NFL 2010 Eli Manning New York Giants QB
Manning's Giants Need a Win & Bears' Help

In the final week of the 2010 regular season there are still 16 teams in playoff contention and for a trip to Super Bowl XLV.

In the AFC, five of the six playoff spots have been secured, led by the New England Patriots (13-2) who won the AFC East and have homefield advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. However, two division titles will be on the line.

The AFC North comes down to the Pittsburgh Steelers (11-4) and Baltimore Ravens (11-4).

Pittsburgh clinches the division and a first-round bye with a win or Baltimore loss. The Ravens win the AFC North and secure a first-round bye with a win and a Pittsburgh loss.

In the AFC South, the Indianapolis Colts (9-6) look to hold off the Jacksonville Jaguars (8-7). The Colts will win the division with a win or Jacksonville loss. The Jaguars clinch the AFC South with a win and an Indianapolis loss.

Nine teams remain in Super Bowl contention in the NFC.

The Atlanta Falcons own the conference's best record at 12-3 and can win the NFC South and secure homefield advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with a victory over Carolina. The defending champion New Orleans Saints (11-4), who beat Atlanta in Week 16, are still alive for the division title and homefield advantage. The Saints can secure both with a win and an Atlanta loss. Both the Chicago Bears (11-4) and Philadelphia Eagles (10-4) are still in the running for homefield advantage. And one of the teams will at least receive a first-round bye. The Bears can clinch a first-round bye with a win or a Philadelphia loss. The Eagles need a win and a Chicago loss to secure a first-round bye.

The NFC West title will be decided on Sunday night (NBC, 8:20 PM ET) when the St. Louis Rams (7-8) visit the Seattle Seahawks (6-9). The winner clinches the division.

The second and final Wild Card berth will come down to three teams -- the Green Bay Packers (9-6), New York Giants (9-6) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-6).

Green Bay is in with a win or losses by both New York and Tampa Bay. The Giants need a win and a Packers loss. Tampa Bay goes to the playoffs with a win and losses by both New York and Green Bay.

Some of the key games with playoff implications in Week 17:

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (9-6) at NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (11-4)

The Buccaneers improved to 9-6 last week with a 38-15 win over Seattle behind JOSH FREEMAN's five touchdown passes. Tampa Bay, which became the first team since the 1970 merger to start at least 10 different rookies and have a winning season, needs a win and losses by both Green Bay and the New York Giants to clinch a playoff spot.

"These are our playoffs," says Buccaneers tackle DONALD PENN. "For us, it's win or we're out."

The defending champion Saints secured a postseason berth with a victory over Atlanta last week. New Orleans can claim the NFC South and homefield advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with a victory and a Falcons loss.

"The way I feel about this team, it doesn't matter if we play at home or on the road," says Saints quarterback DREW BREES, who is the first player with at least 400 completions in three different seasons. "We're battle tested. We're playing with a lot of confidence. We trust one another. There's no task that we don't feel like we can accomplish."

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (8-7) at HOUSTON TEXANS (5-10)

The Jaguars look to finish the season strong with a win at Houston. A Jacksonville victory coupled with an Indianapolis loss to Tennessee would give the Jaguars the AFC South title.

"The goal is to secure a winning season, get to 4-2 in the division and see if that gets us a division title," says Jaguars head coach JACK DEL RIO.

"We know that when we go to Houston, there's only one way to come out of that game," says Jacksonville cornerback RASHEAN MATHIS.

TENNESSEE TITANS (6-9) at INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (9-6)

The Colts will host the Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday. With a win, Indianapolis will clinch the AFC South for the seventh time in the past eight years.

"Our guys have done a great job of staying focused and not getting caught up in all the scenarios," says Colts head coach JIM CALDWELL. "The lowest common denominator is that we have to win. That's what we try to continue to focus on.

"This is a huge rivalry, year in and year out. We know the Titans will be well-prepared. They'll play extremely hard. These are always competitive games. That's just the way it is."

Indianapolis aims to reach the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season, which would tie Dallas (1975-83) for the longest streak in NFL history. With a victory, the Colts will register their ninth 10-win season in a row, which would be the second-longest streak in league annals (San Francisco, 16, 1983-98).

NEW YORK GIANTS (9-6) at WASHINGTON REDSKINS (6-9)

The Giants enter the final week of the season still in the playoff hunt. The Redskins will attempt to knock their division rivals out of contention.

"There is a chance for us to make the playoffs and we do need to have a little bit of help," says New York head coach TOM COUGHLIN. "That's the incentive for us to regroup and try to put together the kind of game we can be proud of."

A Giants win, combined with a Green Bay loss, will clinch a playoff spot for New York.

CHICAGO BEARS (11-4) at GREEN BAY PACKERS (9-6)

A lot will be at stake at Lambeau Field when these two division rivals meet.

For the Packers, a win clinches a playoff berth. Green Bay is riding high after a 45-17 win over the New York Giants.

"We're going into the last game of the season with a chance to make the playoffs with a win," says Packers quarterback AARON RODGERS, who passed for 404 yards and four touchdowns against New York. "That's all we can ask for."

The Bears, who have already clinched the NFC North, secured a first-round bye with the Eagles' 24-14 loss to the Vikings. The Bears can clinch homefield advantage with a win plus a Falcons loss and a Saints loss or tie.

ST. LOUIS RAMS (7-8) at SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (6-9)

It's win and you're in. The 2010 regular season concludes on Sunday night with the NFC West division title on the line.

"We're very excited," says Rams quarterback SAM BRADFORD, who set an NFL rookie record with 335 completions this season. "When you set out at the beginning of the year, you always want to have the opportunity to make the playoffs late in the year. Here we are, going into our last regular-season game and we control our own destiny. So if that doesn't excite you, I really don't know what does."

Seattle's Qwest Field will be rocking as the Seahawks try to win their fifth division title in the past seven years.

"One win is everything right now," says Seattle linebacker LOFA TATUPU. "It's like a playoff game. We need to show up because the Rams are playing good football. It's a championship game."

UNPREDICTABLE PLAYOFF PARTICIPANTS

For the 15th consecutive season, five or more teams will qualify for the playoffs that were not in the postseason the year before. Atlanta, Chicago, Kansas City and Pittsburgh did not make the playoffs in 2009 but have done so this season.

This Sunday, that number may grow to as many as seven.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are the remaining club in contention for a playoff spot in the AFC that did not qualify in 2009. Of the five teams in contention for the remaining two playoff spots in the NFC, four did not qualify for the postseason last season: the New York Giants, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

RETURN SPECIALIST

Chicago Bears Pro Bowl punt returner DEVIN HESTER leads the NFL with a 17.1 punt return average (31 returns, 529 yards) and three punt return-touchdowns this season. If his 17.1 punt return average holds, Hester will register the highest punt return average in a season in NFL history (minimum 30 returns). Former Baltimore Ravens punt returner JERMAINE LEWIS currently holds the NFL record with a 16.1 punt return average in 2000.

MR. RODGERS

Green Bay quarterback AARON RODGERS can lead the Packers to the playoffs for the second consecutive season with a win in Week 17 against Chicago. Rodgers currently ranks third in the NFC with 3,693 passing yards. With 307 passing yards on Sunday, Rodgers can become the first quarterback ever to pass for 4,000 yards in each of his first three seasons as a starter (4,434 in 2009; 4,038 in 2008).

TOMLINSON GOES FOR 9

New York Jets running back LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON leads the club with 914 rushing yards. Tomlinson needs 86 rushing yards to join Pro Football Hall of Famers WALTER PAYTON (10), BARRY SANDERS (10) and EMMITT SMITH (11) and former Jet CURTIS MARTIN (10) as the only players in NFL history with nine or more seasons with 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

KING SAM

St. Louis rookie quarterback SAM BRADFORD will lead his club into Seattle on Sunday Night Football with an opportunity to clinch the NFC West. With a Rams win, Bradford has a chance to become the first quarterback selected No. 1 overall to start a playoff game in his rookie season.

Bradford currently has 3,357 passing yards and 18 touchdowns and can also move up the NFL record books among rookie quarterbacks on Sunday night.

BE LIKE MIKE

Tampa Bay wide receiver MIKE WILLIAMS leads all NFL rookies in receptions (61), receiving yards (924) and touchdowns (10).

With 76 receiving yards on Sunday at New Orleans, Williams can become the eighth rookie to have at least 1,000 receiving yards and 10 touchdown receptions in a season in NFL history.

PATRIOTS WINNING WAYS

New England head coach BILL BELICHICK has guided the Patriots to an NFL-best 13-2 record this season. With a win against the Dolphins on Sunday, Belichick can become the first head coach ever to win at least 14 regular-season games in four separate times.

NFL 2010 WEEK 17 schedule

All Times Local

Carolina at Atlanta, 1:00 PM

Chicago at Green Bay, 3:15 PM

Cincinnati at Baltimore, 1:00 PM

Jacksonville at Houston, 3:15 PM

Pittsburgh at Cleveland, 1:00 PM

Tennessee at Indianapolis, 4:15 PM

Minnesota at Detroit, 1:00 PM

Dallas at Philadelphia, 4:15 PM

Oakland at Kansas City, 12:00 PM

Arizona at San Francisco, 1:15 PM

Miami at New England, 1:00 PM

NY Giants at Washington, 4:15 PM

Tampa Bay at New Orleans, 12:00 PM

St. Louis at Seattle, 5:20 PM (NBC)

Buffalo at NY Jets, 1:00 PM

San Diego at Denver, 2:15 PM

NFL 2010 WEEK 16 results

PITTSBURGH 27, Carolina 3

ST. LOUIS 25, San Francisco 17

DENVER 24, Houston 23

CINCINNATI 34, San Diego 20

ARIZONA 27, Dallas 26

Indianapolis 31, OAKLAND 26

GREEN BAY 45, NY Giants 17

TAMPA BAY 38, Seattle 15

New England 34, BUFFALO 3

CHICAGO 38, NY Jets 34

Baltimore 20, CLEVELAND 10

New Orleans 17, ATLANTA 14

Washington 20, JACKSONVILLE 17 (OT)

KANSAS CITY 34, Tennessee 14

Detroit 34, MIAMI 27

Minnesota 24 PHILADELPHIA 14

NFL 2010 Week: All On The Line in Final Weekend of NFL Regular Season