Star quarterbacks falter as 49ers eye home Super Bowl – best of week 17

One of three final-day deciders was set up by the Pittsburgh Steelers, who had a shot to win the play-off spot in week 17.

The 49ers edged the grittier Chicago Bears in a thrilling game in San Francisco, but the so-called “Super Bowl preview” between the Buffalo Bills and the Philadelphia Eagles saw both teams exhibit some significant offensive weaknesses.

As Seattle moved one step closer to the top seed in the NFC, Sam Darnold made history, and Drake Maye and Trevor Lawrence impressed once more as the AFC’s main contenders finished strong.

Both sides have concerns about their offensive performance, despite how exciting Philadelphia’s 13-12 victory over Buffalo was and how impressive the defense was overall.

Josh Allen, who had the game on its last three quarters, dragged the Bills back into the game with his usual brilliance, but he missed the crucial throw in the dying seconds that would have secured victory.

Allen also lost a fumble that led to the Eagles’ touchdown, which led to a crazy scramble that ended in a 19-yard sack and was a cautious runner after a fourth down attempt from three yards out.

The reigning champion is unquestionably a superstar, but when it comes to play-off time, Buffalo will have to go on the road as a wildcard side to make those big plays.

The main issue would have been Jalen Hurts’ inability to pass a pass in the second half if Allen had connected with that late pass.

The Eagles need more from Hurts despite their defense being among the best in the league, which means they are the first team since the 1987 Patriots to win two games in a row without making a second-half pass.

Nick Sirianni, the head coach, is a brash person who won’t let up. Only two coaches have won more games in their first five seasons in charge of a team than he does, and he certainly knows how to win.

Philadelphia are content to take the lead and trust their defense, but they are prone to failure by gaining just 16 second-half yards, as they did in Buffalo.

The Pittsburgh Steelers lost 13-6 to Cleveland just as we anticipated Aaron Rodgers, 42, would be back in the play-offs, setting up a mouthwatering finale showdown with Baltimore.

We anticipated a classic Rodgers comeback after a brutal defensive contest, but he did so unexpectedly with a brilliant late drive to get 10 yards from the end zone.

However, Rodgers fell short of clinching the AFC North with three straight touchdowns with top receiver DK Metcalf suspended.

In week 18 of the play-offs, the Steelers could have rested players if they had prevailed, but instead they now face bitter rivals in Pittsburgh’s winner-takes-all showdown.

The 49ers won a thrilling 42-38 victory over the Chicago Bears in a thrilling game on Sunday night.

The way Caleb Williams and Brock Purdy traded blows all night gave way to the tie at 7-7, 14-14, 21-21, 28-28, and 35-35 in the first regular-season game.

The Bears were the first team to score 35 points, a defensive touchdown, no turnovers, and no sacks while still falling.

Williams just missed out on a second late comeback when the final field goal attempt was incomplete.

Purdy has had a great season since coming back from injury, and this year, he has had the most starts or fewer than 23 touchdowns for a quarterback.

If they win their showdown with Seattle next week, the Niners could now finish the regular season as the NFC’s top seed after scoring 40 or more points in consecutive games for the first time in 30 years.

San Francisco’s run is so strong because they managed to recover despite some significant injuries, including the loss of both defensive players Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, while also remaining without Purdy, Ricky Pearsall, and George Kittle for some time this season.

Maye strengthened his MVP claims as the Pats continued to fight for the AFC title, but they will not be afraid of losing to them away in a play-off game because they are the only team without a win this season.

Sam Darnold, Peyton Manning, Bratt Favre, Aaron Rodgers, and Tom Brady are the only quarterbacks to have won 13 games straight when Seattle defeated the Panthers.

Darnold will play for the top seed in the final game, hoping to do so in a way that was only possible with Detroit, just like he did with Minnesota last year.

With his Jaguars now firmly in contention for the AFC title, Liam Coen is the coach of the year favorite because he became the first head coach to win 12 games since replacing a team with four wins or fewer.

In game 272, the final game of the regular season, Carolina and Tampa Bay battle for the NFC South, while the Ravens and Steelers slug it out for the AFC North.

On Saturday night, the Seahawks and 49ers will square off for the NFC title.

In the event that the Broncos defeat the Chargers, Denver will be the AFC’s top seed with the Patriots and Jaguars waiting in the wings.

Thursday, January 3rd,

Carolina Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South (21: 30)

Seattle Seahawks versus the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West on Sunday at 11:00

Sunday, January 4th,

Thursday, January 3rd,

Sunday, January 4th,