Three more teams officially clinched playoff berths on Sunday, leaving just a handful of open spots left across the board for teams as the NFL regular season starts to wrap up.
The Houston Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings all earned postseason spots on Sunday despite the Steelers actually losing to the Philadelphia Eagles and the Vikings not playing. The Vikings will wrap up Week 15 of the season in one of two games on Monday night.
While the playoff picture is starting to come together, some teams — including both the Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks — may be in trouble.
The Seahawks stumbled bad on Sunday night in their 30-13 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Quarterback Geno Smith went down in the third quarter of the game with a knee injury after taking an awkward hit in his lower leg while he was in the air. Smith landed awkwardly, and limped off the field shortly after.
Smith didn’t return to the game, and the Seahawks went with Sam Hartman the rest of the way. While it’s still unclear how severe the injury is, Hartman struggled in Smith’s absence. And the Seahawks dropped into a tie for first in the NFC West standings with the Los Angeles Rams after the loss, so they could end up missing the playoffs altogether if Smith is out for a significant stretch.
His injury couldn’t have come at a worse time.
Lions facing even more injuries
The Detroit Lions lost a shootout to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, which snapped an 11-game win streak for what could very easily be the best team the city has seen in decades.
But it wasn’t the loss that was the tough part for the Lions. It was the injuries that kept piling up. The Lions lost both cornerbacks Carlton Davis III and Khalil Dorsey to injuries in the game. Davis went down with a jaw injury that will have him out six weeks, and defensive lineman Alim McNeill tore his ACL, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Running back David Montgomery is also reportedly out indefinitely with an MCL injury sustained during Sunday’s loss. According to ESPN, Montgomery is undergoing more tests, but could be lost for the season.
Those injuries come after a string of injuries elsewhere that have already plagued their defense, including to defensive end Aiden Hutchinson, defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo, linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez and linebacker Alex Anzalone, to name just a few.
The team, whether Campbell wants to admit it’s a factor or not, is incredibly beaten up. With the regular season winding down and the Lions vying for the top spot in the NFC, injuries just keep coming.
Live7 updates
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Detroit RB David Montgomery reportedly out indefinitely with MCL injury
The Lions can’t catch a break: After a slew of defensive injuries, Detroit has added running back David Montgomery to the list of players who were hurt in Sunday’s loss to the Bills.
Montgomery will reportedly be out indefinitely after suffering an MCL tear on Sunday. The 27-year-old running back will undergo additional testing and will get a second opinion about the injury, but it’s possible that his season is over.
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Raiders set to start Desmond Ridder vs. Falcons on MNF: Report
Raiders QB Desmond Ridder is expected to start tonight vs. the Falcons, per sources. Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell is listed as questionable and is expected to work out pregame to see if he can play, but Ridder is expected to start for now.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 16, 2024
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Lions lose DL Alim McNeill (ACL), CB Carlton Davis (jaw) to injury
Dan Campbell’s suspicion was correct and the Detroit Lions will be missing two key pieces of their defense following injuries to defensive lineman Alim McNeill and cornerback Carlton Davis III during Sunday’s loss to the Buffalo Bills.
McNeill is out for the year after tearing his ACL while running after Bills quarterback Josh Allen and landing awkwardly on his knee. Davis will be out indefinitely following surgery for a fractured jaw. The injury was suffered while tackling Bills running back Ray Davis. After leaving the game, he was evaluated and did not return.
McNeill appeared in 14 games this season, recording 25 tackles, 7 tackles for loss and 3 1/2 sacks. Davis had two interceptions and 56 total tackles in 13 games this season, his first in Detroit.
The Lions’ defense has already been without Aidan Hutchinson, Alex Anzalone, Marcus Davenport, and Derrick Barnes.
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Positive update from Dolphins on Grant DuBose after scary head injury
Dolphins wide receiver Grant DuBose took scary hit to the head against the Texans on Sunday. He was down on the field for several minutes and paramedics had to cut his jersey off him before he was stretchered into an ambulance and taken to a local hospital.
Thankfully, the Dolphins shared a positive update on Monday morning.
An update on the status of Dolphins WR Grant DuBose:
After sustaining a head injury in yesterday’s game, Grant DuBose remained at a local Houston hospital for evaluation overnight. He has movement in all extremities and initial tests have revealed positive results. He remains…
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) December 16, 2024
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49ers reportedly plan to suspend De’Vondre Campbell for rest of season
Niners linebacker De’Vondre Campbell, who refused to go into Thursday night’s 12-6 loss to the Rams, will reportedly be suspended for the final three games of the season.
Sources: The #49ers are planning to suspend LB De’Vondre Campbell three games, ending his season, after Campbell refused to go into the game on Thursday night.
Coach Kyle Shanahan had said, “His actions from the game is just not something you can do to your team.” pic.twitter.com/eVCPU1t5wy
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 16, 2024
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Bills need Josh Allen playing at MVP level after giving up 40+ points again
Here are Yahoo Sports senior NFL analyst Nate Tice and NFL writer Charles McDonald reacting to the Bills’ 48-42 win over the Lions, Buffalo’s second straight game scoring 40+ points while also allowing 40+ points. QB Josh Allen’s play is more important to the Bills than ever before, since their defense can’t seem to stop opposing teams from scoring.
Hear the full conversation on “Football 301” – and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.
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Bills’ win over Lions highlights strengths and issues for both teams
The Bills and Lions facing off on Sunday was perhaps the most anticipated game of Week 15. Two of the top teams in the NFL and their high-powered offenses going toe-to-toe? That’s a must-watch.
Buffalo emerged with the 48-42 win, but the matchup showed that even the best teams have problems that can (and likely will) hamper them as both seek the first Super Bowl victory in their respective franchise histories.
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The Bills won on the back of another Josh Allen superhero performance, but they gave up 42 points — 21 of which were scored in the 4th quarter. Their defense couldn’t stop a late onslaught from the Lions, which is definitely a problem.
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Detroit’s defense has been absolutely hammered by injuries throughout the season, and on Sunday they lost several more in what can only be described as a recurring nightmare. They’re losing players faster than they can replace them, in a time of year when they simply cannot afford to lose any ground on defense.
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