Plenty of drama in store heading into season's final three weeks

The long awaited showdown between the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers, perhaps the most important game of the 2017 regular season, is finally upon us.

The winner stands an excellent chance of earning the AFC’s home-field playoff advantage. The loser will probably wind up with a first-round bye, though the Jacksonville Jaguars could still gum up those plans.

Elsewhere, Week 15 features a number of other intriguing contests. First place is at stake in both the AFC West (Chargers-Chiefs) and NFC West (Rams-Seahawks). Four more teams (Patriots, Jags, Rams, Vikings) could punch their playoff tickets, officially joining the Eagles and Steelers.

Last, but not least, Aaron Rodgers is back. Enjoy.

Rodgers confident he can return in top form

Aaron Rodgers doesn’t mind bearing the weight of his football team on his previously damaged shoulders, but he insisted his focus as he prepares for his return to the field is returning to his previous form and letting everything else take care of itself.

The Green Bay Packers quarterback took his first snaps with the No. 1 offense at practice Wednesday and then spoke to reporters for the first time since he broke his collarbone against the Minnesota Vikings on October 15.

The Packers (7-6) have almost no shot at the playoffs unless they win their next three games, starting with the Carolina Panthers on Sunday in Charlotte. Rodgers’ return gives them a chance, but nothing is guaranteed.

“I think there’s an expectation of the way I play on Sunday and how I’m going to play,” Rodgers said, surrounded by reporters at his locker. “I enjoy those expectations. I enjoy meeting those or exceeding those. That’s what it means to be a leader in this locker room and the quarterback of this team.

“Hopefully, it gives a lift to some of the guys, but I’m not coming back to save this team. I’m coming back to play quarterback the way I know how to play it.”

Rodgers said his intention all along was to play against the Panthers in Week 15. He underwent surgery October 19 to have two plates and 13 screws inserted into his right collarbone, which broke when Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr drove him into the turf.

Having broken his left collarbone in 2013, Rodgers had a pretty good idea what was ahead of him, but he said he was determined to be ready to play as soon as he became eligible to come off injured reserve. He said he was able to take his rehab to the extreme because of the careful watch he was under.

“It’s a long process,” Rodgers said. “It’s tough mentally.”

Rodgers said his strength and flexibility came back quickly. He worked hard on his cardio and stayed as close to the quarterbacks room as he could so he was able to stay in tune with what the coaches were doing with backup Brett Hundley.

Once he could throw, the progress he was making became evident to his coaches and teammates. Last week, he became eligible to practice under injured reserve rules and it was obvious that he was throwing with no discomfort or decrease in arm strength.

There are risks to returning just eight weeks after surgery, but Rodgers said they have been discussed and he does not fear getting hit or landing on his shoulder.

“I wouldn’t be standing here ready to play if I wasn’t confident I could go out there and play the way that I’ve always played,” Rodgers said. “There’s just no point in doing that. It’s a risky game, it’s a dangerous game. There’s risks every time you step on the field.

Hundley said the one thing he was proud of was that he was able to keep playoff hopes alive until Rodgers returned. He said Rodgers texted him right away that he had been given clearance to play.

“I’m really happy for him,” Hundley said. “Obviously, I knew this wasn’t a forever thing. I just wanted to make the most of my opportunities and make sure we had a fighting chance when he got back. “He’s going to lead us to great things.”

(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/TNS)

Can Wentz hang on to MVP despite season-ending injury?

Our MVP tracker heading into Week 15’s games:

1. QB Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles: This could be a final nod to his scintillating sophomore season, which has put him at the forefront of the MVP debate for the past two months. Before heading to the locker room with a torn ACL on Sunday afternoon, Wentz fired off his NFL-leading (and Eagles team record) 33rd TD pass on a day Philadelphia became the first team in the league to secure a division title. Having his season curtailed is likely to undermine Wentz’s candidacy – though if the Eagles go to pieces down the stretch, then perhaps not.

2. WR Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers: He’s making a late push to become the first receiver to ever win MVP honors. (And if Ben Roethlisberger keeps chucking it 66 times a week, Brown will very likely be the first 2,000yard receiver in NFL history.) He is currently the league’s runaway leader for receptions (99) and yards (1,509), and business has really been booming over the past four games (39 catches, 627 yards, 6 TDs). Brown could really bolster his case with a big afternoon against the Patriots this Sunday, especially if he makes one of his tide-turning special teams returns.

3. QB Tom Brady, New England Patriots: Monday night’s loss at Miami was his worst showing of the season, a pair of interceptions and atypical inaccuracy fueling speculation about the Achilles injury that’s cost him practice time. Brady continues to lead the league in passing yards (3,865) and QB rating (105.2) but has just one TD pass and three INTs in his last two outings combined. Sunday’s game in Pittsburgh also presents a golden opportunity to rekindle his momentum.

4. QB Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks: There’s no player more indispensable to his team than Wilson, who remains Seattle’s primary threat with his arm (3,527 yards, 29 TDs) and legs (482 yards, 3 TDs). Wilson has now thrown a single-season record 17 fourth-quarter TD passes, and his passer rating in the final period is a mind-blowing 137.4. Still, three INTs Sunday in Jacksonville hurt his team and his overall case.

5. QB Philip Rivers, Los Angeles Chargers: He’s a key figure in the Bolts’ revival from an 0-4 start, passing for 2,504 yards, 17 TDs and three INTs in the past nine games. And Rivers has done a nice job overall cutting down on turnovers this year after frequently being forced into risky decisions in recent seasons given the untenable positions he’s been thrust into. But it doesn’t appear 2017’s multi-layered adversity will prevent he and his team from making a sustained playoff push.

Clinching Scenarios

With just two teams in, the NFL playoff picture remains largely unsettled heading into Week 15.

But four more teams can clinch a berth in the postseason this week, while the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles both have a chance to grab home-field advantage in their respective conferences.

Here’s a full look at the Week 15 clinching scenarios: NFC Philadelphia Eagles (already clinched NFC East) Philadelphia clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs: 1) PHI win + MIN loss Philadelphia clinches a first-round bye: 1) PHI win 2) PHI tie + LAR loss or tie + NO loss or tie + CAR loss or tie

Minnesota Vikings Minnesota clinches NFC North: 1) MIN win or tie 2) DET loss or tie + GB loss or tie Minnesota clinches a playoff berth: 1) SEA loss + ATL loss + NO loss 2) SEA loss + ATL loss + CAR loss 3) SEA loss + ATL loss + DET loss or tie 4) SEA loss + ATL tie + NO loss + DET loss or tie

5) SEA loss + ATL tie + NO loss + CAR loss Los Angeles Rams LA Rams clinch a playoff berth: 1) LAR win + DET loss or tie + GB loss or tie + NO loss + ATL loss AFC Pittsburgh Steelers (already clinched AFC North) Pittsburgh clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs: 1) PIT win + JAX loss or tie Pittsburgh clinches first-round bye: 1) PIT win 2) PIT tie + JAX loss

New England Patriots New England clinches AFC East: 1) NE win or tie 2) BUF loss or tie New England clinches a playoff berth:

1) BAL loss or tie

Jacksonville Jaguars Jacksonville clinches a playoff berth: 1) JAX win 2) JAX tie +BUF loss or tie 3) JAX tie + BAL loss or tie 4) BUF loss + BAL loss 5) BAL loss + KC-LAC game does not end in a tie

Broncos 25, Colts 13

Brock Osweiler threw for two touchdowns and ran for another to lead Denver over Indianpolis on Thursday night.

Osweiler came into the game after starter Trevor Siemian left with reportedly a dislocated left shoulder after a sack in the first quarter. Osweiler completed 12-of-17 passes for 194 yards. Broncos running back C.J. Anderson gained 158 yards on 30 carries.

It was the fifth straight loss for the Colts (3-11). The Broncos (5-9) won their second in a row after snapping an eight-game slide.

After the Colts increased their halftime lead to 13-7 on a 39-yard field goal by Adam Vinatieri, the Broncos scored the final 18 points.

The Broncos took the lead on a 22-yard TD pass from Osweiler to Cody Latimer to take a 14-13 lead with 4:16 left in the third quarter and it was all Denver from there. (USA Today/TNS)

On TV: NFL Week 15: Sunday: Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants (live on METV at 8 p.m.); Green Bay Packers at Carolina Panthers (live on FoxSports at 8 p.m.); New England Patriots at Pittsburgh Steeles (live on METV at 11:30 p.m.); Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks (live on FoxSports at 11:30 p.m.); Tennessee Titans at San Francisco 49ers (live on Sport5+Live at 11:50 p.m.); Dallas Cowboys at Oakland Raiders (live on Sport5 and FoxSports at 3:30 a.m. Monday morning). .Monday Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (live on FoxSports at 3:30 a.m. Tuesday morning.)