Fortunately for the NFL (and for the networks that broadcast NFL games), Week 18 will have a few consequential contests for the remaining playoffs berths and seeds.
The biggest will happen in Detroit, where the 14-2 Vikings will face the 14-2, or 13-3, Lions for the division title and the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
Also to be determined is the AFC North (between Pittsburgh and Baltimore), the NFC South (between Tampa Bay and Atlanta), and the seventh seed in the AFC (between Denver, Miami, and Cincinnati).
Here’s a quick snapshot of the 12 games played on Saturday and Sunday of the 17th week of the regular season.
Chargers 40, Patriots 7.
L.A. crossed the country and embarrassed the Patriots, punching a playoff ticket and sparking a “Fire Mayo!” chant at Gillette Stadium.
The return of Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins helped spark the running game, with 76 yards on 19 carries plus a touchdown.
Rookie receiver Ladd McConkey had 94 receiving yards and a pair of touchdown catches for Los Angeles.
Bengals 30, Broncos 24 (OT).
Denver blew another chance to clinch a playoff berth. A win or a tie would have sealed the deal.
Now, the Broncos will have to beat the Chiefs (who plan to rest key starters) to qualify.
Joe Burrow had another stellar game for the home team, with 412 passing yards, three touchdowns, and a passer rating of 122.1. Receiver Tee Higgins had three touchdowns, including the game winner. Both Higgins and receiver Ja’Marr Chase had more than 100 receiving yards.
Rams 13, Cardinals 9.
The narrow win plus the strength-of-victory tiebreaker (thanks to Washington’s win over Atlanta) delivered the NFC West title for the Rams, who have gone 9-2 since starting 1-4.
The Cardinals played hard despite being eliminated; they were in it until a late interception sealed the game for the Rams.
Arizona outgained the Rams, 396 to 257. But the only stat that matters is points scored versus points allowed.
Buccaneers 48, Panthers 14.
Coupled with Atlanta’s loss, the Bucs will win the NFC South by beating the Saints next weekend.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield threw five touchdown passes, tying a career high. Receiver Mike Evans is only 85 yards short of his 11th consecutive 1,000-yard season.
The Panthers have lost 12 or more games in consecutive seasons for the first time in franchise history. They’re the first team to allow 200 or more rushing yards in five straight games since the 1981 Patriots.
Eagles 41, Cowboys 7.
Philly swept the Cowboys for the first time since 2011. The Eagles also clinched the NFC East title; it’s the 20th straight year the division hasn’t had a repeat champion.
With 167 rushing yards against Dallas, Eagles running back Saquon Barkley needs 101 yards to break Eric Dickerson’s single-season record of 2,105.
Nick Sirianni is the first Eagles head coach to win 13-plus games in multiple seasons.
Quarterback Kenny Pickett, who was playing the game with broken ribs, left in the third quarter. He had pain-killing injections before the game and at halftime.
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy is the first coach of the franchise with multiple losing seasons since Dave Campo. After the game, quarterback Dak Prescott once again stumped for McCarthy to return.
Bills 40, Jets 14.
Buffalo clinched the No. 2 seed with the blowout of the Jets. Sean McDermott is the first coach in franchise history with three 13-win seasons.
Quarterback Josh Allen has three seasons with 40 or more total touchdowns. Aaron Rodgers has the record with six.
The Jets have lost 12 games for the fourth time in the last seven seasons.
Tyrod Taylor threw two touchdown passes in mop-up duty for the Jets; Aaron Rodgers is still stuck on 499 career touchdown passes.
Giants 45, Colts 13.
The Giants snapped a franchise-record 11-game losing streak. They avoided becoming the first team to lose nine home games in a season.
Giants quarterback Drew Lock is the first player with four or more passing touchdowns and one or more rushing touchdowns in the same game.
The loss knocked the Colts out of playoff contention.
Jaguars 20, Titans 13.
Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. is the fourth rookie of the Super Bowl era with 1,100 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns, joining Ja’Marr Chase, Odell Beckham Jr., and Randy Moss.
The Jags are 2-0 against the Titans and 2-12 against the rest of the league.
The Titans have lost 13 games for the first time since 2015.
Raiders 25, Saints 10.
The Raiders have won consecutive games for the first time this season.
Tight end Brock Bowers broke Mike Ditka’s 63-year-old record for most receiving yards in a season by a rookie. Bowers also broke Rams receiver Puka Nacua’s one-year-old record for receptions by a rookie in a season, with 108.
The Saints have lost 11 games for the first time since Jim Haslett’s final season, in 2005.
Dolphins 20, Browns 3.
The Dolphins finally got a December road win outdoors, and they managed to score 20 points without starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
The victory keeps the Dolphins alive for a playoff berth. They’re in with a win over the Jets and a Denver loss to the Chiefs.
The Browns haven’t won since the Thursday night snow-globe game against the Steelers.
Vikings 27, Packers 25.
The Vikings have won nine games in a row for the first time since 1975. With a win next week in Detroit, they’ll take the division title and the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
For the second time this season, the Vikings raced out to a big lead against the Packers before holding on to win.
Quarterback Sam Darnold had a career-high 377 passing yards and three touchdowns, plus an interception. Four Vikings had 68 or more receiving yards.
Darnold is the first quarterback in NFL history to win 14 games in his first season with a team.
Green Bay has five losses — two to the 13-2 Lions, two to the 14-2 Vikings, and one to the 13-3 Eagles.
Commanders 30, Falcons 24 (OT).
In the first-ever prime-time matchup of a pair of first-round rookie quarterbacks, Jayden Daniels led the Commanders down the field for a walk-off touchdown.
The Commanders clinched a playoff berth with the overtime victory; they can take the No. 6 seed from the Packers with a win over Dallas next weekend.
The Falcons have lost control of the NFC South. They need to beat the Panthers next weekend, and hope the Saints upend Tampa Bay.
Falcons quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. made it crystal clear that he’s the present and the future for the Falcons, forcing overtime with a 12-play, 68-yard drive, capped by a touchdown pass to tight end Kyle Pitts on fourth and goal from the 13.
