For those of you who looked at the 13 and 0 Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints and 11 and 1 Minnesota Vikings and claimed NFL parody was dead, not so fast my friends! The NFL playoff picture is a wild ride as we go into Week 17 with only one seed set in the NFC race and with multiple 8 win teams battling for the two AFC wild card slots. In addition, three games this week, the Eagles-Cowboys, Cardinals-Packers and Jets-Bengals could be preludes to first round playoff match-ups.
Adding to the mess, the only team that had their division sewn up weeks ago, the mighty Indianapolis Colts (who pundits are ranking as only the second best team in the AFC despite their 14-1 record), did the unspeakable and took out their players in the 3rd quarter of an eventual 29-15 loss to the New York Jets. Fans in Denver, Pittsburgh and Houston are screaming foul as the Colts Head Coach Jim Caldwell pulled his starters while sporting a 15-10 lead and let the Jets waltz to a win, an 8 and 7 record and the inside track to one of the AFC Wild Card slots. Are they right?
In other sports, it’s a time honored tradition to try to play spoiler and send teams spinning out of the playoffs. Only in football, where injuries are so prevalent, is it acceptable (to some…) to lay down and protect your starters for your own playoff run. My thought is hey, protect your own, even if it means someone else will suffer for it. Football teams only get 16 games and if you want a playoff spot, earn it. I was a little unhappy with Caldwell’s call as the Colts were going for History as well, but I agree, the most important thing is to win the Superbowl. Or do you think the Patriots were really satisfied with their 18 and 1 record two years ago???
Tags: Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts, Jim Caldwell, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles
Caldwell’s decision was the right decision. Your goal is to win the Super Bowl….not go undefeated.