Playoff Picture Is Beginning To Take Shape

Four teams have clinched playoff spots. Three have already clinched their divisions. The Denver Broncos took care of the San Diego Chargers who seemed to not realize that their playoff chances were on the line this past Sunday. The New England Patriots easily defeated the Miami Dolphins at Foxboro. And the Indianapolis Colts beat their rivals the Houston Texans for the division crown. The Arizona Cardinals clinched a playoff spot with the Philadelphia Eagles loss to the Dallas Cowboys Sunday night. Only three more spots are available in the AFC and five are open in the NFC. It should bode to be a very interesting end to the regular season.

They’re In Prime Position

It has been a while since the Dallas Cowboys were in this position to basically control their own destiny. They win out, they win the division and have a chance at getting a first round bye. What has happened far too often in the teams recent history is that they lack the urgency to finish strong and end up collapsing at the finish line. They better hope that doesn’t happen in these last two games. If it does the noise will be louder and perhaps fiercer than in years past for Jerry Jones to make some more changes. He certainly could resist that temptation, but for how long? If they do collapse, what will happen to DeMarco Murray and Dez Bryant? Both are having career years in their contract year. Do they keep them both? Only one? Or let them both go? Those same questions will be asked even if the Cowboys don’t collapse. December is always a big month for NFL teams, but it could be a more crucial month for the Cowboys.

This Could End Badly

It was only one start, but boy was it a bad one. Johnny Manziel knew it. The Browns fans knew it. And the Cincinnati Bengals certainly knew it as they were laying the smackdown on Manziel. As I said before this little tryout if you will by Manziel to end this season will go a long way in determining the immediate future of the Cleveland Browns. This is a quarterback league and if you don’t have one you will fall on hard times fast. Cleveland knows this all too well and they better hope that Manziel turns it around quickly. He has two games left, but they will be the most important games of his career so far. Will he become a permanent fixture in the NFL or will he go the way of a fairly recent college quarterback who went in the first round when no one expected him to in Tim Tebow. Anything is certainly possible.