NFL Week 17 superlatives

Worst Officiating Call - Browns' Non-fumble Recovery for Touchdown 

The Ravens didn’t clinch their playoff berth without controversy. With a 26-7 lead, Jackson fumbled at the Cleveland 1-yard line in the second quarter. The Browns recovered and returned it 99 yards for what appeared to be a game- and perhaps season-altering touchdown.

But on the field, officials didn’t initially rule the play a fumble. Replay review overturned the ruling and gave Cleveland the ball but not the touchdown. The score stayed 26-7.

It didn’t seem to matter at the time, but because the Browns made a comeback to lose by two, the incorrect ruling on the field may have cost Cleveland the game — and the Pittsburgh Steelers the AFC North.

The replay rule is good and all, but the calls on the field are still extremely important. Over the last few weeks, officials seem to be getting far too many important calls wrong.

Best Rookie History - Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns 

The 2018 No. 1 pick finished with three interceptions Sunday, but he also tossed for 376 yards, averaging 9.0 yards per attempt, and three touchdowns. His three scores set a new rookie record for passing touchdowns.

Mayfield finished his rookie season with 3,725 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. This team still needs a head coach, but there’s going to be a ton of optimism surrounding the Browns heading into 2019.

Furthermore, Mayfield and Lamar Jackson should be a great rivalry in the AFC North for years to come.

Most Disappointing 2018 Team - Pittsburgh Steelers 

With the Ravens winning the AFC North, the Steelers' roller-coaster year came to a crashing halt Sunday evening. The Jacksonville Jaguars are certainly in the running for most disappointing as well, but the Steelers were fighting for a first-round bye at Thanksgiving. Then they finished the season 2-4 and ended the year half a game back of the division and the final wild-card spot.

The tie in Cleveland during Week 1 came back to bite Pittsburgh. Had the Steelers won that game, they would have won the division, but there were so many other games they also let slip away. Ben Roethlisberger threw an interception at the 1-yard line in the final minute against Denver, the Steelers blew a second-half 16-point lead at home for the first time in team history versus the Chargers and somehow lost to Oakland too.

Pittsburgh also had New Orleans on the ropes in Week 16 but couldn’t seal the deal in the Superdome either. So for the first time since 2013, January football will not include the Steelers.

Stupidest Coaching Rumors - Mike Tomlin Getting Fired 

As greatly disappointing as the 2018 season was for Pittsburgh, any notion that Tomlin should be fired is insane.

Firstly, it’s never going to happen. The Steelers organization hasn’t fired a coach in almost 50 years — the powers-that-be aren’t going to kick a coach to the curb who won the Super Bowl and has never posted a losing season.

Secondly, it shouldn’t happen. Pittsburgh fans have grown restless that the Steelers haven’t won the Super Bowl in 10 years. However, that group of Steelers fans is extremely spoiled. Tomlin has won 103 games in the last 10 years.

And no, he isn’t even on the hot seat going into 2019. The bottom would have to fall out in the form of a 3-13 record or worse for the Steelers to fire Tomlin after next season.

The Steelers finished with a 9-6-1 record in 2018. They defeated the Bengals on Sunday, 16-13.

Honorable Mention Most Disappointing - Minnesota Vikings 

Steelers fans, it could be worse. Pittsburgh could have lost its playoff spot on the final Sunday of the season like the Vikings did in Week 17. Minnesota faced a tough Chicago team Sunday, but the Vikings were at home, and the Bears had nothing to play for but to spoil their rival’s season.

That’s exactly what they did, beating the Vikings, 24-10.

NFL Insider Mike Florio said Sunday night that “people are keeping an eye on Mike Zimmer’s job,” as he could be out as Vikings head coach. Monday morning, though, Zimmer said he isn’t resigning or retiring, so if Minnesota wants a change, it will have to do the firing itself.

The Vikings finished 8-7-1 following a season in which they went 13-3 and advanced to the NFC Championship Game.

Biggest Super Bowl Sleeper - Chicago Bears

Most of the talk in the NFC this season has been about the Saints and Rams. When the Cowboys were hot, they were getting plenty of press too, and of course, the defending-champion Eagles have garnered some attention as well.

But the Bears are a very dangerous team this January, especially at home. Chicago ended the season first in points allowed and third in yards yielded.

With Matt Nagy as head coach, the Bears feature an innovative offense with a lot of playmakers as well. Maybe they’re still a year away, but in a wide-open field, Chicago could get to the Super Bowl this year.

Best Play - Patrick Mahomes' 89-yard Touchdown Pass

The second-year quarterback capped off his MVP-worthy season with 281 passing yards on only 24 attempts and two touchdowns in a 35-3 rout of the Oakland Raiders. Mahomes again dazzled with an 89-yard touchdown toss to Demarcus Robinson.

Mahomes ended the season with 5,097 passing yards and 50 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. The only other quarterback to post a 5,000-yard passing and 50-touchdown season was Peyton Manning in 2013.

Facing the Most Playoff Pressure - Kansas City Chiefs

Mahomes’ pending MVP trophy will only add to the pressure the Chiefs will be under in January. It’s not necessarily championship or bust, but this Kansas City team can’t sustain another home playoff loss and likely must advance to the Super Bowl in order to avoid the “playoff failure” label.

The Chiefs haven’t been to the AFC Championship Game since 1993. Over the last 15 years, they own a 3-11 playoff record, including an 0-6 mark at home. That doesn’t exactly scream home-field advantage, which Kansas City possesses this January.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid has experienced issues as a higher seed in the playoffs as well. He has earned an 11-13 record in the playoffs, including a 7-6 record at home. Reid has 195 regular-season wins but no Super Bowl titles.

Worst Playoff Draw - Los Angeles Chargers 

The Chargers finished tied with the best record in the AFC at 12-4. In December, they beat the Chiefs at Arrowhead in prime time, 29-28.
Their reward for the franchise's best regular season in nearly a decade? A cross-country trip to Baltimore for wild-card weekend. 

If Philip Rivers is going to win his Super Bowl this season, he’s going to need a much better performance in the cold this weekend. Rivers threw for only 181 yards and two interceptions with no touchdowns against the Ravens in Los Angeles during Week 16.

Most Favorable Playoff Draw - New England Patriots 

So the dynasty is really ending, huh? Well, thanks to a Texans loss in Week 16, the Patriots ended back in the No. 2 spot in the AFC playoff picture. For the ninth straight season, New England will be resting on wild-card weekend. 

That means one home playoff victory puts the Patriots right back in the AFC Championship, where they have been seven straight years. After beating the Jets, 38-3, on Sunday, New England is 8-0 at Foxboro this season. 

The Patriots aren’t as invincible as they once were, but with their only potential away playoff game at Kansas City, where the Chiefs have lost their last six postseason contests, the road back to the Super Bowl doesn’t get much clearer for New England.

Best Trick Play - Matt Prater, Detroit Lions 

Do the Lions love playing the Packers now? After sweeping Green Bay last season for the first time since 1991, Detroit did it again in 2018 and has won four straight against the Packers. The Lions have also won three of the last four at Lambeau Field. 

It was no contest Sunday, as Detroit routed Green Bay, 31-0. Kicker Matt Prater joined the fun too with a touchdown pass on a fake field goal.

Best Individual Effort - Saquon Barkley, New York Giants 

The Giants need a quarterback, but boy, they have their running back. Barkley experienced a terrific rookie season. With a 142-yard effort in a 36-35 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17, Barkley became the third rookie back to record 2,000 yards from scrimmage. 

He led the league in the category with 2,028 scrimmage yards. Barkley reached that total with 1,307 rushing yards and 91 catches for 721 receiving yards. 

He scored his 11th rushing touchdown in Walter Payton-like fashion.

Best History - Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals

Fitzgerald took home this superlative last week as well, but playing in what might be his final game, we wanted to give one of the greatest wide receivers ever some more love.

On Sunday, he became the third player ever to record 1,300 catches, joining Jerry Rice and Tony Gonzalez. Fitzgerald also played in his 234th career game, which is the most in Cardinals franchise history.

He finished 2018 with 69 catches, 734 receiving yards and six touchdowns. The Seahawks beat the Cardinals, 27-24.

Worst Coaching Vacancy - Arizona Cardinals

The head coaching positions are starting to open up. As of Monday morning, there are seven vacancies: Cleveland, Green Bay, New York Jets, Arizona, Denver, Miami and Cincinnati.

They all have some appeal, but the least interesting is the Cardinals job.

Arizona has a young quarterback in Josh Rosen and an elite pass rusher in Chandler Jones but not much else. That roster has been decimated since the franchise went to the 2016 NFC Championship Game. It got old in a hurry, and previous head coach Bruce Arians did an excellent job of keeping the team competitive in his final two seasons.

Steve Wilks was in over his head in 2018, but the Cardinals shouldn’t expect to land a more prominent name as head coach this offseason.

Best Record-Breaking Performance - George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers

Kittle fell five yards short a couple weeks ago of the most yards by a tight end in one game, but on Sunday, the 49ers made sure he broke the single-season record for most receiving yards for a tight end.

With nine receptions, 149 yards and a score, Kittle finished the season with 1,377 receiving yards. Travis Kelce held the previous record... for less than an hour. 

However, Kittle’s performance wasn’t enough to win. The Rams beat the 49ers in Week 17, 48-32.

Most Underrated Coaching Performance - Frank Reich, Indianapolis Colts 

On Black Monday, it’s always about coaching unrest, but let’s talk about one of the underappeciated coaching jobs of the season. Indianapolis started the year 1-5, but as the team’s health improved, so did its record. 

The Colts rode a 9-1 finish to complete 2018 at 10-6 and earn the final AFC playoff berth. Indianapolis defeated Tennessee, 33-17, on "Sunday Night Football" to grab the No. 6 seed. 

Indianapolis will face another division rival, Houston, on AFC wild-card weekend.

Best Celebration - Eric Ebron, Indianapolis Colts 

Thanks to my fiancée, I understood this reference because she had me watch "Drumline" before the NFL season began. 

Following a nine-yard touchdown grab early in the second quarter, Ebron and his teammates re-enacted the movie with Ebron appearing to play the role of Devin Miles. 

Ebron has Lions fans banging their heads quite hard. The former first-round pick caught 13 touchdowns this season, which was more than he had in four years with Detroit.

Worst Luck - Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles

Amazingly, “St. Nick” has the Eagles back in the playoffs and ready to defend their title. Unfortunately for Foles, his wallet is a little lighter than it probably should be.

Foles needed to play in 33 percent of Philadelphia’s offensive plays this season in order to earn a $1 million bonus. He bruised his ribs late in Sunday’s game, which forced him out early in the 24-0 victory against Washington. Foles apparently fell four snaps short of the bonus incentive.

More importantly, though, Foles is expected to be healthy and ready to face the Bears next week.

Greatest Comeback Story - Teddy Bridgewater, New Orleans Saints

Bridgewater led the Vikings to the postseason in 2015, but a horrific knee injury in August 2016 changed the course of his career. Minnesota traded for Sam Bradford, then started Case Keenum, and Bridgewater played in just one game over the next two years.

On Sunday, he started for the first time in almost three years. He didn’t play particularly well, going 14-of-22 with 118 yards, a touchdown and an interception, but just the fact he’s playing is an accomplishment. The Carolina Panthers beat the Saints, 33-14.

It will be interesting to see if any team gives Bridgewater another shot to earn a starting job this coming summer.

Best Meaningless Game - Atlanta Falcons vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Outside the AFC North excitement, Week 17 wasn’t all that exciting. There were a ton of blowouts in meaningless games, but at least the Falcons and Buccaneers played an entertaining one.

This game looked to be heading for a lopsided score as well when the Buccaneers led 17-0 in the second quarter, but the Falcons fought back. Matt Ryan threw for 378 yards and two touchdowns.

Atlanta took an 11-point lead early in the fourth quarter, but Tampa Bay came back to go ahead by one with under six minutes left. Falcons kicker Matt Bryant hit a 37-yard field goal at the buzzer to win, 34-32.

Most Stuck in Purgatory - Buffalo Bills

There’s isn’t anything much more annoying than fans hoping their team loses on purpose for a higher draft pick. This is professional football. Teams that tank are losers for a reason.

Having said that, Bills fans may have a reason to be upset their team didn't perform a little worse. Buffalo has made the playoffs one time in the last 19 years, and yet, the Bills have earned a top five pick only twice. They have been bad but not bad enough to warrant a lot of truly elite first-round selections, and it’s forced the Bills to trade up when they identify elite talent.

After a 4-4 second half, including four wins in their final seven games, Buffalo concludes the season with a 6-10 record. Buffalo beat Miami, 42-17, in Week 17. The Bills hold the 10th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.

Biggest Backfield Unrest - Jacksonville Jaguars

A year ago, the Jaguars viewed Leonard Fournette as a franchise savior. Heading into 2019, Jacksonville has publicly called out its high-priced running back and voided his guaranteed contract money.

Both came bubbling to the surface in Week 17.

Multiple reports indicate the Jaguars are attempting to void Fournette’s remaining guaranteed money in his four-year contract because of his suspension last month. Jacksonville reportedly told Fournette of this plan of action weeks ago.

Fournette served a one-game suspension in December for leaving the bench and getting into a fight against the Bills. He lost $100,000 due to the suspension and will lose $7.1 million more if the Jaguars cut the remaining guaranteed money in his deal.

Executive vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin also called out Fournette for “unprofessional behavior” on the bench during the 20-3 loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday.

One has to wonder if a messy divorce is coming for Fournette and the Jaguars this offseason.

Most Interesting Fact - Six Highest-Paid Quarterbacks All Missed the Playoffs 

Other than the paychecks, it was a bad year for the six highest-paid quarterbacks in the league. Together, they averaged just north of five wins. 

This fact is a little misleading because Jimmy Garoppolo missed most of the season. He can’t be held responsible for the 49ers missing the playoffs, but this is still very interesting. 

While this isn’t a new development, this fact showcases how difficult it is to build a team in the salary cap era with a very expensive quarterback.
At least Aaron Rodgers, Ryan, Kirk Cousins, Garoppolo, Matthew Stafford and Derek Carr will have an early start to an offseason spending spree.