The "Week That Was": Falcons Stun Rams, Texas & Miami Make Statements

What a way to end 2025. From Monday Night Football drama to College Football Playoff chaos, the last few days have delivered everything sports fans could ask for. Here is the "Week That Was" recap for December 29-31.

Monday Night Football Thriller (Week 17)

Atlanta Falcons 27, Los Angeles Rams 24

In a game that had massive playoff implications, the Falcons kept their NFC South title hopes alive with a stunning buzzer-beater.

• The Hero: It wasn't a quarterback, but running back Bijan Robinson, who electrified the crowd with a 93-yard touchdown run that will be on highlight reels for years.
• The Finish: Kicker Zane Gonzalez drilled a 51-yard field goal as time expired to seal the win.
• The Impact: The Rams (11-5) miss a chance to lock up the division, while the Falcons put extreme pressure on the Bucs heading into Week 18.

College Bowl Mania: The Statements

The road to the National Championship heated up with key bowl games and CFP Quarterfinals.

Cotton Bowl (CFP Quarterfinal)

#10 Miami (FL) 24, #2 Ohio State 14 In the biggest upset of the postseason so far, the Miami Hurricanes marched into Dallas and shocked the Buckeyes.

• Performance Grade: A+ (Defense)
• Devy Stock Watch: 📉 Jeremiah Smith (OSU). Shut down by Miami's corners. A rare "human" game for the superstar.
• The Result: Miami advances to the Semifinals to face the winner of Oregon/Texas Tech.

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl

Texas 41, Michigan 27 The Arch Manning era is officially here.

• Star Performance: Arch Manning threw for 4 touchdowns.
• Dynasty Verdict: 📈 BUY. If you can still get Arch in Devy leagues, pay whatever it takes. He is the QB1 of the 2027 class.

Alamo Bowl

TCU 30, USC 27 (OT) A classic Big 12 vs Big Ten shootout.

• Fantasy Note: Defensive optional. Both offenses will produce fantasy assets next year.

ReliaQuest Bowl

Iowa 34, Vanderbilt 27 The Hawkeyes found offense!

• Analysis: Don't get excited. It's Iowa. This is likely an outlier, not a trend.

Fantasy Takeaways for Week 18

1. Don't Drop Rams/Falcons: Despite the hard-fought MNF game, both teams have massive stakes in Week 18. Starters will play.
2. Bijan is the RB1: If you play Week 18 fantasy, Bijan Robinson is the undisputed top option.
3. Arch Manning Dynasty Value: If you are in a Dynasty league, his stock just went through the roof.

Stay tuned for our full Week 18 Preview coming next!