Superbowl XLVII - Baltimore Ravens 34-31 San Francisco 49ers

There we have it.  Superbowl XLVII is in the books and it was the Baltimore Ravens who picked up the Lombardi Trophy after another fantastic game.  The game looked over when Jacoby Jones scored a touchdown after a 108 yard kick off return to open the second half.  It looked like something dramatic and crazy would have to happen to allow the 49ers to get back into the game.  Something dramatic and crazy like a power cut?  Obviously we can't say for definite that it changed the game but it certainly looked like the 49ers dealt with it better and came out flying after the interruption.

Up until then it had been all Baltimore and they led 28-6 when one half of the stadium was plunged into darkness.  The Ravens were well on top on both sides of the ball and had scored four touchdowns while restricting the 49ers to just two field goals.  After the break the 49ers came back with a bang and scored seventeen unanswered points to reduce the gap to five points at the end of the third quarter.  The Ravens responded with a field goal but the 49ers scored a touchdown to reduce the deficit to two points.  They decided to go for the two point conversion to level the game but the Ravens ran a blitz and the attempt failed.  In my opinion the Ravens had a bit of luck as it looked like there was an offside on the play.  As it was the officials missed it and the Ravens went on a clock killing, 10 play drive that took 5:38 off the clock.  The drive ended with a Ravens field goal that left the score at 34-29 with 4:19 remaining.  The 49ers got down to work and made good progress down the field.  After five plays the 49ers had first and goal on the Baltimore seven yard line and looked sure to score.  They tried a run play on first down that got the ball to the five and took the game to the two minute warning.  Two incompletions later and the ball was still on the five as the 49ers lined up for fourth down.  Kaepernick got a pass off and it seemed clear to everyone watching that Michael Crabtree was held but bizarrely the officials let the play go. 

The Ravens now had the ball with 1:46 left on the clock.  San Francisco had one timeout left after wasting their second one on the previous drive when it looked as though they were about to be hit with a delay of game penalty.  Due to the lack of timeouts, the Ravens were able to run the ball on the first three downs which left just twelve seconds on the clock.  Instead of punting from the back of the endzone they very cleverly took an intentional safety which allowed them to run eight seconds off the clock and then punt from their own twenty which made things a lot more difficult for the 49ers.  As it was Sam Koch hit a booming kick right down the field which Ted Ginn Jr managed to get back to midfield but after breaking a few tackles he was eventually brought down which set off the purple ticker tape much to the delight of everyone involved with the Baltimore Ravens. 

It's hard to take the victory away from the Ravens but I would point to two dubious calls late in the game which may have changed the outcome.  However, it wasn't to be and in a few years time it will only be the San Francisco 49ers fans who remember those bad calls and everyone else will remember that Joe Flacco, Ray Lewis, John Harbaugh and the Baltimore Ravens won Superbowl XLVII. 

Once again, the most important statistic in football reared it's head and the team who lost the turnovers battle, lost the game.  The Baltimore Ravens turned the ball over once and the 49ers turned it over twice.  The 49ers went close to beating that stat but not close enough and in each of this years eleven playoff games, the winner of the turnover battle was the winner of the game.  If that doesn't underline how important it is to take care of the football, then nothing will. 

The San Francisco 49ers put together a good run this year and got an extra step closer to success but they will no doubt be developing a few scars after last years defeat in the NFC title game and this years Superbowl loss.  I imagine next seasons mantra will be, "one more win" or something to that effect.  The 49ers deserve a lot of credit for their performances in the last two years but as an Eagles fan I know as well as anyone that when you make it to these games, you have to take advantage of it as it can all go very wrong, very quickly. 

In the game itself, Colin Kaepernick finished with 302 yards, a touchdown and an interception.  On the ground he ran for 62 yards and a touchdown.  Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis were his leading receivers.  Crabtree caught 5 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown.  Davis caught 6 passes for 104 yards.  Frank Gore also had a good game on the ground, rushing for 110 yards and a touchdown. 

The Ravens struggled on the ground and averaged just 2.7 yards per carry.  Ray Rice picked up 59 yards from 20 carries and Bernard Pierce ran for 33 yards from 12 carries.  Anquan Boldin was their leading receiver, catching 6 passes for 104 yards and a touchdown.  Jacoby Jones also had a great day, catching a 56 yard touchdown pass and he also returned a kickoff for a 108 yard touchdown.  All those players played well but the MVP for this game and right through the playoffs was Joe Flacco.  Flacco completed two thirds of his passes for 287 yards and 3 touchdowns.  He has been outstanding throughout and nobody deserves more credit for this Superbowl win than Joe Flacco.  He has been a bit of a joke figure throughout his career but eleven touchdowns and no interceptions on the way to a Superbowl victory is the best way anyone can stick two fingers up to their critics.  Flacco will now get a huge contract with the Ravens and if he can carry his current form into next season then there's no doubt that Flacco will be in that elite bracket with other Superbowl champions like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers. 

No Superbowl review would be complete without mentioning the two stories that dominated the build up to the big game, Ray Lewis' retirement and the battle of the Harbaugh brothers.  Ray Lewis got the end to his hall of fame career that he could only have dreamt of.  No professional sports man fits the marmite tag more than Lewis.  Some hate him, some love him but nobody can deny that on the field he has been a pleasure to watch over the years and will go down as one of the best linebackers in the games illustrious history. 

The other story was the amazing circumstances that led to two brothers standing on opposing sidelines.  Jim and John Harbaugh have proven themselves to be excellent coaches in the NFL and with them both being in the early stages of their careers, this may not be the last time that they go head to head in the Superbowl.  It is an amazing story though and when you consider the amount of coaches at every NFL franchise and throughout college football it is remarkable that they have been able to work their way up the coaching ranks to be the head coaches in a Superbowl.  Their family will be extremely proud of their achievements but at the same time it will also have been an extremely difficult time for them.  In the end John is the brother who will be getting fitted for a Superbowl ring and as happy an occasion as that is, there will always be the sadness that it came at Jim's expense.  The brothers seem solid though and I've no doubt that nothing would please John more than to see his younger brother follow in his footsteps and get his ring in the next few years. 

49ers Offensive Star : Frank Gore - Gore just edges Kaepernick for me.  His 5.8 yards per carry and a touchdown was a good return and Kaepernick gets a negative mark for what was a very poor and costly interception.
49ers Defensive Star : NaVorro Bowman - 9 tackles including 2 for a loss and 2 hits on Joe Flacco were enough to earn Bowman this prize but unfortunately for him, it wasn't enough to win the game for the 49ers.
Ravens Offensive Star : Joe Flacco - Who else but the Superbowl's MVP?  Flacco has been excellent throughout and although he was run close by Jacoby Jones, he deserves it for his play right through the playoffs.
Ravens Defensive Star : Corey Graham - This guy has shown himself to be a top class cornerback in this playoff run and he was on top of his game last night.  He made 6 tackles but more importantly he made 2 crucial pass deflections that had a big impact on the result. 


NFL PLAYOFF CHALLENGE AND PICKS

Big congratulations to Edward McMullan whose Mallbrohimovic team won the blog's league on NFL.com.  Edward is a New York Giants fan but we won't hold that against him.  My own challenge went much the same way as my predictions.  After a 4-0 start and getting all eight of my team through the wildcard round, things took a bad turn for me.  After that I went 2-5 to finish 6-5 for the playoffs and I never managed to pick one player who won a divisional round match or a conference championship match.  It wasn't to be for me and it looks like I will have to abandon my gung ho style and take a safer approach in next years competition. 


THANK YOU

Finally, I'd like to give a big thanks to everyone who has read the blog over the course of the season.  It has had thousands of hits and it makes all the time I have put into it worthwhile.  Next up for me is the birth of my third child.  My wife is due in the next few days and fingers crossed all goes well.  I will most likely take a short break when that happens but rest assured I will be back posting within a few weeks although I'm not sure what subject it will be on.  I've no doubt, I'll have plenty to say on Free Agency, the NFL Draft and I will most definitely be back posting on the 2013 NFL season in September where I WILL finish with a better record than I did this year.  Once again thanks and in the mean time feel free to follow me on Twitter.  https://twitter.com/gjsportsblog

NFL DIVISIONAL WEEKEND REVIEW

Baltimore Ravens 38-35 Denver Broncos (2nd OT)

The Baltimore Ravens pulled off the biggest surprise of the playoffs so far by beating the Denver Broncos at Mile High.  The game was tight all the way and there was never more than a touchdown between the teams.  Denver led for most of the game but the Ravens kept coming back at them.  Throughout the game Denver led 7-0, 21-14, 28-21 and 35-28 but they were unable to hang onto those leads and it was the Ravens who had the last laugh winning with a field goal in the second period of overtime. 

Peyton Manning was poor by his usual high standards.  He completed just 28 of his 43 passes for 290 yards, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.  He also fumbled the ball which was recovered by the Ravens.  When you turn the ball over three times you are asking for trouble and unfortunately for the Broncos it has cost them their shot at an AFC Championship game.  All three turnovers led to points.  The first was a pick six, the next was a fumble which handed Baltimore the ball in Denver territory and the third one was the interception that led to the game winning field goal.  Those turnovers cost the Broncos 17 points and possibly more as they may have scored themselves on those drives. 

The Broncos struggled with their running game all day and that was another factor in the defeat.  They ran the ball 41 times but picked up just 125 yards.  That's 3 yards per carry and is simply not good enough in the NFL.  The Broncos offense had an off day and still managed to put 35 points on the board which goes to show how big a win this was for the Ravens. 

The Ravens showed a lot of character in this game.  As I have already mentioned, they spent a lot of the game behind but they didn't let it phase them and they came back time and time again.  The Broncos would have been starting to think they had the game won at 3rd and 3 with the ball on the Ravens 30 yard line but the Ravens had other ideas.  Joe Flacco unleashed a pass down field for Jacoby Jones to score the touchdown that took the game to overtime.  The Ravens defense stepped up in overtime and did not allow the Broncos to cross midfield and when their chance came they took it.  Corey Graham intercepted a Manning pass which allowed the Ravens to start from the Denver 45.  Ray Rice was able to run the ball down the field to set up the game winning field goal from Justin Tucker. 

The Ravens offense had a good day with Joe Flacco and Ray Rice particularly impressive.  Flacco threw for 331 yards and 3 touchdowns.  Rice picked up 131 yards and a touchdown from his 30 carries.  Torrey Smith also had a good game, catching 3 passes for 98 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Baltimore now head to New England to take on the Patriots in a repeat of last year's AFC Championship game.  On that occasion, the Patriots came out on top by a field goal and it promises to be another close battle between two teams who have shown themselves to be the cream of the AFC.

Ravens Offensive Star : Ray Rice - Flacco's completion percentage let's him down so I am siding with Rice who took charge when the game was on the line and got the Ravens into a position where they could kick a field goal.
Ravens Defensive Star : Corey Graham - Ray Lewis had another good game, making 17 tackles but I have to give it to Graham who made two huge interceptions, 8 tackles and 3 pass deflections.  Lewis was good but Graham was the difference.
Broncos Offensive Star : Eric Decker - A lot of guys were below par for the Broncos but Decker had a decent game, catching 6 passes for 84 yards.
Broncos Defensive Star : Von Miller - Again there was nothing exceptional but Miller led the way with 9 tackles, half a sack and 2 hits on the quarterback.



Green Bay Packers 31-45 San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers made their second consecutive NFC Championship game after a good win over the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night.  The game was close until the fourth quarter.  The 49ers entered the fourth with a seven point lead and extended that to fourteen on the opening play of the quarter before sealing the win with three and a half minutes to go.  The Packers responded with a touchdown but it was too little too late to stop the 49ers literally running away with the win.

The 49ers were deserving winners and one look at the statistics underlines how impressive they were.  In all of the key areas they were better than Green Bay and when that happens there's not much anyone can do.  They completely dominated time of possession, having the ball for just over 38 minutes.  They had 200 yards of total offense more than the Packers and they were also better in the most important stat in football, turnovers.  The 49ers turned the ball over once and the Packers turned it over twice.  The passing numbers were similar with the 49ers throwing for just 8 more yards than the Packers but the big difference was on the ground where the 49ers totalled 323 yards.

Aaron Rodgers didn't have his best game of the season, completing 26 of 39 passes for 257 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception.  His interception was punished by the 49ers who picked up a touchdown from the following drive.  Green Bay's other turnover also led to a touchdown, when Jeremy Ross muffed a punt return which was recovered by the 49ers at the Green Bay 9 yard line.  In a game that was so tight for such a long time it would have to be questioned why the Packers didn't run the ball more often as they were picking up some good yards on the ground.  DuJuan Harris ran for 53 yards and a touchdown from his 11 carries and the Packers ground game ended up picking up 6.5 yards per carry.  If they had put a bit more faith in it, the result may have been different.

For the 49ers, Colin Kaepernick and Frank Gore were able to run the ball at will and beat up on the Packers defense.  Kaepernick's numbers weren't that great in the air but he was very effective on the ground.  He completed just 17 of his 31 pass attempts for 263 yards, 2 touchdowns and a pick six.  However, he was able to make amends by rushing for 181 yards and 2 touchdowns from his 16 carries.  He was in good company though and Frank Gore ran for 119 yards and a touchdown from his 23 carries.  Gore also caught 2 passes for 48 yards which meant he was the 49ers second best receiver on the day.  Michael Crabtree was the only one who put up better numbers, catching 9 passes for 119 yards and 2 touchdowns. 

The 49ers now head to Atlanta to take part in the NFC Championship game and they will be hoping for a better result than last year.  In last year's NFC title game, the 49ers lost at home to the New York Giants courtesy of a Lawrence Tynes field goal in overtime.  On paper the game looks like a cracker and I for one find it hard to make a call on who I think will win.

Packers Offensive Star : DuJuan Harris - Harris picked up 64 yards from his 11 touches of the ball.
Packers Defensive Star : Sam Shieds - Shields had a pick six, 4 tackles and 2 pass deflections.
49ers Offensive Star : Colin Kaepernick - Kaepernick threw for 263 yards, two touchdowns and ran for 181 yards and 2 more touchdowns so there could only be one winner.
49ers Defensive Star : Patrick Willis - Willis picked up 7 tackles, one for a loss and a sack to help the 49ers pick up the win. 



Seattle Seahawks 28-30 Atlanta Falcons
This will go down as one of the best games I have ever saw.  I'm not even a fan of either team and I was completely glued to my television and my nerves were shattered.  As an NFL fan living in Ireland I often hear the old rubbish about how can you watch that, it's so slow, it's too stop start.  If you know anyone who isn't a fan of the NFL, show them a video of this game.  This is why American Football is my favourite sport.  Credit to both teams, it was an absolute pleasure to watch.

In the first half the game looked over.  The Falcons led 20-0 at half-time and looked very comfortable.  The Seahawks got it back to 20-7 with a touchdown on the first drive of the second half but the Falcons responded with a touchdown on the next drive to extend the lead to 27-7.  With just over seventeen minutes remaining in the game and a twenty point gap between the sides the game looked dead but thankfully for us neutrals, nobody told the Seahawks. 

They got a quick touchdown early in the fourth quarter and then intercepted Matt Ryan on the next drive.  Four plays later, they were in the end zone again and all of a sudden the gap was reduced to six points with over nine minutes on the clock.  The next three drives never came to much and with the game still hanging in the balance, Seattle's offense came on the field with exactly three minutes remaining and were able to move the ball down the field and eventually into the end zone to take a one point lead with just 31 seconds remaining. 

At this point I was fearing for Matt Ryan's career.  The guy was already carrying a lot of baggage thanks to his 0-3 record in the playoffs but a defeat after leading by twenty points in the fourth quarter might just leave a deep enough scar to finish him off.  However, they don't call him Matty Ice for nothing.  He took to the field and made two big completions that got the Falcons down to the Seattle 31 yard line.  Matt Bryant came onto the field and kicked a 49 yard field goal to put the Falcons back in the lead.  Now the game had to be over?  No, not quite.  For some bizarre reason Matt Bosher tried an onside kick which the Seahawks recovered at their own 46 yard line.  Seattle made a quick completion to get them a little further up the field so they could attempt an all or nothing Hail Mary as time was expiring.  Unfortunately for the Seahawks, Russell Wilson made the pass a little earlier than they would have liked and Julio Jones was able to make the interception that won the game for the Falcons. 

Russell Wilson ended the game with good numbers.  He completed 24 of his 36 passes for 385 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception.  Wilson also led the running game with 60 yards and a touchdown from his 7 carries.  Marshawn Lynch had a disappointing day on the ground, rushing for 46 yards and a touchdown at 2.9 yards per carry.  Seattle's leading receivers were Zach Miller and Golden Tate.  Miller made 8 catches for 142 yards and a touchdown.  Tate caught 6 passes for 103 yards and a touchdown.

Matt Ryan ended the game with mixed numbers.  He completed 24 of his 35 passes for 250 yards, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.  There will be a lot of things he won't be happy with but ultimately when the game was on the line, he passed the test.  His leading receiver was Roddy White who caught 5 passes for 76 yards and a touchdown.  The biggest surprise in this game was the success the Falcons had on the ground.  Prior to the game everyone was talking about the Falcons passing game but they ended up doing their best work on the ground.  Michael Turner picked up 98 yards from 14 carries and Jacquizz Rodgers had 64 yards from 10 carries.  The Falcons averaged 6.4 yards per carry which was a statistic I don't think anyone saw coming.

The defeat will no doubt have an impact on the Seahawks but they are a young team and from what I saw this season, they will be back again.  However, if the Falcons had lost the game I think the scars would have been pretty deep for a few players and the franchise may well have made some changes.  Luckily for them, they go the win and can look forward to hosting an NFC Championship game on Sunday.

Seahawks Offensive Star : Russell Wilson - Wilson accounted for 445 yards of offense and three touchdowns but it was too little, too late.
Seahawks Defensive Star : Bobby Wagner - Wagner picked up an interception, 8 tackles and a pass deflection.
Falcons Offensive Star : Michael Turner - Turner stepped up this week and averaged 7 yards per carry. 
Falcons Defensive Star : Jonathan Babineaux - 3 tackles, one for a loss, a sack, 2 hits on the quarterback and a fumble recovery for the defensive tackle.



Houston Texans 28-41 New England Patriots
The fact that this game which had 69 points in it was the third highest scoring and the least entertaining game of the weekend goes to show what a special weekend we just had in the NFL.  The eight teams who took part in the divisional round of the playoffs brought everything they had and left it all on the field.  For myself and fans of all twenty-four neutral franchises, it was an excellent and entertaining weekend. 

There wasn't anything wrong with this game and it was quite entertaining but for the most part it lacked the drama that the other three games had.  In the first half the game looked to be getting away from the Texans but they managed to score ten points in the last 1:15 of the half to bring the scoreline to within four points.  They were unable to keep that momentum going however and the Patriots scored two unanswered touchdowns in the third quarter and then another at the start of the fourth to stretch the lead to twenty-five points.  The Texans had one last charge and got two quick touchdowns, the second also saw them successfully go for a two point conversion.  By this stage the lead was reduced to ten points with over five minutes remaining.  The Texans tried the onside kick which they had a chance of recovering but they failed to do so and from then the Patriots offense went on a clock killing drive which ended in a field goal.  By the time the Texans got the ball back they were thirteen behind with just 1:14 on the clock and no timeouts.  They were unable to get another score and once again it's the Patriots who will play the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC title game.

Statistically, the game was very tight and if anything the Texans had the better in quite a few categories although the game never really felt like that was the case.  The one area were they did come second best was turnovers.  They had one turnover which isn't the end of the world but it was one more than the Patriots had and as it happens, it was a costly one.  The Texans were in field goal range and Matt Schaub threw a pick to Rob Ninkovich.  What made matters even worse was that six plays later the Patriots were celebrating a touchdown.  If you take that seven off the Pats and say the Texans had got a touchdown of their own.  That's a fourteen point swing and suddenly it's Houston hosting next week's AFC Championship game. 

Matt Schaub completed 34 of his 51 passes for 343 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception.  Once again his go to guys were Andre Johnson and Owen Daniels.  Johnson caught 8 passes for 95 yards and Daniels caught 9 passes for 81 yards.  Arian Foster also had a good game and ended up with 153 yards from scrimmage.  He ran for 90 yards and a touchdown and also caught 7 passes for 63 yards and a touchdown. 

Tom Brady completed 25 of his 40 passes for 344 yards and 3 touchdowns.  Brady targeted Wes Welker, Aaron Hernandez and Shane Vereen.  Welker caught 8 passes for 131 yards, Hernandez caught 6 passes for 85 yards and Shane Vereen caught 5 passes for 83 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Vereen also got a touchdown on the ground to end with 124 yards from scrimmage and 3 touchdowns.  Stevan Ridley was the leading rusher, picking up 82 yards and a touchdown. 

New England will now host this year's AFC Championship game which will be a repeat of last year's game.  On that occasion the Patriots came out on top and as a neutral it would delight me equally to see either Tom Brady or Ray Lewis take to the field in New Orleans for Superbowl XLVII.

Texans Offensive Star : Arian Foster - Two touchdowns and 153 yards from scrimmage but it still wasn't enough for the Texans.
Texans Defensive Star : Bradie James - 11 tackles and one for a loss from the linebacker wasn't enough to stop the Patriots.
Patriots Offensive Star : Shane Vereen - The running-back had a career day by scoring more touchdowns on Sunday than he had so far in his career.
Patriots Defensive Star : Rob Ninkovich - 4 tackles, one for a loss, 2 pass deflections, a quarterback hit and an interception from the linebacker.    

NFL SATURDAY WILDCARD GAMES REVIEW

Cincinnati Bengals 13-19 Houston Texans

The Texans set up a divisional round meeting with the New England Patriots by beating the Cincinnati Bengals in Saturday's opening playoff clash.  Houston weren't impressive however and unless they can finish off their drives, they will be leaving Foxboro disappointed.  The Texans had no problems moving the football but once they got into Cincinnati territory they struggled and ended up kicking four field goals.  They had 420 yards of offense and just 19 points to show for it which isn't good enough.  Field goals won't beat Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. 

The Bengals Superbowl dreams have now been ended in Houston for the second year in a row and to be honest the final score flattered them.  They were very poor in the first half but thanks to a good interception from Leon Hall, they went into the locker room trailing by just two points.  They showed a little more in the second half and managed to drive up the field on two occasions to score field goals from 34 and 47 yards but they always looked second best and if they had of stole the game at the end it would have been a huge injustice. 

Andy Dalton had a poor game, completing just 14 of his 30 passes for 127 yards and an interception.  He was also sacked twice.  The Bengals were having some joy running the ball.  BenJarvus Green-Ellis picked up 63 yards from just 11 carries.  That equates to 5.7 yards per carry and in a game that was decided by less than a touchdown it would have to be asked why he wasn't given more carries.  After a quiet first half AJ Green got involved in the second half and ended the game with 5 catches for 80 yards but it wasn't enough and the Bengals will have to come back again next year and have another go at winning a playoff game.

Matt Schaub had a decent game apart from the pick six in the first half.  He ended up completing 29 of his 38 passes for 262 yards and the interception.  There's still something about him though and when I watch him I always feel like a mistake is just waiting to happen.  He doesn't inspire confidence and I can't see him leading the team to a Superbowl.  Once again Arian Foster was the offensive star for the Texans and he had a very busy day.  Foster carried the ball 32 times for 140 yards and a touchdown.  He also caught eight passes for 34 yards to give him 174 yards from scrimmage.  Foster caught and carried the ball forty times and there's no way he can keep that up right to the Superbowl so if the Texans are going to go the distance, they will have to get him some help.  Owen Daniels and Andre Johnson also had decent games.  Daniels caught 9 passes for 91 yards and Johnson caught 4 passes for 62 yards. 

On the day, the Texans will be delighted to have got the job done but there is a lot of room for improvement and if they can't fix their issues by next week it will be another divisional round exit for this Texans team. 

Bengals Offensive Star : BenJarvus Green-Ellis - He averaged 5.7 yards per carry on the ground and should have saw more action.  I know he was carrying an injury but if you can't push yourself that bit extra in the playoffs then when can you?
Bengals Defensive Star : Reggie Nelson - He was the one Bengal who troubled the Texans.  He picked up 10 tackles, 2 for a loss and also got a hit on the quarterback.
Texans Offensive Star : Arian Foster - Who else?  40 touches, 174 yards and a touchdown from scrimmage.  It was a great performance from the veteran.
Texans Defensive Star : Johnathan Joseph - It was either him or JJ Watt but I sided with Joseph as not only did he get 5 tackles, broke up two passes and picked up an interception but he did all that whilst keeping AJ Green relatively quiet. 



Minnesota Vikings 10-24 Green Bay Packers

The Packers started their playoff campaign with a comfortable win over the Minnesota Vikings.  The Packers outplayed the Vikings in all areas and fully deserved their win.  The Vikings were dealt a blow before kick off when Christian Ponder was ruled out with a triceps injury.  His backup, Joe Webb struggled and had no answer to the Packers defense.

The Vikings started the game well and with the dual threat of Webb and Adrian Peterson, they were able to run the ball at will and kicked a field goal on their opening drive.  it was all downhill from there though and the next time the Vikings scored was late in the fourth quarter and the game was well out of their reach by that stage.  The Packers had scored 24 points in between the Vikings scores and Minnesota can have no complaints, they simply lost to a better team.

The running game for the Vikings was fine.  Peterson and Webb combined for 167 yards on the ground at 5.8 yards per carry.  The problem for the Vikings was when they had to let Webb throw the ball.  His numbers were terrible and the crazy thing is, they actually flattered his performance.  He completed just 11 of 30 passes for 180 yards, a touchdown and an interception.  Those numbers include a fifty yard touchdown pass, a 30 yard completion and a 23 yard completion at the end of the game with the Vikings well and truly beat.  He was also lucky to get away with just the one interception as he threw a few dodgy passes and in particular one when he was about to get sacked and he just tossed the ball in the air towards the Packers defensive line.  He got away with it but he was very fortunate.  Adrian Peterson ended the game with 99 yards on the ground and also caught a pass for 8 yards.  Michael Jenkins was the leading receiver, catching 3 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown.

The Packers had a good game on both sides of the ball and were very comfortable winners in the end.  Aaron Rodgers threw for 274 yards and a touchdown.  The running game wasn't great but they did manage to pick up the yards when required.  DuJuan Harris and John Kuhn both picked up rushing touchdowns but it was in the air that the majority of the damage was done.  One of the Packers strengths is that Aaron Rodgers has so many options to choose from and that was underlined by the fact that ten different Packers caught a pass in the game.  Running-back, DuJuan Harris didn't have a huge game on the ground, rushing for 47 yards from 17 carries but he was very effective as a receiver, catching 5 passes for 53 yards to give him 100 yards from scrimmage. 

The Packers seem to be hitting form at the right time and I cannot wait for them to play the 49ers next week.  These two met in the first game of the season.  The 49ers won in Green Bay on that occasion.  In my opinion, the Packers are a better team now than they were then and the 49ers don't look as strong but next weeks game is in San Francisco, so it is very much in the balance.

Vikings Offensive Star : Adrian Peterson - He was the one bright spark but he didn't have much help.  The final numbers show Michael Jenkins played well but his good work came when the game was over as a contest.
Vikings Defensive Star : Chad Greenway - The linebacker tried his best but his 11 tackles weren't enough to stop a rampant Green Bay offense.
Packers Offensive Star : Aaron Rodgers - He has more to give but he done what he had to and led his team to the next round with the minimum of fuss.
Packers Defensive Star : Clay Matthews - Matthews had an excellent game picking up 4 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 hits on the quarterback and he also recovered the ball which he had knocked out of Webb's hands for a fumble. 

NFL PLAYOFFS - Sunday's Wildcard Games

Indianapolis Colts (11-5) @ Baltimore Ravens (10-6)

Sunday's AFC wildcard game is similar to Saturday's as the wild card team come into it in better form.  The Colts have won five of their last six games and the Ravens have only won one of their last five. 

Indianapolis did finish with a better record than the Ravens this season but the Texans were even better and won the AFC South which meant the Colts had to rely on a wildcard.  It has been a remarkable turnaround from the Colts after they finished last year as the worst team in the NFL.  They got rid of a lot of their older players last year and brought in youngsters in an attempt to build for the future.  I'm sure when they were building this team they would have set a target of a playoff place in two or three years time but they have managed to get their within a year and the future looks bright for the Colts and rookie quarterback, Andrew Luck. 

The Colts were very good at home, winning seven games and they managed to finish .500 on the road to secure the number five seed in the AFC.  The Colts had a decent record against playoff teams in the regular season, winning three of their five games.  The one worry for the Colts is that all three wins came at home and their two defeats came on the road.  The problem for the Colts is they hold the fifth seed so they will have to go on the road in the playoffs and will find it difficult. 

The Colts were all about Andrew Luck.  Everything good that they done, involved the rookie.  Their passing game was ranked 7th in the NFL.  They were in the bottom half in all the other statistics.  Their running game was 22nd, their pass defense was 21st and their run defense was 29th.  Andrew Luck didn't even get much help from his offensive line as they allowed 41 sacks which was the 10th worst record in the league.  This resulted in turnovers and the Colts gave the ball away 27 times.  The defense wasn't great either and they only managed to force 15 turnovers all year and sack the opponents quarterback 32 times. 

The Ravens are in poor form and a few weeks ago they were in the race to earn a bye in the wildcard round but four defeats in five games has saw them drop to the AFC's fourth seed.  The Ravens finished the season with a 10-6 record, which saw them win six at home and four on the road.  Against playoff teams they have gone 2-3.  Both of their wins came at home and they went 0-2 on the road. 

This Ravens team hasn't been great all season and in my opinion they are underusing Ray Rice.  Rice is an elite running-back but I don't think he got a big enough workload in the regular season.  Having said that, the Ravens have made it to the playoffs without pushing him too hard and I expect him to be busy on Sunday.  Rice is built to play playoff football and if the Ravens are to do well, they will have to give him as much of the ball as they can. 

The Ravens biggest strength this year was taking care of the football.  They turned the ball over on 16 occasions which is tied for the second best record in the league.  The Ravens defense isn't as strong as it has been in recent seasons.  They rank 17th against the pass and 20th against the run.  They have produced 37 sacks this year which is 15th in the league.  In recent years the Ravens have always had a tough defense but this particular unit isn't quite at the high level we are used to seeing from Ravens defenses. 

Prediction - This will be a tight game between two sides who regardless of Sunday's results, I can't see progressing beyond the divisional round.  I think these are the weakest sides in the AFC playoffs and would take any of the other four teams to beat them.  The Colts are quite one dimensional and will throw the ball.  They aren't great at protecting their quarterback but then again the Ravens haven't been known for their pass rush this year.  My worry for the Colts is turnovers.  Andrew Luck has thrown 18 interceptions this year and it is a massive problem for the Colts.  I have gone on about teams taking care of the football all year and while I was looking at the statistics during the week I found a very interesting one.  In both the AFC and the NFC, the five teams who have turned the ball over the least have reached the playoffs.  That's five out of the six teams in each Conference which only underlines how important it is to take care of the football in the NFL.  For those interested, the two teams who made the playoffs despite being outside the top five in this category were the Colts and the Vikings.  If I was coaching the Ravens my game plan would be simple.  Give the ball to Ray Rice and let him run all over the 29th run defense in the league.  To this point John Harbaugh hasn't given Rice a huge workload but I think he will give him the ball in this game and it will lead to a Baltimore win. 



Seattle Seahawks (11-5) @ Washington Redskins (10-6)

The wildcard round finishes with a battle between two of the NFL's most exciting rookie quarterbacks.  Russell Wilson and Robert Griffin III have set the NFL alight this year with some spectacular plays and it seems fitting that they should face off for a place in the divisional round of the playoffs. 

Seattle have reached this point with an 11-5 record and they have looked excellent in recent weeks, winning seven of their last eight games.  Seattle were perfect at home, winning all eight games.  They weren't as impressive on the road though and went 3-5.  The Seahawks played against five playoff teams in the regular season and won four of the games, with their only loss coming in a tight game in San Francisco.  Seattle's five defeats were all tight and their biggest loss was by seven points in that defeat to the 49ers. 

Seattle look like a good old fashioned playoff team.  They have the strong defense and the strong running game that used to be the criteria to win a Superbowl so it will be interesting to see how they get on in what has become a passing league.  The Seahawks finished 3rd in rushing and their defense were 6th against the pass and 10th against the run.  The passing game wasn't great and ranked 27th in the league but that was more to do with the play calling.  Russell Wilson completed 64.1% of his passes and the Seahawks simply preferred to run the ball and the low rank is not a reflection on Wilson's play.  Wilson ended the regular season with 26 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions which is a respectable ratio.  The Seahawks also done well in relation to turnovers.  The offense gave the ball away 18 times and the defense forced 31 turnovers, both of which were the 4th best records in the NFC. 

The Redskins gave up a lot to trade up in the 2012 draft to take Robert Griffin III but he has repaid them with a playoff place and an NFC East title in his rookie season.  RG3 is a special player and will surely go on to win multiple titles.  He had a bit of a mixed start and although he was playing well, the Redskins weren't getting the results.  They were 3-6 and looked to be heading towards another bad season but things clicked into place for them and they won their last seven games to finish 10-6 and take the divisional title.  The Redskins faced four playoff teams this year, all at home.  They split the four games, beating Minnesota and Baltimore but losing to Cincinnati and Atlanta. 

The Redskins were all about the running game this year and rookie duo, RG3 and Alfred Morris led the team to an average of 169 yards per game on the ground.  They also done better than any other team in the league in what I would describe as the most important statistic in football, turnovers.  The Redskins turned the ball over just 14 times and that is a remarkable statistic for a team with a rookie quarterback.  The Redskins defense were good at defending the run and ranked 5th in the league.  They weren't so good at defending the pass though and ranked 30th.  This was partially because they were unable to get a lot of pressure on the opposing quarterback.  They picked up 32 sacks which was 23rd in the league.  Their strength on defense was picking off the opposing quarterbacks and they had 21 interceptions. 

Prediction - This game looks like being a cracker.  Both offenses are a pleasure to watch and if nothing else at least we are guaranteed at least one more week of either RG3 or Wilson.  Both sides will favour the run and both also have strong run defenses.  Seattle seem to be trusting Wilson more and more as the season goes on and with receivers like Sidney Rice and Golden Tate on the field they can take advantage of a poor Washington pass defense.  On paper, the Seahawks are the better team and I think they will get the win to keep their Superbowl dreams alive. 



PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS



AFC

Wildcard RoundHouston Texans over the Cincinnati Bengals
Baltimore Ravens over the Indianapolis Colts

Divisional Round
Denver Broncos over the Baltimore Ravens
New England Patriots over the Houston Texans

AFC Championship
Denver Broncos over the New England Patriots


NFC

Wildcard RoundGreen Bay Packers over the Minnesota Vikings
Seattle Seahawks over the Washington Redskins

Divisional Round
Seattle Seahawks over the Atlanta Falcons
Green Bay Packers over the San Francisco 49ers

NFC Championship
Green Bay Packers over the Seattle Seahawks


SUPERBOWL
Denver Broncos over the Green Bay Packers



NFL PLAYOFF CHALLENGE

This is your final chance to join the blog's private league in this year's NFL Playoff Challenge.  Just click the following link.
http://playoffchallenge.fantasy.nfl.com/group/22047/join 

GJ Sports Blog - 2012 NFL Regular Season Results

NFL PREDICTIONS - RESULTS

For the regular readers of my blog, you will know I posted predictions in my preview's.  Here is the complete list of results on a weekly basis.

Week 1 - 13-3

Week 2 - 11-5

Week 3 - 5-11

Week 4 - 11-4

Week 5 - 10-4

Week 6 - 8-6

Week 7 - 9-4

Week 8 - 7-7

Week 9 - 12-1 (Forgot to predict Thursday Night Football)

Week 10 - 11-3

Week 11 - 7-7

Week 12 - 10-6

Week 13 - 10-6

Week 14 - 11-5

Week 15 - 7-9

Week 16 - 13-3

Week 17 - 11-5

Total = 166-89 (forgot one game)

Percentage = 0.651

Overall, I think I could have done better but just under two thirds isn't a bad record and I now have a target to aim for next season.




As well as the weekly game by game predictions I also done a preview before the start of the season were I predicted each teams record for the year.  The full article can be found here:
http://gjsportsblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/nfl-2012-season-preview.html


Below is a summary of how I got on.


Exactly correct - 2 (Buccaneers, Titans)

One win away - 4 (Bears, Cardinals, Jets, Raiders)

Two wins away - 8 (Packers, Giants, Cowboys, Falcons, Saints, Ravens, Browns, Jaguars)

Two and a half wins away - 2 (49ers, Rams)

Three Wins Away - 5 (Panthers, Patriots, Bills, Dolphins, Chargers)

Four Wins Away - 4 (Steelers, Bengals, Texans, Colts)

Five Wins Away - 2 (Broncos, Chiefs)

Six Wins Away - 3 (Eagles, Redskins, Seahawks)

Seven Wins Away - 1 (Vikings)

Eight Wins Away - 1 (Lions)


Again I'm not really sure how good or bad that is as I have nothing to compare it to but I will try to better it next season.



The one thing I do have something to compare is the teams I picked to qualify for the playoffs and my Superbowl prediction.  I saved the predictions of five writers from a well known Football website and have compared my result with theirs.

I managed to pick out six (Packers, Falcons, 49ers, Patriots, Texans, Ravens) of the twelve playoff teams.  Of the six I got wrong (Steelers, Chargers, Bills, Giants, Lions, Bears), only three of them got close (Steelers, Giants, Bears).  The other three I was miles off with.

The six teams I did not predict to reach the playoffs were Seattle, Washington, Minnesota, Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Denver.  For four of those teams I overestimated how quickly things can turn around in the NFL.  The Colts and the Redskins both got there with rookie quarterbacks who I highly rated but I just didn't think they would turn things around so quickly.

The Seahawks also got there with a rookie quarterback.  I had read a lot about Russell Wilson in preseason about how great this kid was, mostly Bill Simmons, so I watched him in the first few games and to be honest I wasn't impressed.  I remember in previous years about Eagles fans getting excited about Mike Kafka in preseason games and I had Wilson filed in the same bracket.  It took him a few games to get settled but slowly his performances have improved and he has worked his way right up to the rookie of the year conversation.

The other team I overestimated was the Cincinnati Bengals.  They made the playoffs last year but I expected the Steelers and Ravens to be a little bit ahead of them and I expected it would be another year on the learning curve for Andy Dalton and AJ Green.  However, those two have stepped it up on offense along with BenJarvus Green-Ellis and with the defense also having a good year the Bengals managed to pick up the AFC's sixth seed.

The one team of the six who I would have given no chance to would have been the Minnesota Vikings.  The Vikings were poor last year and with Adrian Peterson coming off serious knee surgery I had them wrote off this year.  I wasn't impressed with Christian Ponder in his rookie season either but he has shown a lot of improvement this year.  His accuarcy has increased by 7.8% and he has thrown less interceptions in more games.  He's far from perfect but if he can keep increasing those numbers, he may well turn out to be a decent quarterback for the Vikings.  The biggest surprise though was Adrian Peterson.  People just don't suffer career threatening injuries and then get to within 9 yards of breaking the single season rushing record.  His performances have been exceptional and I am delighted to see him back in the playoffs where he belongs.

The final team I missed out is the worst and most embarrassing mistake I have made in my blogs this season.  There's one thing any NFL fan, blogger, journalist, pundit should not do and I made a rookie mistake by doing it.  I wrote off a Manning!!!  Nobody should ever do that.  I knew it then and I done it anyway.  These guys seem to save their best for when people are writing them off.  I am convinced that the reason the Giants didn't make the playoffs this year is because nobody was writing off Eli after his excellent performances last year when he won his second Superbowl.  No doubt people will write him off this off season and he'll come back and lead the Giants on a deep playoff run.

As I said, I wrote off Peyton Manning.  He had some pretty serious surgery last year and I just didn't think he was going to be the same guy but he has lost nothing and will be right up there when this years MVP is decided.  Right now, I'd put him behind Adrian Peterson in that race but I've learned my lesson and I am certainly not going to rule him out.


The final prediction I made was my Superbowl pick.  At the start of the season, I predicted the 49ers would beat the Patriots which I am happy to say is still a possibility.  My thoughts have changed to be honest but at least I still have the chance of being correct.


In comparison to the five writers I compared myself against, I haven't done great.  Of the other five, one predicted eight teams correctly, two predicted seven correctly  and the other two predicted six correctly.  I never beat any of them but at least I done as well as two of them.

In the Superbowl predictions, I am still in contention to be correct along with four of the five writers.  The one who is already wrong predicted a repeat of last year's Superbowl with the Giants once again beating the Patriots.


My predictions aren't done for the season and I will continue to do my previews and predictions for every playoff game, including the Superbowl.  I will also complete a playoff bracket, showing how I think this years championship will be won and lost.


Finally, for anyone interested, I have set up a NFL Playoff Challenge League for readers of the blog.  I will be in it so why don't you and your friends enter too.  if you are already playing it is easy to join.  Just click this link and join the league.  It is open to the public and no passwords are required.  Good luck.


http://playoffchallenge.fantasy.nfl.com/group/22047/join

NFL Week 17 - Preview and Predictions

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-9)  @ Atlanta Falcons (13-2)

Tampa Bay head to Atlanta to face the playoff bound Falcons hoping to end their five game losing streak.  The Falcons are 7-0 at home this year but with the number one seed already wrapped up they will most likely have a lot of backups in the game.  I have mixed feelings about the Falcons resting players in this game.  I understand that they want to give their players rest and they don't want to pick up injuries but I worry about teams who have a first round bye resting players.  If the Falcons rest their starters, it will be three weeks since their last game by the time they take to the field in the playoffs.  Personally I think it's too long although I do appreciate that teams want to avoid injuries.  If a team is good enough to earn a bye in the playoffs, the likely hood is they will be coming into the playoffs with a lot of momentum.  Would a three week break take that momentum away?  I think it would but it will always be a cause for debate.

Prediction - The Falcons starters to play a quarter/half and then sit the rest out and the Bucs to win it.    


New York Jets (6-9) @ Buffalo Bills (5-10)
The Jets and Bills meet in Buffalo in a game that will only decide draft picks.  Both teams have losing records and their playoff hopes died a few weeks ago.  The New York Jets have had quarterback issues and Rex Ryan is proving himself to be an even bigger idiot than we already suspected he was by once again overlooking Tim Tebow.  He benched Mark Sanchez last week in favour of Greg McElroy.  McElroy has a concussion and won't play so Ryan has said that Sanchez will start at quarterback.  I just don't understand that decision.  Tebow is far from a top quarterback but he would suit the New York Jets.  They have had injuries at receiver this year and have had to rely on their running game.  Tim Tebow is very capable of playing that role but for some reason, Ryan hasn't even given him a chance to show what he can do.  The Bills are 5-10 for the year and they have now gone four years in a row with at least ten losses.  The quarterback situation in Buffalo isn't much better and Ryan Fitzpatrick hasn't had a great season.  Fitzpatrick is 30 now and it may be time for Buffalo to look for a new quarterback.  The one bright spot for the Bills has been the emergence of CJ Spiller at running-back.  He has had a great season and has set career numbers in almost every category.  Spiller looks like being the future of the franchise and if they can get him some support, then the Bills could push towards a .500 finish next season. 

Prediction - I'm not taking Mark Sanchez to win on the road, Bills win. 


Baltimore Ravens (10-5) @ Cincinnati Bengals (9-6)
These two are playoff bound and there's even a chance that they could meet again next week in Baltimore.  The Ravens have the division wrapped up and the Bengals have a wildcard secured.  I expect there to be a lot of backups in this game as both teams will be involved in the wildcard round next weekend.  The Ravens know there opponents will be either the Bengals or the Colts.  For the Bengals, things are a little more complex and there is still a chance they could face any of the four divisional winners.  Games like this one are hard to judge.  Both coaches are talking as if they are here to win but I'd be very surprised to see the likes of Ray Rice, Joe Flacco, AJ Green and Andy Dalton battling it out for the win in the fourth quarter. 

Prediction - Coin toss, Bengals win.


Chicago Bears (9-6) @ Detroit Lions (4-11)
Isn't football a funny old game.  The Chicago Bears need to win this one and then rely on some help from their hated rivals, the Green Bay Packers.  If Green Bay can do the Bears a favour and beat the Minnesota Vikings, then the Bears destiny will be in their own hands.  I'm sure there hasn't been many occasions over the years when Bears fans were hoping for a Packers win but given the circumstances, Bears fans all over the world will be praying for a favour.  Favours aside, the Bears have a tough enough task to do their own part of the bargain.  Detroit are a dangerous team with a lot of talent all over their roster and if it clicks, Chicago could be in trouble.  The Lions have nothing to lose at this stage of the season.  They are 4-11 and their playoff hopes died a long time ago so they can afford to spend all day lumping the ball towards Calvin Johnson and he's not the easiest guy in the league to cover.  Johnson has already broke the record for most receiving yards in a season and I would be very surprised if he doesn't pick up the 108 yards he needs to take him to 2000 yards for the season.

Prediction - I don't think it matters what the Packers do as the Lions will end the Bears hopes with a win.


Jacksonville Jaguars (2-13) @ Tennessee Titans (5-10)
The Jacksonville Jaguars will most likely pick second in the 2013 NFL Draft.  They still have a chance of picking first but it is unlikely as the Kansas City Chiefs would need to beat the Broncos in Denver.  The Broncos are the hottest team in the NFL and there is next to no chance that the 2-13, Kansas City Chiefs will go to Mile High and win.  Jacksonville played well last week against the Patriots and if they bring that performance to Tennessee, they have every chance of winning.  The Titans have had a bad year and will be glad to see the off season.  At 5-10 they are well outside the playoff places.  The Titans have had quarterback issues in recent years and they still exist.  Jake Locker doesn't look like he is the right man and until they address it, it is highly unlikely they will be threatening the playoff places. 

Prediction - I think the Jags could nick this one. 


Houston Texans (12-4) @ Indianapolis Colts (10-5)
These two have already wrapped up their playoff places and the Colts know they will be going on the road next week in the wildcard round of the playoffs so I expect they may rest some starters.  No matter what happens, Indianapolis are the number five seed in the AFC.  The same can't be said of Houston though and it is still possible that they could finish in any of the top three seeds.  A win would secure the number one seed and home advantage right to the Superbowl.  If they lose though and the Patriots and Broncos both win they would take the three seed, meaning they would host the Cincinnati Bengals in the wildcard round next week.  The biggest thing about this weeks game for the Colts is the return of Coach Pagano to the sideline after his successful battle with leukemia.  It's great to see him back on the sideline and there's no doubt his return will give the Colts a huge lift. 

Prediction - This game means something to the Texans and nothing to the Colts so I will go with a Houston win.


Carolina Panthers (6-9) @ New Orleans Saints (7-8)
These NFC South rivals square off in New Orleans in a game that means little more than pride and draft picks.  Both sides started poorly and left it too late to make a playoff push.  The Panthers have won four of their last five and the Saints have won seven of their last eleven.  Form like that would merit a playoff place but the bad starts had put them in too deep a hole.  The Saints have struggled on defense all year and are giving up 434 yards per game.  They will need to sort that out in the off season and if they do, Drew Brees will do his part on offense to lead them toward a playoff place.  The Panthers will try to run the ball with Cam Newton and if fit, DeAngelo Williams. 

Prediction - The Saints should have too much fire power and will finish on a high.


Philadelphia Eagles (4-11) @ New York Giants (8-7)

This game will most likely be the last time we will see Michael Vick and Andy Reid as part of the Philadelphia Eagles.  Vick had a good year in 2010 when he led the team to the playoffs but he has been poor since then.  Andy Reid gave us a lot of success in his early years, leading the Eagles to four NFC East titles in a row but he was never able to bring a Superbowl to Philly and in recent seasons, we haven't even been close.  The time is right to part company and hopefully the Eagles can move forward in the near future.  This game means a lot more for the Giants than the Eagles.  If the Giants win and the Bears, the Vikings and the Cowboys all lose then the Giants will squeeze into the playoffs.  It's not as unlikely as it sounds and when I look at the games on paper, I think it will happen. 

Prediction - The Giants should win easily.


Cleveland Browns (5-10) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (7-8)
Pittsburgh loss to the Cincinnati Bengals last week means that this game is another dead rubber and there are no playoff places at stake.  The Browns have been out of the race for a while but if anything it has made them play with a sense of freedom and their performances have picked up.  Pittsburgh looked certainties for the playoffs when they reached 6-3 but an injury to Ben Roethlisberger in their next game hit the team hard and they have won just one of their last six games.  Roethlisberger has been back for the last three but he has been unable to change the teams fortunes.  These teams appear to be heading in different directions, with the Browns a young team who are improving and the Steelers an older team who seem to be a downward path.  However, if I've learned anything in my time following this league, it's that the Browns will most likely find a way to regress and the Steelers will find a way to get back on the upward curve.

Prediction - The Steelers should win.


Kansas City Chiefs (2-13) @ Denver Broncos (12-3)
In this game, both sides have something at stake, although both will be in a better position if the Broncos win the game.  As things stand, the Chiefs will have the number one pick in next years draft and the only way that can change is if they win here and Jacksonville lose to Tennessee.  The Broncos have already secured their playoff place but I can't see them taking things easy as a win would guarantee them a bye in the first round of the playoffs.  The Chiefs haven't been a bad team this year but they have been absolutely killed by turnovers.  They have turned the ball over 37 times this season which is the worst record in the league.  It doesn't matter how good you are, if you don't take care of the football, you won't win in this league.  Denver have got to this stage thanks to a ten game winning run.  The Broncos had a good side last year but the addition of Peyton Manning has turned them into a genuine contender and I wouldn't be surprised to see them make the trip to New Orleans for the Superbowl.

Prediction - The Broncos should win this one easily.


Green Bay Packers (11-4) @ Minnesota Vikings (9-6)
This looks like being one of the most intriguing games of the weekend.  If Minnesota win, they are in the playoffs.  If they lose, it opens things up for Chicago, New York and even the Washington Redskins to secure the final wildcard place.  Green Bay have plenty to play for and a win here would give them the NFC's number two seed and a bye in the first round of the playoffs.  Add to that the fact that Minnesota's running-back, Adrian Peterson needs 208 yards to break the record for most rushing yards in a season.  I hope I am wrong but I don't think he will break that record although I can see him getting the 102 yards needed to reach 2000 yards for the season.  The biggest problem Peterson has is the team still have it all to play for and if he's struggling on the ground, the team will resort to Plan B rather than handing him the ball all day and let him push for the record.  Having said that, the Vikings need Peterson to have a big day as I can't see them winning the game with their Plan B.

Prediction - I think this game will be tight but the Packers should be able to edge it and secure a bye.
      

Miami Dolphins (7-8) @ New England Patriots (11-4)
The New England Patriots are in the playoffs for the ninth time in the last ten seasons and once again they will be many peoples favourites to reach the Superbowl.  On their day, they are capable of beating anyone but it looks as though at some stage they will have to go to Denver to face Peyton Manning and the Broncos which will be a very difficult game for them.  Miami have had a decent season and at 7-8, it is better than I expected they would do.  They can certainly take some positives from the season and look to build on it for next year.  If Houston win in the early games, I expect the Pats to be keeping an eye on the score in Denver and if Denver look like winning easily, the Pats will pull their starters and let them rest up before next weeks wildcard round.

Prediction - The Patriots should win the game.


Oakland Raiders (4-11)  @ San Diego Chargers (6-9)
These AFC West rivals do battle in another of Sunday's "Nobody Cares Bowls".  The Raiders will be well used to being involved in these sort of games and it's becoming a habit for the Chargers too.  This is the third year in a row they have missed the playoffs and it should be the final game of the Norv Turner era.  There's a lot of talk that Andy Reid will be next in line, if/when the Eagles fire him.  As an Eagles fan I'm not sure whether it would be a good move for the Chargers or not.  I guess only time will tell whether Andy has lost touch with modern football or things have just gone stale for him in Philly.  Either way, if he gets the job, I wish him well. 

Prediction - The Chargers should have too much for a poor Raiders side who are giving Terrelle Pryor his first NFL start. 


Arizona Cardinals (5-10) @ San Francisco 49ers (10-4-1)

The 49ers need this one to win the NFC West and after their defeat to the Seahawks last week, they will want to secure the division and guarantee that they won't have to go back to Seattle and face that atmosphere.  The Cardinals have lost ten of their last eleven games and if the 49ers can't beat them in such an important game then they don't deserve to win the division.  I tipped San Francisco to win the Superbowl at the start of the season but I have gone cold on them as I don't think they have helped themselves by creating a quarterback controversy.  I will wait and see who they play in the playoffs before making a call but there is quite a few teams in the NFC who I would take to beat them and they might not even make it out of the wildcard round.

Prediction - The 49ers should win this one.


St Louis Rams (7-7-1) @ Seattle Seahawks (10-5)
Ultimately I think this game will end up being a dead rubber as I think the 49ers will beat the Cardinals in San Francisco to win the division and send the Seahawks to a wildcard place but the Seahawks will still want to keep their momentum going and I am sure they will want to finish the season with an 8-0 home record.  The Rams have had a decent season too.  They have improved a lot from last season and they look like a franchise heading in the right direction under Jeff Fisher.  Seattle are the team heading to the post season in the best form and will fancy their chances of making progress.  As a neutral fan I would have liked to see them host a playoff game as the atmosphere generated in that stadium is second to none.  It doesn't look as though it will happen this year but with Russell Wilson doing so well in his rookie year, I expect him to improve and their will be plenty of home playoff games in the next few years in Seattle.

Prediction - Seattle are the better team and should win.


Dallas Cowboys (8-7) @ Washington Redskins (9-6)

This looks like being the best game of the weekend and it is an old fashioned winner takes all battle.  Some of the edge could be taken out of it depending on the earlier results and it is possible that the Redskins could have a wildcard guaranteed by the time they take to the field on Sunday night.  As a neutral, I hope results go against that outcome and this game is a straight knockout.  These two looked dead and buried earlier in the season but they have both went on great runs and at least one and possibly both of them will be in the playoffs.  These two met at Thanksgiving and it was a cracker.  The Redskins got off to a great start and led 28-3 at half-time but the Cowboys came back well in the second half but fell short and lost by 38-31.  If this game is as good as that one, we are in for a treat.

Prediction - The Redskins will finish the job and reach the playoffs. 

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.