The Buffalo Bills returned the opening kick-off against the New England Patriots for a touchdown in their first play since Damar Hamlin's cardiac arrest.

Nyheim Hines 96-yard kick return came in an emotionally charged game in Buffalo, with Hamlin taking to social media to confirm he was watching on ahead of the game.

Hamlin has shown improvement across the week, though he remains in critical condition, ahead of the Bills' final regular season game on Sunday.

Ahead of kick-off at Highmark Stadium, the 24-year-old took to social media to wish the best of luck to his team-mates as they prepared for their last game before the playoffs.

"Game day," he tweeted. "Nothing I want more than to be running out [of] that tunnel with my brothers.

"God [is] using me in a different way today. Tell someone you love them today! Let's go."

Players warmed up in shirts sporting Hamlin's number three ahead of kick-off, with tributes on and off the field from players and supporters wishing messages of good luck to the safety.

Damar Hamlin continues to make steady progress as he recovers from his cardiac arrest even as the Buffalo Bills safety remains in a critical condition.

The 24-year-old collapsed after colliding with wide receiver Tee Higgins during Monday's NFL encounter with the Cincinnati Bengals, and had to be resuscitated on the field.

Fears for the 2021 sixth-round pick have been calmed by regular updates, revealing he is breathing unaided and has spoken with team-mates.

The Bills offered another update on Saturday, confirming Hamlin continues to show improvement.

"Per the physicians at UC Medical Center, Damar is making continued progress in his recovery yet remains in critical condition," a Bills statement read.

"He continues to breathe on his own and his neurological function is excellent."

The NFL confirmed the Bengals-Bills match would not be resumed after it was originally suspended and then postponed following Hamlin's exit at Paul Brown Stadium.

Buffalo, who are first in the AFC East with a 12-3 record, head into their final regular match of the season against the New England Patriots on Sunday, with plans approved by owners for playoff changes.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is adamant his side will be ready to take the field on Sunday against the New England Patriots in honour of Damar Hamlin's request.

The Bills returned to practice on Thursday for the first time since Monday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals was suspended mid-game after Hamlin collapsed having suffered a cardiac arrest on the field.

Hamlin had to be resuscitated on the field and has been in intensive care in hospital in a critical condition since, but the Bills provided a medical update stating he was showing "remarkable improvement" on Thursday.

Hamlin's father Mario spoke to the Bills players and insisted that he and his son want them to play on Sunday.

"He didn't tell us, he demanded us," Allen told reporters. "You can't not honour his request to go out there and charge forward to the best of our abilities.

"Obviously, we'll be playing with less heavy hearts now, knowing that today's news was a lot of tears of joy. To know that's what he wants and that's what his dad wants, I think guys are excited to get out there."

Allen said "I do" when asked if he believed the Bills' players would be ready to take to the field on Sunday as scheduled.

"For every person it's going to be a little different. Putting that helmet back on today was really good for our team to go through that progress," Allen said.

"Some people are going to be changed forever after being on that field and feeling those emotions. The updates that we keep getting on Damar are lifting our spirits. Leaning on each other. We've had some open, honest and deep talks.

"We've had some unbelievable embraces as men, just hugging somebody, you need every bit of it. The fact we keep hearing good news about Damar keeps pushing us forward."

Allen conceded it would be difficult not to let the Hamlin situation enter his mind when they enter the field on Sunday, but insisted they had to shut it out.

"It's hard not to let it creep into your mind," he said. "We've been reassured this is the freakiest of freak accidents.

"The mental aspect of it, going out on that field, if you have that thought, that's putting yourself at risk even more.

"Coach [Sean McDermott] has done a great job making sure guys understand that and that mentally you need to be bought into.

"As humans, it's hard not to feel that way, but just to know the track record of the league. Obviously, there's injuries, that's part of sport and this is the worst possible case you can think of."

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. 

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones has been fined twice by NFL disciplinary chiefs after his controversial display against the Cincinnati Bengals last week.

In the December 24 game, Jones made a low hit on Bengals cornerback Eli Apple, who described the incident as "a dirty play".

It came as the Bengals defense scooped up an incomplete pass and began to run it back for a touchdown. Unaware the whistle had been blown and the play was dead, both teams acted as if the ball was live.

During the return, Jones positioned himself in Apple's path and dropped at the knees to take him out of the play.

Apple accused Jones of having "done that before", after the Bengals sealed a 22-18 victory.

The NFL's official website, citing NFL Network, reported Jones was fined $13,367 for his block on Apple, plus a further $10,609 for an unnecessary roughness violation, in a separate incident, amounting to $23,976 in total.

Speaking to radio station WEEI on Monday, Jones had defended his actions by saying he was just "trying to stop a fast guy from getting to another fast guy".

"It's a split-second decision and there's a lot that goes into it," Jones said. "You're out there trying to compete, it's a physical game, so I was just trying to help the team win.

"I have all the respect for Eli and the Bengals. They played a great game. So, there's no hard feelings and definitely no intention to hurt anybody on that play.

"I get hit a lot, too. We're all out there playing hard – it's just part of the game."

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.

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones made it clear his intention was not to hurt anybody, but defended his low hit on Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Eli Apple that resulted in an $11,139 fine.

The play occurred as the Bengals' defense scooped up an incomplete pass and began to run it back for a touchdown, but unaware that the whistle had been blown and the play was dead, both teams acted as if the ball was live.

During the return, Jones positioned himself in Apple's path and dropped at the knees to take him out of the play, with numerous pundits and Apple himself calling it a "dirty play".

"I thought it was a dirty play," Apple said. "He's done that before – I've seen it."

When asked about it by radio station WEEI on Monday, Jones explained the situation as simply being part of the game, saying he did not know the play had been stopped.

"I went down in front of him to kind of get in the way to stop him from slowing down Tyquan [Thornton], who obviously could make the tackle there," he said. 

"So just kind of went down in front of him, trying to stop a fast guy from getting to another fast guy. It's a split-second decision and there's a lot that goes into it. 

"You're out there trying to compete, it's a physical game, so I was just trying to help the team win.

"I have all the respect for Eli and the Bengals. They played a great game. So, there's no hard feelings and definitely no intention to hurt anybody on that play.

"I get hit a lot, too. We're all out there playing hard – it's just part of the game."

For years, the New England Patriots have been the model NFL franchise. They have represented consistency, discipline and, above all else, good coaching.

As they head into the final two weeks of the 2022 season, it is hard to think of three qualities that are less representative of this version of Bill Belichick's team.

The Patriots are still in the mix to reach the playoffs this season and may yet sneak is in as a Wild Card for the second successive season.

But their 2021 campaign ended with the Patriots being blown out by the Buffalo Bills, and all the signs point to this season coming to a conclusion in similar circumstances.

Indeed, any veneer of the Patriots as a postseason contender who could cause problems for the AFC's elite has been emphatically removed by a pair of dramatic finishes that both produced agonising defeats for New England.

The Patriots followed up their last-gasp defeat to the Las Vegas Raiders on Jakobi Meyers' inexplicable failed lateral with another heartbreaking finale that saw Rhamondre Stevenson fumble the ball into the arms of the Cincinnati Bengals safety Vonn Bell.

Those successive losses leave the Patriots at 7-8 and, while they are still only a game behind the 8-7 Miami Dolphins, their consecutive failures over the course of the past two weeks in situations where New England would normally thrive are significant enough to raise significant questions about the direction of a team whose success saw them established as the NFL's modern dynasty.

Most of those questions surround the offensive side of the ball. Last year, the Patriots let the draft board come to them and selected quarterback Mac Jones 15th overall, and looked to have themselves a steal as the former Alabama signal-caller impressed in helping New England to the playoffs.

But a failure to adequately replace offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who has been succeeded by the bizarre combination of Joe Judge and Matt Patricia, has seen Jones fail to take the next step and the New England attack fail to deliver the explosive production needed to truly compete in a very competitive AFC.

According to Stats Perform's advanced data, Jones has actually been more accurate than his rookie season. He delivered an accurate, well-thrown ball on 80.1 per cent of his pass attempts in 2021, and that rate has increased to 82.1 per cent in 2022.

Yet Jones has thrown just nine touchdowns after tossing 22 last season, his struggles in that regard reflective of the Patriots' overall problems in punching the ball into the endzone, which they have done on only 15.4 per cent of their offensive drives, scoring six points on 26 of their 169 offensive series.

Their inability to turn possessions into touchdowns is in part a product of their lack of investment in the offensive skill positions. The Patriots rank 21st in win rate in pass coverage matchups, the starting wide receiver triumvirate of Meyers, Nelson Agholor and DeVante Parker unsurprisingly failing to consistently create the separation required for Jones to build a productive rapport with his receivers.

The Patriots' offensive issues are as much a failure of scheme as they are of personnel. Theirs is an offensive system that does not play to the strengths of Jones, who came from an offense built around the run-pass option at Alabama.

In 2022, the Patriots have used RPOs on just 1.3 per cent of their pass game snaps, below the average of 2.8. On top of that, they have eschewed the opportunity to capitalise on the influence of a run game defenses have committed at least eight men into the box to guard against 50.1 per cent of the time by leaning on the play-action pass.

The Patriots have used play-action on 9.87 per cent of pass plays, well shy of the league average of 13.3 per cent, limiting the easy buttons for Jones in an attack that is too reliant on the pure dropback game.

New England's offense has run a dropback concept 42 per cent of the time in 2022, nearly 11 percentage points above the average of 31.4 per cent, with the Patriots' primary reply to defensive aggression being a screen game that is overused and predictable. Screen passes have made up 16.3 per cent of New England's passing plays, with the league average being 9.9 per cent.

This static and ineffective offense is not only wasting the second year of Jones' development, but also an excellent season from the Patriots' defense, which ranks sixth with a Success Rate of 36.8 per cent.

The Patriots have two extremely productive pass rushers in Matthew Judon (15.5 sacks) and Josh Uche (11.5) and have pieced things together effectively in the back seven with a mix of rookies, veterans and emerging playmakers such as third-year safety Kyle Dugger, who serves as a tribute to Belichick's ability to develop talent on that side of the ball.

Belichick's defensive genius remains and it is undoubted, but in 2022 it is being cancelled out by the lack of offensive talent and a scheme that does little to elevate its young quarterback.

Jones is obviously a long way from being Tom Brady, and the talent on this Patriots roster is nowhere close to that of the New England teams he helped steer to six Super Bowl titles, yet Belichick has a quarterback and a group that can at be a threat to do damage in the postseason. Belichick excels at making teams into more than the sum of their parts, but it's hard to argue against the fact that, through negligence on the offensive side of the ball, he has missed an opportunity to do that this season.

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.

The Philadelphia Eagles may have already won the NFC East and will enter Week 16 without quarterback Jalen Hurts, but a clash with the Dallas Cowboys remains the standout game on the slate.

While the Cowboys' attempts to stick with the Eagles this year were hampered by their road form, Dallas are strong at home and will hope to send a warning to their division rivals ahead of a playoff campaign in which both teams will hope to feature prominently.

Elsewhere, the Kansas City Chiefs have work to do still as they aim, like the Eagles, to secure a bye with the number one seed in the AFC.

But it is not all about the NFL's leading lights, with the battle for position ahead of the postseason ongoing – with a big game in store in Charlotte.

Stats Perform picks out the key facts ahead of a busy Christmas weekend...
 

Philadelphia Eagles (13-1) @ Dallas Cowboys (10-4)

In beating the Chicago Bears last week, the Eagles secured a 13th win in a single season for only the third time in franchise history. On the two previous occasions, Philly finished with a 13-3 record and reached the Super Bowl, losing to the New England Patriots in the 2004 season and beating the same team in 2017.

The Eagles have never won 14 games in a regular season and will be without injured QB Hurts as they aim to end a four-game losing streak in Dallas.

But the Cowboys are coming into this big home game on a downer, having blown a 17-point lead against the Jacksonville Jaguars last week for their first loss in five.

That game also again showed big QB performances can sometimes prove immaterial, with Dak Prescott throwing for 256 yards and three touchdowns. The Cowboys are 1-2 this season when Prescott has thrown three or more TD passes and only 7-6 since 2020. Prior to that, they were 13-3 in such games.

Seattle Seahawks (7-7) @ Kansas City Chiefs (11-3)

Patrick Mahomes and Geno Smith each earned Pro Bowl selections this week – a fifth for Mahomes but only a first for Smith. Both were well deserved, with the pair third and second respectively for passer rating among qualifying players this year (Smith, 105.3, and Mahomes, 105.0).

However, Mahomes will look to do something he has never done before on Saturday: beat the Seahawks. Having lost 38-31 to Seattle in his only previous such clash in 2018, they are one of just two teams Mahomes has played but never beaten (also 0-2 against the Indianapolis Colts).

Smith, who has never faced the Chiefs, leads the NFC with 26 touchdown passes as he aims to follow Russell Wilson (2017 and 2018) and Matt Hasselbeck (2005) as the only Seahawks to lead the conference across a season. However, with eight interceptions and four fumbles lost by Smith, Seattle are the sole team in the league to have committed a turnover in every game this year.

Detroit Lions (7-7) @ Carolina Panthers (5-9)

The Lions' stunning 6-1 run, including an active three-game winning streak, has them firmly in playoff contention in the NFC. The last time they won six out of seven games in a single season, back in 2016, was also the last time they made the postseason.

However, the Lions have a miserable history against the Panthers. Their 3-7 record in this matchup is their worst against any current NFC franchise, while Detroit are 0-5 on the road against the Panthers since winning on their first trip in 1999.

With Jared Goff in the best form of his career, the Lions will hope to snap that streak. He has gone six games without an interception, which ties the longest such streak by a Lions QB since the statistic was first tracked in 1960. Goff had never previously gone more than three games without throwing a pick.

Elsewhere...

The Bears this week face the Buffalo Bills, the only team in the Super Bowl era to have lost more consecutive games with 125 or more rushing yards in each loss. Chicago have lost seven in a row, but the 1976 Bills were defeated in 10. With 2,616 rushing yards but a 3-11 record, the Bears are on course to become the first team to lead the league in rushing yards yet have one of the worst two records since the 1932 Staten Island Stapletons.

Recent history suggests the Minnesota Vikings will follow up last week's record-breaking comeback against the Colts with another win over the New York Giants. The Vikings' 7-2 record against the Giants since 2005 is their best against NFC opposition and New York's worst.

The Patriots will have to upset the Cincinnati Bengals to get their playoff bid back on track, yet they have won their past seven home games in this matchup, including the last four while scoring at least 35 points. The last team to win five in a row at home to any one team while scoring 35 points or more were the San Francisco 49ers against the Atlanta Falcons between 1992 and 1996.

Tua Tagovailoa will be relieved this week's game against the Green Bay Packers is in Miami and not Wisconsin. Following last week's defeat to Buffalo, the Dolphins QB is 0-4 in starts when the weather is below 50 degrees Fahrenheit; he is 17-7 when the temperature is at least 50 degrees.

Jakobi Meyers took full responsibility for the New England Patriots' astonishing last-gasp defeat to the Las Vegas Raiders after his lateral was intercepted and returned for a touchdown on the final play.

With the score tied 24-24 in the dying seconds, the Week 15 encounter looked destined for overtime.

The Patriots ran a draw play to running back Rhamondre Stevenson with the intention of running out the remaining time. However, after Stevenson broke into the secondary, he pitched the ball to Meyers, who then tossed it back to midfield in the direction of quarterback Mac Jones, only for former Patriot Chandler Jones to pick it off. 

Jones subsequently stiff-armed Jones and surged into the endzone to clinch a remarkable 30-24 win for the Raiders, with the defeat a damaging blow to the now 7-7 Patriots' playoff hopes.

Explaining his role in an inexplicable finish, Meyers said: "[I was] trying to do too much, trying to be the hero.

"I ain’t see the dude back there, tried to throw the ball, I was just doing too much, should have just went down with the ball."

Absolving Stevenson of blame, Meyers added: "That ain't his fault, he gave me the ball, I've got to be smarter. 

"I thought I saw Mac open, I didn't see Chandler Jones at the time. Thought he was open, tried to get it to him, let him try to make a play with it. Score was tied, so I should have just gone down."

Stevenson, though, put the blame on his shoulders.

"The play call was just a draw play. Nothing more, nothing less than that," he said. "I take full responsibility."

While Jones seemed to have been put in an impossible situation, he too admitted fault.

"I've got to tackle the guy," said Jones. "It's on me, and it's my fault. … I've got to tackle the guy, and we play for overtime."

The Cincinnati Bengals ran roughshod over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second half of Sunday's 34-17 victory – the Bengals' sixth win in a row, and eighth from their past nine games.

Despite the final score, it was all Bucs early as Tom Brady appeared to be getting his side back to their winning ways.

He had Tampa Bay leading 17-0 late in the second quarter after touchdown passes to Chris Godwin and Russell Gage, heading into half-time with 17 completions from 23 attempts for 194 yards and two touchdowns.

Unfortunately for the Buccaneers, they would not score again until the final minute, while the Bengals rattled off 34 unanswered points as Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati offense took flight.

Burrow tossed four touchdown passes in the second half, with Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd and Mitchell Wilcox snagging one each on the receiving end.

They were buoyed by four consecutive Buccaneers drives ending in turnovers, allowing Burrow, who only had 200 passing yards, to continually work with a short field.

To call it a rare collapse from a Brady-led side would be an understatement. Entering the game, Brady was 89-0 when gaining a 17-point lead at home, but they could not get out of their own way.

The win improves the Bengals' record to a commanding 10-4, with the reigning AFC Champions leading the AFC North and poised for another playoff run.

Raiders steal unbelievable win on final play

The Las Vegas Raiders were the beneficiaries of one of the most incredible gaffes of the NFL season as they emerged 30-24 winners after a last-second New England Patriots lateral went horribly wrong.

New England took a 24-17 lead with under four minutes remaining after Rhamondre Stevenson's 34-yard rushing touchdown, but the game looked destined for overtime when Raiders receiver Keelan Cole dragged his toes in the back corner of the endzone with 32 seconds on the clock.

What happened next had to be seen to be believed, as the Patriots called one final run play to take the last seconds off the clock, but after breaking through the first line of defenders, Stevenson pitched a lateral to Jakobi Meyers to keep the play alive.

Meyers then inexplicably attempted to heave it back to Mac Jones, his throw landing in the waiting arms of defender Chandler Jones, who was able to fend off the tackle from the Patriots quarterback and run in the game-winning defensive touchdown.

The New England Patriots will remain without running back Damian Harris for Sunday's trip to face the Las Vegas Raiders, adding to the team's woes in that position.

Harris' absence for the third consecutive game with a thigh injury comes alongside Rhamondre Stevenson listed as questionable with an ankle injury, which was suffered in Monday's win over the Arizona Cardinals.

Stevenson leads the team in rushing yards (742), receptions (58) and total touchdowns (5) this season, while Harris has 383 yards and three touchdowns – with the absences leaving a significant void in the Patriots' offense.

Bill Belichick will have to rely on rookies Kevin Harris and Pierre Strong Jr as their running back options if Stevenson is unable to feature, though they could also promote J.J. Taylor from their practice squad.

Both had a key part to play in Monday's win against the Cardinals after Stevenson exited the game, Kevin Harris having a 14-yard touchdown run and Strong adding a three-yard touchdown of his own.

Sat 7-6, the Patriots are seeking a win to maintain their postseason push in a tight AFC playoff picture and face a 5-8 Raiders team led by former New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.

The Arizona Cardinals will discover the extent of Kyler Murray's injury later this week, with fears the quarterback suffered an ACL problem in Monday's loss to the New England Patriots.

Murray appeared to sustain a serious knee issue on the first drive and had to be taken from the field in a medical cart following a three-yard gain in just the third action of the match.

Colt McCoy took his place for the rest of the match as the Cardinals slipped to a 27-13 loss against the Patriots, to take them to 4-9 for the season.

Coach Kliff Kingsbury revealed the team were unsure as to the extent of Murray's injury, acknowledging his loss threw them out for the rest of the game, while revealing he would have scans on Tuesday.

"It doesn't look good," he said. "It's tough. There's no doubt. You see teams go through it every week, but when you lose your starter on the third play of the game, it's tough.

"[It was] non-contact, [so] it's just tough to watch and see. You've got to be able to rebound and play the game, though."

With 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions in his 10 starts this season, former top draft pick Murray has struggled to help drive the Cardinals forward amid a difficult campaign.

His loss though was a stinging one, with Patriots boss Bill Belichick passing on his regards to the quarterback after the match too.

"It's tough to see a player like Murray get hurt," he added. "I hope he's okay."

Despite being tied for the league-lead in sacks, Matthew Judon insisted he is only the second-best pass-rusher playing for the New England Patriots after Josh Uche's career night against the Arizona Cardinals.

Uche, 24, was a second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, but struggled in his first two seasons, totaling only four combined sacks.

In Monday's 27-13 win against the Cardinals, he led all comers with three, taking his season tally to 10 – and all 10 have been in the past six weeks.

Judon was credited with one-and-a-half sacks on Cardinals backup quarterback Colt McCoy – who was thrust into the action after just three plays following Kyler Murray's knee injury – taking his total to 14.5 to tie with elite San Francisco 49ers talent Nick Bosa for the league's most.

Uche and Judon are the only pair of teammates this season with at least 10 sacks each.

The Patriots' defense was the dominant force in the win, turning a 13-13 tie into a two-score lead after returning a fumble for a touchdown, and securing an interception on the next drive to set up Pierre Strong Jr's sealer.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Judon said Uche's dominant performance was no surprise.

"I told y'all I wasn't our best pass-rusher," he said. "Our best pass-rusher is emerging. 

"People are going to have to block him, and if they don't, and they chip my side and worry about me, Uche will do that every week.

"I love the way he's playing with confidence, and poise, and this is the most he's played since he's been in the NFL. It's taken a toll on him, but he's going out there and having a lot of success.

"We all knew it, we all knew the type of player he was, he was drafted pretty high here, and now he's just emerging. Folks are going to have to watch out."

When asked how he feels about the Patriots' defense often having to carry their struggling offense, Judon said he has no issues with it.

"Honestly, as a defender, you relish it," he said. "You relish it.

"We'd love for our offense to go out there and score 40 points each game, but as a defender, it's like, skip it. It is what it is. We're going out there, and we've got to do our job.

"We can't let our offense down and come out there and slip, and let stuff go. Every play we have to defend every blade of grass, and that's what we came out and did.

"We got a lot of tipped balls, we put pressure on the quarterback, we were hitting receivers, jamming them – and that's how you beat a team like that with an explosive offense."

Judon's admiration of Uche is reciprocated, with Uche making a point to credit Judon in aiding his development.

"I've learned a lot, I've been through a lot of adversity," he said. "Just leaning back on my faith, my family, my teammates, my girl, my parents – everybody. Just leaning back on them, and them helping me stay up.

"Judon has been a blessing in my life, man. That's big bro. I don't know where I'd be without him."

Future Hall-of-Fame coach Bill Belichick also singled out Uche when asked about his defence's performance.

"Uche had a couple big plays for us," he said. "He hit McCoy to force the interception to [Marcus] Jones. 

"We were able to hit the quarterback, but of course that comes from getting ahead, and playing from ahead, and it became a passing game in the second half.

"Our defense did a pretty good job tonight. They have a lot of firepower, and Arizona moved the ball, but we fortunately got a couple red-area stops, and didn't give them much in the second half, so it was good."

The Patriots are now 7-6, and occupy the final AFC Wildcard spot with four weeks to play.