18. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: The Philip Rivers experiment clearly hasn’t worked. But to his credit, Rivers has given it everything he has. At least his insurance benefits have been reinstated for the next five years.
17. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: Tampa’s slide continued this week, losing a pivotal matchup against the Panthers. As of today, they are out of the playoffs, but ironically still hold a 57% to 43% edge to get in over those Panthers.
16. BALTIMORE RAVENS: It is unfathomable that a team so badly needing a win could effectively bench Derrick Henry in the fourth quarter. Instead of using him as the workhorse that he is, they kept to their rotating RB gameplan. Henry was tearing up the Pats, and his not playing for the better part of the fourth quarter was the ultimate Christmas present. John Harbaugh may get coal this year.
15. CAROLINA PANTHERS: The Panthers are in first place in the NFC South, after their victory over the Buccaneers. But they still only have a 43% chance of making the postseason, even though they control their own fate.
14. DETROIT LIONS: The Lions lost another heartwrenching game. They are sitting at only 8-7, and have a 7% chance of making it to the postseason. Was the Lions’ 2025 season doomed from the start?
