NFL Playoff Excitement

Watching the Giants/Redskins game tonight, it's apparent that a whole lot of teams are still in the running for the post-season going into this final weekend of the regular season. In the NFC, it's possible (though unlikely) that the final Wildcard team could finish the season with a record of 7-9 (at best, they'll be 8-8). Five teams are currently sitting at 7-8, any of whom could make it as the Wildcard team with the right results tonight and tomorrow. Since none of them play each other, and all are playing on the road this weekend, it's theoretically possible that all five could lose their final game and then the Giants - who it sounds like hold the overall tie-breaker - would make it in, with a losing record. More likely is that one or more of them will record a win, of course. If the Giants win tonight, they eliminate the rest; if they lose, then there are all kinds of possibilities tomorrow for Green Bay, St. Louis, Carolina and Atlanta. New York was up big earlier against Washington, 27-7, but now it's 27-21 and things are getting interesting. Already in, but jockeying for position, are Chicago, Seattle, New Orleans, Philadelphia and Dallas, with one of the last two ending up as a Wildcard team while the other will win their division. Chicago has by far the best record in the NFC, at 3 games better than the next best team, so they'll get to skip next weekend's opening round, as will New Orleans.

In the AFC, the hated Steelers were thankfully eliminated last weekend, but hopes still remain for NY Jets, Cincinatti, Jacksonville, Denver, Kansas City and Tennessee, all of whom are battling for the 2 Wildcard spots. Denver and the Jets control their own destinies, thanks to their 9-6 records, meaning they simply need to win their final game to get in. This also means that the AFC Wildcard teams will have winning records, possibly as good as 10-6. The division winners, Baltimore, New England, San Diego and Indianapolis still have some questions to answer, such as who gets the other first round bye (San Diego's got one of them) and who finishes where in the standings.

Should be an interesting and exciting final day of the season tomorrow!