Travis Kelce’s potential farewell loomed, while Jared Goff endured a Christmas Day debacle for Detroit in the NFL.
The Detroit Lions delivered a dismal performance, extinguishing their playoff hopes in one of three compelling Christmas Day NFL matchups.
Festive fixtures have become a staple in the NFL, and despite four of the six teams involved already being out of playoff contention, all three games were fiercely contested.
Detroit faced a must-win situation in Minnesota but faltered against the Vikings’ defense in a statistically unusual game – a loss that served as an unexpected Christmas gift for the Green Bay Packers, securing their playoff berth.
The Kansas City Chiefs battled valiantly but fell short against the Denver Broncos in what might have been Travis Kelce’s final home appearance, while the Dallas Cowboys emerged victorious in an energetic contest against the Washington Commanders.
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The Lions had eight turnovers in 16 games before conceding six in Minnesota
Detroit needed to win their remaining games to maintain their playoff aspirations, but they exited with a concerning whimper in a 23-10 defeat to Minnesota.
Having led the NFL with just eight turnovers this season, Detroit surrendered the ball six times, with quarterback Jared Goff responsible for five, consistently stifling any momentum they generated.
It was a chaotic display from both offenses, as Vikings quarterback Max Brosmer’s first home start saw him sacked seven times and pass for just 51 yards yet still win – no other quarterback in the Super Bowl era has managed to win a game with those stats.
Minnesota’s stifling defense proved sufficient to secure the win, with Brian Flores’ unit excelling during their four-game winning streak to conclude the season positively.
A third consecutive defeat extinguished Detroit’s playoff hopes, and despite injuries playing a role, the manner of these losses under pressure will concern head coach Dan Campbell in the off-season.
Was this Travis Kelce’s final entrance to an NFL game at Arrowhead?
The Denver Broncos narrowly secured a 20-13 victory as they pursue the AFC top seed that the Chiefs have frequently claimed in the past decade, but Travis Kelce remained the focal point in what could have been his final game in Kansas City.
The 36-year-old appeared to savor his pre-game introduction more than usual and lingered on the field afterward, with numerous Broncos players approaching to exchange words and express their respect to the three-time Super Bowl champion – as his mother, Donna, and fiancée, Taylor Swift, watched from the stands.
Kelce and his Chiefs played with determination despite being out of the playoffs and being two-touchdown underdogs without injured star quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
The home crowd and defense made it challenging for a Denver team aiming to emulate Kansas City’s recent success, but the Broncos’ own star quarterback, Bo Nix, eventually secured the win with a fourth-quarter touchdown.
Denver is certainly emulating last season’s Chiefs in winning tight games, with this being their 11th one-score victory – four more than any other team – while they are the only team in NFL history to achieve 12 comeback wins in a single season.
However, head coach Sean Payton will seek a more explosive element to the offense, which dominated possession but struggled to generate significant plays and score touchdowns, making it a much closer game than it should have been against a severely depleted Chiefs side.
While the Broncos are building, Kansas City could face some upheaval this summer, and whether that includes losing Kelce at the end of his 13th season remains to be seen.
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For Dallas, “it’s about rolling over the good things for next year and just taking that momentum,” according to quarterback Dak Prescott, after the Cowboys defeated Washington 30-23.
The last six games have encapsulated the Cowboys’ season, winning three in a row, including victories over both of last season’s Super Bowl teams in a week, before losing three consecutively.
Prescott has been remarkably consistent and productive, as evidenced in Washington with two touchdowns, including the longest in a Christmas Day game – an 86-yard pass to speedster KaVontae Turpin.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer was aggressive as he aims to conclude his first season in charge on a high note – the Cowboys converted six fourth-down plays, tied for the most in a game since 1991.
Washington was a game away from the Super Bowl last year, but injuries have significantly contributed to their transition from a 12-win team last year to losing 12 games this season.
Dan Quinn still possesses valuable assets, but they must prioritize keeping quarterback Jayden Daniels healthy, as they relied on 39-year-old Josh Johnson under center for this latest loss.
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