Week 16 NFL thread: The Jason Garrett/Jim Schwartz Death Watch begins

A lot more good action this week than last. A RedZone kind of day especially in the late window:

New Orleans (10-4) at Carolina (10-4), 1 p.m.: Basically for the division. WTF is going on with the Saints? They've gone from being not-quite-as-good on the road to being totally non-functional on the road. Can't even win in another dome and now they're going outside. Lose here and they're looking at three roadies to make the Super Bowl. Also: Can Riverboat Ron complete the climb from trendy "First Coach Fired" pick to Coach Of The Year?

Dallas (7-7) at Washington (3-11), 1 p.m.: Losing coach is executed by his owner at midfield.

Indianapolis (9-5) at Kansas City (11-3), 1 p.m.: Two teams that need to convince everyone else, and maybe themselves, that they are what their record says they are.

Miami (8-6) at Buffalo (5-9), 1 p.m.: First of two very winnable games for Dolphins. And with the Patriots' ability to play down to anybody's level, the AFC East title remains at least a remote possibility.

Arizona (9-5) at Seattle (12-2), 4:05 p.m.: Bruce Arians battling Rivera for Coach Of The Year, but it's a tall order to win up there and stay alive in the playoff hunt.

NY Giants (5-9) at Detroit (7-7), 4:05 p.m.: If the Lions blow this one, or even if they win but are eliminated by the Bears and Packers results, a rage firing of Jim Schwartz will be well justified. They should also go after Gunther Cunningham's knees.

New England (10-4) at Baltimore (8-6), 4:25 p.m.: Belichick's nemesis team can win its division by winning out, and the Pats can lose their division by losing out.

Pittsburgh (6-8) at Green Bay (7-6-1), 4:25 p.m.: After dropping to 5-6-1, the Packers are somehow in position to win the division and possibly even the NFC's #3 seed. To do the latter, they'd need help from ...

Chicago (8-6) at Philadelphia (8-6), 8:30 p.m.: A Bears win, combined with a Packers win, would knock the Lions out of the playoff race and would mean the Bears-Packers Week 17 game decides the NFC Central and the aforementioned #3 seed.

Atlanta (4-10) at San Francisco (10-4), Monday night: Good fucking riddance to Candlestick Park. If you've never had the chance to see a game there, consider yourself lucky. I believe this will leave the Oakland Coliseum as the only NFL stadium with trough-style urinals.

 

Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo? Never been to the public urinals there, just the press box, but it's old.

 

Amazingly, as shitty as the Colts have been in recent weeks, if they can win out and the Ravens win out, they are the No. 2 playoff seed in the AFC.

 

If Dallas beats Washington, the Sunday night game is meaningless for the Eagles. The Week 17 game in Dallas would decide the NFC East regardless.

 

True to a certain extent, but it would be the difference between the #3 and 4 seed for Philly, which is a pretty big deal when you think about avoiding Seattle for as long as possible.

 

I'm assuming that was a "Homeland" spoiler in the Dallas/Washington breakdown and, as someone who just finished Season 2, that really blows.

 

Dagger.

 

Apologies. I will change. I thought everybody knew.

 

Then I'm rooting for a tie. How about including the owners in that, too?

 

Completely agree about Candlestick. As many great memories as I have of going to games there, that place should have been torn down a decade ago.

 

It was a good reference, especially since Sgt. Brody and Garrett look like they could be brothers.

 

Winning coach, too