- Commissioner’s statement on Ventura, Marte
- Ronnie O’Sullivan: Masters champion ‘felt so vulnerable’ in final
- Arron Fletcher Wins 2017 WSOP International Circuit Marrakech Main Event ($140,224)
- Smith challenges Warner to go big in India
- Moncada No. 1 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Braves land 2 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Kingery makes MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- New Zealand wrap up 2-0 after Bangladesh implosion
- Mathews, Pradeep, Gunathilaka to return to Sri Lanka
- Elliott hopes for rain for Poli
NFL Playoff Picture Week 16: AFC, NFC Scenarios Ahead of Sunday’s Games
- Updated: December 25, 2016
How was that for a Christmas Eve of football?
The Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks duked it out in a 34-31 thriller. The Atlanta Falcons steamrolled the Carolina Panthers 33-16. The Oakland Raiders kept on winning, though they lost rising-star quarterback Derek Carr in the process. Likewise, the Tennessee Titans lost Marcus Mariota in a peculiar landslide loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Two tough blows:
Fractured fibula for Marcus Mariota.Broken fibula for Derek Carr.Crushing.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 25, 2016
Let’s take a look at some playoff implications heading into Sunday. Oakland, in particular, will be watching closely.
AFC
What the Raiders Want to See
If the 8-6 Denver Broncos knock off the 10-4 Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night, the 12-3 Raiders will clinch the AFC West title and a first-round bye.
That’s huge.
No, Carr is probably not going to play on one leg—though, to the 25-year-old’s credit, you never quite know for sure. But that extra week off would offer invaluable time for head coach Jack Del Rio and his staff to spend with Matt McGloin, who has been with the team since going undrafted in 2013.
“We’ll rally around the next guy as best we can,” a sullen Del Rio told the media after beating the Indianapolis Colts 33-25. “That’s what you do. It’ll be incumbent on the offensive line and the backs to do more. The defense to do more. The special teams to do more. As a team, pick it up and do more to fill in. Obviously, that’s a big setback.”
McGloin went 2-of-3 passing for 29 yards in relief of Carr, who suffered the injury early in the fourth quarter. The career backup found Amari Cooper on a tightly contested 3rd-and-8 near the two-minute warning to seal the game:
McGloin to Cooper to seal win. #Raiders pic.twitter.com/qsX0vl4tTx
— ℙeter Joe (@oakposts) December 25, 2016
Left tackle Donald Penn vocalized his support for Denver after praising McGloin.
“The MVP of the team, the MVP of the league is hurt right …
