Heading into week 17 there were still a few playoff spots available, and neither conference had locks for the1 & 2 seedings that provide the all-important playoff Bye week. Let’s dig into the action.

AFC

Heading into week the Patriots, Ravens, Titans, and Chiefs had already laid claim to their respective division titles. However, with the Patriots, Ravens, and Chiefs tied at 12-3, each team had something to play for. As it turned out all four teams won their respective games, so the Patriots, Ravens, and Chiefs all finished with identical 13-3 record. The Ravens took first seed by virtue of the head to head tie-breaker, having defeated both the Patriots and the Chiefs during the regular season. The Patriots finish with the number 2 seed by virtue of their win over the Chiefs. The Titans take 4th seed.

In the wildcard, the Broncos already claimed the first of two playoff tickets in week 15, so the real action was for the final wild card spot. The potential candidates included the 8-7 Steelers, 7-8 Texans, 7-8 Jets, and the 7-8 Bengals. Interestingly, the Jets and Bengals won and the Steelers and Texans lost. This left three 8-8 teams vying for the final wildcard spot. By virtue of the three-way tie breaker, the Steelers claimed the final playoff ticket despite their loss base on their Strength of Victory rating (tie-breaker 5). Of note, had the Texans won their game, they would have claimed the last spot having the highest Strength of Victory of the four teams. The Steelers should thank the Titans for defeating the Texans in the final week of the season.

NFC

Things were even more complicated in the NFC. Heading into week 17, only the Seahawks had clinched their division. This meant that the 11-4 Cowboys / 10-5 Eagles in the East, 9-6 Packers / 8-7 Lions in the North, and the 11-4 Falcons / 10-5 Saints were each playing for their respective division crowns. Furthermore, the 10-5 49ers currently held the final wildcard spot, meaning that both the Saints and the Lions were fighting for a Division Title, or in the alternative looking at potentially sitting out the playoffs. Dallas, Philadelphia, Green Bay, Atlanta, and New Orleans won their games. San Francisco and Detroit lost theirs. One game of note was the Green Bay – Detroit game, which was effectively a win or go home game to clinch the NFC North. San Francisco’s loss to Seattle locked the Niner’s out of the playoffs and allowed the surging Saints to take the final wildcard spot. Seattle and Atlanta both claimed next week’s playoff Bye.

Wild Card Week

Now that the regular season has come to an end, we can start looking forward to playoff action. Wild Card Week kicks off the playoffs with the following contests: Steelers at Chiefs, Broncos at Titans, Saints at Cowboys, and Eagles at Packers. I’m looking forward to some great games. I’m also hoping to catch one or more of Anthony’s broadcasts on Youtube Live. You can follow the Youtube broadcasts here. There’s also archival footage of the Steelers / Ravens, Redskins / Cowboys, and Ravens at Browns games from week’s 16 and 17.

Game of the Week

San Francisco at Seattle

Seattle needed a late pick by Quandre Diggs (his third of the day) to seal the win in this exciting Week 17 contest. This was a back and forth affair where the teams combined to put up over 1,000 yards of offense. There were seven lead changes. It looked like whoever had the ball last was going to win. But after the 7th lead change, which put the Seahawks up 31-24, the Niners drove down the field and that was when Jimmy G found Quandre Diggs on the pick 6. That made it a two-score lead at 38-24.  The Niners still drove the field and found the end zone on a 12-yard Raheem Mostert run to cut it to a single score again (38-30 due to a failed 2-point try). After a failed onside kick the Hawks just needed a first down or two to ice it. They hit one on the first play but Russ could not connect on 1st or 2nd down and threw a pick that game the Niners life again with 1:30 to go in the game.  The drove the field but just inside the 30 Jimmy G threw his third interception of the game, once again to Quandre Diggs, and that was the game. The Seahawks will be the #1 or #2 seed while the Niners need help to make the playoffs.

Weekly Leaders

Quarterbacks

Deshaun Watson and Gardner Minshew both threw 4 TDs. Jimmy Garoppolo, Carson Wentz, Derek Carr, Gardner Minshew, and Russell Wilson each threw for over 350 yards.

Receivers

John Brown, Stefon Diggs, and Tajae Sharpe each had 2 TD receptions. Julio Jones led all receivers with 13 receptions for 152 yards.

Running Backs

Nick Chubb had 204 yards on the ground. In an interesting twist both Aaron Rogers and Lamar Jackson scored two rushing TDs a piece.

Odds and Ends

Quandre Diggs had three interceptions, including the 4th quarter pick to seal the game against the 49ers. Cameron Johnston averaged 67 yard per punt. Calais Campbell had 3 sacks.

Over the last couple of weeks the Weekly Recap has been dedicated to writing about Division standings, playoff implications, and future USFFL games that I am looking forward to watching and reading about. Now that we have just completed Week 16, and most of the playoff positions have been secured, I’d like to take a second to thank the men behind keeping this league going. Furthermore, Commissioner Tim Ervin has done an amazing job in the weekly Playoff Overview Slack Channel analyzing all of the possible outcomes and what-if’s that could happen in Week 17. If you have not read his thorough analysis, head over to slack right now and check out #wk17_playoffoverview it’s a great read.

I’d like to dedicate the first half of this column reflecting on the season and thinking about how we got here. For me, the USFFL Season XX was my favorite season yet. I joined the USFFL in 2017 and got lucky enough to manage my home town favorite team the Los Angeles Rams. The 2016 cards were terrible (as you recall 2016 was Jeff Fisher’s last year), and the Rams had just returned to LA. Case Keenum was my starting QB. But I didn’t care. I had played the board version Strat-o-matic Football in Jr. High School and High School, and the computer version for the 98-99 seasons, but it had been almost two decades since I last played the game. And it was fun to be back!

I played the next couple of seasons and had middling results, but I was really looking forward to the 2018 cards. This was the season that the Rams went all the way to the Super Bowl for goodness sake.

Then September 2019 slipped into October 2019. The cards had been out for months and the USFFL had not started. Finally, on October 7 the founder and original commissioner of the USSFFL posted an email stating that he was busy with a new job and would not be able to continue running the league. We ruminated over the news that the USFFL was going to collapse for a few weeks, and then Vince Trivelpiece posted the following: 

Gentlemen, What about the possibility of each coach handling one small part of the league?  We can break it up into smaller parts so no one person has to do ALL the work.  I’m not sure how things work either, but I bet each coach would volunteer to do a little, and that might be enough.  What do you think?

Vince Trivelpiece

Tim Ervin was quick to pick up the mantle and before you knew it we had volunteers to be the League Commissioner, Software Administrator, Recruiter, Slack Admin, Team Assignment Coordinator, Email Group Admin, Injury Tracker, Web Admin, and general software technical support. Before you knew it a few weeks later the USFFL was back in action and we had a league again!

So for those of you enjoying this USFFL season, know that it was the hard work of many of your fellow league members who stepped up, took over leadership positions and got this league back up and running when it could have easily folded.

So, why was this season the most fun for me to date? Well, first of all, I feel like I am finally starting to really understand the strategy of the game. It was only after watching (and losing) to many of you tremendous coaches that I realize the nuances of specific play calls and defensive sets. This year I was only one loss below the expected number of wins for my team, and next year I am hoping to do even better. But even more important than wins and losses is the fact that my best friend and one of the guys I played Strat-o-matic football with 35 years ago back in High School, Tim Hay, joined the league with us. This season has been so much fun to have a real community around the USFFL. I feel like the weekly winner’s slack post, the playoff overviews and the Game of the Week have really created a fun experience that I look forward to being a part of this year and moving forward. I am also looking forward to joining the league Live Broadcasts that Anthony and Tim kicked off this week.

So as the regular season turns to the excitement of the playoffs, remember that this whole thing could have easily gone another direction. I am glad for the fact that Tim Ervin, Scott Mueller, Dennis Crowley, Mike Niemczura, and Tony Telleria stepped up and kept this league going. I truly enjoy these games and this community and I truly appreciate the work these guys have done to make the league possible. Thanks guys!

And now, back to our regular programming:

Game of The Week

The Dallas Cowboys held off the Philadelphia Eagles, 31-24 in a big Week 16 NFC East matchup. The Eagles had a chance to send the game into overtime on the last play of regulation. They had a first down at the Cowboy’s 13 with one second left. Carson Wentz’s pass was intended for Nelson Agholor who was in single coverage. Defense guessed right.  His pass fell incomplete. The roll was receiver on Wentz’s card. A roll of a nine on Agholor’s card would have been a TD. The roll was an eight. and the game was over. The first quarter was scoreless. Dallas missed a 48-yard field goal. The Eagles drove deep into Dallas territory. There drive was ended when Sean Lee intercepted a Wentz pass. The Cowboys got on the board first on a nine-yard TD pass from Dak Prescott to Amari Cooper with 9:36 left in the half. Ezekial Elliot scored on a three-yard run with 5:42 left in the half to put the Cowboys up 14-0.  The Eagles got on the board with a 42 yard field goal with 1:52 left in the half. The field goal was set up by a fumbled punt return that Philly recovered at the Dallas 22.  Dallas took the ensuing kickoff and drove to the Eagles’ 11-yard line before setting for a 28-yard field goal with 1 second left in the half to go up 17-3.Prescott connected with Michael Gallup for a 48-yard TD pass on the Cowboys’ first drive of the second half and Dallas was up 24-3, which as we know in Strat, is not a safe lead. The Eagles woke up. They drove 75-yards in four plays and scored on a 5-yard TD pass from Wentz to Dallas Goedert. Wentz hit DeSean Jackson on a 50-yard pass on the first play of the drive. Miles Sanders followed with a 20-yard run. Wentz hit Zach Ertz on a 4-yard TD pass with 18 seconds left in the third quarter to close the gap to 24-17, which was the score after three quarters. The Cowboys drove 70 yards on 13 plays on the ensuing drive to go up 31-17. The drive culminated on a 10-yard TD pass from Prescott to Amari Cooper with 9:54 left in the game. The Eagles drove 75 yards on 12 plays on the next drive to score a TD and bring the score within seven again at 31-24. The Eagles converted a 4th and six and a 4th and ten on the drive. (They were six-for-six on 4th down conversions in the game.) The drive culminated in a 5-yard TD pass from Wentz to Ertz with 4:30 remaining. Dallas started the next drive at their own 25. They converted two first downs, including one on a defensive holding penalty. The drive ended at the Phllly 45 when Dallas elected to punt on 4th and 2. The Eagles BLOCKED the punt. The Cowboys’ Elliot picked up the ball and tried to advance it but ended up five yards short of the first down. Philly took over at its own 47 with 1:37 left and down by seven. The Eagles converted a 4th and two at the Cowboy’s 33 when Sanders ran for seven yards. They had a 4th and seven at the Cowboy’s 23 that they converted on a 10 yard pass from Wentz to Goedert which set up the final play, which saw Wentz’ pass fall incomplete in the end zone. The win improved the Cowboy’s record to 11-4, while the Eagles fell to 10-5. The win likely clinched a playoff spot for the Cowboys (though I’m not 100% sure). The Eagles are still in the playoff hunt. They have qualified for the Coach of the Year playoffs in the event they don’t make the regular playoffs. Both teams have tough division matchups next week, as Dallas hosts the Washington Football Team and the Eagles travel to the Giants. As always Bruce coached a good game. It was a real battle. Dallas felt fortunate to get out of Philly with a win after losing to them 27-14 in Dallas early in the season Elliot finished with 128 yards rushing on 28 carries. Prescott completed 20 of 30 passes for 338 yards with no interceptions and three touchdowns. Wentz threw for 279 yards, completing 24 of 43 passes. He did throw one pick. Sanders was held relatively in check with 63 yards rushing on 19 carries. 

The USFFL took two weeks to complete the Week 15 slate of games over the holiday weekends. The results of this week’s games are notable because seven of the eight Division leaders won their games. The scores were as follows:

New England 19-14 over Cincinnati

Baltimore 27-26 over New York AFC

Tennessee 42-12 over Houston

Kansas City 31-13 over Denver

Dallas loses 24-14 to Los Angeles NFC

Green Bay 20-10 over Chicago

Atlanta 48-14 over San Francisco

Seattle 21-10 over Carolina

This dominant performance by the Division leaders left many of the second and third place teams in the position of win or risk dropping out of playoff contention.

Playoff Picture

AFC

After Week 15 The Patriots, Ravens, and Chiefs have each locked down first place in their respective Divisions. All three teams are 11-3 and vying for the first or second place rankings and that all-important playoff Bye. Tennessee has clinched the South at 10-4, but are a long shot for the first place seeding.

Wild-Card

The 9-5 Broncos have a tight claim on the first wild card spot, and their loss to Kansas City this week won’t likely drop them out of the playoff hunt. The second wild card is still up for grabs. If the season were to end today, the 7-7 Steelers would claim the second spot. Though the Jets are still in the running at 7-7, followed closely by the Texans, Raiders, and Browns at 6-8 each. The Browns helped their cause with a 34-24 win over the Cardinals, while the Texans, Raiders, and Jets each lost their week 15 matchup.

NFC

The picture in the NFC is not quite as clear as the AFC, with several Division titles still in play. The Cowboy’s loss combined with an Eagles win places the team from the City of Brotherly love in first place with two weeks to go. Both teams have a record of 10-4, but Philly holds the tiebreaker. Green Bay and Detroit both won their games, so the Packers hang on to their one game lead with two to go. Same situation in the South, both Atlanta and New Orleans won their games, allowing the Falcons to maintain a one game lead with two to go. In the West, Seattle’s win, combined with San Francisco’s loss give the Seahawks a little breathing room.

Wild-Card

The Cowboys currently claim the first wild card seed. If the season were to end today, the 9-5 Saints would find themselves on the outside looking in, however San Francisco’s 9-5 hold on the final wild card spot places them in a must-win situation over the next couple of weeks.

Week 16 Preview

The game I am most looking forward to in Week 16 is the matchup between the Cowboys and the Eagles. Right up there is the Pittsburgh at New York AFC, the winner of this game will hold the second wild card spot with one game to go. The teams have identical records and are fighting it out for the NFC East championship. Philadelphia won the first game this season 27-14. other games with playoff implications include LA at San Francisco, Detroit at Denver, and New Orleans at Tennessee.

Game of the Week

Baltimore Ravens 27 – New York Jets 26New York and Baltimore traded scores throughout the first half.  Baltimore held a 17-16 halftime lead thanks to a missed XP by Sam Ficken.  New York took the lead midway through the third quarter on a Sam Darnold 12 yard TD pass to Le’Veon Bell.  The score was set up by a Jordan Jenkins INT, one of two thrown by Lamar Jackson.  The Jets took a 26-17 lead early in the fourth quarter on a Sam Ficken 23 yard FG.  The score was set up by a 70 yard pass from Darnold to Robby Anderson.  The pass moved the ball from the Jets’ 20 to the Ravens’ 10.  The Jets’ inability to get the TD would prove costly.Following Ficken’s FG the Ravens’ responded with a clutch 6 play, 80 yard drive capped off with a 5 yard TD pass from Jackson to his favorite target, Mark Andrews.  The drive only took a little over 2 minutes off the clock.  The key play on the drive was a 30 yard run by Gus Edwards.  The run was costly as Edwards was injured on the play and will miss the next two weeks.  With the score at  26-24 the defenses stepped up.  The Ravens forced a three and out only to have to punt the ball  back to New York after getting one first down.  The Jets managed two first downs  before having to punt the ball back to the Ravens.  The punt left the Ravens with the ball at their own 23 yard line with 3:15 to play.A 1st down run by Jackson netted 3 yards followed by a Mark Ingram run that was stuffed for no gain.  On 3rd and 7 Jackson’s pass for Nick Boyle fell incomplete, but the Jets’ jumped offside giving Baltimore another chance.  Jackson’s 3rd and 2 pass was complete to Hayden Hurst for 14 yards moving the ball to the Ravens’ 45.  On 1st and 10 Jackson went back to Hurst for 1 yard.  On 2nd and 9 Jackson intended to go deep to Marquise Brown but instead saw an opening down the middle of the field.  Jackson took the opening and ran 30 yards to the Jets’ 24 yard line.  A 10 yard run by Mark Ingram moved the ball to the Jets’ 14 with 1:00 to play.  A Jackson 2 yard run was followed by a quick lookin to Mark Ingram who took the ball in for the TD.  However, a holding penalty negated the score and moved the ball back to the 22.  Two runs by Mark Ingram moved the ball to the Jets’ 17 setting up a 34 yard Justin Tucker FG with 30 seconds to play.  Tucker split the uprights but a false start moved the ball back to the 22.  The extra 5 yards did not affect Tucker in the least, making the 39 yarder with ease.  The kick gave the Ravens a 27-26 lead with 15 seconds to play.Justin Tucker’s kickoff sailed through the end zone resulting in a touchback.  On 1st and 10 from the 25 Sam Darnold  went deep to a double covered Robby Anderson and the pass was picked off by Earl Thomas.  A kneel down by Jackson ended the game.Donnie called a great game and would have pulled off the upset except for a missed XP and the inability to fully capitalize on the long pass to Robby Anderson.  Next week the Jets (7-7) host the Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7) in a game with wildcard playoff implications.  The Ravens (11-3) travel to Cleveland to play the Browns (5-9). 

Weekly Leaders

Quarterbacks

Ryan Fitzpatrick was 42 of 65 for 426 yards and 3 TD’s in the Dolphin’s loss to the Giants. Daniel Jones and Matthew Stafford both threw for 4 TD’s.

Receivers

DeVante Parker had a whopping 16 receptions, 173 yards and 3 TD’s. Not surprisingly, another Dolphin receiver was second in receptions, with Patrick Laird hauling in 10 catches.

Running Backs

Saquon Barkley carried the ball 20 times for 303 yards, a 15.1 YPC average. This total puts Barkley over the 2000 yard mark, with 2094 in 14 games. Derrick Henry currently leads the league with 2261 yards on the ground. Henry scored 4 TD’s and carried for 261 yards in week 15.

Odds & Ends

Minnesota’s Anthony Harris and Detroit’s Darius Slay both hauled in two interceptions. New Orleans’ Cameron Jordan had 5 sacks.