Well there you have it, the NFL regular season is over and the play-off picture has been painted. Next week, post-season football begins, but before then, we’ve one last round of fixtures to wrap up.
There were questions aplenty to answer. Will the Browns go 0-16? Which two teams will make it into the AFC wildcard round? Will Seattle or Atlanta take that final NFC play-off spot? Let’s dive right in.
Green Bay Packers 11-35 Detroit Lions
This one was a dead rubber, with Detroit dominating from the off. Matt Stafford threw for over 300 yards with 3 TDs, while Brett Hundley struggled throwing for 172 yards, 1 TD and 2 INTs. With some luck, both these teams could be in the play-off hunt next season.
Houston Texans 13-22 Indianapolis Colts
The Colts win, moving both Indianapolis and Houston to 4-12 on the season. In all honesty, it could have been so different for the Texans, but the moment DeShaun Watson went down with injury, their season ended. As for the Colts, they’ll be hoping Andrew Luck is fit in 2018.
Chicago Bears 10-23 Minnesota Vikings
The surprise team of the year rounded things off with another excellent victory. Who’d have thought that with Case Keenum under centre, Minnesota would go 13-3 and win their division? They’ve earned their first-round bye and we’ll see them in a fortnight.
New York Jets 6-26 New England Patriots
All AFC play-off roads will go through Foxboro’. We’ve certainly heard that one before… Tom Brady threw a couple of TDs, but the star of the show was Dion Lewis, with over 100 scrimmage yards for one rushing and one passing TD. The loss moved New York to 5-11 on the year.
Washington Redskins 10-18 New York Giants
Was this Eli Manning’s last game as a New York Giant? Quite possibly, but it was excellent to see him grab a victory in this one. The Big Blue moves to 3-13 on the season, with Washington ending at 7-9. Both franchises will be looking for huge improvements in the off-season.
Dallas Cowboys 6-0 Philadelphia Eagles
The Cowboys have definitely had a season to forget, but beating their bitter rivals in the final game of their season would have been a nice way to round things off. As for Philly, they simply need more from backup QB Nick Foles if they are to go all the way to the Super Bowl.
Cleveland Browns 24-28 Pittsburgh Steelers
Well, Pittsburgh did their bit, but New England’s win means that they’ll have to go to Gillette Stadium and win if they want to go all the way. However, they did manage to rest all their key players, so Big Ben and company will be in great shape when they begin their play-off run in a fortnight. As for Cleveland, well, they went 0-16; becoming only the second team to do so. Ouch.
Carolina Panthers 10-22 Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta’s victory against Carolina was an impressive one. The reward? A trip to Los Angeles, to take on an excellent Rams team. Matt Ryan threw one TD for over 300 yards, and looked excellent in the process. They’ll give anyone a tough game, and don’t bet against them making a deep run. Carolina’s loss here means that they have to go on the road to New Orleans next week, and what a game that’ll be.
Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 Denver Broncos
Kansas end their season with a victory over a divisional rival, finishing the year with a 10-6 record. Patrick Mahomes made his first NFL start, and although he threw for decent yardage (284), he didn’t register a TD, but did throw one INT. As for Denver, it was a year to forget, but no doubt they’ll be back in 2018.
Jacksonville Jaguars 10-15 Tennessee Titans
Somehow, Tennessee managed to beat that insanely good Jacksonville defence, and with other results going their way, they have made the play-offs! Marcus Mariota threw one TD while also running one in with his legs. It was an off day for the Jaguars, but they’ll be tough to beat, particularly at home.
San Fransisco 49ers 34-13 Los Angeles Rams
Jimmy G continued his impressive winning streak, beating the Rams with yet another stunningly accurate game with his arm. San Francisco will be feeling positive heading into the off-season, whereas Los Angeles have to prepare for a home game in the wildcard round.
Buffalo Bills 22-16 Miami Dolphins
This is not a drill. The Buffalo Bills made the play-offs. They beat Miami to finish 9-7 on the year, and thanks to other results going their way, Tyrod Taylor will lead his team into Jacksonville next Sunday. Miami finish the year with a 6-10 record.
That playoff moment! #GoBills
Oakland Raiders 10-30 Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers emphatically picked up the W, but it wasn’t enough to secure play-off football, and their 0-4 start has come back to haunt them. It’s a shame for Phillip Rivers and his team, but they’ll be back. As for Oakland, it has been a year to forget. Derek Carr wasn’t anywhere near good enough, and their defence just gave up far too many points.
Arizona Cardinals 26-24 Seattle Seahawks
Arizona’s surprise victory over Seattle ended the Seahawks’ hopes at play-off football. Pete Carroll’s team were just far too inconsistent throughout the year and that’s what cost them. Arizona’s season was summed up perfectly by their 8-8 record; average.
New Orleans Saints 24-31 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay are a talented football team, capable of beating anyone on their day. However, their 5-11 record just isn’t good enough and Jameis Winston simply has to improve. The Saints finish the year with an 11-5 record, they’ll host Carolina next weekend.
Cincinnati Bengals 31-27 Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore was in pole position for a play-off berth but they blew it. Andy Dalton led a game-winning drive with less than one minute on the clock, breaking Ravens hearts, who finish the year with a 9-7 record that wasn’t enough in the end.
We’ll see you guys next week to review the wildcard play-off round, which certainly includes some mouth-watering fixtures, including The Falcons @ Rams and Carolina @ New Orleans. I cannot wait!
