NFL Games today: Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Eagles shake up playoff race and MVP talk
17.01.2026 - 18:02:20
Every once in a while an NFL Sunday feels less like Week X on the schedule and more like a playoff dress rehearsal. The NFL games today had exactly that vibe: Patrick Mahomes carving up coverages, Lamar Jackson turning broken plays into MVP moments, and the Eagles grinding out a heart-stopping finish that could echo all the way to February.
From early kickoffs to prime time, the NFL games today rewired the playoff picture, tightened division races, and poured fuel on the MVP debate. Upsets, statement wins, and a couple of nervous sideline looks from head coaches on the hot seat turned a regular slate into a full-blown storyline factory.
[Check live NFL scores & stats here]
Mahomes keeps the Chiefs in Super Bowl mode
The Kansas City Chiefs entered the weekend hearing the same questions again: Is the offense explosive enough? Are they coasting or actually peaking for January? Mahomes answered the noise the way he usually does – by shredding a defense that thought it had a plan.
Mahomes stood tall in the pocket, extended plays outside structure, and once again turned third-and-long into his personal playground. The box score showed another multi-touchdown, 250-plus yard performance with his trademark efficiency, but the real story was situational dominance. In the red zone, he was ruthless; on money downs, he was cold-blooded.
The Chiefs defense did its part too, flashing a pass rush that pinned its ears back once Kansas City grabbed a two-score cushion. A timely interception in the fourth quarter sealed the deal and effectively turned the closing minutes into a victory lap at Arrowhead.
Andy Reid summed it up afterward, essentially saying his quarterback flipped the switch: the rhythm, the timing, the anticipation throws – it all looked like January football. For a team eyeing another Lombardi Trophy, the NFL games today felt like a message to the rest of the AFC: the road to the Super Bowl still runs through Mahomes.
Lamar Jackson turns another game into an MVP showcase
On the other side of the AFC bracket, Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens keep authoring one of the most complete resumes in the league. Today was another chapter. Jackson looked like the most dangerous dual-threat player in football, repeatedly stressing the defense horizontally with his legs and vertically with his arm.
He piled up well over 250 total yards, mixing in crisp intermediate throws with back-breaking scrambles on third down. In the red zone he stayed patient, moving through progressions, waiting for a tight end to uncover or a back to leak into space. The result: multiple total touchdowns and another efficient afternoon where the box score only hints at the chaos he creates for defensive coordinators.
The most telling sequence came late, with the Ravens clinging to a one-score lead and backed up near their own 20. Instead of playing it safe, Baltimore spread the field. Jackson slid in the pocket, stood tall under pressure, and ripped a sideline throw that effectively iced the game. One play later, he ripped off a first-down scramble that drew MVP chants from the road section.
Teammates raved postgame about his command. Coaches pointed to his protection calls at the line and his control at the two-minute warning, milking the clock without ever looking rattled. In a crowded MVP race that also features Mahomes and a handful of NFC stars, Jackson has planted his flag as the guy whose box score does not fully capture the value he brings every snap.
Eagles survive a thriller, but questions linger
The Philadelphia Eagles did what contenders are supposed to do in the NFL games today: survive a game they easily could have lost. It was messy, it was physical, and at times it looked like the offense was fighting both the opposing defense and its own play sheet. But when it mattered, Jalen Hurts and that offensive line imposed their will just enough.
Hurts took some hits, hung in the pocket, and delivered a few big-time throws between the numbers, especially off play action. The run-pass option game finally clicked in the second half, and a crucial red zone push – anchored by the interior line – swung momentum back in Philly's favor.
Defensively, the Eagles still have questions in the secondary. They surrendered chunk plays outside the numbers and gave up a deep shot that briefly turned the stadium into a pressure cooker. But the pass rush found its gear late. A key sack on third-and-long forced a field goal instead of a touchdown, which turned out to be the difference.
Nick Sirianni's sideline emotions told the story. This felt less like a routine regular-season win and more like a January dress rehearsal. For all the tension, the result matters: the Eagles held their ground in the NFC playoff picture and kept themselves very much in the Super Bowl contender conversation.
Upsets, heartbreakers and wild card chaos
The drama of the NFL games today was not limited to the big-name quarterbacks. A couple of underdogs walked into hostile environments and walked out with season-saving victories that shook up the wild card race.
One bubble team in the AFC came in with its season on the line and played like it. The offense leaned on a physical run game, then hit a perfectly timed play-action deep shot just before halftime that flipped the script. A late defensive stand in the red zone, capped by a fourth-down stop on a goal-line dive, had the bench erupting like it was a divisional playoff round.
Elsewhere, a presumed NFC wild card lock got punched in the mouth. Turnovers, missed kicks, and a busted coverage produced a gut-punch loss that suddenly opens the door for a pack of chasers. In the standings it is just one L; emotionally it felt like three.
Coaches on the wrong side of those results are going to be feeling the heat. When you fizzle in the red zone and give away possessions in the fourth quarter, the seat gets hotter fast. With ownerships and front offices watching closely, a couple of jobs moved squarely into the weekly "hot seat" segment territory.
The playoff picture: who owns the inside track?
With another high-stakes Sunday in the books, the playoff picture is coming into focus. The AFC remains a fistfight, but the top line is clear: the Chiefs and Ravens sit in prime position for the No. 1 seed, while a cluster of teams battles for wild card spots. In the NFC, the Eagles are squarely in the mix for home-field advantage, with a pair of surging rivals right on their heels.
Here is a quick look at the current division leaders and top wild card contenders based on today's NFL games and the latest standings synced with the official league report.
| Conference | Seed | Team | Record | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFC | 1 | Kansas City Chiefs | Best in AFC | Mahomes keeps No. 1 seed path in their hands |
| AFC | 2 | Baltimore Ravens | Within 1 game | Lamar fueling serious Super Bowl buzz |
| AFC | 3-4 | Other Division Leaders | Winning records | Firm grip on home playoff games |
| AFC | 5-7 | Wild Card pack | Clustered within 1 game | Head-to-head tiebreakers now critical |
| NFC | 1 | Philadelphia Eagles | Top or tied | Clutch win keeps them atop NFC race |
| NFC | 2-4 | Other Division Leaders | Playoff-bound pace | Jostling for seeding and first-round byes |
| NFC | 5-7 | Wild Card bubble | Within 2 games | One upset either way can flip the order |
The margins are razor thin. One tipped pass, one missed field goal, or one blown coverage today could be the difference between hosting a playoff game and cleaning out lockers in early January. That is the reality in both conferences right now.
When you look at the full playoff picture, three tiers emerge. The first tier: true Super Bowl contenders like the Chiefs, Ravens, Eagles and one or two other heavyweights who can win in multiple ways. The second: solid playoff teams that can upset anyone on the right day but lack the week-to-week consistency. The third: the desperate wild card hunters who live in the chaos of tiebreakers and scoreboard watching.
Wild card race: every snap matters now
With the calendar deep into the regular season, the wild card race has entered the stage where one bad quarter can take you from "in control" to "need help" in a hurry. Several teams in both conferences saw their NFL league position swing dramatically based on the NFL games today.
A couple of AFC hopefuls grabbed massive road wins that not only improved their records but also gave them crucial head-to-head tiebreaker edges. In a race where three or four teams could realistically finish with the same record, that matters almost as much as the win itself.
On the NFC side, one would-be wild card team coughed up a second-half lead and may end up regretting it for months. They fell behind in conference record, which is essentially the secondary tiebreaker once head-to-head gets sorted. That is how a single missed third-down tackle in Week X can haunt a franchise when wild card slots are handed out.
Bottom line: the wild card race is officially in "every drive is a referendum" territory. Coaches are already in playoff mode with clock management, aggressiveness on fourth down, and personnel rotations. You see more creative red zone packages, more scripted shot plays and, inevitably, a few panicked timeouts.
MVP race: Mahomes vs Lamar, with NFC stars lurking
Ask ten people who leads the MVP race after the NFL games today, and you might get ten different answers. But two names keep heading every short list: Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson.
Mahomes is doing Mahomes things again. His efficiency in high-leverage moments is unmatched. On third down, in the red zone, and inside the two-minute warning, he has been nearly flawless. The numbers line up with the eye test: strong passing-yard totals, a healthy touchdown count, and the kind of low turnover rate you need from the face of a dynasty.
Jackson, meanwhile, is building an MVP case that goes beyond traditional stats. His passing has taken another step; he is attacking all three levels of the field, manipulating safeties with his eyes and punishing any defense that dares to sit in single-high. On top of that, he remains a nightmare in the open field, turning broken plays into 15-yard gains and forcing defenses to spy him on nearly every passing down.
Several NFC stars are also firmly in the conversation. A couple of quarterbacks have gaudy passing numbers and signature comebacks on their resumes. A dominant wide receiver has stacked 100-yard games at a ridiculous pace, forcing corners into off coverage and still winning. Even a defensive star, leading the league in sacks and pressures, has played his way into the periphery of the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year discussions.
Still, what separates Mahomes and Jackson right now is the marriage of personal production and team success. Both are driving teams that look like No. 1 seeds and clear Super Bowl contenders. As long as that remains true, they will stay living at the top of every MVP radar segment.
Injury report: contenders walking a tightrope
As always, the most important numbers out of the NFL games today were not just scores or yardage totals; they were jersey numbers limping to the sideline and names landing on the live injury report.
Several playoff-bound teams absorbed hits to key rotation players. A starting corner left with a soft-tissue issue and did not return. A top pass rusher spent much of the second half in the blue medical tent before being ruled questionable and then held out for precautionary reasons. A starting guard battled through an ankle sprain that could easily limit him in practice this week.
Nothing derails a Super Bowl push faster than injuries in the wrong position group. Lose a tackle and suddenly your quarterback sees ghosts in the pocket. Lose a field-stretching wideout and the spacing in your passing game collapses. Lose a sideline-to-sideline linebacker and your run fits fall apart in the fourth quarter.
Coaches will deliver the classic "next man up" line all week, but privately they are hoping the MRI results match the early optimism. In the meantime, depth charts are getting stress-tested. Backup quarterbacks, swing tackles and rotational defensive linemen might prove to be the quiet heroes of the next month.
Coaching hot seat and locker-room temperature check
Every week in the NFL is judgment week for someone. The NFL games today put a couple of coaching staffs squarely under the microscope. Questionable fourth-down decisions, conservative play-calling in plus territory, and mismanaged timeouts under two minutes turned potential wins into bitter losses.
On at least one sideline, the body language said it all. Players walking away from a huddle shaking their heads. Veteran leaders staring down at tablets while assistants talked above them. It looked less like a unified playoff push and more like a group searching for answers.
That is where locker room leadership matters. Captains and veterans have to keep the temperature from boiling over, especially with social media ready to dissect every sideline clip. Winning cures all, but in the meantime the messaging from the head coach to the locker room has never been more important.
Looking ahead: must-watch games next week
If the NFL games today were a preview of playoff intensity, next week's slate feels like the sequel we all want. Several heavyweight matchups could decide tiebreakers, reshape the NFL playoff picture, and maybe even swing the MVP race.
One AFC showdown between Mahomes and a top-tier opposing defense has "statement game" written all over it. If the Chiefs offense keeps humming, they can tighten their grip on the No. 1 seed. If they stumble, the door opens for Lamar Jackson and the Ravens to jump them in the AFC hierarchy.
Over in the NFC, the Eagles face another physical opponent that loves to run the ball and control the clock. That matchup will test Philly's run defense and their ability to stay ahead of the sticks on offense. A win keeps them on track for home-field advantage. A loss invites chaos into the top of the conference.
Sprinkle in a couple of wild card six-pointers – games where both teams are hovering around .500 and desperately need a win – and you have a full Sunday that will feel like a pre-playoff elimination round. Every snap, every red zone trip, every third-down blitz call carries weight.
Why today matters in the long run
By the time the lights went out on the NFL games today, one thing was clear: we are past the stage of the season where you can shrug off a loss as "just one game". Seeding, tiebreakers, and confidence all moved in real ways.
Mahomes reasserted the Chiefs as the standard. Lamar Jackson kept adding chapters to an MVP-caliber season. The Eagles survived and advanced, while several teams on the wild card bubble found out exactly how thin the margin for error really is.
If you are tracking every yard, every injury update, every shifting NFL league position, this is the stretch of the calendar where you live on the league's official site, refreshing standings, box scores, and the live NFL injury report.
The path to the Lombardi Trophy is never straight. It zigzags through heartbreakers, statement wins, and nail-biting finishes like the ones the NFL delivered today. The only guarantee is that next week will bring another round of chaos – and another chance for someone to make a Super Bowl statement under the brightest lights.
Do not blink, and definitely do not miss the next wave of NFL games today and tomorrow. The playoff picture is shifting in real time, and the league's biggest stars are treating every snap like it is already January.
