It has been a long, but entertaining NFL season, filled with tragedies and special moments. With week 18 coming to a close, and teams playoff chances hanging in the balance, these teams made it out of the regular season alive.
For the AFC you have the AFC North champions, the Baltimore Ravens who locked up the No. 1 seed back in week 17. The Buffalo Bills won the AFC East for the fourth year straight to lock up the No. 2 seed. The Kansas City earned their 8th straight AFC West title while locking up the No. 3 seed. The Houston Texans won the AFC South for the first time since 2019 and will lock up the No. 4 seed. The No. 5 seed was taken by the Cleveland Browns after the Miami Dolphins week 18 loss, which now claimed the No. 6 seed. And to cap off the No. 7 seed in the AFC is the Pittsburgh Steelers to make it three teams from the AFC North to make the playoffs.
For the NFC you have the back to back NFC West champions the San Francisco 49ers who secured the No. 1 seed for the first time since 2019. The Dallas Cowboys took a big win against the Washington Commanders to win the NFC East and lock up the No. 2 seed. The Detroit Lions clinched a playoff birth in week 16 and went on to win the NFC North for the first time since 1993. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had a 9-0 win in week 18 against the Carolina Panthers to win the NFC South and lock up the No. 4 seed. The Philadelphia Eagles with a record of 11-6 lock up the No. 5 seed, followed by the Los Angeles Rams with the No. 6 seed, and with a late game victory against the division rival Chicago Bears, the Green Bay Packers locked up the No. 7 seed.
From storyline to storyline, this years postseason is one for the ages. These playoffs are not just ordinary games, but these games have more to them then we may think.
Starting with the 13-4 Baltimore Ravens and the 12-5 San Francisco 49ers both earning their conferences No. 1 seed and first round bye. They now wait for the Wild Card round to wrap up to see who their next opponents will be in the divisional round of the playoffs.
Wide receiver Tyreek Hill for the Miami Dolphins makes his Return to Arrowhead stadium to play his former team the Kansas City Chiefs who he won a super bowl with back in 2020.
38 year old Joe Flacco made a return to the NFL by signing with the Cleveland Browns late in the season after losing their starting quarterback Deshaun Watson to a season ending shoulder injury, and got his first start in 15 to finished out the regular season with a 4-1 record, and gave the Browns offense a spark when they most needed.
Rookie quarterback and number 2 overall draft pick and Rookie of the Year favorite CJ Stroud is led the Texans to a division title and is looking for the first playoff run of his great career.
The Green Bay Packers former first round draft pick back in 2020, quarterback Jordan Love had his first starting season in 2023. He led a young Packers core to the playoffs, and is looking to bring them on a deep playoff run. He faces off against the Cowboys in a long time NFL rivalry and is looking to show the cheese heads that the “Pack is Back”.
After signing a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, quarterback Baker Mayfield led them to a divisional title and a shot at the super bowl after being doubted and written off. Back in 2020, Baker gave the Browns their first playoff win since 1994 by completing 21 of 34 passes for 263 yards and 3 touchdowns against the 12-4 Pittsburgh Steelers, and since then has played on 3 different teams in his young career. He faces the Philadelphia Eagles who are looking to appear in back to back super bowls.
The biggest story line is coming from Ford Field when the Los Angeles Rams face off against the Detroit Lions. Back in 2021, the Rams traded quarterback Jared Goff, two first round picks, and a third round pick to the Lions for quarterback Matthew Stafford. Matthew Stafford spent the previous 12 years on the Lions but did not bring much success. Although Stafford was not getting it done for the Lions, the following year he was traded he led the Rams to a super bowl victory, and did so in his first season. Why might this be the biggest story of the week? Stafford is making his return back to Ford Field against his former team, with Goff on the other side looking to strip his former teams super bowl chances. Stafford delivered a championship to the Rams, and now it’s up to Goff to show Detroit that they made the right decision in bringing him along.
Who is your favorite to win Super Bowl 57 ?
