With the victory, the Patriots lost the No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 NFL draft. They currently own the No. 4 overall pick after finishing the season with a 4-13 record. Mayo was asked to give a response to Patriots fans who might have been upset by the team winning a game they would have greatly benefitted from losing.

The Denver Broncos extinguished the Cincinnati Bengals' playoff hopes, and claimed the AFC's No. 7 seed in the NFL playoffs.

Cook still had something to play for one touchdown shy of tying Simpson's record. He was given four carries inside the Patriots' 15-yard line on Buffalo's second possession, including one from the 1-yard line, but was unable to get into the end zone.

As a result, it is officially the offseason in Cincinnati and a second straight season without a postseason appearance. The silver lining is the Bengals will pick near the middle of the draft as a result. The Bengals will pick one spot higher than they did in the last draft.

For the Bengals to get into the playoffs, they need the Denver Broncos to lose to the Kansas City Chiefs and the New York Jets to beat the Miami Dolphins. Both of the games will be played during the early afternoon 4:25 p.m. time slot. Cincinnati will know if their season will continue by 8 p.m. or so on Sunday night.

There are three teams that the Buffalo Bills could play in the playoffs. Two games will decide which one travels to Highmark Stadium.

In order to claim the No. 7 spot, the Denver Broncos and the Miami Dolphins need to lose on Sunday. If the Bengals do make the postseason, coach Zac Taylor offered ablunt message to their potential opponents. "They're capable of everything," Taylor said. "They don't want us in this tournament, I promise you."

Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals will not have a chance to make another run at a Super Bowl this year, missing the NFL Playoffs yet again. The 2024 season for the Bengals didn’t go exactly as planned,

The Buffalo Bills are headed back to the playoffs. Once again, the Bills will do so as the champion of the AFC East division. It's the fifth-straight year Buffalo has taken that crown, and in doing so in 2024,

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) is chased out of bounds by Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Joseph Ossai (58) during the first half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) AP