The New Orleans Saints have emerged as a candidate to acquire Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr.

The Raiders granted Carr permission to speak with the Saints' front office and he will visit the team on Wednesday, according to multiple reports. It will be the first known meeting between Carr and a potential suitor.

Previous reporting indicated that the Raiders would only allow Carr to meet with teams willing to meet the team’s asking price in trade negotiations.

While there is reportedly no trade imminent, the visit firmly establishes New Orleans as a serious contender to land the nine-year veteran quarterback.

Carr, who has a no-trade clause, signed a three-year, $121.5million extension last April, but was benched for the final two games of the 2022 season in what was called a mutual decision.

Over $40m in Carr's contract becomes guaranteed on February 15, after which the four-time Pro Bowler would become cumbersome to trade.

The trigger date, which Carr has declined to renegotiate, forces the Raiders to urgently pursue a trade partner that both meets the team's asking price and pleases Carr enough to convince him to waive his no-trade clause.

The Saints are looking to improve a quarterback group that included Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton last season, with Taysom Hill continuing to take snaps as a gadget option.

New Orleans are projected to be well over the 2023 salary cap as currently constituted, and would need to restructure a number of contracts – including Carr's – if a trade were to materialise.

Saints coach Dennis Allen was the Raiders' head man in 2014 when the franchise drafted Carr in the second round and started him as a rookie.

The NFC emerged victorious to secure the first edition of the NFL's new Pro Bowl Games, defeating the AFC 35-33 in the final flag football contest.

In a new format, the NFL decided to scrap the traditional Pro Bowl game as the injury risk of a real football game led to a mediocre product in recent years, with players only going at half-speed.

Instead, they replaced it with a series of mini-games – including dodgeball, and a best catch contest utilising a trampoline – spread over multiple days.

The two teams competed in four events on Thursday, with the NFC only securing victory in the dodgeball event. For the AFC, Buffalo Bills safety Jordan Poyer's 320-yard bomb won the long drive competition, Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr guided them to victory in the precision passing, and the team combined to win the three-event lightning round.

That gave the AFC the lead heading into Sunday's finale, although the NFC trimmed into the margin when Detroit Lions receiver Amon Ra St. Brown won the best catch contest.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith delivered the winning touchdown pass to Dallas Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb with 12 seconds remaining to take the first of the three flag football games for the NFC, before the AFC won the next to force a decider.

In the second, Bills receiver Stefon Diggs caught the game-winning touchdown, but not before he accidentally threw an earlier interception to his brother, Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins was the hero in the final game, throwing passing touchdowns to team-mate Justin Jefferson as well as San Francisco 49ers pair George Kittle and Kyle Juszczyk to secure the victory.

NFC players received $84,000 each for taking part and coming away with the win, while AFC players earned $42,000.

The NFC emerged victorious to secure the first edition of the NFL's new Pro Bowl Games, defeating the AFC 35-33 in the final flag football contest.

In a new format, the NFL decided to scrap the traditional Pro Bowl game as the injury risk of a real football game led to a mediocre product in recent years, with players only going at half-speed.

Instead, they replaced it with a series of mini-games – including dodgeball, and a best catch contest utilising a trampoline – spread over multiple days.

The two teams competed in four events on Thursday, with the NFC only securing victory in the dodgeball event. For the AFC, Buffalo Bills safety Jordan Poyer's 320-yard bomb won the long drive competition, Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr guided them to victory in the precision passing, and the team combined to win the three-event lightning round.

That gave the AFC the lead heading into Sunday's finale, although the NFC trimmed into the margin when Detroit Lions receiver Amon Ra St. Brown won the best catch contest.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith delivered the winning touchdown pass to Dallas Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb with 12 seconds remaining to take the first of the three flag football games for the NFC, before the AFC won the next to force a decider.

In the second, Bills receiver Stefon Diggs caught the game-winning touchdown, but not before he accidentally threw an earlier interception to his brother, Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins was the hero in the final game, throwing passing touchdowns to team-mate Justin Jefferson as well as San Francisco 49ers pair George Kittle and Kyle Juszczyk to secure the victory.

NFC players received $84,000 each for taking part and coming away with the win, while AFC players earned $42,000.

The trophy every player in the NFL wants to lift will be hoisted in Arizona a week on Sunday, when the Kansas City Chiefs face the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII.

On the preceding Thursday, a host of players and coaches will receive recognition for their individual efforts at the annual NFL Honors ceremony.

The candidates for the awards are furiously debated throughout each season, though this year the field has been trimmed for each prize with the NFL releasing list of finalists for the first time.

In the case of MVP, the top two candidates are the quarterbacks facing off in the Super Bowl, with Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts also going head to head for the game's most illustrious award.

But who does Stats Perform's advanced data say should be the recipients of the prizes on offer at Symphony Hall in Phoenix? Here we name our award winners for 2022, including one not among the finalists who'll be on the red carpet next week.

MVP: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

Though these are regular-season awards, Mahomes' heroics on one leg in the AFC Championship Game were the perfect illustration of why he is the most valuable player in the league.

Even when physically impaired by a sprained ankle, Mahomes can produce magical plays through the air and on the ground in the biggest moments, and this season he has elevated a supporting cast shorn of the downfield threat of Tyreek Hill.

Only Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills averaged more yards over expected in true passing situations than Mahomes' 1.66 (minimum 100 such plays). Mahomes, though, had the edge in terms of accuracy, delivering a well-thrown ball on 82.1 per cent of his pass attempts, outperforming both Allen (79.7%) and Hurts (81).

Surpassing 5,000 passing yards and 40 passing touchdowns in a single season for the second time in his career, Mahomes was the best regular-season player in the NFL in 2022, and the reality is it wasn't especially close.

Offensive Player of the Year: Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders' acquisition of Adams in a blockbuster trade with the Packers did not produce the team results they desired in 2022, but individually his debut season with Las Vegas ranked as one of the finest of his career.

Adams' 14 receiving touchdowns led the NFL and, though his 1,516 receiving yards trailed Justin Jefferson and Tyreek Hill, his combined open percentage across man and zone coverage of 52.18 was superior to both Jefferson and Hill.

With 10 touchdown receptions of 20 yards or more in 2022, Adams was the NFL's most explosive receiving threat in a season where he once again reaffirmed his status as one of the finest route-runners of his generation. The Raiders may want to forget this season in a hurry, but Adams' campaign was one well worth remembering.

Defensive Player of the Year: Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs

This award will almost certainly go to Nick Bosa of the San Francisco 49ers next week, but there's a strong case for Jones as a more impactful defender on a down-to-down basis in 2022.

Indeed, Jones' pass rush win rate of 58 per cent and his run defense win rate of 72.7 per cent outstrip those of Bosa, who finished a season in which he led the NFL in sacks (18.5) with a pass rush win rate of 51.4 per cent and 63.6 per cent run block win rate.

Like his quarterback, Jones shines when the situation is at its most pressurised, with his ability to create pass rush working on the interior and off the edge making him a ceaseless nightmare for opposing offensive lines. If the Chiefs are celebrating under confetti in Arizona next Sunday, Jones will likely have been a big reason why.

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers

Sample size be damned! Purdy not only kept the 49ers afloat after Jimmy Garoppolo joined Trey Lance in heading to the sideline with a serious injury, but helped the offense improve as San Francisco won all five of his regular-season starts as part of a 10-game winning streak to end the 17-game campaign.

Albeit undoubtedly aided by the cavalcade of offensive talent at San Francisco's disposal and the play-calling of head coach Kyle Shanahan — Purdy threw to an open target on 84.7 per cent of his attempts — the last pick in the 2022 draft piloted at an offense that was remarkably efficient in expected passing situations.

Purdy averaged 1.2 yards over expected in true passing situations, fifth among quarterbacks with at least 100 such plays.

Other rookies may have played well for a longer period, but in terms of level of influence on his team's performance, no first year offensive player matches Purdy, who unfortunately now faces a long recovery after tearing an elbow ligament on the first offensive series of the Niners' NFC Championship Game loss in Philadelphia.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Sauce Gardner, New York Jets

Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner backed up his ostentatious nickname by quickly establishing himself as one of the league's premier defenders and a lockdown corner at the highest level.

Gardner lost just 19 of his 92 matchups in man coverage and 24 of his 92 in zone. His combined open percentage allowed of 18.8 was bettered by only four defenders across the  entire NFL.

In addition to his remarkably impressive coverage skills, Gardner showed a knack for finding the football in the air, registering a league-leading 20 pass breakups.

If he can improve on his interception tally of two, Gardner will be in the Defensive Player of the Year discussion in the coming years.

Comeback Player of the Year: Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks

From the forgotten man whose hopes of becoming a starter in the NFL looked to be over, to the most accurate quarterback in pro football.

Smith led all quarterbacks with at least 100 attempts with a well-thrown rate of 87.1 per cent, improbably guiding a Seahawks team that appeared to be rebuilding to a playoff berth.

The former New York Jet also had the best passer rating (125.8) on throws of at least 21 air yards among all signal-callers with at least 10 such attempts. Smith threw for 13 touchdowns and one interception on his 52 attempts of that distance.

Smith unexpectedly emerged as the answer at quarterback for the Seahawks in the wake of the Russell Wilson trade. With a better ecosystem around him in 2023, he could be the leading man for a true contender.

Coach of the Year: Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers

Brian Daboll and Doug Pederson deserve a great deal of credit for transforming also-rans into playoff teams in short order, while Nick Sirianni's case is an extremely compelling one after turning the Eagles into the favourite to win the Super Bowl next week.

But for a combination of overcoming adversity and leading a Super Bowl-contending team, no coach can compete with Shanahan.

Shanahan calmly navigated his team through the stormy waters of losing not one by two starting quarterbacks during the regular season, putting Purdy in a position to succeed, with the rookie's readiness and the support he received from the NFL's best defense a testament to the 49er head coach's ability to assemble a top-tier staff.

Winning 13 games, 15 when counting the pair of playoff victories, in the circumstances the 49ers faced on offense is a remarkable achievement. San Francisco finished the season first in overall Efficiency Versus Expected, doing so after being forced to turn to Purdy is a feat worthy of Coach of the Year recognition.

The Las Vegas Raiders have granted quarterback Derek Carr permission to speak with teams who have agreed to their trade demands.

Carr, 31, has spent his entire nine-season career with the Raiders, but he found himself benched for the final two weeks of a disappointing 6-11 campaign.

Something had to give in Vegas, and previous reports had indicated head coach Josh McDaniels would not be fired after the first season of his four-year contract, in part because the franchise can not afford another massive contract buy-out.

NBC Sports reported in November that the Raiders were still feeling the effects of their fallout with former head coach Jon Gruden, who signed a 10-year, $100million contract in 2018. He only completed three-and-a-half years before resigning when racist and misogynistic emails were unearthed, with the franchise settling the rest of his contract for an undisclosed figure.

With McDaniels sticking around, the other franchise-altering move the team can make is at the quarterback position, and to get Carr out of the way they have allowed the veteran to speak to clubs who have already met their demands for a potential trade.

Crucially, Carr's current contract includes a no-trade clause, which he said he would enforce if he deemed it necessary. This means the Raiders can not simply send him to the team with the strongest offer, as Carr will need to sign off on it.

Things could move quickly in the next 10 days, as his $40million guaranteed for this season will become triggered on February 15, or they could cut him and eat a relatively minor cap hit of $5.6m, while getting nothing in return.

Carr already bid farewell to Raiders fans in emotional social media post on January 13, making it exceedingly unlikely he remains on the roster beyond February 15.

After nine years with the Las Vegas Raiders, Derek Carr appears to heading elsewhere in 2023 after saying goodbye to the fans.

The quarterback only signed a three-year $121.5million extension in Las Vegas last year, though with an exit option included and a dead cap number of $5.6m if the team decided to cut or trade him before June 1, 2023.

Three-time Pro Bowler Carr was sidelined by Josh McDaniels for the final two games of the season, though the coach cited a desire to give younger players a longer look, with Las Vegas essentially eliminated from playoff contention and Jarrett Stidham coming in.

Posting a message to the "Raider Nation" on Twitter on Thursday, Carr said: "It breaks my heart I didn't get an opportunity to say goodbye in person.

"We certainly have been on a roller coaster in our nine years together. From the bottom of my heart, I am so grateful and appreciative of the years of support you gave to my family and me. We had our share of both heartbreaking moments and thrilling game winning drives, and it always felt like you were there next to me.

"It's especially hard to say goodbye because I can honestly say that I gave you everything I had, every single day, in season, and in the off season. It certainly wasn't perfect, but I hope that I was able to leave you with more than a few great memories as Raider fans."

The 31-year-old was intercepted three times as the Raiders were held to 201 total yards in his last outing, the 13-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and had been picked off nine times in his last six starts, completing 55 per cent or fewer of his pass attempts in four straight games for the first time in his career.

Carr compiled a 68.7 per cent completion rate over the course of the 2018 to 2021 seasons, second only to Drew Brees among quarterbacks with at least 1,000 pass attempts during that time frame.

Running back and free-agent-to-be Josh Jacobs would like to remain with the Las Vegas Raiders if the team is willing to offer him a contract he deems fair.

The Raiders drafted Jacobs late in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft but declined to pick up the fifth-year option on his rookie contract last offseason.

Jacobs on Monday stated that he is not looking to leave the Raiders.

"For me, it's got to make sense, but this is obviously where I want to be," Jacobs said a day after securing the 2022 NFL rushing title, finishing the season with 1,653 yards on the ground.

"Coming in, I remember sitting down with [defensive end] Maxx [Crosby] and all these guys and talking about the Raiders organisation and the culture and wanting to be part of the change.

"I still feel that way so, hopefully, I'll be back."

While Crosby, a fourth-round pick in 2019, received a four-year, $99million extension last offseason, the Raiders’ new regime of general manager Dave Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels have attempted to distance themselves from the decisions made by Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock from 2018-21.

Jacobs responded, however, with a career-best year, tallying over 2,000 yards from scrimmage and 12 total touchdowns.

"I mean, I guess it feels good," Jacobs said of his individual accomplishments this season. "I don't really feel no different. Obviously, it's a testament to the team and the guys that helped me along the way. So that's definitely dope to be able to experience it with them. But for me, personally, it's just, whatever. For real."

McDaniels, meanwhile, recognised that Jacobs’ performance stood out during an otherwise disappointing year for the Silver and Black.

"Obviously J.J's performance was a huge bright spot for us,” McDaniels said. “I have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for him as a person and as a player and he kind of embodies all the things that we want a Raider to be.

"Dave and I have talked about that; J.J. and I have had private conversations about those kinds of things. I think all that will play out in due time. But love him and would love to have him continue to be a Raider."

Head coach Andy Reid says the Kansas City Chiefs will enjoy a much-needed break after clinching the AFC's No.1 seed with their 31-13 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.

Reid secured the top seed for the sixth time as an NFL head coach, with the Chiefs beginning their postseason campaign with a divisional round game in a fortnight at Arrowhead Stadium.

There is uncertainty after that should the Chiefs progress to the AFC Championship Game which may be played at a neutral venue following the NFL's decision on the cancelled Buffalo Bills-Cincinnati Bengals game.

For now, Reid was delighted for his side to earn a break for the first time since their Week 8 bye as they aim for a second Super Bowl title in four seasons.

"I think it's a good thing," Reid told reporters about earning the top seed. "You've still got to take care of business. Our guys understand that.

"We'll give them a few days off next week and get them back in towards the end of the week and get some practice in there and start the regular week after that.

"Just take a step back and get yourself where you feel stronger and healthier, mentally and physically it's a good thing."

Reid was delighted with a strong display against the Raiders in a game where they were always in control, as Patrick Mahomes set the tone on the second play from scrimmage, a 67-yard completion to Justin Watson.

"We needed that," Reid said. "We really hadn't put it all together. I thought this was a good time - if I had to pick a time to do it, this was a good time to do it.

"We strive for it every week, but it seemed like it all kind of came together today, which is a plus."

MVP candidate Mahomes ended his regular-season with 5,614 total yards when he was removed in the final minutes, with 41 passing touchdowns and four rushing touchdowns.

"It's important," Mahomes said about earning the top seed. "Getting that bye, it's like winning a playoff game.

"Now we need to focus on watching tomorrow and this next week and seeing who we play and come up with our best football."

The Kansas City Chiefs clinched the number one seed in the AFC playoffs as Patrick Mahomes made history in an easy 31-13 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.

With Monday's game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals cancelled following the cardiac arrest suffered by Bills safety Damar Hamlin, the Chiefs knew they could clinch the top seed with a victory in Las Vegas.

Mahomes set the tone on the second play from scrimmage, a 67-yard completion to Justin Watson, which was soon followed by a two-yard toss to Jerick McKinnon after some vintage play outside the pocket from the Chiefs quarterback.

The Chiefs were ruthless in taking advantage of a Jarrett Stidham interception as Mahomes led a three-play drive capped by a two-yard touchdown plunge from Ronald Jones III.

A second-quarter red-zone stand from the Kansas City defense seemed to sap the energy out of home crowd that struggled to outnumber the Chiefs fans in attendance at Allegiant Stadium.

The Chiefs' superiority was summed up on the subsequent 12-play drive from Kansas City when the visitors scored a touchdown on a trick play to Kadarius Toney after they broke the huddle bouncing around in a circle in unison. That score was called back by penalty, only for the Chiefs to hand the ball to Toney for an 11-yard touchdown on the next play.

From there, it was over as a contest, with Isiah Pacheco's fourth-quarter rushing touchdown adding gloss to the scoreline and Mahomes ending his regular-season with 5,614 total yards when he was removed in the final minutes.

Kansas City will get the week off while the rest of the AFC playoff teams contest the Wild Card round and will have home advantage throughout the road to the Super Bowl unless the Bills beat the New England Patriots on Sunday and go on to face the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game.

In that scenario, the game that will decide the AFC representative in the Super Bowl will be played at a neutral site as part of changes approved by NFL owners following the cancellation of the Bills-Bengals game.

The NFL's one-season rule change could have complicating factors for the Kansas City Chiefs further down the line, but their task for Week 18 is simple: beat the Las Vegas Raiders and earn a bye to the divisional round.

With the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals – both rivals for the first seed in the AFC – to finish the year having played only 16 games, neither will be able to catch the Chiefs should they defeat the Raiders.

That will not necessarily mean an AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium, with a neutral venue potentially coming into play, but it does assure them of a week off and a favourable route through the postseason.

Fans in Buffalo and Cincinnati could reasonably be frustrated, and their hopes of the Chiefs being halted rest with an unlikely Raiders victory.

The Chiefs are 9-1 in their past 10 games against the Raiders, and their most recent nine meetings – including a high-scoring defeat in 2020 – have seen Kansas City score at least 28 points.

Only the Los Angeles Rams against the Green Bay Packers, between 1949 and 1953, have ever scored 28 or more points in 10 straight encounters.

Even in Las Vegas, there is little reason to believe that sequence will end this week, given the Chiefs' dominant road form this year.

They have scored 264 points across eight games away from Arrowhead, meaning the Chiefs will have scored the third-most road points in a season in NFL history if they hit their average of 33.0 again.

MVP frontrunner Patrick Mahomes loves playing the Raiders, too, having thrown more touchdowns in this matchup (26) than in any other.

In 2022, he has passed 5,000 passing yards (5,048) and 250 rushing yards (329) in a season for the second time in his career; only two other quarterbacks in NFL history have ever enjoyed one such campaign (Jameis Winston in 2019 and Justin Herbert in 2021).

Yet the Raiders improbably have their own in-form QB, with former New England Patriots backup Jarrett Stidham last week impressing in his first career start.

Stidham threw for 365 yards and three TDs against the San Francisco 49ers, joining Mike White last season as the second QB in the Super Bowl era to mark his first start with 350 passing yards and three passing TDs.

Repeating that performance against the highly motivated Chiefs is a tough ask, though.

The NFL has been in shock this week, following the terrible scenes in Monday's game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Buffalo Bills.

Damar Hamlin's cardiac arrest on the field has sent shockwaves through the sport, though it appears the 24-year-old is making progress in his recovery.

While Hamlin's health remains the league's priority over the rescheduling of that game from Week 17, there is also focus on the final round of fixtures.

There's plenty still be decided in Week 18, and Stats Perform has used Opta data to preview some of the key matchups.

SATURDAY (all times EST)

Chiefs (13-3) at Raiders (6-10) - 4:30pm

With the Bills and the Bengals having yet to finish the game that was rightly suspended on Monday, the AFC picture is not entirely clear. As things stand, a Kansas City Chiefs win in Las Vegas would mean they remain in with a chance of claiming the top seed, pending a decision on the Bengals-Bills game and the outcome of Buffalo's Week 18 clash against the New England Patriots.

The Chiefs have scored 28 or more points in nine consecutive games against the Raiders. The only longer streak of such games against a single opponent in NFL history is 10 by the Los Angeles Rams against the Green Bay Packers, and that came way back in 1949 to 1953. 

Jerick McKinnon caught two touchdowns in Kansas City's 27-24 win over the Denver Broncos and has seven touchdown catches in the Chiefs' last five games. That is the most receiving touchdowns by a running back over a span of five team games in the Super Bowl era. 

The Chiefs have scored 264 points on the road this season, averaging 33.0 points per game. If they hit their average on Saturday, they will finish with the third-most road points in a single season in NFL history, behind only the 2007 New England Patriots (314) and their own effort in 2018 (306).

Patrick Mahomes has 5,000 passing yards (5,048) and 250 rushing yards (329) in a single season for the second time in his career, also doing so in 2018.

Titans (7-9) at Jaguars (8-8) - 8:15pm

It will be winner-take-all in the AFC South when the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Tennessee Titans face off. The victor will clinch the division and become the fourth seed in the playoffs. While Jacksonville would still be able to make the postseason via a wild card should they lose, Tennessee must win if they are to avoid elimination.

The Jaguars are looking to sweep the season series with the Titans for the first time since 2005. The only other NFL teams that have gone that long since they last swept a current divisional opponent are the Cleveland Browns, who last swept the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1988, and New York Jets, who last swept the Patriots in 2000 (the Browns also have a chance to end their drought this week).

Jacksonville could become the first team in NFL history to make the playoffs immediately following back-to-back 14-loss seasons.

Meanwhile, the Titans are looking to avoid joining the 1994 Eagles as the only teams in league history to have at least seven wins before ending the season on a seven-game game losing streak.

SUNDAY

Giants (9-6-1) at Eagles (13-3) - 4:25pm

The Philadelphia Eagles have been the team to beat in the NFC all season, yet after successive defeats in the absence of Jalen Hurts, they now need a win to clinch the top seed.

Should they lose to the New York Giants, both the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers will have to suffer defeats in order for the Eagles to be guaranteed home advantage in the playoffs.

The omens are good for the Eagles, who have won eight straight home games against the Giants, tied for the second-longest home win streak against a single opponent in team history. It trails only their active 10-game home win streak against the Steelers that started in 1966. 

A win against the Eagles would give the Giants 10 wins after having just four last season. It would be the first time New York earned double-digit wins in a season after having four or fewer wins since doing so in 1933 (11 wins after a 4-6 record in 1932).

Lions (8-8) @ Packers (8-8) - 8.20pm

Given the NFC East will get two of the conference's three wild cards, matters are relatively simple for the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers. A Packers victory sends them through to the playoffs, while Detroit need to win and hope the Los Angeles Rams defeat the Seattle Seahawks.

The Packers are coming off a 41-17 win over the Vikings in which they had four takeaways and no giveaways. Green Bay are now 50-0-1 in the Super Bowl era (including playoffs) with a turnover margin of +4 or better in a game.

Green Bay's record at home against the Lions is 61-27-4, the most home wins by any team against a single opponent.

With another win, Aaron Rodgers would be the first QB in NFL history to have two seasons where his team was multiple games under .500 immediately before going on a five-or-greater game winning streak to end the regular season. 

But the Lions have scored at least 20 points while throwing no interceptions in eight straight games, tied for the longest streak in NFL history (regular season) with the 2005 Broncos, 2010 Patriots and 2018-19 Ravens.

Elsewhere...

New England will clinch a playoff spot should they defeat the Bills, who are of course recovering from that incident involving Hamlin. The Bills have won their last two games against the Patriots and are looking for three straight wins in the series for the first time since 1999-2000.

The Miami Dolphins have lost five in a row but can make the playoffs should they beat the Jets. The matchup is perfectly balanced all-time at 56 wins apiece with one tie entering this game. 

A run of five wins from six games has put the Steelers in playoff contention. They will have to beat the Browns and need results elsewhere go their way. Cleveland won against the Steelers in Week 3 this season. The Browns have not won multiple games against Pittsburgh in a season since the 1988 season.

The 49ers can still claim the top seed in the NFC by beating the Arizona Cardinals. San Francisco beat Las Vegas in Week 17, 37-34, despite trailing by 10 points in the third quarter. It was the Niners' second-largest comeback victory in the second half under Kyle Shanahan.

It has been a terrible season for the Rams (5-11), but they are 7-3 in their last 10 games against Seattle. The Seahawks got a 27-23 win in Inglewood in Week 13, the closest game between these teams since a 30-29 Seahawks win in Week 5, 2019. 

Kyle Shanahan believes Brock Purdy having to come from behind to help the San Francisco 49ers to a 37-34 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders will be beneficial for the unbeaten rookie quarterback.

The 49ers were expected to brush aside the Raiders, for whom Jarrett Stidham was making his first NFL start at quarterback after they benched Derek Carr, but the anticipated blowout did not materialise.

Instead, the Niners were drawn into a compelling shootout, their league-best defense surrendering 500 yards to the Raider offense as Stidham delivering a stunning debut.

The 49ers trailed 24-14 in the third quarter but, even after overturning that deficit, were still forced into overtime despite Purdy delivering with the game on the line.

Having seen the defense quickly surrender a 34-27 advantage as the Raiders tied the game with 71 seconds remaining in regulation, Purdy gained 52 yards on four completions to wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to put the Niners in range for a game-winning field goal, only for Robbie Gould to push his kick wide right.

A Tashaun Gipson interception in overtime gave Gould the chance for a reprieve, his 23-yard kick giving the 49ers a ninth straight win that saw them improve to 12-4 and move up to the second seed in the NFC playoffs. 

It marked the first time Purdy, who became the fourth rookie quarterback to win his first four starts since 1950, had dealt with playing from behind.

And Shanahan was delighted to see him come through the experience.

"I think that was great for him," said Shanahan. "We had to come from behind, especially there at the end. Also, he made a ton of plays today, but there's a number that he missed too.

"And that's the coolest part. There were some he'd love to have back. It was never one way too much or the other where he was struggling or doing well, but there were some mixed plays.

"To keep coming back and keep attacking, he never got gun-shy, made some real good decisions too and fought it out throughout the whole game and found a way to win."

The Green Bay Packers are a win away from what once looked an unlikely Wild Card berth after they crushed the Minnesota Vikings 41-17 at Lambeau Field.

A playoff place looked a faint possibility when the Packers lost seven of eight games after a 3-1 start to drop to 4-8.

They responded by reeling off three straight wins prior to the visit of division rivals and NFC North champions the Vikings, but still faced the prospect of being eliminated with a loss.

That prospect looked all the more likely when, after a blocked punt, the Vikings got the ball at Green Bay's one-yard line.

However, the Packers held the Vikings to a field goal from there, setting the tone for a nightmare game for Minnesota.

Keisean Nixon returned the subsequent kickoff 105 yards for a touchdown to give Green Bay the lead, which was extended when Darnell Savage returned an interception on a deflected Kirk Cousins pass 75 yards.

Cousins turnovers were a theme of the day, with an interception by Adrian Amos setting up a 21-yard touchdown throw from Rodgers to Robert Tonyan, and a lost fumble in the redzone allowed the Packers to regain possession and drive down the field for A.J. Dillon to make it 34-3.

Another Cousins interception, this time picked off by Rudy Ford, put the Packers in position to pile on further misery with a two-yard run from Rodgers, who now can lead the 8-8 Packers into the postseason with victory over the Detroit Lions next Sunday.

Defeat for the 12-4 Vikings sees them fall out of the second seed, meaning the chance to potentially host two home playoff games is out of their hands heading into Week 18.

NINERS SURVIVE HUGE SCARE

The San Francisco 49ers now occupy the two seed, having held off the Las Vegas Raiders in a remarkable game at Allegiant Stadium.

A San Francisco blowout was anticipated but did not materialise, with Raiders quarterback Jarrett Stidham leading them to 500 yards of offense in his first start after Derek Carr was benched.

Brock Purdy and the 49ers put up 454 yards of their own and, after a Robbie Gould missed field goal sent the game to overtime, Tashaun Gipson's interception of Stidham set up the San Francisco kicker to redeem himself and clinch a wild 37-34 win.

San Francisco's division rivals the Seattle Seahawks cruised to a 23-6 win over the New York Jets, whose playoff hopes look to be all but over. Seattle will qualify for the postseason with a win over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 18 and a Packers loss to the Lions.

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.

Derek Carr will not start the Las Vegas Raiders' final two regular-season games, marking the possible beginning of the end of the veteran quarterback's nine-year tenure with the franchise.

Coach Josh McDaniels made the announcement on Wednesday, with Jarrett Stidham to make his first NFL start in place of Carr when the 6-9 Raiders host the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

McDaniels cited a desire to give younger players a longer look, with Las Vegas essentially eliminated from playoff contention.

"It's more about the opportunity," McDaniels said of the decision. "We're all accountable to where we're at, and I think this is more about an opportunity to see a guy that we haven't seen play in a situation like this against a couple of good teams, really good teams."

Stidham, a fourth-round pick for the New England Patriots in 2019, has seen spot duty in 11 previous NFL appearances. The 26-year-old has completed 32 of 61 passes (52.5 per cent) with two touchdowns and four interceptions.

Carr has started all but two of the Raiders' 144 regular-season games since winning the starting quarterback job as a rookie in 2014.

Both he and the offense have struggled lately, however.

The three-time Pro Bowler was intercepted three times as the Raiders were held to 201 total yards in last week's 13-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Carr has been picked off nine times in his last six starts and has completed 55 per cent or less of his pass attempts in four straight games for the first time in his career.

Carr compiled a 68.7 per cent completion rate over the course of the 2018 to 2021 seasons, second only to Drew Brees among quarterbacks with at least 1,000 pass attempts during that time frame.

"It's never on one person," McDaniels said following the Pittsburgh loss. "I know that statistic gets applied to one person, but certainly there's other factors.

"Look, that's not good enough. And for us to be able to win at this time of the year and be productive, offensively you have to throw the ball better than what we've thrown at times here in the last month and a half."

Speculation will now turn to whether Carr has played his final game in a Raiders uniform. His $32.9million base salary becomes fully guaranteed if he remains on the roster three days after the Super Bowl, while the team can save over $29m by releasing him before then.

McDaniels said Carr will be inactive as the third quarterback for Sunday's game, with rookie Chase Garbers to be promoted from the practice squad to serve as Stidham's backup.

"Derek was great," McDaniels said when asked how Carr handled the decision. "He understands the scenario that we're in and the situation and is very supportive of the two young guys. He'll do anything he can to help them."