NFL Power Rankings - Week 17

1 (1) Denver Broncos (12-3) - The Denver Broncos are the NFL's form team heading into the playoffs.  They have won their last ten games in a row and a win on Sunday at home to the Kansas City Chiefs would guarantee them a first round bye in the playoffs.  It could get even better for the Broncos if the Texans lose to the Indianapolis Colts.  If that happens the AFC playoffs will go through Denver and Peyton Manning would have home field advantage right to the Superbowl.  Manning threw for 339 yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception.  Demaryius Thomas had another good game, catching 9 passes for 102 yards and a touchdown.  Knowshon Moreno led the rushers with 78 yards on the ground.  

2 (4) Green Bay Packers (11-4) - The Packers put in another good display to get their ninth win in their last ten games.  This Packers team is hot and the only thing that could stop them in the playoffs is the offensive line.  Rodgers has been sacked 46 times this year but they are still getting the results.  If they protect him, the Packers WILL win the Superbowl.  They remind me a lot of last years New York Giants team.  The Giants had some issues and struggled a lot with injuries.  This Packers team have their own issues and have also suffered with injuries.  The Giants got their injured players back around this time and the Packers seem to be getting their full roster back now.  The 49ers defeat in Seattle means the Packers now hold the second seed in the NFC and if they win next week they will get a bye in the first round of the playoffs.  Aaron Rodgers threw for 342 yards and 3 touchdowns.  James Jones led the receivers with 7 catches for 100 yards and a touchdown.  Ryan Grant had a good day on the ground, rushing for 80 yards and 2 touchdowns.      

3 (5) Atlanta Falcons (13-2) - The Falcons secured the number one seed in the NFC playoffs with a comfortable win over the Detroit Lions.  The Falcons got off to a quick start and led 21-6 at half-time.  The Lions got back to within five points early in the fourth quarter but the Falcons responded with a touchdown and a field goal to secure the win.  The road to the Superbowl for NFC teams will go through Atlanta and in their current form, the Falcons won't be easy to beat.  They have the best record in the NFL and are 7-0 at home this year so it will take a good team to beat them.  Matt Ryan was excellent, throwing for 279 yards and 4 touchdowns.  Roddy White was the star receiver and he caught 8 passes for 153 yards and 2 touchdowns.

4 (7) Seattle Seahawks (10-5) - Seattle look very, very good.  They seem to have hit top form at the perfect time and are averaging fifty points a game in the last three weeks.  Their defense is excellent and the offense are picking up big yards on the ground.  Rookie quarterback, Russell Wilson has really grew into the role as the season has progressed and it took me a while to come round to him but he certainly looks like the real deal.  As a neutral I am looking forward to seeing the Seahawks in the playoffs but it is just a pity that they won't host a game.  The atmosphere on Sunday night looked intense and I would have loved to see how pumped up that crowd could get for a home playoff game.  Russell Wilson threw for 171 yards, 4 touchdowns and an interception.  Doug Baldwin was the leading receiver, catching 4 passes for 53 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Marshawn Lynch led the running game, rushing for 111 yards and a touchdown.

5 (6) New England Patriots (11-4) - The Patriots picked up the win on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars but they made hard work of it.  The Jags took a 10-0 lead but the Patriots came back and won by a score of 23-16.  The Patriots currently hold the third seed in the AFC but depending on this weeks results, they could finish anywhere in the top four.  At their best, the Patriots will be a threat to anyone in the playoffs but they will have to improve on Sunday's display.  Tom Brady threw for 267 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.  Wes Welker was the leading receiver, catching 10 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown.  Stevan Ridley also had a decent game, rushing for 84 yards.

6 (8) Baltimore Ravens (10-5) - The Baltimore Ravens saved their best performance of the season until Sunday and they picked up a blowout win over the New York Giants.  I haven't been slow to criticise the Ravens this season so it's only fair that I give them credit when they deserve it.  They completely dominated the Giants and fully deserved the win.  The defense done well and held the Giants to 186 yards.  As good as the defense was, the offense was even better.  They picked up 533 yards to run out 33-14 winners.  Joe Flacco threw for 309 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith had good games.  Boldin caught 7 passes for 93 yards.  Smith caught 5 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown.  The Ravens also had two men who had one hundred yard rushing days.  Bernard Pierce ran for 123 yards and Ray Rice ran for 107 yards. 

7 (3) Houston Texans (12-3) - The Texans lost at home to the Minnesota Vikings to leave them needing a win next week over the Indianapolis Colts to secure home field advantage in the playoffs.  Houston never got going on offense and the Vikings restricted them to just 187 yards.  The Texans have hit a bad run of form at the worst possible time.  At 12-3 they have a very good record but their level of performance has dropped considerably and I can't see them beating Denver or New England in the postseason.  Matt Schaub threw for 178 yards and his leading receiver was Andre Johnson who caught 7 passes for 97 yards.  The running game was restricted to 2.1 yards per carry but more worrying for Houston will be the news that Arian Foster had to leave the game with an irregular heartbeat.

8 (9) Indianapolis Colts (10-5) - The Indianapolis Colts sealed their playoff place with a road win over the Kansas City Chiefs.  The Colts had to work for the win and credit to the Chiefs, they didn't look like a team who had give up on the season.  The big difference was turnovers.  The Colts defense forced three turnovers which won them the game.  The Colts will have to improve on their run defense as they gave up over 350 yards on the ground in this game.  Luckily for the Colts, two of the Chiefs turnovers came in the red zone or else the final outcome could have been very different.  Andrew Luck threw for 205 yards and a touchdown.  Reggie Wayne led the receivers again with 5 catches for 81 yards and a touchdown. 

9 (2) San Francisco 49ers (10-4-1) - The 49ers got beat up on Sunday night in Seattle and ended up losing 42-13.  The 49ers should still win the NFC West as they host the Arizona Cardinals next week and a win would secure the division.  The 49ers will do all they can to win that game as there's no way they want to risk going back to Seattle in the postseason.  I've had plenty to say on the quarterback situation in San Francisco and still believe that Coach Harbaugh got it wrong by benching Alex Smith in favour of Colin Kaepernick.  However, the decision has been made and the only thing crazier than changing the whole identity of your team during the season would be changing it back again a week before the playoffs.  The 49ers will live or die by that decision and I personally believe it will be the latter.  Kaepernick threw for 244 yards, a touchdown and an interception.  The leading receiver was Michael Crabtree who caught 4 passes for 65 yards.

10 (11) Washington Redskins (9-6) - The Redskins extended their winning run to six in a row with a win over divisional rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles.  A win in their last game against the Dallas Cowboys would secure a playoff place and the Redskins would be NFC East champions.  They have come a long way this year and even as an Eagles fan, I am quite looking forward to seeing Robert Griffin III in the playoffs.  RG3 had a quiet game on Sunday and done most of his work in the pocket.  He ran just twice but completed 16 of his 24 passes for 198 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception.  Alfred Morris ran for 91 yards and a touchdown.  Pierre Garcon was the leading receiver and caught 7 passes for 89 yards. 

11 (12) Minnesota Vikings (9-6) - The Minnesota Vikings kept their playoff hopes alive with an excellent win on the road over the Houston Texans.  The Vikings are now up to 9-6 for the season and a win over the Green Bay Packers would see them secure a wildcard.  It won't be easy for the Vikings as the Packers also need the win to secure a first round bye in the playoffs but they have won their last three games against decent teams to get this far and they will be feeling confident.  I would be happy to see the Vikings make the playoffs as they have beat some good teams this year and the playoffs would be a better place if Adrian Peterson was involved.  Peterson needs another 208 yards to break the single season rushing record.  It will be a big ask but not out of the question.  Christian Ponder threw for 174 yards and a touchdown.  Peterson ran for 86 yards at just 3.4 yards but I'm sure the Vikings will be prioritising their playoff push over Adrian Peterson's record.        

12 (15) Cincinnati Bengals (9-6) - The Bengals picked up a great win in Pittsburgh to seal their place in the playoffs.  The Bengals have a lot of young talent on their roster and although I can't see them making much of an impression in this year's playoffs, they are definitely a team to look out for in the years to come.  The divisional winners have all been confirmed so the Bengals will have to go on the road in the playoffs and as things stand, they would be playing the New England Patriots.  Playoff games don't get much harder than that but I'm sure Cincinnati would rather be going there than studying film of potential draft picks.  The game was as tight as expected and it was the defenses who came out on top but in the end, Josh Brown kicked the game winning field goal in the dying seconds.  Andy Dalton threw for 278 yards and 2 interceptions.  AJ Green led the receivers as usual with 10 catches for 116 yards.  

13 (14) Chicago Bears (9-6) - The Chicago Bears kept their playoff hopes alive with a comfortable win over the Cardinals in Arizona.  The Bears need to win and hope the Vikings slip up against the Packers to secure a wildcard shot.  The Bears won't get it easy though as they have to go to Detroit to face a Lions side with a point to prove.  On their day, the Lions can beat anyone and the Bears offense will have to show up if they are to outscore a Lions offense that will be throwing everything to Calvin Johnson.  Jay Cutler threw for 146 yards and a touchdown.  Brandon Marshall was the leading receiver, catching 6 passes for 68 yards and a touchdown.  Matt Forte was very good on the ground, running for 88 yards and a touchdown from 12 carries. 

14 (17) New Orleans Saints (7-8) - The New Orleans Saints picked up a good win in Dallas over the playoff chasing Cowboys to improve to 7-8 for the season.  Unfortunately for the Saints they results didn't go their way and they are officially eliminated from the playoff race.  The Saints looked to have the game won when they led by fourteen with less than four minutes to play but the Cowboys scored two quick touchdowns to send the game to overtime.  Credit to the Saints, their defense held firm in overtime and they were able to drive into Cowboy territory.  They had a stroke of luck when Marques Colston fumbled the ball.  The loose ball rolled down the field toward the end zone and Jimmy Graham recovered it at the 2 to set up the game winning field goal.  Drew Brees threw for 446 yards and 3 touchdowns.  Colston and Darren Sproles both had 100 yard receiving games.  Colston caught 10 passes for 153 yards and Sproles caught 7 passes for 104 yards.    

15 (13) Dallas Cowboys (8-7) - The Cowboys lost to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday but their destiny is still in their own hands.  If the Cowboys beat the Washington Redskins they will win the NFC East and enter the playoffs.  After a 3-5 start, the Cowboys have won five of their last seven games to give themselves a chance of reaching the post season.  Dez Bryant has been outstanding in those seven games and has ten touchdowns.  He is also averaging 115 receiving yards per game in that seven game stretch.  Bryant had his best game in the run on Sunday, catching 9 passes for 224 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Tony Romo also played very well, throwing for 416 yards and 4 touchdowns but it wasn't enough as the Saints sealed the win in overtime. 

16 (10) New York Giants (8-7) - The New York Giants have had a nightmare in recent weeks, losing five of their last seven games.   The Giants looked to have the NFC East in the bag at 6-2 but they now require a minor miracle to get a playoff place.  The Giants would need four results to go their way and such an outcome is a very long shot.  The game always looked like the Ravens were going to win if and the Giants can have no excuses, they were simply outplayed.  The Giants offense was restricted to just 186 yards and the Ravens managed 533 yards of offense, so the scoreline was a fair reflection on the game. Eli Manning threw for 150 yards and a touchdown.  Ahmed Bradshaw led the rushers with just 39 yards.  The Giants done well on the ground, picking up 4.8 yards per carry but they had to put the ball in Eli Manning's hands as they fell behind early.

17 (18) St Louis Rams (7-7-1) - The Rams picked up a good win in Tampa Bay to reach 7-7-1 for the season but other results did not go their way and they are now officially eliminated from the playoffs.  The Rams have improved a lot from last season's 2-14 finish and if they continue to improve, they will find themselves back in the playoffs within the next year or two.  The Rams started the year well and have finished well, winning four of their last five.  They weren't a million miles from being in the playoffs this year but a mid season run of five games without a win killed off their chances.  Sam Bradford threw for 196 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception.  Lance Kendricks caught 4 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown.  Steven Jackson ran for 81 yards and a touchdown.

18 (16) Pittsburgh Steelers (7-8) - The Steelers lost their do or die clash against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday and they have been eliminated from playoff contention.  The Steelers were looking good after four successive wins that took them to 6-3 for the season.  In the next game, Ben Roethlisberger got injured and the Steelers have only won once in their six games since.  The Steelers host the Cleveland Browns next week so they have a good chance of getting back to .500 for the season.  In Sunday's game, Roethlisberger threw for 220 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions.  Antonio Brown led the receivers with 5 catches for 97 yards and a touchdown.  The Steelers coaching staff got the running game wrong.  They kept giving the ball to Jonathan Dwyer who ran for 39 yards from 14 carries.  Rashard Mendenhall was the hot rusher and picked up 50 yards from 11 carries.  In such a tight game, these things can be the difference between winning and losing.     

19 (20) Miami Dolphins (7-8) - The Miami Dolphins picked up their seventh win of the season at home to the Buffalo Bills.  At 7-8 the Dolphins are out of the playoffs but they can take a lot of positives from this season and they aren't too far away from being a playoff team.  They travel to Foxboro next week to take on the New England Patriots so it will be very difficult to finish with a .500 record.  The Dolphins won't be too worried though and will be looking at how they can take that next step to make the playoffs.  Ryan Tannehill threw for 130 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Reggie Bush was the best player for the Dolphins, picking up 107 yards from scrimmage and 3 touchdowns.

20 (23) San Diego Chargers (6-9) - The Chargers beat the Jets in New York to get to 6-9 for the season.  If the Chargers had performed as well at home as they did on the road,  then they might have made made the playoffs.  They have gone 4-4 on the road and as things stand they are 2-5 at home.  San Diego used to be a hard place to go but it certainly hasn't been this year.  Philip Rivers threw for 165 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Danario Alexander caught 3 passes for 69 yards and a touchdown.  The running game was restricted to just 2.9 yards per carry.   

21 (22) Carolina Panthers (6-9) - The Panthers won again on Sunday to take their strong finish to the season to three wins in a row and four wins in their last five.  Carolina have found their form too late in the season and they have already been eliminated from the playoffs.  It's nice to finish the season well but the off season is too long in the NFL to carry momentum into next season.  The Panthers do have some very talented players on their roster though and if they can add a few more players for next year, they could be a playoff contender.  Cam Newton threw for 170 yards, a touchdown and an interception.  Newton also led the rushers, running for 60 yards and a touchdown.  Greg Olsen led the receivers with 6 catches for 53 yards. 

22 (19) New York Jets (6-9) - The New York Jets lost on Sunday to drop to 6-9 for the year.  The Jets matched the Chargers in every area but once again their quarterback cost them the game.  Greg McElroy threw an interception and also fumbled for another turnover.  He was also sacked eleven times which the offensive line has to accept some responsibility for but the quarterback has to get rid of the ball quicker too.  I've made my feelings clear about this Jets team.  They have three quarterbacks at the franchise and the best one they have has been overlooked all year.  McElroy threw for 185 yards an an interception.  Clyde Gates led the receivers with 3 catches for 65 yards. 

23 (21) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-9) - Tampa Bay lost at home to the St Louis Rams on Sunday to drop to 6-9 for the season.  It has been a strange year for the Bucs.  They got off to a poor start and were 2-4 but won four games in a row to reach 6-4 and at that stage they looked like genuine playoff contenders.  Unfortunately for Tampa Bay they had another dramatic turnaround and they have now lost five in a row to leave themselves way out of the playoff picture.  Josh Freeman had a mixed game.  He threw for 372 yards and a touchdown but he also threw 4 interceptions which played a big part in the defeat.  Mike Williams and Vincent Jackson both had 100 yard receiving days.  Jackson caught 7 passes for 108 yards and Williams caught 7 passes for 132 yards and a touchdown.  The Rams done a good job on Doug Martin, restricting him to 62 yards at 3.4 yards per carry.     

24 (24) Cleveland Browns (5-10) - The Browns became the latest team in the NFL to be overcome by the juggernaut, better known as the Denver Broncos.  The Broncos have now won ten in a row so the Browns shouldn't beat themselves up too much.  Cleveland are 5-10 for the season and their playoff hopes have long since gone.  I have spoke in recent weeks about the direction this Browns team are going in and I still believe that within a few seasons and with another strong draft, there is enough talent to be a playoff team.  I am a big fan of Trent Richardson and believe he will be a very good running-back in this league in the next few seasons.  On Sunday, he ran for 53 yards from 9 carries. 

25 (25) Detroit Lions (4-11) - Calvin Johnson broke the record for receiving yards in a season with a huge game on Saturday against the Atlanta Falcons.  Johnson caught eleven passes for 225 yards to set a new mark.  He still has another game to play so by this time next week, the record will have been well and truly smashed.  Unfortunately for Johnson and the Lions, the record is the only positive in what has been a very disappointing season for them.  They have lost seven in a row and in my opinion the franchise needs to figure out what has gone wrong and address it quickly.  They have the best receiver in the NFL and he is being wasted in a team who haven't even been close to the playoffs.  Quarterback, Matthew Stafford, threw for 443 yards and an interception.  The running game was restricted to 3.6 yards per carry but was led by Mikel Leshoure who ran for 46 yards and a touchdown.  

26 (27) Buffalo Bills (5-10) - The Buffalo Bills picked up another loss to drop to 5-10 for the year.  This time it was the Miami Dolphins who beat them and it was the Bills seventh loss in their last nine games.  The Bills matched the Dolphins in most key areas but they turned the ball over four times and also gave away eleven penalties which cost them 93 yards.  The turnovers were costly and led to two Miami touchdowns and a field goal.  I'm sick of saying it and people are sick of hearing it, but if you do that in the NFL, your going to be adding to your loss column.  Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 240 yards, a touchdown and an interception.  CJ Spiller had another good game for the Bills, rushing for 138 yards. 

27 (28) Arizona Cardinals (5-10) - The Cardinals lost their tenth game in their last eleven games to fall to 5-10 for the season.  After their 4-0 start they looked playoff bound but they never recovered after Kevin Kolb's injury.  Arizona have fallen a long way in recent years and they have never really replaced Kurt Warner at quarterback.  The franchise have an elite receiver in Larry Fitzgerald so it shows just how bad their quarterback situation is.  Fitzgerald is having one of the worst seasons of his career and his numbers are the worst they have been since his rookie year.  Fitzgerald is 29 now and he is wasting his career at a franchise who are unable to get the best out of him.  Arizona need to either sort their quarterback situation or I can see Fitzgerald making a push for a trade to a team who can help him push for a Superbowl ring.  Fitzgerald had one of his best performances of the season on Sunday, catching 8 passes for 111 yards. 

28 (26) Tennessee Titans (5-10) - The Titans were beat up on Sunday by a rampant Green Bay Packers.  The Titans are 5-10 for the season and they have looked poor.  There's a lot of room for improvement.  Chris Johnson has had another decent year but he is a long way from the running-back who ran for over 2000 yards back in 2009.  We have had a better chance to look at Jake Locker this season and to be honest, I don't think he's the answer.  In his ten games, he has throw ten touchdown passes and eleven interceptions.  His completion percentage for the season is 56.2%, which isn't good enough.  I expect the Titans to have a good look at themselves in the off season and there is definitely a lot they could change.  On Sunday, Locker threw for 140 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions.  The Packers done a good job of shutting down Chris Johnson and restricted him to just 28 yards from 11 carries.

29 (29) Oakland Raiders (4-11) - The Raiders dropped to 4-11 for the season with a defeat to the Panthers in Carolina.  The Raiders have a lot of work to do in the off season if they want to end their long absence from the playoffs.  I've mentioned it before but I think the Raiders would be wise to trade down in the draft as they have a lot of issues that they need to address.  On Sunday, they had three quarterbacks who made at least one pass.  Matt Leinart got the majority of the snaps but he was poor, throwing for just 115 yards and an interception.  The running game wasn't much better and the Panthers defense restricted the Raiders rushers to just 2.1 yards per carry.
 
30 (30) Philadelphia Eagles (4-11) - The Eagles lost again on Sunday, this time to the Washington Redskins.  The Eagles are 4-11 for the year and will finish their season with a trip to New York to face the Giants.  The Eagles are playing for nothing more than pride now but they do have a good record against the Giants and will hopefully go there and make the Giants work hard for the win.  The Giants still have a small chance of reaching the playoffs and it looks like Michael Vick will start at quarterback for the Eagles as Nick Foles has a hand injury and Vick will want to show Andy Reid that he made a mistake by sticking with Foles when Vick returned from injury.  Vick has been poor in the last two seasons but he usually saves his best displays for the Giants.  On Sunday, Foles threw for 345 yards, a touchdown and an interception.  Jeremy Maclin led the receivers with 8 catches for 116 yards and a touchdown.  LeSean McCoy came back from injury and played well, picking up 122 yards from scrimmage. 

31 (31) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-13) - The Jaguars lost on Sunday to go to 2-13 for the season.  They deserve a lot of credit as it would have been easy for them to give up on the season and take one of the top two picks in the 2013 draft but they done their best against one of the best teams in the NFL and fell just short.  The results on Sunday mean that the only way the Jags can get the first pick is if the Chiefs win their last game.  The Chiefs finish with a trip to Denver so it's unlikely that they will win as the Broncos need to win to secure a bye in the first round of the playoffs.  Chad Henne threw for 348 yards, a touchdown and 3 interceptions.  Justin Blackmon was the best receiver, catching 7 passes for 79 yards and a touchdown.   

32 (32) Kansas City Chiefs (2-13) - The Chiefs put in a very good display and lost narrowly to the playoff bound, Indianapolis Colts.  It was the same old story for the Chiefs.  They played very well but once again it was turnovers that cost them.  They turned the ball over three times and two in particular were costly.  The Chiefs were in the red zone and turned the ball over twice.  Mistakes like that are more often than not, the difference between winning and losing in this league.  Brady Quinn threw for 162 yards and 2 interceptions.  Jamaal Charles and Peyton Hillis both had big days on the ground.  Hillis ran for 101 yards but Charles was the star of the show, rushing for 226 yards and a touchdown. 

NFL Power Rankings - Week 16

1 (2) Denver Broncos (11-3) - The Denver Broncos have now won nine in a row to put themselves at 11-3 and as things stand in position for a first round bye in the playoffs.  Their last two games are at home to the Browns and the Chiefs so it looks likely that they will secure the number two seed in the AFC.  Peyton Manning has done great things in Denver and the team have come a long way since that 2-3 start when Manning was being written off as finished.  On Sunday, Peyton Manning threw for 204 yards and a touchdown.  Eric Decker led the receivers with 8 catches for 133 yards and a touchdown.  Knowshon Moreno had a good day on the ground, rushing for 118 yards and a touchdown.

2 (5) San Francisco 49ers (10-3-1) - The 49ers picked up a huge win in New England on Sunday night and in my opinion, that win will secure the NFC West title for them.  A defeat in Foxboro would have turned next weeks trip to Seattle into a must win game but the win gives them some wiggle room and I expect they will do enough to win the division.  They almost threw the game away in the fourth quarter, allowing a 21 point lead to slip away but they responded well with 10 quick points of their own to secure a massive victory.  Colin Kaepernick threw for 216 yards, 4 touchdowns and an interception.  Michael Crabtree caught 7 passes for 107 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Frank Gore ran for 83 yards.

3 (3) Houston Texans (12-2) - Houston sealed the AFC South title on Sunday with a victory over divisional rivals, the Indianapolis Colts.  With the division in the bag, the Texans know they will host a game in the playoffs but one more win would guarantee them the number one seed and home field advantage throughout the playoffs.  The Texans have had a few blips through the season but they were impressive on Sunday and their offense picked up 417 yards.  Matt Schaub threw for 261 yards and a touchdown.  Andre Johnson was the best receiver with 11 catches for 151 yards and a touchdown.  Arian Foster was also back on form and ran for 165 yards at 6.1 yards per carry.        

4 (4) Green Bay Packers (10-4) - Green Bay secured their second NFC North title in a row with a win over divisional rivals, the Chicago Bears.  Green Bay now have the luxury of knowing that they will host a playoff game but I would imagine they will continue to play hard and try to earn the first round bye.  A lot of people don't fancy this Green Bay team this year but I think they will be very tough to beat and right now, they'd be my pick to represent the NFC in the Superbowl.  Aaron Rodgers threw for 291 yards and 3 touchdowns.  The leading receiver was Randall Cobb who caught 6 passes for 115 yards.

5 (6) Atlanta Falcons (12-2) - Anyone else woke up and realised that the Falcons are 12-2 and pretty much everyone is still writing them off as also rans?  The NFC side of the playoffs is going through Atlanta and the Falcons are 7-0 at home.  Nobody is going to go to Atlanta and get it easy.  They have had a soft schedule but they are 4-0 against teams with winning records.  Why is nobody taking this team seriously?  They have a quarterback with over 4000 yards and two receivers with over 1000 receiving yards.  Things like that don't just happen by accident and I am slowly coming round to the fact that this Atlanta team, might just be the real deal.  Matt Ryan threw for 270 yards and 3 touchdowns.  Julio Jones had a good game, catching 6 passes for 74 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Michael Turner ran for 52 yards and a touchdown.

6 (1) New England Patriots (10-4) - The Patriots seven game winning streak came to an end on Sunday night when they lost in a thriller to the San Francisco 49ers.  The Pats looked well beat and were 31-10 down as the fourth quarter started but they fought back to 31-31 midway through the quarter.  The 49ers responded well though and scored ten points to seal the win.  The Patriots offense had 520 yards but they had four costly turnovers that swung the game in the 49ers favour.  Tom Brady threw for 443 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions.  Brandon Lloyd had a huge game, catching 10 passes for 190 yards.  Danny Woodhead led the running game, rushing for 61 yards and 2 touchdowns.

7 (10) Seattle Seahawks (9-5) - Seattle kept their playoff march going on Sunday with a dominant display over the Buffalo Bills in Toronto.  The Seahawks appear to have hit form at just the right time although they still have work to do to even secure a playoff place.  Next week they face the San Francisco 49ers in a big clash in the NFC West.  This game had the potential to be one of the games of the year but the 49ers win last week takes a little of the edge from it.  If the 49ers had lost to New England this game would have decided who wins the NFC West but as it is, the 49ers can afford to lose in Seattle and a win at home to the Cardinals would win the division.  I expect Seattle and San Francisco to both win their games in week 17 so this week is probably a bigger game for the Seahawks as 11-5 would guarantee a playoff but 10-6 could put them out of the wildcard places.  On Sunday, Russell Wilson had a fantastic game.  He threw for 205 yards and a touchdown but it was his running that gave the Bills the most problems.  He picked up 92 yards and 3 touchdowns from 9 carries and if he keeps that up he might just hijack the RG3/Andrew Luck battle for Rookie of the Year.  Marshawn Lynch also had a good day on the ground, running for 113 yards and a touchdown.

8 (7) Baltimore Ravens (9-5) - The Ravens have now lost three in a row after a defeat at home to the Denver Broncos.  I've made no secret of the fact that I don't really like this Baltimore team and at 9-2 I felt their record didn't reflect the team’s performances.  Baltimore are 9-5 now and although they are guaranteed a playoff place, they still haven't secured the divisional title.  They have two tough games remaining against the Giants and the Bengals so there is every chance they may have to rely on a wildcard.  Joe Flacco threw for 254 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception.  Dennis Pitta led the receivers with 7 catches for 125 yards and 2 touchdowns.

9 (9) Indianapolis Colts (9-5) - The Colts lost on Sunday to kill off their hopes of winning the AFC South but they are still in pole position to reach the playoffs as a wildcard.  They face a trip to Kansas City this week and a win would guarantee them a playoff place.  The Colts have been one of the surprise packages of the season and it has been a remarkable turnaround from being the worst team in the NFL last season.  Andrew Luck threw for 186 yards and 2 touchdowns.  TY Hilton was the leading receiver, catching 3 passes for 78 yards and a touchdown.  Vick Ballard had a good day on the ground, rushing for 105 yards.

10 (8) New York Giants (8-6) - The Giants must be the most inconsistent team in the NFL.  I've never saw a team who jump from a good performance to a bad performance and vice versa, as often as the New York Giants do.  Right now, they need to take a long hard look at themselves because they are no longer a playoff team.  As things stand, they are 8-6 but the Washington Redskins are leading the NFC East and the wildcard places belong to Seattle and Minnesota.  I have to be honest and say I did not expect this to happen but with their remaining games, a trip to Baltimore and home to Philadelphia, I genuinely don't think the Giants will make the playoffs.  Eli Manning threw for 161 yards and 2 interceptions.  Domenik Hixon caught 5 passes for 80 yards.  David Wilson led the rushers with 55 yards.

11 (12) Washington Redskins (8-6) - The Redskins have now won five in a row and this week they done it without RG3.  Kirk Cousins stepped into the void left by RG3 and there was no knock on effect.  The Redskins are now top of the NFC East with an 8-6 record and currently hold the tie breaker with the Cowboys and the Giants.  They have a huge chance of winning the division and if they win their last two against Philadelphia and Dallas they will be NFC East winners for the first time since 1999.  Cousins threw for 329 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception.  Alfred Morris led the running game, picking up 87 yards and 2 touchdowns.   

12 (13) Minnesota Vikings (8-6) - The Vikings picked up a good win in St Louis to keep their playoff hopes alive.  The Vikings are currently in the sixth seed in the NFC playoff race but it is very tight and one mistake could change everything.  If the Vikings make the playoffs, they will have to do it the hard way.  Their last two games are a trip to Houston and then they host the Packers in week 17.  The Texans and Packers have both secured their respective divisions but they do still need wins to secure first round byes in the playoffs so I can't see them doing the Vikings any favours.  The main man for the Vikings was once again running-back, Adrian Peterson.  He picked up another 212 yards and a touchdown, to take him just 294 yards short of Eric Dickerson's single season rushing record.  If anyone can do it, Peterson can but 294 yards is a big ask against Green Bay and Houston. 

13 (15) Dallas Cowboys (8-6) - Dallas kept themselves in the mix for a playoff spot with a hard earned win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Both sides needed the win to boost their playoff chances and it was Dallas who dug that little bit deeper to earn an overtime victory.  The Cowboys face the Saints at home this week and a win would set up a potential winner takes all showdown with the Washington Redskins.  Tony Romo threw for 341 yards and 2 touchdowns.  DeMarco Murray led the ground game, rushing for 81 yards and a touchdown.  Miles Austin had a good game, catching 7 passes for 79 yards.

14 (11) Chicago Bears (8-6) - This Chicago Bears team are right in the middle of one of the biggest collapses in recent seasons.  The Bears were playoff bound and it looked like they were simply playing for a first round bye but five defeats in their last six games has them outside the playoff places and in a dog fight to try to earn a wildcard.  In the Bears defence, the schedule has been hard on them and each of their last six games has been against teams with winning records but if the Bears want to be in a Superbowl, then they have to beat winning teams and right now, a Superbowl is miles off.  Their last two games are trips to Arizona and Detroit.  They are both winnable games but the Bears won't get it easy as the players will be low in confidence and it's hard to win on the road in this league.  On Sunday, Jay Cutler threw for 135 yards, a touchdown and an interception.  Brandon Marshall caught 6 passes for 56 yards and a touchdown but Chicago's best player was Matt Forte.  Forte picked up 133 yards from scrimmage but it wasn't enough to stop the Packers picking up the NFC North title.

15 (16) Cincinnati Bengals (8-6) - The Bengals picked up a comfortable win in Philadelphia on Sunday night to take pole position in the race for the sixth AFC playoff spot.  Pittsburgh lost to the Cowboys on Sunday and this week's game, between the Steelers and the Bengals will go a long way to deciding who gets the final playoff place.  A Steelers win would have the team’s level at 8-7 and Pittsburgh would hold the tie breaker courtesy of the head to head record.  A Bengals win would secure a playoff place for Cincinnati.  Andy Dalton threw for 127 yards and a touchdown.  BenJarvus Green-Ellis had another good day on the ground, running for 106 yards and a touchdown.

16 (14) Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7) - The Steelers have slipped out of the AFC playoff spots after Sundays overtime defeat to the Dallas Cowboys.  The Steelers now must beat the Cincinnati Bengals this week, if they are to reach the playoffs.  If the Steelers can beat the Bengals, they will then have to beat the Cleveland Browns to secure a wildcard.  Pittsburgh had a fourth quarter lead in this game but the Cowboys levelled midway through the fourth and the game went to overtime.  On the second play of overtime, Ben Roethlisberger was intercepted and the Cowboys were able to kick the game winning field goal from the 3 yard line.  Roethlisberger ended the game with 339 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception.  Mike Wallace, Heath Miller and Antonio Brown all had big receiving days.   Wallace caught 4 passes for 95 yards and Miller had 7 catches for 92 yards and a touchdown.  Brown caught 8 passes for 76 yards and a touchdown.

17 (21) New Orleans Saints (6-8) - The New Orleans Saints bounced back from their defeat to the Giants last week with a dominant victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  Statistically, the game was tight enough, although the Saints had the edge in most key areas but not by a margin of 41-0.  The key difference was turnovers and the Saints defense forced five, and the offense managed to take care of the football and not give any away.  Those turnovers led to 3 touchdowns and 2 field goals for the Saints and it made the game look more one sided than it actually was.  Drew Brees threw for 307 yards and 4 touchdowns.  Mark Ingram also had a good game, rushing for 90 yards and a touchdown.    

18 (17) St Louis Rams (6-7-1) - The Rams are technically still alive at 6-7-1 but their defeat to the Minnesota Vikings has killed off any realistic chance they had of a playoff place.  The Rams like so many before them were unable to come up with a response to Adrian Peterson and he almost single handedly beat the Rams.  Peterson ran for over 200 yards and the Rams defense had no answers.  The Rams offense had a decent game and picked up over 400 yards.  They had two costly turnovers which resulted in the Vikings getting ten points and if they had avoided those, the final outcome may well have been different.  Sam Bradford threw for 377 yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception.  Brandon Gibson was his leading receiver, catching 6 passes for 76 yards.  Steven Jackson also had a good game and picked up 146 yards from scrimmage.

19 (18) New York Jets (6-8) - The Jets playoff hopes were finished on Monday Night Football after a performance from Mark Sanchez that was bad even by his standards.  Sanchez was responsible for five turnovers in the game and I can't understand how Rex Ryan let it get this far.  I know Ryan is a defensive coach but surely he can see how bad Sanchez is and I can only imagine it is a pride thing and he didn't want to admit he had got it wrong by drafting up to take Sanchez in the 2009 draft.  Sanchez ended the game with 131 yards, a touchdown and 4 interceptions.  Shonn Greene ran for 68 yards and Jeff Cumberland led the receivers with 4 catches for 53 yards and a touchdown.  

20 (26) Miami Dolphins (6-8) - The Dolphins beat the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday to reach 6-8 for the year.  Miami aren't quite dead yet but it would take a lot of results going their way for the Dolphins to reach the playoffs.  The most unlikely would be the Dolphins going to the Patriots and winning.  On Sunday, Ryan Tannehill had a good game, throwing for 220 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Brian Hartline led the receivers with 5 catches for 77 yards.  Reggie Bush had a good day on the ground, rushing for 104 yards.

21 (19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-8) - The Bucs dropped to 6-8 for the year after a heavy defeat to the New Orleans Saints.  The Bucs turned the ball over five times in the game, which led to 27 points for New Orleans.  When your offense plays as badly as that, there's very little chance of winning a game and the Bucs were unable to get anything going and the game ended 41-0.  The Bucs can take a lot of positives from this season and if they can hang on to their key players, I expect a push for the playoffs next season.  Josh Freeman threw for 279 yards and 4 interceptions.  Vincent Jackson was the leading receiver, catching 6 passes for 81 yards.  The Bucs struggled to get their running game going and Doug Martin ended up with 16 yards from 9 runs.   

22 (25) Carolina Panthers (5-9) - The Panthers got their second win in a row with a blow out victory over the Chargers in San Diego.  I expected a bit more from the Panthers this year but they got a bad start and only now are they starting to enjoy the sort of success I anticipated from their running game.  On Sunday, Cam Newton had a good game in the air, throwing for 231 yards and 2 touchdowns.  The running game was very effective and picked up 155 yards on the ground.  DeAngelo Williams led them with 93 yards on the ground and also caught 2 passes for 51 yards and a touchdown.  Former Charger, Mike Tolbert also done well, running for 40 yards and 2 touchdowns.

23 (20) San Diego Chargers (5-9) - After a big win over the playoff chasing Pittsburgh Steelers, the Chargers responded in a fashion that only they can, a heavy home defeat to a team who came into the game with a 4-9 record.  The Chargers have suffered with inconsistency in recent years and this year’s team are embracing that.  There's a lot of talent in San Diego but something’s not quite right in the franchise and in my opinion it's the head coach, Norv Turner.  Turner's job has been under threat for a few years now and I think this will be the year they finally get rid of him.  In the game, Philip Rivers threw for 121 yards and a touchdown.  Curtis Brinkley led the running game with 42 yards.

24 (23) Cleveland Browns (5-9) - The Browns winning run came to an end with a defeat to the Washington Redskins.  The Browns have shown some good signs of progress this year and if they can continue to go in the right direction, I can see a playoff place in the near future.  There is some good talent in Cleveland and another strong draft could have them pushing for a wildcard place next year.  Brandon Weeden threw for 244 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions.  The Redskins done a good job on Trent Richardson, restricted him to 2.5 yards per carry.  Greg Little caught 5 passes for 74 yards.           

25 (22) Detroit Lions (4-10) - The Lions are 4-10 now after a heavy defeat at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals.  The Lions created a lot of their own problems by turning the ball over four times which led to 28 points for the Cardinals.  The Lions have been a huge disappointment this year.  I expected a lot more from them but it hasn't been a good year and it's maybe time for a change in the franchise.  Matthew Stafford threw for 246 yards and 3 interceptions.  Calvin Johnson caught 10 passes for 121 yards.  Mikel Leshoure ran for 55 yards and a touchdown.   

26 (27) Tennessee Titans (5-9) - The Titans picked up the win on Monday Night Football over a poor New York Jets team.  For as long as the Jets have Mark Sanchez at quarterback, they'd be as well playing with seven players on offense.  Credit to the Titans, they had a lot of luck but they took the chances that were presented to them and they got another notch in their win column.  Jake Locker threw for 149 yards.  Nate Washington caught 4 passes for 62 yards.  Chris Johnson led the rushers, picking up 122 yards and a touchdown.

27 (24) Buffalo Bills (5-9) - The Bills are the latest team to suffer a heavy defeat to the Seattle Seahawks, after Sunday's 50-17 defeat in Toronto.  The Seahawks raced into a 31-7 lead but the Bills got it back to 31-17 before half-time.  Unfortunately for the Bills that was as close as they got and Seattle scored 19 unanswered points in the second half.  Bills quarterback, Ryan Fitzpatrick, had another poor day, throwing for 217 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions.  He also fumbled the ball and his turnovers led to Seattle getting 17 points.  Yet again the only positives for Buffalo were the performances of Steve Johnson and CJ Spiller.  Johnson caught 8 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown.  Spiller ran for 103 yards and a touchdown.

28 (32) Arizona Cardinals (5-9) - The Cardinals finally ended their nine game losing streak with a blow out victory over the Detroit Lions.  The game was won mainly because of errors from the Lions.  The Lions turned the ball over four times and each turnover led to an Arizona touchdown.  Credit to Arizona though as they took the opportunities presented to them and got the win.  Ryan Lindley threw for 104 yards and an interception.  The Cardinals best player was Beanie Wells who ran for 67 yards and 3 touchdowns.

29 (31) Oakland Raiders (4-10) - The Raiders got their fourth win of the season on Sunday against divisional rivals, the Kansas City Chiefs.  It was the Raiders second win over the Chiefs this season, having already beaten them in week 8.  Neither side managed a touchdown on this occasion and Raiders kicker, Sebastian Janikowski, was the difference between the sides.  Janikowski kicked five field goals, one of which was a 57 yarder to hand the Raiders a 15-0 win.  Carson Palmer threw for 182 yards.  Rod Streater was the leading receiver, catching 5 passes for 62 yards.  The Raiders had a good day on the ground, rushing for 203 yards.  Darren McFadden had 110 yards and backup, Mike Goodson had 89 yards.

30 (28) Philadelphia Eagles (4-10) - The Eagles got back to their usual form on Thursday with a sloppy display and heavy defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals.  I feel like I've said all I can about the Eagles this year.  It’s time to draw a line under this year and start fresh next season.  On Thursday the Eagles turned the ball over five times and they pretty much summarised the whole year in that one game.  Nick Foles threw for 182 yards, a touchdown and an interception.  Jeremy Maclin led the receivers with 4 catches for 73 yards.  The running game had a bad day and picked up just 42 yards from 19 attempts. 

31 (30) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-12) - The Jags lost again, this time in a one sided game against the Dolphins in Miami.  The Jags are 2-12 and with New England at home and Tennessee away still to play, I can't see them getting any more wins on the board.  The number one draft pick will be between themselves and the Chiefs, should both teams records remain the same and as things stand the Chiefs are just in pole position courtesy of strength of schedule.  Chad Henne threw for 221 yards.  His leading receivers were Cecil Shorts III and Justin Blackmon.  They both caught 6 passes, Shorts III for 101 yards and Blackmon for 93 yards.

32 (29) Kansas City Chiefs (2-12) - The Chiefs lost again on Sunday, this time to the Oakland Raiders.  The Chiefs are now 2-12 for the season and they looked every bit as bad as their record suggests on Sunday.  The Raiders are far from a good side but they shut down the Chiefs and restricted them to 119 yards of offense.  Brady Quinn threw for 135 yards and an interception.  Dexter McCluster was his leading receiver, catching 7 passes for 59 yards.  The most disappointing thing for the Chiefs was their running game.  The Chiefs have done well on the ground this year but they managed just 10 yards from 10 runs.  I can't see any more wins for the Chiefs so it looks like they will have the number one draft pick in 2013 as they currently lead the Jaguars on strength of schedule.    

NFL POWER RANKINGS - WEEK 15

1 (3) New England Patriots (10-3) - The Patriots just keep doing this year after year.  There is usually an early season blip from New England which leads to their critics claiming they are finished and the Brady/Belichick era is coming to an end.  By December, the critics are usually having those words rammed down their throats.  The Patriots seem to have the timing of the playoff run down to a fine art.  They have been AFC Champions five times in the last eleven years and went on to win three Superbowl's.  It would take a brave man to go against the Patriots reaching another Superbowl in their current form.  The 42-14 win over the Texans will have sent out a message to the rest of the NFL that the New England Patriots are looking for another title.  Tom Brady threw for 296 yards and 4 touchdowns.  Brandon Lloyd and Aaron Hernandez were the leading receivers.  Lloyd caught 7 passes for 89 yards and a touchdown.  Hernandez caught 8 passes for 52 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Stevan Ridley had another good day, running for 72 yards and a touchdown.             

2 (4) Denver Broncos (10-3) - The Denver Broncos kept their winning run going by picking up a win over divisional rivals, the Oakland Raiders.  The Broncos are looking good and on current form the AFC Championship should be decided between them and the New England Patriots.  I have no loyalties in the AFC and as a neutral I would love to see the Broncos and Patriots go head to head for a place in the Superbowl.  Peyton Manning v Tom Brady is always a big game but for them to meet in a Championship game at this stage of their careers would be mouth watering. On Thursday, Manning threw for 310 yards, a touchdown and an interception.  His leading receivers were Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas.  Decker had 8 catches for 88 yards and Thomas had 5 catches for 83 yards.  Knowshon Moreno had a big day on the ground, rushing for 119 yards and a touchdown.

3 (1) Houston Texans (11-2) - The Texans have looked poor in recent weeks against teams who aren't in the playoff race.  Once they came up against a team who could challenge them for supremacy in the AFC, they were beaten off the field.  The Texans had a great start to the season but in the last month or so they haven't been impressive.  I don't know whether they are holding a little bit back for the playoffs but this is a dangerous time of the year to hit bad form.  On current form, I'd put the Patriots and Broncos ahead of them in the AFC.  Houston need to sort themselves out quickly as they have two big games with Indianapolis coming up and if they can't win one of those, they will find themselves in the wildcard places.  On Monday, Matt Schaub threw for 232 yards and an interception.  Arian Foster and Ben Tate both ran for 46 yards.  Foster also picked up a touchdown.  Andre Johnson was the leading receiver, catching 8 passes for 95 yards.          

4 (5) Green Bay Packers (9-4) - The Packers picked up a win over divisional rivals, the Detroit Lions, on Sunday night.  That win and the Bears loss in Minnesota means that a Packers win in Chicago, next Sunday, would hand the Packers another NFC North title.  The Packers have won seven of their last eight games and will be a danger to any team when the playoffs start.  Aaron Rodgers threw for just 173 yards but he did pick up a rushing touchdown.  Randall Cobb was the leading receiver, catching 7 passes for 102 yards. 

5 (7) San Francisco 49ers (9-3-1) - The 49ers got back to winning ways with a routine victory over the Miami Dolphins.  The win keeps the 49ers just ahead of the Green Bay Packers in the NFC playoff seeding.  As things stand the 49ers would have the two seed and a first round bye but they travel to New England and Seattle in the next two weeks so they are far from guaranteed the bye and a defeat to Seattle could even result in them having to start their playoff campaign on the road, as a wildcard.  Colin Kaepernick got the nod ahead of Alex Smith again and threw for 185 yards.  He also scored a touchdown after a 50 yard run.  Frank Gore led the running game with 63 yards and a touchdown.  Michael Crabtree was the star receiver, catching 9 passes for 93 yards.

6 (2) Atlanta Falcons (11-2) - The Falcons lost their second game of the year after a defeat to the Carolina Panthers.  The final score flattered the Falcons and they never really looked like winning.  The Falcons have already secured their playoff place and they still hold the NFC's number one seed.  The Falcons are 11-2 for the year and their closest rivals, San Francisco and Green Bay, have nine wins.  The Falcons have a tough schedule but should still be able to do enough to get a bye in the playoffs.  Matt Ryan threw for 342 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception.  Roddy White led the receivers with 9 catches for 117 yards and a touchdown.  The Falcons abandoned the running game and ran the ball just eleven times. 

7 (6) Baltimore Ravens (9-4) - The Ravens lost their second game in a row on Sunday, losing in overtime to the Washington Redskins.  The two defeats have saw the Ravens drop from the number two seed in the AFC to number four.  The Ravens face a tough finish to the season and still have three games to come against potential playoff teams.  They host the Broncos and the Giants before finishing with a trip to Cincinnati.  I think the Ravens will have to win at least one of those to guarantee themselves a playoff place.  Joe Flacco threw for 182 yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception.  Anquan Boldin caught 3 passes for 78 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Ray Rice had another good day on the ground, running for 121 yards and a touchdown.

8 (10) New York Giants (8-5) - The Giants picked up a blow out win over the New Orleans Saints to keep themselves ahead in the NFC East.  With Washington and Dallas both winning the pressure was on the Giants but they responded well and won easily.  The Giants face a tough finish to the regular season with trips to Atlanta and Baltimore before finishing at home to the Eagles who despite having a bad year, have a great record against the Giants and would take great pleasure in killing off their playoff hopes.  Eli Manning threw for 259 yards, 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.  Victor Cruz led the receivers with 8 catches for 121 yards and a touchdown.  David Wilson had a great day for the Giants.  He ran for 100 yards and 2 touchdowns but it was his kick returns that done the most damage.  Wilson returned four kicks for a total of  227 yards including a 97 yard touchdown.

9 (9) Indianapolis Colts (9-4) - The Colts picked up yet another win and are now 9-4 for the season thanks to a big second half comeback.  The Colts were 13 behind at one stage but fought back to take a 27-23 victory.  The Colts are almost guaranteed a playoff place and if they can win there last three games, they will be crowned AFC South champions.  They face the Texans twice in their last three games and two wins would have the teams level but the Colts would take the tie breaker due to having the better head to head record.  Three wins is a big ask but it is certainly not beyond this Colts team.  Andrew Luck had a poor game on Sunday, completing less than half his passes for 196 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions.  Reggie Wayne caught 6 passes for 64 yards and a touchdown.  Vick Ballard led the rushers with 94 yards from 19 carries.   

10 (12) Seattle Seahawks (8-5) - The Seahawks maintained their perfect home record with a blowout victory over the Arizona Cardinals.  The final score was 58-0 to the Seahawks and it truly was one way traffic for the whole game.  The Seattle defense will take much of the credit as they forced eight turnovers and scored two touchdowns from them.  The offense finished the job off in what was a remarkable display.  Russell Wilson had a quiet game and only played for 35 minutes of it.  He threw for 148 yards, a touchdown and an interception.  Anthony McCoy was the leading receiver, catching 3 passes for 105 yards.  It was the Seattle running game that done the bulk of the damage.  Their rushers combined for 284 yards at 6.8 yards per carry.  Marshawn Lynch ran for 128 yards and 3 touchdowns.  Robert Turbin also picked up 108 yards in what was a dominant display. 

11 (8) Chicago Bears (8-5) - The Bears have lost four of their last five games and find themselves right in the middle of a battle for their playoff future.  At 8-5 they are currently in position for the NFC's sixth seed but they are only one game ahead of the three teams who have 7-6 records.  The Bears have a huge game this weekend, when the Green Bay Packers come to Soldier Field.  A win would see the Bears level the Packers at 9-5 although the Packers would still lead the division courtesy of a better divisional record.  In Sunday's game, Jay Cutler threw for 260 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions but had to leave the game after a head injury.  Brandon Marshall was the leading receiver, catching 10 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown.  Matt Forte led the ground game, rushing for 85 yards.

12 (14) Washington Redskins (7-6) - The Redskins picked up a huge overtime win over the Baltimore Ravens to reach 7-6 for the season and keep their playoff hopes alive.  The win came at a price though as explosive quarterback, Robert Griffin III picked up a knee injury.  It's still not clear how serious the injury is but early indications are that RG3 will miss this weeks trip to Cleveland.  Kirk Cousins will start at quarterback and although he isn't as good as RG3, he also arrived with a big reputation.  On Sunday, RG3 threw for 246 yards and a touchdown.  The leading receiver was Pierre Garcon with 5 catches for 87 yards and a touchdown.  Alfred Morris had another good rushing game, picking up 122 yards and a touchdown.   

13 (15) Minnesota Vikings (7-6) - The Vikings picked up a big win over the Chicago Bears to keep themselves in the race for the playoffs.  I didn't expect much from the Vikings last year but they have been one of the surprise packages.  Many people wrote off running-back, Adrian Peterson after he suffered such a serious injury last year.  There are players who have had that injury who have never played again and most who have played on after it, have never been able to reach the same level of performance.  Adrian Peterson is different though and he looks even better than he was before the injury.  He has ran for 1600 yards this year and needs another 506 yards to break the record for the most rushing yards in a season.  506 yards in three games is a big ask but if anyone can do it, it's Peterson.  On Sunday, Christian Ponder threw for 91 yards and an interception.  Once again, the Vikings star man was Peterson who ran for 154 yards and 2 touchdowns.

14 (11) Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6) - The Steelers lost at home to the San Diego Chargers on Sunday but they still hold the sixth seed in the AFC playoff race as the Bengals also lost.  The Steelers are 7-6 and they play Cincinnati in week 16 which looks like being a decider for the AFC's final playoff slot.  The Steelers have had injuries to key players all year but they should have most of their team back if they make the playoffs.  Ben Roethlisberger threw for 285 yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception.  His leading receiver was Mike Wallace who caught 7 passes for 112 yards and 2 touchdowns.

15 (17) Dallas Cowboys (7-6) - The Dallas Cowboys kept their season alive with a last gasp comeback win over the Cincinnati Bengals.  The Bengals led by 9 midway through the 4th quarter but a Dez Bryant touchdown and a Dan Bailey field goal won the game for the Cowboys.  The win keeps the Cowboys one win behind NFC East leaders, the New York Giants and they are also just one game behind Seattle and Chicago in the wildcard places.  Tony Romo threw for 268 yards, a touchdown and an interception.  Jason Witten led the receivers with 4 catches for 62 yards.

16 (13) Cincinnati Bengals (7-6) - Cincinnati conceded ten points in the last 6:35 of the game to lose 20-19 to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.  The Browns looked like they had the game won but Dez Bryant scored a touchdown and then Dan Bailey kicked the game winning field goal as time expired to send the Bengals to 7-6 for the year.  Fortunately for the Bengals, the Pittsburgh Steelers also lost so nothing has changed in the race for the final playoff place in the AFC.  Andy Dalton threw for 206 yards, a touchdown and an interception.  BenJarvus Green-Ellis had another good game, rushing for 89 yards at 7.4 yards.  The Bengals offensive coordinator will have to explain why he was restricted to just 12 carries. 

17 (19) St Louis Rams (6-6-1) - The Rams picked up a win over the Bills in Buffalo on Sunday.  At 6-6-1 the Rams still have an outside chance of the playoffs but it looks very unlikely as their is a lot of teams ahead of them.  The Rams can take some positives from this season.  Sam Bradford is growing into a good quarterback and they also have some good young talent on both sides of the ball.  Bradford threw for 209 yards, a touchdown and an interception.  Brandon Gibson caught 6 passes for 100 yards and a touchdown.  Steven Jackson led the rushers with 64 yards.

18 (23) New York Jets (6-7) - The New York Jets won in Jacksonville on Sunday to reach 6-7 for the season and they are just one win behind the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals who are currently battling it out for the sixth seed in the AFC playoff bracket.  Those two have to meet so one is guaranteed at least eight wins but the Jets could certainly give themselves a chance if they can win their last three games.  Their last three games are all against losing teams so they have every chance of getting to 9-7 and at least making the Bengals and the Steelers earn the wildcard.  Mark Sanchez threw for 111 yards but it was the running game that done the damage.  The Jets picked up 166 yards on the ground.  Bilal Powell ran for 78 yards and a touchdown.  Shonn Greene had 77 yards and also picked up a touchdown.

19 (16) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7) - The Bucs gave away an eleven point lead in the last four minutes and lost to the Philadelphia Eagles by a score of 23-21.  The defeat leaves the Bucs at 6-7 and will most likely mean the end of their playoff chances.  Officially they are still alive but the list of results they need to go their way looks to be too long and I don't think they will be in the playoffs this year.  Josh Freeman threw for 189 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Vincent Jackson caught 6 passes for 131 yards and a touchdown.  Doug Martin had another good day, running for 128 yards and a touchdown. 

20 (25) San Diego Chargers (5-8) - The Chargers snapped their four game losing streak with a good win over the Steelers in Pittsburgh.  The Steelers got two late touchdowns to add some respectability to the score line but it was a dominant and fully deserved win for the Chargers.  At 5-8 they are still mathematically alive but it would take three wins and a lot of other results to go their way to secure a playoff spot.  It's highly unlikely but performances like this will give the team a boost ahead of next season.  Philip Rivers threw for 200 yards and 3 touchdowns.  His star receiver was Danario Alexander who caught 7 passes for 88 yards and 2 touchdowns.

21 (18) New Orleans Saints (5-8) - The New Orleans Saints feint playoff hopes died on Sunday with a heavy defeat to the New York Giants.  The Saints had a bad start to the year and got themselves into too deep a hole.  Next year the Saints should be back to normal after Bountygate and I would expect them to be competing at the top end of the NFC.  Drew Brees threw for 354 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions.  The Saints had a good day on the ground with their rushers picking up 142 yards at 5.9 yards per carry.  Unfortunately for the Saints, they fell behind early and had to abandon the run. 

22 (21) Detroit Lions (4-9) - The Lions suffered another tough loss on Sunday night, this time to the Green Bay Packers.  The Lions started well and went 14-0 up early in the second quarter.  The Packers got it back to 14-10 by the half and then outscored the Lions in the second half to run out 27-20.  The Lions have been hugely disappointing this year and I had predicted a playoff spot for them.  On Sunday, Matthew Stafford threw for 264 yards, a touchdown and an interception.  His leading receiver was Calvin Johnson who caught 10 passes for 118 yards.

23 (24) Cleveland Browns (5-8) - The Browns are having a great run late in the season and have now won three in a row after their win over the Kansas City Chiefs.  Cleveland have some good young players and I believe they will be competing for the playoffs within a season or two.  They have had a good return from Trent Richardson in his rookie year and I genuinely believe he will go on to have a very good NFL career.  On Sunday, Brandon Weeden threw for 217 yards.  Trent Richardson picked up two touchdowns on the ground.  Josh Gordon had another good game, catching 8 passes for 86 yards.       

24 (20) Buffalo Bills (5-8) - The Bills lost to the St Louis Rams on Sunday and the defeat all but ends their playoff hopes.  The Bills were winning inside the last minute but the Rams scored a touchdown with just 0:48 left and hung on for the win.  Buffalo won't be in the playoffs and this season will be best remembered as CJ Spiller's breakout season.  Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 247 yards, a touchdown and an interception.  Steve Johnson was the leading receiver and caught 6 passes for 71 yards.  Spiller ran for 37 yards but only got 7 carries. 

25 (27) Carolina Panthers (4-9) - The Panthers bounced back from a bad loss to the Kansas City Chiefs with a big win over divisional rivals, the Atlanta Falcons.  The Panthers were excellent and fully deserved their win.  They were very unlucky not to have beat the Falcons in Atlanta but they made sure there would be no late comebacks this time.  Cam Newton was the star of the show.  He threw for 287 yards and 2 touchdowns.  He was even better on the ground, running for 116 yards and a touchdown from 9 carries.  Steve Smith also had a good game, catching 7 passes for 109 yards.

26 (22) Miami Dolphins (5-8) - The Dolphins are now 5-8 for the year after a defeat to the 49ers in San Francisco.  They kept the game tight for a long time but their offense struggled to pick up yards against a tough San Francisco defense.  Miami ended the game with 227 yards of offense which isn't enough to win games in this league unless your defense are picking up turnovers and on this occasion they weren't.  Ryan Tannehill completed just over half his passes for 150 yards and a touchdown.  Reggie Bush had a decent day on the ground, running for 65 yards from 14 carries.  Bush also caught 5 passes for 38 yards which gave him 103 yards from scrimmage. 

27 (26) Tennessee Titans (4-9) - The Tennessee Titans suffered a tough loss in Indianapolis on Sunday.  The Titans led by thirteen at half time and after the Colts came back in the third quarter, they took another lead in the fourth quarter.  It wasn't to be though as Adam Vinatieri kicked two late field goals to win the game for the Colts.  At 4-9 the Titans are done for the year but they will fancy their chances of picking up a win or two in their remaining fixtures.  Jake Locker threw for 262 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions.  He also led the rushers with 51 yards from 4 carries.  Titans receiver, Kenny Britt had a big day, catching 8 passes for 143 yards. 

28 (32) Philadelphia Eagles (4-9) - The Eagles won their first game since week 4 and as an Eagles fan, my first reaction was how will this affect next years draft pick?  Maybe that's not the right attitude but I genuinely believed the players had given up and were destined to finish 3-13.  This has been a bad year to be an Eagles fan and I was hoping for as early a draft pick as possible. Having said that, we got the win and there is no doubt positives to be taken from that.  Rookie quarterback, Nick Foles, had an excellent game, throwing for 381 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Foles has been improving and if we can get a decent offensive line ahead of him I think he could be the man to lead the Eagles in the future.  On Sunday, his leading receivers were Jason Avant and Jeremy Maclin.  Avant caught 7 passes for 133 yards and Maclin caught 9 passes for 104 yards and a touchdown.

29 (28) Kansas City Chiefs (2-11) - The Chiefs have dropped to 2-11 after a heavy defeat to the Cleveland Browns.  The Chiefs took the lead on the opening play of the game but the Browns scored 30 unanswered points to run out 30-7 winners.  As things stand the Chiefs would have the number one pick in the 2013 draft and unless they win in Oakland this week, I can't see them picking up anymore wins. They finish with Indianapolis and Denver so Oakland looks like their last chance of a win.  Brady Quinn threw for 159 yards and an interception.  The Chiefs star player was Jamaal Charles who ran for 165 yards and a touchdown.  

30 (30) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-11) - The Jags suffered a defeat at home to the New York Jets that sends them to 2-11 for the season.  The Jags have had a bad year and things haven't worked out for them at quarterback.  They started the year with Blaine Gabbert and then replaced him with Chad Henne.  Henne started well but has returned to the player I remember in Miami in the last two weeks.  In Sunday's game he threw for 185 yards and 2 interceptions.  Montell Owens was their best player and ran for 91 yards and a touchdown.   

31 (31) Oakland Raiders (3-10) - The Raiders suffered yet another defeat, this time at the hands of Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos.  The Raiders are 3-10 now and as things stand they would have the third pick overall in the 2013 draft.  This franchise has suffered for a long time and I would like to see them improve in the coming years as the Raiders are one of the most storied franchises in the NFL.  Carson Palmer threw for 273 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception.  His leading receiver was Rod Streater who caught 4 passes for 100 yards. 

32 (29) Arizona Cardinals (4-9) - There's not much you can say about Arizona's latest defeat.  They lost 58-0 to the Seattle Seahawks in what is now their ninth defeat in a row.  The Cardinals were terrible and I know if I was a Cardinals fan I would be questioning the players desire.  They turned the ball over a remarkable eight times in what must have been one of the most humiliating days in the history of the franchise.  John Skelton was horrible and threw for 74 yards and 4 interceptions.  He also fumbled the ball which resulted in another turnover.  Ryan Lindley came in and wasn't much better, completing less than half his passes for 59 yards and he too had a fumble which was recovered by the Seahawks.  The future looks bleak in Arizona and at this point I'd imagine even the fans want this season to be over. 

NFL POWER RANKINGS - WEEK 14

1 (1) Houston Texans (11-1) - The Texans are 11-1 after yet another win.  They have  now secured their playoff place and are two wins clear in the race for the AFC's number one seed.  The Texans took a 14-3 lead in the first quarter and never looked back, running out 24-10 winners.  Matt Schaub threw for 207 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Arian Foster was restricted to just 2.7 yards per carry but he did get a touchdown.  The Texans look like the cream of the AFC and it will take a team to be in top form to deny them their first Superbowl appearance. 

2 (2) Atlanta Falcons (11-1) - The Falcons finally beat the Saints and that result combined with Tampa Bay's loss to the Broncos means the Atlanta Falcons are the 2012 NFC South winners.  Next up for the Falcons will be sealing a first round bye in the playoffs.  With the 49ers and the Bears losing, the Falcons should seal the number one seed within the next few weeks and then they can decide if they want to rest players or not.  Matt Ryan threw for 165 yards and a touchdown.  Tony Gonzalez was the star receiver, catching 4 passes for 58 yards and a touchdown.  Michael Turner had a good day, running for 83 yards and a touchdown.

3 (3) New England Patriots (9-3) - New England sealed their fourth consecutive AFC East title with a win over the Dolphins in Miami.  The win also took the Patriots into the number two seed as they are winning the tie breaker with Baltimore and Denver.  In a tie breaker between the Ravens and the Patriots, the Ravens would come out on top but because the three of them are tied at 9-3, the Patriots take the breaker due to their conference record.  Tom Brady threw for 238 yards, a touchdown and an interception.  Wes Welker was his leading receiver, catching 12 passes for 103 yards and a touchdown.  Stevan Ridley led the rushers with 71 yards and a touchdown.

4 (6) Denver Broncos (9-3) - The Broncos clinched the AFC West title after a hard earned victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  The first half was tight and it wasn't until the third quarter that the Broncos were able to assert their dominance.  The Broncos scored three unanswered touchdowns in the third to open an 18 point gap.  The Bucs never gave up though and pushed the Broncos all the way.  The Bucs got it back to a one score game but were unable to recover the onside kick and Denver picked up the first down they needed to enable Peyton Manning to run the clock out.  Manning threw for 242 yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception.  Demaryius Thomas was the leading receiver, catching 8 passes for 99 yards and 2 touchdowns.

5 (9) Green Bay Packers (8-4) - The Packers returned to the top of the NFC North with a win over the Minnesota Vikings.  The Packers lead the way thanks to their week 2 win over the Chicago Bears but the teams are due to meet again in week 15 and I'd go as far as to say, the winners of that will win the NFC North.  Aaron Rodgers threw for 286 yards, a touchdown and an interception.  The Packers had a good day on the ground, picking up 152 yards from their rushers.

6 (4) Baltimore Ravens (9-3) - The Ravens suffered a poor defeat at home to divisional rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers.  The Steelers had Charlie Batch at quarterback so the Ravens really should have been winning this one.  Baltimore held a lead until the fourth quarter and lost the game to a field goal as time expired.  I have my doubts about this Baltimore team and the defeat means they are no longer in pole position for a first round bye in the playoffs.  Joe Flacco threw for 188 yards, a touchdown and an interception.  His leading receiver was Anquan Boldin who caught 5 passes for 81 yards and a touchdown.  Ray Rice led the rushers, picking up 78 yards from just 12 carries.     

7 (5) San Francisco 49ers (8-3-1) - The 49ers lost to the St Louis Rams on Sunday to drop to 8-3-1 for the year.  The only time the 49ers trailed in the game was when Greg Zuerlein kicked the game winning field goal with 26 seconds left of overtime.  The 49ers weren't at their best and will need to improve if they are to make an impression in the playoffs.  Colin Kaepernick threw for 208 yards and also led the rushers with 84 yards.  Michael Crabtree was the leading receiver, catching 7 passes for 101 yards. 

8 (7) Chicago Bears (8-4) - The Bears suffered an overtime defeat to the Seattle Seahawks.  The defeat combined with the Green Bay Packers winning means the Packers return to the top of the NFC North and the Bears drop to the fifth seed.  The game was tight throughout and there was never more than a touchdown between the teams.  The Bears showed great resolve when they went behind with just 24 seconds remaining.  Brandon Marshall caught a Hail Mary pass from Jay Cutler to set up a field goal to send the game to overtime.  However, the Bears never touched the ball in overtime and the Seahawks won with a Sidney Rice touchdown.  Cutler threw for 233 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Brandon Marshall caught 10 passes for 165 yards.  The Bears rushers combined for 132 yards from 32 carries but it wasn't enough to get the win.

9 (10) Indianapolis Colts (8-4) - The Colts picked up a dramatic win in one of the best finishes to an NFL game in recent seasons.  The Lions looked to have the game won and were leading 33-21 until late in the fourth quarter.  The Colts weren't beat though and scored a touchdown with 2:39 remaining.  The defense held firm and then on the final play of the game Andrew Luck found Donnie Avery who got into the end zone to seal a remarkable win for the Colts.  Andrew Luck threw for 391 yards, 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions.  TY Hilton and Donnie Avery were the best receivers for the Colts.  Hilton caught 6 passes for 100 yards and Avery caught 5 passes for 91 yards including the game winning touchdown.

10 (8) New York Giants (7-5) - The Giants never make things easy for themselves and they have done the same thing this year.  A win here and the remainder of their regular season would have been spent jockeying for position in the NFC playoff bracket.  Now they are potentially one loss away from being out of the playoffs completely.  They lost this game by a single point after Robert Griffin III led the Redskins to a fourth quarter comeback win.  Eli Manning threw for 280 yards and a touchdown.  Victor Cruz was the leading receiver, catching 5 passes for 104 yards.  Ahmed Bradshaw had a good day on the ground, rushing for 103 yards.

11 (12) Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5) - The Steelers picked up a massive win in Baltimore to keep their playoff hopes on track.  The game was as tight as it always is when these two meet.  The Steelers defense played well and managed to restrict Joe Flacco and this week Charlie Batch was up to the task, leading the Steelers to a fourth quarter comeback.  Pittsburgh tied the game midway through the fourth and then Batch led the team in a six minute drive which finished with Shaun Suisham kicking the game winning field goal as time expired.  Batch threw for 276 yards, a touchdown and an interception.  His leading receiver was Heath Miller who caught 5 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown.

12 (16) Seattle Seahawks (7-5) - The Seahawks picked up a huge win in Chicago to give their playoff hopes a massive boost.  The Seahawks deserved the win and should have sealed it before overtime.  When Golden Tate caught a 14 yard touchdown pass from Russell Wilson with just 24 seconds left, the game should have been over but the Seahawks defense switched off to allow Brandon Marshall to catch a 56 yard pass from Jay Cutler to set up a field goal as time expired to send the game to overtime.  Most teams would have struggled to come back from that but Seattle bounced back and scored a touchdown on the opening drive in overtime.  Russell Wilson threw for 293 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Sidney Rice and Golden Tate led the receivers.  Rice caught 6 passes for 99 yards and a touchdown.  Tate caught 5 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown.  Marshawn Lynch had a good day on the ground and ran for 87 yards and a touchdown.

13 (14) Cincinnati Bengals (7-5) - Cincinnati beat the Chargers, 20-13, to record their fourth consecutive victory.  The Bengals are now 7-5 and that record means they are just outside the AFC's wildcard spot based on their head to head record with Pittsburgh.  The teams still have to meet though and it looks like a winner takes all battle.  On Sunday, Andy Dalton threw for 211 yards, a touchdown and an interception.  AJ Green was once again the leading receiver, catching 9 passes for 85 yards.  BenJarvus Green-Ellis kept us his recent good form, rushing for 118 yards at 4.7 yards per carry.

14 (17) Washington Redskins (6-6) - When the Redskins drafted Robert Griffin III, I expected him to make the Redskins competitive in the future.  As far as Washington are concerned the future is now and Monday nights win over the Giants puts them right in the middle of the playoff race.  At 6-6 the Redskins have a great chance and their remaining schedule isn't too difficult.  I would expect them to beat the Browns and the Eagles and their season will be decided on results against the Ravens and the Cowboys.  Robert Griffin had a solid game in the air, throwing for 163 yards and a touchdown.  He bettered that on the ground, picking up 72 yards from his 5 carries.  Alfred Morris also picked up 124 yards on the ground and the Redskins ended up with 207 rushing yards.  Pierre Garcon was the leading receiver, catching 8 passes for 106 yards and a touchdown.

15 (13) Minnesota Vikings (6-6) - The Vikings playoff hopes suffered a blow on Sunday after a loss to the Green Bay Packers.  After going 10-0 down the Vikings came back to lead 14-10 at half time.  They were unable to score again though and the Packers ran out winners.  The defeat was harsh on Adrian Peterson who ran for 210 yards and a touchdown from his 21 carries.  If he had got some support from his quarterback they might have won.  Christian Ponder was only able to throw for 119 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions.  When a running-back runs for almost double the yards that the quarterback throws for then the team have issues.  Ponder started the season well but his form has dropped in recent weeks.

16 (15) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-6) - The Bucs are now back to 6-6 after a defeat to the Broncos in Denver.  The Bucs led at half time but conceded 21 points in the third quarter which left them trailing, 28-10.  The Bucs came back in the fourth and outscored the Broncos 13-3 but they were unable to recover an onside kick late in the kick and the Broncos picked up the win.  Josh Freeman threw for 242 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception.  His leading receiver was Mike Williams who caught 6 passes for 93 yards and a touchdown.  The Broncos done a good job of restricting Doug Martin and he was only able to get 56 yards from 18 carries.

17 (18) Dallas Cowboys (6-6) - The Dallas Cowboys are suddenly, very much alive at 6-6 after the Giants lost to the Washington Redskins to make the NFC East a three horse race.  The Cowboys done their bit by beating the Philadelphia Eagles 38-33 on Sunday night.  The Cowboys were behind as the fourth quarter started but they outscored the Eagles 21-9 to take the win.  Dallas' remaining schedule is tough but if they want to make the playoffs then they will have to win these games.  Tony Romo threw for 303 yards and 3 touchdowns.  His leading receivers were Jason Witten and Dez Bryant.  Witten caught 6 passes for 108 yards and Bryant caught 6 for 98 yards and 2 touchdowns. 

18 (11) New Orleans Saints (5-7) - The Saints have dropped to 5-7 after a defeat to the Atlanta Falcons which leaves their playoff hopes hanging by a thread.  The Saints got off to a bad start and went 17-0 behind.  They fought back well though and got the score back to 17-13 but they ran out of steam and the Falcons scored two fourth quarter field goals to seal the win.  Drew Brees was intercepted five times and his streak of 54 consecutive games throwing a touchdown pass came to an end.  He threw for 341 yards but the interceptions killed the Saints.  Lance Moore was the leading receiver and caught 7 passes for 123 yards.  Pierre Thomas led the rushers, picking up 84 yards.

19 (23) St Louis Rams (5-6-1) - The Rams kept their playoff hopes alive with an overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers.  The game was just 26 seconds away from ending in the second tie between the teams this season when Greg "the Leg" Zuerlein kicked a 54 yard field goal to win the game.  Sam Bradford threw for 221 yards.  The Rams running game was restricted to just 3.1 yards per carry.  Chris Givens was the leading receiver, catching 11 passes for 92 yards.

20 (22) Buffalo Bills (5-7) - The Bills picked up a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars to keep alive their slim playoff hopes.  The Bills finished the first half well to lead 17-10 at the half.  They then sealed the win by scoring the first 17 points in the second half.  Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for just 112 yards but made 2 touchdown passes and was also intercepted.  The Bills won the game on the ground, rushing for 232 yards.  Fred Jackson and CJ Spiller led the way with Jackson picking up 109 yards and Spiller got 77 yards and a touchdown.
 
21 (19) Detroit Lions (4-8) - The Lions suffered a heartbreaking loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday and it will almost certainly end their playoff hopes.  The Lions led for most of the game and had a twelve point lead inside the final three minutes of the game.  The Colts got a touchdown to reduce the arrears to five and then scored another touchdown as time expired to win the game.  Matthew Stafford threw for 313 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception.  Calvin Johnson was his leading receiver and caught 13 passes for 171 yards and a touchdown.  Joique Bell was the leading rusher and picked up 81 yards from just 7 carries.

22 (20) Miami Dolphins (5-7) - Miami's playoff hopes took a near fatal blow on Sunday after a defeat to the Patriots and wins for Indianapolis, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati who are all ahead of them in the wildcard race.  The Dolphins kept the game close but were never able to reduce the arrears to less than a touchdown.  The Dolphins will now require a minor miracle to see any action beyond week 17.  Ryan Tannehill threw for 186 yards and also picked up a rushing touchdown.  Brian Hartline was the leading receiver and caught 5 passes for 84 yards.  Reggie Bush had a decent game, running for 64 yards from 15 carries.

23 (26) New York Jets (5-7) - The Jets picked up a narrow win over the Arizona Cardinals and the moment I've been waiting for all season finally happened.  Mark Sanchez was having yet another nightmare and Rex Ryan finally looked to his backup.  With Tim Tebow injured it was Greg McElroy who came in.  McElroy done well, completing 5 of 7 passes for 29 yards and the game winning touchdown.  Rex Ryan now has a big decision to make about the quarterback situation and in my opinion as long as he doesn't pick Mark Sanchez he will have made the right choice.  The Jets had a good day on the ground and picked up 177 yards, 104 of which were from Shonn Greene.

24 (25) Cleveland Browns (4-8) - Cleveland picked up their first road win of the season in Oakland on Sunday after a 20-17 win over the Raiders.  The Browns are now 4-8 and are showing signs of progress.  They have been a losing franchise for a long time but they have a few good players and a solid draft and one or two free agent signings could see them push for a wildcard place within the next few seasons.  Brandon Weeden threw for 364 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions.  Josh Gordon was the leading receiver, catching 6 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown.  Trent Richardson ran for 72 yards and a touchdown.

25 (21) San Diego Chargers (4-8) - The San Diego Chargers were beaten again, this time by the Cincinnati Bengals.  The defeat leaves them almost definitely out of the playoffs and stretches their losing streak to four games.  The Chargers led deep into the fourth quarter but the Bengals scored a touchdown with 4:11 left and followed it up with a field goal to seal the win.  Philip Rivers threw for 280 yards and an interception.  His leading receiver was Danario Alexander who caught 6 passes for 102 yards.  the Chargers picked up 46 yards from 11 carries so the play calling has to be questioned, especially as the game was so close.

26 (24) Tennessee Titans (4-8) - The Titans lost to divisional rivals, the Houston Texans and it looks to have killed off their playoff hopes.  The game was never really tight and the Texans had the game wrapped up from early on.  Jake Locker didn't help things for his team by throwing 3 interceptions.  Locker threw for 309 yards and a touchdown but he completed less than 50% of his passes and the 3 interceptions were costly.  Chris Johnson only got 13 carries and ran for 51 yards.  Nate Washington was the leading receiver and caught 3 passes for 96 yards.

27 (27) Carolina Panthers (3-9) - The Panthers lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in a game between two of the NFL's weakest teams.  The game was overshadowed by the tragic events on Saturday when a Chiefs player killed his girlfriend and then himself.  Cam Newton threw for 232 yards and 3 touchdowns.  Steve Smith was the leading receiver and caught 5 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown.  The Panthers also done well on tge ground, rushing for 165 yards but fate intervened and the Chiefs got the win. 

28 (31) Kansas City Chiefs (2-10) - The Chiefs picked up the win in a game that will be remembered more for the tragic events of twenty-four hours earlier.  Chiefs linebacker, Jovan Belcher murdered his girlfriend before turning the gun on himself at the teams practice facility.  The Chiefs players were probably still in shock and winning Sunday's game was a remarkable achievement.  My thoughts and prayers go the families of Jovan Belcher and Kasandra Perkins and especially baby Zoey who will never know her mum and dad.  In the game, Brady Quinn threw for 201 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Jamaal Charles had a huge day on the ground, rushing for 127 yards. 

29 (28) Arizona Cardinals (4-8) - The Cards have now lost eight in a row after losing to the New York Jets.  It was a poor game and the Cardinals only picked up 137 yards of offense.  The Cardinals have suffered a dramatic decline since their 4-0 start and have the look of a team who are ready for the end of the season and don't have to endure the misery of playing football every day.  Ryan Lindley completed less than a third of his passes for just 72 yards and an interception.  Things are looking bleak for the Cardinals and changes will be required if they want to become a playoff contender again.

30 (29) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-10) - The Jaguars were unable to pick up back to back wins and slumped to a 34-18 defeat in Buffalo.  The Jags took a 10-7 lead late in the second quarter but the Bills scored 27 unanswered points before Cecil Shorts III got a consolatory touchdown in the fourth quarter.  Chad Henne returned to being the quarterback I remember in Miami, completing 18 of 41 passes for 208 yards, a touchdown and an interception.  Shorts III was the leading receiver, catching 7 passes fir 77 yards and a touchdown.  The Jags rushers were restricted to just 50 yards from 18 carries.

31 (30) Oakland Raiders (3-9) - The Oakland Raiders suffered another defeat to drop to 3-9 for the season and they will miss the playoffs for the tenth year in a row.  Progress had been made as they finished 8-8 for the last two seasons but they are a bad team and it looks like it's back to the drawing board again.  Carson Palmer threw for 351 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception.  Tight end, Brandon Myers, led the receivers, catching 14 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown.  The running game was having some success and the Raiders averaged 5 yards per carry.  However, only the coach can explain why they only ran the ball 17 times.

32 (32) Philadelphia Eagles (3-9) - So the Eagles lost again.  Anyone care?  Not me to be honest.  The players jacked this season in a long time ago so I'm not going to get myself upset over another loss.  I'm more concerned about the future.  I want Reid to go and would like to see a complete overhaul at the franchise from top to bottom.  My hopes for the remainder of the year are for the Eagles to get as high a draft pick as we can and to find out who the next head coach will be as soon as possible.  This is an exciting time for me as I've never been here before as an Eagles fan.  We have always had Andy Reid and we have almost always been competitive.  I've been lucky in my years of following the Eagles that I've not experienced the bad until now.  However, I realise that American sports are designed in such a way that teams will go through good cycles and bad cycles and if I'm honest it's a big reason why I regard American Football as the best sport in the world.