NFL Update; Playoff Predictions
St. Louis at Seattle
Call them what you want. Horrible. 7-9. No quarterback. But whatever you say doesn't matter, for the 7-9 Seattle Seahawks are going to the playoffs.
Olindo Mare kicked 3 field goals, Mike Williams caught a touchdown and Seattle beat St. Louis to take home the NFC West title. The Rams were held out of the end zone for the second time this season.
Seattle won the coin toss and elected to receive. On the second play of the game, Ruvell Martin got his man drawn away and he was wide open downfield. Backup QB Charlie Whitehurst found him for a 61 yard gain, and soon, after a defensive holding call. Seattle was in the end zone, with Whitehurst connecting with Williams on a drag route.
It took 2 drives for the Rams to get going. Once they finally did, it wasn't the right time. Starting at their own 3, a bunch of short passes got the Rams close to the end zone. On 3rd and 6, Sam Bradford found Laurent Robinson on a pass. He appeared to get both feet in bounds, but the refs thought otherwise, with St. Louis only scoring a field goal.
Neither offense could get going after that field goal until the third quarter. Marshawn Lynch fumbled and James Laurinitas of the Rams recovered, giving the Rams the ball at the Seattle 21. They got to the 6 and a 5 yard run brought them to the 1, but a holding took that back. They weren't able to capitalize, and St. Louis only added a field goal.
However, the Seahawks got right back at it, with a 24 yard run by Lynch and a 21 yard run by Justin Forsett, they were back in field goal range. Olindo Mare drilled a short kick, and with 1 quarter to go Seattle led 10-6.
Early in the fourth quarter field position and a 13 yard punt return had Seattle just 48 yards away from a 17-6 lead. They couldn't put 7 on the board, but made it a 13-6 game with a 38 yard kick from Mare.
Both teams went 3 and out and the Rams got the ball back, but a bad punt gave them good field position. Before they knew it, St. Louis was in the Hawks Nest, inching closer to a tie game. But on the next play Bradford went for a curl pass to Brandon Gibson, but linebacker Will Herring closed out and snatched the ball.
After a bunch of short gains, but long enough for the first down, Mare made his 3rd and final field goal to give Seattle a 16-6 lead. St. Louis didn't score and couldn't prove that miracles are possible, which gave Seattle the much-needed win.
NFL Playoff Scenarios
AFC
With their 41-9 victory over the Browns, Pittsburgh wrapped up the AFC North and sent Baltimore to the 5th spot in the playoffs. The Ravens will play Kansas City, who fell to the 4 seed after a 31-10 loss to Oakland. The Indianapolis Colts clinched the AFC South with Jacksonville's 34-17 loss to Houston, and they clinched the 3rd seed with their last second win over Tennessee.
AFC Match-ups
Saturday Night; 8:00 PM ET
New York Jets
Indianapolis Colts
Sunday morning, 1:00 PM ET
Baltimore Ravens
Kansas City Chiefs
NFC
With their win over Chicago, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers clinched the final playoff spot. Green Bay will play Philadelphia, who wrapped up the NFC East title last week. The Atlanta Falcons clinched a first-round bye with their 31-10 victory over Carolina, and they sent New Orleans to the 5th seed. The Saints will play 7-9 Seattle, who wrapped up the NFC West title with a 16-6 win over St. Louis.
NFC Match-ups
Saturday afternoon, 4:30 PM ET
New Orleans Saints
Seattle Seahawks
Sunday afternoon, 4:30 PM ET
Green Bay Packers
Philadelphia Eagles
Call them what you want. Horrible. 7-9. No quarterback. But whatever you say doesn't matter, for the 7-9 Seattle Seahawks are going to the playoffs.
Olindo Mare kicked 3 field goals, Mike Williams caught a touchdown and Seattle beat St. Louis to take home the NFC West title. The Rams were held out of the end zone for the second time this season.
Seattle won the coin toss and elected to receive. On the second play of the game, Ruvell Martin got his man drawn away and he was wide open downfield. Backup QB Charlie Whitehurst found him for a 61 yard gain, and soon, after a defensive holding call. Seattle was in the end zone, with Whitehurst connecting with Williams on a drag route.
It took 2 drives for the Rams to get going. Once they finally did, it wasn't the right time. Starting at their own 3, a bunch of short passes got the Rams close to the end zone. On 3rd and 6, Sam Bradford found Laurent Robinson on a pass. He appeared to get both feet in bounds, but the refs thought otherwise, with St. Louis only scoring a field goal.
Neither offense could get going after that field goal until the third quarter. Marshawn Lynch fumbled and James Laurinitas of the Rams recovered, giving the Rams the ball at the Seattle 21. They got to the 6 and a 5 yard run brought them to the 1, but a holding took that back. They weren't able to capitalize, and St. Louis only added a field goal.
However, the Seahawks got right back at it, with a 24 yard run by Lynch and a 21 yard run by Justin Forsett, they were back in field goal range. Olindo Mare drilled a short kick, and with 1 quarter to go Seattle led 10-6.
Early in the fourth quarter field position and a 13 yard punt return had Seattle just 48 yards away from a 17-6 lead. They couldn't put 7 on the board, but made it a 13-6 game with a 38 yard kick from Mare.
Both teams went 3 and out and the Rams got the ball back, but a bad punt gave them good field position. Before they knew it, St. Louis was in the Hawks Nest, inching closer to a tie game. But on the next play Bradford went for a curl pass to Brandon Gibson, but linebacker Will Herring closed out and snatched the ball.
After a bunch of short gains, but long enough for the first down, Mare made his 3rd and final field goal to give Seattle a 16-6 lead. St. Louis didn't score and couldn't prove that miracles are possible, which gave Seattle the much-needed win.
NFL Playoff Scenarios
AFC
With their 41-9 victory over the Browns, Pittsburgh wrapped up the AFC North and sent Baltimore to the 5th spot in the playoffs. The Ravens will play Kansas City, who fell to the 4 seed after a 31-10 loss to Oakland. The Indianapolis Colts clinched the AFC South with Jacksonville's 34-17 loss to Houston, and they clinched the 3rd seed with their last second win over Tennessee.
AFC Match-ups
Saturday Night; 8:00 PM ET
New York Jets
Indianapolis Colts
Sunday morning, 1:00 PM ET
Baltimore Ravens
Kansas City Chiefs
NFC
With their win over Chicago, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers clinched the final playoff spot. Green Bay will play Philadelphia, who wrapped up the NFC East title last week. The Atlanta Falcons clinched a first-round bye with their 31-10 victory over Carolina, and they sent New Orleans to the 5th seed. The Saints will play 7-9 Seattle, who wrapped up the NFC West title with a 16-6 win over St. Louis.
NFC Match-ups
Saturday afternoon, 4:30 PM ET
New Orleans Saints
Seattle Seahawks
Sunday afternoon, 4:30 PM ET
Green Bay Packers
Philadelphia Eagles
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