by Vegas Writer
Wednesday, Jan 03, 2024It's the final week of the season, and all I ask is we have just as much excitement in Week 18 as we had in Week 17.
Last week's action marked the first time in NFL history there was an offensive touchdown, defensive touchdown, kickoff-return touchdown, and punt-return touchdown each of at least 90 yards in the same week.
The Dallas Cowboys saw wideout CeeDee Lamb with a 92-yard touchdown reception, Philadelphia Eagles safety Sydney Brown registered a 99-yard interception-return touchdown, New England Patriots return specialist Jalen Raegor turned in a 98-yard kickoff return for a score, and New York Giants returner Gunner Olszewski had a 94-yard punt-return touchdown.
As we close out the regular season, make note of the best and worst five teams against the spread and teams involved in the five highest and lowest-scoring games:
TOP 5 ATS: Ravens (11-5), Lions (11-5), Browns (11-5), Dolphins (10-6) and Buccaneers (10-6).
BOTTOM 5 ATS: Chargers (5-10-1), Jets (5-10-1), Saints (5-10-1), Panthers (4-10-2) and Falcons (5-11).
TOP 5 OVERS: Colts (11-5), Packers (10-6), Lions (10-6), Cardinals (9-6-1) and Browns (9-6-1).
TOP 5 UNDERS: (six are tied at 5-11): Panthers, Saints, Chargers, Titans, Chiefs and Raiders.
Okay, figured I'd get the important (betting) rankings out of th the way, now, let's get into this week's rankings:
THE UPPER TIER
1. Baltimore (13-3) - The Ravens crushed Miami, 56-19, to secure their first AFC North division title since 2019 and clinch the No. 1 seed, the AFC's only first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. This is the team to beat. (Last week 1)
2. San Francisco (12-4) - After being humiliated by the Ravens the week before, the 49ers scraped by to defeat the lower-tier Washington Commanders, 27-10. That said, they clinched the No. 1 seed, the NFC's lone first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. (Last week 2)
3. Dallas (11-5) - The referees won't be around every game to bail out the Cowboys. Nonetheless, this will still be a dangerous team if everything is clicking come playoff time. (Last week 4)
4. Buffalo (10-6) - Chalk up more rushing for Josh Allen, who rushed for two touchdowns in the Bills' 27-21 win over New England. Allen has 15 rushing touchdowns this season, tied with Jalen Hurts (15 rushing touchdowns in 2023) for the most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a season in NFL history. (Last week 8)
5. Miami (11-5) - Tyreek Hill had six catches for 76 yards last week Hill and now has a career-high and franchise-record 1,717 receiving yards this season. He also had 1,710 receiving yards last season and is now the first player in NFL history to record at least 1,700 receiving yards in multiple seasons. (Last week 3)
6. Detroit (11-5) - Rookie tight end Sam LaPorta had seven receptions for 84 yards on Saturday, and now has 81 receptions this season, tied with Keith Jackson (81 receptions in 1988) for the most receptions by a rookie tight end in NFL history. (Last week 6)
7. Kansas City (10-6) - The Chiefs defeated Cincinnati, 25-17, and clinched their eighth-consecutive AFC West division title. I'm still not convinced they're making it to the AFC Championship. (Last week 7)
8. Cleveland (10-5) - The Browns defeated the New York Jets, 37-20, and clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2020. (Last week 9)
9. Philadelphia (11-5) - The plight and plummet continues for the Eagles. (Last week 5)
10. Green Bay (8-8) - Jordan Love ranks third in the NFL in touchdown passes (30) and ninth in EPA per attempt (.19), this being his first season as the full-time starter. Take that haters! (Last week 12)
11. Denver (8-8) - The Broncos are sure to drop now that Sean Payton threw the white flag. He made it official this week when he benched Russell Wilson in favor of Jarrett Stidham. (Last week 11)
12. Jacksonville (9-7) - Linebacker Josh Allen recorded three sacks in the Jaguars' 26-0 win over Carolina. Allen – who had three sacks in Weeks 1, 4 and 17 and had 2.5 sacks in Week 12 – is the second player since 1982 with at least 2.5 sacks in four games within a season. (Last week 13)
13. Houston (9-7) - Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, last year's No. 2 pick, ranks fourth in the NFL with 274.57 passing yards per game, a surprise season that has Houston sitting eighth in the AFC. (Last week 14)
14. Cincinnati (8-8) - Backup quarterback Jake Browning had his lowest-output game since replacing Joe Burrow, completing 57.6 percent of his passes for 197 yards. (Last week 10)
15. Indianapolis (9-7) - Coach Shane Steichen has the Colts playing for a spot in the playoffs despite losing rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson. This weekend will be interesting. (Last week 15)
16. Pittsburgh (9-7) - Coach Mike Tomlin has led the Steelers to a .500-or-better record in each of his 17 seasons under the headset and surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer George Halas for the third-longest streak of consecutive .500-or-better seasons by a head coach in NFL history. (Last week 18)
LOWER TIER
17. L.A. Rams (8-8) - Los Angeles defeated the New York Giants, 26-25, and clinched a playoff berth for the third time in the past four seasons. (Last week 19)
18. Tampa Bay (8-8) - If Baker Mayfield can lead the Bucs past the league-worst Panthers, he should get credit for guiding Tampa Bay to the playoffs by way of votes for Comeback Player of the Year. (Last week 20)
19. Chicago (7-9) - The Bears will end up missing Justin Fields in the long run. (Last week 24)
20. Atlanta (7-9) - This team has been doomed with one of the least efficient scoring offenses. (Last week 22)
21. New Orleans (8-8) - The Saints head to the playoffs if they beat Atlanta and get a prayer answered with a Carolina win over Tampa Bay on Sunday. (Last week 26)
22. Seattle (8-8) - If the Seahawks make it to the postseason, it will be coach Pete Carroll’s 10th trip in his last 13 seasons as head coach. (Last week 16)
23. Minnesota (7-9) - The Vikings have cycled through quarterbacks Jaren Hall, Joshua Dobbs and Nick Mullens since losing Kirk Cousins to an Achilles injury. The Lions will feast this weekend. (Last week 17)
24. Las Vegas (7-9) - The Raiders might be one of the best bets on the card this weekend, as they're non-meaningful game vs. the Broncos means the world to them. (Last week 21)
25. N.Y. Jets (6-10) - After next week, Jets fans should be excited for next season with a new countdown to Aaron Rodgers. (Last week 23)
26. New England (4-12) - Bill Belichick’s future remains a mystery. Will he stay, will he go? Where does he end up? (Last week 25)
27. Tennessee (5-11) - The Titans had 187 yards of offense in last week's loss to the Texans. Who woulda thunk, they'd be the odd team out in Week 18 with a three-way tie atop the AFC South. (Last week 27)
28. N.Y. Giants (5-11) - Will this team be able to unload Daniel Jones and that hefty contract? (Last week 28)
29. L.A. Chargers (5-11) - The Chargers have lost four straight and seven of their last eight. Next up: the Chiefs. (Last week 29)
30. Arizona (4-12) - The Cardinals overcame a 15-point halftime deficit to beat Philadelphia, 35-31, marking the first time a team defeated an opponent that entered the week with at least eight more wins in two years. (Last week 32)
31. Washington (4-12) - Good news for the Commanders after this week, they should have a new coach and new quarterback come next season. (Last week 30)
32. Carolina (2-14) - Owner Davide Tepper should have to buy Jaguars fans season tickets for next season for losing his temper. (Last week 31)
Last week's action marked the first time in NFL history there was an offensive touchdown, defensive touchdown, kickoff-return touchdown, and punt-return touchdown each of at least 90 yards in the same week.
The Dallas Cowboys saw wideout CeeDee Lamb with a 92-yard touchdown reception, Philadelphia Eagles safety Sydney Brown registered a 99-yard interception-return touchdown, New England Patriots return specialist Jalen Raegor turned in a 98-yard kickoff return for a score, and New York Giants returner Gunner Olszewski had a 94-yard punt-return touchdown.
As we close out the regular season, make note of the best and worst five teams against the spread and teams involved in the five highest and lowest-scoring games:
TOP 5 ATS: Ravens (11-5), Lions (11-5), Browns (11-5), Dolphins (10-6) and Buccaneers (10-6).
BOTTOM 5 ATS: Chargers (5-10-1), Jets (5-10-1), Saints (5-10-1), Panthers (4-10-2) and Falcons (5-11).
TOP 5 OVERS: Colts (11-5), Packers (10-6), Lions (10-6), Cardinals (9-6-1) and Browns (9-6-1).
TOP 5 UNDERS: (six are tied at 5-11): Panthers, Saints, Chargers, Titans, Chiefs and Raiders.
Okay, figured I'd get the important (betting) rankings out of th the way, now, let's get into this week's rankings:
THE UPPER TIER
1. Baltimore (13-3) - The Ravens crushed Miami, 56-19, to secure their first AFC North division title since 2019 and clinch the No. 1 seed, the AFC's only first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. This is the team to beat. (Last week 1)
2. San Francisco (12-4) - After being humiliated by the Ravens the week before, the 49ers scraped by to defeat the lower-tier Washington Commanders, 27-10. That said, they clinched the No. 1 seed, the NFC's lone first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. (Last week 2)
3. Dallas (11-5) - The referees won't be around every game to bail out the Cowboys. Nonetheless, this will still be a dangerous team if everything is clicking come playoff time. (Last week 4)
4. Buffalo (10-6) - Chalk up more rushing for Josh Allen, who rushed for two touchdowns in the Bills' 27-21 win over New England. Allen has 15 rushing touchdowns this season, tied with Jalen Hurts (15 rushing touchdowns in 2023) for the most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a season in NFL history. (Last week 8)
5. Miami (11-5) - Tyreek Hill had six catches for 76 yards last week Hill and now has a career-high and franchise-record 1,717 receiving yards this season. He also had 1,710 receiving yards last season and is now the first player in NFL history to record at least 1,700 receiving yards in multiple seasons. (Last week 3)
6. Detroit (11-5) - Rookie tight end Sam LaPorta had seven receptions for 84 yards on Saturday, and now has 81 receptions this season, tied with Keith Jackson (81 receptions in 1988) for the most receptions by a rookie tight end in NFL history. (Last week 6)
7. Kansas City (10-6) - The Chiefs defeated Cincinnati, 25-17, and clinched their eighth-consecutive AFC West division title. I'm still not convinced they're making it to the AFC Championship. (Last week 7)
8. Cleveland (10-5) - The Browns defeated the New York Jets, 37-20, and clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2020. (Last week 9)
9. Philadelphia (11-5) - The plight and plummet continues for the Eagles. (Last week 5)
10. Green Bay (8-8) - Jordan Love ranks third in the NFL in touchdown passes (30) and ninth in EPA per attempt (.19), this being his first season as the full-time starter. Take that haters! (Last week 12)
11. Denver (8-8) - The Broncos are sure to drop now that Sean Payton threw the white flag. He made it official this week when he benched Russell Wilson in favor of Jarrett Stidham. (Last week 11)
12. Jacksonville (9-7) - Linebacker Josh Allen recorded three sacks in the Jaguars' 26-0 win over Carolina. Allen – who had three sacks in Weeks 1, 4 and 17 and had 2.5 sacks in Week 12 – is the second player since 1982 with at least 2.5 sacks in four games within a season. (Last week 13)
13. Houston (9-7) - Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, last year's No. 2 pick, ranks fourth in the NFL with 274.57 passing yards per game, a surprise season that has Houston sitting eighth in the AFC. (Last week 14)
14. Cincinnati (8-8) - Backup quarterback Jake Browning had his lowest-output game since replacing Joe Burrow, completing 57.6 percent of his passes for 197 yards. (Last week 10)
15. Indianapolis (9-7) - Coach Shane Steichen has the Colts playing for a spot in the playoffs despite losing rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson. This weekend will be interesting. (Last week 15)
16. Pittsburgh (9-7) - Coach Mike Tomlin has led the Steelers to a .500-or-better record in each of his 17 seasons under the headset and surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer George Halas for the third-longest streak of consecutive .500-or-better seasons by a head coach in NFL history. (Last week 18)
LOWER TIER
17. L.A. Rams (8-8) - Los Angeles defeated the New York Giants, 26-25, and clinched a playoff berth for the third time in the past four seasons. (Last week 19)
18. Tampa Bay (8-8) - If Baker Mayfield can lead the Bucs past the league-worst Panthers, he should get credit for guiding Tampa Bay to the playoffs by way of votes for Comeback Player of the Year. (Last week 20)
19. Chicago (7-9) - The Bears will end up missing Justin Fields in the long run. (Last week 24)
20. Atlanta (7-9) - This team has been doomed with one of the least efficient scoring offenses. (Last week 22)
21. New Orleans (8-8) - The Saints head to the playoffs if they beat Atlanta and get a prayer answered with a Carolina win over Tampa Bay on Sunday. (Last week 26)
22. Seattle (8-8) - If the Seahawks make it to the postseason, it will be coach Pete Carroll’s 10th trip in his last 13 seasons as head coach. (Last week 16)
23. Minnesota (7-9) - The Vikings have cycled through quarterbacks Jaren Hall, Joshua Dobbs and Nick Mullens since losing Kirk Cousins to an Achilles injury. The Lions will feast this weekend. (Last week 17)
24. Las Vegas (7-9) - The Raiders might be one of the best bets on the card this weekend, as they're non-meaningful game vs. the Broncos means the world to them. (Last week 21)
25. N.Y. Jets (6-10) - After next week, Jets fans should be excited for next season with a new countdown to Aaron Rodgers. (Last week 23)
26. New England (4-12) - Bill Belichick’s future remains a mystery. Will he stay, will he go? Where does he end up? (Last week 25)
27. Tennessee (5-11) - The Titans had 187 yards of offense in last week's loss to the Texans. Who woulda thunk, they'd be the odd team out in Week 18 with a three-way tie atop the AFC South. (Last week 27)
28. N.Y. Giants (5-11) - Will this team be able to unload Daniel Jones and that hefty contract? (Last week 28)
29. L.A. Chargers (5-11) - The Chargers have lost four straight and seven of their last eight. Next up: the Chiefs. (Last week 29)
30. Arizona (4-12) - The Cardinals overcame a 15-point halftime deficit to beat Philadelphia, 35-31, marking the first time a team defeated an opponent that entered the week with at least eight more wins in two years. (Last week 32)
31. Washington (4-12) - Good news for the Commanders after this week, they should have a new coach and new quarterback come next season. (Last week 30)
32. Carolina (2-14) - Owner Davide Tepper should have to buy Jaguars fans season tickets for next season for losing his temper. (Last week 31)
