by Adam Best, Fan-Sided Blogs, Special to FOXSports.com

NFL Week 17

Week 17 action

Vikings 20, Giants 19 -- Recap | Box
Panthers 33, Saints 31 -- Recap | Box
Packers 31, Lions 21 -- Recap | Box
Falcons 31, Rams 27 -- Recap | Box
Texans 31, Bears 24 -- Recap | Box
Patriots 13, Bills 0 -- Recap | Box
Colts 23, Titans 0 -- Recap | Box
Steelers 31, Browns 0 -- Recap | Box
Raiders 31, Bucs 24 -- Recap | Box
Bengals 16, Chiefs 6 -- Recap | Box
Eagles 44, Cowboys 6 -- Recap | Box
Dolphins 24, Jets 17 -- Recap | Box
49ers 27, Redskins 24 -- Recap | Box
Ravens 27, Jaguars 7 -- Recap | Box
Cardinals 34, 'Hawks 24 -- Recap | Box
Chargers 52, Broncos 21 -- Recap | Box


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Analysis

• Marvez: Mangini should blame Favre
• Whitlock: It's all about character

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Video

• NFL on Fox: Scariest playoff team?
• NFL on Fox: NFC playoff preview

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Photos

• NFL Week 17 snapshots
• NFL cheerleaders
• Worst teams ever
• NFL year in photos

No matter how wacky it gets in the NFL, one thing always remains consistent -- the best teams generally find a way to win. Well, that and with or without Matt Millen the Lions are still the league's go-to punchline.

Seriously though, the great teams manage to win games they have no business winning.

Just look at the Indianapolis Colts. After opening up a 10-0 lead on an emotional Houston Texans team, the Colts got dominated for roughly the next 45 minutes. They were down 17 points late in the fourth quarter, and Peyton Manning had that "our season's over" look tattooed on his face. That is until Sage Rosenfels happened.

I haven't seen a meltdown like that since I saw Michael Richards at The Laugh Factory a couple years ago. Going airborne like he did? You may have felt like Willie Beaman, but you looked like Cap Rooney, son. Rosenfels then had another bonehead fumble followed by an inexplicable interception. His epic meltdown led to 21 unanswered Colts points in a span of just over two minutes. For 55 minutes, Rosenfels resembled Joe Cool. Over the game's final five, he was more like Joe Six-Pack. You've gotta give the Colts credit, however, because they never gave up. Both their defense and offense made some huge plays down the stretch, allowing the Colts to pull off an unlikely come-from-behind W.

The Monday Night Football match-up between the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints was even weirder. Four quarters of freaky football like that can only happen within relative proximity to the French Quarter. Both teams might be 2-3, but all of those losses were narrow losses to top teams. I still see both the Saints and Vikes as legit, although flawed, contenders. That's why this contest was a huge one for both teams. In my opinion, the better ballclub found a way to win.

For my money, right now, Drew Brees is as good as any quarterback in the game. And, yes, I have a man crush on Brees. I even have a fake Brees birthmark -- similar to how chicks used to copy Marilyn Monroe's -- on the side of my face. After the Saints first drive, I thought Brees was going to put up 500 yards and five touchdowns. Didn't happen. The Vikings adapted to Brees and kept him and the Saints' offense in check for the rest of the game. Looks like I won't be sporting that faux birthmark for at least another week.

Even when Reggie Bush went absolutely insane with two punt return TDs, the Vikings hung in there and believed. Because of their poise, inspired defense and some unlikely Gus Frerotte heroics, they stole a hard-fought road upset. Again, the Vikes may be 2-3, but they and their new starting QB made a believer out of me Monday night. They managed to beat a talented and equally desperate Saints team in their own backyard, despite getting almost nothing from Adrian Peterson. With Antoine Winfield and the new Purple People Eaters playing lights out, I can all but guarantee that in a month the Vikes will be sitting alone atop the NFC North.

The Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans and Washington Redskins also all found ways to win, albeit in somewhat ugly fashion. Do winning aesthetics really matter in the grand scheme of things? No. When Week 17 wraps up, all that matters is who's in and who's out. My guess is that all of the six aforementioned teams that eked out wins in Week 5 will be in.

Around the League

AFC East: What in the world is going on in Miami? Is that Ronnie Brown back there, or Michael Vick? How does he look better the year after his ACL injury, and why has nobody ever used him like this before? More importantly, how many weeks will go by before an opponent finally figures out this Wildcat wrinkle?
-- Full AFC East breakdown

AFC North: Big Ben may be hurt, but that didn't stop him from putting a hurting on the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Pittsburgh Steelers' road win would have been impressive under any circumstances, but the fact that they did it with Mewelde Moore toting the rock really says something. That Mike Tomlin can coach, folks.
-- Full AFC North breakdown

AFC South: The Titans just won't drop a game. I don't think even Jeff Fisher ever imagined that they'd be 5-0 at this point with Kerry Collins leading the way, but they are. Albert "Big Stomp" Haynesworth and the Gang are the toughest outfit in the league, hands down.
-- Full AFC South breakdown

AFC West: Order has been restored in Kansas City. One week after resembling a legitimate NFL head coach, Herm "Harm" Edwards was back to botching things. What did his offensive gameplan include the week after Larry Johnson rumbled for 198 yards on 28 carries? A whopping seven carries for two yards for L.J. Brilliant!
-- Full AFC West breakdown

NFC East: I hate to accuse anybody of anything, but did the 'Boys have money riding on the Bengals and the big point spread? Jerry's Kids didn't even break a sweat in this one. Maybe they just wanted to send Ocho Cinco to el hospital for kissing the star. Unfortunately for both parties, the only thing he kissed was his season goodbye.
-- Full NFC East breakdown

NFC North: The Lions are an absolute abomination. Why wasn't Rod Marinelli sent packing along with Millen? The sooner the Fords close the book on the whole Kitna-Marinelli-Millen chapter, the sooner the rest of us can actually contemplate taking their franchise seriously.
-- Full NFC North breakdown

NFC South: The Carolina Panthers are going to win this division. Everybody's raving about the Redskins, but there is another well-balanced NFC squad currently overpowering opponents. Chicago might be where "receivers go to die," but Muhsin Muhammad is back from the dead and back to being Jake Delhomme's security blanket.
-- Full NFC South breakdown

NFC West: Why is Kurt Warner talking about retiring this week? Last week was the time for that, because this week he and his Arizona Cardinals poached the undefeated Buffalo Bills. Besides, if there's an NFC West QB who should be talking about retirement, it's Matt Hasselbeck. A couple more outings like that and you might as well join your sister-in-law on "The View." Pathetic.
-- Full NFC West breakdown

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