The NFL Week 17 Recap features a killer audition, a gritty Griddy and brutal collapses.
2022 NFL Week 17 Recap
1/16
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (85) collides with Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin (3) during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Cincinnati. Hamlin was injured on the play. Tonight’s Buffalo Bills-Cincinnati Bengals game has been postponed after Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin collapsed, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced.
(AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
Bills 3
Bengals 7 (postponed during first quarter)
I don’t know that I’ve seen a game in which a player injury was actually life-threatening. The scariest I’d seen was, incidentally, a late-season Monday nighter in Cincinnati in 2017 when Ryan Shazier suffered that horrific spinal injury that ended his career and cost him the ability to walk for years. Let’s all send good vibes to Damar Hamlin and his family.
2/16
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND — JANUARY 01: Kenny Pickett #8 of the Pittsburgh Steelers throws a touchdown pass to Najee Harris #22 (not pictured) against the Baltimore Ravens during the fourth quarter at M & Bank Stadium on January 01, 2023 in Baltimore, Maryland.
(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Steelers 16
Ravens 13
Baltimore is already in the playoffs so going 2-2 and averaging less than 13 points per game without Lamar Jackson isn’t the end of the world. But the real surprise is Pittsburgh staying on the periphery of the playoff picture with Kenny Pickett leading back-to-back game-winning fourth quarter comebacks. Mike Tomlin might get that 16th consecutive winning season after all.
3/16
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA — JANUARY 01: Austin Ekeler #30 of the Los Angeles Chargers scores a touchdown during the second quarter in the game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on January 01, 2023 in Inglewood, California.
(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Rams 10
Chargers 31
The only thing this game really accomplished is giving Austin Ekeler his flowers. The underrated dual threat is only the fifth running back in NFL history to have 100 catches in a season and leads the NFL in touchdowns. Put some respect on the man’s name.
4/16
Green Bay Packers safety Rudy Ford (20) intercepts a pass intended for Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) during an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, in Green Bay, Wis.
(AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)
Vikings 17
Packers 41
Green Bay is really about to make these damn playoffs, aren’t they? This would be the biggest upset since Don Corleone survived his assassination attempt.
5/16
Seattle Seahawks tight end Tyler Mabry (85) and his teammates celebrate his touchdown during an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, in Seattle, WA. The Seahawks defeated the Jets 23-6.
(AP Photo/Ben VanHouten)
Jets 6
Seahawks 23
Seattle picked up the last NFC wild card spot Washington fumbled away, while the Jets got all the way to Week 17 before extending their NFL-worst postseason drought to 12 straight seasons. Just like we said before the season, right?
6/16
San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason (24) celebrates after scoring a 14-yard touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game between the San Francisco 49ers and Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, in Las Vegas.
(AP Photo/John Locher)
49ers 37
Raiders 34 (OT)
These two former Bay Area neighbors couldn’t have grown further apart.
San Francisco is enjoying its longest win streak (nine games) since 1997 and looks like a Super Bowl contender with an MVP defender, while Vegas’ bad gamble on Josh McDaniels is “a complete disaster” that’s setting the franchise back years. Hey, at least it frees up Derek Carr to come to Washington!
7/16
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones (11) scores a touchdown past Washington Commanders cornerback Kendall Fuller (29) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, in Landover, Md.
(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Browns 24
Commanders 10
The only thing Ron Rivera sparked by inserting Carson Wentz at QB again was a legitimate debate as to whether the longtime coach — now on his ninth season without a winning record — should stay in Washington. If acquiring Wentz was a fireable offense (and I say it is), reinserting him at the worst possible time should clinch it. (Spoiler alert: But it won’t.)
Colts 10
Giants 38
Washington fans had to love watching Landon Collins sprinting into the end zone to help the Giants return to the playoffs for the first time since 2016 while the Burgundy and Gold got eliminated. Equally as much as loving Kayvon Thibodeaux’s breathtaking lack of awareness.
Kayvon Thibodeaux sacked Nick Foles and then did a snow angel next to a very injured Foles pic.twitter.com/MQgT6WhtTm
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) January 1, 2023
9/16
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Gardner Minshew (10) is sacked by New Orleans Saints defensive tackle David Onyemata (93) along with defensive end Cameron Jordan (94) during the third quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, in Philadelphia.
(AP Photo/Rich Schultz)
Saints 20
Eagles 10
Don’t worry, Philly fans. This is all just a ploy to get Jalen Hurts the MVP award. The Eagles will win in Week 18 and clinch the top seed in the NFC anyway.
10/16
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) catches the third of three touchdown catches, this one over Carolina Panthers cornerback CJ Henderson (24), during an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, in Tampa, Fla.
(AP Photo/Peter Joneleit)
Panthers 24
Buccaneers 30
Thanks to Tom Brady’s elsewhere-audition and the punt of the year, Tampa has backed its way into consecutive division titles for the first time in franchise history. If this is a sign of things to come, Dallas doesn’t want this Wild Card matchup.
11/16
HOUSTON, TEXAS — JANUARY 01: Travis Etienne Jr. #1 of the Jacksonville Jaguars carries the ball for a touchdown against the Houston Texans during the second quarter of the game at NRG Stadium on January 01, 2023 in Houston, Texas.
(Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Jaguars 31
Texans 3
The Houston Texans are (almost) on the clock and the Jacksonville Jaguars are (almost) AFC South champs.
12/16
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS — JANUARY 01: Jakobi Meyers #16 of the New England Patriots catches a touchdown pass against Duke Riley #45 of the Miami Dolphins during the fourth quarter at Gillette Stadium on January 01, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
(Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images)
Dolphins 21
Patriots 23
New England just won’t go away.
Now in control of the last AFC wild card berth, the Patriots are a win away from a return to the playoffs they don’t deserve, thanks largely to Miami’s inability to keep a QB healthy. The football gods are fickle.
13/16
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI — JANUARY 01: Jerick McKinnon #1 of the Kansas City Chiefs scores a touchdown during the second quarter in the game against the Denver Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium on January 01, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri.
(Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
Broncos 24
Chiefs 27
No offense to Jerry Rosburg’s long-awaited opportunity, but Denver has now lost 15 straight to Kansas City, dropped nine straight division games and are on the brink of setting a new franchise record for most losses in a season. It’s time for a hard reset — and I’m not sure Jim Harbaugh is the right choice.
14/16
DETROIT, MICHIGAN — JANUARY 01: Brock Wright #89 of the Detroit Lions scores a touchdown while defended by DeAndre Houston-Carson #36 of the Chicago Bears during the first quarter at Ford Field on January 01, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan.
(Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
Bears 10
Lions 41
Detroit just being relevant to the playoff discussion entering the final week of the season is all they can reasonably ask for. The Lions just need Seattle to lose to make it a win-and-in game in Green Bay that’s absolutely in the mix to get a national audience.
15/16
ATLANTA, GEORGIA — JANUARY 01: Desmond Ridder #4 of the Atlanta Falcons is chased by Jace Whittaker #39 of the Arizona Cardinals during the second quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 01, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia.
(Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
Cardinals 19
Falcons 20
In David Blough’s record-tying start, his one touchdown pass was still exactly one more than Desmond Ridder has thrown in his first three NFL games. Add Atlanta to the list of teams in search of a QB in the offseason.
16/16
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE — DECEMBER 29: Dalton Schultz #86 of the Dallas Cowboys scores a 10 yard touchdown against Andrew Adams #47 of the Tennessee Titans during the fourth quarter of the game at Nissan Stadium on Dec. 29, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee.
(Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
Cowboys 27
Titans 13
If y’all are gonna play this game like it’s preseason, I’m gonna recap it like it’s preseason.
Related News
