Sport

Intriguing NFL permutations as race for playoffs intensifies

Clash between Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers to decide NFC North championship

Dallas Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott scores a touchdown against the the Detroit Lions in Arlington, Texas on St Stephen’s Day. The Cowboys have already clinched their division. Photograph: Larry W Smith/EPA

Tue Dec 27 2016 - 17:45

The NFL has exercised its right to save the best for last in Week 17.

In perhaps the finest use to date of the league’s ability to alter its schedule in terms of prime-time viewing, the New Year’s Day match-up between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers, which is a de facto NFC North championship, has been changed from an early start to a kickoff at 8.30pm eastern (1.30pm Irish time, Monday), maximising the potential viewership and making everyone wait until the last game of the week to have a complete playoff breakdown.

That the game matters at all is a testament to the turnaround by the Packers. After Week 11 wrapped up, the Packers were 4-6, two games behind both the Lions and the Minnesota Vikings in their division and headed for a lost season.

Undeterred, Aaron Rodgers, the quarterback of the Packers, vowed to “run the table” in the hope of making the playoffs, and has backed up his claims thus far with five consecutive wins.

READ MORE

The drama in the Green Bay-Detroit game only rose when the Lions lost to the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night. The door is now open for Detroit to walk away with a division title or to be eliminated from the playoffs with a loss to Green Bay next week, along with a win by Washington.

Here’s a look at where the playoff races stand:

NFC

1 Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys (13-2) have already clinched their division and home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs, so they have little to play for in Week 17. It should provide the team an opportunity to get Darren McFadden some work as a No 2 running back and could theoretically lead to some snaps for the Cowboys’ former starting quarterback Tony Romo, to keep him sharp in case he is needed down the road or perhaps to showcase him for a potential trade in the off-season.

2 Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons had not had a winning season since 2012, but they are on the verge of a first-round bye in the playoffs and home-field advantage against any team other than Dallas. It is a remarkable turnaround that can be completed with a win over New Orleans on Sunday. Even with a loss, Atlanta (10-5) could get the bye if Seattle loses next week.

3 Seattle Seahawks

Losing to Arizona in Week 16 proved costly That, combined with the Falcons winning and Detroit losing, dropped the Seahawks from the No 2 seed to No 3. A win in Week 17 should not be all that challenging against lowly San Francisco, and a playoff spot is already secured by way of the NFC West title, but to get back to a first-round bye, Seattle (9-5-1) need Atlanta to lose.

4 Detroit Lions

It is a remarkable fall for the Lions (9-6), a team that seemed to have an easy path to a division title a few weeks ago. Now a Week 17 match-up against Green Bay, a game that could have been a tune-up for the playoffs, is a must-win if Washington beat the Giants, as a Lions loss following a Redskins win would knock Detroit out of the playoffs.

5 New York Giants

The Giants (10-5) no longer have a shot at the division title or a first-round bye, but they go into Week 17 with the knowledge that no matter what happens, they are the No 5 seed, which makes them one of just two NFC teams that know their final playoff position.

6 Green Bay Packers

A win over Detroit would give the Packers (9-6) a division title, but if they lose and Washington win, they will not make the playoffs even as a wild card.

In the hunt: Washington (8-6-1) would secure a playoff spot with a win over the Giants. Tampa Bay's road is far more unlikely, as it requires a win over Carolina, a Washington loss to the Giants and a Green Bay loss to Detroit; and even if all of that happens, the Buccaneers (8-7) will need help in the strength-of-schedule tiebreaker over Green Bay. They would most likely need Week 17 wins from Kansas City, San Francisco, Indianapolis, Dallas and Tennessee.

AFC

1 New England Patriots

A win over Miami or an Oakland loss to Denver would secure the top spot and home field advantage throughout the playoffs for the Patriots (13-2). The most interesting thing left may be how far LeGarrette Blount can stretch his franchise record for rushing touchdowns, which currently stands at 17.

2 Oakland Raiders

It was hard to celebrate an important win in Week 16 for the Raiders, since Derek Carr, the team’s quarterback and MVP. candidate, broke his fibula and is out indefinitely for the remainder of the season. A win over Denver or a loss by Kansas City would secure a first-round bye, giving the Raiders (12-3) some extra time to get Matt McCloin as many reps as possible as the first-team quarterback. A loss, combined with a Chiefs victory, would drop the Raiders to the wild-card round.

3 Pittsburgh Steelers

It will be hard for Pittsburgh (10-5) to be all that motivated since the Steelers have already secured a playoff spot and do not have a chance to get a first-round bye. Even with that, a loss to Cleveland, winners of just one game this season, seems highly unlikely.

4 Houston Texans

Locked in as perhaps the worst division winners in the NFL, the Texans (9-6) will use a Week 17 match-up against Tennessee (8-7) to figure out their quarterback situation after Tom Savage hardly seemed like an upgrade over Brock Osweiler last week.

5 Kansas City Chiefs

The worst case for the Chiefs (11-4) is a wild-card spot, but they could rise to division champions and a first-round bye if they beat San Diego and Oakland lose to Denver. Regardless of position, the Chiefs have to be considered one of the top playoff teams in either conference based on their recent displays.

6 Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins (10-5) are guaranteed a wild-card spot, but with New England probably putting in some effort to lock down the No 1 seed, a win in Week 17 seems unlikely. Regardless, Matt Moore, the quarterback, and Jay Ajayi, their top running back, have done a good job of making Miami watchable in recent weeks.

In the hunt: No one. All six teams have been determined, and the only thing on the line is seeding.

New York Times Service

LATEST STORIES