Week 17 Discussion

First of all a Happy New Year to everyone (2012 the year when the 49ers win the Super Bowl)

This is a huge final week of the regular season for several teams:-

AFC North
The Ravens and Steelers are both looking to secure the second play off bye. The Ravens are favourites and should win.

AFC West
The Broncos, Raiders and Chargers are all in contention to win the division and claim a play off spot. The Broncos face the Chiefs (Will Klye Orton come back to haunt Denver or will Tebow exorcise those demons?). The Raiders face the Chargers and something just tells me this could be the Raiders day.

The Bengals, Jets & Titans as well as the Broncos and Raiders are looking for the final wild card spot in the AFC

NFC East
The NFC play offs are just about sorted apart from this division and the Giants v Cowboys go head-to-head on Channel 4 tonight for the play off berth.

A win for the 49ers will secure the second play off bye.

Matt Flynn comes in for Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay while Lesean McCoy and Arian Foster are other big names sitting out this week.

The Chargers are out of the running for the division as at 8-8 they don't have the tie breaker to beat Oakland or Denver.

The Bills just completed a 4th and 4 on the Patriots 24

*Edit* Touchdown Stevie Johnson 14-0 Bills. 18 yards to the right back corner of the end zone. Penalty after the touchdown for unsportsmanlike conduct by Johnson.

Chat Box is up....

Did the Jets offensive line continue to give up penalties almost every play, I only managed to see a few drives in the second quarter but they probably gave up at least 5.

Matt Flynn appears to be earning himself a nice payday in the offseason... who's going to go after him I wonder?

Woot Patriots 13 + 3 AFC #1. Road to the SB goes through Foxboro. GO PATS.

Update on AFC playoff picture

1. Patriots - *
2. Ravens - z
3. Texans - y
4. Broncos - y

5. Steelers - x
6. Bengals - x


Playoff scenarios

BAL: clinched 2nd seed and AFC North with a win
DEN: clinched AFC West with a Raiders loss
CIN: clinched wildcard with the Borncos losing

The Jets losing means the Raiders and Broncos are out of the wildcard race. Tennessee were eliminated after the Broncos lost. Oakland were eliminated by San Diego beating them 38-26.

Only one thing to say about the NFC. The NFC East winners will host Atlanta.

*EDIT* All games involving the AFC are done. Standings above are confirmed. Roll on 1:20 GO GIANTS!!!

How the Bucs won 2 games( the Colts game doesn't count, neither does the Saints game with Payton crocked)is a mystery.

2 things I noticed on my flick through NFL.com

1. Matt Flynn - Wow! Incredible performance, looks like he may have made himself $40million today. Can see a lot of teams going for him, Browns, Skins, Dolphins, Seahawks, maybe even my 49ers.

2. The Buccs are incredibly bad. Cannot understand what has happened to this 10 win team from a season ago. 0-42 at half time to a team which practically had one eye on the playoffs

Here are next weekends wildcard games

Saturday
9:30 PM - Bengals @ Texans NBC/SKY
1:00 AM - Lions @ Saints NBC/SKY

Sunday
6:00 PM - Falcons @ Giants Fox/SKY
9:30 PM - Steelers @ Broncos CBS/SKY


*EDIT* That has to be the most complete Giants performance this season. Other than that 94 yard drive the Cowboys couldn't get anything going. Really confident about next week.

Don't be too confident. The Falcons are looking strong. Up against a strong D, the Giants aren't going to have it so easy, the Cowboys secondary is shocking.