GAME-DAY NOTES
Facts, figures and storylines for Week 18: A DOLPHINS victory vs. Buffalo (8:20 p.m., WPXI) would give Miami its first AFC East title since 2008, its first first top-two playoff seed since 1992 and its first 12win season since 1990. Buffalo is favored by 2.5. THE BILLS have won 13 consecutive regular-season games in December and January. They are 18-2 overall in those months since 2023. What’s more, they are 12-2 vs. Miami since 2017 — Sean McDermott’s first season as coach. BILLS QB Josh Allen is 10-2 vs. the Dolphins. Allen, who has accounted for an NFL-leading 42 TDs, needs one rushing TD to tie O.J. Simpson’s franchise record of 16 set in 1975. HOW LONG has it been? A Titans victory at home vs. Jacksonville (1 p.m., KDKA) would be their 117th at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, their home since 1999 — four seasons after moving to Tennessee from Houston. This is notable
Cincinnati Bengals because it would top the 116 they won as the Oilers while in Houston and playing in the old Houston Astrodome (1968-96). COWBOYS K Brandon Aubrey has not missed in 35 FG attempts this season. By going 3 for 3 (or better) vs. Washington, he would, who break the record held by Colts K Mike Vanderjagt, who did not miss in 37 attempts in 2003.
Oakland Raiders THE NFL receiving title is on the line. Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill has seen his once seemingly unassailable lead reduced to 66 yards over Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb after Lamb’s 13-catch, 227-yard
performance Tennessee vs. Detroit. Titans Hill has 1,717 yards and Lamb 1,651. CLEVELAND starts yet another QB Sunday. But this time no one is complaining. With Joe Flacco being held out to rest for the playoffs, Jeff Driskel will become the fifth QB to start for the Browns this season — the sixth team in history to start five. FYI: The 1987 Patriots are the only team to win with five. THE BROWNS, who play Cincinnati in their season finale, go in seeking their first five-game
Cleveland Browns winning streak since 1994. They are 7.5-point underdogs. IF DALLAS wins the NFC East as it is favored to do — the Cowboys are giving 13.5 points to Washington — it will continue a run that has Kansas seen no City team Chiefs repeat as division champion since Philadelphia in 2003-04. WITH A WIN, New England will extend its winning streak vs. the New York Jets to 16 games. Only four teams have beaten an opponent Philadelphia 16 consecutive Eagles times in the regular season. Miami holds the record of 20 in a row vs. Buffalo from 1970-78. ON THE FLIP SIDE, if the Patriots were to lose to the Jets in what might be Bill Belichick’s final game, it would tie Belichick with Tom Landry for most losses — including playoffs — at 177.