NFL hot reads: Aaron Rodgers exhibits MVP toughness
Snap reactions from Week 17 of the NFL season.
- Aaron Rodgers knew just how badly he could use a bye week, and played through a painful calf injury to make it happen. In what could have been the crowning moment of his second MVP season, Rodgers returned to play in the second half after being carted off the field in the second quarter after going down without contact. If the Packers wind up going to the Super Bowl, this game and his gutsy performance against the Lions will be a big reason why. He threw two touchdowns, ran for a 1-yard score, proved his toughness against a nasty defense and put his team in position to take next week off.
- The Denver Broncos defense paid attention to their NFL rankings all season, and didn't shy away from their goal to finish as a top five defense in all of the major categories. Their performance in the season finale against Oakland certainly helped. The Broncos held the Raiders without a first down until midway through the second quarter, allowed just 199 total yards and one touchdown in Denver's 47-14 win. The Raiders' other score came on a fumble return when Broncos' quarterback Peyton Manning's lateral pass was deflected and returned for a score. The Broncos defense needed this sort of performance after a disappointing night in Cincinnati last week, when they allowed an 85-yard touchdown run, and after recording no sacks in the previous two games. Against the Raiders, the Broncos rediscovered their run defense (67 yards allowed) and pass rush (three sacks, including a strip-sack-touchdown return in the fourth quarter).
- The Seahawks defense is in postseason form. If we didn't see that in their previous five-game winning streak, we saw it Sunday in their 20-6 win against St. Louis in the season finale, a win that clinched the No. 1 seed for the Seahawks. Linebacker Bruce Irvin's 49-yard interception return touchdown sealed the win the fourth quarter, but it was one of just several impressive defensive plays for the defending Super Bowl champs. The best of the bunch may have been safety Earl Thomas' effort to close on St. Louis running back Benny Cunningham to force a fumble just before the goal line and keep the Rams from mounting a comeback. It was exactly the type of game-changing defensive plays the Seahawks made so often during their postseason run last year. Expect more of the same now that the NFC playoffs will run through Seattle.
-The Dallas Cowboys will get to host a playoff game at AT&T Stadium next week, but they might be the most dangerous team in the postseason if they have to go on the road after that. The Cowboys capped a perfect road season on Sunday with a 44-17 win at Washington, and have repeatedly proven they have the type of team built to win in January – at home or on the road – thanks to running back DeMarco Murray and a team that has confidence from winning in tough environments like Seattle and Philadelphia earlier this season. Quarterback Tony Romo's perfect December ended when he threw an interception against Washington, but he finished the month 4-0, with 12 touchdowns and just the one interception.
NFL DRAFT HUB: Latest NFL Draft mock drafts, news, live picks, grades and analysis.
- Justin Houston is a likely candidate to receive the Kansas City Chiefs' franchise tag this spring, but he certainly made himself a case for a massive new contract by finishing the season with 22 sacks – just a half sack shy of the NFL's single season record. The Chiefs could have rushed Houston on the final play of the game, but instead had him drop into pass coverage – a move that cost him a shot at the record, but helped the Chiefs seal their 19-7 win against the San Diego Chargers. Houston's four sacks killed the Chargers' playoff hopes and sends San Diego into another offseason with significant questions about the state of its offensive line.
- The Indianapolis Colts were able to shake off last week's all-out disaster in Dallas with a sold first half against the floundering Tennessee Titans, with Andrew Luck throwing for 160 yards in the first half before getting to rest after halftime. The Colts desperately needed to get their offense back on track in time for the playoffs. The Colts still haven't discovered offensive balance, but at least for Week 17, they found their explosive passing game again, including an 80-yard catch and run for veteran receiver Reggie Wayne.
- The Texans didn't make the playoffs, but it wasn't for lack of trying from J.J. Watt. The Texans defensive end solidified his MVP candidacy with three sacks – to finish the year with 20.5, as a 3-4 defensive end – including one sack that resulted in a safety, and one forced fumble. Will it be enough to win Watt the NFL's most prestigious individual award? Perhaps not, but he should receive the most votes of any defensive player in at least a decade.
- Losing Sunday to the New Orleans Saints was a win for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who with the loss secured themselves the No. 1 pick in the 2015 draft, at which time they'll have their choice of quarterbacks. And clearly the Bucs need one. The Josh McCown-Mike Glennon experiment this year was a failure, but with the right quarterback, Tampa's offense could be interesting next year, thanks to 2014 first-round receiver Mike Evans.
