NFL Recap – Week 17

The%20New%20York%20Jets%20traveled%20to%20Buffalo%20hoping%20to%20end%20the%20season%20on%20a%20positive%20note.%20However%20Mark%20Sanchez%20couldn%26%238217%3Bt%20get%20the%20Jets%20into%20the%20endzone%20and%20turned%20the%20ball%20over%20twice%20as%20the%20the%20Bills%20blowout%20the%20Jets%2028-9.%20The%20win%20couldn%26%238217%3Bt%20save%20Bills%20head%20coach%20Chan%20Gailey%20as%20he%20was%20fired%20on%20Monday.%20%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Rick%20Stewart%2FGetty%20Images%29

Eli%20Manning%20and%20the%20New%20York%20Giants%20did%20what%20they%20had%20to%20do%20to%20keep%20their%20playoff%20hopes%20alive.%20%20Manning%20threw%20for%20208%20yards%20and%205%20touchdowns%20as%20the%20Giants%20beat%20the%20Philadelphia%20Eagles%2042-7%20in%20Andy%20Reid%26%238217%3Bs%20last%20game%20as%20head%20coach.%20Minutes%20after%20the%20game%20the%20Giants%20found%20out%20they%20were%20eliminated%20from%20the%20playoffs%20when%20the%20Bears%20beat%20the%20Lions.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Elsa%2FGetty%20Images%29

Ben%20Roethlisberger%20passed%20for%20only%20134%20yards%20but%20threw%203%20touchdowns%20to%20help%20the%20Steelers%20avoid%20a%20losing%20season.%20The%20Steelers%20now%20head%20into%20the%20offseason%20looking%20to%20make%20tweaks%20on%20both%20sides%20of%20the%20ball%20in%20hopes%20of%20making%20another%20Super%20Bowl%20run%20in%202013.%20Following%20the%20loss%2C%20the%20Browns%20fired%20both%20their%20general%20manager%20and%20head%20coach.%20%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Justin%20K.%20Aller%2FGetty%20Images%29

%28Photo%20by%20Andy%20Clayton%20King%2FGetty%20Images%29%3Cbr%20%2F%3EThe%20Minnesota%20Vikings%20were%20playing%20for%20not%20only%20a%20playoff%20spot%20on%20Sunday%20but%20for%20a%20chance%20for%20Adrian%20Peterson%20to%20break%20the%20NFL%20single%20season%20rushing%20record.%20%20Peterson%20rushed%20for%20199%20yards%20and%20two%20touchdowns%2C%20but%20came%20up%209%20yards%20short%20from%20Eric%20Dickerson%26%238217%3Bs%20record.%20However%2C%20the%20Vikings%20beat%20the%20Green%20Bay%20Packers%20to%20earn%20a%20playoff%20spot%2C%20the%20two%20teams%20will%20now%20face%20each%20other%20next%20week%20in%20the%20first%20round%20of%20the%20playoffs.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Andy%20Clayton%20King%2FGetty%20Images%29

Tom%20Brady%20and%20the%20New%20England%20Patriots%20showed%20the%20league%20they%20are%20ready%20to%20make%20another%20Super%20Bowl%20run%20this%20season.%20With%20the%20shut%20out%20win%20over%20the%20Miami%20Dolphins%2C%20the%20Patriots%20earned%20the%20No.%202%20seed%20and%20a%20first%20round%20bye%20in%20the%20AFC%20playoffs.%20%28Photo%20by%20Jared%20Wickerham%2FGetty%20Images%29

The%20San%20Diego%20Chargers%20and%20Oakland%20Raiders%20were%20two%20teams%20that%20were%20not%20playing%20for%20anything%20on%20Sunday.%20Both%20teams%20failed%20to%20reach%20300%20yards%20in%20total%20offense.%20On%20Monday%20the%20Chargers%20fired%20head%20coach%20Norv%20Turner%20and%20the%20Raiders%20fired%20offensive%20coordinator%20Greg%20Knapp.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Harry%20How%2FGetty%20Images%29

Michael%20Crabtree%20and%20the%20San%20Francisco%2049ers%20secured%20the%20NFC%20West%20title%20and%20the%20No.%202%20seed%20in%20the%20NFC%20playoffs%20with%20a%20win%20over%20the%20Arizona%20Cardinals.%20Crabtree%20caught%208%20passes%20for%20175%20yards%20including%20two%20touchdowns.%20The%2049ers%20didn%26%238217%3Bt%20allow%20a%20touchdown%20until%20the%20two%20minute%20warning%20in%20the%20fourth%20quarter.%20They%20now%20have%20a%20week%20off%20to%20prepare%20for%20their%20opponent%20in%20the%20second%20round%20of%20the%20playoffs.%20%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Ezra%20Shaw%2FGetty%20Images%29

Robert%20Griffin%20III%20and%20running%20back%20Alfred%20Morris%20led%20the%20Washington%20Redskins%20back%20to%20the%20NFL%20playoffs%20after%20a%2013%20year%20drought%20by%20beating%20the%20Dallas%20Cowboys%20on%20Sunday%20night.%20RG3%20threw%20for%20just%20100%20yards%20and%20rushed%20for%2063%20yards%20and%20a%20touchdown.%20Morris%20ran%20for%20200%20yards%20and%203%20TDs%20as%20the%20Redskins%20will%20now%20host%20the%20Seattle%20Seahawks%20in%20the%20first%20round%20of%20the%20playoffs.%20%20%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Rob%20Carr%2FGetty%20Images%29

The%20Cincinnati%20Bengals%20and%20Baltimore%20Ravens%20were%20both%20playoff%20bound%20and%20decided%20to%20rest%20a%20majority%20of%20their%20starters%20as%20they%20prepare%20for%20the%20wild%20card%20round%20next%20week.%20The%20Bengals%20will%20now%20travel%20to%20Houston%20to%20face%20the%20Texans%20and%20the%20Ravens%20will%20host%20the%20Indianapolis%20Colts.%20%20%20%28Photo%20by%20John%20Grieshop%2FGetty%20Images%29

Josh%20Freeman%20and%20the%20Tampa%20Bay%20Buccaneers%20ended%20their%20five-game%20losing%20streak%20by%20beating%20the%20No.%201%20seed%20in%20the%20NFC%20playoffs.%20Freeman%20threw%20for%20222%20yards%20and%201%20TD%2C%20and%20Doug%20Martin%20ran%20for%20142%20yards%20including%20a%2040-yard%20TD%20run.%20The%20Atlanta%20Falcons%20suffered%20injuries%20to%20DE%20John%20Abraham%20and%20CB%20Dunta%20Robinson%2C%20but%20they%20are%20optimistic%20they%20will%20return%20for%20thier%20playoff%20game%20in%20two%20weeks.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Kevin%20C.%20Cox%2FGetty%20Images%29

Jay%20Cutler%20and%20the%20Chicago%20Bears%20held%20off%20a%20late%20rally%20from%20the%20Detroit%20Lions%2C%20only%20to%20eliminated%20from%20the%20playoffs%20when%20the%20Vikings%20beat%20the%20Packers%20for%20wild%20card%20spot.%20After%20starting%20the%20season%20%287-1%29%20the%20Bears%20went%20%283-5%29%20in%20their%20final%20eight%20games%2C%20and%20the%20organization%20fired%20head%20coach%20Lovie%20Smith%20on%20Monday.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Gregory%20Shamus%2FGetty%20Images%29

Darius%20Reynaud%20and%20Zach%20Brown%20of%20the%20Tennessee%20Titans%20set%20two%20NFL%20records%20against%20the%20Jacksonville%20Jaguars.%20Reynaud%20scored%20touchdowns%20on%20two%20punt%20returns%20and%20Brown%20returned%20two%20interceptions%20for%20touchdowns%20all%20in%20less%20than%205%20minutes%20as%20the%20Titans%20finish%20the%20season%20winning%20their%20final%20three%20games.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Frederick%20Breedon%2FGetty%20Images%29

The%20Indianapolis%20Colts%20welcomed%20back%20their%20head%20coach%20Chuck%20Pagano%20with%20a%20win%20over%20the%20sliding%20Houston%20Texans.%20The%20loss%20dropped%20the%20Texans%20out%20of%20home%20field%20advantage%20and%20a%20first%20round%20bye%20in%20the%20AFC%20playoffs.%20The%20Texans%20will%20now%20face%20the%20Cincinnati%20Bengals%20on%20Saturday%20and%20the%20Colts%20will%20travel%20to%20Baltimore%20to%20face%20the%20Ravens%20in%20the%20first%20round%20of%20the%20playoffs.%20%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Joe%20Robbins%2FGetty%20Images%29

DeAngelo%20Williams%20of%20the%20Carolina%20Panthers%20carried%20the%20ball%2021%20times%20for%20210%20yards%20and%20two%20touchdowns%20as%20the%20Panthers%20rallied%20to%20send%20the%20New%20Orleans%20Saints%20to%20their%20first%20losing%20season%20since%202007.%20In%20the%20loss%2C%20Drew%20Brees%20and%20the%20Saints%26%238217%3B%20defense%20set%20two%20new%20NFL%20records.%20Brees%20surpassed%20the%205%2C000%20yard%20mark%20for%20the%20third%20time%20in%20his%20career%20and%20the%20Saints%26%238217%3B%20defense%20set%20the%20record%20for%20most%20yards%20allowed%20in%20a%20season%20with%207%2C042.%20%20%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Chris%20Graythen%2FGetty%20Images%29

Peyton%20Manning%20completed%2023%20of%2029%20pass%20attempts%20for%20304%20yards%20and%203%20touchdowns%20as%20the%20Broncos%20put%20an%20end%20to%20the%20Chiefs%20two%20win%20season.%20The%20win%20coupled%20with%20the%20Texans%20loss%20earned%20the%20Broncos%20the%20No.%201%20seed%20and%20home-field%20advantage%20in%20the%20AFC%20playoffs.%20%20%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Dustin%20Bradford%2FGetty%20Images%29