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  • Seattle Seahawks vs. Carolina Panthers: How to watch today’s NFL game, kickoff time, TV channel and more

    The Seattle Seahawks need to keep winning in order to retain their No. 1 spot in the NFC West for the rest of the regular NFL season, but they’ll have to play their game against the Carolina Panthers this Sunday without one of their key defenders. Linebacker Derick Hall will be sitting out the Week 17 game after receiving a one-game suspension for unsportsmanlike conduct against the Los Angeles Rams after their Week 16 matchup.

    The Seattle Seahawks vs. Carolina Panthers game will air in select markets on CBS and it will stream on Paramount+. Here’s everything you need to know about how to watch this and every other Week 17 game.

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    How to watch the Seattle Seahawks vs. Carolina Panthers:

    Image for the mini product module
    Image for the mini product module

    Date: Sunday, Dec. 28

    Time: 1 p.m. ET

    TV channel: CBS

    Streaming: Paramount+, DirecTV, NFL+ and more

    Seattle Seahawks vs. Carolina Panthers game time:

    The Seahawks vs. Panthers game kicks off at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT on Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025.

    Seattle Seahawks vs. Carolina Panthers game channel:

    The Week 17 game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Carolina Panthers will air in select markets on CBS, which means if it’s on in your area, it’ll also stream live on Paramount+. You can also tune in on mobile devices with NFL+.

    How to watch the Seattle Seahawks vs. Carolina Panthers game without cable:

    Image for the small product module

  • Battle of the Sexes: Nick Kyrgios wins in straight sets over Aryna Sabalenka

    In 1973, Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in the second-ever “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match. Aryna Sabalenka tried to replicate that excellence Sunday against Nick Kyrgios, but fell short of that goal.

    In the end, Kyrgios walked away with the win, downing Sabalenka in straight sets (6-3, 6-3).

    The match featured a few modifications to even the playing field, but those didn’t seem to impact Kyrgios much. Ahead of the contest, it was announced that both players would have one serve per point and that Sabalenka’s side of the court would be reduced by nine percent.

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    Both changes were made to help give Sabalenka an advantage. With the serve rule in effect, it was believed Kyrgios wouldn’t be able to unload serves with as much power, fearing he would lose points. In the end, though, Sabalenka struggled with her serve, giving up points to Kyrgios throughout the match.

    While Sabalenka appeared frustrated at times during the match, she was happy with her performance and seemed excited about the prospect of playing Kyrgios again, per The Athletic.

    “I felt great. I put on a great fight and he was struggling, he got really tired. It was a great level, I made a lot of great shots, moved to the net, great drop shots and great serving. I enjoyed the show. Next time I play him, I already know his strengths, his weaknesses and it will be a better show for sure.

    “I love challenges and I would love to play (him) again. It felt different; the court is different. Playing against a guy is competitive, it was faster and good for my fitness. I hope over the next few days I’ll have a good few days off and keep bringing joy to people watching me over the season”

    [Yahoo Sports TV is here! Watch live shows and highlights 24/7]

    Kyrgios called it a “really tough match,” and credited Sabalenka for putting “the pressure on.”

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    It was a heavily questioned event, with some wondering whether Kyrgios, who spent much of the past couple years injured, was out of shape or not giving 100 percent effort. The latter was an issue coming into the event, as Emma Raducanu questioned whether either player would try hard.

    King, whose victory over Riggs in 1973 was made into a movie appropriately titled “Battle of the Sexes,” also criticized the event, saying her match against Riggs was about “social change.” King said she was rooting for Sabalenka, but that the event was “just not the same,” per the Independent.

    “The only similarity is that one is a boy and one is a girl. That’s it,” King, now 82, said. “Everything else, no. Ours was about social change; culturally, where we were in 1973. This one is not. I hope it’s a great match. I want Sabalenka, obviously, to win. But it’s just not the same.”

    With the fourth “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match in the books, only one of the matches has been won by a woman. That would be King, who took down Riggs in 1973. Earlier that year, Riggs defeated Margaret Court to win the first-ever “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match.

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    The match was brought back in 1992, with Jimmy Connors defeating Martina Navratilova in straight sets.

  • Maxx Crosby plays basketball, posts trampoline photos after Raiders shut him down due to knee injury

    Las Vegas Raiders Pro Bowl defensive end Maxx Crosby didn’t play Sunday due to a knee injury, but he seems pretty healthy. Crosby posted a video of himself playing basketball and photos of him on a trampoline, a few days after he was shut down for the rest of the regular season by the team.

    Crosby, 28, posted two images of himself on a trampoline with his daughter and two videos in which he’s playing basketball. The images were posted on Crosby’s Instagram story, meaning they won’t be available 24 hours after being posted.

    The timing of Croby’s posts should raise a few eyebrows from Raiders fans, given the team placed Crosby on injured reserve Saturday, citing his need to undergo knee surgery.

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    Earlier in the week, however, Crosby seemed like he was ready to keep playing in 2025. With the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft potentially on the line Sunday, Crosby told reporters he didn’t care about the pick and wanted to win.

    The Raiders lost, 34-10, and are now in control of the No. 1 pick with one game left in the season against the visiting Kansas City Chiefs.

    [Get more Raiders news: Las Vegas team feed]

    The Raiders felt differently, and officially shut down Crosby on Saturday. Once informed of the decision, the star said he wanted to leave the team’s facility, which the Raiders allowed. He wasn’t the only big-name player shut down by the Raiders ahead of Sunday’s defeat against the Giants. Tight end Brock Bowers, who has battled injuries all season, was also placed on IR ahead of the matchup.

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    Crosby was reportedly not happy about the decision, per Fox’s Jay Glazer.

    The Raiders are desperate for a quarterback of the future.

    Crosby, as he previously stated, doesn’t care about any of that and appeared ready to suit up in Week 17. His basketball and trampoline images certainly suggest Crosby could have been out on the field vs. the Giants, regardless of what the Raiders said about the nature of his injury.

  • Steelers reportedly don’t intend to void DK Metcalf’s $45M in guarantees after suspension for fan altercation

    The Pittsburgh Steelers reportedly aren’t wavering on DK Metcalf.

    Metcalf’s two-game suspension for his sideline altercation with a Detroit Lions fan reportedly voided $45 million in guarantees in his four-year, $132 million contract with the Steelers. But the Steelers are keeping those guarantees intact, Fox’s Jay Glazer reports.

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    Per Glazer on Fox’s Sunday pregame show, the Steelers “have decided not” to remove Metcalf’s guarantees and want to “make a long-term commitment to DK Metcalf.” It’s unclear from the report if the Steelers are actually altering Metcalf’s contract language or are just making an informal commitment to the wide receiver.

    The Steelers missed Metcalf’s production and presence Sunday as they failed to score a touchdown in a stinging 13-6 defeat against the Browns in Cleveland. The defeat forces a must-win for Pittsburgh in Week 18 against the Baltimore Ravens for the final AFC playoff spot and AFC North title.

    Scotty Miller led the Steelers’ wide receiving corp with three catches for 25 yards. Tight end Pat Freiermuth led all of Pittsburgh’s pass catchers with 63 receiving yards on three receptions.

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    Metcalf will be out for the Week 18 finale vs. the Ravens. In the Steelers’ first matchup against the Ravens this season, Metcalf caught 7 passes out of 12 targets for 148 yards.

    What Metcalf’s contract reportedly states

    As previously reported by CBS’ Jonathan Jones, Metcalf’s contract stipulates that if he “fails … to practice or play with the Club for any reason,” including “Player’s suspension by the NFL or Club for Conduct Detrimental,” his guarantees “will be NULL AND VOID.”

    [Get more Steelers news: Pittsburgh team feed]

    When the NFL suspended, then upheld Metcalf’s two-game ban for taking a swing at a Lions fan in Detroit in Week 16, that clause was triggered, and Metcalf’s remaining $45 million in guarantees were voided. That didn’t mean that Metcalf would lose that $45 million — just that it wasn’t guaranteed in the event that the Steelers released him for any reason

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    Glazer’s report on Sunday comes on the heels of a report from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero last week that the Steelers “have already reaffirmed their commitment to Metcalf for 2026 and beyond.”

    Was Metcalf’s money ever actually at risk?

    Metcalf’s contract money never really appeared to be in significant peril. Metcalf joined the Steelers as the prize addition of their 2025 offseason. He’s 28 years old, in his prime and is the clear No. 1 receiving option in Pittsburgh. The Steelers signed him to that contract because they want him on the team.

    Unless the Steelers decided that the fan interaction was a cuttable offense, all signs pointed to Metcalf’s long-term status with the team — and his contract money — being safe. And subsequent reporting has reinforced that notion.

  • Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars sneak past Colts to keep AFC South title, No. 1 seed hopes alive

    Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars are still in position to claim the AFC South.

    The Jaguars held on late to beat the Indianapolis Colts 23-17 on Sunday afternoon at Lucas Oil Stadium, which got them to 12-4. That’s the most wins the franchise has had since the 2005 season. They are now in position to win their division with a victory in Week 18, which would give them their first divisional title since the 2022 season.

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    And, perhaps more importantly, the dream of claiming the top seed in the AFC isn’t dead yet, either.

    [Get more Jaguars news: Jacksonville team feed]

    The Colts, despite having nothing to play for after being eliminated from the playoffs with the Houston Texans’ win Saturday, jumped out to a 10-0 lead Sunday after an early field goal and then a 3-yard touchdown run from Jonathan Taylor. That marked Taylor’s 18th rushing touchdown of the season, which is the most in the league.

    Lawrence got the Jaguars back in the game. He ran in back-to-back touchdowns from inside the 10-yard line, one right before halftime and then another after halftime to get Jacksonville the lead.

    The Jaguars nearly took the lead before halftime but Lawrence was intercepted by Germaine Pratt in the end zone. That was the first pick Lawrence had thrown in more than a month.

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    The Colts regained the lead after Lawrence’s second rushing touchdown when Philip Rivers found Mo Alie-Cox for a 5-yard score midway through the third quarter. The Jaguars entered the final period locked up at 17 after a 34-yard field goal from Cam Little.

    Though the Jaguars got into field-goal range and blew a shot at points after Lawrence was stopped well short of the line to gain on fourth down, their defense got the ball back just a few plays later. Jarrian Jones jumped in front of a wobbly pass from Rivers to pick up an easy interception, which he nearly ran back for a touchdown.

    That set up a 42-yard field goal from Little, who added a 53-yarder in the final seconds to push the Jaguars to the six-point win.

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    Rivers went 17-of-30 passing for 147 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the loss for the Colts, who fell to 8-8. Taylor had 71 yards and a score on 21 carries, and Tyler Warren had 43 yards on five catches.

    Lawrence finished 23-of-37 passing for 263 yards with an interception for the Jaguars. He had 26 yards and two scores on eight carries. Travis Etienne Jr. had 76 yards on 17 carries, and Parker Washington had 115 yards on eight catches.

    The Jaguars’ win keeps them ahead of the Texans in the AFC South standings. They’ll now need to beat the Tennessee Titans next weekend to secure the division. They have already clinched a playoff spot. If they are going to sneak into the No. 1 seed in the AFC, however, they’ll need a few things to happen elsewhere. Along with beating the Titans, the Jaguars would need both the Denver Broncos to lose to the Los Angeles Chargers and the New England Patriots to fall to the Miami Dolphins.

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    Regardless of what happens elsewhere, a win next weekend means the Jaguars will host a playoff game. Considering the state of the AFC, that would be extremely beneficial.

  • Without DK Metcalf, Aaron Rodgers can’t rally Steelers to division title as Pittsburgh falls to Browns

    Aaron Rodgers has been sacked more times — 596, coming into Sunday — than any player in NFL history. But on Sunday, he was determined not to be a victim of one specific, notable sack from one specific, notable defender: Myles Garrett, just one sack away from the single-season record.

    Rodgers avoided becoming a Garrett trophy, but that was about all that tipped in the Steelers’ favor in a tense, grimy 13-6 loss to the Browns. The result prevented Pittsburgh from clinching its first division title since 2020, and set up an all-or-nothing battle for the AFC North with Baltimore in Week 18.

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    Throughout the game, Rodgers appeared to have one eye on Garrett on every play. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said after the game that Garrett’s chase of the record didn’t shape Pittsburgh’s game plan.

    “We didn’t do anything against Myles that we don’t normally do against Myles. The sack record’s irrelevant. We’ve got to minimize him if we want to engineer victory,” Tomlin said. “We didn’t take a different approach because of the gravity of the record. It’s just standard business when you play these guys and him.”

    From the Cleveland side, Garrett’s pursuit of the sack record was the only real compelling element of the latest installment of the Turnpike Rivalry. Yes, Cleveland has had tremendous success at home against Pittsburgh lately — the Browns are 5-1-1 against the Steelers in their last seven home games — but the Browns’ season has been over for weeks. Sunday’s game was about Garrett, and pride, and another look at Shedeur Sanders in the quarterback role.

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    The Steelers had much more at stake — specifically, a division title — and were more than happy to take advantage of Sanders’ uncertainty and poor decision-making. While Sanders moved the ball well enough in wicked conditions early, staking Cleveland to a 10-0 lead, the Steelers snuffed out later drives with two interceptions of poorly thrown passes.

    The problem for Pittsburgh was that Rodgers and the Steelers couldn’t take advantage of the Browns’ self-inflicted wounds. The Steelers got only two field goals through the first three-plus quarters. The two Sanders interceptions resulted in exactly zero points for Pittsburgh. Against Cleveland’s league-leading passing defense, Rodgers managed an anemic 168 yards, 58 of them coming in the final desperate drive, and the Browns were able to grind the Steelers’ ground game into the turf.

    [Get more Steelers news: Pittsburgh team feed]

    With 2:16 remaining and down four points, the Steelers began a drive that, in theory, is why they brought Rodgers to Pittsburgh. The man has managed more than a few last-minute comebacks in his career, after all. But Rodgers, playing without No. 1 wideout DK Metcalf, never looked comfortable in the pocket on his first attempt at a game-winning drive, throwing four straight incomplete passes and turning the ball over on downs.

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    Cleveland turned the short field into a field goal, forcing Rodgers to go the entire field in 1:40 just to tie the game. And on this final drive, Rodgers finally, briefly, looked like the Rodgers of old, marching Pittsburgh all the way down to the Cleveland 10 with 32 seconds remaining. But with the game, and a division title, on the line, the Steelers couldn’t close the deal, as they clearly missed Metcalf’s presence on the outside, something CBS broadcast analyst Tony Romo pointed out multiple times.

    After the game, Rodgers appeared to jaw with Browns players and referees over a non-call of pass interference on the game’s final play, but by that point, the game was long over.

    “Definitely interference,” Rodgers said after the game.

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    Browns cornerback Denzel Ward, who shut down Rodgers and Marquez Valdes-Scantling on the final three plays of the game, was having none of that.

    “I don’t know whose bright idea it was to try me for the game for three plays in a row,” Ward said, “but we was able to come through and get the win.”

    “We never made that signature play that kind of got us over the hump,” Tomlin said. “That generally is the deciding factor in games like this, and we generally make them. We didn’t make them today.”

    Rodgers finished 21-of-39 passing with 168 yards on the day. Sanders, meanwhile, was 17-of-23 passing for 186 yards, one touchdown and those two interceptions.

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    Pittsburgh now faces Baltimore at home next Sunday night, with the AFC North title at stake.

    “It’s back to work for us,” Tomlin said. “We’ve been here before. Certainly we’ve got a big week ahead of us. Big game in Acrisure next weekend.”

    “Win or lose, that’s what you do. You move on to the next game,” Rodgers said. “I have full confidence we’ll go home and win next week.”

  • Drake Maye’s dominant 5-TD performance keeps AFC East champ Patriots in race for No. 1 AFC seed and bolsters QB’s MVP shot

    If New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye wins the 2025 NFL MVP award, he may want to thank one of the team’s biggest rivals. Maye was otherworldly against the New York Jets in the first half Sunday, tossing four touchdowns in one of the most dominant two-quarter offensive performances in recent memory. Despite Maye sitting out the entire fourth quarter, the Patriots managed to easily win 42-10.

    Maye’s performance helped the Patriots move to 13-3, which gives the team a chance at securing the No. 1 seed in the AFC, though the Patriots need help to make that a reality in Week 18. They clinched the AFC East hours after their road victory when the Buffalo Bills fell to the Philadelphia Eagles, 13-12.

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    New England put itself in this postseason position thanks to Maye, who was transcendent early against the Jets. Maye’s first incomplete pass didn’t come until there was 1:44 left in the second quarter. He opened the game a perfect 11-for-11, for 159 yards and three touchdowns.

    They weren’t all easy completions either, as Maye connected on at least three passes of 20 yards during that stretch. It helped that Maye’s primary receiver, Stefon Diggs, came up with at least one phenomenal catch to keep Maye’s game-opening hot streak alive.

    Maye didn’t let his first incompletion of the day bring him down. He quickly bounced back after a rare miss, tossing another touchdown to finish the first half 17-of-19 for 229 yards and four passing touchdowns.

    Heading into halftime, the Patriots led 35-3. They gained 344 yards on offense in the first half, the most by any team since the 2023 season. Given the significant lead, there were already questions over whether Maye should remain in the game in what turned out to be garbage time.

    Unfortunately for the Jets, Maye still had some ball left in him. On the Patriots’ first offensive drive of the third quarter, Maye threw his fifth touchdown of the game, putting New England up 42-3.

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    At that point, the Patriots decided to save Maye for next week. On the team’s next offensive drive, Joshua Dobbs entered the game.

    [Get more Patriots news: New England team feed]

    Maye finished 19-of-21 passing for 256 yards and five passing touchdowns before being taken out of the game.

    Entering the day, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford held the edge in some key statistical categories for the award.

    Maye’s performance in Week 17 will certainly close that gap, though Stafford can add to his numbers Monday, when the Rams take on the Atlanta Falcons to close Week 17.

    Entering the day, Stafford still held a sizable edge in the betting odds, per BetMGM.

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    Even if Maye’s dominant Week 17 isn’t enough to win the MVP, the fact that he’s competing for the award in his second season says a lot about his development. After an uneven rookie season, in which Maye showed talent and inconsistency, his improvement has been undeniable as a second-year player.

    Following his rookie season, Maye looked like — at best — the third-best quarterback taken in the 2024 NFL Draft. Washington Commanders standout Jayden Daniels appeared to be head and shoulders above the rest of the class, with Denver Broncos rookie Bo Nix sitting in second after a strong statistical year.

    But as Year 2 ends for all those players, Maye stands out as the best player of the bunch, especially after Daniels endured various injuries this season.

    For as good as Daniels performed as a rookie and as impressive as its been to watch Nix and Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams lead their teams to wins this season, those players haven’t been seriously considered for the MVP award.

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    Maye managed to put himself in that conversation in just his second year, something even the great Tom Brady — with whom Patriots fans are very familiar — wasn’t able to accomplish until Year 3.

  • Trey McBride breaks NFL record for most receptions by a tight end in a single season with 117th catch

    Arizona Cardinals fans haven’t had much to cheer for in 2025. After a tough start, former No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray was benched, likely leading to the end of his time with the franchise. On top of that, last year’s first-round rookie, Marvin Harrison Jr., failed to take a step forward before an injury interrupted his second season.

    But despite all that, one player on the team not only delivered every single week, but did so in record-breaking fashion. Amid all that miserableness, tight end Trey McBride managed to set the record for most catches by a tight end in a single season.

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    McBride, 26, managed that feat after hauling in his 117th catch of the year during the team’s 37-14 loss against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 17. The record-setting catch wasn’t all that exciting, as McBride simply ran a quick comeback route with the team trailing 37-7 with under five minutes to play.

    It was far from the most impressive catch of the day for McBride, who scored later on that drive to make it 37-14.

    His best catch, however, may have come early in the fourth quarter. Following a tipped pass at the line, McBride had to come back for the ball and leap between four Bengals defenders to prevent an interception. He came down with the catch, adding to his eventual record-setting total.

    It was not a guarantee McBride would break the record in Week 17 — which was previously held by former Cardinals tight end Zach Ertz, who caught 116 passes with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018. McBride entered the week with 109 receptions, needing eight to break the record.

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    After a slow start — McBride had just two catches for 18 yards at halftime — the tight end got it going in the second half. He finished with 10 receptions for 76 yards and a score. His 119 catches stand as the new single-season tight end record … until he adds to it next week.

    While McBride was likely to pick up eight catches over the final two weeks, the fact that he managed to break Ertz’s record in Week 17 makes the feat even more impressive. McBride hauled in his 117th catch in his 16th game of the season. Ertz also accomplished the feat in 16 games, as the NFL didn’t play a 17-game regular season back in 2018.

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    After a slow rookie season in 2022, McBride has emerged as one of the best tight ends in the game. While touchdowns eluded him in both 2023 and 2024, McBride exploded for at least 11 scores this season, cementing his status as one of the game’s best at the position.

  • Panthers miss chance to clinch NFC South in loss to Seahawks, set up potential winner-take-all clash with Bucs in Week 18

    With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers losing on Sunday, the Carolina Panthers had a chance to lock up the NFC South title and a playoff spot.

    But a ball-hawking Seattle Seahawks defense ensured that the NFC South remains up for grabs.

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    The Panthers turned the ball over on consecutive possessions in their own territory to open the second half Sunday in Charlotte, and the Seahawks converted each of those turnovers into touchdowns to take control of a 27-10 Seattle win.

    NFC playoff implications of Sunday’s results

    With the win, the Seahawks remain in control of the NFC West and No. 1 seed in the NFC. If the San Francisco 49ers beat the Chicago Bears Sunday night, they’ll set up a winner-take-all Week 18 game for the division and the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.

    The NFC South and the division’s lone playoff berth, meanwhile, could come down to next week’s game between the Panthers and Buccaneers. The Bucs lost to the Dolphins at the same time the Panthers played the Seahawks, opening the door for Carolina to clinch the division.

    Bryce Young and the Panthers missed a chance to clinch the NFC South on Sunday.

    Bryce Young and the Panthers missed a chance to clinch the NFC South on Sunday.

    (Jared C. Tilton via Getty Images)

    But Carolina couldn’t capitalize, and the Panthers will travel to Tampa next week for the potential winner-take-all game. The Panthers could also clinch in a loss if the Falcons win their final two remaining games against the Rams and Saints.

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    No scoreboard watching in Charlotte

    The stakes were clear coming into Sunday’s games. A Panthers win and a Bucs loss would make the Panthers NFC South champions. Any other non-tie scenario would leave the division up for grabs.

    With those stakes established, the Panthers ensured that there would be no scoreboard watching at Bank of America Stadium. Per reports from the press box, the Panthers did not display the Bucs-Dolphins score alongside the rest of Sunday’s early games on stadium scoreboards.

    And the Panthers looked in line to take control of an upset bid in the third quarter of Sunday’s game.

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    With the game tied at 3-3 in the third quarter, Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold threw an interception that Panthers cornerback Mike Jackson secured in the back of the end zone.

    The pick thwarted a would-be Seahawks scoring drive to open the second half and gave the Panthers a chance to seize control of the game.

    But disaster struck for the Panthers on the very next snap.

    [Get more Panthers news: Carolina team feed]

    Turnovers doom Panthers

    DeMarcus Lawrence stripped running back Chuba Hubbard of the ball on a run and picked the ball up for a fumble recovery.

    Lawrence was ruled down by contact upon review after initially appearing to take the ball in for a defensive touchdown. But Seattle’s offense capitalized six plays later with a Zach Charbonnet touchdown run for a 10-3 lead.

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    Then, three snaps later, disaster struck for the Panthers again. This time Bryce Young threw an interception that safety Julian Love returned to the Carolina 40. And the Seahawks started a second consecutive possession in Panthers territory thanks to a turnover.

    They converted this one into another touchdown, this one on a 17-yard pass from Darnold to AJ Barner for a 17-3 lead.

    And with that, Carolina’s hopes of securing the NFC South on Sunday were all but extinguished. Against one of the best defenses in the NFL, the Panthers stood little chance of mounting a second-half comeback. Seattle held on for the runaway win.

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    Sam Darnold turned the ball over twice and now leads the NFL with 20 turnovers for the season. But Seattle’s stifling defense responded with two forced turnovers of its own while limiting the Panthers to 139 yards of total offense.

    Big stakes in Tampa in Week 18

    And with that, the Panthers head into Week 18 with their season potentially on the line in a road game.

    The good news for the Panthers is that the Buccaneers are in the midst of their worst stretch of the season. After a 6-2 start, the Bucs have lost seven of eight games. Sunday’s loss to the Dolphins was their fourth straight.

    Three of those losses were to teams that won’t make the playoffs. The other was a 23-20 defeat to the Panthers in Charlotte last week. The Panthers (8-8) are hoping for the same result for the second time in two weeks, while the Bucs (7-9) are looking to even the season series while rooting for at least one Falcons loss.

  • Zach Charbonnet, Rhamondre Stevenson highlight unsung heroes from fantasy football championship week

    The unsung hero. A player you may not have believed in going into Week 17 and your fantasy football championship, but one who came through for you in the end, on the grandest of stages. They’re a player that, when your opponent looks at the fantasy box score, rage and frustration are immediately invoked — “Is that really who I just lost to???”

    Let’s recap some unsung-hero-type performances from fantasy football championship week.

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    Zach Charbonnet, RB, Seahawks

    The Seattle RB split has been heavily documented all season. Many managers ended up overdrafting Kenneth Walker III and he will likely end 2025 as one of the bigger busts at RB. Charbonnet has also frustrated at times this season, but went much later in drafts and might have won you a title if you started him in Week 17.

    Charbonnet went off for a season-high 25.2 fantasy points against the Panthers on Sunday, rushing for 110 yards and two TDs, plus adding a pair of catches for 12 yards. Both of his touchdowns came in goal-line situations. Walker was held to just 57 total yards on 17 touches. Charbonnet was started in 27% of Yahoo leagues in the championship round.

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    2026 outlook: Walker will hit free agency and Charbonnet is under contract for one more season, so chances are Seattle will run with Charbonnet atop the RB depth chart for 2026. If that’s the case, he could rise up rankings and draft boards, especially if he has more games like this in Week 18 and during the postseason.

    Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, Patriots

    The second-most talked about fantasy backfield this season behind the Seahawks has to be New England’s, and the jockeying between rookie RB TreVeyon Henderson and Stevenson. There was plenty of hype around Henderson going into the season but Stevenson was always expected to be involved in the offense. Injuries, fumbles and hot streaks all played a factor, but in the end, in the most important spot, it was Stevenson who shone.

    While Henderson was able to shake off a concussion to play versus the Jets on Sunday, it was Stevenson who found the end zone twice. Henderson still got heavy volume with 19 carries for 82 yards. Stevenson finished with 13 touches for 102 total yards and the pair of scores, which gave managers 24.7 fantasy points. Stevenson had 16.8 points last week, as well.

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    2026 outlook: Both players are signed long-term and the Patriots offense could improve as QB Drake Maye gets better and better. This will be a tough situation to figure out unless Stevenson’s contract is moved. Henderson is clearly the more talented back but the split is real.

    New Orleans Saints’ offensive leaders

    The evolution of the Saints this season has been fun to watch. It feels like we saw a peak of sorts in Week 17 versus the Titans of what this team can be going into 2026. New Orleans had plenty of notable fantasy performances on Sunday that may have helped you win your championship. One that has been a surprise all season is TE Juwan Johnson, who had four catches for 95 yards and 11.5 fantasy points. It was his second straight double-digit fantasy outing in the playoffs. He was started in 50% of Yahoo leagues in the title round.

    On top of Johnson, we saw RB Audric Estimé pop on the sheet after busting in Week 16. New Orleans had leaned into utilityman Taysom Hill last week versus the Jets. This week, Estimé led the backfield with 15 touches for 98 yards and a touchdown, netting you 16.3 fantasy points if you were brave enough to start him.

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    Rookie QB Tyler Shough has all the fantasy momentum in the world going into next season. He had 333 passing yards and two TDs for 21.92 fantasy points, his fifth straight game with at least 17 FPTS. We saw 12% of managers trust Shough in the final, and he didn’t sink you. It helps when you get to throw to Chris Olave, who had an excellent performance in the fantasy final himself as the last recognizable star remaining on this team (11-8-119-1).

    2026 outlook: This offense looks like it’ll only get better with Kellen Moore at the helm and Shough under center. Johnson should finish this season as a top-12 TE asset, which should raise his draft stock for next season. Shough should also be an interesting sleeper candidate at QB in 2026. Meanwhile, Olave is a WR2 with WR1 upside depending how the rest of the offense shakes out.

    Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, Commanders

    The man they call “Bill” has had an up-and-down rookie campaign but looks poised to finish strong after a big outing on Christmas Day. In a loss to the Cowboys, JCM rushed for 105 yards and two TDs for 24.5 fantasy points.

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    From Weeks 15-17, Croskey-Merritt combined for 37 carries, 226 yards and four touchdowns. He wasn’t started in many championship matchups in Week 17, but for those who trusted Bill, he gets an unsung hero nod.

    2026 outlook: You’ve got to think JCM has the fast track to being the RB1 for Washington next season. We’ll see how the offseason goes but he could be a trendy sleeper pick (again), barring Washington going the free-agent route or the draft to add another rusher.