The playoff field is starting to take shape as Week 14 of the NFL season winds down. The Philadelphia Eagles officially earned a postseason spot on Sunday afternoon after their win against the Carolina Panthers. That made them the second NFC team to make it in, along with the Detroit Lions. The Buffalo Bills and […]
The playoff field is starting to take shape as Week 14 of the NFL season winds down.
The Philadelphia Eagles officially earned a postseason spot on Sunday afternoon after their win against the Carolina Panthers. That made them the second NFC team to make it in, along with the Detroit Lions. The Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs — who won their ninth consecutive division title on Sunday night with a bank-in kick — have earned spots in the AFC already.
Several teams were eliminated on Sunday, too, including the New York Jets. They’ve not been to the playoffs now since 2010, which is the longest active drought in the NFL, NBA, WNBA, NHL and MLB.
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Cowboys LB DeMarvion Overshown’s season is done
Rising Cowboys star DeMarvion Overshown was quickly ruled out Monday night against the Bengals after suffering a knee injury, and on Tuesday morning, Jerry Jones said season-ending surgery would be necessary. The second-year linebacker got his right leg pinned under a pile of players during a tackle and remained down on the field in pain after the play.
A third-round pick in 2023, Overshown missed his rookie season with an ACL tear in his left knee. Overshown’s thrived in his first NFL season this year with five sacks, five quarterback hits, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and a pick 6 in 12 games.
Overshown’s 2025 season is apparently in doubt, per Jones.
Saints’ Derek Carr to miss several weeks with ‘significant’ hand fracture
Derek Carr’s season may be over.
The Saints quarterback left their win over the New York Giants early on Sunday after he landed directly on his left wrist and arm. Carr was scrambling for a first down when he hurdled over three other players, and he remained down on the field clearly in a lot of pain before he walked off.
Carr didn’t return, and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported Monday that Carr has a “significant” fracture to his left, non-throwing hand. He’ll reportedly miss “at least the next several weeks.”
While the Saints have won three of their last four games, they sit at just 5-8 on the season. Without Carr down the stretch, securing a playoff berth will likely be incredibly difficult.
Aidan O’Connell diagnosed with bone bruise
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell has been diagnosed with a bone bruise in his left knee after leaving Sunday’s 28-13 loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a cart with an air cast on his left leg after being injured on a late hit that surprisingly didn’t draw a flag.
Initial fears were that O’Connell may have suffered a season-ending injury. But he hopes to play in Week 15’s Monday night matchup versus the Atlanta Falcons, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
O’Connell was shoved in the back late by Bucs defensive end Calijah Kancey while scrambling. Kancey hit O’Connell two steps after O’Connell got rid of the ball, but he somehow didn’t draw a penalty.
Gene Steratore says Calijah Kancey should have been flagged for an obvious roughing the passer penalty. Tough look for the Bucs.
The injury is just the latest for the Raiders at quarterback this season. On the bright side, though, they are currently on track to earn the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft next spring. That has to count for something.
Live15 updates
Week 15 NFL playoff scenarios
AFC
CLINCHED:
Buffalo Bills (10-3) – AFC East
Kansas City Chiefs (12-1) – AFC West
Houston Texans (8-5) vs. Miami Dolphins (6-7); Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
Houston clinches AFC South division title with:
HOU win + IND loss
Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3) at Philadelphia Eagles (11-2); Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX
Pittsburgh clinches a playoff berth with:
PIT win or tie
MIA loss or tie + IND loss or tie
NFC
CLINCHED:
Detroit (12-1) – playoff berth
Philadelphia (11-2) – playoff berth
Green Bay Packers (9-4) at Seattle Seahawks (8-5); Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC
Green Bay clinches a playoff berth with:
GB win + ATL loss or tie + SF-LAR tie
Minnesota Vikings (11-2) vs. Chicago Bears (4-9); Monday, 8 p.m. ET, ABC
Minnesota clinches a playoff berth with:
MIN win or tie
LAR loss or tie
SEA loss or tie
Philadelphia Eagles (11-2) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3); Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX
Philadelphia clinches NFC East division title with:
PHI win + WAS loss or tie
PHI tie + WAS loss
Steelers’ George Pickens doubtful for matchup vs. Eagles
#Steelers coach Mike Tomlin tells reporters that while George Pickens (hamstring) could theoretically play this week, he’s best described as doubtful. The hamstring a bit worse than it appeared.
Cowboys’ Overshown will have season-ending surgery
Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown will have season-ending surgery, according to team owner Jerry Jones. Overshown went down with a knee injury in Monday’s loss to the Bengals.
Overshown missed his rookie season with an ACL tear in his left knee after being drafted in the third round in 2023.
NFL Power Rankings entering Week 15: With so many close wins, how good are the Chiefs?
The 1972 Miami Dolphins are considered by some the greatest team in NFL history. Yet, they were underdogs at many sportsbooks for Super Bowl VII. That means before a 14-7 win over Washington to finish an undefeated season, the 1972 Dolphins weren’t even considered by many oddsmakers to be the best team that season. They played — and beat — a soft schedule. Over time, the enduring accomplishment of going 17-0 has built that team’s legacy to mythic proportions.
As this NFL season moves on, we’re getting closer to the possibility of the Chiefs going 16-1 or 15-2 in the regular season and winning a third straight Super Bowl. They have a two-game lead for the No. 1 seed in the AFC, and if they have just two home games between them and the Super Bowl, it’ll be hard to stop them. And we’d rank a Chiefs team like that as one of the greatest ever. But remember what you think about the Chiefs right now.
We probably won’t remember any of that a decade or two down the road if the 2024 Chiefs win a Super Bowl. We’ll just tell stories about how dominant they were.
Check out the NFL power rankings after Week 14 here.
Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown went down on the field with a knee injury late in Monday’s game against the Bengals. He needed help up and was eventually able to limp off with the aid of trainers. His right leg got pinned under a pile of players on a tackle.
The Cowboys quickly ruled him out with a knee injury. The extent of his injury isn’t initially clear.
A third-round pick in 2023, Overshown missed his rookie season with an ACL tear in his left knee. Overshown’s thrived in his first NFL season this year with five sacks, 5 quarterback hits, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery and a pick 6 in 12 games.
Chiefs add secondary help, getting Steven Nelson out of retirement
The Chiefs’ depleted secondary is getting some unexpected reinforcements, bringing cornerback Steven Nelson out of retirement to join their defense, reports ESPN’s Adam Teichner. Nelson has been added to the team’s practice squad.
Kansas City lost CB Jaylen Watson to a broken ankle and Joshua Williams is sidelined with a shoulder injury.
Nelson, 31, began his career as Kansas City’s third-round pick in 2015, playing four seasons with the Chiefs before moving on to the Steelers for two seasons, one year with the Eagles and the past two for the Texans.
In his nine NFL seasons, Nelson played 130 games and started 115, nabbing 13 interceptions, two forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.
49ers unsure about Guerendo
49ers running back Isaac Guerendo sustained a foot sprain in Sunday’s win over the Bears, and his status is now up in the air for Thursday night’s matchup with the Rams. With both Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason on IR, it could get tough for the 49ers.
“We’ll evaluate him over the next few days and see if he’s got a shot,” Kyle Shanahan said.
Isaac Guerendo sustained a foot injury in Sunday’s win over the Bears. (Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)
Aidan O’Connell diagnosed with bone bruise in left knee
Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell has a bone bruise in his left knee, tests revealed. That’s not as serious an issue as Las Vegas feared, and O’Donnell hopes to play in Week 15’s Monday night matchup versus the Falcons.
Tests on QB Aidan O’Connell’s knee today revealed a bone bruise and he would like to try to play Monday night vs. the Falcons, per source.
O’Connell was originally carted off the field with his left leg in an air cast in Week 14’s game against the Buccaneers. The QB was shoved to the turf by Calijah Kancey while scrambling and throwing. Initial concerns were that O’Connell may have suffered a season-ending injury.
In six games (four starts) this season, O’Connell has thrown for 899 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions, completing 63% of his passes.
Panthers RB Jonathon Brooks tears ACL again
Three games into his comeback from a torn ACL, Carolina Panthers rookie running back suffered the injury once again.
Brooks tore the ACL in his right knee during Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles. He will miss the rest of the season.
The 21-year-old Brooks, the Panthers’ second-round pick in 2024, first tore his ACL in college with Texas on Nov. 11, 2023. He did not make his NFL debut until over a year later on Nov. 23, 2024
He played in three games this season, picking up 22 rushing yards on nine carries.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – DECEMBER 8: Jonathon Brooks #24 of the Carolina Panthers in action against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on December 8, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Steelers WR George Pickens diagnosed with grade 2 hamstring strain
Pickens was a surprise late scratch before Sunday’s win over the Cleveland Browns with a hamstring injury.
According to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor, the third-year wideout is dealing with a grade 2 hamstring strain. His status for the Steelers’ Week 15 game against the Philadelphia Eagles is unknown.
Pickens has 850 receiving yards and three touchdowns this season
The Steelers are in first place in the AFC North with a 10-3 record, two games ahead of the Baltimore Ravens, who they will meet in Week 16.
CINCINNATI, OHIO – DECEMBER 01: George Pickens #14 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates in the fourth quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on December 01, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Buccaneers to be without DB Antoine Winfield Jr. for a few weeks
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles said the 2023 All-Pro is dealing with a sprained knee. Winfield Jr. has 60 total tackles and two sacks in nine games played this season.
Tampa remains fourth in the NFC playoff picture with a 7-6 record atop the NFC South.
Bowles says Antoine Winfield has a sprained knee (fixed) and will miss “a couple” of games.
Drew Lock, who was 21-for-49 for 227 yards in Sunday’s loss to the New Orleans Saints, will remain the team’s starter as long as he healthy, head coach Brian Daboll said on Monday.
Lock has started the past two games for the 2-11 Giants. They finish the regular season with the Baltimore Ravens, Atlanta Falcons, Indianapolis Colts, and Philadelphia Eagles.
Drew Lock will be the Giants quarterback this week, assuming he’s healthy, per Brian Daboll.
Lock getting more testing now. Said yesterday he’s got a “couple bumps and bruises.” Daboll said Lock is sore.
Josh Allen made fantasy, NFL history in Bills’ loss to Chiefs
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen speaks to reporters following an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. The Rams won 44-42. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Josh Allen did just about everything possible to lift the Buffalo Bills to a win on Sunday afternoon.
While it wasn’t enough to lead them past the Los Angeles Rams, Allen set multiple NFL records in the process.
Allen accounted for six total touchdowns in the Bills’ wild 44-42 loss to the Rams at SoFi Stadium. He threw three touchdown passes in the loss and ran in three touchdowns himself. He’s now the first player in NFL history to rack up three passing and three rushing touchdowns in a single game.
Allen also finished the day with a ridiculous 51.88 fantasy football points. That’s an all-time record for a quarterback in a single game in Yahoo Fantasy history.
More Week 14: Kirk Cousins decision defined Falcons vs. Vikings
Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins returned to Minnesota on Sunday for the first time since signing with Atlanta. It quickly became awkward as Vikings QB Sam Darnold threw five touchdowns and definitively outplayed Cousins, who threw two interceptions while the Vikings nailed down a 42-21 blowout win.
Despite six teams relaxing on their bye week, the games played on Sunday were action packed. Here’s what you need to know.
Jets out of postseason after loss to Dolphins: The Jets lost to the Dolphins in Miami (again), which means they’ve been eliminated from the playoffs (again). Their playoff drought now enters its 14th season.
Eagles barely survive upstart Panthers: The Eagles won on Sunday, but the Panthers and their QB Bryce Young made it difficult for them. Carolina might have something going in these late weeks.
Panthers rookie RB may have another knee injury: RB Jonathon Brooks returned several weeks ago from a torn ACL, but he may be looking at another stint on injured reserve after being carted off Sunday.
Raiders QB carted off with air cast on leg: The Raiders lost to the Buccaneers, but they may have lost more than just a game: QB Aidan O’Connell was carted off with an air cast on his leg following a late hit that wasn’t flagged.
