NFL Week 18 highlights: Lions eliminate Packers; Seahawks make playoffs
The 2022 NFL regular season came to a close Sunday with a jam-packed Week 18 slate — and you can check out the full playoff picture here.
Here are the top plays from Sunday's games!
FINAL: Detroit Lions 20, Green Bay Packers 16
Early FGs
On the opening possession of the game, Lions cornerback Jerry Jacobs was called for a 46-yard pass interference on Packers wide receiver Allen Lazard, putting the ball at the Detroit 5-yard line. The Lions kept the Packers out of the end zone, though, forcing a field goal.
Detroit went three-and-out on its first possession, and Green Bay appeared to do the same on its next possession before failing to convert a fourth-and-1 from its own 32-yard line. However, the Lions were unable to get a touchdown off the short field, settling for a field goal.
Half of field goals
Green Bay got a field goal on each of its next two possessions, followed by Detroit missing a field goal. Then the Lions forced and recovered a fumble from Packers running back Aaron Jones, which they later turned into a field goal.
Green Bay led 9-6 at halftime.
Lead change
Packers kicker Mason Crosby missed a 53-yard field goal off the crossbar in the third quarter, and the Lions quickly capitalized on the miss.
On the second play of the ensuing drive, quarterback Jared Goff connected with wide receiver Kalif Raymond on a 43-yard completion, setting up a 1-yard touchdown run from Jamaal Williams. Detroit took a 13-9 lead.
Packers respond
Wide receiver Christian Watson reeled in a remarkable 45-yard catch on the Packers' next drive. Two plays after the Watson grab, Aaron Rodgers hit Lazard for a 13-yard touchdown.
Lions retake lead
Detroit punted on its next possession, and Green Bay did the same. Then the Lions got the lead back.
A 13-play drive — assisted by a personal foul on Packers linebacker Quay Walker for pushing a member of the Lions staff — ended with Williams running in his second score.
Lions put it away
On the ensuing possession, Rodgers was intercepted by Lions safety Kerby Joseph, who ran the pick back to the Green Bay 45-yard line.
Detroit then ran out the clock, thanks to an unreal leg catch from wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and a dramatic 14-yard run from D'Andre Swift. The Lions converted a fourth-and-1 from the Green Bay 15-yard line, as Goff hit wide receiver DJ Chark to seal the victory.
Seattle Seahawks 19, Los Angeles Rams 16 (OT)
Setting the tone early
The Rams' defense came out swinging in this one, picking off Geno Smith's first pass on the Seahawks' own side of the field.
Rams roar
The Rams came up with the first touchdown of the game, thanks to the fancy footwork of Tutu Atwell ahead of halftime. The score was set up by a clutch drive from Baker Mayfield, which included this 35-yard dart to Van Jefferson.
Dropping dimes
Seattle got a much-needed boost from Tyler Lockett, who reeled in a 36-yard touchdown to tie the game early in the third quarter at 13 points apiece. Things headed to overtime, where the Seahawks narrowly picked up a 19-16 win.
Denver Broncos 31, Los Angeles Chargers 28
Making a statement
The Chargers came out strong on their opening drive, as Justin Herbert hit go-to target Keenan Allen for a 14-yard touchdown to kick off the scoring.
Then, Broncos running back Latavius Murray tied things up with a 2-yard rush on the Broncos' ensuing drive.
Taking charge
The Chargers took over in the second quarter, 14-7, when Herbert hit tight end Gerald Everett for a short score.
Finding a groove
The Broncos had the last word before the break, as Russell Wilson linked up with tight end Eric Tomlinson to knot things up at 17 apiece.
Bad man!
Then, Denver started the second half the same way it ended the first — by scoring. Just like that, the Broncos were up 24-17. Courtland Sutton came up with a fourth-quarter score, as the Broncos squeaked out a three-point win, 31-28.
Washington Commanders 26, Dallas Cowboys 6
Quick score!
The Commanders' first touchdown of the game only took two plays. In his first NFL start, QB Sam Howell found Terry McLaurin for a 16-yard score. Just like that, Washington took a 7-0 lead over Dallas right out of the gate.
Pulling away
Washington extend its lead to 13-0 after Commanders cornerback Kendall Fuller picked off Dak Prescott and took it 29 yards to the house. This came moments after the Cowboys intercepted Howell on the previous possession.
Boys are back!
Dallas avoided a first-half shutout with a 15-yard CeeDee Lamb touchdown to make it 13-6 heading into the break.
In command
Howell put space between his team and the Cowboys after a 9-yard touchdown rush gave Washington a 20-6 advantage. The Commanders added two more field goals in the fourth quarter en route to a 20-point victory.
Philadelphia Eagles 22, New York Giants 16
Too tough!
The Eagles jumped out to a quick 10-0 lead after a field goal and a short scamper from Boston Scott, which was set up by a monster 37-yard pickup from star receiver A.J. Brown. Philly extended the shutout to 16-0 before halftime.
Catch of the day!
The Giants added two fourth-quarter scores to put pressure on the Eagles, but it wasn't enough to ignite a comeback. That said, Kenny Golladay came up with one of the most impressive catches of the day — this 25-yard touchdown.
San Francisco 49ers 38, Arizona Cardinals 13
Green machine!
The Cardinals went 80 yards in two plays and made it look easy. Arizona took a 6-0 lead thanks to A.J Green's 77-yard opening-drive touchdown from David Blough.
What can't he do?
The 49ers responded with a quick score of their own, as Christian McCaffrey came up with a smooth 21-yard score. That put San Francisco in the lead, 7-6, after the Cardinals missed the extra point after their score.
Picked!
The Niners came up with a big-time interception in the second quarter, which set up a quick score from running back Elijah Mitchell and a 14-6 lead.
The Cardinals answered with a 1-yard score from Corey Clement to make it a one-point game once again.
SF treat
George Kittle reeled in a 4-yard touchdown pass from Brock Purdy to extend the 49ers' advantage ahead of the break, 21-13.
Going for gold
The Niners added two more touchdowns and a field goal in the third quarter to take a 38-13 lead and secure the win.
Buffalo Bills 35, New England Patriots 23
For No. 3!
The Bills, which took the field for the first time since safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field during Monday Night Football, came up huge on their first play of the game after having just one team practice this past week.
Nyheim Hines took the kickoff 96 yards to the house, bringing Bills fans to their feet.
Knotted up
Jakobi Meyers came up big for the Patriots late in the first quarter, reeling in Mac Jones' pass in the corner of the end zone for a jaw-dropping 2-yard score to tie things up.
Bills in business
Buffalo tight end Dawson Knox came up with the go-ahead touchdown for the Bills early in the second quarter, as the home team took a 14-7 lead.
No quit
The Pats knotted things up once again after Jones tossed his second score of the first half, this time to DeVante Parker.
Wild series of events
The Bills' last drive of the first half ended in a turnover, as Josh Allen was picked off by Devin McCourty. Buffalo returned the favor on New England's opening drive of the second half, picking off Jones' pass just outside the red zone.
The Bills weren't able to capitalize on the turnover, however, as Devin Singletary fumbled two plays later on Buffalo's own 11-yard line. The Patriots took their first lead of the game, 17-14, after knocking in a field goal on the ensuing drive.
Double trouble!
New England's lead was gone in no time, however, as Hines came up with his second touchdown of the game, this time a whopping 101-yard kickoff return that put Buffalo back on top, 21-17.
Back-to-back scores
The Bills extended their lead to double digits, 28-17, late in the third quarter after Allen connected with John Brown for a monster 42-yard touchdown.
Fourth-quarter surge
New England gave Buffalo a run for its money in the fourth quarter after Parker came up with a 26-yard touchdown to make it a five-point game, but the Bills still had one more trick up their sleeve: Stefon Diggs.
The Bills wideout reeled in a jaw-dropping 49-yard score to secure the home victory, 35-23, after an emotional week.
Houston Texans 32, Indianapolis Colts 31
On a roll
The Texans jumped out to a quick 10-0 lead over the Colts after Davis Mills found Brandin Cooks for a touchdown on Houston's first possession. Then, a costly Indianapolis fumble resulted in a short field goal for the road team.
Keeping it close
A wide-open Michael Pittman Jr. reeled in a short touchdown pass from Sam Ehlinger to keep the Texans within arm's reach, 10-7, late in the first quarter.
Chaos!
The Texans fumbled early in the second quarter, coughing up the ball in the red zone.
The Colts recovered, but things quickly took a turn. On the next play, Ehlinger's pass was picked off by Houston's Jonathan Greenard and returned 39 yards to the house. Just like that, the Texans took a double-digit lead, 17-7.
Neck and neck
The Colts kicked off the second-half scoring, thanks to a 15-yard rushing score from Zack Moss. The Texans answered with a touchdown of their own, as Mills found Jordan Akins for a 19-yard score.
Then, Indy made it a three-point game late in the third quarter with a clutch 27-yard interception-turned-touchdown.
Making moves
Indianapolis wouldn't go down without a fight, however. Ehlinger found tight end Mo Alie-Cox for a short touchdown to give the Colts their first lead of the game, 28-24. Then, the Colts added a field goal to extend their lead, 31-24.
Wild finish!
The Texans got the last word, however. Akins came down with a dazzling 28-yard touchdown grab from Mills on fourth-and-20 with less than a minute to play, capping off a 14-play drive with the game-winning score.
Cincinnati Bengals 27, Baltimore Ravens 16
Finding a rhythm
The Bengals' opening possession against the Ravens was a lengthy 17-play drive that resulted in a field goal after Joe Burrow & Co. came up just short — but not for a lack of effort.
Cincinnati extended its lead to 10-0 to close out the first quarter, thanks to a goal-line score from Joe Mixon.
Making history
The Bengals defense came up with its second interception of the game on the first play of the second quarter. The turnover resulted in six points, as Burrow tossed his 35th touchdown of the season — a Bengals single-season record.
Baltimore on the board
The Ravens punched in a touchdown, courtesy of Kenyan Drake, just ahead of the break to make it a 10-point game, 17-7.
Misfortune strikes
The Ravens unraveled in the final minute of the first half, as third-string QB Anthony Brown fumbled the ball at the goal line, and Joseph Ossai recovered the ball in the end zone for the Bengals. Just like that, it was 24-7 at halftime.
Then, Baltimore added three second-half field goals and Cincinnati added one, and things ended there, 27-16.
Minnesota Vikings 29, Chicago Bears 13
Hot start!
After the Bears went three-and-out on their opening drive, the Vikings capitalized on their first possession. Kirk Cousins connected with Adam Thielen on a short touchdown pass to put the road team on top early, 6-0.
Ground game strong
After Dalvin Cook went down with an apparent injury in the second quarter, backup Alexander Mattison punched one in for the Vikings to extend their lead to 13-0.
Not how they drew it up
Tim Boyle checked in for backup QB Nathan Peterman and immediately threw an interception on his first drive for Chicago. The turnover resulted in three quick points for the Vikings after a short field goal, extending the shutout to 16-0.
Shutout avoided
The Bears picked up their first points of the day on a reverse play from wide receiver Velus Jones Jr., who took off 42 yards for the score late in the second quarter. It was a 10-point game, 16-6, after a failed two-point attempt.
The close game was short-lived, however, as the Vikings opened the second half with a touchdown drive, Mattison's second score of the day. Just like that, it was 23-6 early in the third quarter.
For good measure
The Bears added a fourth-quarter score early in the final frame, as Cole Kmet powered through the Vikings' defense, but it wasn't enough to spark a comeback. Minnesota added two more field goals en route to its double-digit win, 29-13.
Pittsburgh Steelers 28, Cleveland Browns 14
Denied!
The Steelers were this close to taking an early lead at home, but the Browns defense had other plans. Najee Harris was denied at the goal line, and lost the ball in the process, which Cleveland scooped up.
Browns bounce back
Browns tight end David Njoku came up with the first score of the day, cashing in for a 10-yard score late in the second quarter to give Cleveland a 7-0 edge.
Bombs away!
Kenny Pickett put the Steelers on the board late in the second quarter, connecting with George Pickens for a 31-yard score to tie the game. Then, the home team added a field goal just ahead of the break to extend its lead to 10-7.
Back-and-forth battle
Harris punched in a 4-yard score late in the third quarter to extend the Steelers' lead, 20-7, but Nick Chubb fired back with a receiving touchdown for the Browns early in the fourth quarter to make it a six-point game, 20-14.
Derek Watt came up with a late score for Pittsburgh to extend the home team's lead to 28-14 after a monster pickup from Connor Heyward moved the sticks. Things ended there, but the Steelers were eliminated from the playoffs nonetheless.
Miami Dolphins 11, New York Jets 6
OROY?
The Jets gained some momentum in the second quarter thanks to star rookie Garrett Wilson, who joins Saints wideout Olave as the first pair of receivers from the same school (Ohio State) to top 1,000 yards as rookies in NFL history.
The big gain helped move Miami downfield to pick up the game-tying field goal ahead of halftime. Both teams traded off second-half field goals before the Dolphins knocked in a 50-yard field goal in the game's final seconds to secure the win.
Atlanta Falcons 30, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17
Starting strong
Tom Brady found tight end Kyle Rudolph for an 8-yard score on the Buccaneers' opening drive to take an early lead over the Falcons, 7-0.
Tie game!
Falcons rookie tight end MyCole Pruitt came up with his third touchdown of the season late in the first quarter to knot things up. It was also rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder's first passing score of his NFL career.
Then, Atlanta took a three-point lead, 10-7, to close out the first quarter after adding a field goal on their next drive. Tampa Bay returned the favor with a field goal of its own midway through the second quarter to tie things up once again.
Heating up
Just ahead of the break, Russell Gage reeled in a short touchdown pass from backup QB Blaine Gabbert, who checked in for Brady after the veteran signal-caller was taken out of the game, as the Bucs are already locked into the playoffs.
Then, the Falcons added a field goal early in the second half to make things a one-possession game, 17-13.
Seeing double
Atlanta added back-to-back second-half scores, courtesy of Olamide Zaccheaus and Cordarrelle Patterson, and a late field goal to take a double-digit lead over the Bucs, 30-17, that the Falcons held on to until the end.
Carolina Panthers 10, New Orleans Saints 7
Star power
Andy Dalton hit superstar first-year receiver Chris Olave for a smooth 25-yard touchdown on the Saints' opening drive, good for a quick 7-0 lead over the Panthers.
Securing the win
Panthers guard Michael Jordan came up with a crucial fumble recovery in the end zone to tie the game in the third quarter. Carolina went on to secure the win, 10-7, with a last-second field goal as the clock expired.