Every weekend in the NFL, elements attract our attention regarding the forces present, the records that are within reach or in relation to certain historical notes. Here, for the 18e week of activities, 5 elements to watch out for.
• Read also: Our NFL Week 18 Predictions: Another Black Monday Ahead for Coaches
1. A thrilling ending
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There are still 20 teams out of 32 that can dream of participating in the Super Bowl, the highest number since 2006. It should be noted that with one week to play, the record is 22, in 1982. There are still has five playoff spots available, which is the highest total since 2020. Better yet, four division champions still remain to be crowned, which is the highest number in the final week of the regular schedule since 2014. In total, 13 of the 16 games in Week 18 have an impact in the playoff race.
2. Nacua near record
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Rams receiver Puka Nacua will be among the starters who will be in uniform even though the team has nothing left to prove. Head coach Sean McVay indicated this week that he wanted to help his young receiver break the rookie passing yardage record before removing him from the game against the 49ers. Nacua is only 29 yards from the record set by Bill Groman, with 1,473 yards, in 1960. It should be noted, however, that at the time, Groman had established his mark during a 14-game schedule.
3. The NFL as king and master
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In the year 2023 which has just ended, the NFL has dominated the television airwaves more than ever. According to SportsMediaWatch.com, the 56 most-watched sporting events of the year in the United States have all been NFL games. Incredible nonetheless! Super Bowl 57 between the Chiefs and the Eagles obviously won the prize with 112.17 million viewers. During this regular season, the Cowboys’ Thanksgiving duel against the Commanders was the most watched (41.76 million). For a regular Sunday, the most watched game was that of week 16 between the same Cowboys and the Dolphins (31.52 million). The most watched sporting event outside of the NFL still belongs to football, the rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan, in the NCAA, which attracted 19.07 million viewers.
4. Goodbye, King Henry?
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The Titans have nothing left to win or lose against the Jaguars, but know that this could be running back Derrick Henry’s last game in a Titans uniform. King Henry just turned 30 this week, he became a free agent in March and the Titans drafted Tyjae Spears in the third round last April. With 1,014 rushing yards this season, Henry has shown he can still be useful, but his average of 3.9 yards per carry is the lowest of his career behind the Titans’ rebuilding offensive line. Henry might logically want to join forces with a suitor. Henry is second in Titans history with 9,349 rushing yards, behind Eddie George (10,009 yards). In the league, Henry is ranked 38th over time.
5. Blue in Miami…
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The clash between the Dolphins and the Bills in Miami will crown the champion of the Eastern division of the American conference. This would be an opportunity for the Dolphins to win their first title since 2008 and, at the same time, to conclude a season with 12 victories for the first time since 1990. For the Bills, a victory would mean a fourth division title in a row, a feat they have not accomplished since the 1988 to 1991 seasons. Note, Bills fans are expected to be very numerous in Miami. Ticket resale site VividSeats.com estimates that 52% of the seats will be filled by people from Buffalo and the surrounding area.
2024-01-07 06:00:00
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