The Cleveland football team achieved a victory against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, recovering after squandering a significant lead in the later stages, yet their quarterback situation remained as ambiguous as ever.
While Myles Garrett established a new NFL record for sacks in a single season, Shedeur Sanders displayed a poor performance, with Cleveland’s defensive unit being the decisive factor in their narrow 20-18 triumph. The Browns’ offense failed to find the end zone, with their sole two scores coming from defensive plays during the first half, which initially gave them command of the match.
With Sanders at quarterback, the Browns’ offensive production was limited to merely 200 total yards and only two successful field goal attempts. The second of these was a 49-yard kick by Andre Szmyt, concluding a 10-play, 40-yard series as the clock ran out.
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This play clinched a last-second victory in Sanders’ concluding rookie season appearance. His play was considerably underwhelming, completing 11 out of 22 passes for a mere 111 yards, failing to throw any touchdowns, and committing one lost fumble during the game. He was also sacked six times, resulting in a loss of 29 yards.
This culminated in yet another erratic showing from Sanders, ensuring the Browns face another off-season filled with questions about the crucial quarterback position.
Sanders’ Final Game of the Season Marked by Errors
During Cleveland’s initial drive, Sanders fumbled the ball, providing the Bengals with excellent field position, which they capitalized on for a touchdown, establishing an early 6-0 advantage.
When the Browns had their prime opportunity for an offensive touchdown, Sanders incurred a delay-of-game infraction on third-and-goal, pushing the team back to the 9-yard line. Subsequently, he was sacked on the very next down, compelling the Browns to accept a field goal, which stretched their third-quarter lead to 17-12.
Later, with an opportunity to secure the victory, Sanders was sacked on second down from Cleveland’s 12-yard line, necessitating a punt that returned possession to the Bengals with 2:41 left, giving them a chance to take the lead. Cincinnati promptly executed a 61-yard scoring drive to establish an 18-17 advantage.
The Browns countered by engineering the drive for the game-winning field goal. However, this last-gasp triumph cannot obscure a season predominantly characterized by offensive difficulties.
Browns’ Offseason Strategy for the Quarterback Role?
Prior to Sunday’s match, Sanders’ season statistics included a 57.4% completion rate, 1,289 passing yards, 7 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions—figures that hardly suggest he is the long-term solution for Cleveland at quarterback. To be precise, this outcome was not the original intention.
Sanders was chosen by the Browns in the fifth round of the April draft, making him their second quarterback selection, following Dillon Gabriel who was picked in the third round. He began the season positioned as the team’s fourth-string quarterback.
His promotion to the starting role occurred after Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco were traded, and Gabriel suffered a concussion. Sanders’ initial performances were sufficient to retain the starting position for the duration of what became a futile season for the Browns, despite significant public demand for him to play.
His overall season performance provides scant evidence to suggest that the Browns will pursue any course other than seeking to acquire another young signal-caller for their team during the upcoming offseason.
The team will approach the April draft possessing two first-round selections within a draft class generally considered to be lacking strong quarterback prospects. However, neither pick will fall within the top five, a consequence of Sunday’s victory which elevated their standing to 5-12. Furthermore, both the Raiders and Jets, also in need of a quarterback, hold earlier draft positions.
Consistent with Cleveland’s history, straightforward solutions for the quarterback position remain elusive.
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Kate Magdziuk
An incredible finish to the match—a touchdown scored by a lineman!
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Kate Magdziuk
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have officially been eliminated from playoff contention, marking their first absence since the 2019 season, concluding their year with an 8-9 standing. This outcome is attributed to the Carolina Panthers, who made a comeback to clinch the NFC South title, aided by the Atlanta Falcons’ 19-17 upset victory over the New Orleans Saints in Week 18, which secured the division for the Panthers via tie-breaking rules. This signifies the Panthers’ initial division championship since the 2015 season, when Cam Newton led the team to the Super Bowl following a stellar 15-1 record under coach Ron Rivera.
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Kate Magdziuk
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Kate Magdziuk
Should the Falcons emerge victorious, the Carolina Panthers are poised to secure the NFC South.
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Kate Magdziuk
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Criss Partee
Minnesota defeated Green Bay, concluding their season with a 9-8 record. J.J. McCarthy threw for 182 yards before voluntarily exiting the game in the third quarter due to a hand ailment. Max Brosmer then took over for the Vikings, completing 7 of 8 passes for 57 yards. Running back Jordan Mason amassed 93 rushing yards, while Justin Jefferson concluded with eight catches for 101 yards, marking only his third game this season exceeding the century mark. Green Bay had already secured the No. 7 playoff spot in the NFC, leaving them with minimal stakes in the contest. Their reserve quarterback, Clayton Tune, started the game, attempting only 11 passes and completing 6 for 34 yards. Running backs Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks collectively gained 105 yards on the ground. No Packers receiver managed more than two receptions, with Jakobie Keeney-James being the sole player to achieve two.
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Kate Magdziuk
The Jacksonville Jaguars have formally claimed their inaugural AFC South championship since the 2022 season—and their fourth overall—following a Week 18 victory against the Titans. Trevor Lawrence maintained his impressive form to close out the regular season, tallying 255 passing yards, 3 touchdown passes, and no interceptions in Sunday’s triumph.
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Ben Fawkes
Previously, the Jacksonville Jaguars had never concluded a regular season with 12 victories against the point spread, a streak now broken. The Jaguars conclude their season with a 12-4-1 ATS record, marking their most successful against-the-spread performance in the team’s history. Jacksonville enters the postseason having won (and covered) eight consecutive games.
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Kate Magdziuk
The New York Giants persist in accumulating points, even though this will probably affect their upcoming draft standing, exemplified by Devin Singletary’s six-yard touchdown run. Following the extra point, New York expanded its advantage, now leading the Cowboys 34-17 with less than six minutes remaining in the final quarter. A victory in Week 18 would remove the Giants from consideration for the top overall draft selection, and their position in the draft could decline further based on the results of games involving the Jets, Cardinals, Browns, and Commanders.
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Kate Magdziuk
Well, that pretty much decides it. After a Bhashul Tuten touchdown and a successful extra point conversion by Cam Little, the Jaguars command a 40-7 lead against the Titans with slightly more than seven minutes remaining.
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Criss Partee
Alec Pierce, a wide receiver for the Colts, was dismissed from the game in the third quarter after engaging in physical contact with a referee after a play near the end zone. Despite the contact being minimal, the NFL maintains stringent policies regarding players’ interactions with officials, thus concluding Pierce’s participation for the day.
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Kate Magdziuk
Despite being long eliminated from playoff contention, the Giants have much at stake in Week 18, facing the possibility of a lower draft position should they defeat the Cowboys in their final game of the season. As the fourth quarter commenced, the Giants maintained a 24-17 lead. The Cowboys have withdrawn their key players, including quarterback Dak Prescott and prominent wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.
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Kate Magdziuk
Garrett had been nearing the record ever since achieving 22.0 sacks during the Week 15 defeat to the Buffalo Bills. In Week 18, he surpassed it by sacking Joe Burrow for a six-yard loss, bringing his season total to 23.0. The former NFL sack record of 22.5 was officially established by Michael Strahan in the concluding game of the 2001 season against Brett Favre, a mark later equaled by Steelers OLB T.J. Watt in the 2021 season.
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Kate Magdziuk
Myles Garrett, the Cleveland Browns’ edge rusher, is still on the verge of setting a new NFL sack record, but time is quickly elapsing for him. With approximately 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Garrett has not recorded a single sack or tackle, registering only one pressure throughout the day, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
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Criss Partee
J.J. McCarthy, the Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback, withdrew from the game due to an injury to his right hand, an issue he had been managing for several weeks. Max Brosmer has stepped in to replace McCarthy at quarterback. He’s
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Criss Partee
As Houston re-emerges after halftime, Davis Mills is now at quarterback, suggesting that C.J. Stroud’s participation has concluded given the team has already secured a playoff spot. With Jacksonville decisively defeating Tennessee, the AFC South title appears unattainable for the Texans, prompting head coach DeMeco Ryans to start resting key players.
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Kate Magdziuk
A notable sequence unfolded in New York when rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart connected with running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. in the end zone for his second touchdown pass of the game. Following this play, tensions escalated, leading to a skirmish between the two teams and a flurry of penalty flags. Cowboys defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and rookie defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku were both assessed unnecessary roughness penalties. Ezeiruaku was subsequently ejected for removing a Giants player’s helmet. Once order was restored, the Giants chose to attempt a two-point conversion, with running back Devin Singletary locating wide receiver Darius Slayton in the end zone to successfully complete it. This extended the Giants’ lead to 24-10.
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Criss Partee
Today’s game in Houston features a standout performance from Riley Leonard, with the rookie quarterback registering three touchdowns against the league’s second-ranked defense. Two of these scores came via passing plays, complemented by a rushing touchdown that was orchestrated following another long completion to Alec Pierce. Pierce has accumulated four catches for 132 yards and two touchdowns. The Colts have now moved ahead, holding a 24-23 lead in the third quarter.
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Kate Magdziuk
It seems Dak Prescott’s season has concluded, as Joe Milton III has officially taken over as quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys at the start of the second half. Prescott completed 7 of 11 passes for 70 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions in the first half, ending his season with 4,452 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. This marks his fourth professional season achieving over 30 passing touchdowns.
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Criss Partee
The game between Houston and Indianapolis is closely contested, with the Texans holding a 23-17 lead at the intermission. Making his debut start, Riley Leonard showed no signs of apprehension against the NFL’s premier defense, completing 8 of 13 passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns in the initial half. The Colts’ offensive line provided solid protection, yielding only one sack thus far. Alec Pierce caught both of Leonard’s touchdown passes and tallied three receptions for a total of 79 yards. Running back Jonathan Taylor carried the ball seven times for 10 yards. The Texans’ halftime advantage was spearheaded by C.J. Stroud, who completed 14 of 23 passes for 169 yards, contributing one passing and one rushing touchdown. Woody Marks gained 48 yards on the ground. Dalton Schultz and Xavier Hutchinson each secured four receptions in the first half, with Schultz leading the team in receiving yards at 73. Jayden Higgins registered two catches for 23 yards and a touchdown. Furthermore, Houston’s defensive unit successfully forced a fumble from Leonard in the first half.
