The Patriots‘ improbable win over the Steelers. The Falcons‘ epic collapse in Super Bowl LI. The rise of the Eagles and eventual loss of Carson Wentz. Here are the highs and lows that shaped the league over the past year.
With the regular season wrapping on New Year’s Eve, NFL Nation reporters took a look back at the best and worst moments of 2017 — from the Falcons‘ epic collapse in Super Bowl LI, to the rise and eventual loss of Carson Wentz, to the Patriots‘ improbable win over the Steelers, and everything in between.
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Best moment: Selecting cornerback Tre’Davious White in the first round of the 2017 draft
The Bills traded down from No. 10 to No. 27, acquiring Kansas City’s 2018 first-round pick in the process. With the No. 27 pick, Buffalo drafted White, who has started every game this season and is among the top candidates for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. The Bills could use the extra first-round pick from their trade with the Chiefs to trade up for a quarterback this spring.
Worst moment: Nathan Peterman throwing five interceptions in the first half of a 54-24 loss to the Chargers
After the Bills were beaten by the Jets 34-21, then waxed by the Saints 47-10, first-year coach Sean McDermott decided to start the fifth-round rookie over veteran Tyrod Taylor. The result was one of the worst quarterback performances in NFL history, with Peterman becoming the first QB since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970 to be intercepted five times before halftime. Taylor replaced Peterman for the second half and the Bills recovered to win three of their next four games. — Mike Rodak
Best moment: Upsetting the Patriots on Monday Night Football
Despite being double-digit underdogs, the Dolphins beat the defending Super Bowl champions 27-20 in Week 14. It was a chance for Miami, which has been inconsistent this season, to show a national audience what it was capable of. The immense celebration in the locker room after was further proof how important that win was to the organization.
Worst moment: Losing Ryan Tannehill to a torn ACL and MCL before the season
There are several strong contenders, but the moment that negatively impacted the Dolphins most was when their starting quarterback went down in the first week of training camp. It ended Tannehill’s season before it started and put Miami in a tough spot. The Dolphins signed veteran QB Jay Cutler to a one-year, $10 million contract with mixed results and will miss the playoffs, failing to post a winning record for the second consecutive season. — James Walker
Best moment: The improbable 27-24 win over the Steelers in Week 15
The victory gave the Patriots the inside track on home-field advantage in the AFC. The drama of the entire fourth quarter could have filled a season’s worth of „best moments“ for New England as the team rallied from a 24-16 deficit, sparked by tight end Rob Gronkowski ’s remarkable individual performance, before almost giving the game away.
Worst moment: A season-opening 42-27 loss to the Chiefs
It was supposed to be a night to celebrate as the team unveiled its Super Bowl banner, but defensive breakdowns paved the way for the upset. That set the tone for a rocky first quarter of the season for the Patriots, with major questions about the defense, before things settled down. — Mike Reiss
Best moment: Beating the Bills 34-21 in Week 9
There haven’t been too many in this difficult season, but their win over Buffalo tops the list. In their only prime-time appearance (on a Thursday night), the Jets showed America they weren’t the bungling bunch of tankers that everyone expected them to be. They played their best overall game in a win that, at the time, kept their slim playoff hopes alive at 4-5.
Worst moment: Muhammad Wilkerson spoiling his chances at a long-term stint with the Jets
On Dec. 15, Wilkerson showed up late for a Friday-morning meeting and was promptly benched for the upcoming game in New Orleans. It effectively ended his once-promising Jets career. He had a chance to be one of their all-time greats, but a poor attitude and disciplinary issues have derailed his career. He won’t be back with the Jets in 2018. — Rich Cimini
Best moment: Ravens have their fingers crossed it’s Sunday
The Ravens are hoping their best moment comes in the final hours of 2017. Baltimore can clinch its first playoff berth since 2014 by beating Cincinnati on Sunday. This would be a significant accomplishment considering the number of early-season injuries and 3-4 start to the season. The Ravens are now one of the NFL’s hottest teams, winning five of their last six games.
Worst moment: Losing to the Bears in embarrassing fashion in Week 6
The Ravens allowed a franchise-worst 231 yards rushing and lost to a rookie quarterback at home for only the second time in franchise history. This was certainly the low point for a prideful defense that recorded three shutouts this season and leads the league in takeaways. – Jamison Hensley
Best moment: Drafting linebacker Carl Lawson and running back Joe Mixon
The Bengals got a steal when they were able to snag Lawson in the fourth round, and he has rewarded them with 8.5 sacks despite limited snaps. The Bengals desperately wanted Mixon and got him in the second round after he fell due to off-field issues. While the two players weren’t able to help give the Bengals a winning season, they do provide hope for the future.
Worst moment: Blowing a 17-0 lead over the Steelers on Monday Night Football
The Bengals had plenty of bad moments in 2017, but everything unraveled after they surrendered a lead to their hated rival, losing the Week 13 matchup at home 23-20. Honorable mentions include A. J. Green ’s fight with Jalen Ramsey, Adam Jones ‚ arrest, the firing of offensive coordinator Ken Zampese two weeks into the season and Vontaze Burfict ’s three-game suspension. — Katherine Terrell
Best moment: Drafting Myles Garrett with the No. 1 pick in the 2017 draft
When the Browns selected Garrett, they secured a defensive end who has given zero reason to believe he will not be a very good player. He has 6.0 sacks in 10 games played this season.
Worst moment: Deshaun Watson revealing that Hue Jackson texted him „be ready“ on draft day
It has been a season of worst moments, but the worst had to be when Watson revealed that Jackson made it seem as if the Browns would select him in the 2017 draft. What was worse about the reveal was it came on a day when Watson threw three touchdown passes in a rout of the Browns, serving as another reminder of a quarterback-that-could-have-been in Cleveland. — Pat McManamon
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Best moment: JuJu Smith-Schuster ’s 97-yard touchdown catch in Week 8
The rookie wide receiver’s catch against Detroit was the longest pass play in franchise history. His star rose in prime time, and a once-sagging offense showed it was still capable of exploding. It did just that with 30-plus points in four of the last six games.
Worst moment: Ben Roethlisberger ’s goal-line interception in the final seconds of their loss to the Patriots
The Steelers went for the win on the biggest stage and lived with the results, which should only embolden them for the playoffs. But the gutsy call likely cost them the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs, which affects their Super Bowl chances. A field goal would have sent the game to overtime. — Jeremy Fowler
Best moment: Deshaun Watson’s breakout performance in Week 4
The Texans knew Watson was good, but they realized just how good he could be in Houston’s 57-14 victory over the Titans. The rookie threw for 283 yards and four touchdowns in the blowout victory, adding four rushes for 24 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Watson overwhelmed the Titans, completing more than 73 percent of his passes and leading the Texans on touchdown drives on their first three possessions. If Watson can return from his torn ACL and play anywhere near the level he played at in his seven games this season, the Texans have a bright future with him at quarterback.
Worst moment: Watson’s season-ending injury
The Texans are 1-7 since Watson tore the ACL in his right knee on Nov. 2. Houston has had to deal with many injuries to key players — J. Watt (broken left leg), Whitney Mercilus (torn pectoral muscle), D’Onta Foreman (torn left Achilles), C. J. Fiedorowicz (concussion) and Ryan Griffin (concussion) — but Watson’s knee injury was the blow that ended their hopes of competing in the AFC. Houston scored at least 30 points in Watson’s last five games, which is a franchise record. In the eight games since, the Texans are averaging fewer than 14 points per game and were held to fewer than seven in three games. — Sarah Barshop
Best moment: Finishing with a top-three draft pick
If you’re not going to have your franchise quarterback during what’s clearly a rebuilding season, why not speed up the process with a top-three draft pick? The Colts will finish with their worst record since finishing 2-14 in 2011 largely because quarterback Andrew Luck (shoulder) missed the entire season. General manager Chris Ballard can use the high draft pick to address the Colts‘ desperate need to find a pass-rusher or get more help on the offensive line.
Worst moment: Andrew Luck missing all of 2017
Luck needed right shoulder surgery in January after playing on it injured for more than 16 months. Owner Jim Irsay sounded optimistic when he said the surgery wasn’t major and that his franchise QB would be ready for the regular season. Evidently Irsay must have meant the 2018 season, and now it’s at the point where he’s probably just hoping they’ll have Luck in 2018. Luck missed all of the team’s offseason workouts, training camp, preseason games and the regular season. — Mike Wells
Best moment: Clinching their first playoff appearance since 2007
And they did it with a 45-7 rout of the Texans at home. The Jaguars hadn’t had a winning season and only twice won more than five games in a season since 2007. The accomplishment also came 364 days after the team fired Gus Bradley.
Worst moment: The 44-32 loss to the 49ers in Week 16
The Jaguars have been able to overcome setbacks all season — from losing wide receiver Allen Robinson in the season opener to having top-pick Leonard Fournette miss three games — so there haven’t been a lot of terrible moments. However, the loss in San Francisco tainted what should have been one of the most triumphant days in franchise history. The Jags clinched their first division title since 1999 when the Rams beat Tennessee earlier in the day, but went on to have their worst game of the season in the loss to the 49ers. It was hard to really celebrate winning the division after that debacle. — Mike DiRocco
Best moment: Snapping an 11-game losing streak against the Colts
Marcus Mariota returned from a one-game injury absence to put in arguably his best performance of the season throwing for 306 yards. It was one of two 300-yard passing games for Mariota this season. Derrick Henry also ran for 131 yards and a touchdown. The offense was exciting, explosive and effective — for at least one game — with the world watching on Monday Night Football. The win snapped a two-game losing streak, and, of course, they finally got the monkey off their back. They would later sweep the Colts for the first time since 2002.
Worst moment: The embarrassing 57-14 loss to the Texans in Week 4
The Titans‘ last-season slide was disappointing, but this blowout loss is worse. Tennessee was coming off a high of beating a relatively healthy Seahawks team in Week 3 before getting outclassed by the Deshaun Watson show in Houston. To make matters worse, Mariota injured his hamstring that day. It’s an injury that affected him for the weeks that followed. This is also the day the national buzz around the Titans came to a crashing halt. — Cameron Wolfe
Best moment: The statement win over the Cowboys in Week 2
When cornerback Aqib Talib cut in front of Dallas wide receiver Dez Bryant to snatch a Dak Prescott pass then sprinted 103 yards for a game-punctuating touchdown, with the home crowd in a full-throated frenzy in the final minute of the win, the Broncos genuinely believed they had shown they were among the league’s elite. Two weeks later they entered their bye at 3-1, eyeing the postseason, only to see their season collapse into an eight-game losing streak.
Worst moment: Losing to the Giants at home in Week 6
If you have your longest losing streak since 1967 like the Broncos did after losing eight in a row, and suffer your first shutout loss in a quarter-century, it means there has been no shortage of bad moments. But nothing was the same after the Broncos lost 23-10 to the previously winless Giants. Denver outgained New York 412 to 296, but the problems that ruined the Broncos‘ season — turnovers, unreliable special-teams play and the inability to play their best in the moments when games were decided — spoiled this game and really never left. — Jeff Legwold
Best moment: Drafting quarterback Patrick Mahomes II in the first round
The selection of Mahomes, and the move up from pick No. 27 to No. 10 in the first round to get him, signaled the end of Kansas City’s long-standing policy of using retreads from other teams at the game’s most important position. Mahomes may or may not be the long-term answer at quarterback, but it’s impossible to fault the Chiefs‘ effort in this area, at long last.
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