I might as well get a thread started on this, as this is the only game in town now.
Wow what a bush league weekend with the awful hijinks in the games of the Steelers and of the Redskins this weekend. The NFL's response to the hijinks of each game will be interesting, but it's shameful either event happened in a pro football league.
As for the playoffs, here's how it's shaping up by conference for the weaker teams in the remaining spots.
AFC North -- Cincinnati 8-4, Baltimore 6-6, Steelers 5-7
I can see Cincinnati losing in the first round again against even the 6th seed. These teams also play in the last game of the season, so perhaps this could be a knock-out game of the Ravens for Cincinnati even if Cincinnati is in position to win the division with a loss. It would be interesting if the Ravens made the playoffs by winning out or via quirky back door math, and I would take the Ravens over Cincinnati in the playoffs right now in fact. The Ravens have Cincinnati's number historically.
At 5-7 after a close game and loss once again with the Ravens, the Steelers are in a must-win all back door situation. If they roll and should make it as the 6th seed, the Steelers will be dangerous to any opponent. They present a difficult matchup to Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Baltimore too.
AFC Best of the Rest and Worst for 6th Seed
Miami at 6-6 is in the best position otherwise, and both the Steelers and Baltimore need Miami to lose as well as to win their own games. Miami did beat Indianapolis and Cincinnati earlier in the season, so there is apparently no easier road in the prospective wildcard game for either Cincinnati or Indianapolis.
NFC
The NFC, barring a meltdown by one of the top teams, seems rather easy to cover. Tonight perhaps we are seeing another playoff match-up before the playoffs like with the games involving Denver lately.
Basically the top two teams in the NFC South and West will make it.
Then the division winners in the overall subpar and awful NFC East and North respectively will make it. For the NFC North it's a grand shame any of the teams have to be in the playoffs.
The NFC North would be a drastically different picture if Cutler and Rodgers weren’t injured for half the season. Packers were 5-2 and probably one of the NFC’s top teams when Rodgers got hurt. If he comes back and they run the table they still have a chance to get in at 9-6-1 but it would be tricky.
If Rodgers makes it back, even now at 6-6-1 they have the best shot given that the Lions and Bears are each 7-6 now! They would not have to necessarily run the table, but of course why not? And they’d actually be okay in the playoffs, but this is a weaker team than in the past four seasons in the Rodgers era post-Favre.
For the AFC, we can count out the Steelers by 15 yards due to Antonio Brown stepping barely out of bounds in the loss to Miami in the snow at home (what? Pittsburgh lose at home in the snow? Huh?!)
Miami and Baltimore are gunning for the last spot in the AFC even if both were to lose one of the three remaining games. Miami controls its destiny too.
Baltimore would be a very dangerous sixth seed too, so I have no doubt the other teams are cheering for Miami which I don't see as strengthening unlike Baltimore.
One more Sunday of regular season football coming up to include the NFC North and NFC East Division Championships!
For those who have not yet clinched a playoff spot, no team but Dallas has a clear path after a must-win next week, and now Tony Romo is reported out for Dallas so that division is only Philly's to screw up now.
Brace yourselves for some awesome NFL action starting especially at 4:25 ET Sunday!
Aaron Rodgers is back for likely the best game on Sunday given the most capability by both teams with the most on the line - Green Bay at Chicago for the division championship!
Romo is out and it's Philly's game to lose in Dallas for that division's championship.
Can the Tampa Bay Bucs pull a historic upset of the Saints on the road and be the ultimate spoiler?
And then can Arizona at home beat San Francisco to get into the playoffs, for which they would be the best team not to make it otherwise? The Cardinals are also playing better now than all the teams in the NFC except for the Panthers.
Well 2-2 for wildcard weekend, and I am grateful for that given that 3 games were close and the one that was not was an upset! And go figure 3 teams win on the road and two in very cold weather, but the Eagles and Packers each lost a close game for the same reason in the end. Each team's defence could not stop the run late in the game, and then a last-second field goal won those games.
I would be out $18 funny money and 0-2 on bets, so it's good thing I did not bet much funny money.
Seahawks/Saints - I pick Seahawks
The early line on the game in Seattle is Seahawks -8 and over/under 47.5. No thanks, for the line went barely over in Philadelphia and with Seattle's defense way better than Philadelphia's, they may not have to even put up many points in order to win.
Go figure though neither team is in the eastern time zone, they made this the EARLY game!
Patriots/Colts - I pick Patriots
Early line Patriots -7.5 and over/under 53. No thanks here either
Did they move this game on the East Coast to Saturday night so more female fans indoors in the cold would watch along with their husbands/men in order to catch Tom Brady? I can't figure out otherwise.
Panthers/49ers - I pick 49ers
I am surprised they moved this game to Sunday daytime instead of to Saturday evening early given all the folks who spend most of Sunday in church in that part of the country.
The folks on the West Coast are going to hate having to get up that early on a Sunday after a late night to watch the game!
The line is 49ers -2 as the favourite. If it were -3 or better I would take Carolina with the points, as I think it will be a close game.
The over/under is 43.
$14 over 43 x1.98
Denver/Chargers - I pick Broncos
Peyton, like Brady, always gets the later game.
The line is Denver -10 and o/u is 54.5. The over/under is tempting but no thanks not low enough for me.
7-3 on playoff picks for wins though with Denver yesterday, but I'm still not as good as last year when I went 9-2 overall.
Like many, I pick Denver for the Super Bowl win in a game that I am not very excited about coming up in two weeks. I would have thought SF would have had a better chance in a match-up with Denver until the way the 49ers melted down yesterday.
The 49ers would have made for a better game anyway I would think.
As far as funny money betting, I am terrible at 1-6 out more than $55 and good thing it is funny money! Maybe if you bet opposite of me you'll have better luck!
Brady had an off day, I think he was always hearing footsteps as the Broncos were getting to him. SF couldn't run the ball, Lynch was tough and had a great game, Seahawks d was pretty good. Should be a good SB.