AFTER 17 BRUISING weeks the regular season is over and we find ourselves with the bewildering sight of a team with a losing record playing postseason football while the 10-6 Giants and Buccaneers have nothing but the January blues to look forward too.
The playoff picture is finally complete and for the first time ever we have a team with a sub .500 record taking part.
The Seattle Seahawks were the ‘lucky’ team to qualify from the NFC West despite having a 7-9 record. As predicted in this column last Thursday, home advantage was enough for Seattle who, despite missing their first choice QB Matt Hasselbeck, proved too strong for the St Louis Rams.
It could have been a lot different had the Rams’ rookie QB Sam Bradford not thrown a fourth-quarter interception – in Seahawks’ territory – while down by just a touchdown. The Seahawks reward for postseason qualification will, no doubt, be a loss to the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the playoffs next Saturday.
The Green Bay Packers won a hard-fought game at home to the Chicago Bears who defied expectations and played a virtually full-strength team with the goal of destroying their divisional rivals’ playoff hopes.
The win for the Packers meant that both the New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers missed out despite wins over the Redskins and Saints respectively.
The final AFC playoff place was secured by the Indianapolis Colts who had kicker Adam Vinatieri to thank as his 43-yard field goal was enough to see off the Tennessee Titans. As it happens, the Colts didn’t need the victory as their only rivals, Jacksonville, put in a woeful defensive performance against the Houston Texans (allowing Arian Foster to rush for 180 yards) before losing 34-17.
Regular Season Awards
Most valuable player – Tom Brady
You have to feel sorry for Tom Brady. Movie star good looks, supermodel wife and the ability to throw a football unlike almost anyone who has ever played the game before.
Brady finished his regular season by extending his NFL record to 335 consecutive passes without an interception.
Best comeback player – Michael Vick
Vick wasn’t even first-choice for the Philadelphia Eagles when the season began so it’s a sign of his stunning redemption that he is being mentioned in the same breath as Tom Brady when it comes to picking an MVP.
Whatever the Eagles do in the postseason, they can be sure that they only got there because of Vicks’ comeback.
Honourable mentions: Adrian Peterson
Rookie of the year – Ndamukong Suh
Though a lot of people will say Sam Bradford deserves this award – if only because his name is easier to spell – for me it has to be the Lions Defensive Tackle.
The second overall pick in the 2010 draft, behind Bradford, the rookie out of Nebraska had an outstanding season with 66 tackles and 10 sacks, less than one away from the NFL rookie record of 10.5.
Honourable mentions: Sam Bradford, Mike Williams
Team of the year – Detroit Lions
Now, before the howls of derision start, it’s worth bearing in mind the Lions’ dreadful statistics before this season started.
In 2008 they became the first NFL team to lose all 16 regular season games and only managed two wins last season. This year, Detroit improved to 6-10 – in a division containing two playoff teams – winning their last four games.
Could the Lions have a winning record next year? Don’t rule it out.
Honourable mentions: New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 17 results
Carolina Panthers 10-31 Atlanta Falcons
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-13 New Orleans Saints
Cincinnati Bengals 7-13 Baltimore Ravens
Pittsburgh Steelers 41-9 Cleveland Browns
Minnesota Vikings 13-20 Detroit Lions
Miami Dolphins 7-38 New England Patriots
Buffalo Bills 7-38 New York Jets
Oakland Raiders 31-10 Kansas City Chiefs
Chicago Bears 3-10 Green Bay Packers
Jacksonville Jaguars 17-34 Houston Texans
Tennessee Titans 20-23 Indianapolis Colts
Dallas Cowboys 14-13 Philadelphia Eagles
New York Giants 17-14 Washington Redskins
San Diego Chargers 33-28 Denver Broncos
Ariziona Cardinals 7-38 San Francisco 49ers
St Louis Rams 6-16 Seattle Seahawks
Playoff Picture
AFC NFC
1 – New England Patriots 1 – Atlanta Falcons
2 – Pittsburgh Steelers 2 – Chicago Bears
3 – Indianapolis Colts 3 – Philadelphia Eagles
4 – Kansas City Chiefs 4 – Seattle Seahawks
5 – Baltimore Ravens 5 – New Orleans Saints
6 – New York Jets 6 – Green Bay Packers
Be sure to check out The Score for a full playoff preview on Thursday, January 6.
Steven O’Rourke is the offensive coordinator of Tullamore Phoenix American Football Club. When not obsessing with football he can be found at 4fortyfour.
