Rams have to root for the Bears

As the NFL season enters its final week, the races are as open as they've ever been.

In the NFC, five teams are in and Detroit, the Rams and Green Bay are competing for the final spot -- in that order. There are two division winners, the Giants in the East and Saints in the West. But the seedings will depend on what happens this week.

The AFC is just as confusing.

Four teams have clinched playoff berths: Tennessee, Baltimore, Oakland and Denver. The last two spots are open. Miami and the New York Jets get in if they win, and Indianapolis and Pittsburgh are also in contention. the Colts can actually win the East if they beat Minnesota and the Jets and Dolphins lose at Baltimore and New England, respectively.

BYLINE1:By DAVE GOLDBERG

BYLINE2:AP Football Writer

The St. Louis Rams might still be the best team in the jumbled NFC. But there's a very good chance their players and coaches will be heading home after Sunday's game in New Orleans, even if they win.

After last Monday night's loss in Tampa, the only way the Rams make the playoffs is by beating the Saints and hoping (probably a lost hope) the 4-11 Bears beat the Lions in Pontiac.

Otherwise, the Lions are in and the Rams are out. So, says St. Louis tight end Ernie Conwell: "The Bears have a new fan base now"

As the NFL season enters its final week, the races are as open as they've ever been.

In the NFC, five teams are in and Detroit, the Rams and Green Bay are competing for the final spot -- in that order. There are two division winners, the Giants in the East and Saints in the West. But the seedings will depend on what happens this week.

The AFC is just as confusing.

Four teams have clinched playoff berths: Tennessee, Baltimore, Oakland and Denver. The last two spots are open. Miami and the New York Jets get in if they win, and Indianapolis and Pittsburgh are also in contention. the Colts can actually win the East if they beat Minnesota and the Jets and Dolphins lose at Baltimore and New England, respectively.

But no one has clinched a division title in the AFC, and the seedings are still wide open, although Tennessee needs only to beat Dallas on Monday night to clinch No. 1.

There are three games Saturday. The Giants (11-4) play host to Jacksonville (7-8), needing a win to wrap up the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

Then San Francisco (6-9) is at Denver (10-5) in the final regular-season game at Mile High Stadium. If the Broncos win, the Raiders will have to beat Carolina at home Sunday to clinch the AFC West.

Buffalo (7-8) is at Seattle (6-9) Saturday night. There are no playoff ramifications to that one.

The Sunday games are Kansas City at Atlanta; Arizona at Washington; Chicago at Detroit; the New York Jets at Baltimore; Miami at New England; St. Louis at New Orleans; Tampa Bay at Green Bay; Cincinnati at Philadelphia; Pittsburgh at San Diego; Minnesota at Indianapolis and Carolina at Oakland.

Dallas is at Tennessee on Monday night.

Cleveland is off, having finished its season 3-13.

St. Louis (9-6) at New Orleans (10-5)

Chicago (4-11) at Detroit (9-6)

Tampa Bay (10-5) at Green Bay (8-7)

When the Rams started 6-0, the only debate was whether they would lose a game this season. Dumb debate, as they've since lost six of nine, with and without Kurt Warner.

The defense is the culprit, allowing Tampa Bay to move 80 yards in the final two minutes to win 38-35 Monday night. The man who saved the Super Bowl last season, Mike Jones, was one of the major culprits, getting flagged for a late hit that gave the Bucs 15 free yards.

"I was very shocked at some of the lack of tackling and effort," acknowledged coach Mike Martz, who hitherto has taken the "everything will be all right" approach.

So while the Saints, 3-13 a year ago, have clinched the NFC West, the Rams are uttering the ultimate late season cliches: They no longer control their own destiny and their backs are to the wall.

That's because the Lions seem unlikely to lose at home to the Bears, whom they beat 21-14 in Chicago early in the season. Detroit's resilience showed up last week in a 10-7 road win over the Jets, and there's no reason to expect any letdown at home with a playoff berth on the line.

One change: Shane Matthews will be back at quarterback for the Bears in place of Cade McNown, who returned last week and went just 9-of-29 for 73 yards.

Green Bay can get in only if both the Rams and Lions lose. The Bucs can win the NFC Central if they win at Lambeau and Minnesota loses in Indianapolis.

And shelve the bogus stat about Tampa Bay being 0-18 in weather under 40 degrees. Fifteen of those losses were before Tony Dungy arrived as coach and the Bucs were a bad team in all kinds of weather. Two of the three losses under Dungy were in Green Bay against Super Bowl-caliber teams, a category into which the Packers no longer fit.

The last is one that proves the rule, a 13-10 defeat last month in Chicago.

New York Jets (9-6) at Baltimore (11-4)

Miami (10-5) at England (5-10)

Minnesota (11-4) at Indianapolis (9-6)

Tennessee (12-3) at Dallas (5-10) (Monday night)

Pittsburgh (8-7) at San Diego (1-14)

The AFC (and a little NFC) in a few glances ...

1. Tennessee clinches home-field advantage and the Central as long as it wins, which is almost a given. The Titans have lost only once in two seasons at Adelphia Coliseum and raw rookie Anthony Wright will start again at quarterback for Dallas.

2. If the Jets and Dolphins win, they're in, with Miami winning the AFC East. But it's cold in New England.

The Jets have lost two straight to Oakland and Detroit, scoring just 14 points in the process. That's a typical December dive that bodes ill for them against the Baltimore defense, which will set an NFL record for fewest points allowed in a 16-game season unless the Jets score 42.

If the Ravens win, they win the Central in the unlikely event the Titans lose. Otherwise, they're the AFC's top wild card, seeded fourth overall.

3. Indianapolis is very much alive after being written off two weeks ago by Buffalo coach Wade Phillips, who suggested when the Bills and Colts were 7-6 that both were probably out of contention. Daunte Culpepper has a sprained ankle and Bubby Brister may start at quarterback for Minnesota against a defense that has stiffened and produced points the last two weeks.

If the Colts win and Jets lose, Indianapolis is in the playoffs and can win the East if the Dolphins also lose.

4. The Vikings, on the verge of wrapping up home-field advantage in the NFC two weeks ago, have lost two straight and might finish as a wild card if they lose; Tampa Bay would win the division by beating Green Bay. Not only is Culpepper questionable, but running back Robert Smith could get less playing time to let "floating particles" in his right knee heal for the playoffs.

5. The Steelers, written off a week ago, have a reasonable shot. They have to beat the Chargers, then will get in if the Colts and Jets lose.

Cincinnati (4-11) at Philadelphia (10-5)

Everyone's forgotten the Eagles. They were off last week and their playoff fate is settled -- they're an NFC wild card.

For those who need to know: If the Eagles and Bucs are tied for the fourth and fifth seed, the tiebreaker for who is at home comes down to net conference points, which means the Bucs win. Tampa is 19 points ahead and the Eagles are playing an AFC team.

Carolina (7-8) at Oakland (11-4)

The Raiders need only a win to take the AFC West. They got lucky last week: After blowing an 11-point lead in Seattle and giving Denver a shot at the division title, the Broncos reciprocated by losing in Kansas City.

Arizona (3-12) at Washington (7-8)

Kansas City (7-8) at Atlanta (3-12)