The Detroit Lions around Amon-Ra St. Brown suffered a defeat in the US football league NFL at Christmas.
The Lions lost 23:37 to the Carolina Panthers on Saturday and suffered a setback in the battle for the playoffs. Receiver St. Brown caught seven balls for 76 yards. The Lions now have a record of 7:8. The Panthers are also still in contention for the coveted postseason spots.
Star quarterback Patrick Mahomes led the Kansas City Chiefs to an unchallenged 24-10 win over the Seattle Seahawks with two touchdown passes. Mahomes had 224 passing yards and also had another touchdown himself. The loss almost destroyed the Seahawks’ hopes of making the playoffs.
The Baltimore Ravens secured a postseason berth following a year-long hiatus with a 17-9 win over the Atlanta Falcons. The team benefited from the New York Jets’ loss on Thursday and the New England Patriots’ 18:22 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow threw for 375 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. For the Patriots, it was a setback to their playoff hopes.
The Buffalo Bills beat the Chicago Bears 35-13 to secure their third consecutive AFC East division title. The Bears are out of playoff chances. The New Orleans Saints beat the Clevelands Browns 17-10 in the arctic cold, missing the playoffs.
Greg Joseph scored a 61-yard field goal in the final minute of regular time, giving the Minnesota Vikings a 27-24 win over the New York Giants, who still missed out on a playoff berth they had hoped for. Earlier on Friday night, some Giants players were out and regarding in the Mall of America in Minnesota when a 19-year-old was killed in a shootout there. The players had to wait an hour in the country’s largest shopping mall before the all-clear was given. The team hotel was right next to the shopping center.
The Tennessee Titans game once morest the Houston Texans started an hour late due to power problems. Due to the extreme temperatures of up to minus 20 degrees Celsius, blackouts occurred once more and once more. The Titans lost 14:19.
The Pittsburgh Steelers celebrated a 13-10 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. In minus 13 degrees Celsius – the Steelers’ coldest home game since 1989 – wide receiver George Pickens scored the decisive points to victory following a 14-yard pass from quarterback Kenny Pickett 46 seconds before the end.
The Steelers dedicated the success to their former star Franco Harris, who died on Wednesday at the age of 72. “We dedicated it to Franco,” Pickett said. “It felt like he was with us tonight.” The running back won four Super Bowls with the Steelers and was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1990. He should actually be honored personally at the game. His number 32 should no longer be assigned.
Led by quarterback Brock Purdy, the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Washington Commanders 37-20. San Francisco is keeping the pressure on Minnesota in the race for second place in the NFC. The Commanders still have a lead over Seattle and Detroit in the race for the final playoff spot in the NFC following losing three games in a row.
Purdy came on as a substitute in Week 13 for the injured Jimmy Garoppolo. He has thrown two touchdown passes for the 49ers in four straight games and won all three of his starts. Purdy is the only quarterback, aside from Hall of Famer Kurt Warner, to win his first three games and throw multiple touchdown passes in every game since starts were recorded in 1950.
The Dallas Cowboys defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, who had previously won five times in a row, 40:34. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott threw for three touchdowns and for 347 yards. The Eagles, who are leaders in the NFL (13-2), made two turnovers in the last five minutes and thus missed the chance to make first place in the NFC clear in a duel between the playoff rivals.
Buffalo, Kansas, Cincinnati and Baltimore have all qualified for the AFC playoffs. In the NFC, it’s Philadelphia, Minnesota, San Francisco and Dallas.
