The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have booked their ticket to the NFL playoffs with a win against the New Orleans Saints. The Cincinnati Bengals are also still hoping.
Although the “Bucs” had big problems finding their way into their playoff game, after a weak first half, the team around quarterback Baker Mayfield thawed out. In the end it was enough for a 27:19 (6:16) win, in which Mayfield contributed two touchdowns.
It was therefore clear that Tampa Bay would take part in the Wild Card Games with a record of 10:7 victories because the only competitor needed help in order to be able to overtake the Buccaneers. The Atlanta Falcons, who themselves lost their game against the Carolina Panthers 38:44 after overtime, would only have been able to take the last playoff spot in the NFC Conference if Tampa Bay had lost.
Momentous victory for the Patriots
The New England Patriots achieved only their fourth success of the season on the last day of the game; against the Buffalo Bills, who rested their starters for the playoffs, they scored 23:16 – which, however, has rather negative effects. Because of their success, the Patriots climbed from last to third-to-last in the overall NFL table and thus lost the right to be the first team to select a talent in this year’s draft.
But the evening wasn’t over for New England. Just a few hours after the game, the former Super Bowl series winner announced the firing of coach Jerod Mayo.
Bengals still have hope
On Saturday they had Cincinnati Bengals around quarterback Joe Burrow kept their playoff hopes alive with their fifth win in a row to end the NFL season. Cincinnati won among those who were weak at the end of the season Pittsburgh Steelers with 19:17 (13:7) and ended the regular season in the NFL with nine wins and eight defeats.
For the Pittsburgh Steelers, the season ended with their fourth defeat in a row. The team around quarterback Russell Wilson was already confirmed as a playoff participant.
The Bengals have to go after their strong final spurt in the Regular season but continue to hope that the competition will drop out: should they on Sunday evening Denver Broncos (Record of 9-7, against the Kansas City Chiefs) and the Miami Dolphins (8-8, against New York Jets) lose each of their games, Cincinnati would clinch the last available playoff spot in the AFC.
Ravens make title in the AFC North clear
The Baltimore Ravens secured the division title in the AFC North again on the last day of the game with an easy 35:10 win against the bottom of the division Cleveland Browns. Star quarterback Lamar Jackson finished the season with top marks.
With his 217 receiving yards against the Browns, he surpassed the 4,000-yard mark in the season, while at the same time he ran for 63 yards for a total of 915 yards of space. Of his 41 touchdowns, he only scored four so-called ones Interceptions. Jackson had already received the title of most valuable player in the NFL main round in the previous season.
The Ravens also secured third place in the AFC and will therefore face either the Los Angeles Chargers or the Pittsburgh Steelers.