NFC Update

While all four divisions have been clinched in the AFC, none of the four have been clinched in the NFC.

Two of the divisions, the NFC East and North, will be decided in head to head games this Sunday.

In the NFC East, the Dallas Cowboys, who have been denied playoff access in each of the last two seasons with a Sunday night loss in their finale, get another chance this week.

Dallas hosts the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday night but very likely will be without injured starting quarterback Tony Romo.

The other head to head battle is between the oldest NFL rivals, the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. The winner of that Chicago based game, wins the NFC North.

As with (Philadelphia at Dallas), the status of a starting quarterback is unknown and the key, at least going into the game. Star quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been out about half the season for Green Bay.

In the NFC West, the Seattle Seahawks are about a ten point favorite at home vs the St. Louis Rams. A Seahawks’ win or San Francisco 49ers loss at Arizona, vs the surprising (10-5) Cardinals, gives the division title and NFC one seed to Seattle.

The Carolina Panthers need a win at Atlanta vs the Falcons or an unlikely New Orleans Saints’ loss vs the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to wrap up the NFC South. It would mean at least the NFC two seed for the Panthers.

That post Christmas, “two seed package” includes a first round bye and a home divisional round playoff game.

Speaking of Christmas, a merry one to all, from this “nice Jewish boy,” who was fortunate enough to be in the streets of Rome, Italy for the funeral of Pope John Paul II.

Tony Romo