NFL Sunday Week 18: Bills clinch AFC second seed as Packers miss playoffs
The Buffalo Bills made an emotional return to action following Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest, as they beat the New England Patriots in the final game of the regular season in Week 18.
Nyheim Hines ran back two stunning kick-off return touchdowns to help Buffalo to a 35-23 victory over their AFC East rivals.
Hamlin, who remains in critical care in hospital as he recovers, tweeted out his support for his team during the game, celebrating Hines’ remarkable scores and posting a picture from his bed.
The win means the Bills have clinched the second seed in the AFC for the play-offs. If the Bills beat the Miami Dolphins, who pipped the Patriots with their 11-6 win over the Jets, in the wild card round, the AFC Championship game against the top seed Kansas City Chiefs will be played at a neutral venue because the home team would ordinarily would have been settled by the result of the cancelled game between the Bengals and Bills.
The Chiefs secured a first-round bye by beating the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday.
The Bengals, opponents of the Bills during Hamlin’s cardiac arrest, clinched the AFC North with ease in their decider with the Baltimore Ravens.
Joe Mixon and Ja’Marr Chase both crossed for a touchdown each, while Mick Hilton returned a pick six against a woeful Ravens offense.
Seahawks in playoffs after Lions stun Packers
Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers missed out on a play-off berth for the first time since the 2018 season after a dramatic defeat at home to the Detroit Lions.
Despite finding out that they’d been eliminated from play-off contention just before kick-off, Detroit kept in close at Lambeau Field and worked their way to an unlikely victory, as rookie Kerby Joseph became the first player to intercept Rodgers three times in one season.
The four-time NFL MVP is under contract with Green Bay for next season. But he has repeatedly cast doubt on whether he will return to the Packers.
The Lions victory means the Seattle Seahawks, who beat the Los Angeles Rams in overtime on Sunday, clinch an unlikely play-off spot with the #7 seed.
With the Houston Texans beating the Indiannapolis Colts, the Chicago Bears have secured the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft after their defeat to the Minnesota Vikings.
It will mark the first time since 1947 that Chicago will have the number one pick in an NFL Draft. For Minnesota, Kirk Cosuins threw for 225 yards and a touchdown in the first half, as the Vikings strolled into the postseason with ease.
Texans’ head coach Lovie Smith was fired shortly after his team’s victory.
Philadelphia Eagles, NFC #1 seed
Elsewhere, the Philadelphia Eagles clinched the NFC #1 seed on Jalen Hurts’ return to action, as they beat the New York Giants’ backups 22-16, claiming the NFC East along the way.
Divisional rivals the Dallas Cowboys were poor as they lost to the Washington Commanders, with rookie Sam Howell making an impressive debut leading his team to victory.
J.J. Watt made a fitting finish to his NFL career by recording two sacks and five tackles as his Arizona Cardinals were thrashed by the San Francisco 49ers. It gives him 12.5 sacks for the season (his fifth best finish of his career), leaving him with a total of 114.5 over 12 seasons.
The 49ers clinched their 10th straight win and the NFC #2 seed, meaning they will play the Seahawks in the wild card round.
The Carolina Panthers completed a sweep over the New Orleans Saints for the first time since 2015 in a 10-7 win, while the Falcons dominated the Buccaneers in the other NFC South match-up. Tom Brady left the game in the first half, but not before breaking his own NFL record for most completions in a season.
The Los Angeles Chargers, who had already been looked into the 5th seed of the AFC by the time they played, lost out to the Denver Broncos, while the Pittsburgh Steelers missed out on an unlikely playoff berth despite beating the Cleveland Browns 28-14.
Full results of Sunday 8th January 2023:
Pittsburgh Steelers 28 – 14 Cleveland Browns
Cincinnati Bengals 27 – 16 Baltimore Ravens
Chicago Bears 13 – 29 Minnesota Vikings
Buffalo Bills 35 – 23 New England Patriots
Miami Dolphins 11 – 6 New York Jets
Atlanta Falcons 30 – 17 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
New Orleans Saints 7 – 10 Carolina Panthers
Indianapolis Colts 31 – 32 Houston Texans
San Francisco 49ers 38 – 13 Arizona Cardinals
Washington Commanders 26 – 6 Dallas Cowboys
Seattle Seahawks 19 – 16 Los Angeles Rams
Philadelphia Eagles 22 – 16 New York Giants
Denver Broncos 31 – 28 Los Angeles Chargers
Green Bay Packers 16 – 20 Detroit Lions
