Never is a long time, but never is on the line tonight.
At least if the St. Louis Rams and quarterback prodigy Sam Bradford aren’t up for the challenge. The Rams (7-8) and the Seahawks (6-9) meet for the NFC West title, and the winner goes to the playoffs, no questions asked.
OK, maybe a few questions get asked.
If the Rams do not win and Seattle gets the postseason nod instead, it will be the first time in league history that a team under .500 has won a division title.
Twice before, teams have won division titles at 8-8 — Cleveland in 1985 (when the Broncos became the first 11-5 team to miss the playoffs) and San Diego in 2008 (when the Chargers defeated the Broncos in the season finale). Teams have won division titles with 9-7 records 12 times, with one (Minnesota in ’78) winning a division at 8-7-1 and one (Cleveland in ’89) winning at 9-6-1.
And of the 14 teams that have won divisions at either 8-8 or 9-7, six have come from the AFC and NFC West, three each.
Must-see game of the week
Rams at Seahawks 6:20 p.m., KUSA-9
The skinny: What Rams rookie QB Sam Bradford has done this season cannot be understated. With a team that most personnel people in the league say has plenty of holes, including at wide receiver, Bradford has already set a completions record for rookies, likely will set the record for attempts in this game and has thrown only 14 interceptions. By comparison, Peyton Manning — who set the completions record in his rookie year — threw 28 interceptions that year in an offense that included Marvin Harrison and Marshall Faulk.
The difference will be: If Bradford is ready for this kind of game. The mild- mannered rookie has been handled well by the Rams’ coaching staff, which has protected him with heavy formations for much of the season. The Rams, while not always productive, have continued to try to run the ball to keep defenses honest. St. Louis is one of 12 teams with at least 410 rushing attempts this season.
The call: Rams 20-17
Catch ’em if you can
Raiders at Chiefs 11 a.m., KCNC-4
The Raiders have won four of the last six meetings, including an overtime win Nov. 7. The game features two of the most explosive backs in the league in Kansas City’s Jamaal Charles (6.4 yards per carry) and the Raiders’ Darren McFadden (5.2 yards per carry). The Chiefs cannot earn a first-round bye with a win, but coach Todd Haley has indicated his starters will play.
The call: Chiefs 27-22
Dolphins at Patriots 11 a.m.
The Patriots have clinched homefield advantage throughout the playoffs, so certainly they may only kick the tires a bit here with some of their starters. They are expected to play some, but some risks are unnecessary. Dolphins outside linebacker Cameron Wake leads the league in sacks, and QB Tom Brady carries the Patriots’ Super Bowl hopes on his right shoulder.
The call: Patriots 23-21
Bucs at Saints 11 a.m., KDVR-31
The Buccaneers have certainly showed it’s OK to make the move to youth if your young QB is up to the challenge, and Josh Freeman has been. Tampa is the first team since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970 to start 10 or more rookies and have a winning record in a non-strike year. The Saints can still earn homefield advantage with a win, combined with a Falcons loss.
The call: Saints 31-21
Bears at Packers 2:15 p.m.
Green Bay’s playoff chances hang in the balance here. If the Packers win, they’re in as the NFC’s last wild-card team. If not, they need a Giants loss as well as a Buccaneers loss to still get in. The Packers have won three of the last five meetings.
The call: Packers 24-17
Panthers at Falcons 11 a.m.
Bad news for the Panthers — the Falcons need a win here to secure home field for the playoffs. And that means if Carolina didn’t already own the first pick of the 2011 draft, they would have after this one.
The call: Falcons 30-6
Quick hitters
Bengals at Ravens 11 a.m.
The Ravens can still earn the AFC North title and the first-round bye that goes with it, with a win or a Steelers loss.
The call: Ravens 26-16
Steelers at Browns 11 a.m.
The Steelers can win the division and the first-round bye by simply winning the latest matchup in this long rivalry. Pittsburgh has won 13 of the last 14 meetings.
The call: Steelers 28-14
Vikings at Lions 11 a.m.
Despite injuries, the Lions have won three games in a row. The Vikings are working off a short week with back-to-back road games.
The call: Lions 20-17
Bills at Jets 11 a.m.
The Jets’ Super Bowl aspirations ride squarely on getting the rough edges off QB Mark Sanchez’s game.
The call: Jets 28-7
Cowboys at Eagles 11 a.m.
The Eagles looked disinterested in Tuesday night’s loss to the Vikings. A loss here and their postseason momentum is long gone.
The call: Eagles 30-21
Jaguars at Texans 2:15 p.m.
The Texans have faltered because of an inability to close out games. The Jags will be without QB David Garrard (finger surgery).
The call: Texans 24-21
Titans at Colts 2:15 p.m.
With a win, the Colts will capture yet another division title and will finish with at least 10 wins for the ninth consecutive season.
The call: Colts 30-24
Cardinals at 49ers 2:15 p.m.
The 49ers have already jettisoned coach Mike Singletary. Cardinals rookie QB John Skelton has won two of his three starts.
The call: Cardinals 10-7
Giants at Redskins 2:15 p.m.
The Giants need a win and a Packers loss to get into the postseason — they’ve won seven of the past eight meetings.
The call: Redskins 21-20
