NFL Showdown Weekend 2008

Dec 28

Week 17 of the NFL Season 2008. The final weekend of the NFL Regular Season always keeps something special for the Fans:

- Will the teams who already made the playoffs (and maybe even can’t rise or fall in the rankings) still play their starters, or will they rest them, and play their backups no matter the outcome of the game?

- Quite a few teams are still battling for a playoff spot. Some “just” have to win, the others have to win and have to hope for one or more of the teams in front of them to lose…

- Those who can’t make the playoffs anymore still have to play for something. Be it to spoil a division rival’s playoff hopes, or simply the players playing for better contract chances for the next season, either to keep their spot on the roster or to strengthen their position for the oncoming free-agency negotiations.

- And then are those players who are about to retire and want to leave the game with a good note at the end.

Now let’s have a look at this years matchups on showdown weekend:

Rams at Atlanta: The Rams are only playing for pride, the Falcons want to keep their chances for the NFC South Title alive, or at least as the #1 wildcard team travel to Arizona to play the struggling Cardinals.

Patriots at Buffalo: The Patriots are in a must win situation, but even with a win and a 11-5 record they might miss the playoffs, should the Dolphins and the Ravens win.

Chiefs at Cincinnati: Nothing to play for but pride and player individual goals.

Bears at Houston: The Houston Texans are just playing for a .500 record, the Bears have to win and hope for a Vikings loss to win the NFC North. With a loss their 9-7 record isn’t enough to make the playoffs.

Giants at Minnesota: For the Giants there’s nothing left to fight for, but for the Vikings even though they’re in the lead in their NFC North division it’s still a must win: Should they lose and the bears win, they can’t even make it for a wildcard spot: Either the Cowboys or the Eagles will be better than the Vikings’ would be 9-7, with the first NFC wildcard spot already going to the NFC South (Panthers or Falcons) and with the Buccaneers even the third NFC South team still with playoffs hopes.

Panthers at New Orleans: The Panthers are thriving for the NFC South Crown. The Saints, even without playoff hopes still can finish the season with a winning record. The stats for this season suggest a Saints win: All 11 games this season within the NFC South have been won by the home team. So to make that a perfect 12-0 for the home teams the Saints have to win.

Browns at Pittsburgh: With a win the Steelers can secure a first round bye, while the Browns are “just” playing for pride and the chance to spoil the Steelers regular season finale.

Raiders at Tampa Bay: When the Raiders travel to Tampa Bay they can only make sure that their former coach won’t make the playoffs. But even with a win the Buccaneers need a lot of help: Cowboys and Vikings have to lose.

Titans at Indianapolis: Last season it was the same game at the final weekend. Just that then the Titans had to win to make the playoffs and the Colts had already secured the AFC South, and played only their backups, thus allowing the Titans to win and make the playoffs. This season both teams secured already their playoff spot. So it’s just to not enter the playoffs with a loss in the regular season finale.

Lions at Green Bay: A dissapointing season for both: Green Bay is 5-11 despite a better than expected QB performance by their new Quarterback Aaron Rodgers – who had way better QB stats than his predecessor Brett Favre. The Lions travel to Green Bay with their last hope to avoid a historical winless seaon (first winless team since 16 games schedules).

Jaguars at Baltimore: The Jaguars travel to Baltimore to finish a disappointing season and their only motivation is to spoil the Ravens playoff hopes, because with a win the Ravens are the second wildcard team in the AFC, with a loss they have to hope for a Dolphins and/or Patriots loss.

Seahawks at Arizona: The struggling Cardinals (last week a 7-47 in New England in the snow) don’t want to enter the playoffs with a losing streak. While the leaving Seahawks HC Mike Holmgren doesn’t want to leave the Seahawks with a loss – the season 4-11 so far was disappointing enough.

Redskins at San Francisco: Two teams playing for nothing but pride. Redskins still can finish the season with a winning record. While Mike Singletary wants to deliver another argument turning his interims coaching position into a permanent – multi year – contract.

Dolphins at Jets: This AFC East showdown has all it got: Pennington who got released by the Jets to make room for Favre can beat them in their own stadium to take the AFC East Title with his Dolphins who went just 1-15 last season.

Cowboys at Philadelphia: Another great Division Showdown: with a win the Cowboys are in the playoffs. But the Eagles themselves still have playoff hopes: with losses by the Vikings or Bears and the Buccaneers they can capture the last playoff spot in the NFC themselves.

Broncos at San Diego: This final showdown on Sunday Night is really something very special. After Week 14 the Broncos were still 3 Games ahead of the Chargers, now with just the rematch of that noteworthy game in Week 2, when a referee’s mistake gave the Broncos the chance to win the game in literally the last second, the Broncos are 8-7 and the Chargers are 7-8 and are now battling for the AFC West crown… The winner takes it all, the losers go home watching the playoffs on TV.