Overall, there was a lot more bad than good this week. Some of the bad performances resulted in wins and will not be discussed here. But several teams had chances to help their playoff chances or make other statements and stepped out for a smoke, instead.
Honorable Mention this week goes to the Falcons and Dolphins. Neither played especially well Sunday. Considering 6-10 would have been considered solid for either of these two at the start of the season, both entering week 17 with 10 wins speaks volumes. Both are in a position to win their respective divisions and the Falcons had the audacity to lock up a playoff spot. I may do one of these about the Good, Bad and Ugly for the season after next week, and if so you can count on these two leading a charge to the top regardless what happens in week 17 and beyond.
The Good
Baltimore – The Ravens were strong on defense for three quarters and persistent on offense. They led after that phase of the game 16-7, yielding the only Cowboys points on a four yard drive after a fumble. The Ravens even manufactured a touchdown after a fake field goal resulted in a first down. Then all hell broke loose. The Cowboys twice made a game of it within the final five minutes, twice crawling back to within two. Each time, the near dormant Ravens running game responded. McGahee ripped a 77 yard TD run and on the Ravens next offensive play McLain threw dirt over the Cowboys with an 82 yard TD run. Good teams have one unit pick the other up with they need it. The Ravens did that Saturday night, first with the defense, then the special teams and finally the offense.
New England – If the NFL determined its playoff times using the BCS, I’m sure the Pats would be in after rolling to a 40 point win against playoff bound (but moribund) Arizona. The Pats amassed over 500 yards of offense while holding the Cards to under 200 and 8 first downs. The Cards only reached New England territory 3 times (twice in the fourth quarter) and never entered the red zone except to run through it on a late bomb TD pass. Even the 17 minute time of possession advantage does not quite tell the story of how Good this was for the Pats.
New Orleans – Yeah, yeah, it was only Detroit. But 532 yards of offense and a 6 yard average per carry is good against anybody outside of the Big 12. It’s too little, too late for the Saints, but that is also why this could have been an easy letdown game for them.
New York Giants – Granted, they played an extra five minutes, but 301 yards rushing against a pretty decent defense is absurd. Couple that with no turnovers and 13 minutes more of possession and you have a Good performance in the NFC 1 vs. 2 match up. The Giants get off the skids, secure home field advantage in the playoffs, make a statement about their aspirations and get mentioned here.
Oakland – Yes, Oakland. It was hard to imagine the Raiders putting together a complete performance against the Texans, but that is exactly what happened in the nut house in the East Bay. They combined a decent defensive performance, an unusually strong offensive effort and even returned a punt for a TD to put down the Texans. A Good effort from an unusual source against an opponent that had been on a roll.
San Diego – The Chargers greatly enhanced their playoff chances. Their performance in Tampa was not dominant, but it was effective and Good down the stretch when it counted. San Diego was up to every Buc challenge and broke open the game in the fourth quarter to set up a showdown with Denver for the AFCW title.
Tennessee – The Titans locked up home field advantage in the AFC by helping create four Steeler turnovers en route to a big home victory. The game alternated between a slug fest and the offenses finding some flow. The game was fairly even despite the 17 point bulge, due in large part to the turnover differential. The Titans break their mini-skid with a solid win at home against a team they may well see again in the playoffs.
The Bad
Dallas – The offense stunk up the place in the first half, gaining only five first downs. After clawing back into the game twice to narrow the gap to 2 points, the defense broke down to give up consecutive TD runs of 77 and 82 yards. As was said with the Ravens, Good teams have one unit pick up the other when times are tough. The Cowboys did the opposite Saturday night. A Bad performance in a critical situation to close Texas Stadium was not what the Cowboys needed.
Denver – The Broncos rolled to 532 yards of offense, rushed for 181 yards, turned the ball over only twice, only gave up 275 yards on defense, did not commit an unusual number of penalties and jumped out to a 13-0 lead against a team that has consistently found ways to lose. Unfortunately, they proceeded to get outscored 30-10 after their solid start to somehow lose this game. They managed to get to the Bill 15 twice in the final 6:00 down by seven and came up empty for their efforts. This Bad results for their effort drops them to 8-7 and may well cost them the AFCW and a trip to the playoffs.
Houston – The Texans quieted rumors they were making progress by making the Raiders look like the 1976 Raiders. The Texan defense surrendered almost 370 yards to the Raiders, which is almost two games worth by Oakland standards. If that was not enough, special teams gave up an 80 yard punt return with the game still in the balance. Not a great effort. If the Texans are ever going to graduate to a plus-.500 team, these are the games they need to win.
Minnesota – The Vikings squandered a chance to lock up the NFCN by playing the role of turnover machine. Minnesota wasted an otherwise decent offensive performance and a good defensive effort by losing four of seven fumbles. Considering they ran 70 offensive plays, they fumbled on one of every ten. That is a Bad fact if you are driving towards the playoffs.
Philadelphia – There is no mystery on how to beat the Redskins. Even the Bengals figured it out. If you can get to double digits on the scoreboard, you should win. The Eagles, whose recent renaissance coincided with an increased emphasis on the run decided the run was unimportant, attempting on 16 times against 48 pass plays (including a pair of sacks) in the game and only twice in 28 fourth quarter plays. Those rushing numbers include scrambles for positive yardage. Bad, bad, bad idea to play call against what had led to success. The result is a major dent in their playoff hopes.
Tampa Bay – Faced with a chance to put a bear hug on a playoff spot, the Bucs evaporated in the fourth quarter against the Chargers. They simply did not make enough plays and wind up needing help to get into the playoffs. This was a frustrating home loss.
The Ugly
Arizona – The Cards seem to have a fool proof way of keeping themselves healthy for the playoffs. Their plan to pick 22 random people plucked from the Phoenix streets for an all-expenses paid trip to New England amassed eight first downs and 186 yards of offense, while surrendering 514 yards and 47 points and over 38:30 time of possession. Whether it was the real Cardinals or substitutes, for the second straight week it was Ugly.
Cleveland – I’m not sure it gets much uglier than being shut out by the Bengals at home. 182 yards of offense, four interceptions, nine penalties and a 1.8 yard per pass play average. That would be bad against the Ravens, Steelers or Titans. But these weren’t the Ravens, Steelers or Titans.
Detroit – They were out of yet another game by halftime. Add to that 532 yards against, including 351 in through the air. All I can say is one more game to eternal Ugliness, gents.
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