Getty Gallery: 6/6
No. 9 Indianapolis Colts
Over the last six weeks, the Colts have wins over the Cowboys, Texans and Titans. Despite their stellar recent play, the Colts needed a late comeback to squeak out a victory over the Giants. Indianapolis still needs a win over Tennessee in Week 17 to qualify for the playoffs.
If the Colts do make the playoffs, they would be a tricky No. 6 seed in the AFC. Colts head coach Frank Reich noted the team used halftime to correct their poor play against the Giants.
“It was passionate by me, it was passionate by some players,” Reich explained to ESPN. “It wasn't screaming and yelling at each other. It was, ‘this has got to be better.’ It was embarrassing. It was pathetic what we did out there in the first half. I credit the Giants. We knew they're a good football team. A dangerous team. I credit them for slowing us down in the first half… I also think that we learned a lesson today. Just because we had won seven of our last eight or whatever it is, and we're playing a team that is mathematically eliminated, you can't walk out there on the field and play like we played in the first half. That's just not good football. And so, really glad that we could learn that and still come away with a win.”
Others noted it was Andrew Luck's calm attitude that allowed the team to mount a comeback. Colts wide receiver Chester Rogers explained it was business as usual for Luck and the offense.
“(Luck’s) so positive,” Rogers told ESPN. “There are times -- I’m not going to lie -- it’s hard because when things go wrong you want to get down, you want to start cursing, but Andrew comes up and says, ‘Lets stick together. One play at a time and lets stay together.’ Having a quarterback like that, having somebody in the locker room it brings everyone together.”
No. 10 Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys bounced back after an embarrassing performance in Indianapolis in Week 15. Dallas finally secured the NFC East and a playoff berth with their win over the Bucs. Chicago's win over the Niners means the Cowboys are locked into the No. 4 seed where they will likely play the Seahawks.
Dak Prescott put up modest numbers against the Bucs, but the quarterback's efficiency helped put the team over the top. Prescott threw for just 161 yards but completed 20-of-25 passes against Tamp Bay. The defense continues to be the story for Dallas as they forced a late turnover to help the Cowboys put the game out of reach.
The Cowboys may have a playoff spot secured, but Ezekiel Elliott noted the team has to stay locked in heading into their season finale.
“No, I don’t think so at all," Elliott explained to the Star-Telegram. "I don’t think we can approach it that way. We can’t afford to take a week off. That’s not even an option. We’ve got to attack this week the same way we’ve been attacking these games — it’s must win and we’ve go to go out there and get that win and finish this season off right. We’ve got to go back and look at this game and see what we did well and look and see what we didn’t do so well and we’ve got to learn from it. And like I said, we can’t get comfortable, we can’t afford to take a week off next week just because we’ve clinched our playoff spot. We’ve got to keep working so we’re ready for the playoffs."
The Cowboys take on the Giants in a Week 17 matchup that will have no impact on playoff positioning.