The playoff picture is already quite different than it was prior to this weekend. The Chargers and Chiefs are still tied, yet the complexion looks entirely different, as the Chiefs now feel like the favorites, with an easy last game remaining, and the Chargers having blown a golden opportunity to take the lead in the division race. The Steelers have lost the division lead that they have held for so long, and the Ravens just have to beat Cleveland in Baltimore in the regular season finale to clinch the AFC North, although they have to avoid a major choke for a second year in a row. New England snapped their losing streak, clinched their division, and taken over the second seed, and the playoff bye that comes with it, because Houston lost. Miami is out. And all of that is just the AFC!
In the NFC, the Cowboys have now officially won their division. New Orleans clinched home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Chicago still hopes to take the playoff bye away from the Rams. Washington is out. Minnesota would be in, and controls their own destiny, but they have a tough game against Chicago coming up. Philadelphia is waiting in the wings, hoping for the opportunity to defend their title.
Some big changes! Let's take a closer look:
Green Bay 44, N.Y. Jets 38 (OT) - The Jets apparently went too far with the spirit of giving for this holiday season. They had the worst road team in the league, the Green Bay Packers, on the ropes, as they held a 15-point lead in the final quarter. Yet, they could not hang on and they allowed the Packers, who had gone 0-7 on the road this season prior to yesterday, to mount an improbable comeback. Then again, the Jets have had that same spirit of giving pretty much all year. They gave the Browns their first win in nearly two years. But this latest loss was just too much! A huge fourth quarter lead against the worst road team in the NFL, and they find a way to lose? This teams needs some chuh-chuh-chuh-changes! My pick: Inaccurate
Indianapolis 28, N.Y. Giants 27 - The Giants jumped out to an early lead, but the Colts can be dangerous when playing from behind. And in this game, they had everything on the line, as well as home field advantage. It was really not even surprising that the Colts would manage to come back and win this contest, frankly. This just meant too much for them. It was a very exciting game, and the Giants can be happy to have played much better in the second half of the season. But Indy got the job done when necessary, under tough circumstances, and play a huge game against Tennessee next week that will decide who qualifies for the playoffs, and who is out. My pick: Accurate
Atlanta 24, Carolina 10 - Well, Carolina jumped out to the early lead, but Atlanta came back for a rare win (rare for this season, anyway). It was a game that hardly mattered in the playoff picture, or more generally in the league. Just a pride game between two teams that will be defined by their collapses this season, and their failures in the Super Bowl going back a few seasons. Neither team has recovered from their Super Bowl losses, and that seems to me to be the story for both of their seasons since, especially this one. My pick: Inaccurate
Dallas 27, Tampa Bay 20 - The Bucs came back to make a game of this one. But ultimately, Dallas did what they needed to do, and held off the Bucs to earn the most important win in two years for this franchise. Now, they have officially won the NFC East, and can relax for next week's game at the Giants. They get to host a playoff game on Wildcard weekend. Tampa loses, but this is just one of many losses this season for them. They played well to make it close, but the 'Boys were just too strong in the end. My pick: Accurate
Cleveland 26, Cincinnati 18 - The Bengals lost again, and have now gotten swept by the Browns. This game went more or less as most people would have expected it to go. Not an explosion of points, nor an amazing blowout by either team. But the fact that the Browns are now clearly better than the Bengals tells you all you need to know about the direction that both teams are going in. My pick: Accurate
Minnesota 27, Detroit 9 - Matt Prater looked like he might be the game's MVP through most of the first half, as he kept kicking field goals to give Detroit a 9-0 lead. But the Vikings came alive late in the first half, scoring two touchdowns in the final minute and a half or so to take a 14-9 lead in a game that was a must-win for them. They never looked back, taking over the game, and inching their way closer to securing that final NFC playoff spot. The Lions, meanwhile, looked terrible in losing yet another home game. Pretty much the way you figured this game would go, right? My pick: Accurate
Philadelphia 32, Houston 30 - The Texans had their chances! They kept coming back, kept playing well and applying serious pressure on the defending champs. But in the end, the Eagles had just enough to earn the win and stave off elimination, at least for another week. Meanwhile, this loss costs Houston control over their own destiny in terms of earning a playoff bye, as the Patriots will get that second seed if they win next weekend (and assuming KC also wins, because by my calculations, the Chiefs would lose home field advantage if they also lose and the Pats win, by virtue of New England having beaten them earlier this season). Houston actually still needs to win their next game to officially clinch, as they are only one game ahead of both the Colts and the Titans. Although they should win, because they play Jax. My pick: Accurate
New England 24, Buffalo 12 - The Patriots still do not look quite as good as they usually have in recent seasons. But, with this win, they managed to officially capture their 10th straight AFC East division title by beating the team that they likely have tormented more than any other during that time: the Buffalo Bills. This was not a historical level beating, but New England did win, and convincingly. Tom Brady hardly had a banner day, completing 13 of 24 passes for 126 yards, with one touchdown and two INT's. His favorite target was receiver Julius Edelman, who gathered 70 yards and one touchdown on six receptions. Sony Michel had a monster day for the Pats on the ground, working his way to 116 yards and one touchdown on 18 carries, as New England got past the Bills and officially clinched the division title that most of us expected them to win from the beginning. My pick: Accurate
Jacksonville 17, Miami 7 - This was one of the real shocks yesterday! Who could possibly have seen the Dolphins losing this game, at home, to the lowly Jaguars? But they did, and are now officially out of the playoff picture. Another rare win this season for the Jaguars, who clearly do not look anything like they did last season, when they took the division and went all the way to the AFC Championship. Can this team contend next year? That is a big question, but this win against a previously playoff contending team, and on the road, has to feel good! They seemed to enjoy a lot of success against AFC East teams this season. My pick: Inaccurate
L.A. Rams 31, Arizona 9 - The Rams finally looked a lot more like the team that we saw cruising to that 8-0 start, and which still sat at 11-1 just a few weeks ago. They now are 12-3, and should be able to win next weekend to finally clinch the playoff bye that we all thought belonged to them since the mid-season point. But let us remember that this was the Cardinals, who are hardly a serious test. Again, let's not get carried away and assume that they are back to looking like a Super Bowl team. If they win the NFC, they likely will have to do it in New Orleans, and that is not going to be easy. My pick: Accurate
Chicago 14, San Francisco 9 - The Bears were able to play their style of football, and thus enjoyed enough success to keep their hopes for a playoff bye alive. They played a tough, physical game, and managed to beat the 49ers on their West Coast trip out to San Francisco. An impressive win that further cements Chicago as a legitimate contender in the NFC, and a rising team more generally. For the 49ers, a tough game in a season where luck was clearly not on their side. Still, they held up well and deserve respect. But this game was about what the Bears managed to do, as the playoffs now loom near. My pick: Accurate
New Orleans 31, Pittsburgh 28 - Both of these teams needed this win, and they both played with the kind of urgency that we expected them to have. It was a back and forth game, and it was not clear who was going to win until that crucial turnover by Pittsburgh at the end effectively iced the game for New Orleans. As a result, the Saints officially clinch home field advantage, and can rest their starters next weekend against Carolina. As for the Steelers, this brutal loss means that they no longer are ahead in the AFC North, nor control their own destiny. They would need a lot of help now to qualify for the postseason, and have to hope for the Ravens to be shocked at home again in the regular season finale. My pick: Accurate
Sunday Night Football
Seattle 38, Kansas City 31 - It is hard to believe that a defense should be commended for holding an opposing team to merely 31 points. Yet, the Seahawks "D" should be proud. They made KC work hard for every point, and indeed, the Chiefs offense looked uncomfortable and often bested throughout this game. They did score some points to stay in the game towards the end, but it was not enough, as the Seahawks earned their biggest win of the season. They now officially have clinched a playoff berth. As for the Chiefs, this was not a big deal, as they likely should wrap up the division title next weekend, and with it, home field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. My pick: Accurate
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