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• READ: Colts eliminated, Steichen fields questions on job security
• READ: Daboll praises Lock after five TDs in Giants' victory

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Nabers torches Colts. Sunday's game made me wonder if Drew Lock referenced some early season Daniel Jones tape while preparing for this one, because Lock leaned on rookie Malik Nabers plenty, much like Jones did before the Giants cut him. The results were worth it. Nabers finished with seven catches for 171 yards and two touchdowns, tormenting Indianapolis' defense all afternoon. Short passes worked well because Nabers is proving himself as an elite catch-and-run threat. He took two of them to the house Sunday, accounting for 90 of his yards on a pair of receptions that were either behind the line of scrimmage or within nine air yards. He made the downfield plays, too, proving himself as a threat who must be accounted for on every down. The Giants haven't had a lot to smile about this season, but they have a legitimate star in Nabers.
2. Errors doom Colts' playoff hopes. Indianapolis wasted early opportunities, stalling twice in the red zone and settling for two field goals, then missed another try. In the second half, the Colts turned it over on downs on a fourth-and-short conversion attempt. And when they needed a scoring drive late in this shootout, pass protection broke down, pressuring Joe Flacco into an interception that essentially ended their chances. Even the Colts' well-documented record against quality competition -- and their successes against lesser teams -- didn't hold up Sunday in a must-win game, effectively explaining the state of this club in 2024. No matter the quarterback -- Flacco's latest start didn't revive his reputation -- they never felt like a legitimate playoff team and have been properly eliminated by their own disappointing result Sunday.
3. Giants finally send fans home happy. New York entered Sunday with a 0-8 record at home this season and had one last chance to win at MetLife Stadium before heading into an uncertain offseason. The Giants saved their best for last, punctuating multiple drives with touchdowns scored in a variety of fashions. Drew Lock was remarkably efficient, finishing 17 of 23 for 309 yards and four touchdowns while Tyrone Tracy Jr. chipped in one long run to help set up an early trip to the end zone. They scored 45 points for the first time in nearly a decade, putting together a nearly complete performance in a game that meant little other than how it concerned Brian Daboll's job security. There's no telling whether this win will save Daboll's job, but it was nice to see these fans -- who have worn brown paper bags over their heads and commissioned airplanes to fly banners of protest over the stadium in recent weeks -- enjoy a Giants win for once.

Next Gen Stats Insight from (via NFL Pro): Malik Nabers hauled in seven of his eight targets for 171 yards and two touchdowns, generating 105 yards after the catch and +63 yards after the catch over expected, the third-most in a single game by any player this season.

NFL Research: Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Malik Nabers became the third rookie duo in NFL history to have 1,000-plus scrimmage yards in the same season Sunday, joining the Saints' Reggie Bush and Marques Colston (2006) and the Dallas Texans' Abner Haynes and Johnny Robinson (1960).

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• READ: McDermott stumps for QB Allen as 2024 MVP

Eric Edholm takeaways:

1. Bills’ defense stood tall in blowout of Jets. Josh Allen threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, helping his MVP case and helping his team lock up the No. 2 seed, but the Bills were plagued by a slew of offensive penalties that kept it a close game -- until the mid-third quarter, anyway. Buffalo’s defense was swarming all game, keeping the Jets off the scoreboard until garbage time, forcing three turnovers and making Aaron Rodgers miserable all day. Gregory Rousseau was his usually dominant self with a fourth-down stuff, half a sack and a tipped ball that led to a Jordan Phillips interception. But this was a total-unit effort. A.J. Epenesa took Rodgers down for a first-half safety, giving the Bills much-needed points when the offense was scuttling a bit. Christian Benford had a big interception in the second half (after narrowly missing another one), and Ed Oliver forced a fumble that was recovered by Matt Milano, who has worked his way back into form since returning from injury. A week after the Patriots moved the ball readily on them, the Bills firmed up with a terrific effort on defense, sending Rodgers to the bench early in the fourth quarter.
2. Rodgers era might be coming to rough ending with Jets. The future of the Jets hangs in the balance this offseason, with Aaron Rodgers’ future clearly the first big domino. If Sunday was any indication of what direction the Jets might take, it would be hard to justify bringing him back in 2025. Rodgers was under fire early, taking four sacks on the day, and each failed Jets drive seemed to get worse than the last. After turning it over on downs on the opening drive, Rodgers threw a pick, short-circuiting the Jets’ most promising drives of the game. Then after a false start inside his own 5-yard line, Rodgers was taken down for a safety to give Buffalo a 12-0 halftime lead. It got uglier from there with another Rodgers pick (including a Rodgers unnecessary roughness penalty) and a Garrett Wilson fumble deep in Buffalo territory. Wilson and Rodgers haven’t been on the same page since training camp, and how the Jets view the receiver's future in New York this offseason will also be fascinating. But there was nothing fascinating about another listless Jets loss, dropping them to 4-12 and 1-4 in the AFC East. The offseason can’t come soon enough.
3. Coleman can still be a weapon for Allen in the playoffs. It has been an interesting first season for Bills rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman. He hasn’t necessarily been a volume target for Josh Allen, but he has been a big-play threat, and Sunday showed that he can still be a big part of this offense as the playoffs approach. Coleman had been held to one reception in each of the previous three games, and Sunday got off to a frustrating start with a 37-yard catch erased by penalty. He and Allen also couldn’t connect on a few downfield shots. Some were on Allen, some on Coleman, including a “drop” of a tipped pass. But the rookie bailed out Allen on a 50-50 ball in the end zone, skying over Quincy Williams for an athletic TD. Coleman’s stats won’t show he had a great game by any means, but he found his way to contribute in a notable way -- especially with Amari Cooper leaving the game with an injury. The Bills likely can afford to rest Cooper in Week 18 if needed, which would give Coleman a great chance to have a featured role next week as a tune-up for the playoffs.

Next Gen Stats Insight for (via NFL Pro): After generating pressure on only two of nine dropbacks (22.2%) in the first half of their Week 17 win over the Jets, the Bills defense forced pressure on 14 of 28 dropbacks (50.0%) in the second half, their second-most pressures in a half this season. Seven Bills defenders generated multiple pressures in the second half, led by Von Miller, who produced eight pressures on only eight pass rushes.

NFL Research: Josh Allen now has 65 rushing TDs, which tied him with Hall of Fame RB Thurman Thomas for the most rushing TDs in Bills history. Fellow Hall of Famer O.J. Simpson is third with 57.

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Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Thomas Jr. is a budding star. Brian Thomas Jr. is one of a few rookie receivers who entered the NFL in 2024 and needed zero time to acclimate. He's made big plays for the Jaguars all season and continued to do so Sunday, catching seven passes for 91 yards and a touchdown. Wisely, the Jaguars tried to get the ball in his hands as much as possible, even drawing up a sweep for him that he took for a gain of 18 on a drive that ended in a Mac Jones touchdown pass to Parker Washington. He might only be a rookie, but he's equipped with a skill set that plays like a veteran star, winning with size, athleticism and fantastic hands. He's going to be a nightmare for opposing defenses for many years to come,
2. Tennessee comes up short again. Mason Rudolph has taken over as the Titans' starting quarterback in these final few weeks and put together a showing typical of his expectations, completing 19 of 31 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown Sunday, leading an important scoring drive in the third quarter after struggling to generate much in the first half. He moved the Titans within scoring range twice in the fourth quarter, too, giving Tennessee a legitimate chance to win. But much like the rest of this season, it wasn't enough. Tennessee settled for a field goal and turned it over on downs on those final two possessions, which happened to include some of their best offensive production all day. That followed a first half in which a tipped pass ended in an interception, which led to a Jacksonville touchdown. The third-quarter loss of Tyjae Spears to injury undoubtedly hurt the Titans' chances, as he was having a solid day before exiting, and although they made multiple efforts to climb back into the game and converted 50 percent of their third-down opportunities, they still fell short. That's been the Titans in 2024. Even when they avoid back-breaking turnovers, they can't seem to finish the job. They're going to take stock of quarterback in the offseason, and perhaps a new addition will push them beyond the bar they need to clear to be competitive. We know, though, that this team simply isn't there yet.
3. Jaguars get feel-good win. Jacksonville has had an incredibly tough year. They've lost games in nearly every fashion: close defeats, blowouts and ones they wish they'd had back. With two weeks left in the season and rain drenching the city, they had little to play for Sunday. And yet, they gave their full effort, grinding out a one-possession win by simply being better on the margins than their opponent. They completed a season sweep of another lowly AFC South rival with the victory while Mac Jones earned a small feather for his cap with a 15-of-22, 174-yard, two-touchdown day. Much of it was unspectacular, but it was enough to come away victorious, setting up for a rare Victory Monday for a club that has fallen well short of expectations this season. Even an entrenched star on the team, Josh Hines-Allen, drummed up a few splash plays in succession, firing up his teammates and the fans who braved the rain. Yes, a win like this hurts their draft position, but these players aren't working Sunday for the franchise's future; they're playing for their employment. That effort produced the result every team chases with each week: victory, which has been rather fleeting in 2024.

Next Gen Stats Insight from (via NFL Pro): Josh Hines-Allen generated a season-high 10 pressures on 30 pass rushes in Week 17, including his highest pressure rate (33.3%) in a game this season.

NFL Research: Brian Thomas Jr. is one of four rookies in the Super Bowl era to record over 1,100 receiving yards (1,179) and 10 receiving touchdowns, joining the elite company of Odell Beckham, Ja'Marr Chase and Randy Moss.

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• REWATCH: Raiders-Saints on �鶹���� Premium
• READ: Raiders' Bowers breaks two rookie receiving records

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Bowers' record-setting day helps Raiders to second consecutive victory. The rookie tight end took all the records on Sunday. Brock Bowers' team-leading seven-catch, 77-yard performance in the double-digit road win blasted past Mike Ditka's rookie tight end yards record (1,076). Bowers now has 1,144 yards on the season. Bowers' seven grabs gave him 108 for the season, breaking Puka Nacua's record of 105 for most receptions by a rookie in NFL history. Bowers also bested Darren Waller's record for most catches in team history. The tight end was the go-to for Aidan O'Connell, who played his best game of the season. The Raiders marched the ball up and down the field, scoring on six of their first eight possessions. A 95-yard touchdown possession at the end of the first half was the Raiders' best drive of the season. Elsewhere, Ameer Abdullah (20 carries, 115 yards) generated the first career 100-yard game in his 10-year career. Sunday marked the 141st game for the former second-round pick.
2. Rattler starts well but can't overcome poor surroundings. Rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler displayed poise and rifled darts early, showing playmaking out of the pocket and an ability to make off-schedule throws on the move. Rattler completed 11 of 13 attempts for 146 yards with a TD and zero sacks in the first half, looking as efficient as he has all year. Then, the bottom fell out. With drops and poorly timed penalties plaguing the Saints, Rattler threw for just 72 yards with two INTs and took three sacks in the second half. New Orleans had no rushing attack to help the QB (Rattler led the team with three carries for 46 yards), and no consistent weapons on the outside. The Saints went a woeful 1 of 10 on third downs, with the only conversion coming in garbage time. Toss in a defense that couldn't tackle or force a turnover to help out the offense, and you have a recipe for a rookie QB to struggle. There were flashes from Rattler, but not enough to keep the game close.
3. Antonio Pierce making case to keep job. The Raiders' first-round draft pick continues to drop from having the best shot at the No. 1 pick to . Pierce has made it clear he could give a hoot about draft status -- fans might have a different opinion -- as he battles to keep his job into 2025. The Raiders played well Sunday, getting needed stops, moving the ball between the 20s and proving the more disciplined team (three penalties for 20 yards). It helps facing an opponent decimated by injury and already looking toward 2025, but at least Pierce will end the season with a couple of wins to state his case to keep the coaching gig.

Next Gen Stats Insight for (via NFL Pro): Aidan O'Connell completed 20 of 35 pass attempts for 242 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 10.1 air yards per attempt, the second-highest mark of his career. O'Connell completed six of 14 passes over 10 air yards for 120 yards and a touchdown; his +5.1% completion percentage over expected is his fifth-highest mark on such passes.

NFL Research: The Raiders have won back-to-back games for the first time this season. Their two straight wins follow a 10-game losing streak, tied for the second-longest losing streak in franchise history.

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• REWATCH: Panthers-Buccaneers on �鶹����

Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Bucs bounced back with dominant victory in had-to-have-it game. After the Buccaneers’ Week 16 loss at Dallas, the NFC South pendulum swung back in the Falcons' favor. But Tampa did what it needed to Sunday against the Panthers, taking early control of the game, withstanding a strong push from Carolina and finishing strong in a 48-14 blowout. Baker Mayfield was dialed in with five touchdown passes and 359 passing yards, the fifth-most he’s had in a regular-season game, slaughtering the Panthers every time they brought extra pressure. You almost couldn’t have asked for a better offensive performance, even against a struggling Panthers defense. Mike Evans had two TDs and 97 yards, now within 85 yards of his 11th-straight 1,000-yard season. Backup tight ends Payne Durham and Devin Culp combined for 88 yards and a TD with Cade Otton out of the lineup. The run game produced 202 of the Bucs’ 551 net yards of offense. Everything now boils down to what Atlanta and Tampa Bay do down the stretch, but the Bucs gave themselves a great shot at hosting a playoff game with the win.
2. Young not to blame for Panthers’ woes. Facing a 7-0 hole, Bryce Young led a statement drive to tie the game. The Panthers cooled off offensively as the Bucs built a 27-7 lead before half, but Young struck back with his second TD strike to Adam Thielen and set up a field-goal chance for Eddy Pineiro before halftime, which he missed. That was the last gasp for the Panthers, as the defense was eaten up by the Bucs, the Chuba Hubbard-less run game was nonexistent and the special teams allowed a blocked punt returned for a touchdown. The rout was on from there. Young was sacked five times, with four of them coming in the second half. He had no time to operate and was under pressure on a whopping 68.6% of his dropbacks but still managed to throw for 203 yards and two scores with zero turnovers. That’s not to suggest Young was perfect; he missed a few deep shots to Xavier Legette, and not all the sacks were on the offensive line. But assuming the Panthers still believe in him, they badly need to insulate him with more help -- on both sides of the ball. 
3. Bucky growing into big role for Bucs. The Bucs truly can boast one of the NFL’s best one-two punches in the backfield with Bucky Irving and Rachaad White. With the Bucs easing White’s load a bit Sunday, Irving was the show in the backfield, with a 34-yard run and a 42-yard catch down to the 1-yard line, earning “Bucky!” chants from the home crowd and setting up Evans’ second score. Irving finished the day with 113 yards rushing and 77 receiving, exiting the laugher of a game before the end of the third quarter. Irving’s costly fumble in the Week 5 loss at Atlanta could have pushed him down the depth chart, but credit the Bucs’ coaches -- and Irving -- for not letting that happen. He’s only seen his role grow as the Bucs enter the home stretch with some offensive fuel. Irving very quietly has surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark, which is pretty terrific for the 125th pick in the draft, and he and White should be a handful to deal with for years to come. 

Next Gen Stats Insight for (via NFL Pro): Baker Mayfield completed all 12 of his pass attempts against the blitz, for 90 yards and five touchdowns in the Buccaneers’ win over the Panthers. Mayfield’s five touchdowns against the blitz are the most in a game by a quarterback since Patrick Mahomes in Week 1, 2022. Across all dropbacks, Mayfield generated +23.4 EPA, his most in a single game in his career.

NFL Research: The Panthers’ 551 yards allowed were their most since the 571 they surrendered to the Vikings in Week 6 of the 2021 season. 

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• READ: Saquon becomes 1st player to rush for 2K for 2nd career team
• READ: Eagles clinch NFC East title

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Saquon passes 2,000-yard rushing mark in quest for Dickerson's rushing record. Chants of "MVP" rained down from Philly faithful as Saquon Barkley galloped through the Cowboys defense. With two backup quarterbacks playing for Philly, the Eagles leaned on Barkley. The NFL's leading back rushed a season-high 31 times, gobbling up 167 yards to blast past the 2,000-yard mark on the season (2,005). Barkley became the ninth player in NFL history to break the 2,000-yard mark. Saquon entered the afternoon needing to average 134.0 yards per game over the final two contests and now sits exactly 100 yards shy of tying Eric Dickerson's single-season record with the New York Giants visiting in Week 18. Kenny Pickett started the game and helped Philly build a 27-7 lead before getting knocked out with a rib injury. Tanner McKee entered and threw two touchdown passes. With Philly feeding Barkley into the fourth quarter of a blowout, the Eagles clearly wanted to get the back as close as they could to the rushing record. With the NFC East clinched and potentially nothing to play for in Week 18 (unless both the Lions and Vikings lose), we'll see how much Philly balances chasing the record versus Barkley's former team and getting him rest ahead of the postseason.
2. Eagles D forced four turnovers, stifling Cowboys. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson picked up two personal fouls last week, getting ejected from the loss to Washington. Sunday, he picked up two interceptions. The safety picked off a wayward Cooper Rush pass on the opening drive, sprinting for a tone-setting pick-six. Philly allowed Dallas to march early, giving up 105 yards and eight first downs on the opening two drives. From there, Vic Fangio's defense obliterated Dallas. The Eagles forced three additional turnovers, allowed 163 total yards and just eight first downs on the next eight possessions. The ability to adjust mid-game has been a staple of the Eagles defense all season and speaks to the job Fangio has done. With Pickett starting and the offense going three-and-out twice to open the game, the defense gave the offense some leash to get its feet underneath. Fangio's defense will be a problem for opponents heading into the postseason.
3. Cowboys lay an egg against a division opponent. After weeks of optimism, Mike McCarthy's club put up a stinker on the road against a rival. Dallas allowed 34 unanswered points over the final three quarters. The offense couldn't get much going after the first quarter, with Rush playing as ineffective as he has since Dallas last played the Eagles in Week 10. Rush completed 15 of 28 passes for 147 yards with a TD and two INTs. Outside of a few Rico Dowdle runs (23 rushes, 104 yards), the Cowboys offense couldn't sustain drives sans CeeDee Lamb. The Dallas defense couldn't slow Saquon even when it was telegraphed that he would get the rock late. And Cowboys corner Andrew Booth, forced into action due to injures, got torched time and time again by DeVonta Smith. To make it a three-phase failure, kicker Brandon Aubrey doinked a 61-yard attempt off the upright. Jerry Jones has spoken optimistically about the job McCarthy has done as the Cowboys mustered four wins in five games. But getting trounced twice by a division rival (Dallas lost by a combined 75-13 score to Philadelphia) is never good for a Dallas coach. The loss ensured the Cowboys would earn their second losing season in five under McCarthy.

Next Gen Stats Insight for (via NFL Pro): DeVonta Smith benefited from DaRon Bland shadowing AJ Brown, instead facing off against Andrew Booth on nearly half of his routes (8 of 18, 44.4%). Smith was targeted frequently in matchups against Booth, catching five of six targets for 111 yards and two touchdowns. Bland aligned across from Brown on 15 of his 19 routes (78.9%), allowing three receptions for 36 yards and a touchdown on five targets against Brown.

NFL Research: This is the 20th consecutive season the NFC East did not have a repeat winner, the longest streak by a single division in NFL history (second: AFC West from 1988-2000). The last NFC East repeat winner was the Eagles from 2001-04.

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• READ: Dolphins win to keep playoff hopes alive; Tua (hip) uncertain for Week 18

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Huntley gets the job done. Judging by how he fared earlier this season, Tyler Huntley's involvement in Sunday's game could've spelled doom for the Dolphins in a game they needed to win to keep their postseason ambitions alive. Instead, Huntley proved he could reprise his role as a veteran backup capable of keeping the ship afloat. Huntley was remarkably sharp, getting the ball out very quickly to complete 22 of 26 passes for 225 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for 52 yards and another score on seven attempts, carrying the Dolphins' one-dimensional offense against a Cleveland defense that certainly didn't make things easy. Huntley accounted for 277 of Miami's 280 total yards of offense, led three scoring drives that originated in Miami territory and capitalized on a turnover in Cleveland territory by firing a bullet to Jonnu Smith for a score late, officially sealing the road win. This was exactly the type of game the Dolphins needed from Huntley in order to reach Week 18 with the playoff dream alive.
2. Rinse and repeat for Browns. I've spent plenty of space in the weekly What We Learned commenting on how Cleveland's defense has played well enough to win in most weeks. The same was true on Sunday. Huntley played well enough to win, but also found a bumpy road ahead of him because of a Browns defense that was stifling on third down and forced Miami to punt seven times. Still, as they have for most of 2024, the Browns' putrid offense continued to waste the chances provided by their defense. They didn't clear 200 yards of offense until the final six minutes of regulation, turned it over on downs on Miami's goal line in a 10-point game, and it's painfully clear their Dorian Thompson-Robinson experiment has failed. It will be interesting to see if the Browns consider another change at offensive coordinator in the offseason -- as well as who they might add at quarterback -- because it's obvious their current state is unacceptable for an NFL organization. Fortunately, their loss only helped their draft position, which could climb high enough to enter the range to select a quarterback.
3. Miami stays alive. The Dolphins needed help entering Sunday to keep their faint playoff hopes alive and received the perfect Christmas gift on Saturday when the Bengals defeated the Broncos. That brought new value (and pressure) to Sunday's meeting with the Browns, a game they knew they'd play without their starting quarterback. Unlike their earlier stretch spent without Tua Tagovailoa, whose status for Week 18 is unclear, Miami handled the challenge well, getting enough out of its backup and passing game and complementing it with a stingy, aggressive defense that enjoyed some key plays from ageless hero Calais Campbell, a goal line stand and a convincing finish. The Dolphins will need more help in Week 18, but most importantly, they've bought themselves one more week to believe in a season that seemed doomed months ago.

Next Gen Stats Insight for (via NFL Pro): Tyler Huntley was efficient against the Browns, completing 22 of 26 attempts for 225 yards and one touchdown, including a +16.6% completion percentage above expected, the highest by a Dolphins quarterback in a game this season.

NFL Research: With two sacks Sunday, Myles Garrett became the first player since individual sacks were first tracked in 1982 to record 14-plus sacks in four consecutive seasons.

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• READ: Vikings' Darnold soaks in 'pretty special' locker room scene

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Darnold dices up Packers defense as Vikings hold on vs. division rival. Needing a first down to ice the contest, Sam Darnold connected with a falling Cam Akers wide open in the flat as the Vikings survived for another one-score win. Minnesota got up big as Darnold calmly picked apart the Green Bay secondary, getting to his second and third options with aplomb. Provided excellent protection by his offensive line most of the game, Darnold had a tea party, picking apart the Packers for a career-high 377 yards on 33-of-43 passing with three touchdowns and an interception. Darnold got everyone involved. When Justin Jefferson (eight receptions for 92 yards) was blanketed, Darnold peppered Jalen Nailor (5/81/1), Jordan Addison (6/69/1) or T.J. Hockenson (5/68). After a first-drive punt and a missed long field goal, the Vikings scorched Green Bay, scoring 20 unanswered to open a big lead. Darnold's biggest miscue was a second-half forced pass that led to an interception. After the mishap, however, Darnold settled back in, found his outlets when under pressure, and kept the chains moving. After the Packers cut the once-big lead to two points, a steely Darnold made plays to clinch the game, hitting three passes to salt away time. Instead of attempting to run out the clock on the ground where they'd struggled, Kevin O'Connell trusted his QB to make plays. Darnold came through. Once again, the Vikings proved they have ice in their veins.
2. Vikings D throttles Love, Packers early to set up a Week 18 showdown in Detroit. Brian Flores' crew had Jordan Love's head spinning early, with the quarterback misfiring regularly. Minnesota's defense slowed the Green Bay passing attack, holding Love to a meager 45 passing yards at halftime. For most of the contest, Flores' crew squeezed that life out of Green Bay, not allowing the explosive plays that the Packers have thrived on. Things got dicey late, as Love solved some of Flores' blitzes, and the Vikes allowed back-to-back TD drives to make things interesting. However, the early play of Minnesota's defense provided the cushion needed to secure the win. The victory sets up a showdown next week for the NFC North title and the No. 1 seed in Week 18 against the Lions.
3. Miscues doom Matt LaFleur's squad.  Too little, too late for the Packers. Green Bay doomed itself with early errors that left the offense sputtering. On eight first-half drives, the Packers lost a fumble, went three-and-out, stalled inside the 5-yard line, missed a fourth-down throw and went three-and-out again after an alignment penalty cost them a first down. The offense was just a tick off for much of the game and cost them dearly. The defense played decent early but blew a coverage for a 31-yard TD, and the special teams jumped offsides on a missed field goal, giving up a free three points to close the second quarter -- three points that would prove massive. After some success early in holding an explosive Vikings offense to field goals, the Green Bay defense couldn't slow Darnold. Then, the Packers couldn't get off the field on the final drive. A plethora of pre-snap penalties, missed tackles, missed blocks and missed throws plagued the Packers all game. LaFleur's club looked outclassed in every aspect for the first 50 minutes on Sunday. Ten minutes of good play couldn't make up for the bad. Green Bay fell to 3-5 on the season against teams currently sporting winning records. Sunday's loss ensures Green Bay won't leap into the No. 5 seed and is in danger of falling into the No. 7 seed if Washington wins out.

Next Gen Stats Insight for (via NFL Pro): The Vikings played man coverage on 47.1% of dropbacks, their second-highest rate in a game this season, including 11 of 13 third- and fourth-down dropbacks. This was a notable change in strategy for Brian Flores’s defense, which played man coverage on a season-low 10.7% of dropbacks in Week 4 against the Packers. The Vikings allowed half the yards per attempt when playing man coverage (4.1) compared to zone coverage (8.2). Byron Murphy was especially effective in man coverage, allowing just one reception for 13 yards on five targets (1.2 yards of average target separation).

NFL Research: The Vikings have won nine straight games following back-to-back losses in Weeks 7-8, the longest active winning streak and the longest win streak in season for Minnesota since 1975 (won 10 straight games). The Vikings’ 14 wins are the second most in team history (15-1 in 1998 -- finished 15-1, won NFC Central, lost in NFC Championship Game versus Falcons).