To help celebrate the NFL’s 100th season, each week will feature an NFL 100 Game of the Week. Each game is a nod to a momentous game played, a fierce rivalry that spans decades, a matchup of original teams and/or a game in which history was made . The NFL has designated the OAKLAND RAIDERS-LOS ANGELES CHARGERS matchup as the NFL100 Game of the Week because the contest recognizes two original AFL teams, each with ties to late Pro Football Hall of Famer AL DAVIS.
From 1957-60, Davis served as the line coach at the University of Southern California before Sid Gillman tabbed him as the Los Angeles Chargers’ offensive ends coach. After helping the Chargers to two division titles in three seasons, Davis had the opportunity to lead his own team in 1963. That’s when he took over the Oakland Raiders and changed the team colors to silver and black, then personified the rival league’s exciting new image by developing the vertical passing game. The upstart AFL finalized a formal merger with the NFL later in the decade and began playing as one league in 1970.
AND DOWN THE STRETCH THEY COME:
Seventeen teams remain in contention for a trip to Super Bowl LIV. Two playoff berths in each conference are up for grabs. Welcome to late December in the NFL.
The BUFFALO BILLS, GREEN BAY PACKERS and SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS have each qualified for the postseason after missing the playoffs last season. From 1990-2018 – a streak of 29 consecutive years – at least four teams have qualified for the playoffs in every season that were not in the postseason the year before.
The MINNESOTA VIKINGS can join that group with a win on Monday Night Football (8:15 PM ET, ESPN) at home against the Packers. Something significant will happen on Monday night. Either the Packers will clinch the division for the first time since 2016, or the Vikings will clinch a playoff berth.
It’s also a division clash featuring teams with 10-or-more wins. That has happened just three times since the beginning of the 2015 season, and for the second time the game is featuring the Packers and Vikings.
The last five games that featured teams with 10-or-more wins from the same division during the regular season:
| DATE | DIVISION | TEAMS | RESULT | SEASON RESULT |
| 12/13/2018 | AFC West | L.A. Chargers (10-3) | LAC, 29-28 | Advanced to AFC Divisional |
| at Kansas City (11-2) | Advanced to AFC Championship | |||
| 1/1/2017 | AFC East | New England (13-2) | NE, 35-14 | Won Super Bowl LI |
| at Miami (10-5) | Advanced to AFC Wild Card | |||
| 1/3/2016 | NFC North | Minnesota (10-5) | MIN, 20-13 | Advanced to NFC Wild Card |
| at Green Bay (10-5) | Advanced to NFC Divisional | |||
| 12/28/2014 | AFC North | Cincinnati (10-4-1) | PIT, 27-17 | Advanced to AFC Wild Card |
| at Pittsburgh (10-5) | Advanced to AFC Wild Card | |||
| 12/28/2014 | NFC North | Detroit (11-4) | GB, 30-20 | Advanced to NFC Wild Card |
| at Green Bay (11-4) | Advanced to NFC Championship |
Green Bay head coach MATT LAFLEUR has an opportunity to become the 10th rookie head coach in NFL history to win at least 12 games in a season.
The rookie head coaches who have won at least 12 games in NFL history, by wins:
| COACH, TEAM | W | L | T | PCT | SEASON |
| Jim Caldwell, Indianapolis | 14 | 2 | 0 | .875 | 2009 |
| George Seifert, San Francisco | 14 | 2 | 0 | .875 | 1989 |
| Jim Harbaugh, San Francisco | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 2011 |
| Steve Mariucci, San Francisco | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 1997 |
| John MaddenHOF, Oakland | 12 | 1 | 1 | .893 | 1969 |
| Matt Nagy, Chicago | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 2018 |
| Barry Switzer, Dallas | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 1994 |
| Red Miller, Denver | 12 | 2 | 0 | .857 | 1977 |
| Chuck Knox, L.A. Rams | 12 | 2 | 0 | .857 | 1973 |
