By week 17, we are down to a few games that matter, be it for playoff or draft position. This weekend was no different, though maybe you couldn’t tell which teams were playing for something that mattered (cough Packers cough New England) if you caught the early halftime scores. Regardless, the Packers prevailed over the Lions to claim a top 2 seed in the NFC and the Patriots lost to solidify they will indeed be playing in the wild card round for the first time since 2009. What a world.
Both NFC East matchups were featured during the late game slot on Sunday, Cowboys vs Washington which only mattered if the Eagles were to lose to the Giants playing at the same time. For my beloved and beat up Eagles, it was win and get in. Sounds simple, but for the people in the back here is a recap of the Eagles injury situation including those that we lost Sunday JUST ON OFFENSE:
#Eagles injury issues in a nutshell:
— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) December 30, 2019
Of the 11 starters on offense in week 1, 7 of them are either on IR or dealing with a significant injury:
Jeffery-IR, Sproles-IR, D Jax-IR, Brooks-going on IR, Ahgolor-missed 5, Ertz-lacerated kidney, L. Johnson-missed 4. #SEAvsPHI
The defense is also decimated, playing this week without two starting CBs, LB, D-lineman, and a safety/corner that was teetering on an injury all game. They literally lost a rotational DE to a torn ACL on the final play of the game. The following statement is an actual fact, look it up.
There’s a critical Eagles injury after every single play.
— Brandon Lee Gowton (@BrandonGowton) December 29, 2019
If the Eagles lost Sunday, or last week, or any of the last 4 weeks, we would have been upset, irate, devastated, but also we would take a look around and think this team was down to zero skill position players that started week 1 (raise your hand if you also said “WHO” when Deontay Burnett caught a 41 yard pass). On the other hand, look what they’ve done, look what they’ve accomplished, and look at the Carson Wentz haters now (oh wait you probably can’t find them since they jumped back on the bandwagon- except mini Skip Bayless, Max Kellerman). How can this be?
Second straight year the Eagles go on an improbable DECEMBER run and make the playoffs.
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) December 30, 2019
And two years ago, they won a Super Bowl.
Lesson as always — Doug Pederson is an awesome NFL head coach. @ColinCowherd @gmfb
I like the Eagles at home in the playoffs against anyone, is it Sunday yet!?
Another scrappy team, the Tennessee Titans (blog darling since they dropped Mariota) were also in a win and get in situation against division rival Houston. The Titans were led by the new owner of the rushing title, Derrick Henry, and potential offensive rookie of the year, A.J. Brown, and took care of business to earn a trip to Mike Vrabel’s old stomping grounds in the wild card round of the playoffs next Saturday. This will be fun!
“Watch out New England. You were this close to having a bye, but now you have to deal with Derrick Henry and that smash-mouth running game. It’s not going to be fun.”
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) December 30, 2019
– @TonyDungy on "Football Night in America" @SNFonNBC @Titans @Patriots
In the final Sunday night game of the regular season, the Seattle Seahawks hosted the San Francisco 49ers in a game where both teams were already secured to make the postseason, yet there was so much on the line. As expected, this game came down to literal inches (as most Seattle games this season tend to do), with the Seahawks coming up juuuust short on 4th and goal after Russell Wilson heroics and bone-headed clock management. How close was close?
That close…@Seahawks pic.twitter.com/WoP1FsRN0W
— Russell Hartness (@RussellHartness) December 30, 2019
The 49ers captured the 1 seed and the playoffs will run through San Francisco, the Seahawks became the 5 seed and will travel to Philadelphia on Sunday. We are all winners though as RB Marshawn Lynch is back and blessing us with gems like this (and touchdowns, duh):
Marshawn Lynch met with the media after practice. It lasted 12 seconds.
— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) December 25, 2019
“Happy holidays. Merry New Year. Y’all have a great day. It’s a great feeling to be back.”
(via @gbellseattle)pic.twitter.com/v30cIsPJS7
Merry New Year Everyone!
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