NFL Week 17 Review- Takeaways and Best Game Reviews

Week 17 of the 2021 NFL season saw five more teams clinch postseason berths and the emergence of an offense capable of carrying Cincinnati to the Super Bowl. Let’s review this weekend’s top game before getting into some Tuesday takeaways.

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Joe Burrow went from winning the Heisman Trophy to outplaying Patrick Mahomes in just over two years.

Bengals overcome Chiefs 

Cincinnati and Kansas City clashed in a game that could have substantial consequences for who claims the top seed in the AFC. The Chiefs led their conference entering the weekend, but losing 34-31 to the Bengals put Tennessee in control. At 10-6, Cincinnati can still claim the top seed if the 11-5 Chiefs and Titans lose next week.

Andy Reid’s team looked primed to run away with this game before the Bengals came roaring back. Patrick Mahomes and company built a 28-14 lead by the late second quarter, but Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase rose to the challenge. Cincinnati outscored Kansas City 17-3 in the second half and kicked the game-winning field goal as time expired.

Burrow completed 30 of 39 pass attempts for 446 yards and four touchdowns in the win. He has 971 passing yards and eight touchdowns in the past two weeks. Ja’Marr Chase had another big game, snagging 11 of 12 targets for 266 yards and three touchdowns.

Before continuing with the NFL Week 17 review, let’s check out the upcoming action across the league. 

Josh Allen and the Bills must find a balanced offensive attack.

NFL Week 17 Takeaways  

Takeaway- The Bills finally run the ball

The Atlanta Falcons gave Buffalo a fight, holding a 15-14 lead at halftime, but the Bills came alive in the second half. Matt Ryan and the Falcons failed to score in the game’s final 30 minutes as Devin Singletary took over. Buffalo won 29-15, securing the third consecutive ten-win season in the Josh Allen era.

The Bills won primarily because of the offense’s success on the ground. Buffalo isn’t built to run the ball in bad weather despite the team’s location. However, Singletary and the offensive line found ways to stretch their limits against Atlanta. The third-year running back amassed 110 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.

In comparison, Allen only threw for 120 yards. The Falcons also scored ten points off of his three interceptions, but the star quarterback recovered by rushing for 81 yards and two scores.

Buffalo could emerge as a true title contender if the offense becomes balanced in the playoffs.

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Takeaway- These rookie pass catchers rock

We already mentioned Chase’s historic afternoon, but let’s look at his season overall. The former fifth overall pick has 79 receptions, 1,429 yards, and 13 touchdowns. That means Chase already broke Justin Jefferson’s rookie receiving record (1,400 yards) and didn’t even need the extra week to do it.

Kyle Pitts caught two passes for 69 yards in Atlanta’s loss. That meager production was enough to make the fourth overall pick the second tight end in NFL history to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards as a rookie. He’s under 60 yards shy of breaking Mike Ditka’s rookie record, which the Hall of Famer set in 1961.

Takeaway- Carson Wentz is a limiting factor

The Indianapolis Colts traded a first and third-round pick to Philadelphia for Wentz. The former second overall pick famous for his almost 2017 MVP season played under head coach Frank Reich when he was Philadelphia’s offensive coordinator. Wentz hasn’t performed poorly overall this season, but it’s clear he’s holding the Colts back.

Wentz completed 16 of 27 pass attempts for 148 yards and a touchdown in Indianapolis’ loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. His touchdown pass could’ve easily gone down as an interception. Luckily, two Raiders defenders collided, and the ball bounced to T.Y. Hilton. It turned into a highlight play, but Wentz put the ball in harm’s way.

There’s only so far the Colts can go with Wentz attempting difficult throws and making crazy decisions. Eventually, the way he’s played against Jacksonville, New England, and Tennessee is going to surface in the playoffs and bite Indianapolis.

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