by Amy Lignor
Yesterday there were NFL games played where the winner took all. The Packers and the Bears had to face the fact that the winner went on and the other would not even be a contender, seeing as that the Division was a real mess in 2013.
The Niners needed to win and watch the Seahawks tank, although they were meeting up with the Cardinals, who were the 
unbelievable winners the week before in the almost-impossible-to-win-in stadium in Seattle.
There were other games that, let’s face it, just didn’t matter; nor, were they even good enough to watch. Yes, the Broncos I’m sure had a lot of fans tuning in, but definitely not in anticipation of whether or not their team would have a bye and home field advantage. I mean, come on, Peyton Manning was not going to be beat. The only thing he could have (and did) accomplish yesterday was adding more TD passes to his already made record.
In fact, I have a feeling if the game was actually four quarters of twenty minutes long the man would most likely have come away from the regular season with 70 TD passes without blinking an eye. What the Broncos also received was the title for being the highest scoring team in a season EVER in NFL history.
The ever-present Tom Brady and his Patriots were right behind the Broncos taking the #2 spot, which pretty much means the AFC Championship Game will end up to be just as predicted: The two best QB’s who both have a history of fortune and glory taking yet another stab at being Super Bowl champions.
The Niners. Well, they needed the Seahawks to lose. Actually, I have a feeling that all NFC contenders wish they had. But, unfortunately, the road to the Super Bowl will head through Seattle. Seattle won easily yesterday and it’s not a pretty sight for anyone.
The Niners also needed to win. Either way they would have been in the playoffs, but winning against Arizona meant they would be fifth seed and not sixth. It was not a pretty sight, yet again. The Cardinals were on a high from beating the Seahawks the week before and they brought that energy with them onto the field. Although the Niners looked great early, they didn’t win it until the final second ticked off the clock. And, yes, the experts who called the Niners to be where Seattle is now – the top of the NFC food chain – were wrong. But at least Kap is not over. Who knows? Perhaps the strong man can go on a run like Eli Manning did with the Giants and end up taking it after all. Either way this is the Niners third straight playoff appearance.
Do we talk about the Cowboys? Awesome plays by a rookie who should have been given the ball far more this season than he has. But the future was (and is) murky for America’s Team. Let’s just say the best part about last night’s game was watching the constant pictures of Jerry Jones (the ultimate leader, or so he believes) grimacing, sighing and grousing from his box in the sky. The upside for him is that he did get a couple of smiles and claps in as well.
When it comes to the Redskins, Shanahan will most likely be erased when 2014 comes around. Although Eli Manning and the Giants made sure to let everyone know that even though their season tanked…he would be back.
Best game of the day was definitely the Packers versus the Bears. From the fumbles to the odd ball that laid on the turf until the Pack simply picked it up and basically walked it in for a TD, every second of the game was riveting. Aaron Rodgers certainly built his confidence after returning from missing seven starts. But will that confidence be enough to erase Kap and the Niners from the NFC hopefuls?
The Saints are happy, and should be. But the Falcons are most definitely not, seeing as that their season has ended and Carolina moves on. The worst part for the Falcons, however, is the fact that beloved Tony Gonzalez walked off the field for the last time yesterday. He was honored with a half-Chiefs/half-Falcons helmet and an ocean of praise he richly deserved.
So we end with a note to Tony: Although you did not come away on the winning team yesterday, you should know that fans of ALL teams will miss you a great deal. You were always an amazing addition to the game and the NFL will not be the same without you.
On to next week. It will be fun to see the battles that are sure to erupt now that everything is literally on the line!
Until Next Time, Everybody,
Amy