WINNERS
Damar Hamlin / Buffalo
This is an easy one. With Damar Hamlin watching from the UC Medical Centre , Buffalo started their Week 18 home game against the Patriots with an incredible 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Nyheim Hines. It was truly a magical moment that only sports can create. Hines wasn’t done there, though, as he returned yet another kick later in the third quarter as Buffalo went on to win 35-23. With Hamlin now released from the hospital and thankfully continuing his recovery in Buffalo, the Bills are as strong a team as ever. You’ve probably already seen it, but here’s the clip once more from Hines’ first return:
Seattle Seahawks
By the skin of their teeth, the Seahawks are in the postseason. Seattle needed overtime against Los Angeles but ultimately got the job done when a Quandre Diggs interception led to a game-winning field goal from Jason Myers. Of course, it wasn’t just their own game that Seattle had to worry about. After finishing off the Rams, it was time to stress over the Packers and Lions on Sunday Night Football. The Seahawks needed a Detroit win to stay alive, and that’s exactly what they got as Week 18 wrapped up with a 4-point stunner at Lambeau Field. The Hawks now travel to the Bay to take on the scorching hot San Francisco 49ers.
Jamaal Williams
Jamaal Williams truly is the heart and soul of the Detroit Lions. The running back finished off the season with an inspiring effort and won NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors after scoring two touchdowns to help beat his former team. Williams finished the season with the most rushing scores in the league at 17, which also broke Barry Sanders’ franchise record. After an emotional game, Williams had this to say:
LOSERS
Green Bay Packers / Aaron Rodgers
Just when everyone thought the Packers had figured it out and were becoming a team no one wanted to see in the playoffs, they lost their chance to even get there. On Sunday, Green Bay mustered up just one touchdown against the Lions as Aaron Rodgers came up short in a January home game once again. Many are speculating that this will be Aaron’s last game in the NFL, a theory which he himself has yet to dispel. When it’s all said and done, he’s a first ballot Hall of Famer. However, Rodgers probably wishes he could have found a little more success in the biggest games of his career.
New England Patriots
The Pats will not be back in the playoffs this year after falling to the Bills in Week 18. The season was a tough one from the get-go in New England, especially on the offensive side of the ball. With the futures of Mac Jones and offensive coordinator Matt Patricia up in the air, a lot of change could be coming from Bill Belichick’s squad this offseason.
Houston Texans
Forget about winning, the Texans can’t even tank right. With just one game between them and the first overall pick, Houston defeated the Colts in Week 18 thanks to some late game heroics from Davis Mills. It’s obviously impossible to tell players not to try in professional sports, but the win did nothing besides give Chicago the first overall pick in next year’s draft. As the Texans are clearly looking for a QB, the hope now is that the Bears don’t trade away this pick to another team looking to upgrade at quarterback and steal the pick from Houston. Davis Mills clearly doesn’t care about that, though.
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