely, they acquired the win, in opposition to a Giants facet resting most of their starters with their play-off spot confirmed.
The Eagles’ victory means the quarterback will get an additional week to relaxation his injured shoulder and that his workforce will play at house so long as they continue to be within the play-offs, whereas the Giants head to Minnesota to play the Vikings subsequent week.
Tom Brady misplaced for the primary time in 12 video games in opposition to the Atlanta Falcons, however he solely performed simply over 1 / 4 in a 30-17 defeat that meant nothing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As they finish the season 8-9, it did finish a run of 21 consecutive seasons that Brady had completed with a profitable document although.
The Bucs are at house subsequent week and can fancy their probabilities if their opponents the Dallas Cowboys play as badly as they did in shedding 26-6 to a Washington Commanders facet with nothing to play for, who gave their third-choice rookie quarterback San Howell his NFL debut.
Dallas nonetheless had the NFC East high spot to play for had Philadelphia misplaced however might get nothing going as quarterback Dak Prescott threw for simply 128 yards and a landing, whereas additionally throwing a decide six as he struggled to hit his targets all evening.
“That stinks,” mentioned Prescott. “Fourteen completions, yeah, not ok. Interval.”
Payments earn ‘non secular’ win for Hamlin
The Buffalo Payments have been enjoying for the primary time since security Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest throughout their match in opposition to the Cincinnati Bengals.
And after some emotional tributes for Hamlin in Buffalo earlier than the sport in opposition to the New England Patriots, the stadium was then despatched wild when Nyheim Hines took the opening kick-off 96 yards for a landing on the workforce’s very first play.
Hines took one other kick-off 101 yards for an additional landing as Buffalo clinched the second seed within the AFC with a 35-23 victory that additionally knocked the Patriots out of play-off rivalry, however for as soon as Invoice Belichick’s facet weren’t the headline act.
Hamlin was posting on social media from hospital all through the sport and spoke to his workforce through video name within the locker room after the sport – which all added to a massively emotional win for the Payments.
“I am unable to keep in mind a play that touched me like that in my life, it is most likely primary,” quarterback Josh Allen mentioned of that opening landing.
“If you’d like the reality, it was non secular. It actually was. Bone-chilling. It was particular.”
Allen additionally referenced the truth that Hines scored Buffalo’s first kick-off return landing for 3 years and three months – pointing to Hamlin’s shirt quantity three and suggesting it was no coincidence.
Dolphins sneak in as Bengals win once more
After the Patriots misplaced, the Miami Dolphins managed to sneak into the play-offs with a tense 11-6 victory over the New York Jets – however they’re going to must carry out a lot better in the event that they’re to one way or the other cease the Payments in Buffalo subsequent week.
With the Pittsburgh Steelers profitable simply in opposition to the Cleveland Browns, Miami knew they wanted victory as they sought to finish their five-game shedding run that had seemingly scuppered their probabilities – they usually solely simply got here by means of as Jason Sanders booted a 50-yard discipline objective with 18 seconds left.
Head coach Mike McDaniel secures a play-off spot on the first time of asking however he’ll must discover a technique to kick-start his workforce’s assault that has been hampered considerably by quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s absence with concussion – with it trying extremely unlikely he’ll be out there subsequent week.
The Baltimore Ravens even have an enormous query over the supply of their celebrity quarterback Lamar Jackson, who hasn’t practised since choosing up a knee harm at first of December, after they misplaced 27-16 on the Cincinnati Bengals and must return subsequent week for a rematch within the play-offs.
The Ravens needed to begin their third-choice quarterback Anthony Brown, who was no match for Joe Burrow and final season’s Tremendous Bowl runners-up, who ended the season with eight straight wins and look a facet nonetheless able to going all the way in which.
“The [Super Bowl] window’s my entire profession,” a assured Burrow mentioned after the sport. “And everyone we have now in that locker room, all of the coaches we have now, issues are gonna change yr to yr, however our window is all the time open.”
Whereas there was drama within the play-off hunt, there was additionally drama on the different finish of the standings, because the Houston Texans claimed a dramatic late 32-31 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, however a win that in the end value them pricey because it meant the Chicago Bears completed with the worst document within the NFL and due to this fact get the primary general decide within the NFL Draft.
Tremendous Wild Card Weekend schedule
(All occasions GMT)
Saturday 14 January
- Seattle Seahawks v San Francisco 49ers (21:30)
- Los Angeles Chargers v Jacksonville Jaguars (01:15 Solar)
Sunday 15 January
- Miami Dolphins v Buffalo Payments (18:00)
- New York Giants v Minnesota Vikings (21:30)
- Baltimore Ravens v Cincinnati Bengals (01:15 Mon)
Monday 16 January
- Dallas Cowboys v Tampa Bay Buccaneers (01:15 Tue)
Prime seeds the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles have a bye into the subsequent spherical of the play-offs.
