Clinched
TITANS: AFC South AND first-round bye
STEELERS: AFC North AND first-round bye
GIANTS: NFC East
CARDINALS: NFC West

Looking to Clinch
TITANS can clinch homefield advantage throughout playoffs with a win
GIANTS can clinch a first-round bye with a win OR Vikings loss
GIANTS can clinch homefield advantage throughout playoffs with a win
PANTHERS can clinch NFC South title with a win OR Buccs loss
PANTHERS can clinch a first-round bye AND homefield advantage throughout the playoffs with a win
BRONCOS can clinch AFC West with a win or Chargers loss
VIKINGS can clinch NFC North title with a win OR Bears loss
COLTS can clinch a playoff berth with a win OR any two of Ravens, Patriots, Jets, Dolphins loss
COWBOYS can clinch a playoff berth with a win AND any three of Bears, Eagles, Falcons, Buccs loss
BUCCANEERS can clinch a playoff berth with a win AND Falcons loss AND either Cowboys or Eagles loss
FALCONS can clinch a playoff berth with a win AND Buccs loss AND any two of Cowboys, Eagles, Bears loss

Facing Elimination
Chargers, Redskins, Bears, Eagles

Previously Eliminated
Texans, Bills, Jags, Browns, Raiders, Bengals, Chiefs
Saints, Packers, 49ers, Seahwaks, Rams, Lions

[Edited on December 16, 2008 at 4:34 PM. Reason : Because Arizona is not a NASCAR state]

12/16/2008 4:30:28 PM

Quote :

"Clinched CARDINALS: NFC South"

12/16/2008 4:31:27 PM

lol i was gonna say that. Cardinals would have finished 4th in this year's NFC south.

12/16/2008 4:32:47 PM

Haha thanks, I fixed it

12/16/2008 4:34:11 PM

I'm going to bump this up since tonight's game should push the Colts into a WC spot.

The Colts are hot at the right time, a lot like last year's Giants. I'm still pulling for a Manning vs. Manning superbowl.

12/18/2008 7:39:46 AM

I don't think Tampa Bay is gonna make it.

12/18/2008 8:27:02 AM

I'm pumped for the Panthers/Giants game Sunday

12/18/2008 11:05:27 AM

Quote :

" I'm still pulling for a Manning vs. Manning superbowl."

please god no

12/18/2008 11:21:28 AM

that would be the worst thing ever

the amount of manning cock sucked in that game by the media would be completely overwhelming

it would be an unwatchable superbowl

12/18/2008 11:30:00 AM

as if the 2 week buildup to the super bowl didn't suck ass already, you want to make it worse by having both mannings involved

the only thing that would be worse is eli vs favre.

[Edited on December 18, 2008 at 1:02 PM. Reason : and even worse, it'd be New Jersey vs New Jersey. I just vomited at the thought]

12/18/2008 12:54:29 PM

I'm pulling for a good ole

DALLAS COWBOYS vs. PITTSBURGH STEELERS

super bowl

12/18/2008 2:47:27 PM

Quote :

"Looking to Clinch TITANS can clinch homefield advantage throughout playoffs with a win GIANTS can clinch a first-round bye with a win OR Vikings loss GIANTS can clinch homefield advantage throughout playoffs with a win PANTHERS can clinch NFC South title with a win OR Buccs loss PANTHERS can clinch a first-round bye AND homefield advantage throughout the playoffs with a win BRONCOS can clinch AFC West with a win or Chargers loss VIKINGS can clinch NFC North title with a win OR Bears loss COLTS can clinch a playoff berth with a win OR any two of Ravens, Patriots, Jets, Dolphins loss COWBOYS can clinch a playoff berth with a win AND any three of Bears, Eagles, Falcons, Buccs loss BUCCANEERS can clinch a playoff berth with a win AND Falcons loss AND either Cowboys or Eagles loss FALCONS can clinch a playoff berth with a win AND Buccs loss AND any two of Cowboys, Eagles, Bears loss LIONS can clinch the Perfect Season in reverse with a "win" this week and next. A feat never before accomplished"

[Edited on December 18, 2008 at 2:49 PM. Reason : f]

12/18/2008 2:48:54 PM

Panthers vs Chargers superbowl.. it could happen

12/18/2008 2:51:02 PM

what do you think the panthers chances of winning sunday are? I say Giants without Jacobs the panthers win, with jacobs it will be a tough road. either way it's a good game.

12/18/2008 2:53:33 PM

^50/50

12/18/2008 2:58:14 PM

^^.5

12/18/2008 3:03:00 PM

i'm still enraged that that fuck, ed hochuli, gave the broncos a game over the chargers.

12/18/2008 3:10:58 PM

^^right on

12/18/2008 3:13:51 PM

I really think the Colts have a great chance of running through the AFC in the playoffs. If they had been playing like this at the beginning of the year, the Titans wouldn't be sitting so high and mighty right now. I just hope the seeding works out that the Colts won't play the Steelers until the AFC championship game, because that really is the best matchup.

12/18/2008 3:57:22 PM

Quote :

"I'm still pulling for a Manning vs. Manning superbowl."

hahaha Fag

Quote :

"that would be the worst thing ever the amount of manning cock sucked in that game by the media would be completely overwhelming it would be an unwatchable superbowl"

Yep

Quote :

"I'm pulling for a good ole DALLAS COWBOYS vs. PITTSBURGH STEELERS super bowl"

Me TOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

12/18/2008 5:43:39 PM

I'd rather have a Manning-Manning Super Bowl than a Cowboys Steelers Super Bowl

12/18/2008 5:45:20 PM

I'd rather have one Manning traded to the Steelers, and the othe traded to the Cowboys. Then have that superbowel, and Bret Favre could be back up for both, with a INSERT ARTIST HERE half time show!

[Edited on December 18, 2008 at 5:49 PM. Reason : .]

12/18/2008 5:48:46 PM

fuck reggie wayne

12/18/2008 9:13:51 PM

fuck reggie wayne

12/18/2008 9:13:51 PM

Yeah for Reggie Wayne. Fuck MJDrew.

[Edited on December 18, 2008 at 9:41 PM. Reason : f]

12/18/2008 9:40:47 PM

^^^^ you are correct about a manning media-circlejerk, cowboys-steelers game being the superbowel

12/18/2008 9:42:55 PM

Peyton is pwning these guys

12/18/2008 9:50:22 PM

come on, Rhodes

punch it in!

_____________________

HELL YES!!!!!

[Edited on December 18, 2008 at 9:53 PM. Reason : e]

12/18/2008 9:51:54 PM

two words

DETROIT LIONS FTW!!!

12/18/2008 10:00:17 PM

two words

DETROIT LIONS FTW!!!

12/18/2008 10:00:17 PM

dammit! rhodes was in! i thought they might challenge it

12/18/2008 10:24:00 PM

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/nfcnorth/0-6-384/Fixing-the-Lions.html

this is spot on

Quote :

"So the Lions are two games away from infamy. Exactly 120 minutes of football time separate them from a perfectly awful 0-16 season. It's one record no NFL team wants to reach, and we're here to help. More on lousy Lions • Merrill: Lions, city struggle • Jemele Hill: Go for 0-16! • Scouts: 10 Lions to keep • Wickersham: Honolulu Blueprint • Watch: Fantasy vs. reality • Football Today: Lions talk As part of ESPN.com's Thursday Hot Read on the topic, we hereby offer 16 suggestions for fixing the Lions: 1. Dispatch the denial. Stop counting the near-misses and lamenting the "few plays here and there." Admit you're broken in a fundamental way. With few exceptions, the NFL's competitive model puts most teams relatively close to one another. There's a reason you hear so much about "any given Sunday." For one team to start 0-14, and lose 21 of its past 22 games, indicates an overhaul -- not a tweak -- is necessary. 2. Start at the top. No one knows exactly how the Lions' ownership runs the team. But we got a glimpse this season when vice chairman Bill Ford Jr. publicly campaigned for the firing of president/general manager Matt Millen. Two days later, chairman William Clay Ford did the deed. All indications are that the elder Ford continues to wield final say, but it's time for Ford Jr. -- whose judgment on Millen far surpassed his father's -- to take over. Leon Halip/US Presswire Rod Marinelli has a 10-36 record in his three seasons in Detroit. 3. Put Rod Marinelli out of his misery. Marinelli might be a good football coach, but no one can lose so many games in a such a short period while maintaining credibility inside or outside the organization. I know, Marinelli hasn't been blessed with the NFL's best personnel. But it's hard to convince anyone you're moving forward with a coach who has lost 36 of 46 games over a three-year tenure. 4. Before hiring the next head coach, settle on a front-office structure that provides checks and balances to avoid a repeat of the unchallenged mistakes Millen routinely made. Most people assume that chief operating officer Tom Lewand will retain a prominent business role, which is fine. On the football side, however, the Lions need a general manager and coach tandem that understands each other's philosophies and will consider contradictory thoughts. The current model is in Atlanta, where general manager Thomas Dimitroff and coach Mike Smith are said to work exceptionally well together. 5. Thank interim general manager Martin Mayhew for his eye-opening work after replacing Millen. And then send him on his way. This is in no way a comment on Mayhew, who in other circumstances would make a fine general manager for the Lions. But remember our general premise: This is not an organization that needs tweaking. It needs to be rebuilt in a big-picture sense. You can't convince your fan base, free agents or even coaching candidates that you're making fundamental changes if Millen's top assistant replaces him -- no matter who it is. 6. Throw a bone to fans -- not a gimmick or a marketing slogan, but something that genuinely invites their interest. A 10 percent cut in ticket prices might be a start. Or, perhaps, a real barnstorming tour that allows fans to ask unedited questions of the Lions' football decision-makers over the course of the season. Transparency and honesty during the rebuilding process, while not comfortable, will help re-connect to a fan base that has lost faith in the team's ability to operate effectively. 7. Rebuild both lines. The Lions, especially on defense, get pushed around on the line of scrimmage far too often for an NFL team. It's the most basic requirement in football: You must be able to move people out of your way. The Lions can't, at least not often enough. (Evidence: They rank No. 32 in the NFL in rush defense and No. 31 in rush offense). This is a difficult task and could take several drafts to complete. But if they focus on nothing else, the Lions must address this physical mismatch. Tom Pigeon/Getty Images Charles Rogers is just one example of a Detroit first-round draft pick who didn't pan out. 8. Because they need such a talent influx on the line and elsewhere, the Lions should trade down in the 2009 draft and perhaps in 2010 as well. For now, focus on numbers rather than blue-chip possibilities. Trades don't happen too often at the highest levels of the draft, but the expected class of 2009 quarterbacks should entice someone to make a deal. 9. Establish a practice of drafting safely at the top end of the draft and take your risks in lower rounds. The Lions are a case study in the impact of missing consistently with high, and at times, risky draft choices. (See Rogers, Charles; Harrington, Joey; and Williams, Mike). If you have the proverbial choice between Jake Long and Darren McFadden, take Long. No need to swing for the fence when average is a big improvement. 10. Resist the temptation to draft a blue-chip quarterback immediately. The Lions are a year or more away from being the 2008 Falcons, who selected Matt Ryan No. 3 overall and inserted him immediately into what surprisingly turned out to be a playoff-caliber lineup. They should use their picks to create a good environment for any young quarterback they eventually draft. These days, teams can't draft a blue-chip quarterback and sit him on the bench for three years. And remember, for every Ryan there is a Harrington. 11. To that end, sift quickly through the Lions' five-man quarterback roster to determine if they have anyone capable of bridging the position for a few years. Both Daunte Culpepper and Dan Orlovsky could fit that role. Having a veteran quarterback on a young team can help everybody move forward. 12. Search for a centrist philosophy. Don't try to build a fan-friendly, dome-oriented team based purely on speed. Yes, the Lions will play at least nine games every year indoors -- their home schedule and once at Minnesota. But there are too many instances in the NFC North where power trumps speed. To be a consistent winner, an NFC North team must have the speed and precision to win indoors and the power and toughness to play in Green Bay and Chicago during times of poor footing and/or bad weather. Leon Halip/US Presswire Finding a complement to Calvin Johnson should be a priority for the Lions. 13. Do whatever it takes to keep place-kicker Jason Hanson in Detroit as long you can. Hanson is the NFL's best long-distance kicker and is an invaluable weapon for an offense that figures to be in development for a while. With Hanson, the Lions are in realistic scoring position every time they get inside the 40-yard line. He'll do his part to make sure they squeeze every point they can from their drives. 14. Make it a priority to find a capable No. 2 receiver opposite of Calvin Johnson. We've seen how Johnson can beat a double team by simply reaching over smaller defenders. But the Lions could benefit more from that double coverage. A competent No. 2 receiver, or even a top pass-catching tight end, could clean up while playing next to Johnson. A good coach could build his offense around the idea that he'll always have a mismatch somewhere in the passing game. 15. Evaluate any structural changes that can make Ford Field a better home-field advantage. Even when the Lions are playing well, the place is pretty quiet for a dome. That could be mere hesitation from fans, or it could be the function of an acoustically-challenged building with a high roof. Can anything relatively affordable be done to make Ford Field louder? It's probably worth an architect's fee. 16. Whatever you do, keep Theo Spight on the payroll. Mr. Spight is the gentleman who sings the most rousing fight song ("Gridiron Heroes") in the NFL. (Forward down the field/A charging team that will not yield...) It's currently the best thing about visiting Ford Field. "

12/18/2008 10:43:52 PM

dont fucking encourage them to win

12/18/2008 10:49:05 PM

Peyton might have locked up the MVP tonight.....8 wins in a row.

12/19/2008 12:59:04 AM

Colts have clinched a playoff berth.

Panthers have clinched a playoff berth.

12/21/2008 4:07:15 AM

the Cards literally showed that they had absolutely zero intentions of trying to win the game...they won the division and decided that they're content with just making the playoffs...I'm wondering if they even bother showing up next week (not show up as in put up a good game & show some effort, but literally show up to the stadium)

12/21/2008 1:48:03 PM

what a catch by Holmes

12/21/2008 2:01:03 PM

Are the cardinals even playing?

Seriously?

12/21/2008 2:28:58 PM

glad my dolphins and their "good defense" isnt stopping the chiefs at all today

12/21/2008 2:33:03 PM

the cards are the most overrated team in the league

12/21/2008 2:48:16 PM

not sure I agree.

No one has them rated highly.

In fact, many of the Cards players have said they are making the playoffs because of the division they play in.

I'm not sure anyone thinks they do anything more than host (and lose) a playoff game.

12/21/2008 2:53:51 PM

haha did yall see garcia's bloody face

12/21/2008 3:48:36 PM

why'd they take Cassel out?

i dont mind it at all, i was playing against him in one league

12/21/2008 3:48:38 PM

it's hilarious that the cardinals are in the playoffs, but the patriots they are getting raped by may not make it.

12/21/2008 4:04:44 PM

im just glad the 2001 Panthers (i think 2001) aren't the only ones to lose 15 straight in a season
and hopefully they won't share any of the record next week

12/21/2008 4:11:45 PM

lol FOX

ZOOM OUT

12/21/2008 4:15:57 PM

I hope we play some good D next week, I don't want Brees to break the record on us.

We just gotta hold him under 400

12/21/2008 4:54:34 PM

have we won the south yet? GO vikes!!! tonight is a dance partay!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phsTZXjLrH0

if you weren't clear on their dance they do...

12/21/2008 5:49:40 PM

Longest Sunday of my Life

12/21/2008 6:33:42 PM

Quote :

"Colts have clinched a playoff berth. Panthers have clinched a playoff berth."

Giants have clinched first-round bye and homefield advantage.

Titans have clinched homefield advantage.

Falcons have clinched a playoff berth.

Redskins havebeen eliminated.

12/22/2008 2:02:33 AM