Week 17 was more interesting than expected.
Local opinion suggested various things would happen by the end of the 1 P.M. games today ... local opinion was wrong on several grounds. Buffalo (at home) would surely manhandle a Pittsburgh team that had nothing to play for, so the Jets would have to win their game (a Denver loss later on was unlikely, but a Buffalo loss was really unlikely), but this should happen anyway.
Well no. Buffalo lost, though it was probably more on them, since Pittsburgh did rest their key players for much of the game. This allowed the Jets to sneak into the fifth seed, while a Denver loss only would guarantee sixth (and a Colts match-up next week). I would be amiss, by the way, not noting the the Browns actually won another game.
The Jets lost (in OT, helped by a questionable failed two point try), allowing the Rams to win. Also, surely Carolina was favored to win its game vs. the Saints (three straight wins putting them in the playoff hunt itself), which would likely negate even a Rams win. Well, no. The Saints won, helped by a poor early showing by Carolina, and a silly final 60yd field goal try (if a final heave worked yesterday in college, it could work here, especially since no one outside Denver would make that figgie).
This was a godsend (a true deus ex machina given recent history) to the Vikings, who few had much faith in, and their loss reaffirmed the sentiment. A Carolina win plus a Rams win would have eliminated Minnesota, and rightly so. But, a Saints win pushed the Viks in, and negated an improbably four game winning streak by New Orleans. A Rams loss would have guaranteed them a playoff spot ... not so now.
The Rams tried to give the game away to the Jets in the Second Half with multiple turnovers and failures to make them at the end of regulation game to ice a win. At times, they took advantage of their fewer opportunities, and racked up the yards/points. This included an ironic turnaround near the end of the First Half. The Jets intercepted a pass near their own goal line, which was upheld on review.
It was unable, however, to make a first down ... short field for the Rams. The Rams then scored on one play, putting them ahead 14-10, when a field goal a bit earlier would have made it 10 all. Thus, we have a situation (like last Monday Night) in which it would have really benefited the Jets to lose the review (automatic under the two minute rule). Overall, the Jets did score 29 points (though only 16 offensively), but gave up two quick scores as well, dooming them in the end. 32-29, OT.
After the Jets limped in with some help (by OT, they knew the spot was assured, and it might have influenced a play that helped the Rams win), how did the rest of the day go? Doug Flutie, whose desperation pass in college was copied yesterday (the recent Hail Mary pass included a twenty yard run), showed a bit more magic as starting QB in the San Diego win. All the same, nothing that special happened in the 4 P.M. games, though some thought KC would win over SD and be 8-8.
Denver won, after the Colts back-up did nothing in the Second Half, so the AFC playoff spots went to the predicted teams ... just via a different route. The Falcons/Seahawks game did end in exciting fashion, and the rushing record goes to a Jets player because the Seahawks competition was a yard short ... the Falcons was a lot less in trying to tie on a 2pt conversion after making it 28-26 at :00.
The Giants/Dallas game was deemed by many a meaningless one, a tedious way to end the regular season via Sunday Night Football. Not quite. There were some meaningless games today, though they might have had some meaning to at least one of the teams involved. A game that might be the final one for veteran quarterback Vinny Testaverde or gave rookie QB Eli Manning a chance to end the team's eight game losing streak by winning his first game in professional football was not meaningless. Nor was a game that would allow Tiki Barber, in the final play of an end of the game winning scoring drive too boot, to break the team rushing record. And, besides, the game (eight game losing streak and all) put the Giants in second place in the NFC East.
Suffice to say, all things considered, some Giants fans might just be more happy in the morning than Jets fans, who saw their team limp into the playoffs.