Who Fed It And Who Ate It: Week 17, Part 1

For the final week of the regular season, this post is split into 2 parts. The first will cover the upcoming playoffs, with certain aspects to be looking out for. Part 2 will primarily be about the coaches and executives who were terminated from their most recent positions, as well as discuss pertinent events from the week that was.

The regular season has concluded with a revival of television ratings, offensive output never before seen throughout the league, and new stars being minted left and right. History will decide on how this season will be viewed, but from this point, it sure seems that the NFL's new generation made their impact felt in 2018. And that shift to the league's new generation can really take hold in this year's playoffs as the NFL will celebrate its centennial season in 2019. What will be the stories that will unfold in the coming weeks?

Here come the new kids... For the last two years, the NFL found themselves seeing their largest attractions fading, either due to retirement, ineffectiveness, or injury. With a brand that is both sport and entertainment, that presents as a problem, as the lack of an attraction hurts gate receipts and, more importantly, TV ratings. Consider that problem solved with a bevy of youngsters taking center stage on national television during the regular season and being exposed to a more critical audience these next five weeks. Six of the twelve starting quarterbacks in this year's playoffs have less than 4 years professional experience. Rookie Lamar Jackson of Baltimore is the youngest, but has played exceptionally well to get his Ravens in as AFC North champs. Three others (Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes, Chicago's Mitch Trubisky, and Houston's DeShaun Watson) were all drafted in the first round of the 2017 Draft. It's way too early to consider this class to be along the lines of either the classes of 1983 or 2004, but this is an excellent start. And the Rams' Jared Goff & the Cowboys' Dak Prescott are in their third season, with both having prior playoff experience. That is a rare trait for young signal callers to have, and that could work as a wild card as both of those teams will be hosting a playoff game, with Dallas playing against a seasoned Seattle Seahawks team in the first week. The coming high profile games will show who is ready for the pressure, and who may need a year or two to figure it out.

... but don't forget about the old guys The league's brand has been invigorated by the injection of youth that brought an excitement that was missing in some years past, but don't overlook the members of the old guard. Despite having more yesterdays than tomorrows, these 3 veterans are no strangers to this stage and look to write one more glorious chapter in their professional careers. What more can be said about Tom Brady of the New England Patriots? 5 time Super Bowl champion, 8 time AFC champion, 2 time NFL MVP, and the leader of arguably the greatest dynasty in NFL history... Brady could have wrapped up half of those accolades and would still be considered a first ballot Hall of Famer. His legend can only grow if he leads the Pats to another title. Another QB looking to lead his squad to a second Lombardi Trophy is Drew Brees. The 18 year pro is enjoying an MVP caliber season, surrounded by a number of young playmakers and armed with a complementary defense. The New Orleans Saints have secured home field advantage throughout the playoffs, which is a huge edge when one considers that the Saints under head coach Sean Payton are 5-0 in postseason play. Nothing is guaranteed, but playing in friendly conditions, both in front of one's own fans and the climate controlled environment of the Mercedes Benz Superdome, can only help. But the third grizzled gunslinger will be forced to travel from town to town, and that is the LA Chargers' Philip Rivers. The 14 year vet has seen his previous teams fall short in their ascent of Mount Lombardi and his time to win a title to cement his legacy as one of the best of his era is running out. For such a grueling run, Rivers' Chargers cannot be better prepared, as their home game at StubHub Center are often nothing more than glorified road matches with opposing fans largely outnumbering locals on a regular basis. If they get hot, there may not be a team currently playing that can beat them. All three are in the twilight of their respective careers, and all three want to make the most of these opportunities. We'll see if their teams will try to win one for the old guy.

The Philadelphia Eagles are underdogs. What else is new? Last year, the Eagles were both the NFC's top seed and its biggest underdog, as their starting quarterback Carson Wentz was felled by a knee injury in Week 14. His replacement, Nick Foles, looked unimpressive in closing out the regular season. But instead of folding to the then defending NFC champion Atlanta Falcons in the Divisional Playoffs or falling to the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship, they would triumph in both contests en route to their first NFL championship since 1960, with Foles winning Super Bowl MVP honors to boot. This year, in defending their title, they are true underdogs. Entering as the fifth seed, they will need to win three straight road games, with the first in Chicago against the Bears and their ferocious defense. Don't sleep on Philly. They may not be as complete as they were last year from top to bottom, but their new found experience could be an X factor if any game they're in stays close. Can they make a true title defense, or will 2017 be labeled as a special team for the City of Brotherly Shove?

Your humble scribe had selected the Pittsburgh Steelers to face the Saints in Super Bowl LIII in August. Since the Steelers did not qualify for the playoffs, an alteration to that prognostication will be made simply and strictly for this exercise. While the Saints are still the team to beat in the NFC, the next AFC champion will be the Houston Texans. They have the talent to get the job done, while being more balanced on both offense and defense while remaining dynamic. Their road will be toughest, as they will ultimately face the Patriots if they win in the first round over the Indianapolis Colts. If they can win in Foxboro, they can win anywhere.

Four months and sixteen games have led us to this. Who makes a name for themselves, and who gets a reputation they can't shake? We'll soon find out.