We're turning the corner and heading for home on the 1999 NFL season, and the final weekend of play in the millennium actually did very little to clear up the playoff picture.
The race for home field in the AFC will go down to the final weekend, and three of the six division crowns won't be decided until next Sunday.
The marquee game on Sunday saw Jacksonville get thrashed by Steve McNair and the Tennessee Titans in Nashville. Indianapolis pulled even with Jacksonville atop the AFC by beating Cleveland on a last-second Mike Vanderjagt field goal. Minnesota routed the Giants 34-17 to move into the playoffs again, and Tampa Bay ran over struggling Green Bay 29-10 to clinch a home game at Raymond James Stadium at the very least.
| Week 16 NFL Recap |
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| Saints 31 (3-12),
Cowboys 24 (7-8)
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| Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
3: Sacks of Troy Aikman by the Saints.
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| Player of the Game |
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Jake Delhomme, QB, New Orleans: Threw for 278 yards and two touchdowns while leading his team to a win in his first career start. |
| Breakdown |
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New Orleans got an impressive effort out of first-time starter Delhomme at quarterback, who he seemed to spark the whole offense when the Saints fell behind in the game. The Cowboys finished 1-7 on the road, but they can still make the playoffs at 8-8 if they beat the Giants at home next Sunday.
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| Broncos 17 (6-9),
Lions 7 (8-7)
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| Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
1,121: Rushing yards by Broncos rookie Olandis Gary with one game remaining.
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| Player of the Game |
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Olandis Gary, RB, Denver: Followed up a 183-yard game last week with a 29-carry, 185-yard effort against the Lions. |
| Breakdown |
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Detroit lost for the fifth time in its last seven games to a Broncos team that played inspired football on the road and controlled the game by keeping the ball on the ground. Denver averaged 5.7 yards per carry, compared to only 2.7 yards per carry for the Lions. Charlie Batch threw for 267 yards and a touchdown in his return to the starting lineup, but he completed just more than 50 percent of his passes and missed several open receivers during the game. |
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| Falcons 37 (4-11), Cardinals 14 (6-9) |
| Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
35:20: Time of possession by the Falcons. |
| Player of the Game |
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Byron Hanspard, RB, Atlanta: Ran for 102 yards and one touchdown on 26 carries.
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| Breakdown |
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Atlanta knocked the Cardinals out of the NFC playoff race by controlling the ball with its ground game much like it did a year ago during the Falcons' Super Bowl run. Arizona managed only 3.2 yards per carry and Jake Plummer threw two more interceptions to push his season total to 21.
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| Ravens 22 (8-7), Bengals 0 (4-11) |
| Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
107: Losses in the decade of the 1990s by the Cincinnati Bengals. |
| Player of the Game |
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Michael McCrary, DE, Baltimore: Led an amazing defensive effort by recording three sacks, forcing a fumble and making four total tackles.
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| Breakdown |
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Baltimore's offense slowed down from its impressive play of late, but on a day when the defense was playing so well, the offense was barely needed. The Ravens sacked Jeff Blake seven times and picked him off twice, while also limiting 1,000-yard rusher Corey Dillon to 27 yards on 10 carries. Though Tony Banks had only an ordinary day with 15-of-33 passing for 187 yards and a touchdown, Errict Rhett and Priest Holmes both ran the bell well splitting time at running back.
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| Colts 29 (13-2), Browns 28 (2-14) |
| Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
111: Receptions by Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison this season, an average of 7.4 catches per game. |
| Player of the Game |
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Edgerrin James, RB, Indianapolis: Ran for more than 100 yards for the 10th time in his rookie season, finishing with 28 carries for 103 yards and three touchdowns.
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| Breakdown |
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The Colts fought back from a fourth-quarter deficit to pull out another close win and run their record to 13-2. The win broke the NFL record for the biggest single-season turnaround, as Indianapolis can now finish no worse than 10 games better than it did last season when it was 3-13. The Colts controlled the action for most of the game against the Browns, holding the ball for 37:20 by racking up 27 first downs to only 17 for Cleveland.
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| Bills 13 (10-5), Patriots 10 (7-8) OT |
| Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
225: Total yards gained by the Patriots, a particularly low total for a game that went into overtime. |
| Player of the Game |
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Sam Rogers, LB, Buffalo: Helped Buffalo's defense slow down the Patriots by recording two sacks for a loss of nine yards and making six total tackles.
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| Breakdown |
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Terry Allen was the biggest bright spot for the Patriots, rushing for a season-high 126 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries. The Bills didn't have a very impressive offensive outing themselves, but Thurman Thomas turned back the clock a bit, running for 84 yards on 15 carries. Buffalo's defense sacked Drew Bledsoe six times and held him to a season-low 101 yards passing, which was the second-lowest yardage total of his career. The Bills earned a wild-card berth on Monday night when the Dolphins lost to the Jets 38-31.
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| Steelers 30 (6-9), Panthers 20 (7-8) |
| Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
4: Consecutive 100-yard receiving games by Carolina's Patrick Jeffers, who now has 56 catches for 917 yards and 10 touchdowns this year. |
| Player of the Game |
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Jerome Bettis, RB, Pittsburgh: "The Bus" put on his snow tires and ran for 137 yards and a touchdown on 33 carries through the snow in Pittsburgh.
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| Breakdown |
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Pittsburgh only finished with 293 total yards, but it held the ball for 35:21 with its ground game. Fred Lane ran well for the Panthers, gaining 90 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, but Steve Beuerlein and Muhsin Muhammad slowed down a bit from their torrid paces of the past month. The Steelers were especially effective running the football once they had the lead, as Bettis took over late in the game with nine carries for 38 yards on the game-clinching scoring drive in the fourth quarter.
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| Titans 41 (12-3), Jaguars 14 (13-2) |
| Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
239: Difference in total yards gained by the Titans (476) and Jaguars (237). |
| Player of the Game |
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Steve McNair, QB, Tennessee: Threw a career-high five touchdown passes and was extremely efficient, completing 23-of-33 passes for 291 yards.
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| Breakdown |
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Jacksonville has looked good against everyone this season except for the Titans, against whom the Jags dropped both games this season. The loss snapped the Jags' team-record 11-game winning streak, and cost them a chance at wrapping up home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. Eddie George ran for 102 yards on 26 carries, making him only the fourth player ever to have more than 1,200 yards rushing in each of his first four NFL seasons. The Jaguars blew their chance at breaking the single-season defensive scoring record of the 1986 Chicago Bears by giving up a season-high 41 points.
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| Rams 34 (13-2), Bears 12 (6-9) |
| Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
82: Passing yards needed by Kurt Warner in the Rams' final game to break Jim Everett's team record of 4,310 yards set in 1989. |
| Player of the Game |
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Marshall Faulk, RB, St. Louis: Caught 12 passes for 204 yards and a touchdown, putting him over 1,000 yards receiving this season to go along with his 1,000-yard rushing season.
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| Breakdown |
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The Rams ran up 476 yards of total offense to help them polish off a perfect 8-0 season at home in the TWA Dome. Faulk moved to within 35 yards of breaking Barry Sanders' single-season total yardage record with his big afternoon. He also became only the second player ever to have both 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same year, joining San Francisco's Roger Craig with that remarkable feat. Chicago totalled 434 yards of offense, but couldn't get the ball in the end zone when it mattered.
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| Vikings 34 (9-6), Giants 17 (7-8) |
| Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
37:35: Time of possession by the Giants, who were blown out by the Vikings despite having a 15-minute advantage in time of possession. |
| Player of the Game |
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Robert Smith, RB, Minnesota: Ran for a season-high 146 yards and one touchdown on only 16 carries, for an impressive 9.1 yards per carry.
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| Breakdown |
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Minnesota made the postseason for the seventh time in eight seasons under head coach Dennis Green by virtue of its easy win over the Giants. Cris Carter and Robert Smith paced the offensive effort for the Vikings, while John Randle had his best defensive game of the year, sacking quarterback Kerry Collins twice and recording five total tackles. The Vikings close out the season next week at home against Detroit, and if Minnesota beats Detroit and Tampa Bay loses on the road at Chicago, the Vikings win the NFC Central.
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| Chargers 23 (7-8), Raiders 20 (7-8) |
| Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
1.9: Average yards per carry by the Raiders. |
| Player of the Game |
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Jeff Graham, WR, San Diego: Caught three passes for 113 yards and a touchdown.
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| Breakdown |
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The Chargers beat their state rivals from the north by holding Oakland's running game to 46 yards on 24 carries. Not that the Chargers did much better, gaining only 49 yards on 21 carries, but San Diego threw for 325 yards compared to only 266 for Oakland. Junior Seau was obviously fired up for this game after not being selected to the Pro Bowl earlier in the week, and he responded with seven total tackles, an interception and a half-sack on Rich Gannon.
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| Seahawks 23 (9-6), Chiefs 14 (9-6) |
| Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
794: Combined yards of total offense by the Seahawks (364) and Broncos (430). |
| Player of the Game |
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Jon Kitna, QB, Seattle: Bounced back from recent struggles to throw for 216 yards and two touchdowns.
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| Breakdown |
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Seattle snapped its four-game losing streak by holding onto the football after turning it over prodigiously in the last month. Michael Sinclair recorded two sacks and three total tackles for the Seahakws, who sacked Grbac a total of four times and picked him off three times. The Seahawks now only have to beat the Jets next Sunday to win the AFC West, while Kansas City will now have to beat the Raiders and have the Seahawks lose to the Jets to take the division title.
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| Buccaneers 29 (10-5), Packers 10 (7-8) |
| Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
12: Rushing yards on 12 carries by the Packers. |
| Player of the Game |
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Mike Alstott, RB, Tampa Bay: Ran for 79 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries.
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| Breakdown |
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Tampa Bay earned a split of the season series with Green Bay, and with it assured itself of its second home playoff game in three years. The Buccaneers held the Packers to only 243 yards of total offense and only 14 first downs. Tampa Bay held the ball for 36:07, thanks to Alstott's bruising running, and the short, controlled passing game that found Warrick Dunn out of the backfield six times for 48 yards and a touchdown. Green Bay can still make the playoffs if it beats Arizona at home next Sunday and the Cowboys lose to the Giants at home in Dallas.
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| Redskins 26 (9-6), 49ers 20 (4-11) OT |
| Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
929: Combined total yardage by the Redkins (511) and 49ers (418). |
| Player of the Game |
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Brad Johnson, QB, Washington: Threw for a career-high and team-record 471 yards and two touchdowns, completing 32-of-47 passes.
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| Breakdown |
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Washington clinched its first playoff berth since 1992 by taking the 49ers apart with the pass. Johnson's record-setting 471-yard passing night was bad even by San Francisco's awful defensive standards. Sammy Baugh's club record for passing yards in a game fell to Johnson and company as a result. Michael Westbrook caught seven passes for 125 yards and a touchdown, and Albert Connell grabbed five passes for 105 yards.
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| Jets 38 (7-8), Dolphins 31 (9-6) |
| Review |
Key Stat |
Game Summary and
Game Recap |
132: Difference in total yards gained between the Dolphins (422) and the Jets (290). |
| Player of the Game |
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Ray Lucas, QB, New York. Completed only 11-of-23 passes for 190 yards, but threw for three touchdowns and had a quarterback rating of 119.8 for the game.
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| Breakdown |
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The Jets continued to do their best to have a big influence on the AFC playoffs, even though they had already been eliminated from postseason contention themselves. Ray Lucas continued to play efficiently as the starting quarterback, throwing three touchdowns while avoiding getting picked off. Lucas now has the lowest interception percentage in the league at 1.6 percent, having been picked off only four times in 246 passing attempts. Miami's loss put the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs and means that the Dolphins now need help to get into the playoffs.
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