Week 17 of the NFL season is upon us, and as usual, the Redskins have squat to play for. Our reward for the 2013 season is a pillow fight with the Giants at the new Meadowlands...the closest we will come to the Super Bowl all year (HA!). Meanwhile, there is quite a bit on the line for several teams today, including teams that have already clinched playoff spots. So coaches have several decisions to make: the most important of which is whether or not to let starters play and risk injury. Let's take a look at some of these scenarios.
Denver has already locked up the AFC West and can finish no lower than the 2 seed. However, a win over the Raiders can secure for them the #1 seed. A loss could potentially mean the Patriots can sneak into the #1 seed. Home field advantage in the NFL Playoffs is no laughing matter, and considering the Broncos have already lost at New England once this year, I am sure they would feel better knowing that they would get to host the AFC championship game. Knowing that they get a week off regardless probably makes this decision easier for John Fox. Peyton's gonna play.
Speaking of New England, they have locked up the AFC East, but can finish as high as the #1 seed (and home field throughout), but can finish as low as #3 (must play next week) if they lose and Cincinnati beats Baltimore. The Bengals play at 1 o'clock and New England plays at 4, so they'll know the outcome of that game before they kick off. If Cincinnati wins, New England is playing for a bye. If Cincinnati loses, then it gets interesting. A win can possibly move them to the #1 seed. A loss would be irrelevant, so you might see Belichick bench some of the starters in the 2nd half if the Bengals lose. Emphasis on might, because they have always had more success at home, but it is a possibility.
Speaking of Cincinnati, they will play all out regardless. They can climb as high as the #2 seed and a bye week (depending on the New England result) to being all the way out of the playoffs all together with a loss. Baltimore needs to win and get some help (lots of it), so this will be one of the more entertaining games at 1PM today.
In the NFC, nobody has clinched a division yet so every game will have something on the line. This is exactly what the league has aimed for with having Week 17 be entirely intra-divisional. Nobody gets benched, all the games mean something. Seattle has the inside track to the #1 seed and home field, but a loss to the pesky Rams combined with a 49er win over Arizona can drop them all the way down to the #5 seed and a road game next week. San Fan can snatch that #1 seed and put the Cardinals out of their misery. Bottom line, somebody with 10 wins is going to miss the playoffs, and if favorites hold, that 10-win team will be the Cardinals. They need a win and a Saints loss...unlikely since they are playing the Buccaneers in the Dome.
The game of the day, however, is at Jerry World in Arlington as the Eagles and the Cowboys play what amounts to the NFC East championship game. Winner gets a home game next week. Loser gets a tee time. This is the 3rd year in a row the Cowboys have had a winner take all game in Week 17 in prime time...and the first two attempts have not been kind to the Cowboys (snicker). In 2011, they blew it against the Giants. Last year, Alfred Morris rushed for 2-hundy to send the Cowgirls home. This year, Philly gets their turn to end Dallas' season. However, the difference this year is that the game is in Jerry World, whereas the last two were road games for the Cowboys. Philly has been on a roll lately thanks to the Oregonian Blur offense, basically 60 minutes of hurry up. Dallas won the first matchup in Philadelphia by simply being able to keep pace. However, Dallas D has been anything but solid lately, and needed a miracle 4th down play from Romo with a herniated disk in his back to beat the 3-12 Redskins last week. This week, Kyle Orton gets the start, and this season has been kind to backups for the most part (Josh McCown tore it up in Chicago while Cutler was hurt). So if you believe in karma, Dallas has their best shot to end this losing streak in Week 17.
All I know is that I'll be rooting for whomever the opponent is next week.
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