Heavy NFL insider Matt Lombardo breaks down the top takeaways from Week 18, including a former NFL exec’s thoughts on the Bills’ “impressive” win.
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Nyheim Hines #20 of the Buffalo Bills celebrates after a win.
Sunday’s Week 18 NFL slate was one of the more emotional scenes you’ll see in sports.
As the NFL returned to action for the first time since Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field and suffered a cardiac arrest on January 2, teams and players across the league paid tribute to the Buffalo Bills‘ second-year safety.
Nothing, though, compared to the scene in Buffalo where the Bills stamped their playoff passport as the No. 2 seed by topping the New England Patriots, 35-23.
“The Bills coming up with a big win after such a difficult week with the emotional roller coaster of Damar Hamlin’s situation was the most impressive performance of the week,” former NFL Executive of The Year Jeff Diamond told Heavy on Sunday night.
Following one of the most emotionally difficult weeks imaginable, the Bills authored one of the most cathartic moments you’ll see, in the team’s return to the gridiron in Week 18.
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With Hamlin, surrounded by family, and watching from 428 miles away, Nyheim Hines took the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown, Buffalo’s first since 2018, as Bills Mafia erupted in joy.
Meant to be.#LoveForDamar | #ForDamar pic.twitter.com/Etw3iAgTWY
Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 8, 2023
Hines’ touchdown was a reminder of the communal healing power of sports. Just as the outpouring of support for Hamlin from all walks of life, and all across the NFL last week, showed that even a divided society could rally together in a moment of need.
Sunday, right when it seemed the Patriots had survived the tidal wave of emotion in Orchard Park, with New England leading 17-14 with 7:00 remaining in the 3rd quarter, Hines struck again.
This time, Hines returned a Nick Folk kickoff 101 yards for his second return touchdown of the game.
On an afternoon that began with Josh Allen running onto the field carrying a Damar Hamlin flag, the Bills’ star quarterback put an exclamation point on a trying week — and a needed victory by the Bills — by making arguably the most impressive throw of the season.
With 8:59 remaining, Allen shrugged off a hit in the pocket before hurling the ball deep downfield to hit Stefon Diggs for a 49-yard touchdown.
Diggs, who took an Uber to visit Hamlin in the hospital hours after he collapsed on the field Monday night, delivered Buffalo the win and the Bills to the No. 2 seed in the AFC, where they’ll host the division rival Miami Dolphins.
If the Bills can match Sunday’s emotion, not to mention the prolific output of the offense, they will be a tough out for anyone.
“Buffalo had two kickoff return touchdowns, that Allen touchdown pass to Diggs, and the defense pulled down three interceptions,” Diamond explained. “That they found a way to win in every phase against a Patriots team that needed a win to make the playoffs was so impressive.”
Here’s a look at key takeaways from the biggest games across an impactful NFL in Week 18.
With the 2022 regular season officially over, what matters most are the playoff brackets setting the road to Glendale, Arizona and the 2023 Super Bowl. Here’s how Super Wild Card Weekend will look next week:
AFC
NFC
The Dallas Cowboys certainly didn’t play like a team with a chance to win the NFC East division crown and home field advantage throughout the playoffs on Sunday in Washington.
One year removed from falling in inexplicable fashion to the San Francisco 49ers, as the No. 3 seed, Dallas was flatly embarrassed by the Commanders 26-6 in Week 18.
The outcome wound up not mattering, by virtue of the Eagles surviving 22-16 against the New York Giants’ backups to secure the NFC’s No.
