It's official - the Atlanta Falcons have arrived ahead of schedule. In fact, they've arrived so far ahead of schedule that they might not be on the Wild Card weekend schedule at all. The 10-5 Falcons, already in the playoffs following last Sunday's 24-17 win at Minnesota, need a win over the free-falling Rams on Sunday, coupled with a Panthers loss at New Orleans, in order to claim the NFC South title, the No. 2 seed in the conference playoffs, and the first-round bye that the latter brings. Should Atlanta win but not get help in the form of a Carolina loss, the Falcons would be the No. 5 playoff seed and would travel to play the NFC West champion Arizona Cardinals on January's first weekend. If things go truly awry and the Falcons fall to the Rams while the Cowboys win at Philadelphia, Mike Smith and company could drop to the No. 6 slot, which would earn them either a return trip to Minnesota or a date at Soldier Field with the Chicago Bears. Though no matter what transpires on Sunday, Atlanta has experienced a season to remember. Just one year after a 4-12 debacle that included the dog-fighting scandal and subsequent incarceration of star quarterback Michael Vick, followed by the defection of head coach Bobby Petrino with three games remaining in the season, the fact that Atlanta has found a home in the 2008 playoffs is among the league's most shocking developments of the year.

Last Sunday's win in Minnesota, which sealed the Falcons' first playoff berth since they went to the NFC Championship in 2004, was yet another gutty display by a club that has now won four of its last five. Atlanta forced four Vikings turnovers - all fumbles - and fittingly scored their final points on a Justin Blalock recovery of a Matt Ryan fumble in the third-quarter. The Falcons defense limited Minnesota Pro Bowl running back Adrian Peterson to 76 yards on 22 carries including a fumble, while Atlanta offensive principles Ryan (13-of-24 passing, 134 yards, 1 TD) and running back Michael Turner (19 carries, 70 yards, 1 TD) generated just enough offense to keep the team above the fray. Meanwhile, the Rams assured themselves of a top-three pick in the 2009 NFL Draft with a heartbreaking 17-16 home loss to the San Francisco 49ers. St. Louis owned a 16-3 lead as the fourth-quarter clock ticked under five minutes, but allowed the Niners to get within six on a Shaun Hill-to-Isaac Bruce touchdown pass at the 4:03 mark, followed less than three minutes later by a 48-yard Hill-to-Josh Morgan touchdown strike that provided the decisive points. The loss was the Rams' ninth in a row, the longest current streak in the NFL behind only the Lions' 15-game skein. A defeat in Atlanta, coupled with a Week 17 win for Kansas City in Cincinnati, would guarantee St. Louis the No. 2 pick in the 2009 Draft. A 2-14 (.125) record would be the Rams' worst since the 1962 team went 1-12-1 (.107). The Falcons may not get the help they need to win the NFC South this week, but you better believe they will help themselves. With its spot in the playoffs secure, chances are you'll see a relaxed, loose effort from an Atlanta team that is superior to the Rams in every aspect, as Mike Smith and company enter the postseason with a head of steam, if nothing else.

A nightmarish season for an uncharacteristically poor Rams offense that ranks 27th in NFL total offense (279.2 yards per game) will finally careen to a close this week. The once-proud passing game has gone light years backwards this season, with Marc Bulger (2490 passing yards, 10 TD, 13 INT) and top wideout Torry Holt (58 receptions, 3 TD) displaying little of the prowess that once made them Pro Bowlers and the Rams generating more than 20 points just one time all year. The most promising member of the pass-catching corps in 2008 has been rookie Donnie Avery (48 receptions, 2 TD), who figures to see a more prominent role next year following Holt's likely departure from the team. Avery has 11 catches totaling 117 yards in his past two games. In the running game, Steven Jackson (881 rushing yards, 36 receptions, 6 TD) is likely to show up this week for a contest in which he'll need 119 yards to break 1,000 for the fourth straight year. Jackson rushed for 108 yards against the 49ers last week, his first triple-digit outing since Week 7. Backup Kenneth Darby (120 rushing yards, 17 receptions) added value with a team-high 57 receiving yards on five catches last Sunday. Many of St. Louis' offensive problems have had to do with a woeful offensive line, one that has surrendered a bloated 42 sacks on the year. There is little to recommend the Rams defense at this stage, as St. Louis ranks 29th in NFL total defense (368.9 yards per game), including 28th versus the run (147.5 yards per game) and 23rd against the pass (221.4 yards per game).

Atlanta enters Week 17 ranked a healthy sixth in NFL total offense (357.5 yards per game), with quarterback Matt Ryan (3280 passing yards, 15 TD, 9 INT), running back Michael Turner (1491 rushing yards, 16 TD), and wide receiver Roddy White (85 receptions, 6 TD) ranking as the most productive and impressive members of the attack. No member of the main triumvirate was particularly prolific during a performance against Minnesota that saw the team rack up just 222 net yards, though Turner scored his 16th touchdown of the year and Ryan was a reasonably efficient 13-of-24 passing for 134 yards with a touchdown and no turnovers. Ryan's lone TD pass in the win went to reserve running back Jerious Norwood (433 rushing yards, 35 receptions, 4 TD) on an eight-yard play in the second quarter. No. 2 wideout Michael Jenkins (46 receptions, 3 TD) totaled a team-best four-catches for 61 yards in the win. Part of the Falcons' success this year has been due to an overachieving offensive line that has given up just 16 sacks, including none to Minnesota menace Jared Allen last Sunday. The Falcons have not always been solid against the run during a season in which they have allowed 4.9 yards per rush, the third-worst figure in the league behind only that of the Chiefs and Lions, but their performance against the butter-fingered Peterson last Sunday should do much to boost the club's confidence.

Those who had been feverishly anticipating this Sunday's game between the Indianapolis Colts and the Tennessee Titans may have a sudden change of plans in regards to their holiday weekend. This season-ending showdown between the AFC South's top two teams once had the potential for colossal implications, but fans in attendance at Lucas Oil Stadium this weekend will likely be witnessing the equivalent of a preseason tune-up between two postseason-bound clubs. Both the Titans and Colts are locked into their respective seeds for the upcoming playoffs, with AFC South champion Tennessee having secured homefield advantage throughout the conference tournament by virtue of a notice-serving 31-14 victory over the well-regarded Pittsburgh Steelers last Sunday, and Indianapolis clinching the AFC's top Wild Card spot with a hard-fought 31-24 decision over Jacksonville in Week 16. With little more than pride on the line, expect each team to hold out a number of key members to ensure a healthy roster for the playoffs. It's almost a given that Colts head coach Tony Dungy, notorious for resting his best players in such situations, will be continuing that trend on Sunday with an AFC Wild Card round matchup at either San Diego or Denver on tap for next week. Indianapolis was in the exact same scenario when it hosted the Titans in last year's regular-season finale, having already garnered the No. 2 seed in the AFC entering the game. With quarterback Peyton Manning playing just over a quarter and a handful of Colts starters inactive, Tennessee took advantage of the depleted roster to earn a 16-10 win that wound up vaulting Jeff Fisher's squad into the playoffs.

Indianapolis hasn't shown much balance on the offensive side of the ball in 2008, as the Colts rank third in the league in passing yards (255.0 ypg) but are next-to-last with an average of 76.9 rushing yards per game. That disparity hasn't been much of a problem because Manning (3907 passing yards, 26 TD, 12 INT) has delivered another MVP-caliber season and top targets Reggie Wayne (81 receptions, 1130 yards, 6 TD) and tight end Dallas Clark (71 receptions, 6 TD) have both been real difference-makers as well. Clark has been especially dominant down the stretch, as the field-stretching tight end backed up a monster 12-catch, 142-yard effort against Detroit in Week 15 by hauling in eight Manning throws for 105 yards and a score versus Jacksonville. Manning needs just 93 yards to reach 4,000 in a season for the ninth time in his illustrious career, but it's unclear whether he'll get to that mark before giving way to seldom-used backup Jim Sorgi. The Colts could be without their top two running backs, Joseph Addai (540 rushing yards, 23 receptions, 6 total TD) and Dominic Rhodes (538 rushing yards, 45 receptions, 9 total TD), for precautionary reasons on Sunday, which means an extended look for undrafted rookie Chad Simpson (45 rushing yards, 1 TD, 3 receptions).

Ummm, well...at least they have the rivalry. When the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers meet up Sunday afternoon in their 2008 regular-season finale at Heinz Field, they'll be taking part in the 114th renewal of the oldest and most intense head-to-head series in the American Football Conference. Which is good, because it's got absolutely nothing else going for it this time around. While the Browns are finishing off a sixth straight non-playoff season and a fifth slate of double-digit losses over that stretch, the Steelers share equally in the "we have zero motivation" mantra after having "clinched" the AFC's No. 2 playoff seed with last week's loss at Tennessee. Win, lose or draw against Cleveland, Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin & Co. will take a weekend off before returning in early January against the highest- seeded survivor from postseason round No. 1 - which as of now could mean Miami, New England, the New York Jets, Denver, San Diego or Indianapolis.

Another win there, and a rematch with the towel-stomping Titans is a distinct possibility. Not that Tomlin or anyone else in black and gold can afford to look past, errr, Bruce Gradkowski. The Tampa Bay castoff will become the fourth starting quarterback of the season for the Browns, who'd already featured Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn under center before third-string understudy Ken Dorsey was shelved for the holidays with a rib injury and mild concussion against Cincinnati. Gradkowski, incidentally, is a Pittsburgh-area product whose high-school numbers surpassed those of fellow Steel City natives and eventual Hall of Famers Joe Montana, Joe Namath and Dan Marino. Truth told, Cleveland might settle for Jim Druckenmiller, Browning Nagle or Cleo Lemon. Admittedly, it's a perfect week for an upset loss for the looking-ahead Steelers. However, it's a home game, it's the Browns and it's a fact that many of Pittsburgh's second-line players could start and thrive in Cleveland. Add in some late-season rivalry pride and the presence of Gradkowski, and it spells success for the Pennsylvanian.

Already a two-time AFC North champion under Tomlin, the Steelers are aiming for a fourth season with 12 or more wins since 1994. Toward that end, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (3,193) needs 321 passing yards to surpass his career-high of 3,513 in 2006. He is 8-0 lifetime against Cleveland and has 12 touchdowns against six interceptions for a 96.8 passer rating. Including playoffs, Pittsburgh is 29-2 when Roethlisberger has 100-plus in-game passer rating. Elsewhere, running back Parker aims for a fifth consecutive game against the Browns with 100 or more yards, following up on 223, 109, 105 and 105. Wideout Ward needs 27 yards for a fifth straight season with 1,000 receiving yards. He has four 100-yard games in 2008 and needs one to surpass his career-high of four from 2002 and 2005. Also, Santonio Holmes has three touchdowns in his past four games and tight end Heath Miller has two scores in his past three against Cleveland. The Steelers average 308.1 total yards per game.

Cross your fingers and pray for Gradkowski, who attended Seton-La Salle High School and was dumped by the two-win St. Louis Rams after completing 22 of 37 passes for 177 yards, two interceptions and a 49.0 passer rating in the preseason. He'll line up in the backfield with veteran Jamal Lewis, who needs 92 yards to become first Brown since Mike Pruitt to gain 1,000 rush yards in consecutive seasons. The Browns are 5-0 when Lewis carries at least 22 times. Elsewhere, in his career against Pittsburgh, big-play wideout Braylon Edwards averages 19.2 yards per catch and is aiming for his 58th consecutive overall game with a catch. Also, first-year Brown Donte' Stallworth needs five receptions to reach 300 for his career and tackle Joe Thomas earned his second consecutive Pro Bowl selection. Cleveland averages 257.3 total yards per week.

After squandering an opportunity to wrap up the NFC North title on their home field a week ago, the Minnesota Vikings have been given a second chance. To realize that goal, however, they'll have to knock off the team with the best record in the conference. The Vikings will try once again to punch their ticket into the postseason when the defending world champion New York Giants invade the Metrodome for this Sunday's regular-season finale. New York owns the NFL's ninth-best rushing defense (94.9 ypg) but surrendered 158 yards and four touchdowns via the ground to the physical Panthers in Week 16, with Carolina's DeAngelo Williams becoming the second back to eclipse 100 yards on the Giants this year. The team is battling some health issues up front, as sturdy tackle Fred Robbins (33 tackles, 5.5 sacks) is dealing with a jammed shoulder and may be held out of the finale. The three-man linebacking corps lacks a standout, save for middle linebacker and leading tackler Antonio Pierce (91 tackles, 1.5 sacks). There's a chance the Giants will be without a key member of the secondary for Sunday's matchup as well, with starting cornerback Aaron Ross (52 tackles, 3 INT) having suffered a concussion against the Panthers. If the second-year pro can't go, Kevin Dockery (36 tackles, 1 INT, 9 PD) will likely be slotted into a greater role for a defense that is allowing just 194.7 passing yards per game (7th overall). New York has two quality pass-rushing ends in Pro Bowler Justin Tuck (65 tackles, 12 sacks) and Mathias Kiwanuka (48 tackles, 8 sacks), but the pair will be chasing a very mobile quarterback in Jackson (143 rushing yards), who had a personal-best 76 yards on eight scrambles against the Falcons.

The Giants' powerful ground attack will be going up against a Minnesota defense that is yielding a league-low 73 rushing yards per game but will be without Pro Bowl tackle Pat Williams (44 tackles, 1 sack) for a second straight week due to a fractured shoulder blade. The Vikings were able to withstand the loss of the accomplished stopper last week, however, as the club held Atlanta's Michael Turner, the NFL's second-leading rusher, to a pedestrian 70 yards on 19 carries. Williams is one of four Minnesota defenders named to this year's Pro Bowl, along with fellow tackle Kevin Williams (57 tackles, 8.5 sacks), end Jared Allen (50 tackles, 14.5 sacks) and cornerback Antoine Winfield (88 tackles, 2 INT, 2 sacks). With New York's pass protection having been an issue as of late, Coughlin may be taking somewhat of a risk in letting Manning face a Vikings' squad that has compiled 43 sacks on the year. Allen's 57 1/2 sacks since 2004 is the most of any NFL player over that span, while counterpart Ray Edwards (50 tackles, 5 sacks) took down the Falcons' Matt Ryan twice in last week's loss. Winfield and four-time Pro Bowl safety Darren Sharper (63 tackles, 1 INT) are the headliners of a secondary that helped limit Atlanta to a mere 124 net passing yards this past Sunday.

Though he's already got division titles, playoff appearances and a Super Bowl championship on his resume with Tampa Bay, Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden can't be blamed if hes feeling heat of the non-thermometer variety on the final weekend of the 2008 season. Winners of the NFC South with a 9-7 mark a year ago, Gruden and Co. seemed on the way to an impressive repeat with nine wins in 12 games this time around, before an untimely three-week skid squandered both the division title chance and possibly the postseason as a whole. The Buccaneers enter a curtain-dropping date with the Oakland Raiders - whom Gruden coached to 38 wins in four seasons from 1998-2001 - needing both a non-loss and a Christmas miracle's worth of help to reach the promised land for the fourth time in seven years. Against the visiting Silver and Black, Tampa Bay can punch its ticket via any one of the following five scenarios, courtesy of the NFL's intrepid crew of late-December stat geeks: 1. Tampa Bay wins and Dallas loses or ties at Philadelphia 2. Tampa Bay ties and Dallas loses and Minnesota loses or ties against the New York Giants 3. Tampa Bay ties and Dallas loses and Chicago loses or ties at Houston 4. Tampa Bay ties and Dallas ties and Minnesota ties and Chicago wins or ties 5. Tampa Bay ties and Dallas ties and Chicago ties and Minnesota wins or ties. Of course - because the lesser-known sixth scenario includes something about virgins being sacrificed, woodpeckers speaking Chinese and hell freezing over -- all at the same time - Buccaneers fans are being advised to hang their hats on some sliver of the initial quintet.

In two career starts against Oakland, quarterback Jeff Garcia has completed 53-of-77 passes for 618 yards with six touchdowns and a 118.9 passer rating. He looks for a third game in a row against the Raiders with a 110-plus passer rating. Overall, when Garcia has a rating of 95.0 or better as a starter, his teams are 36-13. Running back Warrick Dunn is one of six players in NFL history with 10,000 rushing yards and 500 receptions. Pro Bowl rookie Clifton Smith aims to become the third player in NFL history to lead in both kick and punt return averages. Wideout Antonio Bryant has 23 catches for 435 yards and four touchdowns in his past three games. He aims for a fifth in a row with a touchdown catch and a fourth in row with 100-plus yards. A dicey picking proposition, depending on what motivation scenarios end up playing out. Gruden and the Bucs are surely more in need of a win and should get it against a down-and-out Raiders team on a cross-country trip, but Oakland did defeat a more motivated Houston team last week and Tampa Bay has hardly been a late-season lock in recent times. All that said, the chalk should play out as prescribed.

For Tampa Bay, linebacker Derrick Brooks was named to his 11th Pro Bowl, the second-most by a linebacker in NFL history. He had a 44-yard interception return for a touchdown against the Raiders in the Super Bowl matchup, and when Brooks returns a pick for a score over his career, the Bucs are 7-0. Also, cornerback Ronde Barber has 11 career defensive touchdowns, the most among active players and third all-time in the NFL. Elsewhere, defensive end Kevin Carter has 104 1/2 career sacks and is one of two active players with 100-plus sacks. Finally, rookie cornerback Aqib Talib leads all NFL rookies with four interceptions. Talib and Barber share the team lead in interceptions, while lineman Gaines Adams is tops on the team in sacks with 5 1/2. The Buccaneers allow 304.1 total yards per game.

Since 2007, Oakland's Thomas Howard is tied with Chicago's Brian Urlacher for most interceptions by a linebacker with seven. Rookie defensive end Trevor Scott leads all league rookies with five sacks and fellow end Derrick Burgess posted a season-high two last week against the Texans. Finally, kick returner/cornerback Justin Miller is averaging 28.4 yards per return with two touchdowns. Oakland allows an average of 359.7 total yards per week.

The Washington Redskins' struggles down the stretch put first-year head coach Jim Zorn on the hot seat. Meanwhile, interim head coach Mike Singletary is guiding the San Francisco 49ers to a strong finish. Zorn and the Redskins wrap the regular season against Singletary and the hosting 49ers this weekend at Candlestick Park. The early portions of 2008 were very kind to Zorn, who had spent the previous few seasons as the Seattle Seahawks' quarterback coach. He was originally hired as Washington's new offensive coordinator on January 26 while the club searched for a successor to Joe Gibbs, but was eventually offered the head coaching job just weeks later. Behind an efficient Jason Campbell under center and a yard-eating running back in Clinton Portis, the Redskins jumped out to a 6-2 mark, winning four in a row at one point.

Washington's strength early on was its ability to run the ball with Portis, in addition to Campbell being safe with the football. The Redskins still rank eighth in the NFL in rushing offense (131.3 ypg), but Portis (1407 rushing yards, 8 TD, 28 receptions) hasn't topped 100 yards rushing in any of his last four games while being hobbled with a host of injuries. He did record 70 yards on 22 carries against Philadelphia and scored the game's only touchdown, which was set up by a fumble recovery. It was Portis' first score since October 19 versus Cleveland. Campbell (3089 passing yards, 12 TD, 6 INT) has also started to get himself back on track. He went the first eight games without an interception, but then threw six over a five-game span. However, Campbell hasn't been picked off in back-to-back games and threw for 144 yards on 18- of-33 passing versus the Eagles, putting him over 3,000 for the first time in his career. Backup running back Ladell Betts (200 rushing yards, 20 receptions, 1 TD) and wideout Santana Moss (73 receptions, 6 TD) each had five catches against Philly, with Betts totaling 43 yards receiving and Moss 28 yards. Tight end Chris Cooley (77 receptions, 1 TD) hauled in four passes for 28 yards. Washington is unlikely to try and test the 49ers' secondary this weekend, as it is averaging just 192.1 passing yards per game, 22nd in the NFL. Washington might try to get rookie wide receiver Devin Thomas and first- year tight end Fred Davis some looks this weekend, though. With Zorn seemingly getting a vote of confidence, the pressure might be off him a bit this weekend, while Singletary's players have really responded since he took over. However, without a healthy Gore, the 49ers offense suffers and Washington's outstanding defense will give them problems anyway. San Francisco will fight hard, but doesn't have the tools to get it done in this finale.

The Mike Holmgren era is officially ending in Seattle. The longtime head coach will lead his Seahawks club for the last time this weekend, when they visit the NFC West-champion Arizona Cardinals and University of Phoenix Stadium. Holmgren took over as Seattle's general manager and head coach prior to the 1999 season and promptly guided the Seahawks to an AFC West title and their first playoff appearance since 1988. Though they were eliminated by Miami in the Wild Card round, Holmgren would go on to lead the Seahawks into the postseason in five of the next eight campaigns, including a Super Bowl appearance following the 2005 season. Prior to this season, Holmgren was 82-62 as Seattle's head coach in the regular season and 4-6 in the postseason. It hasn't been all success for Holmgren, who began his head coaching career in Green Bay from 1992-98 and guided the Packers to a Super Bowl victory. Following three straight seasons of missing the playoffs with Seattle (2000-02), Holmgren was removed from the position of GM, instead remaining as the club's executive vice president and head coach. He then went 10-6 the following season before guiding the Seahawks to four straight NFC West championships. Holmgren, though, announced prior to this season that he would not return to Seattle next year, instead opting to take a sabbatical from football. The Seahawks avoided any offseason drama by naming current assistant head coach/defensive backs coach Jim Mora Jr. his successor. Seattle's division-title run will come to an end this year, as the Seahawks are just 4-11 following last Sunday's 13-3 victory over the New York Jets at Qwest Field that at least gave Holmgren a win in his final game in Seattle. The victory was Seattle's second in a row following a six-game losing streak.

Holmgren and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (1216 passing yards, 5 TD, 10 INT) have teamed up since 2001 to give Seattle a dangerous pass attack, but that hasn't been the case this year. Hasselbeck, who began his career with Green Bay from 1998-2000, has been limited to just seven games this year due to a lingering back injury, and there is a very good chance he won't be under center this Sunday to close out the Holmgren era. Instead, Seneca Wallace (1282 passing yards, 9 TD, 1 INT) is likely to make his eighth start of the season. Wallace, who had started just four games prior to this season, threw for 175 yards and a touchdown versus the Jets, completing 18-of-25 pass attempts. He also didn't throw an interception for a sixth straight game and wasn't sacked despite playing behind an offensive line that has seen six of its usual players land on injured reserve. Wideout Bobby Engram (41 receptions) made a team-high six catches for 65 yards versus the Jets, while Koren Robinson (28 receptions, 2 TD) added three receptions for 38 yards. Rookie tight end John Carlson (53 receptions, 5 TD) continued his strong freshman year with two catches, one for a touchdown. Deion Branch (24 receptions, 2 TD), who also missed time this year due to injury, had turned in back-to-back solid outings prior to last week's game, but was held to just two catches for six yards versus New York. Despite the big offseason addition of running back Julius Jones, Maurice Morris (529 rushing yards) has handled the bulk of the carries down the stretch and rushed 29 times for 116 yards last Sunday. Jones (692 rushing yards, 2 TD), meanwhile, failed to get a carry for the second time in three games.