NFL has a record number of playoff clinches and bottom dwellers with 3 weeks to go

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There might by more intrigue in the race for the No. 1 pick than in the race to make the playoffs in the final three weeks.

There's already a record number of teams that have clinched a playoff spot with three weeks to play in the NFL season and a record number of teams with three or fewer wins after Week 15 as a league built on parity has become one of haves and have-nots.

Seven playoff spots have been clinched at this point in the season for the first time ever and the 50% of playoff berths filled are the most with three weeks remaining, according to Sportradar. The previous high since the 1970 merger was 42.9% in 2022 when six spots were clinched with three weeks to play.

The entire AFC field could be determined by the end of the games on Sunday afternoon. Baltimore and Denver can clinch spots with wins, while the Chargers need a win and losses by Indianapolis and Miami.

The NFC could have five of the seven playoff spots clinched by the end of this week if Washington beats Philadelphia on Sunday and Green Bay beats New Orleans on Monday night.

But the competition for the No. 1 pick is fierce with a record seven teams having three wins or fewer. There have been three seasons of at least 16 games with six teams with three or fewer wins after 15 weeks with it also happening in 2014, 2008 and 1991.

Las Vegas and the New York Giants have the inside track with 2-12 records and the top pick could come down to strength of schedule if both teams lose out.

There are five other teams — Carolina, Jacksonville, New England, Cleveland and Tennessee — tied at 3-11 and in position to get the No. 1 pick if the Giants and Raiders both win.

The back-and-forth shootout between Detroit and Buffalo put Lions quarterback Jared Goff and the Bills in select company.

Goff became the first player in NFL history to lose a game after throwing for at least 400 yards and five TDs with no interceptions in Detroit's 48-42 loss.

Five weeks after becoming the first quarterback in 12 years to win a game after throwing five interceptions, Goff ended up on the losing side of a five-touchdown game. He's the fourth quarterback ever to do both and the only one who did it in the same season.

Matt Ryan and Tony Romo pulled off the feat once, while George Blanda won three games with five interceptions, including the 1961 AFL title game, and lost twice after throwing at least five TD passes.

Since 1950, quarterbacks are now 200-23 when throwing at least five TD passes and 19-191-5 when throwing five or more interceptions.

The Bills have been on a roller coaster of their own, having lost a game in Week 14 to the Rams when they scored 42 points and then won a game against Detroit when they allowed 42.

Buffalo joined the 1966 Giants as the only teams with back-to-back games when both teams scored at least 40 points in the game. New York lost both of those games and the Bills joined the 1983 Packers as the only teams in NFL history to win a game when allowing at least 40 points and lose a game scoring at least 40 in the same season.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen also became the second quarterback with back-to-back games with at least 400 yards rushing and passing, at least four total TDs and no turnovers. Joe Burrow did it in 2021.

Week 15 was the final one of the regular season that featured teams coming off byes with six teams playing on extra rest on Sunday.

Those teams went 4-2 with Baltimore, Denver, Houston and Washington getting wins, while Indianapolis and New England lost.

For the season, coming off the bye proved to be of little benefit with teams playing after a week off going 15-17 with the extra rest. That marked the second time in the last 10 seasons that teams coming off the bye had a losing record, with teams going 11-21 in 2019.

The advantage of the bye has lessened since the 2011 CBA limited the amount of practice time teams could have during the week off. From 2002-10, teams had a .557 win percentage following the bye week compared to .523 since 2011.

On the NFL's most turnover-happy day in eight years, the Tennessee Titans and Cincinnati Bengals took the sloppy play to new lows.

The Titans gave the ball away six times and the Bengals committed four turnovers in Cincinnati's 37-27 win for the first 10-giveaway game in the NFL since Week 2 of the 2007 season when Detroit and Minnesota each had five in a 20-17 overtime win for the Lions.

The game included one of two fumbles this week by a player just before he crossed the goal line and contributed to the 51 turnovers overall on Sunday for the most on any day since there were also 51 on Dec. 11, 2016.

The sloppy play at Tennessee was about more than turnovers with the Bengals getting penalized 14 times and the Titans 12. That made the game the first since the 1970 merger with at least 10 turnovers and 25 penalties.

Caleb WIlliams entered the league with the fanfare of being the answer to Chicago's long search for a franchise quarterback. It hasn't worked out that way so far for the No. 1 overall pick.

Williams lost his eighth straight start for the Bears on Monday night against Minnesota to tie Trevor Lawrence (2021) for the second longest losing streak for a rookie QB picked first overall since the start of the common draft era in 1967. Troy Aikman lost all 11 starts he made as a rookie for Dallas in 1989 before going on to win three Super Bowls.

Williams has lost those games despite not throwing an interception in any of the games for an NFL rookie record 286 straight passes without a pick. That's the most consecutive losses for any QB since the merger without throwing an interception, topping the previous high of five by Jeff George (1993-94) and Cody Kessler (2016).

The Bears were officially eliminated from playoff contention in Week 15, leaving Andrew Luck as the only quarterback picked first in the common draft era to start a playoff game as a rookie.

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Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) throws a pass over Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard (58) during the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Tennessee Titans defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat (93) runs with the ball after recovering a Cincinnati Bengals fumble during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29) is tackled by Baltimore Ravens linebacker Tavius Robinson (95) during the second quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce makes a call during the second half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) reacts on the field in front of guard Graham Glasgow (60) and offensive tackle Taylor Decker (68) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Rey Del Rio)

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) runs against the Detroit Lions during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Rey Del Rio)

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook, top, is congratulated by guard O'Cyrus Torrence after scoring against the Detroit Lions during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Philadelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley (28) gestures to the crowd with Eagles fullback Khari Blasingame (48) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

KABAENA, Indonesia (AP) — The crystal blue waters that once surrounded Kabaena are murky brown now, and the octopi and colorful fish that locals used to catch nearby to eat and sell have fled. The lush seaweed they used to harvest is gone. And parents who grew up swimming happily in the Flores Sea now warn their children to stay out of the water for fear of itchy rashes or skin lesions.

The people of Kabaena — including Indigenous Bajau, a group that has traditionally lived near and relied on the sea — are among what experts estimate are thousands of communities around Indonesia where traditional ways of life have been devastated by the impacts of a rapidly expanding mining industry. Most of the materials mined in Indonesia fuel the international supply chain for stainless steel, electric vehicle batteries and more.

“All residents here have felt the impact,” said Amiruddin, 53, a fisherman who like many Indonesians uses only one name.

With the world's largest known nickel reserves and rich deposits of cobalt, bauxite and other materials, Indonesia has been experiencing a mining boom on demand for stainless steel, electric vehicle batteries and more that are needed for the global energy transition. The island nation has sought to expand its mining and processing capabilities while facing backlash from international and local watchdogs for various environmental concerns.

Across Indonesia, nickel processing plants sometimes sprawl just a few minutes from the sea, and barges ready to carry away nickel ore often dot the water. Some mines operate near schools.

Local communities and the natural environments around these mines can bear the burden of this intense demand. From 2001 to 2020, the world lost nearly 1.4 million hectares (about 3.5 million acres) of trees due to mining, with Indonesia having the highest loss, according to an analysis by the World Resources Institute.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part of a series of on how tribes and Indigenous communities are coping with and combating climate change.

On Kabaena, over 3,700 hectares (9,140 acres) of forest — including protected forest — were cleared by mining companies between 2001 to 2023, according to data analysis by international environmental organization Mighty Earth. That deforestation has devastated the environment and livelihoods on Kabaena, said Amanda Hurowitz, a senior director at Mighty Earth.

Where fishers could once catch fish to sell or feed their families, the water is now filled with runoff sediment from mining activities and no fish are to be found. Fishers with boats must travel farther, using expensive petrol, and wind up with smaller catches that earn them less money. Those without boats often resort to eating the small shellfish they can find in the murky water around their homes.

“(I would) fish near there by setting a net,” Ilyas, 70, said while pointing in front of his home. “Now it’s far away before (fish) are found.”

Communities on land are experiencing the mines' impact as well: Sugar cane, palm and clove trees cultivated for food and income don't grow as well, with water sources used for crops tainted by mining activities, residents said.

“That’s the effect: The growth of the sugar palm trees will not be as good because of the influence of mining,” said Amal Susanto, 32, a palm sugar farmer in an area of Kabaena where exploration permits have been granted but mining has not yet begun. “I hope no mines around here, because our income will be impacted.”

Since the mines have opened, there's been a spike in residents complaining of itchy skin, sore throats and other health issues. Villagers no longer want to bathe or wash clothes in the water; when they do, they get itchy skin and rashes said Nina, 33, an Indigenous Bajau resident of Kabaena.

Lab results from samples of rivers, sea water, dust and shellfish from Kabaena taken by Satya Bumi, a nonprofit environmental organization based in Indonesia, in July and November showed hazardous levels of nickel, lead and cadmium — common mining byproducts.

Exposure to these metals at the levels seen in the lab samples could lead to cancer, cardiovascular, kidney and other chronic diseases, said Kathrin Schilling, an assistant professor at Columbia University who researches molecular biology and reviewed the lab results.

“If people on this island are using the river water as drinking water — which has higher levels of the metals — and then if they are also eating the shellfish and breathe the air ... you cannot escape basically any of the exposure to those toxic metals,” Schilling told AP.

The impact isn’t limited to Kabaena. Across the sea to the north, a nickel mine near the village of Torobulu pushes up against a tattered soccer field and nearby athletic courts.

The impacts and mining continue despite a March 2024 ruling by Indonesia's constitutional court that small islands such as Kabaena require special protection from abnormally dangerous activities, including mining, as they threaten ecosystems in vulnerable areas.

But Indonesia's government is still issuing mining permits for small islands, said Sayyidatiihayaa Afra, a researcher at Satya Bumi.

Since the constitutional court ruling, forest loss has continued on Kabaena, with 150 hectares (370 acres) cleared in areas approved for mining on the island since April 1, according to data analysis by Mighty Earth. Over half of the forest loss occurred in a concession owned by mining company Tonia Mitra Sejahtera.

Tonia Mitra Sejahtera did not respond to a request for interviews or comment. Mining company Anugrah Harisma Barakah — which caused the most deforestation on Kabaena, according to Satya Bumi — also did not answer the publicly listed phone number when AP made requests for interviews or comment.

Indonesia's Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources did not respond to a request for comment.

Meanwhile, people on Kabaena say they feel helpless.

“What else can we do if the water is like this?” said Nina. "We’re small people — we can’t do anything. We have to surrender.”

Milko reported from Jakarta.

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Murky brown water is visible near nickel mining activities that surround Baliara village on Kabaena Island, Southeast Sulawesi, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Yusuf Wahid)

People walk through Baliara village on Kabaena Island in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Yusuf Wahil)

A nickel mining site is visible on Kabaena Island in Southeast Sulawesi, on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Yusuf Wahil)

Students head to school as a hill that has been mined for nickel ore is visible in the background on Kabaena Island in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024,. (AP Photo/Yusuf Wahil)

Barges loaded with nickel ore are anchored off Kabaena Island in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Yusuf Wahil)

A nickel processing plant sits in Mapela village on Kabaena Island, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Yusuf Wahil)

A man walks above murky brown water near nickel mining activities on Kabaena Island in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Yusuf Wahil)

Dhany Alfalah, a researcher for Satya Bumi, a nonprofit environmental organization, collects dust samples from a house on Kabaena Island in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Yusuf Wahil)

Dhany Alfalah, a researcher with Satya Bumi, a nonprofit environmental organization, shows dust samples collected from a house on Kabaena Island in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Yusuf Wahil)

Nina, 33, a member of Bajau Tribe, poses for a photograph on Kabaena Island, in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Yusuf Wahil)

Amal Susanto makes palm sugar at his house on Kabaena Island, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia, Friday, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Yusuf Wahil)

Amal Susanto makes palm sugar at his house on Kabaena Island, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia, Friday, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Yusuf Wahil)

Amal Susanto collects sap from a palm tree to make palm sugar on Kabaena Island, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia, Friday, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Yusuf Wahil)

People play soccer as heavy machines operate at a nickel mine in Torobulu, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Yusuf Wahil)

Fish are laid out in Baliara village on Kabaena Island, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Yusuf Wahil)

Ilyas, 70, who has been complaining of itchy skin rashes, sits for a photograph at his house on Kabaena Island near nickel mining activities in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Yusuf Wahil)

Ilyas, 70, who has been complaining of itchy skin rashes, checks on his dried fish at his house on Kabaena Island near nickel mining activities in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Yusuf Wahil)

A nickel mine is visible on top of a hill above a village on Kabaena Island in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Yusuf Wahil)

Murky brown water is visible near nickel mining activities that surround Baliara village on Kabaena Island, Southeast Sulawesi, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Yusuf Wahid)

Murky brown water is visible near nickel mining activities that surround Baliara village on Kabaena Island, Southeast Sulawesi, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Yusuf Wahid)

Children play in the water on Kabaena Island in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Yusuf Wahil)

Children play in the water on Kabaena Island in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Yusuf Wahil)

A boy looks out from the window of his house on Kabaena Island in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Yusuf Wahil)