Monday Read Option: Buffalo Circles the Wagons on Aaron Rodgers, Cowboys Push Eagles to Odd Team Out
By Jason Lisk
The Buffalo Bills are still in playoff contention. They still need a lot of help –and namely, a win over New England in week 17 above all else– but the hope is there. That is true, because for the second week in a row, the Bills defense shut down one of the best quarterbacks in the game.
Buffalo held Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers combined to 50% completions, under 6 yards per attempt, and 4 interceptions versus no touchdown passes.
The final move came on Mario Williams’ strip sack of Aaron Rodgers, which was ruled a safety because it occurred just inside the two minute warning, and no one besides Rodgers could advance it. Let’s set aside the silliness of that rule as applied to this situation–the rule was put in after the “Holy Roller” play by Ken Stabler in 1978, and if it happened in 2014, that play would be overturned for either an incomplete forward pass or an illegally batted ball. Even if Lacy had gotten out of the end zone, Green Bay would have been in bad shape.
The result still leaves Buffalo needing lots of help. A 10-6 Buffalo team would still lose a tiebreaker to the remaining AFC North teams on conference record, as well as Kansas City or San Diego (head to head losses to both).
On the NFC side, it makes the race quite interesting. Green Bay and Detroit in week 17 is now your favorite for NBC Sunday Night, ahead of Cincinnati-Pittsburgh, Kansas City-San Diego, and Atlanta-Carolina for potential matchups. The only way that game is not for the NFC North title is if Green Bay loses to Tampa Bay this week, and Detroit beats Chicago. In that case, Detroit would have the tiebreaker sealed up based on conference record (after head to head split, division record, and common games).
JOHNNY FOOTBALL JOINS THE DOLPHINS AND TEXANS IN BEING (MOSTLY) DEAD
Cleveland, Miami, and Houston are all still technically alive with two weeks to go, but mostly dead after various forms of disaster struck. For the Texans, it was Ryan Fitzpatrick breaking his leg, while the Texans were tied with the Colts, and having to go to rookie Tom Savage. Houston stayed close, but could not get the win that would have kept the South interesting.
Miami followed up a costly loss to Baltimore at home with a dreadful second half performance at New England, and the Dolphins have gone from being “in position” to being virtually eliminated and needing a ton of help. Cleveland? Well, when the opponent is doing your money celebration all day long, that’s not good. Silver lining? It’s the best Browns rookie debut in the last few years, because Brandon Weeden threw 4 interceptions and completed under 40% in his first start.
The Browns are the most “mostly dead” of the group. Their scenario, in addition to winning two games, requires a Chiefs-Chargers tie so both finish 8-7-1, among about 22 other things happening. Miami could get in at 9-7 without a tie from that game, but also requires a lot of things that would be too lengthy to go down. Houston, playing Baltimore this week, has at least a puncher’s chance because they can get to 8-4 in conference, which would be key for tiebreakers if the teams leading all drop games.
COWBOYS SEND THE EAGLES INTO THE “ODD MAN OUT” IN THE NFC’S MUSICAL PLAYOFF CHAIRS
Dallas came back to win on the road, again, after losing all of the momentum. Dallas had a 21-0 lead, that disappeared to 24-21 deficit. Momentum is the next day’s pitcher, though, or in this case the next pass to Dez Bryant. Bryant turned in a career day with three touchdowns after having words in pre-game. Don’t get Dez fired up! (and yes, those are in fact different plays below).
The result for the NFC? The Cardinals are officially in, so they can sort out their QB issues over the next few weeks. They have the tiebreaker over Philadelphia. Philadelphia, at 9-5, is behind the other five teams at 10-4.
Philadelphia is in at 11-5, and would move back past Dallas if the Cowboys lose (thanks to Dallas’ key division loss to Washington earlier). If Dallas doesn’t lose, then the Eagles are in trouble and would need two losses (or a loss and a tie) from one of Green Bay, Seattle, and Detroit. That’s because the Eagles would lose the head-to-head to Seattle or Green Bay and conference record tiebreaker to Detroit. The best bet is Detroit, just because the dome team has to go outdoors to both Chicago and Green Bay to close the season. However, the Eagles are very much in need of help, and will be rooting for the Colts on Sunday at Dallas.
As for the seeding, well, there’s plenty of movement. The big game in week 16 is Seattle at Arizona, with the winner being in the prime position for the #1 seed. But the other division winners could still get it, particularly Detroit, which would have a 10-2 conference record if there was a three-way tie at 12-4 among the non-NFC South teams.
KANSAS CITY IS THE ONE TEAM ON THE OUTSIDE NOW THAT NEEDS NO HELP
Kansas City finally got back on track after a three game losing streak that started with the Oakland debacle on Thursday night. The Chiefs are sitting behind Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Cincinnati for a wildcard spot right now, and tied with the Chargers, but need no outside help.
That’s because of this week’s game at Pittsburgh, which rates up there among the biggest games of the week. Pittsburgh can officially clinch a playoff spot with a victory to get to 10-5 (because they would hold tiebreakers over Chargers and Bills on conference record if either got to 10-6). If the Chiefs win, though, it sets up a wild week. Those that root for chaos entering week 17 should root for Chiefs over Steelers, Texans over Ravens, and Broncos over Bengals.
[GIFs by Michael Shamburger]