NFC South still undecided
Punch playoff tickets for the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints.
With a 22-19 comeback win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, the Panthers will return to the postseason for the fourth time in five seasons. And with a 23-13 victory over the visiting Atlanta Falcons, the Saints clinched their first playoff berth since 2013.
The NFC South remains up for grabs, however. The Saints needed a win and a Panthers loss to clinch the division. But because that didn’t happen, the division will be decided Sunday.
New Orleans plays at Tampa Bay, while the Panthers play at Atlanta.
That game in Atlanta carries great importance for the Falcons as well because the defending NFC champions would need help to get into the postseason if they don’t prevail.
The Panthers are breathing a sigh of relief. They trailed the Buccaneers the entire fourth quarter until Cam Newton scored on a run up the middle from 2 yards out with 39 seconds left.
The Los Angeles Rams also clinched the NFC West on Sunday with a 27-23 victory over the Tennessee Titans, and the Kansas City Chiefs wrapped up the AFC West with a 29-13 win over Miami.
Meanwhile, Dallas was eliminated from playoff contention by losing, 21-12, to Seattle, which still has a chance to keep its five-year playoff streak alive.
Another replay reversal: Another week, another catch rule controversy.
In Sunday’s Patriots-Bills game, Buffalo receiver Kelvin Benjamin appeared to haul in a toe-tapping touchdown pass that would have given the Bills a lead in the second quarter.
Benjamin caught the pass over Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore near the back pylon in the right side of the end zone. It appeared as if Benjamin got both feed inbounds and maintained possession.
The play was ruled a touchdown, but after a replay review it was overturned.
Former NFL vice president of officiating Mike Pereira, currently an analyst for Fox Sports, addressed the issue with candor on his official Twitter account. In doing so, he seemed to take a shot at current vice president of officiating Al Riveron.
“Regarding the Buffalo no touchdown, nothing more irritating to an official than to make a great call and then someone in a suit in an office in New York incorrectly reverses it. It is more and more obvious that there isn’t a standard for staying with the call on the field.”
That tweet followed a previous one in which he first analyzed the overturned play.
“Not in the studio but on the scoreboard here in Jerry’s world, don’t see how the Buffalo TD was overturned. Not clear and obvious the toe didn’t drag. There is a line behind the toe when he drags it. Am I missing something?”
Browns will pick No. 1: The Cleveland Browns are about to be on the clock — again.
With a 20-3 loss against the Chicago Bears, the Browns clinched the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft while moving to 0-15 on the season. A loss next week against Pittsburgh would make the Browns just the second team besides the 2008 Detroit Lions to go 0-16.
If Cleveland retains the pick, it would become the first team to make consecutive No. 1 selections since the Browns picked Tim Couch and Courtney Brown in the top slot in 1999 and 2000. Defensive end Myles Garrett was the first selection in 2017.
The Browns also own the Houston Texans’ first-round pick after the team moved back from the No. 12 spot last year.