Peyton Manning & Ryan Fitzpatrick among six key stories from Week 17
Monday 4 January 2016 13:52, UK
I've sat through the odd sleep-inducing Week 17 in which the NFL playoff spots have all but been locked up. But Sunday night was nothing like that, as we spent an intriguing 11 and a half hours on air on Sky Sports.
We saw playoff dreams shattered and made and we also saw a significant power shift in the AFC thanks to the return of a very familiar face. Here's what caught my eye on Sunday evening and into the early hours of Monday morning.
The Sheriff is back in town
You seriously couldn't make up some of the stuff that went down in the NFL in Week 17. Having earlier seen the New England Patriots lose to Miami, Denver went into their game with San Diego knowing a win would give them the all-important homefield advantage in the AFC playoffs.
But Denver - led by young quarterback Brock Osweiler - were stinking it up and trailed 13-7 in the second half after committing five painful turnovers. It was time to turn to the 38-year-old Peyton Manning, who had been benched, injured and seemingly put out to pasture in Denver.
Of course, Manning immediately led the Broncos on a touchdown drive and Denver went on to win the game 27-20. It was not vintage Manning, as he went five of nine for 69 yards and no touchdowns, but it was great sporting drama. And he clearly gave his team a much-needed shot in the arm because all aspects of Denver's play improved when 'The Sheriff' was in the line-up.
I happen to like Osweiler and he was not responsible for at least four of those five turnovers. I also happen to think Manning is on his last NFL legs behind a shaky offensive line. But you can't argue with what Peyton did for his team on Sunday. Now what do the Broncos do when they enter the playoff tournament on January 17?
Jets run out of Fitzmagic
Prior to Sunday night's visit to Buffalo, the New York Jets had been led by one of the hottest and most in-form quarterbacks in the NFL in Ryan Fitzpatrick, leading fans in the Big Apple to dub his performances as 'Fitzmagic'.
Well, the Fitzmagic ran out on Sunday, as the Jets - needing a win to reach the AFC playoffs - fell to a 22-17 defeat at the hands of the Bills, who are led by the man the Jets fired as head coach last season, Rex Ryan.
And the Jets left too many big plays on the field and blew their opportunity big time. Fitzpatrick had it all laid out in front of him late in the game, needing a touchdown to take his team to the playoffs. It's the stuff young quarterbacks dream about when growing up.
But the veteran passer failed, as he threw two late interceptions to give him a costly three on the day. Fitzpatrick looked like a quarterback who had never been to the playoffs during his career, even though he was starting for his fifth NFL team. Where others have shone in the bright lights of a late game-winning drive, Fitzpatrick came up short and the Jets have a long eight months to think about what might have been.
Patriots slip up
It was not that long ago that we were talking about the New England Patriots potentially going through an entire season without a loss. Then the injuries began to mount up and they are now going on the road at some point in the AFC playoffs if Denver can win in the Divisional round.
New England have lost some key receivers, such as Julian Edelman, both starting offensive tackles and both of their safeties. And they are now showing significant chinks in their armour because of those blows.
On Sunday night, Miami beat up Tom Brady, held him to just 134 passing yards and no touchdowns and more than deserved their win. It was a rare show of defiance from a Dolphins team that appeared to have mailed it in weeks ago.
While the Patriots still have an important first-round bye, during which time they can try to get healthier, this was still a damaging loss. New England play so much better in Foxboro and there was a period last year where they took their consecutive home win total to more than 70 games. So if the AFC Championship Game is now in Denver instead of New England, that could prove to be huge.
Lions find their bite
This is not playoff-related and did not serve up the most drama on Sunday night, but I was intrigued to see the Detroit Lions finish their season with a win, defeating the Chicago Bears 24-20 in the Windy City.
The Lions were truly awful at Wembley Stadium in Week 8 and were hammered by the Kansas City Chiefs. They fired three coaches, the general manager and the team president but, importantly, not head coach Jim Caldwell. And the Lions turned things around by winning six of their last eight, and it would have been seven of the last eight but for a ridiculous Hail Mary touchdown for the Green Bay Packers.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford looks more settled working with new offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter and he looks better protected. And any team with Calvin Johnson, Golden Tate and Eric Ebron as receiving targets has to be deemed dangerous.
I think the Lions are well led by Caldwell and he should keep his job for 2016. If these Lions can keep their key players in town (Johnson is due to be paid $16 million in 2016 and that may be a tad rich), they can challenge for a playoff spot next season.
Be careful what you wish for
The Minnesota Vikings ground out a 20-13 win over the slumping Green Bay Packers to take the NFC North crown on Sunday. And their reward in the opening round of the playoffs? A home game against the red-hot Seattle Seahawks, who hammered the Arizona Cardinals 36-6 in their own back yard in Week 17. Mike Zimmer's men had to go for the win against Green Bay because you cannot show your team that you are afraid of any opponent.
But a return match against a Seattle team that thrashed Minnesota 38-7 less than a month ago is much tougher than a third clash with an out-of-sorts Packers team. Zimmer made his mark as a defensive coach and had better come up with a plan to slow the in-form Russell Wilson.
The axe begins to fall
By the time you read this column, there could very well be more NFL head coach vacancies around the league as Black Monday is officially under way. For now, there are openings in Philadelphia, San Francisco, Miami, Tennessee and Cleveland, after the 49ers and Browns fired their coaches on Sunday night.
I expect Chuck Pagano to fall on his sword in Indianapolis today and Tom Coughlin is going to be politely shown the door in New York. But I found it tough to swallow San Francisco's decision to fire Jim Tomsula.
The 49ers had an off-season talent drain unlike anything we have seen in recent years, yet Tomsula is one and done because he only won five games? I would argue that was quite an achievement with San Francisco's roster. There are several coaching casualties who deserve to be looking for new employment in this new year, but my old friend at the 49ers is not one of them, in my opinion.
It seems in any sport now, you're not allowed a bad run or a bad season without paying the ultimate price. And I don't think that is right, particularly as it relates to Tomsula and the 49ers.
