Week 17 Top Dogs & Down and Out Teams

Week 17 Top Dogs & Down and Out Teams 
By Josh Olson 

Top Dog

Detroit Lions- The Detroit Lion's playoff chances are still alive after they defeated the Chicago Bears 41-10. Jared Goff threw twenty-one completion for 255 yards and three touchdowns. Jamaal Williams rushed twenty-two times for 144 yards and a touchdown. Amon-Ra St. Brown caught four catches for sixty-two yards. Aidan Hutchinson had a monster game with a half sack, fumble recovery, and an interception. The defence as a whole had seven sacks, five tackles for loss, seven pass deflects, and nine QB hits. The Detroit Lions have a chance to be in playoffs for the first time since 2016 with a win in week 18 against the Green Bay Packers and a loss for the Seattle Seahawks. 

 

New York Giants- The New York Giants defeated the Indianapolis Colts 38-10 and punched their ticket to the playoffs since 2016. Daniel Jones had a good game with him completing nineteen throws for 177 yards and two touchdowns. He also led the team in rushing with eleven carries for ninety one yards and two touchdowns. Richie James had seven catches for seventy-six yards and one touchdown. The defence had two sacks, four tackles for loss, four pass deflections, and four QB hits. They even had an interception that they return for a touchdown. The Giants look to keep the momentum filling when they take on the Philadelphia Eagles in week 18.

 

Green Bay Packers- The playoff dream is alive and well with the win against the Minnesota Vikings 41-17. The offence had a so-so game with Aaron Rogers throwing fifteen completions for 159 yards and a touchdown. Aaron Jones led the team in rushing with fourteen carriers for 111 yards. Allen Lazard had five catches for fifty-nine yards, leading the team in receiving yards. This game was won by their defence and their special teams. The defence, Jaire Alexander to be exact, shut down Justin Jefferson! He only had one catch for fifteen yards but was target five times. Alexander got in his head throughout the game. The rest of the defence got two sacks, three tackles for loss, ten pass deflects, and eight QB hits. They also had three interceptions and one was returned seventy-five yards for a touchdown by Darnell Savage. The kick returner, Keisean Nixon ran back a 105-yard touchdown return also. The Packers are hitting on all cylinders going into their week 18 matchup against the Detroit Lions, where the Packers are in, If they win.

 

Down and Out 

 

Indianapolis Colts- Jeff Saturday must be thinking to himself “I should have stayed in the booth.” The Colts lost 38-10 to the New York Giants, making their losing streak to six now. The offence stunk with Nick Foles throwing eight completions for eighty-one yards and a pick before getting injured in the second quarter before Sam Ehlinger came in. He didn't do any better when he threw nine completions for sixty yards and a touchdown. Zach Moss, yes the one that got traded from the Buffalo Bills, led the Colts with fifteen carries for seventy-four yards. Parris Cambell had three catches for fifty-two yards. The Colts oline gave up two sacks, one leading to Foles getting injured. The defence for the Colts gave up a total of 394 yards with no sacks or interceptions. This team is happy that next week is the last week of the season where they play host to the Houston Texans in week 18. The drama of the season might soon be over but the offseason drama will only begin with the first two questions will be whose coaching this team and whose quarterbacking this team next year? 

 

Washington Commanders- Losers of three and playoffs chance are gone, the Commanders lost to the Cleveland Brown 24-10. Carson Wentz showed once again that he shouldn’t be the guy to led your team when he threw sixteen completions for 143 yards and three interceptions. Brian Robinson jr, the feel-good story of the year, carried the ball twenty-four times for eighty-seven yards. Logan Thomas caught the ball six times for fifty-six yards. The offence line gave up three sacks and six QB hits.  Washington's defences got tons of pressure on Cleveland's quarterback with five sacks, seven tackles for loss, two pass deflections, and five QB hits. They were just on the field for way too long and couldn't catch a break. Washington looks to end their season with a divisional game against the Dallas Cowboys in week 18.

 

Minnesota Vikings- This is probably the worst 12-4 team to figure out. Coming off a loss to the Green Bay Packers 41-17. Kirk Cousin had a brutal game, throwing for eighteen yards for 205 yards, a touchdown, and three interceptions. The running game couldn't get going, Alexander Mattison led the team in rushing with eight carries for thirty-eight yards. Jalen Nailor led the team in yards with three catches for eighty-nine yards and a touchdown. That was because Justin Jefferson was kept at bay by the Packer's defence. The offence line gave up two sacks and eight QB hits. This team is limping into the playoffs but they have one more game to get right before then when they take on the Chicago Bears in week 18.