Week 18 NFL winners: Teams clinch playoff berths with backs against the wall

Parting is such sweet sorrow, but all good things must come to an end. With the final week of the NFL regular season mostly in the books, here's a look at the winners from Week 18: 

Houston Texans: The Texans have arrived way ahead of schedule thanks to first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans and rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud. In Week 18, Houston knocked off the Indianapolis Colts, 23-9, finishing 10-7 and clinching the NFC South title (with some help) only a year removed from posting an abysmal 3-13-1 record. 

In the victory, Stroud proved why he's the favorite to win Rookie of the Year, going 20-of-26 for 264 yards (10.2 YPC) with two touchdowns and zero interceptions. Meanwhile, Stroud and Ryans are only the fifth first-year HC/rookie QB combo to reach the playoffs since 1950. 

Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers quarterback: Love continued his outstanding 2023 in Week 18, with the Packers facing a must-win situation against the Chicago Bears. The 25-year-old went 27-of-32 for 316 yards (9.9 YPC) with two touchdowns and zero interceptions in a 17-9 victory, clinching a playoff berth for Green Bay. 

In the first season of the post-Aaron Rodgers era, Love responded with one of the best debut campaigns ever by a QB. The 25-year-old ended the regular season with 4,159 passing yards and 32 passing touchdowns (11 interceptions). 

Per CBS Sports, only Patrick Mahomes (5,097 passing yards, 50 TDs) and Kurt Warner (4,353 passing yards, 41 TDs) recorded better first seasons as full-time starters. 

Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback: Mayfield's numbers weren't breathtaking in a 9-0 win over the lowly 2-15 Carolina Panthers. However, he did enough (20-of-32, 137 yards), leading the team to the third-straight NFC South title and a wild-card playoff date with the defending conference champion Philadelphia Eagles. 

Mayfield also earns a cool $1M bonus for helping the Buccaneers win the division crown. That's not bad for a bust former No. 1 pick, who roughly two years ago was traded and then released over only a six-month period. 

AFC North: The AFC North was arguably the toughest division, or at least the most successful, in the NFL. Only the Cincinnati Bengals (9-8) are going home for the playoffs, with the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7), Cleveland Browns (11-6), and Baltimore Ravens (12-5), who own the No. 1 seed in the AFC, all headed to the postseason. 

The division dominated historically in 2023, combining to tie the record for most wins by a division in NFL history (43, 2022 NFC East). More impressively, all four teams finished above .500, marking only the second time since 1933 that an entire division finished a season with winning records.

Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams wide receiver: The 20th wide receiver selected in the 2023 NFL Draft, Nacua has far surpassed expectations in year one with the Rams. In Week 18, he wrapped up a record-setting rookie season, solidifying his spot as one of the greatest draft-day steals ever. 

Finishing with four receptions for 41 yards and a touchdown in the Rams' finale against the San Francisco 49ers, Nacua set the rookie record for receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,486). Meanwhile, the former BYU standout finished in the top 10 among all NFL wideouts in catches and yards.

Dallas Cowboys: Following a 38-10 victory over the Washington Commanders, the Cowboys are firing on all cylinders as the postseason approaches. Quarterback Dak Prescott ended arguably the best regular season of his career, throwing four touchdowns (31-of-36, 279 yards). 

At the same time, CeeDee Lamb secured his NFL-best 14th total touchdown among wideouts (13 catches, 98 yards. two TDs) and cornerback DaRon Bland notched interception No. 9 on the year, also a league-high. 

The Week 18 blowout helped the Cowboys clinch the NFC East title and the No. 2 seed in the NFC. Their win also ensured that the NFC East won't have a repeat champion for an incredible 19th straight season, the longest stretch in NFL history. 

T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker: The dominant edge rusher had another outstanding regular season with the Steelers, capping it off with a two-sack performance in a 17-10 Week 18 win over the rival Baltimore Ravens. Watt recorded 19 sacks in 17 games to lead the NFL, marking his fifth season finishing in double-digits. 

Meanwhile, Watt finishes as the sack leader for the third time and is the first player in NFL history to lead the league in sacks in three separate seasons, doing so in 2020 (15), 2021 (22.5), and now 2023, per CBS Sports. 

The 29-year-old did suffer an MCL sprain, as revealed by brother and former All-Pro T.J. Watt, that will keep him out of action for at least a few weeks, but he avoided surgery and could return should the Steelers make a miraculous playoff run.  

Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans running back: In what's likely to be his final game in a Titans' uniform, Henry balled out as only he could. The four-time Pro Bowler rushed for 153 yards off 19 carries (8.1 YPC) with an 18-yard rushing touchdown in a 28-20 upset win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

Following the game, Henry addressed Titans' fans at Nissan Stadium with a heartfelt thank you. If this was Henry's last game for the franchise, he leaves as one of the best players in the team's history, ranked first in rushing touchdowns (90), second in yards (9,502) and third in yards per game (79.8).