Tag: Week 18

Chiefs stock watch: Which players impressed during Week 18 vs. Chargers?

Here’s a look at the stock trends for some #Chiefs players after the Week 18 victory over the #Chargers. | from: @EdEastonJr

The outcome of Week 18 bore no influence on the Kansas City Chiefs heading into postseason play next weekend. The Los Angeles Chargers were focused on playing out the string and giving their fans a moment to smile, while Chiefs head coach Andy Reid gave his backup quarterback and many reserves time on the field.

The offense led at quarterback by veteran backup Blaine Gabbert was utilizing the availability of Mecole Hardman, who shook the rust off after spending most of his second tenure with the Chiefs on injured reserve. La’Michael Perine was effective as the every-down running back while the team dealt with injuries to tackles Jawaan Taylor and Wanya Morris in the first half.

Mike Edwards’ got the scoring started on defense with an electric 97-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the first quarter. The game’s highlight for many on the team was Chris Jones collecting a sack to hit 10.5 on the season and get his contract incentive bonus.

The season finale served its purpose in allowing many reserve players to showcase their value and be prepared if needed during the postseason. The home crowd at Arrowhead Stadium will have much to be excited for next week in the Wild Card round.

Here’s a look at how the stock is trending for some players after the Week 18 game at SoFi Stadium:

NFL power rankings: Final standings from 2023 season

The Broncos end the 2023 season ranked 21st in the NFL (12th in the AFC).

The NFL’s 2023 (regular) season wrapped up on Sunday night when the Buffalo Bills (11-6) claimed an AFC East title with a 21-14 victory over the Miami Dolphins (11-6).

Elsewhere, the Baltimore Ravens (13-4) won the AFC North, and they are the No. 1 team in the AFC going into the NFL playoffs.

The AFC South came down to the final week of the season and the Houston Texans (10-7) emerged as the division champions.

The Kansas City Chiefs (11-6) won the AFC West, marking their eighth straight division title.

The NFC East went down to Week 18 and the Dallas Cowboys (12-5) pulled ahead of the Philadelphia Eagles (11-6).

The Detroit Lions (12-5) took care of business in the NFC North, claiming their first division title since 1993.

The NFC South also came down to the final week of the year and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-8) came away with a division crown.

The San Francisco 49ers (12-5) strolled through the NFC West on their way to a division title and the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

With the playoff picture now set, here are our final NFL power rankings from the 2023 season, ranked by the league’s final standings.

Twitter reacts to Chiefs’ Week 18 win vs. Chargers

Twitter wasn’t shy in sharing its thoughts on the #Chiefs’ win over the #Chargers in Week 18.

The Kansas City Chiefs rested their starters against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 18 after locking themselves into the AFC’s No. 3 seed for the playoffs on New Year’s Eve.

As such, their performance on Sunday was pedestrian. Kansas City’s offense was operating with backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert under center, without Travis Kelce, and used a vanilla playbook that preserved their best plays for upcoming elimination games.

Their performance in the 13-12 win, given the circumstances, was admirable, maybe even inspiring. The one-point victory over their bitter divisional rival is sure to set a good tone for the Chiefs ahead of the playoffs, having been achieved despite a significant personnel advantage.

Fans on social media platforms shared their thoughts on what many described as a “meaningless win” after the final score was posted. While some congratulated Kansas City on their latest success, others wondered why the victory mattered.

Check out some of Twitter’s top reactions to the Chiefs’ Week 18 win over the Chargers:

Broncos lose to Raiders 27-14, finish 7th straight losing season

The Broncos have missed the playoffs eight years in a row and they’ve posted a losing record in seven straight seasons.

The Denver Broncos lost to the Las Vegas Raiders 27-14 on Sunday afternoon, marking the end of their seventh straight losing season (8-9) and their eighth straight season outside of the playoffs.

Denver last posted a winning record when Gary Kubiak led the team to a 9-7 finish in his final season with the club in 2016. Kubiak was also in charge the last time the Broncos won a playoff game, a 24-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50 in 2015.

Since then, Denver has gone through three full-time head coaches — Vance Joseph, Vic Fangio and Nathaniel Hackett — plus an interim coach in Jerry Rosburg before landing on Sean Payton, who took over ahead of the 2023 campaign.

Peyton Manning retired following Super Bowl 50 and the Broncos have had 13 starting quarterbacks since then, with Jarrett Stidham being the most recent addition.

Payton will look to turn things around in 2024 by helping Denver reach the playoffs for the first time since 2015. In order to do that, Payton will have to address the QB situation, something his predecessors failed to get right. Time will tell if Payton can buck the trend.

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Twitter reacts to Chiefs DL Chris Jones’ sack vs. Chargers that earned incentive

Twitter went wild after #Chiefs DL Chris Jones sacked #Chargers QB Easton Stick to earn a $1.25 million bonus.

The Kansas City Chiefs will owe star defensive lineman Chris Jones a hefty incentive after he secured his tenth sack of the 2023 regular season against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 18.

Jones held out from training camp and missed the Chiefs’ Week 1 matchup against the Detroit Lions in an effort to negotiate a better contract with Kansas City.

In the end, he got a contract incentive that would grant a $1.25 million bonus if he eclipsed the 10-sack mark on the season. He entered the Chiefs’ Week 18 matchup against Los Angeles with 9.5 sacks and managed to reach his goal late in the third quarter of Sunday’s game when he took down Chargers quarterback Easton Stick.

After this marvelous play, it is unlikely that Jones will see any more action in Week 18 as the Chiefs coaching staff looks to rest its starters ahead of the AFC playoffs.

Twitter exploded when Jones took Stick to the turf, and users on the beleaguered social media site weren’t shy in sharing their thoughts on the defensive lineman’s achievement.

Check out their top reactions below:

Falcons DL Calais Campbell: ‘I don’t think this was my last game’

“I don’t think this was my last game,” Falcons defensive lineman Calais Campbell said after Sunday’s loss to the Saints

As the dust begins to settle from the Falcons’ 48-17 loss to the Saints, fans are wondering what the future holds for this Atlanta team. Will head coach Arthur Smith be retained? What about 37-year-old defensive lineman Calais Campbell?

While we don’t know what Smith’s future holds, it sounds like Campbell may not be ready to hang up his jersey just yet. The veteran defensive lineman is still playing at a high level, finishing the season with 56 tackles (32 solo) and 6.5 sacks.

“I don’t think this was my last game,” Campbell said after Sunday’s loss to the Saints, per Josh Kendall of The Athletic:

Campbell signed a one-year deal in Atlanta over the offseason but has been hesitant to say whether or not this season would be his last. On Sunday, Campbell came up with another sack and has been a durable and versatile piece for this Falcons defense.

Whatever happens, Campbell made sure to voice his support for Arthur Smith and the rest of the Falcons coaching staff to return, per ESPN’s Michael Rothstein.

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Instant analysis as Hall-a-mania runs wild, Jets end losing streak vs. Patriots

Instant analysis as Hall-a-mania runs wild, Jets end losing streak vs. Patriots

The long losing streak is over. For the first time since 2015, the New York Jets have defeated the New England Patriots after their snowy 17-3 win in Week 18. The Jets finish the regular season 7-10, the same record as the 2022 season. It wasn’t pretty at times, but the Jets got the job done and go into the offseason on a winning note. Their draft position may have taken a hit, but the team will take the win any day. Here are some quick notes on the final game of the 2023 season.

WATCH: Chiefs pull off tricky fake punt, convert on fourth down vs. Chargers

The #Chiefs used a fake punt to convert on a fourth down against the #Chargers in Week 18.

The Kansas City Chiefs resorted to trickery to keep a drive alive against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 18.

Midway through the second quarter, the Chiefs’ offense stalled out on what seemed to be a promising sequence, and Andy Reid elected to send his punt unit out on fourth down.

Everything seemed normal until the ball was snapped and veteran running back La’Mical Perine took a carry for nine yards to get Kansas City back to first down.

Check out a video of the tricky conversion here:

While the Chiefs weren’t able to end this drive with a touchdown, they managed to march the ball near the goal line to set up kicker Harrison Butker with an easy field goal attempt.

Butker would nail his three-point try to give Kansas City a 10-point lead with a little over four minutes remaining before halftime.

Fans can expect Andy Reid to continue looking for unique ways to keep his offense on the field as the Chiefs rest their starters ahead of the AFC playoffs.

Twitter reacts to Mike Edwards’ insane scoop-and-score touchdown vs. Chargers

Twitter was buzzing after #Chiefs DB Mike Edwards scored a 97-yard touchdown after recovering a fumble against the #Chargers.

The Kansas City Chiefs have an early lead against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 18 after veteran defensive back Mike Edwards scored an unbelievable 97-yard touchdown after recovering a fumble in the first quarter.

Edwards’ effort on the play was emblematic of Kansas City’s hard-nosed brand of defensive football this season and may prove to be the highlight that defines the Chiefs’ performance in this game.

While plenty of game remains to be played, and Kansas City’s victory on the road at SoFi Stadium isn’t guaranteed, Edwards’ touchdown had social media channels buzzing on Sunday afternoon and isn’t likely to be forgotten any time soon.

Fans on Twitter reacted to his scoop-and-score in real-time and made their excitement about the play known after the Chiefs’ disappointing showing on offense during the game’s first drive.

Check out some of the top tweets about Edwards’ stellar play that gave Kansas City an early edge over the Chargers:

WATCH: Chiefs DB Mike Edwards recovers fumble, scores unbelievable touchdown

#Chiefs DB Mike Edwards scored a 97-yard defensive touchdown after a fumble recovery against the #Chargers in Week 18.

The Kansas City Chiefs made a huge statement against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 18 when veteran defensive back Mike Edwards recovered a fumble and returned it 97 yards for a touchdown.

The play started when Chargers quarterback Easton Stick scrambled near Kansas City’s goal line on Los Angeles’ first drive. Defensive lineman Charles Omenihu sacked Stick at the eight yard line, and the ball popped free.

Edwards pounced, recovered the fumble, and ran all the way to the other side of the field to score six points that gave the Chiefs an early lead.

This turnover completely shifted the momentum in the game after Kansas City’s offense was unable to get into gear on its first drive. Edwards’ exceptional effort is sure to be seen on the Chiefs’ defensive highlight reel for years to come and may prove to be the defining moment in this game as many of Kansas City’s starters get a rest before the playoffs.