Five Wide: 2025 Week Seventeen

By Thomas Willoughby

I’ve completely lost my way in the black hole that is the Christmas to New Year week. The other day my lunch consisted of 6 leftover roast potatoes that I’d fried to heat them up, and a jug of gravy to dip them in. An absolute mess.

It’s been a lovely Christmas, though. On the NFL front, I unwrapped a T-Shirt from the time the Atlanta Falcons won the NFC Conference Championship. A stark reminder of happier times.

There was loads of football on the TV, too. Didn’t watch any of the Christmas Day games live, I’ve got too much self respect to pull myself away from the PlayStation on Christmas Day evening to watch games that do not matter to me. But it was nice to catch up. All say said, Merry belated Christmas, Happy New Year, and here’s your penultimate 2025 Five Wide.

Title Fight

“Permutations” is a fun word, isn’t it? Brought it up in a conversation with my dad about our football, once, and he just started laughing at me. Like his own son, learned and wise as he is, wouldn’t know what it means! Anyway we’ve got a hot collection of permutations across the NFL coming out of week 17, with half of the leagues divisions still yet to have a champion decided.

Let’s start with the easy one, the AFC North: The Steelers currently sit top of the tree on 9-7, the Ravens breathing down their neck at 8-8. They face each other at Acrisure “Please Don’t Call It Heinz” Field in a winner takes all match up which has OBVIOUSLY been flexed to Sunday night.

What’s lower than being a basement dweller? That’d be the NFC South, where the Carolina Panthers travel to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday night. The Panthers have two chances to get in as division champions. If they win, they’re in. Simple as that. If they lose, however, then they need the Atlanta Falcons to beat the New Orleans Saints. That would force a 3-way tie at the top, with the Panthers, Buccaneers, and Falcons all on 8-9. The Panthers would then win the division based on each team’s records against each other (Panthers 3-1, Buccaneers 2-2, Falcons 1-3). Either way, the whole thing is gross.

The NFC West is a little murkier. The 49ers have the initiative in the NFC in general; they just need to win to take the NFC West, and the NFC 1st overall seed. They, however, host the Seattle Seahawks, who have the exact same scenario. That game is in the second Saturday night slot.

Finally, the AFC South has yet to be decided. The 12-4(!) Jaguars hold the cards, and host the abysmal Tennessee Titans knowing a win seals it. If they faulter, the 11-5 Texans can swoop in for that title with a win over the Colts. Both on at 6pm, so you know it’s considered a foregone conclusion. But you never know. If you want my prediction, I’m taking the Steelers, Buccaneers, 49ers, and Jaguars to have division winners merch on the NFL UK site on Monday morning.

Race to the Bottom

The first playoff game of the season could be found in Las Vegas, where the Raiders hosted the New York Giants in a “loser takes all” battle for the 1st overall pick. The Raiders, clearly aware of the scenario presented to them, and what little talent they have currently on their roster, made the decision to tell Maxx Crosby he was injured and would miss the rest of the season. He responded by walking out of the facility, and playing a bunch of games that cause havoc with the joint he’s allegedly hurt. Lots of fun, and I’m excited to see if what Lee wrote last week comes to pass over the summer as they reckon with that.

With that out of the way, Vegas chose to let Jaxson Dart be the player he was at the start of the season. 207 passing yards, 48 rushing yards and 2 rushing touchdowns, contributed to a 34-10 win for the Giants that handed Las Vegas the first overall pick. For the Giants, they’ll have to settle for 2nd overall for now. Though, a win over Dallas could see them tumble out of the top 5, if my calculations are correct (which they almost certainly aren’t)

The Raiders will almost certainly spend that pick on Heisman winner, Fernando Mendoza, as their latest attempt to fix the QB position for the long term. Is he good? I don’t know, but you can bet The Touchdown’s excellent College writers will break him down over the coming months as we get closer to draft season. Good luck to that boy, nevertheless.

Small Man Syndrome

We love a bit of history here at Five Wide towers, and another name found itself etched into the record books this past weekend. Wan’Dale Robinson, the 4th year receiver for the Giants, has had a quietly productive season for a team with issues everywhere. Malik Nabers going down hurt them a lot, but Robinson has done his best to pick up the pieces. He needed just 99 yards across the final two games of the year to surpass 1,000 yards receiving for the first time in his career. He did that on Sunday, and stands at 1014.

Why is this significant? Let’s get tenuous. Wan’Dale Robinson’s efforts this season means that he is the FIRST wide receiver to record a 1,000 yard season while standing at 5 foot 8 or under. He is the shortest wide receiver EVER to reach that figure. Lots and lots of fun.

This is big for Robinson. 2025 is the last year on his rookie contract, so coming out of that with a 1,000 yard season should see suitors start to line up. Christian Kirk was handed a giant contract by the Jaguars only a few years ago, and he didn’t breach the 1,000 yard mark once prior. If I’m the Raiders, I’m getting his number before he leaves for New York. Jeanty, Bowers, and him as weapons would be one way to make sure their next QB is comfortable.

Kit Watch 2025: Part XIII

Heaps of uniform changes this week. As mentioned last week, we had all 6 teams playing on Christmas Day wearing a candy cane patch, which I liked! The Commanders, Vikings, Lions, and Broncos all used the opportunity don an alternate get up, with the Commanders wearing their “Superbowl Era” white and burgundy unis, previously worn in Week Nine. The Broncos opted to pair their white away jersey with white pants and a white helmet, which gave us a very crisp combination. Don’t mind it one bit.

The Vikings, too, went for all-white, albeit with a specific alternate uniform rather than just configuring their current away jersey. It’s really clean, this. First time they’ve worn it this season, and I’m inclined to suggest this is better than the whites they usually wear. Really nice job. And good of the Lions, too, to wear their black uniforms to hammer home the gulf in quality between the two sides’ gameday wardrobes.

For the first time this season, the Buffalo Bills opted for their red alternate jerseys. These have been a staple of the Bills’ rotation since they were introduced in 2015, and I’m not really so keen on them. There’s nothing overtly wrong with them, per se. The design and shoulder detailing matches the current home jersey nicely, the numbering is classic; it has everything you want from an alternate. They’re just not very Buffalo, for me. I dunno. Put them on the maybe pile.

We also had retreads from the Chargers (killer combo), the 49ers got their throwbacks out one last time this season, and the Falcons rounded things off with a return to their throwback combination, which we all know is the best uniform in the league bar none. Putting them against the “bone white” Rams away gear was nasty work, mind. What a gross thing.

Pick of the Bunch

Close your eyes, and picture the worst team in the league. Not this season, in the league as a whole. A team that defines sadness. One where hope is in such short supply it’s as valuable as gold. I’d ask you what team you’re thinking of, but we both know there’s only one answer. It’s the New York Jets, isn’t it?

It’s been another wasted year for Gang Green. They’re out here starting games with the top rated QB from the year 2041 in your Madden save, Brady Cook, under centre. They’re losing, all the time. And their one good aspect, their defense, is a game away from going the unthinkable. They could go a whole season without a single interception.

Would this player win MVP this season?

13-3 record
7.4 YPA
64.5% completions
32 TD (another 2 rushing)
0 INT

That's just every quarterback combined against the Jets this year.
— Bobby Belt (@BobbyBeltTX) December 28, 2025

There are reasons for that, of course. Selling Sauce Gardner to the Colts didn’t help, of course, but you’d imagine that would just allow opposition offenses to spread the ball about a bit more. It’s not like they’ve been up against a murders row of quarterbacks, either. They played Tua Tagovailoa twice, and he turned the ball over 4 times in his final 5 starts for the Dolphins.

What’s funny is that the Jets’ defense, by and large, is legitimately decent. Especially early in the year, they were hanging in against good offenses. To not come away with a single pick is hilariously Jetsy. Buffalo, you have one job to do on Sunday. Keep it clean, keep it safe, and keep the ball away from your opponents DBs.

Features Image Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

THOMAS IS A WRITER, AND REGULAR GUEST ON THE TOUCHDOWN REVIEW SHOW PODCAST, FOR THE TOUCHDOWN. YOU CAN FIND HIM @WILLO290592 ON TWITTER

Rated 5 out of 5