MONDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2010


NFL WEEK 16 NFC


PLAYOFFSCENARIOS


STAROFTHEDAY Rodgers rides to the rescue in Packers’ rout


DIVISION LEADERS FALCONS (12-2)


Clinched playoff berth. Clinch NFC South and home-field advantage with win over New Orleans tonight.


Up next: vs. Saints (10-4); vs. Panthers (2-13)


BEARS (11-4)


Clinched NFC North. Clinch first-round bye with Eagles loss on Tuesday night vs. Vikings.


Up next: at Packers (9-6) EAGLES (10-4)


Clinched NFC East. Clinch first-round bye with wins over Vikings and Cowboys, and Bears loss to Packers.


Up next: vs. Vikings (5-9); vs. Cowboys (5-10)


RAMS (7-8)


Clinch NFCWest with win over Seattle next week. Up next: vs. Seahawks (6-9)


WILD CARDS SAINTS (10-4)


Clinch playoff berth with win over Falcons tonight. Can win NFC South by defeating Atlanta and Tampa


Bay combined with an Atlanta loss to Carolina next week. Up next: vs. Falcons (12-2); vs. Bucs (9-6)


PACKERS (9-6)


Clinch wild-card berth with win over Bears next Sunday. Up next: vs. Bears (11-4)


IN THE CHASE GIANTS (9-6)


Clinch wild-card berth with win over the Redskins and a Packers loss to Chicago.


Up next: at Redskins (6-9) BUCS (9-6)


Clinch wild-card berth with win over Saints next week and losses by the Packers and Giants.


Up next: at Saints (10-4) SEAHAWKS (6-9)


Clinch NFCWest with win over Rams next week. Up next: vs. Rams (7-8)


AFC


DIVISION LEADERS PATRIOTS (13-2)


Clinched the AFC East, a first-round bye, and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.


Up next: vs. Dolphins (7-8) STEELERS (11-4)


Clinched playoff spot. Clinch NFC North with win over Cleveland or Ravens loss to Bengals next Sunday.


Up next: at Browns (5-10) CHIEFS (10-5)


Clinched NFCWest. Up next: vs. Raiders (7-8)


COLTS (9-6)


Clinch AFC South win win over Titans next week. Up next: vs. Titans (6-9)


WILD CARDS RAVENS (11-4)


Clinched playoff berth and can’t finish any lower than the No.5 seed. Clinch NFC North and a first-round bye


with win over Bengals combined with Steelers loss to Cleveland next week. Up next: vs. Bengals (4-11)


JETS (10-5)


Clinched a playoff spot with Jacksonville’s loss toWashington. Up next: vs. Bills (4-11)


IN THE CHASE


JAGUARS (8-7) Clinch AFC South with win over Texans combined with Colts loss to the Titans next week. Up next: at Texans (5-10)


In a perilous spot because the Saints have all but locked up one of theNFC’s wild-card berths, the Packers brought their 8-6 record in, needing to beat the 9-5Giants.Quarterback Aaron Rodgers,who sat out lastweek’s loss atNewEnglandwith his second concussion of the season, delivered big, passing for four TDs and 404 yards. Leading 24-17midway through the third quarter, Rodgers connected withDonaldDriver for 33 yards and Greg Jennings for 36 on consecutive plays on a four-play TDdrive that opened the game up.


KLMNO


K EZ SU


D5


BESTANDWORST Buccaneers’ Blount rumbles forth


LeGarrette Blount had his fourth 100-yard game, finishing with 164 yards and a highlight-reel 48-yard burst on which the 250-pound rookie hurdled S Lawyer Milloy. . . . The Patriots have gone seven games without a turnover and have only nine. The record for a 16- game season is 13. . . . Jacoby Ford’s 99-yard return to start the game set the Raiders’ record for kickoff return TDs in a season.


49ers’ Singletary might not last theweek


Jed York, the 49ers president, was noncommittal about whether Mike Singletary will coach the season finale against the Cardinals. . . .Wins by Cincinnati and Denver allowed Carolina to clinch the league’s worst record and No. 1 overall draft pick. . . . Ravens rookie LB Sergio Kindle was arrested early Sunday morning on drunken driving charges . . . The Chiefs’ Thomas Jones fumbled in the fourth quarter, ending his streak of touches without one at 862.


“That’s our biggest present, being able to come into the locker room and being able to see that hat and T-shirt.”


—Vince Wilfork, Patriots nose tackle on clinching the AFC East title the day after Christmas


Bears make their points by soaring past Jets


Redskins’ win allows New York to secure


a playoff spot anyway BY ANDREW SELIGMAN


chicago — Never mind the recent drama. Rex Ryan and the Jets are headed back to the playoffs, and they’re not com- plaining even if they got in with a loss. Jay Cutler threw three touch-


down passes, Matt Forte ran for 113 yards and the Chicago Bears beat New York 38-34 on Sunday, sending the Jets to their third loss in four games. Chris Harris intercepted Mark Sanchez on a pass intended for Santonio Hol- mes with about a minute left to end New York’s comeback bid, but the Jets’ season won’t be ending next week.


BEARS JETS 38 34 The Jets (10-5) clinched their


second straight postseason trip under Ryan when Jacksonville lost 20-17 in overtime to Wash- ington. There was a loud roar from the coaches’ locker room when the Jaguars lost, and Ryan stopped himself as he addressed the media. “By the way, I think we’re in


the playoffs,” he said. “Not the way I wanted it, but I’ll take it.” LaDainian Tomlinson said


Graham Gano’s winning field goal for the Redskins was “like Christmas.” They’ll have an extra night in


Chicago to savor it after a snow- stormdelayedtheir returntoNew York, and the Bears (11-4) might let this one soak in a bit, too. They won for the seventh time


in eight games after blowing an early 10-point lead and are in


DARRON CUMMINGS/ASSOCIATED PRESS Bears wide receiver Johnny Knox beats Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie for a tie-breaking 26-yard touchdown in the third quarter.


good position to lock up a bye. The Bears needed a win, coupled with a loss by Philadelphia and a loss or tie by the Giants. The Eagles won’t play until Tuesday after their game against Minne- sota got pushed back by snow. Cutler completed 13 of 25


passes for 215 yards, with Johnny Knox catching four for 92 with two touchdowns, the second coming when he beat Antonio Cromartie on a 26-yarder that broke a tie at 31 in the third


quarter. He also caught a 40- yarder early in the third after a failed fake punt byNewYork. “We came into it knowing we


were going to have to take a few shots, go vertical on them,” Cut- ler said. “We knew with our speed it would be hard for them to keep up.” Forte had a big game, becom-


ing the first opponent to run for 100 or more yards against the Jets this season. Pittsburgh’s RashardMendenhall had a yard


deducted after initially being credited with 100 last week. Sanchez seemed to be just fine


after playing most of last week’s winover Pittsburgh with a shoul- der injury. He passed for 269 yards and a touchdown, com- pleting 24 of 37 passes after a sizzling start, but his intercep- tion sealed the win for Chicago and capped another wild week forNewYork that included more headline-grabbing distractions. At the center of it was Ryan,


whowasthe subject ofanembar- rassing foot-fetish report by Deadspin.com. The week then ended on a


somewhat sour note, with the Jets getting outplayed in the second half. “To lose the game and still


make the playoffs, that’s the best news you can ever have after a loss,” said Sanchez, who will like- ly sit out next week’s game against Buffalo.


—Associated Press Rodgers, Packers extend Giants’ nightmare


Week after collapse, New York scorched in loss at Green Bay


BY CHRIS JENKINS


green bay, wis.—With Aaron Rodgers back froma concussion, the Green Bay Packers stayed on track for the playoffs — and made sure the New York Giants’ nightmare continued for anoth- er week. Rodgers threw for 404 yards


and four touchdowns as the Packers beat the struggling Gi- ants 45-17 at Lambeau Field on Sunday.


PACKERS GIANTS 45 17 The loss leaves the Giants


(9-6) clinging to fading playoff hopes and wondering if there was a hangover effect from the previous week’s collapse against Philadelphia. New York’s turn- over issues continued Sunday, as the Giants lost two fumbles and Eli Manning threw four inter- ceptions. John Kuhn ran for two touch-


downs and caught a pass for a score for the Packers (9-6), who came into Sunday’s game need- ing to win their final two games to make the playoffs. The Pack- ers host division rival Chicago in their final regular-season game. Rodgers sat out last week’s


loss at New England because of his second concussion of the season. Greg Jennings caught seven passes for 142 yards for


JEFFREY PHELPS/ASSOCIATED PRESS


Green Bay’s James Jones caught one of four touchdown passes from quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who threwfor 404 yards to keep the Packers in contention for a playoff berth in the NFC.


Green Bay. Manning threw for 301 yards


with two touchdowns and the four interceptions, a week after the Giants allowed the Eagles to score 28 points in the final 7½ minutes to win 38-31 on DeSean Jackson’s 65-yard punt returnon the final play. Itwas a rematch of theGiants’


overtime victory in theNFC title game in below-zero conditions at Lambeau nearly three years ago. Sunday’s conditionsweren’t nearly as challenging, with 25- degree temperatures and little wind at kickoff. Rodgers was hot, while the


Giants had trouble holding on to the ball. Already trailing 21-14, the Gi-


ants began the second half with yet anothermajormistake. On a third-down play in Packers terri- tory, Charles Woodson stripped the ball from Ahmad Bradshaw and the Packers recovered at the 50.The Packers drove but settled for a field goal, taking a 24-14 lead. The Giants answered with a


drive for a field goal, but Rod- gers was at his best on the Packers’ next possession. Taking over at the Green Bay 30, Rod- gers threw for big gains on


back-to-back plays — Donald Driver for 33 yards and Jennings for 36 — then threw a one-yard touchdown pass to Donald Lee two plays later to give the Pack- ers a 31-17 leadwith4minutes 44 seconds left in the third quarter. Hakeem Nicks appeared to


fumble on the ensuing kickoff, but Giants Coach Tom Coughlin challenged the play and New York kept the ball. Brandon Jacobs then broke free for a long run — but Packers outside line- backer Clay Matthews punched the ball, it popped into the air and the Packers recovered. This time, Coughlin’s replay


JIM PRISCHING/ASSOCIATED PRESS


NewYork’s EliManning threw four interceptions in the Giants’ loss at Green Bay.


review was unsuccessful and Green Bay kept the ball. Manning then threw an inter-


ception to Packers rookie Sam Shields, whose foot appeared to be out of bounds. But the Giants were out of replay challenges. Rodgers showed he was back


and healthy early on, throwing an 80-yard touchdown pass to Jordy Nelson. After Manning was intercepted by TramonWil- liams, Rodgers threw a three- yard touchdown pass to James Jones on third and goal, giving the Packers a 14-0 lead with 1:47 left in the first quarter. TheGiantsmade anothermis-


take just before halftime when cornerback Terrell Thomas was penalized for slapping Driver on thehelmet aftermaking a tackle. The penalty gave the Packers a first down at the New York 16 just before the two-minute warning. Kuhn scored on an 8-yard touchdown run two plays later, and the Packers took a 21-14 lead into halftime. —Associated Press


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50