If the season ended today the Falcons (8-5) would be tn the playoffs snagging one of the Wild Card berths, but they still have a shot to win the NFC South even though they trail the Saints, who they face in their next game, by 2 games in the division.
The Seattle Seahawks will try to keep their ever so slim Wild Card playoff aspirations alive on Monday night when they take on the St. Louis Rams in Seattle.
It seems ironic that the best game that the New York Giants have played this season actually ended with a loss, as despite pushing the defending Super Bowl champions to the limit, they eventually fell to the Green Bay Packers 38-35.
What a difference two months can make.
Both the Buffalo Bills and the San Diego Chargers were chugging their way into the postseason in early October with 4-1 records, but now both are well out of the playoff hunt nearing mid December, sporting identical 5-7 records.
Buffalo v San Diego
When: 4:15 PM ET, Sunday, December 11, 2011
Where: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California
TV:CBS
LINE: -7 (San Diego) O/U 47.5
Still, Sunday’s battle will mean something to both teams as San Diego will try to salvage a train wreck of a season by beating up on an already deflated Bills squad that will be looking to avoid a sixth consecutive loss in a city where it hasn’t won in 30 years.
After starting the season 5-2, the bus ran off the cliff and the entire Buffalo fan base has felt the impact.
The Bills, who led the league in scoring over that span, averaging just under 33 points per game, have fallen well off the mark by putting up a meager 13.4 points during its five-game skid.
Sure, one can blame injuries to team MVP Fred Jackson, big nose tackle Kyle Williams, and several other players on the offensive line for the Bills dip in performance. But that still doesn’t excuse the poor execution from QB Ryan Fitzpatrick.
However, after throwing seven interceptions in a three-game stretch, Fitz been far better, throwing four TD passes in his last two outings. He needs only 163 passing yards to match last season’s career high of 3,000, but if the rest of the team can’t step it up, he could very well have to wait until next season. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Take for example Stevie Johnson dropping the potential game-winning touchdown with seconds to play against the Jests, or C.J. Spiller’s fumble in the end zone last week in the Bills loss to the Titans. Of course, the officials ruled that Spiller recovered the ball in the end zone for the touchdown during the relay review, but it’s that kind of sloppy play that has landed the Bills near the bottom floor in the AFC East.
The same kind that will allow the Chargers to manhandle the Bills on their home turf.
The Bolts should be in a better frame of mind after ending their own six-game losing streak by dismantling Jacksonville 38-14 on Monday night.
Quarterback Phillip Rivers, who’s had a disappointing season (19 TD, 17 INT), threw three touchdown passes, as San Diego scored the final 28 points to pull within two games of co-AFC West leaders Denver and Oakland.
San Diego matched its best offensive output of the season in blowing out the Jaguars, thanks in part to RB Ryan Mathews’ second straight 100-yard game.
Matt’ s Prediction: San Diego 34 , Buffalo 24–
San Diego has an NFL-best 19-1 record over the final four weeks of a season since 2006, and will be looking to avoid their first four-game home losing streak since 2001.
I just don’t see how Buffalo, which last won at San Diego in December 1981, and has dropped five straight road games, can shut down a San Diego offense that if clicking can be a scoring machine.
I expect the Bolts to keep their faint playoff hopes alive with another December surge.
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The Denver Broncos attempt to extend their five-game winning streak when they face off against the Chicago Bears who are still in solid position for the NFC Wild Card race but they have lost their last two games in a row, making them 0-2 since they lost Jay Cutler to a thumb injury.
Rex Ryan’s AFC East second place New York Jets will look to stay in the thick of the race for the final Wild Card spot in the AFC,when they host the injury riddled Kansas City Chiefs who are coming off a surprising win over Chicago their last time out.
The Philadelphia Eagles will try and snap a two-game skid when they travel to Sun Life Stadium this Sunday afternoon to take on the Miami Dolphins, who have won have won four of their last five games.
The New England Patriots continue their quest for another AFC East Division title this Sunday afternoon when they face-off against the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field.
The NFL season is a marathon, not a sprint. If you don’t believe that, then just ask Norv Turner and the San Diego Chargers.
The Detroit Lions have lost four of their last six and are at risk of falling back of the Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Wild Card race.
Fueled by another second-half comeback from Tim Tebow, the Denver Broncos find themselves right back into the thick of the hunt in the AFC West, and will set their sights on winning their fifth straight when they hit the road to take on the Minnesota Vikings who continue to struggle to find wins this season.
The Dallas Cowboys will look to take one step closer to this season’s NFC East Division title with a win over a past East rival, the Arizona Cardinals this Sunday afternoon in Phoenix.
The undefeated Green Bay Packers invade MetLife Stadium this Sunday afternoon to tangle with the New York Giants, who suddenly find themselves in desperate need of a win.
The New York Jets continue their march towards the playoffs this Sunday afternoon when they face-off against the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field.
The San Diego Chargers will look to end their five game losing streak as they host the Denver Broncos in a pivotal game in the wide open AFC West on Sunday at Qualcomm Stadium.
The Chicago Bears were in the midst of five-game winning streak, and then something unthinkable happened. Quarterback Jay Cutler went down possibly for the season with a broken thumb.
