Last 4 playoff spots at stake in weekend games

By AFP–Global Times Source:AFP-Global Times Published: 2013-12-28 0:03:01

Joe Flacco of the Baltimore Ravens throws a pass during the game against the New England Patriots on December 22 in Baltimore, Maryland. Photo: AFP



The National Football League's (NFL) last four playoff berths will be decided by Sunday's final regular-season games, two of them showdowns in which the winner advances and the loser is done.

The Chicago Bears entertains the Green Bay Packers and the Philadelphia Eagles will visit the Dallas Cowboys with the winner in each capturing a division crown and first-round home playoff game and the loser seeing their season conclude.

Dallas quarterback Tony Romo, who has a herniated disk in his back, is likely to be replaced by Kyle Orton when the Cowboys play host to the Eagles to decide the NFC East champions­ and a playoff spot.

"It's a health issue. We'll just see how he's feeling," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said of Romo.

"Certainly you want your quarterback to practice during the week. Tony has played a lot for us so you would give him more leeway than most."

It's the third year in a row in which the Cowboys will either make or miss the playoffs based upon their final game of the season, having fallen to Washington Redskins and the New York Giants in the past two years.

Aaron Rodgers was named Thursday as the Packers' starter at Chicago against the team that sidelined him in a road triumph last month.

"This is a playoff game for us," Rodgers said. "It's all out there."

A victory gives the Bears or Packers the NFC North crown and spells the season's end for the loser of the NFL's oldest rivalry, which will be contested for the 188th time.

The Seattle Seahawks, the Carolina Panthers and the San Francisco 49ers have secured National Football Conference (NFC) playoff spots with the Chicago-Green Bay and Dallas-Philadelphia winners joining them.

The sixth and final NFC spot will go to either the New Orleans Saints or the Arizona Cardinals. New Orleans can clinch the berth by winning at home over Tampa Bay but anything less would allow the Cardinals to take the final wildcard berth by beating visiting San Francisco.

Seattle can seal a home-field edge throughout the path to the Super Bowl with a home win over the St Louis Rams but a loss opens the door for San Francisco to overtake them for the NFC West title.

Carolina needs a victory at Atlanta to clinch a first-round bye and the NFC South division crown.

In the American Football Conference (AFC), playoff spots have been clinched by division champions the Denver Broncos, the New England Patriots, the Cincinnati Bengals and the Indianapolis Colts as well as wildcard qualifier the Kansas City Chiefs.

That leaves four teams, the Miami Dolphins, the Baltimore Ravens and the San Diego Chargers at 8-7 and the Pittsburgh Steelers at 7-8, vying for the last wildcard spot in a mess where all of the clubs need help from results in other games to advance.

Miami needs a home victory over the New York Jets and either a loss by Baltimore at Cincinnati or a San Diego home victory over Kansas City to advance.

A win by reigning Super Bowl champion Baltimore would still need Miami or San Diego losing to keep the Ravens in the running to defend their crown. San Diego must win and have Baltimore and Miami lose.

Pittsburgh needs a win and losses by the other three contenders to reach the playoffs. If all four teams lose, the Ravens reach the playoffs.

Denver has clinched a first-round playoff bye, but must win at Oakland or have New England fail to beat visiting Buffalo Bills to ensure the Peyton Manning-led Broncos have a home-field edge to the Super Bowl.

Cincinnati could deny New England a first-round bye with a victory if the Patriots falter against Buffalo and Indianapolis could take the bye by beating the Jacksonville Jaguars if the Patriots and the Bengals both lose.

AFP - Global Times

Posted in: Miscellany

blog comments powered by Disqus