NFL Week 17: Shockers, Surprises, and Season Ending Games.

The Philadelphia Eagles finished a season of ups and downs by cancelling the prime time soap opera called the Dallas Cowboys 2008 season. Dallas could do nothing right, as the Eagles trounced them in Philadelphia 44-6.

This , coupled by losses by Tampa Bay and Chicago,saw the Eagles advancing into the playoffs as a wild card. The Eagles will play the Vikings in the first round at Minnesota.

Tampa Bay missed the playoffs, losing to the Oakland Raiders 31-24.

Chicago also finished their disappointing season, losing on the road to Houston 31-24 as well. No soup for you, Chicago.

31 points continued to be a winning number as Pittsburgh cruised over Cleveland 31-0 and Green Bay helped Detroit set a record in futility at 0-16, winning 31-21.

Atlanta also won 31-27 in more last minute heroics, beating a supreme effort by Stephen Jackson and the St. Louis Rams. Atlanta will travel to Arizona for their 1st round in the playoffs.

New Orleans scored 31 points also, but lost to the Carolina Panthers, who scored on a last second field goal to get their point total to 33. Carolina secured the number  two NFC playoff seed.

The Minnesota Vikings won their division, with a victory over The New York Giants 20-19.

New England finished with a good win over the Buffalo Bills 13-0, but is 11-5 enough?

Miami beat the Jets 24-17 to keep New England out of the post season and seal up the AFC East for the Dolphins at 11-5. What a miraculous comeback from the team that finished 1-15 last season. Miami plays Baltimore in Miami for their first playoff game since the 2000 season.

The Indianapolis Colts beat Tennessee 23-0, in a game the Titans could care less about, having already wrapped up the number one seed in the AFC playoffs and home field advantage. Hats off to Peyton Manning and Tony Dungy for eight seasons in a row of 12 wins or better.

Cincinnati also closed out a disappointing 2008 campaign with a victory over Kansas City 16-6.

Baltimore wrapped a playoff berth and killed the Jets playoff hopes long before the end of the Jets/Miami game winning over Jacksonville 27-7.

Arizona finished off Seattle and ended the season on a winning note, and will host the first home playoff game for the Cardinals since movies got sound!

The 49ers new owners gave a vote of confidence to Mike Singletary as the Forty-Niners finished the season on a high note, beating the once playoff bound Redskins. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. San Francisco wins 27-24.

This leaves us San Diego against Denver for the AFC West division title. Here's your play by play account of that game, by your host this evening, Thomas NFL Mikee Moreland. I have San Diego to win in a big revenge factor game. With a victory, by San Diego I am 13-3 this week and 165-92-1 for the season.

That's 73 games over 500 folks. I hope you bet some of my games or took my picks in your office pools this year. You most likely would have won two or three times at least!

Part II: San Diego Chargers vs the Denver Broncos, two teams that truly hate each other.

8:15 pm, Eastern daylight savings time: This is going to be a great game between bitter rivals. I am looking forward to this one, before i start withdrawals from football this season. Let the fun begin!

8:16 The blonde starts singing and Al Michaels voice in the backround starts the festivities in San Diego. It's Sunday Night Football on NBC. Oh Yeah! Al Michaels and John Madden's suits match, but Al Michaels always has a better tie. Does anyone else notice that?

What exactly are Andrea Kramer's football credentials anyway?

8:24 San Diego starts on thier own 30 yard line, first and 10. Vincent Jackson picks up 17 yards on an end around. Nice play.  First and 10 on the 47. A holding call brings back another nice play by L.T.  First and 20 on the 37 of San Diego.

8:27 PM   Incomplete pass. Second and 20. Pass interference deep down field on a pass to Vincent Jackson, by Nate Webster of Denver. L.T , runs for San Diego for a two-yard loss. Second and 12. Rivers is sacked, third and about 17 for San Diego.Rivers throws over the middle, short of the 1st down.

8:30 PM  28 yard field goal good. 3-0 Chargers, early in the game.

8:33 pm. San Diego kicks to Denver. They take over with Jay Cutler at quarterback from their own 27 yard line. Champ Bailey is questionable with an elbow injury already.

Cutler throws top Royal for a loss of four yards. Cutler throws to his tight end Tony Scheffler for 16 yards and a first down. Cutler throws again incomplete. Second down— tight end Daniel Graham catch a nine yard pass. Third and one; first down on a run from Tatum Bell, who was selling cell phones a couple months ago.

8:37 pm  Cutler tries a quarterback draw for a short gain. Cutler Throws again for a first down at the 35 yard line. Tatum Bell catches  a short pass for five yards. Second and five; Brandon Marshall drops his 18th miss of the season. He has caught 98 passes this season. Tatum Bell runs right up the gut, 25 yards for a touchdown. Bam! 6-3 Denver. They miss the extra point! That could really haunt Denver later. Ouch!

8:43 pm Denver kicks it back to San Diego who starts on thier own 27 yard line.

8:45 pm After the second Geico commercial, first and 10 on the 27 for Rivers and San Diego. Champ Bailey is back in the game for Denver. L.T. is stopped for no gain. 2nd and 10 for San Diego. Rivers throws to Vincent Jackson for a 1st down. at the 37. Rivers throws to Vincent Jackson again for a big gain. First and 10 at the 26 of Denver.

8:48 pm Rivers keeps it for a yard. Second and nine; L.T. races for eight yards. Third and one; Tomlinson looks energetic tonight. Rivers runs and is hit late, penalty and a 1st down for San Diego. First and goal, seven yards to go. L.T. runs for five yards. second and goal at the two.  Touchdown by Tomlinson, career touchdown 124, second to only Emmett Smith. 10-6 Denver.

8:55 pm  San Diego kicks it back to Denver who starts on their own 25 yard line.  First down.  11 yard gain on a screen to Daniel Graham. First down. Cutler throws to Eddie Royal and he drops one. Second and 10. Tatum Bell is stopped after one yard. Third and nine.

8:59 pm   Denver completes a short pass but no first down, Denver punts for the first time.  Sproles returns it eight yards to the San Diego 28, first down. Rivers  throws deep for Gates, complete! 1st down at the Denver 36 yard line as the first quarter ends with San Diego on top 10-6.

9:04 pm  First down for San Diego as neither team is playing much defense yet. San Diego a little better than Denver, though.  First and 10. L.T. for a 12 yard run, first down as Madden comments L.T looks like the L.T. of old, as he runs for a couple more yards. Second and eight. Time out, Chargers on some confusion behind the line. Third same Geico commercial. The stack of money with the eyeballs. Dairyland Insurance gives me better rates than Geico.

9:07 pm   Second and eight.  Rivers goes to the end zone and just over throws his man, third and eight. Eight yard pass to Gates, very close to a first down and they measure.

Lots of crossing patterns being thrown to by Rivers. Short by an inch on the first down. They will go for it. Rivers keeps it for the first down at the Denver 15 yard line.

9:10 pm   First and 10.  A short pass to the fullback Jacob Hester, second and eight. Rivers throws to the end zone. touchdown, Chargers. San Diego looks very poised and ready to win this game at this point. San Diego 17, Denver 6.

9:15 pm San Diego kicks off to Denver who takes over at their own 26 yard line. Denver needs to get it going or this one is going to slip away quickly. 1st down.  Cutler throws tom Stokely for a short gain. Penalty, Chargers, hands to the face, automatic 1st down.

9:17 pm   Right through the hands of Eddie Royal, incomplete. 2nd and 10. Royal catches the next one but a penalty on Denver negates that play. 2nd and 25. Incomplete pass by Cutler. Another flag. Penalty declined, 3rd and 25. A short pass to bell and Denver has to punt.

9:20 pm San Diego takes over on their 42 yard line. San Diego's defense is playing really well in the 1st half, so far. A short run. 2nd and 9. Rivers throws for a 1st down again. Another short run by L.T.  2nd and 9. Another pass to Jacob Hester for 16 yards. 1st down.

9:25 pm  Sproles runs for  5 yards, 2nd and 5. Sproles runs again and a flag is thrown. Holding by San Diego. 2nd and 15. Movement by San Diego, 2nd and 20. Chris Chambers catches a pass for 18 yards. 3rd and 2. An end arond to Jackson, with the quarterback blocking. 1st and goal at the 6 yard line.

9:29 pm  1st and goal L.T. runs for 2 yards. 2nd and goal at the four yard line. L.T breaks 3 tackles and scores, touchdown!  Chargers 24 Denver 6, and picking San Diego is starting to look pretty good tonight!

9:33pm  2 and a half minutes left for Denver to try to get back in the game. Cutler must be very careful not to turn the ball over at this point.

San Diego kicks off and Denver takes over on the 31 yard line.Denver runs it for 7 yards. 2nd and 3.  Bell runs for the 1st down on a shovel pass from Cutler. 1st down.Bells runs for 4 more yards and that takes us to the two minute warning.

9:38 pm   Cutler fires down the field 1st down. 18 yard gain. Cutler fires again, 1st down at the 14. Time out Denver. Cutler fires to the end-zone, just out of bounds. They will review this play from the booth upstairs.The play stands, incomplete.

9:43 pm 2nd and 10. Interception by Paul Oliver of San Diego in the end zone. That kills that drive. Wow!

San Diego keeps it on the ground from the 20  .   2nd and 4. Rivers throws incomplete  , 3rd and 4.  1st down on a nice run by Sproles. Movement by San Diego, false start. 1st and 15 from the 30 yard line of San Diego. Incomplete pass by Rivers. 2nd and 15.

9:48 pm  Sproles runs it and the half ends. San Diego 24 Denver 6.

 10:03 pm  2nd half begins. San Diego kicks off to Denver and they start on their own 26 yard line.  1st down. Cutler throws over the middle to the running back , Bell, 1st down. Cutler throws to Royal on a screen, 2 yard gain, 2nd and 8. Cutler fires into San Diego territory 1st doen at the 43.

10:05 pm A 5 yard completion to Royal, 2nd and 5. A nice run by Tatum Bell, Touchdown , Denver.  San Diego 24 , Denver 13, as the Broncos come out hot!

10:08 pm Denver kicks off to San Diego, who starts on their own  31 yard line. 1st down.  Rivers run for 4 yards, 2nd down and 6 to go. L.T. runs for a huge gain, 1st down at the Denver 23 yard line. Rivers throws for a short gain, 2nd and 5. Sproles runs for 3 yards. 3rd and 2.

10:13 pm   Sproles sprints into the end zone, touchdown Chargers.  San Diego 31 Denver 13. The Chargers answer back immediately!

10:16 pm San Diego kicks off to Denver, who takes over on the 18 yard line after a fumble. Cutlers pass is defected and intercepted by San Diego.

10:18 L.T. runs in right in for a touchdown. It s now 38-13 San Diego.

San Diego will host Indianapolis next week in the playoffs, it looks like.San Diego is playing too well for Denver to come back and win this game.

Sweet revenge for San Diego in this game.

10:22 pm San Diego kicks off to Denver with a big lead. 1st down, Ctlers 1st pass is deflected, 2nd and 10.  A short run and its 3rd and 2. 1st down at the 37 yard line. Cutler throws again for another 1st down to Marshall.

10:24 pm  Cutler throws again to the tight end, 1st down. 1st and 10 at the 30 of San Diego. AN incomplete pass makes it 2nd and 10. San Diego runs Cutler out of bounds, 3rd and 4. Incomplete pass that tipped twice. 4th and 4. They have to go for it. 1st down, Stokely on a bullet from Cutler.

10:28 pm A small loss by Marshall, 2nd and 13. Cutler throws for an 8 yard gain. 3rd and 5. Incomplete 4th and 5.  Stokely drops it at the 5 and San Diego takes over on downs.

San Diego gets the ball back and leads by 25 points.

10:32 pm  We should expect many runs by Sproles and Tomlinson through out the rest of the game as San Diego will want to eat up the clock now. 1st and 10 from the 10 of San Diego. L.T. is tripped up, no gain. 2nd and 10. Sproles runs for 7 yards. 3rd and 3.

10:34pm  1st down San Diego on a pass from Rivers. Rivers throws again, incomplete. 2nd and 10.  Sproles runs again for a short gain, 3rd and 7. A short gain and San Diego will punt.

10:36pm   Denver takes over at the 25 yard line. Tomlinson heads to the locker room. He could be done for the night. Cutler throws for a 1st down to Marshall. Cutler throws again for a 12 yard gain, and the 3rd quarter ends.

10:41pm  Denver is at about mid field. First down. Cutler throws incomplete 2nd down. Cutler gets away from the rush and completes another one for 13 yards. First down. Cutler throws for another nine yards. Second and one to go. Shovel pass to Bell for a short gain, first down.

10:44 pm  Cutler throws for a touchdown to the tight end. Denver goes for two points. Cutler runs it in to make it 38-21 San  Diego over Denver with 14 minutes to go.

10:50 pm San Diego takes over at their own 32. Sproles runs for three. Second and 7.Rivers is run out of bounds at the 40. Third and 4. Rivers throws for a first down. Sproles runs for 3 yards. 2nd and 7.  Sproles runs for 37 yards. First and goal.

This ones over folks, first and goal at the four. Sproles runs it in for a touchdown. Chargers 45, Denver 21. 9 47 to go and I am putting this one in the freezer.

Congatulations to thr Chargers for pulling their season out with four wins in a row and winning the AFC West.

Look for Prime Playoff predictions  for the NFL, next week and have a great week!

Thomas [NFL Mikee] Moreland