San Francisco 49ers 34, Atlanta Falcons 27
The last game ever in San Francisco's iconic Candlestick Park was very exciting and, on many levels, rather fitting.
San Francisco won, as usual, and they effectively clinched it on a rather flukey play, with a tipped ball being intercepted and then run back for a touchdown to put the game out of reach for the Falcons.
The 49ers held a 10-point lead with less than two minutes left, but the Atlanta Falcons were driving towards a score, and managed to get the touchdown out of the deal. Then, it got really exciting, when they managed to recover the onside kick deep in San Francisco territory. For a little while there, it looked like they would be capable of possibly winning the game outright in regulation.
But then, the ill-advised pass by Matt Ryan, which was tipped, and caught by the fellas in the wrong colored uniforms, and taken all the way back to the other end zone, which made the score 34-24, giving the Niners that comfortable 10-point cushion.
Atlanta tried to force the issue again, and drove down the field. They did manage to get in scoring position, but they had to go for a field goal with just seconds left, with hopes of another onside kick recovery, and very quick shot at a touchdown.
Amazingly enough, those things happened. Yet, the pass attempt to the end zone fell harmlessly incomplete, to secure the win for the Niners, on a day when they celebrated the closing of Candlestick Park, one of the last really old venues in the league.
With the victory, the 49ers secured a playoff berth, only the third team in the NFL to have done so, with just one week remaining.
Predictions
I believe the Giants will go out with a bang (at least a small one) with another win over Washington, thus making a truly bad season look slightly less pathetic. As for the Jets, well, they definitely have a shot at playing spoiler on Sunday against Miami, judging on the Dolphins poor play last weekend. But I cannot in good conscience claim that the Dolphins will lose that game, since the Jets are a mess this season, so let me say that the Dolphins should come away with a squeaker. The Steelers will get the job done against Cleveland to finish out their year, even though they will miss the playoffs for a second straight season. Detroit will lose to Minnesota, to finish a disappointing season when, for a while, the team looked capable of making noise, not just in the regular season, but potentially, even in the playoffs. So much for that now.
I like the Bengals at home against the Ravens, who will not easily recover from the humiliation that they suffered at home against New England last week, and who have been subpar in general on the road, while Cincinnati has been stellar at home. The Colts wrap up their season with a likely win over Jacksonville, and the Titans should hand the Texans their 14th straight defeat after the 2-0 start.
The Panthers will clinch the NFC South with a victory over the Falcons, and the Seahawks will clinch the NFC West, and the top seed in the NFC, with a solid win over the Rams. San Diego completes the season sweep of the Chiefs, who are not as strong as their 9-0 start suggested. New England should win at home against Buffalo, but the Broncos should handle the Raiders to clinch the top seed in the AFC anyway.
Finally, there are a whole bunch of game with huge playoff ramifications, predictably. What is not so predictable was just how many of those games there would be. Also, what is not so predictable is what will happen in those games, although let me give it a crack:
The Cardinals will stop the 49ers in Arizona. The Saints take care of business against Tampa Bay.
Then, the two big showdowns to determine division winners. For the NFC North, I actually like the Packers stunning the Bears and taking the division title to Lambeau Field. As for the NFC East, I see the Eagles defeating Dallas, which would give Dallas their third straight, end of the regular season defeat in a winner takes all showdown for the NFC East division title.
Whatever happens, though, this should definitely be an entertaining weekend in football coming up!
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