NFL Previews

A simple math problem awaits the Buccaneers, and the assignment looks rather routine on paper: Beat the lowly Carolina Panthers on Sunday afternoon in Charlotte, N.C., and one of the NFC’s seven playoff spots belongs to Tampa Bay. “I know their record doesn’t show it, but they’re really scrappy, so we have to come with it,” Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans said. The Buccaneers (8-8) can clinch the NFC South by winning regardless of what happens

For a chance at the playoffs, the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints need a win Sunday. But a victory in their NFC South showdown in New Orleans won’t be enough. Either team would also need the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to lose at Carolina in order to win the division. The Saints (8-8) could claim a wild card if they and the Bucs win and Green Bay and Seattle both lose, but the Falcons

Following their controversial loss in Dallas, the Detroit Lions are virtually locked into the No. 3 seed in the NFC playoffs. The Lions have faint hopes of moving up to the No. 2 spot but coach Dan Campbell says he’s not resting his regulars in the regular-season finale against Minnesota on Sunday afternoon. “To me, it’s about winning this game,” he said. “We’re going to use our full arsenal here and go win this game.

History is on the line when the Cleveland Browns visit the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday in the regular-season finale for the Ohio rivals. The two-time defending AFC North champion Bengals (8-8) were dethroned this year by the Baltimore Ravens and eliminated from playoff contention with a 25-17 road loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last week. A Cincinnati win on Sunday would mark the first time since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger that every team in

Unofficially, the playoffs started last week for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Their 26-0 shutout of the Carolina Panthers gives the Jaguars a chance to officially make the postseason if they can beat the Tennessee Titans on Sunday in Nashville. A victory would give Jacksonville (9-7) the AFC South title and a home game in the first round of the playoffs. A loss wouldn’t automatically knock the Jaguars out of the postseason picture, but they would need

Eliminated from playoff contention, the Washington Commanders can still deliver a parting gift to an NFC East rival. Mired in a seven-game losing streak, the Commanders (4-12) welcome the Cowboys (11-5) for the regular-season finale on Sunday, knowing a Washington win could erase Dallas from the top of the division standings and open the passing lane for the Philadelphia Eagles to crash into first. If the Cowboys win, Dallas would be the NFC East champion

Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud has led the Houston Texans to their first winning season since 2019. Now he wants a playoff berth. Stroud and Houston can earn that postseason spot Saturday night with a win in the regular-season finale on the road against another 9-7 playoff hopeful, the Indianapolis Colts. Indianapolis also would wrap up a postseason berth with a win. In addition, the Houston-Indianapolis winner would capture the AFC South title and get a

The Baltimore Ravens locked up the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoff bracket and opted to rest MVP frontrunner Lamar Jackson for the regular-season finale on Saturday. Coach John Harbaugh made the decision to rest Jackson in favor of Tyler Huntley when the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7) come to town fighting for their fading playoff dreams. The Ravens (13-3) thrashed the Miami Dolphins 56-19 last Sunday for their sixth straight victory, clinching the AFC

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won five of their last six games and the Philadelphia Eagles lost five of their last six. They took opposite paths to the playoffs but share one outlook: All that matters now is what happens Monday night when they wrap up the NFL’s wild-card round in Tampa, Fla. “We need all players, coaches, all staff, all hands on deck, leaving everything they’ve got in this locker room because everybody’s 0-0 going