Three major calls precipitated this. 1:25 to go was the first one, when the refs ruled the New Orleans receiver down at the 1 on a pass. Replay clearly showed the catch in the end zone, and then the full control down -- touchdown on the reversal for 31-28 New Orleans.
Then, 4th and 15 for Pittsburgh and Antonio Brown took quite a bit of Superdome turf with him on the sideline to get a catch (correctly called) to keep the drive going.
Then, just as Pittsburgh was getting in the zone to get a tying field goal, their receiver rolls over a New Orleans defender, loses the ball -- and the game, and the #1 seed in the NFC to New Orleans.
So, how bad does that make Week 17?
New Orleans at 13-2 is the #1 seed.
Well, we have at least two relevant games in the NFC seeding. If Chicago beats Minnesota and the Rams lose to the 49ers, Chicago gets the #2 based on their victory over the Rams. (And my thoughts on a Bears-Texans Super Bowl hit overdrive!)
Dallas is the #4.
Seattle, Minnesota, and Philadelphia are going for the two wild-card spots. Regardless of the result tonight, all three of their games (SEA-ARI, the aforementioned MIN-CHI, and PHI-WAS, are relevant).
Even if Seattle wins tonight, if they lose next week and Minnesota and Philly both win, Seattle is out.
So there are only FOUR relevant NFC games next week. Chicago-Minnesota probably being the biggest.
- LAR-SF: Rams win the #2 with a win.
- CHI-MIN: Chicago wins the #2 with a win and a Rams loss. Minnesota needs a win to get the wildcard. They get the #5 if Seattle loses one of their two, the #6 if Seattle wins both.
- SEA-ARI: Seattle must win or have both Minnesota and Philadelphia lose.
- PHI-WAS: Philly needs a win and help.
AFC:
A good number of the games are relevant for one purpose or another here.
Kansas City is about to kick off at Seattle. A win for Kansas City clinches the #1 and renders both them and the Chargers games next week irrelevant. Otherwise, both games are relevant, as a Charger win and a KC loss gets LA the #1 and the league a huge headache.
Both games in the AFC South are relevant. Tennessee and Indianapolis probably get flexed to Sunday night -- they appear the best candidate. Houston must win and have New England lose to get the #2, so both those games are relevant.
And both games in the AFC North are now relevant. Pittsburgh now needs a win over Cincinnati and a Baltimore loss to Cleveland to win the division, and, with the tie and Tennessee and Indy playing, is probably that or out!
So, as of right now, the only game we KNOW is not relevant in the AFC next week is Miami-Buffalo. Two more become irrelevant (KC #1, LAC #5) if KC wins tonight.
So 9-11 relevant games next week, TBD by the one that just kicked off.
- KC-OAK and
- LAC-DEN: Only relevant if KC loses tonight to SEA.
- PIT-CIN and
- BAL-CLE: Baltimore is in and Pittsburgh eliminated with a win. Pittsburgh must win and Baltimore must lose for Pittsburgh to get in, and that would eliminate Baltimore.
- NE-NYJ: New England gets the #2 with a win or
- HOU-JAC: A Houston loss. Houston must win and have New England lose.
- TEN-IND: No formal announcement yet, but it's got all the markings of the requirements for a Week 17 Sunday Nighter: Win and you're in, lose and you're out. Winner is AFC South champion and the #4 (on division record) if Houston loses. (HOU would be #6.) Winner is the #6 if Houston wins.
Right now, the game which would appear to be the most likely to get screwed up before that Sunday Nighter would be Jacksonville beating Houston. It'd probably blow up my thought of a Houston-Chicago Super Bowl, but there you go.
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