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FIVE CLUBS SCRAMBLING FOR FINAL TWO PLAYOFF SPOTSPATRIOTS GO FOR UNDEFEATED SEASON SATURDAY NIGHT VS. GIANTS
The spots and the streak. These are the stories as the NFL concludes one wild season this week with five clubs aiming for playoff spots in the new year and another seeking to end the year undefeated. Leave it to the NFL to add some extra holiday spice to a final-weekend scramble. Week 17 starts early on Saturday night at 8:00 PM ET in an unprecedented three-way national TV simulcast on NFL Network, CBS and NBC as the 15-0 New England Patriots visit the New York Giants in search of history. The Patriots can become the fourth team in history to go through the regular season undefeated and untied. They can match the 1934 Chicago Bears (13-0), 1942 Bears (11-0) and 1972 Miami Dolphins (14-0) in accomplishing the feat. Of course, the Patriots would account for the most regular-season wins (16) in matching the rare mark. The 1934 and ’42 Bears lost the NFL Championship game (the equivalent of the Super Bowl), while the Dolphins posted the NFL’s only “perfect” season (17-0) when they won two playoff games before taking Super Bowl VII. And in spite of New England’s take-it-one-game-at-a-time philosophy, Patriots linebacker TEDY BRUSCHI actually admits that he and his teammates may be thinking about a spotless season as Saturday approaches. “Like I’ve said before,” says Bruschi, “put me in, coach. I want to play. I want to win. And if that means this week being 16-0, yeah, I want it.” In addition to possibly becoming only the fourth team in history to post an undefeated/untied regular season (see above), the Patriots this Saturday night can break their 2003-04 NFL record of most consecutive regular-season victories (18) when they visit the Giants. New England won its final three of 2006. There will be a lot of “wanting it” going on in the NFL this week. Specifically, about playoff spots. Ten of the NFL’s 12 postseason berths have been decided. And five teams are vying for those final two spots. In the AFC, the Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans are going for last slot, the sixth seed. In the NFC, for the same seed, it’s a three-way battle between the Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints and Washington Redskins. “The stage is set,” says Redskins cornerback FRED SMOOT, speaking, really, for all five clubs. The five games with playoff implications in the final week of the seasonSAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (5-10) at CLEVELAND BROWNS (9-6) Browns are on the cusp, but Niners are tough at season’s end. Cleveland was set for a playoff berth last Sunday but was upended by Cincinnati. With a win or tie and a Tennessee tie, or a Tennessee loss, the Browns take their first playoff berth since 2002. But they will be facing a team that has built a tough 6-2 record in the season’s final three weeks of head coach MIKE NOLAN’s three-year tenure. “We’re getting it done,” says 49ers RB FRANK GORE, with his second consecutive 1,000-yard season. The game will pit two QBs who were backups at season’s start but have posted successful campaigns – the Browns’ DEREK ANDERSON (9-5 record) and 49ers’ SHAUN HILL, with two wins in a row. DALLAS COWBOYS (13-2) at WASHINGTON REDSKINS (8-7) Keep the streak going, and the Redskins are in the playoffs. Washington has won its last three, including last Sunday night when it limited Minnesota Pro Bowl rookie RB ADRIAN PETERSON to 27 yards and intercepted two passes that led to scores. Beat the Cowboys and Washington earns its second playoff berth in three years. And the ’Skins are quite happy with their 13-year veteran QB TODD COLLINS, who has completed 60.8 percent of his passes with no interceptions for a 107.0 rating in his three games this year, the last two starting. These two NFC East rivals always seem to play each other tightly. Five of the last seven games in the series have been decided by five-or-fewer points, including Dallas’ 28-23 victory on November 18. Cowboys are 7-0 on the road this year. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (7-8) at CHICAGO BEARS (6-9) Saints want to reverse last season. They have to – plus get help – if they want to return to the playoffs for the second time in as many years. Last January 20, the Bears topped the visiting Saints 39-14 in the NFC Championship Game with the aid of four takeaways. Fast forward to this year and Chicago comes off a 35-7 limiting of BRETT FAVRE and the Packers in which it held the Pro Bowl QB to 153 passing yards. But Saints QB DREW BREES leads the league in completions (408) and can set the NFL season record with 11 Sunday (RICH GANNON, 418, 2002). “We’ve got one more game to play, against Chicago,” says Saints head coach SEAN PAYTON, who may get RB REGGIE BUSH and WR MARQUES COLSTON back. “We plan on finishing it the right way.” MINNESOTA VIKINGS (8-7) at DENVER BRONCOS (6-9) Vikes go for Wild Card – maybe through Peterson going for rushing title. Minnesota has to win or tie with other scenarios to earn its first playoff berth since 2004. The Vikings would love to do it on the production of RB ADRIAN PETERSON (1,305 rush yards), who will be extra pumped on Sunday because he will vie with San Diego’s LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON (1,418) and Philadelphia’s BRIAN WESTBROOK (1,291) for the NFL rushing title. Denver is aware of Washington’s Week 16 plan that packed eight and nine men up front to basically shut down Peterson and the Vikings’ No. 1 NFL rush game (87 yards) to help hand Minnesota its first loss after five wins in a row. The Vikings know Denver wants to end its season on a positive with a win while slowing down Peterson. “Those guys get paid, too,” says Vikings C MATT BIRK. “You always tip your hat to your opponent when they stop you, when they beat you.” TENNESSEE TITANS (9-6) at INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (13-2) Terrific way to end the season! A playoff berth can be clinched…it’s a division rivalry…Colts are 13-2, Titans have won three of their last four…and the last three games between the two have been decided by a total of six points. With a win, the Titans are in the postseason. They seem to be getting hot at just the right time. Their right-side Pro Bowl DLmen, DE KYLE VANDEN BOSCH and DT ALBERT HAYNESWORTH, will give Indy all it can handle. The dominating Haynesworth has returned as a starter from injury and Vanden Bosch comes off his second three-sack game of the year. But the Colts – who have won 10 consecutive home games against division foes – have won the division, have a first-round bye and come off a season-high 458-yard game while tying a team record with 33 first downs. “This is a playoff game for us and that’s how we have to play,” says Titans RB LEN DALE WHITE, fresh off the first 1,000-yard season of his two-year career. “Every yard we are going to have to fight for. We’ve got to score early and often.” WHAT TO LOOK FOR – WEEK 17UNPREDICTABLE PLAYOFF PARTICIPANTSFor the 12th consecutive season, five or more teams will qualify for the playoffs that were not in the postseason the year before. Green Bay, Jacksonville, Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay did not make the playoffs last year but have done so this season. This Sunday, that number will jump to at least five teams with the final AFC playoff berth going to either Cleveland or Tennessee, and possibly to six if Minnesota or Washington qualify in the NFC. The teams since 1996 to make the playoffs a season after failing to qualify:
* Cleveland or Tennessee in the AFC will qualify for the 2007 playoffs, and possibly Minnesota or Washington in the NFC. TAMPA BAY TURNAROUNDAfter going winless in the NFC South Division in 2006, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-0) have the opportunity to completely turn around that record with a win over Carolina on Sunday. If they do so, the Buccaneers would become only the second team since 1970 to accomplish the feat. The St. Louis Rams did so in 1999, and went on to win Super Bowl XXXIV. PATS AIM FOR PINNACLEIn their quest for the first undefeated/untied regular season in a 16-game schedule, the New England Patriots are primed to break several significant offensive records. With six points against the New York Giants on Saturday night, the Patriots will break the NFL season scoring record of 556 points by the Minnesota Vikings in 1998. A standout on that Vikings team was rookie wide receiver RANDY MOSS, who with two touchdown receptions on Saturday will break JERRY RICE’s NFL season TD catch record of 22 in 1987. With two TD passes, Patriots quarterback TOM BRADY can break the season record of 49 by PEYTON MANNING in 2004. NFL single season touchdown passes and receptions leaders
* Through 15 games PASSING FANCY With one week left to the season, quarterbacks have a chance to enter uncharted territory. There have already been four quarterbacks to surpass 30 touchdown passes, tying the records for most in a season of 1980 and 2004. Productive games from DEREK ANDERSON (28), MATT HASSELBECK (27) and BRETT FAVRE (26) this week could push the total of 30-TD quarterbacks to a record-setting seven:
DOUBLE DUTY FOR WESTBROOK Philadelphia Eagles All-Star running back BRIAN WESTBROOK is poised to join exclusive company by surpassing 2,000 scrimmage yards and posting 90 receptions in the same season. Westbrook would become only the fourth player in history to accomplish the feat. With 2,005 scrimmage yards and 86 receptions already this year, Westbrook can break the team record of 2,006 scrimmage yards (WILBERT MONTGOMERY, 1979) and the mark of receptions in a season (IRVING FRYAR, 88 in 1996). Players with 2,000 scrimmage yards and 90 receptions in a season:
In addition, Westbrook is also close to leading the Eagles in both rushing yards and receptions for the third consecutive year. If he does so, he would become only the sixth player in history to accomplish the feat and the first since WALTER PAYTON in 1983-85. Players who have led their team in rushing yards and receptions for three consecutive seasons:
* Four consecutive seasons VICTORY IN THE TRENCHES The Minnesota Vikings can make history this season in the running game. Currently, the Vikings rush for 5.27 yards per carry and hold the opposition to 3.00 yards per rush. The 2.27 yards-per-carry difference positions the Vikings within striking distance of the largest such season differential in history. The Vikings also can become only the ninth team since 1970 to finish with the top-ranked rushing offense and defense in the same season, and the first since the 2001 Pittsburgh Steelers. WILKINS WITH PRECISION Already holding one NFL record, St. Louis Rams kicker JEFF WILKINS seeks to claim another this Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. By connecting on a 52-yard field goal last week, Wilkins extended his record of consecutive successful attempts between 49 and 52 yards to 20. With two more consecutive extra points made, Wilkins will surpass JASON ELAM’s NFL record of 371 in a row. Most consecutive field goals from 49-52 yards made in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) and most consecutive extra points made in history:
NFL WEEK 16 RESULTS (DECEMBER 20, 22-24)Thursday, December 20
Saturday, December 22
Sunday, December 23
Monday, December 24
NFL WEEK 17 SCHEDULE (DECEMBER 29-30)Saturday, December 29
Sunday, December 30
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