The Titans may have lost to the Texans backups in Week 18, but they are winners as a franchise. Tennessee secured the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. While this isn’t necessarily the best year to have the top pick, with this class lacking a clear top option, picking higher is always better.
If you ask Michael Penix Jr. and Drake London, they’d say their numbers don’t matter, they’d rather be in the playoffs. While it was unfortunate for them to see their season end, the Falcons sure look like they have a bright future ahead of them. Penix threw for 312 yards and 2 touchdowns, while rushing for another. London caught 10 passes for 187 yards and 2 touchdowns. With a full offseason to work together with Penix as the clear QB1, the sky is the limit for this duo in 2025.
After bungling their chance to lock up the AFC’s final Wild Card spot in Week 17, the Broncos pulled no punches in Week 18. Denver obliterated the Chiefs’ backups 38-0. A game that was never competitive, Bo Nix took care of business, assuring his team will play at least one more game this season.
Jan 5, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston (1) looks to make a reception against the Las Vegas Raiders during the first quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Since the NFL added a seventh playoff team and dropped to one bye, teams haven’t cared much about seeding if they can’t get a bye, two home games, or the division. In the case of the Chargers, they opted not to rest starters in an effort to take the No. 5 seed away from the Steelers, earning them a trip to Houston rather than a flight to Baltimore. The Chargers readily dispatched the Raiders behind Quentin Johnston’s career best 13 catches for 186 yards. The Chargers are small favorites against the Texans rather than significant underdogs against the Ravens.
Week 18 could not have gone better for M1KE. It certainly wasn’t easy, but the Bucs were not only able to pull out the one-score win to secure the NFC South, they were also able to get Mike Evans over 1,000 receiving yards for the record-tying (Jerry Rice) 11th consecutive season.
Playing in a meaningless Week 18 game, the rookie was going to have a chance to really show out and prove what he can do. Unfortunately, Isaac Guerendo went down with a knee injury early in the first quarter. He was carted to the locker room and immediately ruled out. Now, there’s a chance he may not be ready for the start of next season.
The Packers entered Week 18 with a playoff spot clinched. The only impact of their game was a win combined with a Commanders loss to the Cowboys would bump them from the No. 7 seed to the No. 6 seed. Head coach Matt LaFleur played starters at first. After the team lost Christian Watson to a non-contact knee injury and Jordan Love to a hand/elbow injury. Eventually, they pulled starters and lost the game anyway. Thankfully, Love is fine, but now the Packers are without Watson and have to go to Philly anyway.
Jan 5, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper (0) sacks Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Carson Wentz (11) in the second quarter at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
This Broncos-Chiefs game has its fingers all over this winners and losers list. Week 18 was an opportunity for many backup quarterbacks to give teams an extended look and possibly get a chance to compete for a starting job the next season. It’s not Carson Wentz’s fault the Chiefs gave up 38 points, but we can’t absolve him of blame for the offense scoring zero. While he was paying with backups, Wentz threw for 98 scoreless yards. Plenty of other backup QBs have done more with just as little. It’s unlikely Wentz will get a chance to start in 2025.
Dec 28, 2024; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo watches from the sideline as they take on the Los Angeles Chargers at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
NFL teams don’t actually tank. But let’s just say the Patriots made every effort to secure the No. 1 overall pick. Head coach Jerod Mayo pulled Drake Maye and the starters early in the game, allowing rookie sixth-rounder Joe Milton to play most of the game. Against mostly Bills backups, Milton threw for 241 yards and 1 touchdown while rushing for 16 yards and another score. He led the Patriots to a victory that took them out of the running for the top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Immediately after the game, Robert Kraft fired Mayo.
You have to admire the resilience and perseverance of the Bengals. After losing several games they shouldn’t have, Cincinnati battled back from 4-8 to win out, get to 9-8, and give themselves a shot at the postseason. Unfortunately, with the Chiefs having the No. 1 seed clinched, they rested starters, allowing the Broncos to pummel them SCORE, cementing Joe Burrow’s season as the greatest in NFL history by a QB that did not make the playoffs.
