Dec. 24, 2003, 12:22AM
Week 17 has lots at stake
Majority of games will affect playoffs
By JOHN McCLAIN
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle
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ABOUT THE WRITER: John McClain covers the NFL for the Chronicle.
MCCLAIN'S Super Bowl picks
On the last weekend of an often-chaotic NFL season that has been exhilarating for some teams and exasperating for others, 13 of 16 games have playoff implications, and four division titles will be settled.
At stake is first place in the AFC South, AFC North, NFC North and NFC East.
Week 17 will determine if Baltimore or Cincinnati makes the playoffs in the AFC and which two of these three NFC teams -- Minnesota, Green Bay or Seattle -- reach the postseason.
By the time Baltimore hosts Pittsburgh in the last game of the regular season Sunday night, every playoff position could be determined, which would place Ravens coach Brian Billick in a difficult but interesting situation.
If Cleveland were to upset Cincinnati on Sunday afternoon, the Bengals' loss would give Baltimore the AFC North title. Under ordinary circumstances, Billick would rest his players before they host a wild-card game the next week, probably against Tennessee.
But these circumstances are anything but ordinary because Baltimore running back Jamal Lewis needs 154 yards to break Eric Dickerson's NFL single-season rushing record of 2,105 set in 1984.
What would Billick do? Rest his players, including the overworked Lewis, even though he has a chance to make history?
What if Billick were to treat the game as if it were a must-win situation, and a player such as Lewis, offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden, middle linebacker Ray Lewis or cornerback Chris McAlister were injured? Talk about being second-guessed.
"That asks a lot of an individual and a team to say a milestone like that puts you among the all-time greats, then say, `You know what? We're not going to do that,' " Billick said. "That's tough. The team takes great pride in this (Lewis' bid). We're going to need every bit of whatever number (154) he needs to get the record to beat the Steelers. Now the gloves come off. It's whatever it takes. If he's going to run 50 times on Sunday to win, run 50 times."
Barring an upset, Cincinnati should defeat Cleveland because the Bengals are at home, and they know they have to win for a chance to make the playoffs for the first time since 1990. If the Bengals win, they would need the Ravens to lose.
Barring upsets, Baltimore, Indianapolis, Philadelphia and Minnesota should win their divisions. Losses by Indianapolis and Philadelphia on Sunday cast a new light on their division races.
"We've still got a lot on the line," Colts coach Tony Dungy said.
If Indianapolis defeats the Texans, it will win the AFC South. The Titans would become a wild card. If the Colts lose and the Titans win, Tennessee is the division champion, and Indianapolis is the wild card.
"We've got to look at the Houston game as the game of the year," Colts running back Edgerrin James said.
If the Eagles win at Washington -- and Philadelphia is 6-1 on the road -- they will win the NFC East. Dallas would become a wild card. If the Eagles lose and the Cowboys win, Dallas is the division champion. The Cowboys would get a first-round bye and host a second-round game.
If Minnesota wins at Arizona, the Vikings are NFC North champions, regardless of what Green Bay does at home against Denver. But the Vikings have lost 16 of their last 17 games outdoors -- the lone victory coming at Green Bay in the opening game this season.
If the Vikings and Packers win and finish 10-6, Minnesota clinches the division because of a better conference record.
If the playoffs started today, the AFC would have Denver-Indianapolis and Tennessee-Baltimore on wild-card weekend. The lowest seed to win would play at New England. The other winner would be at Kansas City.
The NFC would have Minnesota-Carolina and Dallas-Green Bay. The lowest-seeded winner would play at St. Louis. The other winner would visit Philadelphia.
Week 17 has lots at stake
Majority of games will affect playoffs
By JOHN McCLAIN
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
ABOUT THE WRITER: John McClain covers the NFL for the Chronicle.
MCCLAIN'S Super Bowl picks
On the last weekend of an often-chaotic NFL season that has been exhilarating for some teams and exasperating for others, 13 of 16 games have playoff implications, and four division titles will be settled.
At stake is first place in the AFC South, AFC North, NFC North and NFC East.
Week 17 will determine if Baltimore or Cincinnati makes the playoffs in the AFC and which two of these three NFC teams -- Minnesota, Green Bay or Seattle -- reach the postseason.
By the time Baltimore hosts Pittsburgh in the last game of the regular season Sunday night, every playoff position could be determined, which would place Ravens coach Brian Billick in a difficult but interesting situation.
If Cleveland were to upset Cincinnati on Sunday afternoon, the Bengals' loss would give Baltimore the AFC North title. Under ordinary circumstances, Billick would rest his players before they host a wild-card game the next week, probably against Tennessee.
But these circumstances are anything but ordinary because Baltimore running back Jamal Lewis needs 154 yards to break Eric Dickerson's NFL single-season rushing record of 2,105 set in 1984.
What would Billick do? Rest his players, including the overworked Lewis, even though he has a chance to make history?
What if Billick were to treat the game as if it were a must-win situation, and a player such as Lewis, offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden, middle linebacker Ray Lewis or cornerback Chris McAlister were injured? Talk about being second-guessed.
"That asks a lot of an individual and a team to say a milestone like that puts you among the all-time greats, then say, `You know what? We're not going to do that,' " Billick said. "That's tough. The team takes great pride in this (Lewis' bid). We're going to need every bit of whatever number (154) he needs to get the record to beat the Steelers. Now the gloves come off. It's whatever it takes. If he's going to run 50 times on Sunday to win, run 50 times."
Barring an upset, Cincinnati should defeat Cleveland because the Bengals are at home, and they know they have to win for a chance to make the playoffs for the first time since 1990. If the Bengals win, they would need the Ravens to lose.
Barring upsets, Baltimore, Indianapolis, Philadelphia and Minnesota should win their divisions. Losses by Indianapolis and Philadelphia on Sunday cast a new light on their division races.
"We've still got a lot on the line," Colts coach Tony Dungy said.
If Indianapolis defeats the Texans, it will win the AFC South. The Titans would become a wild card. If the Colts lose and the Titans win, Tennessee is the division champion, and Indianapolis is the wild card.
"We've got to look at the Houston game as the game of the year," Colts running back Edgerrin James said.
If the Eagles win at Washington -- and Philadelphia is 6-1 on the road -- they will win the NFC East. Dallas would become a wild card. If the Eagles lose and the Cowboys win, Dallas is the division champion. The Cowboys would get a first-round bye and host a second-round game.
If Minnesota wins at Arizona, the Vikings are NFC North champions, regardless of what Green Bay does at home against Denver. But the Vikings have lost 16 of their last 17 games outdoors -- the lone victory coming at Green Bay in the opening game this season.
If the Vikings and Packers win and finish 10-6, Minnesota clinches the division because of a better conference record.
If the playoffs started today, the AFC would have Denver-Indianapolis and Tennessee-Baltimore on wild-card weekend. The lowest seed to win would play at New England. The other winner would be at Kansas City.
The NFC would have Minnesota-Carolina and Dallas-Green Bay. The lowest-seeded winner would play at St. Louis. The other winner would visit Philadelphia.
