It's impossible to know if the Raiders needed to shut down star DE Maxx Crosby or if they did it as part of their plan to lose out and get the #1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Crosby is battered and has been playing with a knee injury. They also shut down star tight end Brock Bowers and safety Jeremy Chinn.

The Steelers are a full two games ahead of the Ravens. But that's only part of the story. Baltimore has a tough Saturday night test in Green Bay with the Packers needing to win the game for a chance to win the NFC North.

Philadelphia has won 2 straight after having lost 3 straight. The victories by a combined score of 60-18 over the Raiders and Commanders quelled the rising panic that the Eagles were about to experience their second late-season collapse in three years.

It's the convoluted time of year in the NFL where math becomes about as important as reading defenses and the injury report. For the Patriots, the Bills' comeback win in Week 15 took destiny out of their hands. Still, they are reasonably assured of winning the AFC East and have a good chance of taking the #1 seed in the AFC. After the Jets, they host the Dolphins, who are also checked out.

After a 6-2 start and MVP talk for QB Baker Mayfield, injuries and regression led to 6 losses in 7 games. They have fallen out of 1st place, now behind the upstart Panthers, having lost to Carolina in Week 16.

The Jaguars are on the verge of a complete turnaround from a 4-13 season in 2024 to the AFC South title. They will win the division this weekend if the Texans lose to the Chargers and they beat the Colts.

The Ravens are in turmoil with endless questions about their future once the season is over. But they still have a chance to change the script from the foreshadowed conclusion suggested by their mediocre play.

Houston is one game behind the frontrunning Jaguars in the AFC South. They have a slim chance of winning the division, but with the Jags playing the Colts and Titans and the Texans playing the Chargers and Colts, it is difficult to envision it coming to pass.

The Lions need to win their final two games while the Packers lose their final two.

Although the Jaguars broke the Broncos' 11-game winning streak in Week 16, Denver is still in the pole position for the #1 seed in the AFC playoff bracket.

One of the games on Sunday's NFL slate features the San Francisco 49ers hosting the Chicago Bears. Who has the edge in our Niners vs Bears pick?

The Cowboys have missed the playoffs for the second straight season. As the campaign winds down, the question will at least be asked as to whether head coach Brian Schottenheimer is the long-term answer.