I liked the headline at ESPN’s website: ‘Niners follow Singletary’s gut into oblivion.’ Man, what a bad coach.
Jags would now own the tiebreak with Indy, if they somehow conspired to end up tied-the Colts at home vs. the hapless Titans makes it all moot of course. In some cases it would appear that late-season interconference games are virtually meaningless; even if they had beaten the 'Skins they would still have to win next week and hope Indy loses. The NFL was wise to make most late season games intradivision.
The underlining of the word “shocking” was supposed to convey my sarcastic amusement. Ah well.
I think the Eagles game was postponed not so much for the players, but the fans and other folks who would be trying to go to the game.
That’s the impression I got. I love watching football in the snow, but this was a huge storm, so the reasoning made some sense.
Couple of interesting tidbits if I understand the NFC playoff situation correctly. Next week the Bears and Packers face off in Green Bay. If the Bears win they will most likely eliminate the Packers from the playoff picture which would be incredibly satisfying. With a win the Bears would also lock down the #2 seed and the first round bye. With a loss the Packers are in the playoffs and assuming the Eagles take care of business the Bears and Packers would end up having a rematch in Soldier Field to open the playoffs.
The two historic rivals have only played once in the Playoffs ever, a Bears win 33-14 in 1941 prior to a Bears championship.
If the Vikings win tomorrow it will render the next weeks matchup moot and the Bears will have nothing to play for, it’ll be interesting to see if the Bears start everyone and try and whip the Packers anyways, I suspect they would.
So basically, I have to root for the Eagles tomorrow night. This sucks balls.
Unless I want to root for a new head coach, that is. Looks like Cowher in 2011, but I personally would rather have John Fox.
Why would you root for the Eagles? The only hope for the Giants getting in is a Packers and Saints loss next week or a Saints loss tonight and a Packers loss next week. The Eagles game has no meaning for the Giants.
ETA: A Packers win and 2 Saints losses gets you in as well.
No matter how you slice it, the Giants need the Bears to beat the Packers next week.
EDIT: Saints losing their last two is a pipe dream. Bears beating the Packers is the only realistic scenario that gets the Giants in.
More incentive for the Bears to beat the Packers next week. Kind of a round-about justification, though.
The Playoff Machine for your pleasure.
See the edit. Tonight’s Saints-Falcons game actually has more to do with it than anything. Plus regardless of the outcome of Tuesday’s game I think there’s a pretty strong chance the Bears will be going all out to beat the Packers.
I responded to your edit with an edit of my own. heh.
I don’t see it as round-about at all, Tom. The Giants need the Packers to lose. An Eagles win gives the Packers opponent a large incentive to play – first round bye. An Eagles loss means the Bears have nothing to play for.
Note that the last time Lovie’s Bears played a meaningless game against the Packers in week 17 – back in 2006 when they’d already clinched the #1 seed – Lovie pulled the starting QB at halftime, and based on the score they weren’t even trying when the starter was in during the first half anyway.
Packers will beat the Bears even if the Bears play their starters.
I remember a few seasons ago the Bears had a game against the Pack at the end of the season with nothing on the line and stunk it up bad. Of course, they went to the Superbowl anyway after that.
I suspect that the Bears will still have something to play for this time because I have a hard time imagining that the Vikings will take down the Eagles tomorrow night, and the Eagles/Cowboys is a 4:15 EST game, same slot as Bears/Packers. I wouldn’t discount the Cowboys coming out motivated to screw over a division rival in that game.
This team reminds me a lot of that 2006 team in that they seem to have their share of doubters, even among their own fans, but they still seem to find ways to win most weeks. It wouldn’t shock me at all to see them in Dallas. Especially if they can lock down that 2 seed.
Thanks. I was wondering if the Bears could still get the first seed in the unlikely event Atlanta lost 2, but apparently not.
And with nothing to play for but the spoiler role, I hope the Redskins pull out the upset and bury the Giants’ season.
Ruining their chance at the playoffs and finishing above the Cowboys in the standings are about all that’s left to root for at this point.
I wouldn’t be crushed by the Redskins beating the Giants, especially if the Bears take care of business. A collapse that epic would guarantee a coaching change the next day. (ETA: Which I’m kinda rooting for at this point.)
Yeah, that was a little bit of a different situation. The Packers were already eliminated and had nothing to play for either. The Bears had a handful of injuries to deal with primarily at the QB position. Grossman was a little dinged up and the Bears defense got a ton of rest. With a bye week locked up getting healthy was more important than maintaining momentum. Had the Packers had playoff aspirations at the time the results might have been very different.
I can’t remember, didn’t you call me out for suggesting Coughlin was on the hot seat earlier this year? I think the Packers get credit for killing another coach if he goes down next week and the Pack make the playoffs. As it stands I’m crediting them with killing Singletary too, even if it’s a stretch.