Saquon 2K

Good morning. This is the Opening Drive, the weekly newsletter that brings you the best of the NFL so you’re always the smartest one at the water cooler.

Our final issue of 2024 is LOADED—Saquon Barkley passed 2,000 rushing yards, the Bills clinched the two seed in the AFC while the Chiefs cemented the number one seed, Brock Bowers and Aaron Rodgers set records, the NFL’s Netflix experiment on Christmas was a huge success, and the sports world said farewell to broadcasting legend Greg Gumbel.

There’s still time to grab the perfect holiday gift for someone, or spend that gift card you got. Check out Nike’s Air Max collection.

Let’s dive in.

QUICK HITS

• Saquon Barkley becomes 9th RB in NFL history to reach 2,000 rushing yards in a single season (SI.com)

• Bills lock up the two seed in the AFC playoffs, embarrass the Jets 40-14 (Yahoo Sports)

• Eagles thrash Cowboys 41-7, clinch NFC East Division (NFL.com)

• Sam Darnold has career-high 377 yards as Vikings hold on to beat Packers 27-25 (PFT)

• Commanders clinch playoff berth after beating Falcons (SI.com)

• Bengals shake off late Broncos TD, win in overtime to keep their playoff hopes alive (Yahoo Sports)

• Colts eliminated from the playoffs after devastating loss to Giants (Colts Wire)

• Baker Mayfield throws 5 TDs, keeps the Bucs playoff hopes alive with win over Panthers (PFT)

• Huntley fills in for injured Tagovailoa, leads Dolphins past Browns 20-3 to keep playoff hopes alive (ESPN)

• Chargers, McConkey torch Pats in humiliating 40-7 loss (NBC Sports)

• Mahomes throws 3 TDs as Chiefs clinch AFC's top seed (ESPN)

• Texans torched by Ravens on Christmas night (SI.com)

• Seahawks 6, Bears 3 was NFL’s lowest-scoring game of this season (PFT)

• Raiders roll to a 25-10 victory over the Saints (Yahoo Sports)

• Jaguars beat Titans 20-13, sweep season series (ESPN)

• Rams on cusp of playoff berth after victory over Cardinals (ESPN)

• Raiders’ team plane didn’t land until 1 AM in New Orleans after delays (B/R)

• Brock Bowers breaks Mike Ditka’s NFL record for receiving yards by a rookie TE, breaks Puka Nacua’s record for receptions by a rookie (PFT)

• Lamar Jackson breaks Michael Vick's NFL record for career rushing yards by a quarterback (Yahoo Sports)

• Aaron Rodgers becomes most-sacked QB in history, gets called for late hit (PFT)

• Browns adjust Deshaun Watson's contract to allow for flexibility with plans to keep him in 2025 (NFL.com)

• Buccaneers signing OLB Shaq Barrett (NFL.com)

• Garrett Wilson could request trade if Aaron Rodgers remains Jets quarterback (CBS Sports)

• Anthony Richardson viewed as Colts' presumptive starter for 2025 season (NFL.com)

• Pete Carroll wants to return to NFL, eyes Bears HC job (SI.com)

• Bengals HC Zac Taylor under fire for poor clock management, despite win (Barstool)

• Antonio Pierce’s future with the Raiders reportedly in ‘serious doubt’ (Athlon Sports)

• Patriots believe in Jerod Mayo despite 'Fire Mayo' chants (ESPN)

• Pro Football Hall of Fame announces 15 modern-era finalists for Class of 2025 (NFL.com)

• Swords, Segways, and diamonds: what NFL QBs gifted their linemen for Christmas (FOS)

• NFL’s Christmas Day games on Netflix drew record-setting ratings, crushing the NBA (Daily Snark)

• Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s backed HEARTS act now has become law (ESPN)

• The sports world mourned the loss of broadcasting legend Greg Gumbel over the weekend (ESPN)

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WHO’S UP?

Netflix. The NFL's foray into streaming on Christmas Day proved to be a resounding success, with Netflix delivering record-breaking viewership for two games. The Kansas City Chiefs vs. Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens vs. Houston Texans matchups drew a combined 65 million viewers across the United States, according to Nielsen data.

The 1:00 p.m. ET Chiefs-Steelers game averaged 24.1 million viewers, while the 4:30 p.m. ET Ravens-Texans contest slightly edged it out with 24.3 million viewers. Both games now stand as the most-streamed NFL games in U.S. history.

These numbers dwarfed the NBA's Christmas Day slate, with none of the basketball games surpassing 8 million viewers on average. The NFL's success on Netflix demonstrates the league's ability to dominate holiday programming, even on new platforms.

The streaming experiment wasn't just a domestic hit. Viewers from over 200 countries tuned in at some point during the Chiefs-Steelers game, showcasing the NFL's global appeal. Picture and sound quality were reportedly excellent, with few technical issues reported.

This Christmas Day success is likely just the beginning. The NFL is expected to make Christmas games an annual tradition moving forward, capitalizing on the massive audience potential. It's also another step towards the league's apparent goal of having games on every day of the week in the near future.

With Netflix securing rights to at least one NFL game on Christmas in both 2025 and 2026, this partnership appears poised for continued growth and success in the streaming era.

WHO’S DOWN?

The Indianapolis Colts. The Colts' playoff hopes were dashed in spectacular fashion on Sunday, falling 45-33 to the NFL's worst team, the New York Giants. The loss officially eliminated the Colts from postseason contention for the fourth consecutive year.

The Giants, who entered the game with a league-worst 2-13 record, dominated from the start. Quarterback Drew Lock connected with rookie receiver Malik Nabers for two touchdowns, including a 59-yard score in the fourth quarter that put the game out of reach. The Giants' offense, averaging just 14 points per game, exploded for 45 against a porous Colts defense.

Despite strong offensive performances from Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr., and Alec Pierce, the Colts couldn't overcome their defensive shortcomings. Quarterback Joe Flacco threw for over 300 yards but also had two costly interceptions.

The loss extends the Colts' playoff drought to four years, their longest in three decades. It also marks a decade without an AFC South title for Indianapolis.

Head coach Shane Steichen's job security may now be in question. With a 16-17 record after 33 games, the Colts' leadership might be considering a change.

The Colts will finish their disappointing season at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars next week, looking to salvage some pride and potentially save their coach's job.

BEST LOOK 🔥 

From the stripes on the pants and socks, to the shoulder logo and the helmet graphics. The Eagles’ Kelly Green uni is the most complete look in football

Chargers continue to deliver each week. I don’t know if they have a ‘bad’ uniform

Chiefs’ icy whites on Christmas Day 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨 

STAT OF THE WEEK

With the Bengals’ season on the line on Saturday night, Joe Burrow put on a Masterclass.

🏈 39 of 49
🏈 412 passing yards
🏈 4 TDs
🏈 79% completion percentage
🏈 122.1 passer rating

Add this weekend to his career of putting on a show in December:

🏈 10-3 record
🏈 4,043 passing yards
🏈 8.2 yards per attempt
🏈 72.7 completion percentage
🏈 34 passing TDs
🏈 10 interceptions
🏈 111.2 passer rating

MEMES OF THE WEEK

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