NFL Round-up: Week 15...

Who rocked?

Michael Vick and his high-octane Eagles put a massive dent their in division rival’s, the Giants, playoff hopes. A win for the Eagles hands them what was, at the start of the season, considered one of the most competitive divisions in pro-football. The Giants have left themselves with the unenviable task of beating a bloodthirsty Packers team next week and closing out the season with a win if they hope to make the playoffs. One slip and the Packers or Buccaneers will almost surely pounce. As for the Eagles, they have stolen the third seed in the NFC from under the Giants’ noses. Can they go all the way? Well, the wild cards in the NFC figure to be pretty tough. Either they’ll be seeing the Giants for the third time this year or they will be forced to host either the Packers or Buccaneers. The Saints will be fifth seeds and face the Rams of Seahawks. Not that they should worry too much, but the Rams would suit the depleted Saints much better than the ‘Hawks, whose home ground will make things tough for the World Champs.

The Ravens kept the pressure on the Steelers. The Black and Gold hold the division by virtue of head-to-head wins over Baltimore. Both these teams are heading to the postseason, and it is likely they will win out the season and go in as second (Steelers) and fifth (Ravens) seeds. If the Steelers slip up, the Ravens could snatch the division, but it should still result in a rematch in the playoffs. Who will come out on top? This week’s heroes: the Baltimore Ravens.

All season we’ve been waiting for Todd Haley’s Chiefs to capitulate and open the door for the lacklustre Chargers. It hasn’t happened. The Chiefs beat the Rams this week and now look certain to make it over the finish line. How the Chargers can be such a good team and fail to make an impact on the history books, is beyond me and their waning fans. San Diego is up there with Carolina when one bandies around potential relocation teams. If they don’t shape-up and win, or at least make it to a Super Bowl in the next five years, I will be placing an order for a new LA Chargers jersey.


Whose chances were knocked?

When you’re eyeing your first playoff berth for years and your main competitors are the New York Giants (Superbowl champs in ’07) and the playoff-hungry Green Bay Packers, you don’t want to be losing 23-20 to the Detroit Lions. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers did.

Green Bay are making it difficult for themselves. By losing a stinker to the Pats (4 point decision) they now have to beat the Giants next week AND nail Chicago in the season finale if they are to assure a postseason berth. They would have been dead in the water had the Bucs OR the Giants won this week to take a game lead on the Pack. Fortunately for my preseason shout, the Giants fell to the Eagles and the Bucs went down to the Lions. Ouch. Green Bay still fighting.


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