Snap Judgments: Week 17

Donovan McNabb led the Eagles to an easy win over the Cowboys, and the No. 6 seed in the NFC. AP

PHILADELPHIA -- Musings, observations and the occasional insight as we watch the total demolition of the Dallas Cowboys play out before an absolutely delirious throng of Eagles fans at Lincoln Financial Field ...

• This is why you should never, ever, ever give up on an NFL season, until they pull the mathematical rug from beneath your feet. Because even after an ugly Week 11 tie at Cincinnati that supposedly buried you, and a crushing Week 16 loss at Washington that all but eliminated you, a Sunday like this one can still unfold in Philadelphia.

In a span of about four hours, the Eagles went from having their playoff hopes on life support -- an almost breathless blip on the NFL radar screen -- to coasting to the NFC's final invitation to next month's Super Bowl tournament. It's the kind of wildly unexpected turn of events that makes Week 17 so captivating each and every season.

The Eagles came into Sunday needing a Raiders upset win at Tampa Bay. They got it. They needed a loss by either Minnesota or Chicago, and the Bears cooperated, dropping their finale at Houston. And they needed a homefield win over the equally desperate Cowboys, an outcome that was all but decided by the second quarter.

Of course, as it almost had to be, it was that much-derided tie in Cincinnati that made the difference in the end for the 9-6-1 Eagles. Without it, they're home next week, rather than playing in a first-round playoff game at Minnesota.

But Philadelphia's 44-6 thrashing of Dallas wasn't Sunday's only example of how quickly the fates can turn in the NFL. You had the Carolina Panthers earning the NFC South division title and their conference's No. 2 seed -- and avoiding the much tougher road of the No. 5 seed -- by nipping New Orleans 33-31 on John Kasay's 42-yard field goal with one second remaining. That outcome meant Atlanta was No. 5, despite being agonizingly close to grasping the No. 2 seed itself.

You had Minnesota winning the NFC North -- its first division title in eight years -- on a last-second 50-yard Ryan Longwell field goal against the Giants. The Vikings would have clinched with Chicago's loss moments later at Houston, but Minnesota wasn't in any position to count solely on that.

And you had the Miami Dolphins, 1-15 last season, deciding the fate of the New England Patriots, 18-1 last season. The Dolphins move on, and the Patriots go home. Has there ever been a bigger cumulative turnaround than the one that linked New England and Miami this season?

Sunday night, of course, we'll be treated to even more death-defying feats as the San Diego Chargers, who were 4-8 just an instant ago, try to beat the visiting Broncos and make their way to the playoffs at .500. Not even the Chargers themselves could have believed the scenario that has landed them with one last chance to fulfill their lofty expectations this season.

Week 17 had it all. And for so much of it, there was really no way to see it coming. It happens every year that way, and still we're surprised by the surprise of it all.

• I do believe Raiders interim head coach Tom Cable just took a giant step toward locking up the fulltime gig in Oakland. What more could a guy do to win his way into Al Davis's heart these days beside beating Mike Shanahan in Denver, knocking Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen's Bucs out of the playoffs in Tampa, and making sure that Monte "Father of Lane'' Kiffin loses his final game as the Bucs defensive coordinator?

That's the triple crown of sorts if you're Davis, who always has an old score or three to settle with his enemies. When the 2009 season opens, I fully expect to see the John Madden-sized Cable still calling the shots in Oakland (at least on the sidelines).

• Speaking of Gruden, if his job isn't in jeopardy after the Bucs' 0-4 December meltdown, why exactly isn't it? Delivering a Super Bowl victory in his first season in Tampa Bay bought Gruden a reservoir of time and goodwill, but the last of that political capital has now undoubtedly been exhausted.

It has been six long years since the Bucs' most recent playoff victory -- that Super Bowl blowout win over the Raiders -- and this season's collapse to a 9-7, non-playoff finish after a 9-3 start underlines the underachievement in Tampa Bay like never before. Gruden has always won a protective coating of Teflon when it comes to coaching on the hot seat, but you have to figure that's over.

Oh, and this just in: With Tampa Bay's elimination from the NFL playoff race, for the 43rd consecutive time, no team will be playing a Super Bowl on its own home field.