NFL - Week Seventeen Review

The 2010 NFL season, as bizarre as it may have been, is now in the books and it's on to the playoffs.
There are some familiar faces in the AFC playoffs in 2010.
The New England Patriots (14-2) finished the season with a 38-7 drubbing of the Miami Dolphins in Foxboro. Pats' quarterback Tom Brady (pictured right) threw a pair of touchdown passes and Julian Edelman returned a punt 94 yards for a score to lead the way.
The Indianapolis Colts (10-6) clinched the AFC South and their ninth consecutive playoff appearance with a 23-20 squeaker over Tennessee. Peyton Manning passed for 264 yards and two touchdowns.
The Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) rolled to an easy victory and the AFC North title with a 41-9 rout of the Cleveland Browns.
The Steelers' defense limited the Browns to 43 yards rushing and Ben Roethlisberger (two TD passes), the Heftyinfo NFL Player of the Week, connected with wide receiver Mike Wallace on a 56-yard scoring pass on the first play from scrimmage for Pittsburgh. Steelers' running back Rashard Mendenhall scored twice in the win.
The Baltimore Ravens made it to the playoffs for the third straight season with their 12-4 record as they defeated Cincinnati 13-7. The Ravens were outgained 395-199 in total yardage, but their defense limited the Bengals to just one score in the fourth quarter and made a goal-line stand in the final seconds to preserve the victory.
The Kansas City Chiefs (10-6) lost at home for the first time in 2010 as Oakland bombed them 31-10. Even though they lost, the Chiefs made the playoffs as winners of the AFC West.
The Raiders (8-8) blew open a close game in the third quarter when Michael Bush ran 26 yards for a touchdown and the defense scored a touchdown as well. The Raiders' defense also sacked KC quarterback Matt Cassel seven times in the game.
The New York Jets (11-5) made it back to the playoffs as a wild card and finished the regular season with a 38-7 whipping of the Buffalo Bills.
In the NFC, the Seattle Seahawks became the first team with a losing record (7-9) to WIN their division, the NFC West, and make the playoffs.
The 'Hawks beat St. Louis 16-6 to wrap up the crown in Head Coach Pete Carroll's first season. The only other time that teams with LOSING records qualified for the NFL playoffs was in 1982 when a nine game strike-shortened season allowed a special format that gave eight teams in each conference a chance to go to the Super Bowl.
The Chicago Bears, already the NFC North division champions, did not rest their starters and lost a close game to the host Green Bay Packers, 10-3 that allowed the Packers to get the NFC's sixth seed for the post-season.
Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers hit tight end Donald Lee with a one-yard scoring pass early in the fourth quarter to provide the winning margin.
Atlanta (13-3) clinched the top seed and home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with a 31-10 win against Carolina. Falcons' QB Matt Ryan threw two TD passes and running back Michael Turner scored a touchdown.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-6) fell short of the playoffs even though they beat New Orleans, 23-13 to finish a surprisingly successful season after going 3-13 a year ago.
Bucs' QB Josh Freeman threw a pair of TD passes and kicker Conner Barth kicked three field goals in the win. The Saints (11-5) are a wild card playoff team as they travel to Seattle for the first-round game, seeking to repeat as Super Bowl champions.
Dallas beat Philadelphia 14-13 in the finale but the Eagles (10-6) are the NFC East champions and will host a first-round game against Green Bay next weekend.
The New York Giants (10-6) found themselves in the same boat as Tampa Bay, out of the post season, even though they won 17-14 at Washington. Giants' QB Eli Manning threw a touchdown pass and Brandon Jacobs ran for another score in the win.

Other action in the NFL's final weekend saw the Houston Texans knock off Jacksonville, 34-17 to finish off their season at 6-10.

The San Diego Chargers, one of the league's bigger disappointments, finished second at 9-7 in the AFC West after beating the Denver Broncos, 33-28. Chargers' running back Ryan Mathews had his best game in an injury plagued rookie season, rushing for 120 yards and three touchdowns. The Chargers' finished the 2010 season as the NFL leaders in offense and defense.

The Detroit Lions won their fourth straight game to finish the season at 6-10 as they beat Minnesota, 20-13. The Vikings had a disastrous season, finishing 6-10 and saw (perhaps) the final season for Brett Favre end on a low note.

Another team finishing a bad season ended 2010 with a win as the San Francisco 49ers (6-10) knocked off Arizona, 38-7 behind two TD passes by quarterback Alex Smith and two touchdown runs by Brian Westbrook.