NFL Week 17 Results

NOT PREDICTIONS

1. Cowboys (11-4) at Titans (7-8) L 1

2. Cardinals (4-11) at Falcons (5-10) L 2

3. Bears (3-12) at Lions (7-8) L 3

4. Jaguars (7-8) at Texans (2-12-1) W 1

5. Broncos (4-11) at Chiefs (12-3) W 2

6. Dolphins (8-7) at Patriots (7-8) L 4

7. Colts (4-10-1) at Giants (8-6-1) L 5

8. Saints (6-9) at Eagles (13-2) W 3

9. Panthers (6-9) at Buccaneers (7-8) L 6

10. Browns (6-9) at Commanders (7-7-1) W 4

11. 49ers (11-4) at Raiders (6-9) L 7

12. Jets (7-8) at Seahawks (7-8) W 5

13. Vikings (12-3) at Packers (7-8) L 8

14. Rams (5-10) at Chargers (9-6) W 6

15. Steelers (7-8) at Ravens (10-5) W 7

16. Bills (12-3) at Bengals (11-4) Game Postponed in 1st Quarter

What can be said about the events of Monday night? It is basically unheard of that an NFL game would end early. The Bengals were leading the Bills 7-3 when a very scary scene unfolded. I was not watching live, but quickly saw the commentary and a replay of what happened to Damar Hamlin of the Bills.

The game would soon be called and will not be replayed or resumed this week, and may not be played this season. The effect this will have on the records of the teams involved, both championship contenders, remains unknown, as well as how it will impact the overall playoff race for teams heading into the final week of the season.

Like many NFL fans, at least outside of Buffalo, I had no memory of hearing of Mr. Hamlin before (although his team had recently played the Bears), but his name will certainly be one that is remembered in football history. Over 48 hours later, he is continuing to fight for his life in a Cincinnati hospital. Today, his team released a statement saying he is showing some improvement. That is good news that will  hopefully continue. I would also like to see Buffalo finally win a Super Bowl this year, but seeing a player have his heart stopped on the field due to what was basically a freak accident on a routine play is a far bigger deal than the result of any sporting event. We were reminded that a player once died in a 1971 NFL game, but this felt pretty different than what happens when a player is injured. Nobody can recall seeing a player receive CPR while laying on the field.

 

I saw some good signs for us as a society on the second day of the new year after this occurred. Fans of the home team were very concerned for the well-being of a visiting player and seemed completely understanding when they were informed the game had come to an end for that night. Bills and Bengals fans were seen together holding a vigil outside the hospital. Players and coaches on both teams comforted each other. While it felt a bit weird that a professional football game could basically be canceled after having kicked off, the general consensus from inside the sports world was that there no other choice. If the players, especially from Buffalo, had even wanted to continue to play, they may have been so distracted by the trauma they witnessed up close, that they ran the risk of being seriously injured themselves.

Most impressively, a massive amount of money was quickly raised to support the charity that Damar Hamlin had established for kids. People felt motivated to do something good in his name. Hopefully, in the very near future, he will wake up and learn of the positive impact he had across America as so many people are continuing to pray for him.

Week 17 Results: 7-8 (47%)

Overall Results: 124-129 (49%)