NFL playoff field set after Lions rout Vikings to earn NFC’s top seed; Patriots fire Jerod Mayo

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🏈 The Football Five

1. With a bunch of scenarios in play in the AFC, the Broncos made it simple. In a win-and-in game, Denver not only won but dominated, beating the Chiefs, 38-0, the largest shutout win in franchise history. Kansas City rested essentially all of its starters. Bo Nix made some history in an outstanding performance. It’s Denver’s first playoff berth since 2015, when Peyton Manning led the Broncos to win the Super Bowl.
2. The Buccaneers won the NFC South with a 27-19 victory over the Saints. Tampa Bay trailed by 13 at halftime, but Baker Mayfield rallied the troops with a pair of second-half touchdown passes. With the game in hand, Mike Evans caught a pass to cross 1,000 yards for the 11th straight season, tying Jerry Rice‘s record. He also earned $3 million in incentives with that catch.
3. After Jayden Daniels was pulled at halftime, Marcus Mariota proved it’s not just the rookie who has a clutch gene, firing a 5-yard touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin for a 23-19 Commanders win over the Cowboys. Washington clinched the No. 6 seed in the NFC, though …
4. They would have clinched that seed even with a loss because the Bears beat the Packers, 24-22, on Cairo Santos‘ 51-yard field goal. Jordan Love exited the game with an elbow injury and was still experiencing numbness in his throwing hand postgame, though he expects to play in next week’s wild card game against the Eagles. Philadelphia is also hoping to have its starting quarterback back. Jalen Hurts is making strides after a Week 16 concussion. He hasn’t played since.
5. On Saturday, the Ravens clinched the AFC North with a 35-10 win over the Browns.

🏈 Good morning to all, but especially to …

THE DETROIT LIONS …

No team is more intense, and, conversely, no team needs a break more. The Lions claimed the NFC’s No. 1 seed (and accompanying Wild Card Weekend bye and home-field advantage) with a 31-9 romp over the Vikings.

On a night when Jared Goff was far from his best, Jahmyr Gibbs racked up 170 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns, tying the most touchdowns scored in a game in franchise history. He is simply remarkable. This offense has so many ways to beat teams, and Gibbs joined some hallowed company with his latest exploits: the first Lion with 150+ yards from scrimmage and a touchdown in three straight games since Barry Sanders.

We thought Detroit’s injury-ravaged defense might be its downfall, but instead, it was absolutely outstanding in crucial situations. Minnesota went 0 for 4 in the red zone, with two field goals and two turnovers on downs. If the Lions’ defense can’t be dominant down-to-down, it had better be timely, and it absolutely was Sunday night. Alex Anzalone‘s return was huge, and the pass rush was really impressive.

Minnesota, meanwhile, must travel to Los Angeles to face the Rams. This was an ugly one all around, with Sam Darnold (18 for 41, 166 yards) missing multiple open throws and seeming hesitant to let the ball go. The Vikings hope he got his big-game nerves out or at least somewhat calmed, because the stakes only get higher from here.

… AND ALSO EVERY NFL PLAYOFF TEAM

The playoffs are set. Here’s what the bracket looks like (remember, the NFL reseeds every round, so it’s not a true bracket):

And here’s the Wild Card Weekend schedule:

Saturday, Jan. 11

• (5) Chargers at (4) Texans, 4:30 p.m. (CBS, Paramount+)
• (6) Steelers at (3) Ravens, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)

Sunday, Jan. 12

• (7) Broncos at (2) Bills, 1 p.m. (CBS, Paramount+)
• (7) Packers at (2) Eagles, 4:30 p.m. (Fox)
• (6) Commanders at (3) Buccaneers, 8 p.m. (NBC)

Monday, Jan. 13

• (5) Vikings at (4) Rams, 8 p.m. (ESPN, ABC)

BYES: (1) Chiefs, (1) Lions

We have an early wild card preview, rankings of every game and postseason narratives for all 14 participants.

😁 Honorable mentions

💔 And not such a good morning for …

THE NFL TEAMS ELIMINATED FROM PLAYOFF CONTENTION IN WEEK 18 …

What hurts the most is being so close. The Falcons, Dolphins and Bengals saw their playoff hopes dashed on the final day of the regular season.

Falcons:

• What a rollercoaster ride the last 12 months were: hiring Raheem Morris over Bill Belichick, signing Kirk Cousins and drafting Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall, benching Cousins (a shell of himself) for Penix and ultimately coming up short.
• Atlanta needs pass rush reinforcements in particular as Penix takes over and Cousins likely heads elsewhere. Roster upgrades may be financially difficult considering Cousins’ dead money.

Dolphins:

• Tua Tagovailoa missed Miami’s 32-20 loss to the Jets and played in just 11 games this season. He has missed significant time in four of his five NFL seasons. This year, the Dolphins averaged 5.5 yards per play with Tagovailoa on the field and 4.5 with him off it. That’s the difference between a top-half offense and the worst offense in the league.
• Still, if a team is so dependent on one player’s style — even a quarterback — that’s an issue. Miami needs to bolster its offensive line and defense, and Mike McDaniel needs to find a counterpunch. McDaniel and Chris Grier will return.
• Tyreek Hill seemingly wants out, so things aren’t going great!

Bengals:

• After a 19-17 win over the Steelers, Zac Taylor said no one wanted to face his team if it made the playoffs. Considering Joe Burrow‘s excellence, Ja’Marr Chase‘s receiving triple crown and the fact that the team won its last five games, Taylor was probably right.
• Unfortunately, a 4-8 start proved too much to overcome. The Bengals must patch up holes on defense and extend Chase and, potentially, Tee Higgins. It’s past time for Cincinnati to nail some defensive draft picks.

… AND ALSO JEROD MAYO

After 24 years with Bill Belichick, the Patriots are looking for his successor’s successor. Jerod Mayo is out as New England’s coach after a 4-13 debut campaign. The announcement came shortly after a 23-16 victory over the Bills, who mostly played backups.

Mayo had long been the shoo-in as Belichick’s successor, but this season went off the rails quickly. In October, Mayo called his team soft and in December, he seemed to criticize offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, which he later walked back.

Mayo was put in a very rough spot. The team was bereft of talent across the board — largely due to Belichick’s poor roster building recently — and that showed. Rob Gronkowki blasted the decision to fire Mayo.

Looking forward, Mike Vrabel — like Mayo, a former Patriot — is the frontrunner for the job. The former Titans coach is viewed as a top-tier candidate this cycle, Jonathan Jones reports, and he only interviewed with the Jets to put pressure on New England, Aditi Kinkhabwala reports. We have a full list of candidates from Cody Benjamin as well.

Mayo’s firing means “Black Monday” — when most coach and GM firings happen — began early. We have our live blog running and the latest insider information from Jonathan.

😕 Not so honorable mentions

🏈 2025 NFL Draft order: Titans get No. 1 pick after Patriots win

So the Patriots won, but at what cost? A big one, it turns out. New England’s win flipped the top of the draft order on its head once again. The top 18 picks are set, and here’s the top five:

1. Titans (here’s how)
2. Browns
3. Giants
4. Patriots
5. Jaguars

Ryan Wilson has a brand-new mock draft reflecting the new order.

🏀 No. 10 Kentucky tops No. 6 Florida; Cooper Flagg stars in packed college basketball weekend

On an absolutely loaded college basketball weekend, No. 10 Kentucky outlasted No. 6 Florida, 106-100, the most points the Wildcats have ever scored at home against an AP top-10 opponent.

• Koby Brea made seven 3-pointers en route to 23 points — both career highs — off the bench. All five Kentucky starters also scored double-digit points.
• Kentucky improved to 3-0 this season against top-10 teams. Mark Pope joins Adolph Rupp, the namesake of the team’s arena, as the only two coaches in program history to win his first three games against top-10 teams.
• This was just the fourth time in Rupp Arena history (since 1976) that both teams scored 100+.

Brea was the star Saturday, but with six players in double figures, Kentucky showed it has plenty of depth, too, David Cobb writes.

Elsewhere, No. 1 Tennessee is the only remaining undefeated team after the Volunteers thumped No. 23 Arkansas, 76-52, and No. 12 Oklahoma fell to No. 5 Alabama, 107-79.

Here’s more from the weekend:

📺 What we’re watching Monday

⚽ SuperCoppa Italiana final: AC Milan vs. Inter, 2 p.m. on CBS Sports Network/Paramount+
🏀 Suns at 76ers, 7 p.m. on NBA TV
🏀 Wisconsin at Rutgers (M), 7 p.m. on FS1
🏀 TCU at No. 14 Houston (M), 9 p.m. on ESPN2
🏀 Heat at Kings, 10 p.m. on NBA TV