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'Tis the season to watch bowl games. So if anyone is dubbing the Panthers-Falcons matchup for the NFC South title the Garbage Bowl, well, let them — while also remembering the winner will make the playoffs.
And host a wild-card round game.
Yes, this year's NFC South might be the worst division in league history, which will mean nothing to Carolina (6-8-1) or Atlanta (6-9), whichever advances.
"We never lost sight of the goal," said linebacker Thomas Davis, whose Panthers have won three in a row. "And here we are in the last game of the season with a chance to do that. Throw out the record. Throw out what has happened this season. We have a chance to do something special, something that hasn't been done."
The other two showdowns for division titles Sunday have a lot more cachet: the Lions and Packers at Lambeau Field for the NFC North, then the Bengals at Pittsburgh for the AFC North in the prime-time game to finish off the schedule.
Carolina at Atlanta
Given that they already own a draw (against Cincinnati), the Panthers wouldn't mind another one; it will also give them the division. Only one team in a non-strike season has made the playoffs with a losing mark, Seattle in 2010.
Carolina is trying to become the first repeat NFC South champion and under coach Ron Rivera, it has gone 14-3 in December games since 2011. Only New England (15-2) has a better record.
Falcons receiver Julio Jones has 100 receptions, tops in the NFC, and also leads the conference with 1,535 yards receiving.
"We are treating it as a playoff game and that's what we've been doing these last couple of weeks," said Jones' fellow wideout in Atlanta, Roddy White. "We are treating every game with the utmost importance."
Detroit (11-4) at Green Bay (11-4)
Not only does a division crown come to the winner here, but a first-round playoff bye, perhaps even top seed in the NFC, depending on what Seattle and Arizona do.
For Detroit to go into Lambeau Field and march off with a victory would be something different. The Lions have lost 23 straight in Wisconsin to the Packers, including a 1994 wild-card game. Detroit last beat Green Bay on the road on Dec. 15, 1991.
The Packers are 7-0 in Green Bay, joining Denver and New England as the only unbeatens at home. Fast starts make all the difference: Green Bay is outscoring opponents 86-7 in the first quarter of the past six home games.
Cincinnati (10-4-1) at Pittsburgh (10-5)
Like the Lions and Packers, both of these teams are in.
Pittsburgh might have an edge after scoring 25 fourth-quarter points at Cincinnati to win their first meeting. The Steelers have won three in a row.
This could be a shootout considering how potent Pittsburgh's offense has been behind Ben Roethlisberger, Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown. Plus, the Bengals have unveiled a dynamic running game with rookie Jeremy Hill and Gio Bernard, and if A.J. Green's right arm is OK, he can be a game-buster. Green caught 11 passes for a career-high 224 yards in the first game against Pittsburgh.
San Diego (9-6) at Kansas City (8-7)
This is simple. And complex. Depends on who wins.
If the Chargers do, they get the final AFC wild card. If Kansas City prevails, the Chiefs then need Baltimore and Houston to lose.
San Diego is trying to replicate its strong finish of 2013, when it grabbed that wild-card slot by beating the Chiefs in the season finale.
St. Louis (6-9) at Seattle (11-4)
The Seahawks are looking every bit like defending Super Bowl champions, with a defense that is impenetrable and lots of big plays on offense by Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch.
A victory earns Seattle home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs — and woe to the rest of the conference. But a loss could sink the Seahawks to a wild card.
The Rams beat the Seahawks in October with the help of a punt return touchdown and a fourth-down conversion via a fake punt. But they also are headed for a losing record for the eighth straight season.
Oakland (3-12) at Denver (11-4)
Hardly dominant like they were in 2013, the Broncos could use a feel-good finish to the season. They have won six straight in the series and Peyton Manning has won his past eight meetings with Oakland. But he's had some struggles recently.
A Denver win gives it a bye in the wild-card round.
Oakland has gotten all of its wins under interim coach Tony Sparano after losing its first four under Dennis Allen.
Arizona (11-4) at San Francisco (7-8)
The end of Jim Harbaugh's highly successful stint in San Francisco? Quite possibly.
This is the first losing record for him after taking the 49ers to the NFC title game in all three previous seasons as coach. There was also the Super Bowl loss to the Ravens two seasons back.
Arizona owns a playoff berth, wins the NFC West with a victory here and a loss by Seattle, but is starting rookie Logan Thomas at quarterback. He's the fourth QB to start this year for the injury-ravaged Cardinals.
Cleveland (7-8) at Baltimore (9-6)
If San Diego loses and Baltimore wins, the Ravens make the postseason for the sixth time in John Harbaugh's seven years as coach. But by blowing a lead to the Chargers on Nov. 30 in a one-point loss, the Ravens put themselves in this difficult spot.
Cleveland concludes yet another non-playoff year with rookie Connor Shaw going at quarterback after injuries to Brian Hoyer and Johnny Manziel. The Browns' bright outlook dimmed as they dropped their past four and five of six.
Jacksonville (3-12) at Houston (8-7)
The Texans are hanging in the AFC race, too, just one year after going 2-14. Doing so with an unstable QB situation and virtually no contributions from top overall draft pick Jadeveon Clowney pinpoints how important defensive end J.J. Watt has been in Houston.
Houston must win and have Baltimore and San Diego lose to advance.
Blake Bortles, the third overall pick in the draft, has thrown 17 picks, but he also has passed for 2,791 yards and needs 29 to pass Byron Leftwich for the franchise rookie record.
Dallas (11-4) at Washington (4-11)
The Cowboys probably are concentrating on playing next week, because they need a lot to happen to get a bye. Such as a victory and losses by Seattle and Arizona; a tie in Green Bay; or some other scenarios involving draws.
Might be a good chance to get NFL rushing leader DeMarco Murray healed up from his hand injury.
The Redskins actually beat Dallas earlier this year.
Buffalo (8-7) at New England (12-3)
It's not Bill Belichick's style to rest players even with nothing to gain. The AFC East champion Patriots own the conference's top spot and will have a first-round bye for the fifth consecutive year.
The Bills can only imagine what one playoff berth, let alone a bye, feels like. They extended the league's longest current postseason drought to 15 seasons, but have a shot at a winning record for the first time since 2004.
Indianapolis (10-5) at Tennessee (2-13)
Indy is locked in as the No. 4 seed in the AFC, but comes off a 42-7 whipping at the hands of Dallas and needs to show at least something in this one. The Colts have won six straight and 11 of 12 against the Titans. A loss Sunday would be very alarming considering Tennessee has dropped nine straight and is in the running for the top overall draft pick.
New Orleans (6-9) at Tampa Bay (2-13)
Tampa Bay is the other, uh, front-runner for selecting first in the draft and has lost five in a row.
The Saints somehow flopped in their last five home games, so finishing off a distressing season on the road might be a good thing.
Philadelphia (9-6) at New York Giants (6-9)
After beating Dallas to take control of the NFC East on Thanksgiving Day, the Eagles lost three in a row to fall out of playoff contention. Meanwhile, the Giants have won their past three and the fervor for getting rid of Tom Coughlin as coach has pretty much subsided.
Chicago (5-10) at Minnesota (6-9)
The fervor for a new coach, GM and quarterback in Chicago has not died down. The Bears have not beaten a team with a winning record, and they go back to Jay Cutler at quarterback because Jimmy Clausen got concussed last week in his first start for them.
Minnesota has showed progress, especially on defense, under first-year coach Mike Zimmer, although it's also been a tumultuous season for the Vikings given the Adrian Peterson suspension.
New York Jets (3-12) at Miami (8-7)
Last season, these teams met in the finale and the Jets kept the Dolphins out of the playoffs while improving to .500. Now, it could be Rex Ryan's final game as Jets coach.
Miami coach Joe Philbin will be back; owner Stephen Ross said so last week.
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