The Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers were knocked out of playoff contention before either of them took the field Sunday. Both franchises needed a lot of help and a perfect finish in order to make the playoffs after their disappointing starts to the season. Any hope of that happening is now officially gone.

Entering Week 16, the Raiders were projected to hold the No. 2 overall selection, which was considered to be used to pick up one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2025 NFL draft. But after Sunday, the chances of Las Vegas landing one are slim.

Every week for the duration of the 2024 NFL regular season, USA TODAY Sports will provide timely updates to the league's ever-evolving playoff picture − typically starting after Sunday afternoon's late games and then moving forward for the remainder of ...