Beginning night, you just might find yourself in an unhealthy cardiac environment if you continue to submit yourself to these NFL battles as December commences which can only mean one thing.
It's getting down to the wire to decide who gets to play next month as we are down to the last four games of the season.
As the league enters the final quarter of the season, here's a breakdown of how the playoff-clinching scenarios look for this Sunday:
AFC East: New England has won this division (which to many fans took place in September.)
AFC North: Pittsburgh can win the crown with a win and a Cleveland loss. They can clinch a playoff berth with a win and a Tennessee loss.
AFC South: Indianapolis can take the crown with a win and a Jacksonville loss plus a Tennessee loss or tie. The Colts will clinch a playoff berth with 1) a win plus a Cleveland, Jacksonville, OR Tennessee loss or tie. 2) Tennessee loss plus a Buffalo or Cleveland loss or tie.
AFC West: San Diego wins the division with a win and Denver loss. It's not possible for them to clinch a berth only this week.
ELIMINATED - MIAMI AND NY JETS
NFC East: Dallas has clinched a playoff berth but can win the division with a win OR a Giants loss. A first round bye is also possible if the Cowboys win plus a Seattle and Tampa loss or tie.
NFC North: Green Bay takes the division if they win OR a Detroit loss. They clinch a playoff berth with an Arizona loss.
NFC South: Tampa Bay wins the division with a win OR a New Orleans and Carolina loss.
NFC West: Seattle clinches the division with a win.
ELIMINATED - No one (yes...Atlanta, St. Louis, and San Francisco are not mathematically eliminated). And, you wonder why they call the AFC the stronger conference.
Believe me, the above scenarios will look much different next week after the following wars have been fought.
- Chicago Bears (5-7) at Washington Redskins (5-7): NFL Network, 7:15pm EST, Thursday Night - It's been a tender week for the Redskins after a heart-crushing loss to Buffalo last Sunday and then laying Sean Taylor to rest the next day. Now, three days later, they face a Chicago team that is fighting for playoff survival as well. It is hard to predict how this tragedy is going to play out on the field for the Skins. EDDIE'S PICK - WASHINGTON
- St. Louis Rams (3-9) at Cincinnati Bengals (4-8): FOX, 1pm EST - Mathematically, both teams are in the wild-card hunt. Realistically, these squads are playing for pride and preparing for the 2008 draft. EDDIE'S PICK - CINCY
- Dallas Cowboys (11-1) at Detroit Lions (6-6): FOX, 1pm EST - The Dallas eruption and Detroit implosion continues. EDDIE'S PICK - DALLAS
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-4) at Houston Texans (5-7): FOX, 1pm EST - This is only the second time these two teams have met, and I'm guessing that the Texans will hit a brick wall. EDDIE'S PICK - TAMPA BAY
- Carolina Panthers (5-7) at Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4): FOX, 1pm EST - These two 1995 expansion teams are looking for the playoffs, but the road is so much tougher for Carolina and it stops in J-town who leads the AFC wild-card race by three games with four left against losing squads. EDDIE'S PICK - JACKSONVILLE
- NY Giants (8-4) at Philadelphia Eagles (5-7): FOX, 1pm EST - The G-men are leading the NFC wild-care race by two games and face an Eagles team that must win to have a chance of the playoffs. QB Donovan McNabb should be back behind center, but I'm not sure that's a good thing. EDDIE'S PICK - NY GIANTS
- Oakland Raiders (4-8) at Green Bay Packers (10-2): CBS, 1pm EST - Lambeau. 30% chance of snow and 26 degrees with wind. 250th straight start by Brett Favre. Let's move along. EDDIE'S PICK - GREEN BAY
- Miami Dolphins (0-12) at Buffalo Bills (6-6): CBS, 1pm EST - Still moving... EDDIE'S PICK - BUFFALO
- San Diego Chargers (7-5) at Tennessee Titans (7-5): CBS, 1pm EST - If the Chargers will follow the same game plan as last week---unleashing L.T.---then this will be a great matchup to watch vs. this Tennessee defense. QB Vince Young vs. the Chargers linebackers isn't anything to avoid either. EDDIE'S PICK - SAN DIEGO
- Arizona Cardinals (6-6) at Seattle Seahawks (8-4): FOX, 4:05pm EST - If the playoffs started today, Arizona would be in with the final wild card spot so this is a critical game for the Cards to stay in the hunt, and the 'Hawks are division champs with a win. EDDIE'S PICK - ARIZONA
- Minnesota Vikings (6-6) at San Francisco 49ers (3-9): FOX, 4:05pm EST - RB Adrian Peterson vs. the league's 26th-ranked rush defense could result in another historic day for A.P. as the Vikings can smell the playoff aroma and are starving. EDDIE'S PICK - MINNESOTA
- Kansas City Chiefs (4-8) at Denver Broncos (5-7): CBS, 4:15pm EST - Denver is 9-3 vs. KC at home under Mike Shanahan, but that includes a 6-0 dominance at Invesco Field which opened in 2001. EDDIE'S PICK - DENVER
- Cleveland Browns (7-5) at NY Jets (3-9): CBS, 4:15pm EST - The Jets are eliminated so they have nothing to lose, and Cleveland has everything to lose as they badly need a win to stay in the wild-card hunt. EDDIE'S PICK - CLEVELAND
- Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3) at New England Patriots (12-0): CBS, 4:15pm EST - The last two games for the Pats have revealed their apparent mortality, and Pittsburgh has what it takes to be New England's kryptonite. EDDIE'S PICK - PITTSBURGH
- Indianapolis Colts (10-2) at Baltimore Ravens (4-8): NBC, 8:15pm EST - Last week, the Ravens almost pulled off the stunner vs. New England, but completely disintegrated in the closing minutes. The sting of that loss is not going to feel any better with Manning coming to town. EDDIE'S PICK - INDIANAPOLIS
- New Orleans Saints (5-7) at Atlanta Falcons (3-9): ESPN, 8:30pm EST, MNF - ...
... crickets chirping.....EDDIE'S PICK - NEW ORLEANS
STANDINGS
Cris Collinsworth: 11-5, 131-61
Bob Costas: 10-6, 128-64
Eddie Chinn: 9-7, 126-66
Cris Carter: 10-6, 123-69
Dan Marino: 11-5, 121-71
Chris Mortensen: 8-8, 118-74
Sean Salisbury: 10-6, 117-75
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