Scully's NFL Notebook: King Henry set to return for playoffs

It was a good week for Tennessee, which moved into the AFC’s top spot and announced Derrick Henry will return for the playoffs.

The NFL’s leading rusher the last two seasons, Henry has been sidelined since injuring his foot in Week 8. The Titans will lock up the first-round bye by winning at Houston on Sunday.

Let’s examine more storylines in this week’s Notebook.

Burrow, Chase unstoppable

Defense played a key role during Kansas City’s eight-game win streak, but the Chiefs had no answer for Ja’Marr Chase, who shredded the Chiefs secondary for 11 receptions, 266 receiving yards, and three touchdowns.

Along with setting a new single-game mark, Chase now owns the rookie record for the most receiving yards in a season, with 1,429 yards, and he still has one game remaining.

Joe Burrow outplayed Patrick Mahomes, throwing for 466 yards and four touchdowns, and the second-year quarterback has established a new culture in Cincinnati.

After locking up the first AFC title since 2015, Cincinnati will seek its first playoff win in 31 years.

Emotional home finale

A future Hall of Famer, Ben Roethlisberger led Pittsburgh to a pair of Super Bowl titles and never had a losing season during a remarkable 18-year career.

Big Ben went out a winner in his final home game, guiding the Steelers to a hard-fought win over Cleveland on Monday night.

The numbers weren’t pretty (24-of-46 for 123 yards), but the response from fans, teammates, and family was something to behold.

Pittsburgh delivered an emotional sendoff, showering Big Ben with love and respect. A fitting conclusion for a legendary Steeler.

Giants tank under Judge

Joe Judge won’t match last season’s six-win total, and the second-year coach watched the New York Giants put up little to no resistance to the lowly Chicago Bears in Week 17, losing by an embarrassing 29-3 margin.

The Giants fell to 4-12, suffering their 14th double-digit loss in the last two seasons. New York has scored more than 10 points only once since early November, recording a single touchdown from its last 35 possessions.

Teams resting starters

Green Bay has locked up the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and Aaron Rodgers is among the starters expected to rest during the Week 17 matchup against Detroit, giving him two weeks off before the playoffs start.

Philadelphia can’t improve its Wild Card positioning, and it may rely heavily upon backups against Dallas on Saturday night.

In the AFC, Cincinnati will sit Joe Burrow and other starters against Cleveland in Week 18.

Game of the Week

The regular season concludes Sunday, and barring unlikely scenarios, the final game will matter.

A playoff berth likely will be on the line when the Los Angeles Chargers visit Las Vegas on Sunday evening.