After dismantling the Giants in Week 16, Aaron Rodgers gave his Packers a shot at making the NFC postseason extra exciting
- Image by chad davis via Flickr
Steelers 27, Panthers 3
Yeah, like there was any doubt about this one. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 320 yards and the Steeler defense allowed only 119 yards of offense. Andrew Luck, pack your bags for Charlotte.
Cardinals 27, Cowboys 26
On Christmas Night, veteran QB Jon Kitna threw two pick-sixes in the 1st quarter to drop the Cowboys into a 14-0 hole. Then, after Kitna left in the 2nd with a hip injury, 2nd year QB Stephen McGee went 11/17 for 111 yards and hit Miles Austin for a 37-yard TD with 1:41 left for a 26-24 lead. But David Buehler’s PAT attempt hit the upright, and Cardinals rookie QB John Skelton drove his team back down the field to set up Jay Feely’s 48-yard game-winning field goal.
Nothing like a great game between two lousy teams on a day when hardly anyone is watching!
Bears 38, Jets 34
This game featuring two of the NFL’s top defenses surprisingly turned into a shootout. Jay Cutler overcame throwing a 2nd quarter pick-six and a 21-10 deficit to throw 3 TD passes while Matt Forte added 113 yards and a TD on the ground to beat the Jets and put Chicago in prime position for a first-round bye.
Chiefs 34, Titans 14
Matt Cassel threw for 314 yards and 3 TD’s, including a 75-yarder to Dwayne Bowe, and the Chiefs combined for 152 rushing yards in a decisive victory.
Rams 25, 49ers 17
Sam Bradford threw for 292 yards and a touchdown to lead the Rams to a win. St Louis remained in the lead in the NFC West, knocked the 49ers out of playoff contention, and ended Mike Singletary’s head coaching stint in San Francisco.
Patriots 34, Bills 3
The Patriots ran for 217 yards and Tom Brady tossed 3 TD’s as the Patriots routed the Bills and clinched home-field advantage in the AFC Playoffs.
Ravens 20, Browns 10
Baltimore’s offense struggled in this one, but their defense picked off Colt McCoy 3 times to help the Ravens stay tied with the Steelers for the AFC North lead. The Ravens must win next week against the Bengals, and the Steelers must lose in Cleveland for the Ravens to win the division.
Lions 34, Dolphins 27
The Lions scored 17 points in less than 3 minutes for their second straight road win. Down 27-17 late in the 4th quarter , Detroit’s Jahvid Best scored on a 53-yard TD pass from Shaun Hill. Three plays later, the Lions intercepted Chad Henne to set up a 47-yard field goal to tie it. Three more plays later, Henne was picked off by LB DeAndre Levy, who returned it 30 yards for the game-winning score. The Dolphins fell to 1-7 at home with a chance to go 7-1 on the road at New England in Week 17.
Redskins 20, Jaguars 17 (OT)
With Maurice Jones-Drew sidelined by injury, the Jaguars’ rushing attack suffered. QB David Garrard was the Jags’ leading rusher with 39 yards, and threw for almost 300 more, but also tossed a costly interception in overtime that led to Graham Gano’s game-winning field goal for Washington.
Bengals 34, Chargers 20
With Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco out due to injuries, Carson Palmer played his best game of the year. Palmer went 16-for-21 for 269 yards and 4 TD’s to lead the Bengals to a shocking upset over the Chargers. As a result, the Chiefs clinched the AFC West and the Chargers were eliminated from playoff contention. Not a bad consolation prize for Bronco Nation that Philip “Cry Me A” Rivers is not going to the postseason. We won’t miss you at all, Phyllis!
Colts 31, Raiders 26
Peyton Manning threw for 3 TD’s, but for the second week in a row it was the Colts’ ground game that led the way. The Colts gained 191 yards on the ground while the Raiders were held to just 80 rushing yards for the game. The Colts would clinch the AFC South title with a win at home against Tennessee.
Packers 45, Giants 17
The Giants, it seemed, had not gotten over their collapse against the Eagles, and Aaron Rodgers took advantage. Returning from a two-game layoff due to a concussion, Rodgers hit Jordy Nelson for an 80-yard TD in the 1st quarter to start a 404-yard, 4 touchdown onslaught on the helpless G-Men. Meanwhile, Eli Manning threw four interceptions as the Packers kept their playoff dreams alive, while the once powerful Giants appear to be headed for a premature end to their season. It’s okay, Giants. Premature finishing happens to a lot of teams.
Buccaneers 38, Seahawks 15
Matt Hasselbeck injured himself on a TD run in the 1st quarter, and the Seahawks never recovered. Josh Freeman tossed a career-high 5 touchdown passes, and LeGarrette Blount rushed for 164 yards to lead the Bucs to the win as Tampa still clings to a very slim chance of making the playoffs.
Broncos 24, Texans 23
At halftime the Broncos trailed 17-0 and appeared to be destined for another loss. Then Tim Tebow took over. Tebow threw for 308 yards, threw a 23-yard TD on a screen to Correll Buckhalter, and ran for the go-ahead score from six yards out to snap the Broncos’ five-game losing streak in his second career (and first home) start. It’s still too early to tell, but Tebow may just be the leader that the Broncos have so desperately lacked.
Saints 17, Falcons 14
The Saints defense was stellar in the Georgia Dome, holding the Falcons to just 215 yards of offense. Drew Brees bounced back from a 4th quarter pick-six to lead a 13-play, 90-yard drive that culminated with a 6-yard TD pass to rookie TE Jimmy Graham in the final minutes. The Saints clinched a playoff berth with the victory.
Vikings 24, Eagles 14
After a 48-hour postponement due to a blizzard, the Vikings shocked the heavily-favored Eagles in the first NFL Tuesday game in over 60 years. Michael Vick took a beating from the Viking defense, getting sacked six times. Rookie QB Joe Webb made a convincing case to be the Vikings’ starter next year, throwing for 195 yards and scoring a TD on a terrific 9-yard run in the 3rd quarter. With the loss the Eagles lost any hope of a first-round playoff bye, which now belongs to the Bears.
