It's too little too late for the Saints, but a 41-0 win over a division rival put a big smile on my face last night. Drew Brees has had probably the two worst games of his career the past 2 weeks, but turned on the style in the Superdome throwing 4 touchdowns to 4 different receivers with no interceptions. The defence turned on the style too and not only had their best game of the season, but their best game in 17 seasons, with a first shut out since 1995, and a first in the Superdome since 1991. It looks as if it's come too late for the playoffs this season, but an 8-8 season is still a possibility, and it leaves us all wondering what could have been if Jon Vilma and Will Smith's suspensions had been turned over before Week 1.
Outside of Tampa, it was a great week for the NFC South, as Atlanta bounced back from their shock loss to Carolina last week with a shutout of the reigning Super Bowl champions the New York Giants. The rout pushed the Giants out of the playoff spots and means the Falcons can tie up the NFC's #1 seed in Detroit on Thursday night. Now I dislike the Falcons more than any other team in football, but what a season they've had, and a win like that has shown them as a genuine Super Bowl contender. It was another great win for Carolina too, as Cam Newton led a 31-7 destruction of the Chargers in San Diego. The Panthers could win 7 games this year (they sit 5-9 right now), and if Cam can find any sort of consistency next year, they could be a big dark horse.
Is there any other way to describe Adrian Peterson than incredible? The Vikings running back has already ensured his personal best season for rushing yards, and is just 293 yards short of the all time rushing record with 2 games to go. The Vikings sit 8-6 after their win in St Louis, and are in the 6th spot in the NFC playoff race. Peterson has to be a front runner for MVP, because without him, it's hard to see the Vikes having won more than 3 or 4. A visit to Houston and Green bay in Minneapolis see out the Vikings season, 2 wins will definitely see them in the playoffs.
And while those two games may look like two of the hardest in the league, they are both against division winners. The Packers locked up the NFC North again with a comfortable, yet laboured win over an ailing Bears who have now lost two on the trot and find themselves out of the playoffs as things stand. Meanwhile, the Texans knocked off a flat Indianapolis to win the AFC South once again, but need at least 1 more win to secure a first round bye.
Seattle scored 50 points for the second week in a row, and actually ran a fake punt while 30 points up in the 4th quarter. I actually like that Pete Carroll is a bit of a dick when it comes to running plays, because I don't get this American notion of not running up the score. If you're superior, show your superiority. What are you meant to do, just stop playing? Speaking of running plays, Russell Wilson rushed for 3 touchdowns, passed for one more, and just looked excellent. The Seahawks are looking like a playoff team just now, their showdown with the 49ers at CenturyLink next Sunday is going to be explosive. The 49ers themselves won a thriller in Foxboro, confirming their own playoff spot and denting the Pats' hopes of claiming a bye.
Kirk Cousins showed exactly why the Redskins drafted two quarterbacks this year as he lifted Washington to an impressive win in Cleveland while a beaming RG3 looked on. The Giants capitulation means that Washington now have the NFC East lead, with the division title still up for grabs by 3 teams. The third of whom being Dallas, who won a thriller in overtime at home to the Steelers, whose own playoff hopes now lie in the balance.
Elsewhere, Oakland scored 5 field goals while shutting out Kansas City in an absolute stinker of a game; the Cardinals routed a shocking Detroit; Peyton manning and the Broncos demolished a flagging Baltimore; and Miami crushed the Jags in a battle of the Florida AFC teams. The Jets take on Tennessee tonight in a less than mouthwatering Monday Night Football clash. Both teams are pretty awful, but I'm actually predicting a Jets victory, which will take them to a rather improbable 7-7. It's a funny old game.
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