NFL Highlights, Week 17
by Jordan Adams - 01/03/2007
Doc's Sports will look at the most important NFL highlights from a betting perspective each week of the football season. Here is where you can find out who covered, where the lines moved and also which teams were hot against the total.
Kansas City Defeated Jacksonville Sunday, 35-30.
The Chiefs played and they won the game. And that was exactly what they needed to help them make the playoffs. Larry Johnson ran for 138 yards and three touchdowns, and in the process set the single-season record for carries with 416. It was a shootout all game and the combined 65 points went well over the posted total of 36.5. Kansas City was installed as 2.5-point favorites and did well to cover the small number. The scoring started when Chiefs' defensive end Bernard Pollard recovered a blocked punt for a touchdown. Despite being up 35-17 late in the third quarter, K.C. held on after allowing back-to-back scores to cut the lead to five.
New York Defeated Oakland Sunday, 23-3.
Eric Mangini finished off his first regular season as head coach and got his team into the playoffs. All the Jets needed was a home win and they easily took care of Oakland. It took a while but New York covered its 13.5-point spread, thanks in large part to a 10-0 fourth quarter. Winning the turnover battle 3-0 also kept the Jets on the right side of the spread. This low scoring game never showed signs of hitting over the total of 34. Chad Pennington was effective again, going 22-for-30 for 157 yards and a score. Rookie running back Leon Washington added another touchdown on the ground and helped his team earn their fourth playoff berth in the last six years.
San Francisco Defeated Denver Sunday, 26-23, in OT.
All the Broncos had to do was defeat the 49ers at home to clinch a playoff spot. They could not do that and their loss sent K.C. into the postseason. Denver committed two more turnovers and was outgained by a San Fran offense that got 153 yards on the ground by Frank Gore. The Broncos blew a 13-3 halftime lead and were not able to cover their double digit spread. Before the game Mike Shanahan wished the Chiefs would win to put pressure on Denver. Well, he got it and it not only cost him the season but also possibly his job.
Philadelphia Defeated Atlanta Sunday, 24-17.
Just one year after finishing last in the NFC East, the Eagles are now back on top of their division. Philly clinched the division thanks to Dallas' loss but would have regardless because they knocked off the Falcons in the regular season finale on Sunday. Jeff Garcia had started the game, but when news broke of Dallas losing, Philly immediately inserted A.J. Feeley. He proceeded to throw for 321 yards and three touchdowns in the win, but the Eagles could not cover their nine-point spread. The game's 41 total points were also not enough to climb over the posted total of 43. The loss for Atlanta meant they would miss the playoffs for the second straight year. Just days after the loss head coach Jim Mora was fired.