Behind Jackson, a strong MVP possibility, Baltimore has yet to lose two games in a row — and in each of its three losses, the decisive points came after the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter (with one coming in overtime).
Here’s a look at some interesting facts entering Week 17.
Jets (6-9) at Browns (10-5), 8:15 p.m., Amazon Prime: Cue the “Is Joe Flacco elite?” conversations. Cleveland’s QB is tied with Tom Brady for the most road playoff wins in NFL history (seven). Cleveland has 10 wins and Detroit has 11, a historically significant tidbit because the last time both teams had at least 10 wins was 1953 — when the two met in the NFL championship game, with the Lions winning, 17-16.
The list of QBs with 10+ playoff wins and 25+ playoff Pass TD
Tom Brady
Peyton Manning
Joe Montana
Brett Favre
Aaron Rodgers
Big Ben
Patrick Mahomes
Terry Bradshaw
John Elway
Joe Flacco pic.twitter.com/sukvja6bx1— NFL on CBS (@NFLonCBS) December 20, 2023
Lions (11-4) at Cowboys (10-5), 8:15 p.m., ABC, ESPN, ESPN2: If Detroit wins out against Dallas and Minnesota, and San Francisco loses to Washington or the Rams, the Lions would have the NFC’s top seed and a first-round bye. Dallas is coming off two road losses in which it has converted 9 of 25 third-down opportunities.
Dolphins (11-4) at Ravens (12-3), 1 p.m., CBS: Miami found a way to win differently on Christmas Eve, beating Dallas with a performance more gritty than glittering and relying on Jason Sanders to kick five field goals. But the Dolphins emerged with their first signature win and secured a playoff berth. Another opportunity for a statement victory beckons as the Ravens, Dolphins and Browns slug it out for the AFC’s top seed.
Patriots (4-11) at Bills (9-6), 1 p.m., CBS: Buffalo’s Josh Allen (51) joined Cam Newton (75) as the only quarterbacks in NFL history with 50 or more career rushing touchdowns. Allen is the first NFL player to post four straight seasons of 40 or more total touchdowns.
Josh Allen was blitzed on half of his dropbacks against the Chargers (11 of 22), his second consecutive game with a blitz rate of 50%+, his two highest rates in a game this season.
vs Blitz: 7/11, 74 yards, INT
vs No Blitz: 8/10, 163 yards, TD#BUFvsLAC | #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/eGS6wywUrJ— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) December 24, 2023
Falcons (7-8) at Bears (6-9), 1 p.m., CBS: With Desmond Ridder benched, Taylor Heinicke was back at quarterback against Indianapolis and kept Atlanta in the running in the NFC South.
Titans (5-10) at Texans (8-7), 1 p.m., Fox: Running back Derrick Henry has passed for as many touchdowns (two) as quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
Raiders (7-8) at Colts (8-7), 1 p.m., CBS: There’s a sobering note for the Raiders as they surf the emotional wave of beating the Chiefs on Christmas. QB Aidan O’Connell did not complete a pass in the last three quarters as the Raiders became the first team since 2000 to accomplish that dubious feat. Only five teams have won at Arrowhead Stadium without scoring an offensive touchdown.
Panthers (2-13) at Jaguars (8-7), 1 p.m., CBS: Jacksonville QB Trevor Lawrence, the No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft, has more career interceptions (37, including five this month) than New England’s Mac Jones (36), the 15th pick in 2021.
Rams (8-7) at Giants (5-10), 1 p.m., Fox: The Rams arrived at their Week 10 bye with a 3-6 record and had lost 18 of 26 games since winning Super Bowl LVI. They’ve been one of the hotter teams since, winning four of five games (with the only loss coming in overtime in Baltimore) while averaging 433.8 yards and 32.4 points.
Cardinals (3-12) at Eagles (11-4), 1 p.m., Fox: Philadelphia has a one-game lead in the NFC East and faces an easier path to the division title than Dallas. After this game, the Eagles play the Giants; Dallas must play a strong Detroit team Saturday before finishing the regular season at Washington.
Saints (7-8) at Buccaneers (8-7), 1 p.m., Fox: Baker Mayfield is 4-0 in December, passing for 1,010 yards and nine touchdowns with only one interception. Tampa Bay can secure the NFC South title with one win in the final two weeks. Its regular season finale is at Carolina.
49ers (11-4) at Commanders (4-11), 1 p.m., Fox: Kyle Shanahan is 0-38 when trailing by eight or more points going into the fourth quarter. Last week, for the first time since Colin Kaepernick in 2015, a 49ers QB threw four interceptions.
Steelers (8-7) at Seahawks (8-7), 4:05 p.m., Fox: Mason Rudolph became the first Steelers QB to pass for 250 or more yards and two or more touchdowns in a game since Ben Roethlisberger in 2021 — the last season in which Rudolph previously started a game.
George Pickens finished with 4 receptions for 195 yards & 2 TDs on 6 targets while generating career-highs in receiving yards over expected (+139) & YAC over expected (+90).
Pickens’ +139 receiving YOE are the 3rd-most in a game by any receiver since 2018.#CINvsPIT | #HereWeGo pic.twitter.com/mtUIXBGeUL
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) December 24, 2023
Chargers (5-10) at Broncos (7-8), 4:25 p.m., CBS: After a disastrous start to the season, Denver looked promising but has been doomed by four terrible losses at home by a total of 16 points to the Raiders, Commanders, Jets and Patriots — teams with 21 wins among them.
Bengals (8-7) at Chiefs (9-6), 4:25 p.m., CBS: In the Christmas loss, Kansas City handed the Raiders two defensive touchdowns seven seconds apart in the second quarter (on a lost fumble by Patrick Mahomes on a gadget play and on Mahomes’s 14th interception of the season). While Mahomes and his wide receivers have struggled, tight end Travis Kelce hasn’t been a reliable weapon. Often double- and triple-teamed, he hasn’t had more than 100 receiving yards since Oct. 22 and hasn’t scored since Nov. 20.
The Chiefs are not good enough to play shotgun drop back football on a play by play basis anywhere except QB.
They have to protect their tackles more and hand it off. They need to help their skill group get open by using more PAP. They have to help their weaknesses not expose…
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) December 25, 2023
Packers (7-8) at Vikings (7-8), 8:20 p.m., NBC: Jordan Love has a better touchdown-interception figure through 16 weeks (27-11) than Patrick Mahomes (26-14). The banged-up team that emerges as the winner before the ball drops in Times Square has a chance to earn a playoff spot on the final Sunday of the season, when Minnesota visits Detroit and Green Bay hosts Chicago.