NFL Week 17 scores, live updates: Steelers beat Ravens in comeback; Jets eliminated from playoff contention
It’s a new year and the NFL is firing on all cylinders.
Several teams enter Week 17 looking to make one final push towards the 2022 postseason.
The NFC South was decided as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. The Buccaneers won the division for the second consecutive year and will now host a playoff game. The New York Giants also punched their postseason ticket by defeating the Indianapolis Colts.
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Eagles squandered a chance to clinch a first-round bye and homefield advantage by losing to the New Orleans Saints. The Miami Dolphins also failed to seize control of a playoff spot. Both teams will need to rely on Week 18 and a little help to firmly lock up their playoff seeding.
Week 17 concludes with the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills. The Bengals can also wrap up the AFC North with a victory and a Baltimore Ravens loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Follow every game: Latest NFL Scores and Schedules
PLAYOFF PICTURE: Giants, Bucs head to the playoffs with big victories
POWER RANKINGS:Top 5 remains unchanged; Jaguars leap to No. 10
WEEK 17 PICKS:Bills-Bengals set for Monday night showdown
Here’s a rundown of all the Week 17 action around the NFL.
Dallas Cowboys 27, Tennessee Titans 13
Briefly: The Cowboys pulled out a tough road victory on Thursday night. Dallas overcame an underwhelming first half to put away the Titans. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott had three turnovers but made plays down the stretch. He completed 29 of 41 passes for 282 yards and tossed two touchdowns to tight end Dalton Schultz. The Titans were undermanned without star running back Derrick Henry and key playmakers. However, Titans quarterback Joshua Dobbs looked solid in his first NFL start. The Titans will play for the AFC South next week and Dobbs showed promise to stick in the starting lineup.
One highlight to know: Titans quarterback Joshua Dobbs found receiver Robert Woods for a 7-yard touchdown in the third quarter. It was his first career NFL touchdown in six seasons.
Next up: The Titans play the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 18. The Cowboys have a road matchup against the Washington Commanders.
Atlanta Falcons 20, Arizona Cardinals 19
Briefly: The Falcons snapped a four-game losing streak against the Cardinals on Sunday afternoon. Atlanta rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder earned his first NFL victory after engineering a 12-play, 72-yard drive that culminated with a Younghoe Koo game-winning field goal. Ridder threw for 169 yards and running back Tyler Allgeier rushed for 83 yards and scored a touchdown. The Cardinals played well without key starters and generated 339 total yards of offense. Reserve quarterback David Blough completed 24 of 40 passes for 222 yards and touchdown in defeat. The Cardinals have now lost six consecutive games.
One highlight to know: Falcons safety Richie Grant blocked a punt late in the second quarter that served as a springboard for a touchdown just before halftime.
Next Up: The Falcons face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 18. The Cardinals play the San Francisco 49ers.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30, Carolina Panthers 24
Briefly: The Buccaneers won the NFC South for the second consecutive season. It was a banner day for Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans. The veteran hauled in 10 receptions for 207 yards and three touchdowns. He led the way as the Buccaneers outscored the Panthers by 10 points in the fourth quarter. The Buccaneers also grounded the Panthers dynamic rushing attack. Carolina mustered just 74 rushing yards and had to rely on the arm of starting quarterback Sam Darnold. The talented signal-caller responded with 341 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. However, it was NFL star Tom Brady that sealed the win with a 1-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
One highlight to know: Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans caught a 63-yard touchdown for the first of three scores on the afternoon.
Next Up: The Buccaneers face the Atlanta Falcons in Week 18. The Panthers play the New Orleans Saints in the regular-season finale.
Cleveland Browns 24, Washington Commanders 10
Briefly: The Browns spoiled the Commanders chance at clinching a playoff spot on Sunday. Washington slid behind the Detroit Lions in the NFC Wild Card race. Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz threw three interceptions, and it allowed the Browns to take clear advantage. Cleveland outscored Washington by 18 points in the second half. Browns receiver Amari Cooper shined with 105 yards and two touchdowns in the victory.
One highlight to know: Browns receiver Amari Cooper hauled in a 46-yard touchdown in the second quarter to extend the lead. He shook past one defender and rushed down the sideline to score.
Next Up: The Browns face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 18. The Commanders play the Dallas Cowboys.
New England Patriots 23, Miami Dolphins 21
Briefly: The Patriots avoided playoff elimination and put themselves in position to secure the final AFC Wild Card spot. The Dolphins are sliding after dropping their fifth consecutive game. New England held on late after forcing two interceptions and holding Miami to just 86 rushing yards. Patriots quarterback Mac Jones made clutch plays including a 1-yard touchdown to receiver Jakobi Myers in the fourth quarter. The Dolphins turned to third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson after Teddy Bridgewater left the game in the second half. Both teams are now 8-8 and have a massive Week 18 game to secure their playoff dreams.
One highlight to know: Patriots safety Kyle Dugger scored a 39-yard interception return for a touchdown. The turnover gave New England a third-quarter lead that they wouldn’t relinquish.
Next Up: The Patriots face the Buffalo Bills in Week 18. The Dolphins play the New York Jets.
New York Giants 38, Indianapolis Colts 10
Briefly: The Giants are heading back to the postseason for the first time since the 2016 season. It’s been a terrific campaign for first-year head coach Brian Daboll. On Sunday, the Giants punctuated their season with a big victory over the Colts. Giants quarterback Daniel Jones totaled four touchdowns (two passing, two rushing). The Colts lost their sixth consecutive game.
One highlight to know: Giants safety Landon Collins scored a 52-yard interception return for a touchdown. The score extended the Giants lead to 21-3 in the second quarter.
Next Up: The Giants play the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 18. The Colts will play the Houston Texans.
Kansas City Chiefs 27, Denver Broncos 24
Briefly: The Chiefs swept the Broncos in the regular season. Kansas City has now won four consecutive games and still in contention for homefield advantage in the playoffs. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw three touchdowns and found running back Jerick McKinnon for two scores. McKinnon now has seven receiving touchdowns in his last five games. Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson completed 26 of 38 passes for 222 yards, one touchdown and one interception in defeat.
One highlight to know: Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon continued his hot streak with a 3-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Next Up: The Chiefs face the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 18. The Broncos play the Los Angeles Chargers.
New Orleans Saints 20, Philadelphia Eagles 10
Briefly: The Eagles failed to clinch the NFC North on Sunday. Philadelphia must now win in Week 18 to secure the division. The Saints played spoiler behind their formidable defense that flustered Eagles quarterback Gardner Minshew II on Sunday. Minshew completed 18 of 32 passes for 274 yards, one touchdown and one interception. New Orleans put together a team effort and walked away with a big Week 17 victory.
One highlight to know: Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore had a 12-yard interception that he returned for a touchdown. It extended the Saints lead late in the fourth quarter.
Next Up: The Saints play the Carolina Panthers in Week 18. The Eagles face the New York Giants.
Detroit Lions 41, Chicago Bears 10
Briefly: The Lions improved to 8-8 overall and moved into the final NFC Wild Card spot by defeating the Bears. Detroit continued their offensive attack against a susceptible Chicago defense. Lions quarterback Jared Goff threw three touchdowns while backfield duo D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams combined for 222 rushing yards and two scores on the ground. Bears quarterback Justin Fields dazzled on the ground with 132 rushing yards in defeat.
One highlight to know: Lions running back Jamaal Williams rumbled for a 58-yard gain to add the exclamation mark on the victory over the Bears.
Next up: The Bears will play the Minnesota Vikings in Week 18. The Lions face the Green Bay Packers.
Jacksonville Jaguars 31, Houston Texans 3
Briefly: The Jaguars have a big matchup against the Tennessee Titans for the AFC South division next week. Jacksonville handled business against Houston on Sunday afternoon. Jaguars running back Travis Etienne had a strong game with 140 total yards and a touchdown. The Texans were outmatched all afternoon as their lone points came on a 56-yard field goal in the third quarter.
One highlight to know: Jaguars running back Travis Etienne ran away from defenders for a 62-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
Next Up: The Jaguars battle for the AFC South against the Tennessee Titans in Week 18. The Texans play the Indianapolis Co
Seattle Seahawks 23, New York Jets 6
Briefly: The New York Jets were eliminated from postseason contention with a loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Their quarterback woes continue as Mike White was 23-of-46 for 240 yards and two interceptions. Geno Smith, on the other hand, was 18-of-29 for 183 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Kenneth Walker III also boosted the Seattle offense with 23 carries for 133 yards as the rookie passes 1,000 yards on the season and the Seahawks keep their playoff hopes alive.
One highlight to know: It only took 1:35 for the Seahawks to score and the game was theirs from then on. On second and nine from the New York 12-yard line, Geno Smith found Colby Parkinson for a touchdown.
Next up: The Seahawks host the Los Angeles Rams in an NFC West matchup while the Jets travel south for an AFC East battle where the Miami Dolphins will be playing for their playoff ticket.
San Francisco 49ers 37, Las Vegas Raiders 34 (OT)
Briefly: The San Francisco 49ers extended their win streak to nine games as they came back to beat the Las Vegas Raiders in overtime. Brock Purdy continues to impress as he was 22-of-35 for 284 yards and two touchdowns. But the surprise performance of the day was Raiders quarterback Jarrett Stidham, who took over as the starter after Derek Carr struggled all season. The former Auburn player went 23-of-34 for 365 yards and three touchdowns, including one to Carr’s college teammate Davante Adams. The two interceptions were costly, though, and San Francisco turned the second one into the game-winning field goal.
One highlight to know: On the first drive of the extra period, Jarrett Stidham threw downfield for Davante Adams. Tashaun Gipson Sr. stood in front of the star receiver and snatched the ball out of the air for an interception. He took it downfield for a 56-yard return.
Next up: The 49ers host the Arizona Cardinals while the Raiders host the Kansas City Chiefs.
Los Angeles Chargers 31, Los Angeles Rams 10
Briefly: Austin Ekeler powered the Los Angeles Chargers to a victory over the Los Angeles Rams. The sixth-year running back had 10 carries for 122 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. He added four receptions for 39 yards, which gave him 103 catches on the season, making him the franchise leader, surpassing the previous record held by Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson. Quarterback Justin Herbert was 21-of-28 and added 212 yards and two touchdowns to the Chargers’ offense. Baker Mayfield didn’t fare as well for the Rams, going 11-of-19 for 132 yards.
One highlight to know: In the second quarter, Austin Ekeler broke free for a 72-yard touchdown. The run was the longest of his career.
Next up: The Chargers travel to face the Denver Broncos while the Rams close their season with a road game against the Seattle Seahawks.
Green Bay Packers 41, Minnesota Vikings 17
Briefly: The Green Bay Packers got revenge for a Week 1 loss and kept their playoff aspirations alive with a win over the Minnesota Vikings. Cornerback Jaire Alexander backed up his words that Justin Jefferson’s stats in the season opener were a “fluke” as the receiver was held to one reception for 15 yards. Aaron Rodgers was 15-of-24 for 159 yards and two total touchdowns while Aaron Jones had 14 carries for 111 yards. Kirk Cousins went 18-of-31 for 205 yards, a score and three interceptions. Kicker Greg Joseph missed two field goals a week after setting a franchise record with a 61-yard game-winner.
One highlight to know: On second and ten in the first quarter, Kirk Cousins passed downfield to Justin Jefferson, who was in a scuffle with Jaire Alexander. The star receiver fell down to the grass and so did the ball. Alexander celebrated the pass breakup by mimicking Jefferson’s signature Griddy dance. Jefferson did not have a reception in the first half of a game for only the second time in his career.
Odds, moneyline and more
What to know: Could this be a preview of the AFC Championship Game? The Bengals and Bills are among the conference elites and will meet on Monday night. They each have something to play for outside of a friendly contest. The Bills can get homefield advantage with a win and a Kansas City Chiefs loss. The Bengals can clinch the AFC North with a win and a Baltimore Ravens loss. The elements are there to create a fun environment on the national stage.
Playoff scenario: Bills can earn a first-round bye with a win and Kansas City Chiefs loss. The Bengals can win the AFC North with a win or tie and a Baltimore Ravens loss.