- After a frantic final day, the NFL Playoff picture was finalized and we now know who will play who (and where) next week as the playoffs begin.
- In the NFC, the Packers just needed to beat a Minnesota team that's starting lowly touted second year QB Christian Ponder; however the team's RB, Adrian Peterson, continued his hot streak, coming within 9 yards of the all-time NFL rushing yards record for a season (more on this below) and Ponder played well too as the Vikings dropped the Packers to the #3 seed and made the playoffs themselves. They will play again next week in Green Bay.
- In the other matchup, two red hot teams with rookie QB's face off as Russell Wilson's Seattle Seahawks travel to the nation's capital to face RG3 and the Washington Redskins. Seattle has won 5 in a row and 7 of 8 and Washington has won 7 in a row, including yesterday's "win and you're in, lose and you're out" game against Dallas.
- The Atlanta Falcons and San Francisco 49ers took the #1 and #2 seeds respectively.
- In the AFC, the #1 seed Broncos and #2 seed Patriots took advantage of a late season swoon by the Houston Texans to gain first round byes. Houston had a two game lead for the top seed over Denver with 2 games left but losses to Minnesota and Indianapolis dropped them to the #3 seed, meaning they will have to play next week (hosting Cincinnati). The Baltimore Ravens host Indianapolis in the other matchup.
- Interestingly, 5 of the 6 teams who made the playoffs in the AFC last year made it again, including the same 4 division winners. The only extra team in Indianapolis who predictably returned to form now that Peyton Manning is healthy again... except that Manning actually plays for Denver Broncos now. If the Colts and Texans win next weekend, Manning will face his old Colts for a berth in the AFC Title game.
Peterson Falls Just Short
- The incredible season of Adrian Peterson will continue into January as his Vikings defeated the Green Bay Packers yesterday to make the playoffs as the #6 seed in the NFC. However, the way the game ended left AD just 8 yards short of tying Eric Dickerson’s 1984 record of 2,105 yards.
- Peterson was on a roll early in the game, rushing for 61 yards in the first 9:14 of the game. He came into the game needing a huge (for mortal running backs) total of 208 yards to best Dickerson, and early on looked to be on pace. Peterson passed some of the greats in NFL history on Sunday, including OJ Simpson and Barry Sanders.
- Peterson set a career high with 34 rushes in a clear attempt by his team to get him the record, the final rush, which put him only 8 yards short, put the Vikings in easy field goal range for kicker Blair Walsh with only 3 seconds left in a tied game. The Vikings, needing to win the game to make the playoffs, couldn’t risk giving the ball to Peterson again to get the record. Walsh made the field goal (Walsh earlier in the game set an NFL record for most 50+ yard field goals in a season).
- Dickerson was happy that his record stood, even though he tweeted out respect for Peterson and support for him being the one that would eventually break the record. All of this is much more impressive considering Peterson tore his knee up just a year ago. This robot-of-a-running-back is proving all doubters (and medical convention) wrong.
- Interestingly, Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams did hit the number Peterson needed running for 210 yards, despite only rushing for more than 25 in 8 of the 15 other games this season and not breaking 100 yards in any of those.
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