NFL Week 18 has arrived, the final slate of games in the 2021 NFL regular season. A 16-game schedule promises to deliver plenty of excitement, with playoff spots, awards and job security all coming down to Saturday and Sunday’s games.
It all comes down to this. NFL Week 18 means intradivision games, rivals squaring off against one another with plenty at stake. Whether teams are competing for a playoff spot, battling for positioning in the postseason or fighting for pride, Sunday will be entertaining for the football world.
Let’s dive into our NFL Week 18 bold predictions.
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Jordan Love showcased for offseason trade vs. Detroit Lions
The Green Bay Packers will enter the final week of the regular season just hoping to stay healthy. The favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, Green Bay will be delighted if it emerges out of NFL Week 18 with a healthy roster. With that in mind, there’s a strong possibility second-year quarterback Jordan Love sees the field on Sunday now that Green Bay holds the No. 1 seed even before taking the field in Week 18.
It’s the perfect opportunity. In the last four games, opponents averaged a 101.1 passer rating with a 6-1 TD-INT ratio and 1,000 passing yards against the Lions’ secondary. Detroit really struggles to make opposing quarterbacks uncomfortable, evidenced by the fourth-lowest pressure rate (20.1%) in the NFL. The Packers can sit Aaron Rodgers, knowing his fourth MVP award is already secured, allowing Love to showcase his talents. If all goes well, which it might with two touchdowns and 200-plus yards, he might be a trade candidate this spring.
Baker Mayfield seals his fate, sends Cleveland Browns into offseason quarterback market
The Cleveland Browns wanted to sign Baker Mayfield to a contract extension this summer, but the price was never right. Instead, the franchise and its quarterback both decided to let things play out with the hope the former No. 1 pick would elevate his game in 2021. Instead, this season is raising more doubts about his ability to be a top passer and that trend might continue as Cleveland’s season ends.
Injuries are a big part of the problem, but the durability issues also reflect poorly on Mayfield. He also hasn’t made things any easier for Cleveland with his play as of late. From Week 10-16, Mayfield completed just 56.1% of his passes with a 7-8 TD-INT ratio and a 66.8 passer rating. Facing an underrated Cincinnati Bengals defense on Sunday, a bad performance could be the final straw.
Ultimately, that’s what we’re predicting happens. Mayfield will struggle under the pressure, throwing a costly interception and not delivering in the fourth quarter when the game is on the line. With the Browns’ front office in win-now mode, it will thrust this franchise into a crowded quarterback market this offseason.
Jonathan Taylor closes out season with 200-yard game
Jonathan Taylor would need a record-breaking performance to become only the ninth running back to rush for 2,000 yards in a season. Even against the Jacksonville Jaguars, that’s unlikely to happen. But we do expect Taylor to come close, delivering one of the best NFL rushing performances this season.
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There are few opponents that running backs love facing more than Jacksonville. From Week 10-16, opponents averaged 146.4 rushing yards per game and 4.6 ypc against the Jaguars. That was before Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson ran wild against Jacksonville. Indianapolis will still have plenty to play for in NFL Week 18, meaning Taylor receives his full workload and that could result in 200-plus rushing yards and three touchdowns.
Five head coaches fired after NFL Week 18
The NFL adopted a rule in 2021 allowing teams with coaching vacancies to begin interviewing candidates after Week 16. Many thought it would accelerate the firing process. But only two coaches have been axed this season (Jon Gruden, Urban Meyer) and both were shown the door with cause. Once NFL Week 18 ends, though, Black Monday arrives and there could be a ton of firings.
Everyone knows who some of the NFL coaches fired will be. Matt Nagy is gone, Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio is probably headed out the door and Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer might join them with the team eliminated from playoff contention. But they likely won’t be alone.
Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper is a reactionary person and someone already expressing strong regrets about the Matt Rhule contract. If the Panthers end the season with a loss, their year ending on an embarrassing note, Rhule could easily be fired. Meanwhile, the Houston Texans don’t seem fully committed to David Culley and there’s always a possibility for a surprise like Pete Carroll or Joe Judge to get the boot. One thing is for certain, there will be a lot of openings this spring and it’s understandable considering the pool of candidates.