Jordan Love and the Packers punched their playoff ticket. Will Puka Nacua and the Rams?

Posted by Admin December 25, 2024 NFL

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Two more NFL teams — the Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Ravens — clinched their spot in the playoffs during Week 16.

That means five more players with Utah ties are guaranteed to make the postseason this year.

On the Packers side, that includes former Utah State quarterback Jordan Love, as well as former BYU players Zayne Anderson and Chris Brooks.

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With the Ravens, former BYU linebacker Kyle Van Noy and former Utah safety Marcus Williams are headed to the postseason again.

If the playoffs started today, 36 Utah ties would be playoff bound — that includes 26 players on active rosters, five on practice squads and four more on injured reserve.

Of those, 22 are on teams that have already clinched their spot in the postseason, while the other 14 are on teams that would be in the playoffs if they started today.

That leads us to Week 17.

During Christmas week, former BYU wide receiver Puka Nacua could secure a spot in the NFL postseason, if he and the Los Angeles Rams beat the Arizona Cardinals and the Seattle Seahawks lose to the Chicago Bears.

For six Utah ties with the Denver Broncos — five former Utes and a former Cougar — the Broncos simply need to beat the Cincinnati Bengals and they’re in.

Denver lost last week, though, and a loss to the Bengals would put their once-high odds for a playoff spot in jeopardy.

Of the 36 players with Utah ties who are projected to make the playoffs at this point, 13 played at the University of Utah, 10 for BYU and three for Utah State.

Here’s a look at each of the Utah ties on NFL rosters this year who are on teams that have either clinched a playoff spot or are currently projected to make the postseason, with two weeks left in the regular season.

Players are on a team’s active roster unless otherwise specified.

Buffalo Bills safety Cole Bishop (24) runs on the field during the first half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus) | Adrian Kraus

Teams that have clinched a playoff spot

Number in front of team indicates what their seed would be if the playoffs started today:

AFC

1. Kansas City Chiefs (14-1)

Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU and Orem High
Siaki Ika, DT, East High (on practice squad)

2. Buffalo Bills (12-3)

Cole Bishop, S, Utah
Taron Johnson, CB, Weber State
Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah

3. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5)

Miles Killebrew, S, Southern Utah
Jaylen Warren, RB, Utah State, Snow College and East High
Eric Rowe, S, Utah (on practice squad)

4. Houston Texans (9-6)

Dalton Schultz, TE, Bingham High
Kedon Slovis, QB, BYU (on practice squad)

5. Baltimore Ravens (10-5)

Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU
Marcus Williams, S, Utah

NFC

1. Detroit Lions (13-2)

Tim Patrick, WR, Utah
Penei Sewell, OT, Desert Hills High
Sione Vaki, RB, Utah
Jonah Williams, DL, Weber State

2. Philadelphia Eagles (12-3)

Britain Covey, WR/RS, Utah and Timpview High

5. Minnesota Vikings (13-2)

Taki Taimani, DL, East High (on injured reserve)
Max Tooley, LB, BYU and Bountiful High (on practice squad)

6. Green Bay Packers (11-4)

Zayne Anderson, S, BYU and Stansbury High
Chris Brooks, RB, BYU
Jordan Love, QB, Utah State

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua, middle, runs against New York Jets safety Ashtyn Davis (21) during the second half of an NFL football game in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. | Julia Demaree Nikhinson

Teams that would be in if the playoffs started this week

AFC

6. Los Angeles Chargers (9-6)

Simi Fehoko, WR, Brighton High (on injured reserve)
Alohi Gilman, S, Orem High (on injured reserve)

7. Denver Broncos (9-6)

Cody Barton, LB, Utah and Brighton High
Garett Bolles, OT, Utah, Snow College and Westlake High
Jonah Elliss, LB, Utah
Devaughn Vele, WR, Utah
Zach Wilson, QB, BYU and Corner Canyon High
Thomas Yassmin, TE, Utah (on practice squad)

NFC

3. Los Angeles Rams (9-6)

Puka Nacua, WR, BYU and Orem High

4. Atlanta Falcons (8-7)

Tyler Allgeier, RB, BYU
Kaden Elliss, LB, Judge Memorial High
Clark Phillips III, CB, Utah

7. Washington Commanders (10-5)

Michael Davis, CB, BYU
Bobby Wagner, LB, Utah State

NFL teams that are eliminated from playoff contention

AFC: New York Jets (4-11), Cleveland Browns (3-12), Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12), Tennessee Titans (3-12), New England Patriots (3-12), Las Vegas Raiders (3-12).

NFC: Dallas Cowboys (7-8), Arizona Cardinals (7-8), San Francisco 49ers (6-9), New Orleans Saints (5-10), Chicago Bears (4-11), Carolina Panthers (4-11), New York Giants (2-13).