The penultimate game day of the National Football League (NFL) held some surprises for spectators and probably for the players themselves.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA – The 17th game day National Football League (NFL) has many exciting surprises in store for viewers! However, the Monday Night Game was also overshadowed by a serious crash.
Divided in color, united in cause: Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills fans pray in front of the hospital for player Damar Hamlin (24), revived on the field. © Dylan Buell/Getty Images via AFP
We previously reported on the abandonment of the game following the collapse and on-field resuscitation of 24-year-old Bills pro Damar Hamlin.
According to multiple media reports, the NFL is said to have told teams, “Warm up for five minutes when he’s been taken care of, and then we’ll continue.” (Now quite awkwardly worded from source 27.)
The coaches, players, and yes, fans of both the visibly shocked host Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills must have thought something like, “But you’ve all been on your pills, haven’t you?” – and both teams left the field. The game was eventually canceled. Rightly so. After all, this isn’t UEFA… #EURO2021.
German week number 17 in the NFL: the hangover after the break
Fans from both camps joined in prayers for Hamlin, showing sympathy and respect for the hospital. Football is family. Let’s hope for an early warning.
It was important for me to start by emphasizing this topic and, above all, the exemplary viewer reaction, before getting to the actual gameplay. Which we will get to later.
Going into the game too confidently can backfire
Alone among the robbers: Niners running back Christian “Run-CMC” McCaffrey (26) escapes from the Las Vegas Raiders defense. © Ethan Miller/Getty Images via AFP
No one likes to microsleep while reading, so let’s dive into the highlights (depending on team) from matchday 17 in a nutshell.
The Philadelphia Eagles lose to the New Orleans Saints. No, I’m not busy. The best team in the league gathered a solid 10:20 against a team that no longer even had a theoretical chance of a playoff spot.
Maybe someone should tell the Eagles that they haven’t secured their first seed in the playoffs yet. Old rule of football: you walk onto the pitch like a winner and enter the locker room like a loser.
“Mr. Irrelevant” in the NFL – that’s why many newcomers want to get this title!
The San Francisco 49ers would have nearly as much experience in perhaps the best game of the weekend against the Las Vegas Raiders. Only in overtime could the favorites Niners manage a 37:34 victory with a field goal.
34 points against the best defense in the league, a defense that hasn’t allowed points for six straight quarters this season. Many bay defense players did not even know that the scoreboard can show a three to the offensive opponent. For the fifth time this season, the Raiders were up by at least ten points and still lost.
If you get the chance to witness this open exchange of blows again: do it.
Brady in the playoffs, the Seahawks still have to fight for it
Tom Brady (45) again leads the Tampa Bay Buccaneers into the playoffs despite losing half the games. © Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images via AFP
Who did it too Tom Brady (45). He’s lost half his games and is still in the Super Bowl contention.
Only the G… no, slow down folks. Anyone can do it when the other three teams in your division are even worse. You really don’t have to award prizes for something like this.
His Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 8-8 in the NFC South, behind the Saints (7-9), Carolina Panthers (6-10) and Atlanta Falcons (6-10). The Bucs can lose next week and still can’t be surpassed. Almost sensational.
The Denver Broncos – who won just four games this season – ended up failing in sensation to defeat the best team in the AFC, the Kansas City Chiefs. They marched into the final quarter with a 17:13 lead, but with a 24:27 loss it was time for the ice bucket.
The coming week will be especially wild for the Patriots, Jaguars, Dolphins, Seahawks, Packers, Lions, Steelers and Titans. Everyone still has to worry about making the playoffs.
Oh, and the injured (actor of) “Poe” is back. Poe? Edgar Alan? Yes almost.
This – that is, the writer – is buried in Baltimore, which is why the NFL team is called the “Ravens” and the raven mascot is called Poe.
The latter is now ceremoniously back with a performance by Shawn Michaels (wrestling fans remember).
Which teams will definitely make the playoffs?
14 of the 32 teams will play in the Super Bowl playoffs. These eleven teams are already certain in the postseason tournament:
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Kansas City Chiefs
- San Francisco 49ers
- Buffalo Bills
- Minnesota Vikings
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Tampa Bay buccaneers
- Los Angeles Charger
- Dallas Cowboys
- Baltimore crows
- Giants of New York
These clubs need to fear for the bottom three places (the underlined ones would be if the season was already over):
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Seattle Seahawks
- New England Patriots
- Detroit Lions
- Dolphins of Miami
- Green Bay Packers
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Tennessee Titans
Players of the following teams can watch the Super Bowl from the comfort of their couch:
- Houston Texans
- Chicago Bears
- Arizona Cardinals
- Denver Broncos
- Indianapolis Colt
- Los Angeles Rams
- Atlanta Falcons
- The Raiders of Vegas
- Carolina Panthers
- Cleveland Browns
- Saints of New Orleans
- New York jets
- Washington commanders
Landed hard: The Philadelphia Eagles – until recently the only top team in the league – surprisingly lost feathers to the New Orleans Saints. © Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images via AFP
Here’s how the teams played in Week 17 of the National Football League:
(As is typical for the NFL, the away team comes first, with wins-loss in brackets and, if applicable, ties last.)
Dallas Cowboys (12-4) vs. Tennessee Titans (7-9) 27:13
Arizona Cardinals (4-12) vs. Atlanta Falcons (6-10) 19:20
Chicago Bears (3-13) @ Detroit Lions (8-8) 10:41am
Jacksonville Jaguars (8-8) vs. Houston Texans (2-13) 31:3
Denver Broncos (4-12) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (13-3) 24:27
Miami Dolphins (8-8) vs. New England Patriots (8-8) 21:23
Indianapolis Colts (4-11-1) vs. New York Giants (9-6) 10:38
New Orleans Saints (7-9) @ Philadelphia Eagles (13-3) 8:10pm
Carolina Panthers (6-10) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-8) 24:30
Cleveland Browns (7-9) @ Washington Commanders (7-8) 24:10
San Francisco 49ers (12-4) @ Las Vegas Raiders (6-10) 37:34 (OT)
New York Jets (7-9) @ Seattle Seahawks (8-8) 6:23
Minnesota Vikings (12-4) vs. Green Bay Packers (8-8) 5:41 pm
Los Angeles Rams (5-11) vs. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6) 10:31am
Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8) vs Baltimore Ravens (10-6) 4:13 pm
Buffalo Bills (12-3) @ Cincinnati Bengals (11-4) (canceled)
You can see how special our German players were in the NFL in this column to read.
