Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown called for unity after Damar Hamlin's on-field cardiac arrest on Monday, while also praising the "extraordinary" emergency response.

Buffalo Bills safety Hamlin collapsed after tackling Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins in the first quarter of the game, slumping to the turf having momentarily made his way back to his feet.

CPR was administered to Hamlin on the field before he was taken away by ambulance, with a representative saying on Tuesday Hamlin was "fighting" to recover.

Hamlin has been described as being in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, and Brown joined those giving their best wishes to the 24-year-old.

Brown said in a statement: "First and foremost, the Bengals continue to send thoughts and prayers to Damar Hamlin and his family. 

"Our hearts are with everyone in this unprecedented time – what we can do is support one another.

"Last night was supposed to be a great night for the NFL and a great showcase for our hometown. Instead, the human side of our sport became paramount… and in that moment, humanity and love rose to the forefront.

"The Bengals are thankful for the love and compassion shown by all. Praying for Damar."

Brown also hailed the medical response to Hamlin's collapse, which led to the game being suspended with the Bengals 7-3 ahead.

He added: "As medical personnel undertook extraordinary measures, both teams demonstrated respect and compassion while fans in the stadium and people around the country bolstered the support for Damar and love for each other."

Journalist Marshall Kramsky described the "bone-chilling experience" of being in the stadium as Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest in Monday's game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals.

Kramsky, who covers the Bengals, was reporting on the fixture at the Paycor Stadium.

The game was suspended after 24-year-old Hamlin, who as of Tuesday was in critical condition in a Cincinnati hospital, collapsed on the field.

Hamlin received emergency treatment, including CPR, before he was transported from the stadium in an ambulance.

"I've never seen a stretcher come out so fast. I'm a former athlete myself and in my journalism career or in my sports career, I've never seen such quick action," Kramsky told Stats Perform.

"We heard the mics of the players, [Bengals running back] Joe Mixon screaming 'check him out, check him out!' after Damar Hamlin got up and collapsed.

"The players were immediately extremely emotional. I've never seen so many players crying, adult men hysterical. The ambulance comes out shortly after, CPR is going on for about 10 minutes, the AD defibrillator, that's being used. They're shocking his heart back to life.

"And then, not a fan left the stadium. Everyone and every player was still on the field kneeling, praying or crying."

The NFL eventually elected to suspend the game, though Kramsky never had any doubt it would be called off.

"This game was over as soon as he went down, which is crazy because that doesn't happen in professional sports," he added.

"The NFL took a while to make their decision. But it wasn't like they really made it, it was never a decision. It was just a matter of getting through the appropriate rungs.

"They're seeing the players, Joe Burrow the Bengals quarterback went into the Bills locker room later on. I saw Josh Allen extremely teary-eyed going into the Bengals locker room. It was emotional. Nobody really processing it, because how do you? 

"It was a bone-chilling experience in the stadium. Players were still there until past one o'clock in the morning. It was a crazy night."

Kramsky was at least able to take some solace in the fact that fans of both teams, and from across the sporting world, have united behind Hamlin.

Having been drafted by the Bills in 2021, Hamlin established the Chasing M Foundation Community Toy Drive, and the fund raiser had received over $3million in donations in the wake of the incident.

"Tragedy brings people together and sports brings people together," Kramsky said.

"Yes, incredible. Unfortunately, not surprising, because it takes tragedy for this to happen. And it has brought people together.

"If you look at his GoFundMe for his toy drive, it had for over two years less than $3,000 raised. There's over $3million raised now.

"So yeah, as soon as that stretcher came out football became secondary. No one cared, it was all about Damar Hamlin and his family. And people did come together.

"Bills fans and Bengals fans are coming with candles praying, standing outside the stadium, outside the hospital. It's been a nice experience in that regard."

Damar Hamlin's cardiac arrest is an important reminder for sports organisations and leagues to "reinvigorate their protocols" in order to react as quickly as possible for "life-saving opportunities".

The 24-year-old Buffalo Bills safety collapsed on the field during Monday's NFL clash against the Cincinnati Bengals, with the incident occurring during the first quarter at the Paycor Stadium.

Hamlin remained down for over 10 minutes as CPR was administered on the field, before he was loaded into a waiting ambulance and transferred to the University of Cincinnati medical facility. He has been described as being in a critical condition.

Speaking to Stats Perform, Dr Benjamin Abella MD, Professor of Emergency Medicine and Director at the Center for Resuscitation Science, said the NFL and organisers for the 2026 men's football World Cup, of which the USA is a co-host. will be constantly working on ways to improve reactions to medical emergencies on the field.

"There are important lessons for professional sports in all of this. We can also mention Grant Wahl, the journalist who died in Qatar recently. Now his situation may have been more complicated," he added.

"But in all of these cases, the presence of CPR-trained individuals, and importantly, the rapid availability of automated external defibrillators is crucial.

"With the World Cup coming to the US in some time, they will have to think very carefully about emergency action plans and the availability of AEDs. I think the NFL continues to address this and think about this, and rightfully so.

"It's quite a challenge when you have a massive venue if a cardiac arrest occurs in the stands, if it occurs on the field, how do you rapidly get a defibrillator and rescue team to the victim? It's not a simple problem.

"But it's something that sports leagues and sports venues need to constantly train for and reinvigorate their protocols for because life-saving opportunities are there. It's all a matter of the logistics and the timing of it."

Dr Abella explained the general public can also be educated on how to swiftly provide assistance when cardiac arrest occurs.

"Cardiac arrest is one of the most time-sensitive diseases in all of medicine, it turns out that the chance of surviving cardiac arrest falls by 10 to 15 per cent for every minute without CPR.

"So, it's a very dramatic and unfortunate condition that requires immediate action. This is especially important for the public to be aware of because everyone can do something, if they see someone collapse in cardiac arrest, they can provide CPR.

"The other key action is the use of an automated external defibrillator AED, which is now present in so many places, gyms, airports, train stations, restaurants.

"Through CPR and the use of AED, survival from cardiac arrest is not guaranteed, but the chance of survival is much improved."

Dr Abella detailed the key steps that will be taken in Hamlin's treatment.

"After initial recovery from cardiac arrest, where his heart is now beating, and he's moving blood, it's still a very tenuous, dangerous time for him," he said.

"In the days following cardiac arrest, there's a race to save the brain and improve organ function. A number of things are done in the hospital, generally in the ICU, and there are really three main things that will be taking place over the next few days.

"One is the use of a treatment modality known as targeted temperature management or TTM, which is an approach of carefully and precisely maintaining certain body temperatures for therapeutic gain. Generally, patients are cooled, and their body temperature is lowered modestly, which has actually been shown to improve brain recovery after cardiac arrest.

"Another key thing that almost certainly is being done is very, very careful management of blood pressure. If the blood pressure falls in a patient after cardiac arrest, and it tends to do so, this can be dangerous, because we need to maintain blood flow to the brain.

"So critical care physicians will be working carefully to monitor and manage his blood pressure with medicines and other things.

"The third important thing is going to be neurologic assessment. This is, I think, the part that's going to be hardest for all of us to watch because it generally takes two, three, four or five days, it takes a while. And we do this through recording of brainwaves, and also through imaging of the brain."

Tom Brady said the trauma being experienced by Damar Hamlin and the Buffalo Bills puts NFL careers into perspective.

Bills safety Hamlin suffered an on-field cardiac arrest during Monday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals and was said by a representative on Tuesday to be "fighting" to recover.

Hamlin has been described as being in a critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, with team-mates and opponents calling for prayers for the 24-year-old's recovery.

The incident occurred when Hamlin made a tackle on Bengals receiver Tee Higgins in the first quarter, and after briefly returning to his feet, he slumped to the ground.

He was attended to on the field before being taken away by ambulance, with the game suspended while the Bengals were 7-3 ahead with 5:58 remaining in the first period.

Seven-time Super Bowl winner Brady, still playing as a 45-year-old with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, said: "We're praying for Damar and his family this morning in Tampa. Moments like this put into perspective what it means to play this game we love."

The quarterback great added: "Thankful for our communities in Cincinnati and Buffalo for the overwhelming level of care and support I know they’ll continue to provide."

Jordon Rooney, a marketing representative for Hamlin, told Good Morning America on Tuesday: "I can't speak specifically on his medical condition. I will say that he's fighting, he's a fighter. The family is in good spirits. We're honestly just taking it minute by minute, hour by hour."

He later released a statement from Hamlin's family that said that they wanted "to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support showed to Damar during this challenging time".

"We are deeply moved by the prayers, kind words, and donations from fans around the country," the family added.

The family statement praised the first responders and medics "who have provided exceptional care to Damar", adding: "We feel so blessed to be part of the Buffalo Bills organisation and to have their support. We also want to thank coach [Zac] Taylor and the Bengals for everything they've done.

"Your generosity and compassion mean the world to us. Please keep Damar in your prayers. We will release updates as soon as we have them."

The NFL Referees Association (NFLRA) has commended the rapid response of medical staff who treated Damar Hamlin, and fully backed the suspension of the game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals.

Hamlin collapsed on the field during Monday's game, with his team the Bills subsequently confirming the 24-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest.

He was given CPR on the field before being transported by ambulance to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he is in a critical condition.

As stars from across the sporting world, particularly in the United States, offered their thoughts and prayers, the NFLRA lauded the swift action of the emergency responders at the Paycor Stadium.

"On behalf of the NFL officials working the Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals game last night we offer our thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery for Damar Hamlin," a statement said.

"Additionally, we commend the emergency medical staff and doctors who quickly responded on the field to Damar's serious health issue."

The organisation also fully supported the decision to suspend the game.

"Like the players and coaches, our officials fully supported the suspension of this game as all attention needed to be focused on Damar's health," the statement concluded.

Damar Hamlin had the American sporting community rooting for him after the Buffalo Bills safety suffered an on-field cardiac arrest, as team-mate Josh Allen pleaded: "Please pray for our brother."

Hamlin was in a critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, having collapsed during Monday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Hamlin made a tackle on Bengals receiver Tee Higgins in the first quarter, and after briefly returning to his feet, he slumped to the ground.

He was administered CPR on the field, before being loaded into a waiting ambulance and rushed away.

Amid harrowing scenes, the game was suspended while the Bengals were leading 7-3 with 5:58 remaining in the first period.

Allen led the call for prayer for Hamlin, with well-wishers from across sport, entertainment and politics also sending thoughts and best wishes.

Former Chargers and Saints quarterback Drew Brees wrote on Twitter: "Damar Hamlin represents every one of us and every team-mate we've ever had.

"I've never met him, but I know him as a member of our brotherhood. My family and I pray for him and his family as he recovers. God be with him."

Michael Vick and Patrick Mahomes also said they were praying for Hamlin, the latter adding: "Please be okay man."

Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill added: "Praying for Damar Hamlin, his family and everyone in Buffalo... no words for a situation like this."

The NFL said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with Damar, his family and the Buffalo Bills."

Arizona Cardinals defensive end J.J. Watt said: "The game is not important. Damar Hamlin’s life is important. Please be ok. Please."

From basketball, the NBA said: "The entire NBA family's thoughts and prayers are with Damar Hamlin, his family and the NFL community."

That was reflected in post-game comments from a number of leading stars after Monday's NBA action, with Lakers superstar LeBron James saying: "My thoughts and super prayers goes up to the skies above for that kid's family, for him, for that brotherhood of the NFL and everybody a part of the NFL family."

James said it was "definitely the right call" to abandon the game for the night.

He said of the incident: "It was a terrible thing to see and I wish nothing but the best for that kid, for the city of Buffalo, for the franchise of the Bills and like I said, for the rest of the NFL as well and also the Bengals that was there and playing in that game."

Klay Thompson, from the Golden State Warriors, added: "As athletes, sometimes the game can overshadow us as individuals or people.

"On behalf of the organisation, we wish him the best. We're keeping him in our prayers and hoping for the best possible outcome. He's a tremendous person and it's bigger than the sport."

Hollywood actor Ben Stiller, a big sports fan, wrote: "Sending good thoughts and prayers to Damar Hamlin and his family."

Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani said: "Our prayers are with Damar Hamlin."

Amid the focus on Hamlin's plight, there was a surge in donations to a Christmas fundraiser the Bills star organised in 2020, to raise money to buy toys for children hit hard by the pandemic.

The fundraiser's target had been $2,500, but its running tally passed $3million by the early hours of Tuesday.

The Buffalo Bills announced 24-year-old safety Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest during Monday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

It occurred in the first quarter after Hamlin made a tackle on Bengals receiver Tee Higgins, and after briefly returning to his feet, he collapsed.

Hamlin remained down for over 10 minutes as he was administered CPR on the field, before being loaded into a waiting ambulance and rushed to a nearby hospital.

The Bills' statement read: "Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit in our game versus the Bengals. 

"His heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment. He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition."

The game was suspended while the Bengals were leading 7-3 with 5:58 remaining in the first period.

Monday's fixture between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals has been officially suspended after Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field and was taken away in an ambulance.

Hamlin, 24, had made a tackle on Bengals receiver Tee Higgins, and after briefly returning to his feet, he collapsed.

He remained down for over 10 minutes, and was seen receiving CPR before being loaded into an ambulance and taken to a local hospital.

All players and team personnel returned to the locker room and over an hour passed before the NFL decided to officially call off the rest of the night's proceedings.

A statement from the league confirmed Hamlin is in "critical condition".

It read: "Tonight’s Buffalo Bills-Cincinnati Bengals game has been postponed after Buffalo Bills' Damar Hamlin collapsed, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced.

"Hamlin received immediate medical attention on the field by team and independent medical staff and local paramedics. He was then transported to a local hospital where he is in critical condition.

"Our thoughts are with Damar and the Buffalo Bills. We will provide more information as it becomes available.

"The NFL has been in constant communication with the NFL Players Association which is in agreement with postponing the game."

The game was called off halfway through the first quarter with the Bengals leading 7-3.

Monday's game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals has been temporarily suspended after a scary situation unfolded as safety Damar Hamlin collapsed and was taken off the field in an ambulance.

The incident occurred during the first quarter, after Hamlin made a tackle on Bengals receiver Tee Higgins. He briefly returned to his feet, before collapsing.

He remained down for over 10 minutes as ESPN's broadcast reported he was receiving emergency CPR before being loaded onto a stretcher and into a waiting ambulance.

The game was temporarily suspended with the Bengals leading 7-3, with both teams heading back to the locker room as they anxiously await an update on Hamlin's health.

The 2022 NFL season heads into its final two weeks with battles for the postseason and for playoff seeding set to go right to the wire.

Nine teams have already clinched their place in the postseason, and there are seven teams with clinching scenarios in Week 17.

That should make for a fascinating slate of games in which the finer details that often prove decisive will be even more critical.

In a week where so many have so much to play for, Stats Perform has picked out the biggest games of the week and used its advanced data to break down the key matchups that could settle their outcomes.

Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Win Probability: Buccaneers 72.9 per cent

Key Matchup: Panthers' run game vs. Tampa Bay defense

The Buccaneers know the task in front of them at Raymond James Stadium: win and, despite an extremely underwhelming season, and they are in the playoffs as champions of the dismal NFC South.

Lose and the Panthers will have the lead of the division with the tiebreaker over Tampa Bay heading into the final week of the regular season.

Carolina stunningly prevailed 21-3 over Tampa Bay in Week 7 and the key to that win will again likely determine whether the Panthers can complete the sweep.

The Panthers averaged 6.4 yards per rush in that victory and head into this game on the back of racking up 320 yards on the ground in a dominant win over the Detroit Lions.

While Carolina had success running the ball against Tampa Bay in the previous meeting, the Buccaneers remain one of the better teams in the NFL defending the ground game. Indeed, their run success rate allowed of 33.7 per cent is tied for the fourth-best in the NFL.

If the Bucs can take away the Carolina ground game and force Sam Darnold to win the game on his arm, Tampa Bay figure to be excellently positioned to claim victory and the fourth seed in the NFC playoffs.

Minnesota Vikings @ Green Bay Packers

Win Probability: Vikings 56.3 per cent

Key Matchup: Justin Jefferson vs. Jaire Alexander

Way back in Week 1, the Vikings cruised to a 23-7 win over the Packers that set the tone for hugely contrasting seasons. The Vikings have usurped the Packers as the dominant force in the NFC North, though each of their 11 wins since the season-opening defeat of Green Bay have been by one score.

Though the Vikings' ability to close out tight games has been extremely impressive, their inability to put teams away earlier gives them an air of vulnerability that Green Bay will look to exploit as the 7-8 Packers aim to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Still looking over their shoulders at the hottest team in football, the San Francisco 49ers, in the race for the second seed in the NFC, and within touching distance of the Philadelphia Eagles in the fight for the one seed, the Vikings have no shortage of motivation to make it two wins out of two against their biggest rivals this season.

Their simplest route to claiming a comfortable win over the Packers is to feed the man who shredded Green Bay in the season opener. Justin Jefferson had nine catches for 184 yards and two touchdowns in that contest and has continued to embellish his resume as arguably the best wide receiver in football in 2022.

No receiver in the NFL has more receptions of 20 yards or more than Jefferson's 27 this season, and the Packers will be desperate to try to limit his impact at Lambeau Field.

The debate in Week 1 surrounded whether the Packers should have had cornerback Jaire Alexander shadow Jefferson and he will surely look to match up with the Vikings star this time around.

While not performing at his All-Pro level of 2020, Alexander is 23rd among outside cornerbacks with at least 200 coverage snaps for burn rate, which measures how often a receiver wins his matchup with a defender on a play where he is targeted. Alexander has allowed receivers to win their matchup on 33 of his 72 targets for a burn rate of 45.9 per cent.

Jefferson will still fancy he can get the better of Alexander and, coming off a strong performance against the Miami Dolphins, the latter's ability to contain one of the NFL's premier offensive weapons may have a significant bearing on whether the Packers are playing postseason football in the second full week of January.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Buffalo Bills

Win Probability: Bills 61.5 per cent

Key Matchup: Joe Burrow vs. Buffalo pass rush

The Bengals and Bills square off in one of the most significant Monday Night Football games in recent memory with both teams firmly in the mix for the one seed in the AFC.

Defeat for the Bills would likely give the Kansas City Chiefs, who face the Denver Broncos on Sunday, top spot going into Week 18, but it would also see the Bengals leapfrog them and put Cincinnati in position to potentially host two home playoff games. The Bengals also hold the tiebreaker over the Chiefs but are a game back on Kansas City.

Even with a win in Buffalo, the Bengals would likely need help from the Las Vegas Raiders against the Chiefs in Week 18 to top the AFC. Their path to keeping those hopes alive with victory in Orchard Park surrounds the man who propelled Cincinnati to the Super Bowl last season, Joe Burrow.

Though the Bengals' offensive line has improved this year, it still ranks 24th in pass block win rate. Buffalo's defense, missing Von Miller following his season-ending knee injury, is fourth in pass rush win rate.

It is a mismatch on paper, but one Burrow can negate with his ability to get the ball out quickly and accurately.

Only Tom Brady (2.35 seconds) has a quicker average time to throw from snap to release than Burrow (2.45 seconds) among quarterbacks with at least 200 pass attempts, and the Cincinnati quarterback has again been devastatingly accurate with his ball placement. He has delivered an accurate, well-thrown ball on 87.5 per cent of attempts, the third-best ratio in the league (min. 200 throws).

Burrow is a quarterback who in his still young pro career has shone while under the biggest spotlights. Both he and a Buffalo defense minus the player recruited in the offseason to help put the Bills over the top, will hope to prove they are ready to deliver in the pressure cooker of the playoffs by producing a decisive performance in a game that will go a long way to deciding how complicated each team's path becomes.

A host of teams can start 2023 on a high note by clinching an NFL playoff place in an eagerly awaited Week 17.

There are also divisional titles to be won on New Year's Day, with Tom Brady's Tampa Bay Buccaneers within touching distance of winning the NFC South ahead of a clash against the Carolina Panthers.

The Seattle Seahawks and the New York Jets lock horns scenting a spot in the postseason, while the Miami Dolphins could seal a playoff berth when they do battle with the New England Patriots.

Here Stats Perform used its data to preview the biggest games with plenty at stake at the beginning of a new year.

SUNDAY (all times EST)

Panthers (6-9) at Buccaneers (7-8) 1pm

The Buccaneers can clinch the NFC South title for a second straight season if they beat the Panthers, a feat they have never previously achieved.

After a 21-3 win in Week 7, the Panthers are going for the season sweep of the Buccaneers for the first time since 2017. That was also the last season they made the playoffs.

Tampa Bay beat the Arizona Cardinals 19-16 in their final game of 2022. The Buccaneers have scored 21 or fewer points in all seven of their wins this season. 

Carolina overcame the Detroit Lions 37-23 in Week 16 behind 320 yards rushing and 250 yards passing. They were the first NFL team with 300 rush yards and 250 pass yards in a game since the San Francisco 49ers in Week 12, 2012.

Jets (7-8) at Seahawks (7-8) 4.05pm

The Seahawks have dominated the Jets in recent years, winning all four games against them since 2005 and conceding only 30 points in the process. That is just 7.5 points per game, which is the fewest allowed by any NFL team against a single opponent over that time.

Pete Carroll is in his 17th season as an NFL head coach and has never missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons. The Seattle boss is the only head coach in NFL history to coach at least 15 seasons in the league and never have consecutive seasons in which he did not lead his team to the playoffs.

DK Metcalf has had at least five receptions in eight straight games, tied with John L. Williams (1989-90) and Brian Blades (1995) for the longest streak in Seahawks franchise history.

The Jets are allowing 10.8 fewer points per game than they did last season (29.6 to 18.8), on pace to be the second-largest season-to-season improvement in the NFL in the past 40 years behind the 2000-01 Rams (29.4 to 17.1, -12.3). 

Dolphins (8-7) @ Patriots (7-8) - 1pm

New England are due a win over the Dolphins, who have beaten them in four consecutive games - the last of which was a 20-7 success in Week 1.

Miami are the only team to beat the Patriots four times in a row since Bill Belichick took over as head coach of the Patriots in 2000. With a loss this week, Miami would join Tennessee as the only teams this season with a winning streak of at least five games and a losing streak of at least five games.

Tua Tagovailoa posted a career-high 12.4 yards per pass attempt in last week's loss to the Green Bay Packers. It was the highest yards-per-attempt in a loss by a starting Dolphins quarterback in team history. He misses out this week due to concussion, though, so Teddy Bridgewater steps in.

New England’s comeback bid fell short in a 22-18 loss to the Bengals last week. The Patriots have lost nine straight games when trailing after three quarters, with only the Panthers (41 straight losses) and Seahawks (13 straight) having longer active streaks.

MONDAY

Bills (12-3) @ Bengals (11-4) - 8.30pm

The Bills know they will get a first-round bye in the playoffs if they see off the Bengals and the Kansas City Chiefs lose to the Denver Broncos. Following Cincinnati's win over the Bills in the 1988 AFC Championship Game, the Bills won 10 straight in this series. Since then, Cincinnati are 4-2 against Buffalo, with the most recent meeting resulting in a 21-17 Buffalo win in Week 3, 2019.

The Bills beat the Bears 35-13 in Chicago last week, extending their winning run to six games. Buffalo have scored at least 20 points in each of those wins – they have just two longer streaks of wins with 20+ points – a nine-game streak in 1964 and a seven-game streak in 1990.

The Bengals' road win over the Patriots extended their winning streak to seven games, one shy of tying the franchise record of eight – achieved in the first eight games of the 2015 season (also an eight-game streak spanning the 1970 and 1971 seasons).

Joe Burrow had 375 passing yards last week, his second-highest total of the season. It was his seventh career game with at least 350 passing yards, fourth most in the NFL since 2020 behind Tom Brady (13), Patrick Mahomes (12) and Josh Allen (9). 

Elsewhere...

The Denver Broncos start life after Nathaniel Hackett with a tough trip to take on the Kansas City Chiefs in their first game since the head coach's firing. The Chiefs have won 14 straight games against the Broncos dating back to the 2015 season. Just five teams in NFL history have beaten another team 15 times in a row, with the last team to do so being the Patriots against the Bills from 2003 to 2010.  

The Philadelphia Eagles host the New Orleans Saints knowing they can clinch the NFC East and the number one seed in their conference with a win.

The Eagles are 11-3 (.786) all-time at home against the Saints, which includes an active three-game winning streak. That is the Eagles' third-best home record against any opponent all-time (3-0 versus the Texans and 6-1 versus the Broncos). 

A playoff place is in the New York Giants' sights as they prepare to take on the Indianapolis Colts. 

The Colts have won four straight games against the Giants, with the most recent win coming in Week 16 of 2018 with a 28-27 home victory.

There appears to be no stopping the San Francisco 49ers, who can win a ninth game in a row when they take on the Las Vegas Raiders. The 49ers are the only NFL team in the Super Bowl era to win eight straight games in a single season while holding their opponents to fewer than 80 rushing yards in each victory.

Starting right tackle for the Cincinnati Bengals La'el Collins suffered a torn ACL and MCL during Saturday's win against the New England Patriots.

Collins, 29, was enjoying a strong first season with the Bengals after spending his first six years with the Dallas Cowboys.

He started all 15 games up to this point after being brought in to stabilise Joe Burrow's protection, and it has been the first of Burrow's three seasons where he has averaged fewer than three sacks per game.

The Bengals are currently one of the hottest teams in the NFL, riding a seven-game winning streak with nine victories from their past 10 outings, but the loss of Collins will undoubtedly be a massive blow.

According to Enquirer's Kelsey Conway, the team's initial on-field ACL exam appeared to indicate he had not suffered a tear, but an ensuing MRI produced much more dire results.

They finish their season with home games against the Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens, but with a playoff berth already secured, the priority will now be to reach the postseason as healthy as possible.

The Buffalo Bills overturned a half-time deficit to defeat the Chicago Bills 35-13 on Saturday and clinch the AFC East title.

The freezing conditions in Chicago gave this the feel of a home game for the Bills, but they were far from comfortable early on and threatened to blow their lead in the race for home-field advantage in the AFC.

Josh Allen responded to Justin Fields' opening touchdown drive by leading Buffalo down the field and completing a 19-yard TD pass to Gabe Davis.

But the Bills missed the PAT, and the only score for the remainder of the half was a successful Bears field goal, giving Chicago a 10-6 lead through two quarters.

The hopes of the Bears – and the Bills' AFC rivals – were quickly dashed in the second half, however, as Devin Singletary dashed in from 33 yards and then James Cook followed him from 27 yards for a second score in double-quick time either side of a Chicago fumble.

An unconvincing Allen display, which included two interceptions and a recovered fumble, kept the Bears in contention, yet they could not capitalise.

And the Bills QB finished in more familiar fashion with a rushing score and a TD pass to Dawson Knox in the closing stages as Buffalo took another step towards the first seed.

Bills feel the heat in AFC

The pressure had been on the Bills because there never appeared any possibility of the Kansas City Chiefs not defeating the stumbling Seattle Seahawks. A 24-10 victory was Patrick Mahomes' first against the Seahawks, meaning the Indianapolis Colts are the only team he has now played but not beaten.

The Cincinnati Bengals also remain in contention at the top of the AFC after a dominant first half against the New England Patriots. Joe Burrow completed 28 passes – a season high for any QB in any half – for 284 yards and three touchdowns before half-time, meaning the Bengals could just about withstand a second-half pick six in a 22-18 win.

The Patriots' defeat meant the Baltimore Ravens clinched their playoff berth with a 17-9 defeat of the Atlanta Falcons.

Another manic Minnesota finish

Having claimed a record-breaking comeback win last week, the Minnesota Vikings had to hold off a rally from the New York Giants, who tied the game late on. However, a 40-yard field goal from Greg Joseph had defeated the Colts, and he topped that effort with a 61-yard conversion as time expired for a 27-24 Vikings victory.

The Detroit Lions, Minnesota's NFC North rivals, saw their three-game winning run ended by the Carolina Panthers. Both the Panthers and the New Orleans Saints improved to 6-9, firmly in contention in the miserable NFC South.

We are firmly in the business end of the 2022 NFL season.

Seven teams have already clinched their place in the postseason and a further seven will join them in the final three weeks of the campaign.

This is the time of year when room for error is diminished in games that have a huge bearing on how the final playoff field shakes out.

As such, festive feeling will be thin on the ground for those teams playing in such encounters during this weekend's Christmas schedule who come up short.

So often, though, these contests are decided by the game within the game, and here Stats Perform looks at three of the most important Week 16 clashes and the personnel matchups that could decide them.

New England Patriots @ Cincinnati Bengals

Win Probability: Patriots 52.0 per cent

Key Matchup: Matthew Judon and Josh Uche vs. Bengals offensive line

The Patriots' hopes of claiming a Wild Card berth took a massive blow in bizarre circumstances last week as Jakobi Meyers' inexplicable last-second lateral landed in the grateful arms of Las Vegas Raiders pass rusher Chandler Jones, who stiff-armed Mac Jones into the turf and raced into the endzone to deny New England a chance of an overtime win.

At 7-7, they are still just a game behind the Miami Dolphins and must climb off the mat, though they are this week tasked with doing so against one of the hottest teams in football.

The 10-4 Bengals have a one-game edge over the Baltimore Ravens in the race for the AFC North division title, yet there is a matchup the Patriots can look to exploit in this one.

While Cincinnati's offensive line has improved in terms of preventing pressure on Joe Burrow, it remains in the bottom half of the NFL in pass block win rate, in which the Bengals rank 24th.

In Judon and Uche, the Patriots possess a pair of pass rushers who can cause the Cincinnati O-Line huge problems. Judon is second in the NFL in sacks (14.5), behind only Nick Bosa of the San Francisco 49ers, while Uche has 10.5, all of which have come across his last seven games.

Both Judon (40.08 per cent) and Uche (42.38 per cent) possess pass rush win rates way above the average for edge players of 28.74 per cent, and if they are at their best, they could help eradicate the advantage the Bengals have at quarterback and tilt the game in New England's favour.

Seattle Seahawks @ Kansas City Chiefs

Win Probability: Chiefs 80.4 per cent

Key Matchup: Seattle defensive backs vs. Chiefs receivers

Like the Patriots, the Seahawks' prospects of reaching the postseason are in significant jeopardy.

Their hopes of winning the NFC West are gone after the 49ers clinched the division title in Seattle by completing their first sweep of the Seahawks since 2011 in Week 15.

That leaves Seattle fighting for a Wild Card, and the odds are very much against them in this one against a Chiefs team who are in a battle for the AFC's one seed with the Buffalo Bills.

Part of the reason why the Seahawks are still in the mix is the play of their young but talented secondary, which ranks 13th in the NFL in pass coverage win rate according to Stats Perform's matchup data.

Rookie cornerback Tariq Woolen has enjoyed an outstanding first season for Seattle, with his combined open percentage allowed across man and zone coverage of 22.75 the seventh-best among corners with at least 100 total matchups.

The Chiefs' pass-catchers are 13th in terms of winning their coverage matchups in 2022, a year in which the loss of Tyreek Hill has undoubtedly had an impact.

Yet with 82.1 per cent of Patrick Mahomes' throws this season going to an open target, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid continues to excel at scheming receivers into space.

For the Seahawks to have any hope of pulling off a sizeable upset, their secondary must limit the chances for the Chiefs' receivers to enjoy such freedom.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys

Win Probability: Cowboys 59 per cent

Key Matchup: Eagles offensive line vs. Cowboys pass rush

This NFC East matchup may have lost some of its lustre with the Eagles needing a meltdown to surrender the division title to the Cowboys and Jalen Hurts out because of a shoulder injury.

But that should not take away from the true heavyweight fight this game provides in the trenches.

Micah Parsons may be losing ground in the Defensive Player of the Year race, but he remains the headline act for a defense that is first in the NFL in pass rush win rate.

That would normally give the Cowboys a clear edge in a matchup with every offensive line, but not with this one.

Philadelphia's O-line leads the league in pass block win rate, with the Eagles allowing a pressure rate of 32.9 per cent that is the fourth-best in the NFL.

The Eagles maintaining their strength up front against Parsons and Co. will obviously be critical to Philadelphia as they seek to overcome the absence of Hurts.

There is no substitute for the value Hurts brings in the run game, but the Cowboys' defense has shown enough vulnerability to suggest backup quarterback Gardner Minshew can have success against Dallas, provided the offensive line wins the battle up front and allows the Eagles to stay on schedule.

Tom Brady's assessment that the Bengals' defense is "fairly tough" was proven to be a significant understatement, and Cincinnati revelled in illustrating his misjudgement after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback turned the ball over three times in their Week 15 clash.

A 34-23 victory gave the visitors the last laugh in Tampa, a result that marked the first time in 90 games a Brady side lost a home game after leading by 17, and extended the Bengals winning streak to six games.

Prior to the game, Brady said on the SiriusXM 'Let's Go!' podcast that the Bengals possessed a "fairly tough" defense.

Though the comments were blown out of proportion in the days leading up to the game, they were not forgotten by the Bengals.

Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt poked fun at Brady, saying: "Hearing that from an old, savvy vet from him, we're a 'fairly tough defense,' with four turnovers, what would you say - tough as nails?"

Defensive tackle BJ Hill admitted the team's early performance fitted Brady's description, though he was delighted to quiet a chatty Bucs offense in the second half.

"That's how we played in the first half, I'm not going to lie to you. But we just came out in the second half and played our tails off," he told reporters.

"They really didn't say too much when we got up on them. I told them, 'Just wait until the second half.' I knew what we were going to do in the second half. And we did that."

For safety Jessie Bates III, the Bengals' defensive efforts had little to do so with Brady's comments.

"We don't really care about what people say. It is how it is, week in and week out. Somebody's going to say something. At the end of the day, they got to see us," he said.

The 10-4 Bengals hold a narrow lead over the Baltimore Ravens in the battle for the AFC North crown. Cincinnati face Baltimore in their final regular-season game on January 8.