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

Image source, Getty Images

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Brock Purdy (left) is flying for the 49ers but Josh Allen showed some flaws as Buffalo lost to Philadelphia

ByPaul Higham

BBC Sport Journalist

The Pittsburgh Steelers blowing their chance in week 17 to clinch a play-off spot has set up one of three final-day deciders.

A thrilling game in San Francisco ended with the 49ers edging the plucky Chicago Bears, while the so-called 'Super Bowl preview' between the Buffalo Bills and the Philadelphia Eagles saw both teams show some major attacking shortcomings.

Sam Darnold made history as Seattle moved a step closer to the NFC top seed, while Drake Maye and Trevor Lawrence again impressed as the AFC's main contenders finished the season strong.

Here's a deeper look at the big talking points from the week.

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Last-gasp passes, 'Breece Lightning' and a 95-yard touchdown - best plays

The breakdown: 'Super Bowl preview' highlights flaws

As exciting as the end of Philadelphia's 13-12 victory in Buffalo was, and for all the great defence on show, both sides have issues to address regarding their offensive performance.

Scoreless after three quarters, Josh Allen dragged the Bills back into the game with his usual brilliance, but with the game on the line he missed the crucial throw in the dying seconds that would have sealed victory.

Allen also lost a fumble - which the Eagles scored their touchdown from - went on a crazy scramble that resulted in a 19-yard sack and was a hesitant runner on a failed fourth down attempt from three yards out.

The reigning MVP is an undoubted superstar, but Allen will need to make those big plays when it counts come play-off time - and Buffalo will now go on the road as a wildcard side.

Had Allen connected with that late pass, the big story would have been Jalen Hurts' failure to complete a pass in the second half.

The Eagles are the first team since the 1987 Patriots to win two games in a season without completing a second-half pass, but despite their defence being up there with the best in the league, they need more from Hurts.

Head coach Nick Sirianni is a brash character and not afraid to win ugly. He certainly knows how to win, as only two coaches have more victories in their first five seasons in charge of a team than him.

It is a theme that Philadelphia are happy to sit on a lead and trust their defence - but gaining just 16 second-half yards, as they did in Buffalo, is not a recipe for success.

If the Eagles want to defend their Super Bowl crown, you would think at some point that Hurts, Saquon Barkley and company will need to step up.

Image source, Getty Images

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Josh Allen admitted he missed with his last throw, which could have won the game for Buffalo

In focus: Have Steelers blown their chance?

Just when we thought 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers would be back in the play-offs, the Pittsburgh Steelers lost 13-6 at Cleveland to set-up a mouthwatering final-game decider against fierce rivals Baltimore.

After a brutal defensive contest we looked set for a classic Rodgers comeback, as from nowhere he mustered a brilliant late drive to get within 10 yards of the end zone.

But with top touchdown target DK Metcalf suspended, Rodgers threw three straight incompletions to come up just short of clinching the AFC North.

The Steelers could have rested players in week 18 before the play-offs had they won, but now face their bitter rivals instead in a winner-takes-all showdown in Pittsburgh.

While Baltimore have a doubt over Lamar Jackson's fitness, Derrick Henry will go into the game off a 216-yard, four-touchdown game and the Ravens will go into the encounter as favourites.

Image source, Getty Images

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Aaron Rodgers now faces a huge showdown with Baltimore next week after Pittsburgh's defeat in Cleveland

Game of the week: Niners outlast Bears in shootout

In an enthralling game on Sunday night, the 49ers earned a thrilling 42-38 victory from a toe-to-toe slugfest with the Chicago Bears.

The first regular-season game to be tied at 7-7, 14-14, 21-21, 28-28 and 35-35 is testament to the way Caleb Williams and Brock Purdy traded blows all night.

The Bears did almost everything right on the road, as the first team to score 35 points, score a defensive touchdown, commit no turnovers and allow no sacks... yet still lose.

Williams just failed with yet another late comeback as the final throw into the end zone went incomplete.

Purdy has been brilliant after returning from injury, and his total of 23 touchdowns - with 20 via passes - this season are the most for a quarterback with eight starts or fewer on record.

The Niners scored 40-plus points in successive games for the first time in 30 years and could now finish the regular season as the NFC's top seed if they win their showdown with Seattle next week.

What makes San Francisco's run so good is that they have done it despite some significant injury blows - losing both defensive stars Nick Bosa and Fred Warner - while also doing without Purdy, Ricky Pearsall and George Kittle for spells this season.

Should they get that top seed and home field advantage then watch out - we could be looking at another home team Super Bowl, with San Francisco's Levi's Stadium the host for the Super Bowl in February.

Week 17 game notes, stats & records

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Are the Jags legit?

Yes, it was only against the Jets, but Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was sublime as he led touchdowns on six out of six drives, completing 19 of his 21 passes to record a QBR [ESPN's quarterback rating] of 99.8 - the highest recorded.

Maye enhanced his MVP claims as the Pats stayed in the race for the AFC top seed - although as the only side unbeaten on the road this season they will not fear an away game in the play-offs.

Seattle's Sam Darnold joined Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Bratt Favre and Aaron Rodgers as the only quarterbacks to have had successive 13-win seasons as the Seahawks beat the Panthers.

Darnold, though, is the only one to do it with two different teams and, as with Minnesota last year, he will play for the top seed in the final game - hoping to go one better than last year's defeat to Detroit.

Liam Coen is a coach of the year favourite as he became the only first-time head coach to win 12 games after taking over a side with four wins or fewer - with his Jaguars now serious AFC contenders.

Coen has also unlocked a new feature on quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who is now running in touchdowns as a genuine dual-threat operator. So much so that he's just the fourth quarterback to score at least 25 passing and nine rushing touchdowns in a season.

Play-off picture: Final-week showdowns

Just two spots are up for grabs as Carolina and Tampa Bay battle for the NFC South and the Ravens and Steelers slug it out for the AFC North as they play in game 272 - the final one of the regular season.

That battle for the top seed in the NFC between the Seahawks and 49ers will take place on Saturday night.

A Broncos win over the Chargers will give Denver top seed status in the AFC, with the Patriots and even the Jaguars lurking should they lose.

Saturday, 3 January

NFC South: Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (21:30)

NFC West: Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers (01:00, Sunday)

Sunday, 4 January

AFC North: Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers (01:20, Monday)

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The winners of the two conferences in the NFL meet in the Super Bowl in February.

NFL week 18 full schedule

Saturday, 3 January

• Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (21:30)

• Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers (01:00, Sunday)

Sunday, 4 January

• New Orleans Saints @ Atlanta Falcons (18:00)

• Cleveland Browns @ Cincinnati Bengals (18:00)

• Green Bay Packers @ Minnesota Vikings (18:00)

• Dallas Cowboys @ New York Giants (18:00)

• Tennessee Titans @ Jacksonville Jaguars (18:00)

• Indianapolis Colts @ Houston Texans (18:00)

• New York Jets @ Buffalo Bills (21:25)

• Miami Dolphins @ New England Patriots (21:25)

• Detroit Lions @ Chicago Bears (21:25)

• Los Angeles Chargers @ Denver Broncos (21:25)

• Kansas City Chiefs @ Las Vegas Raiders (21:25)

• Arizona Cardinals @ Los Angeles Rams (21:25)

• Washington Commanders @ Philadelphia Eagles (21:25)

• Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers (01:20, Monday)