Want to know how a coach prepares his team for the Super Bowl? Listen in to “The Coaches Podcast” where Brian Billick and Marvin Lewis have the inside scoop on the Giants and Patriots from Indianapolis, and share their own personal Super Bowl experiences. Hear why the coaches think the Giants’ defensive line will be able to rattle Tom Brady and whether Rob Gronkowski‘s high ankle sprain will be a big factor in the Patriots’ game plan for Super Bowl XLVI.

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One day after he was fired as Rams coach, Steve Spagnuolo released a statement thanking the organization. Spagnuolo was dismissed after posting a 10-38 record in three seasons.

“I want to first thank every player and coach for their work ethic, character and loyalty throughout our three years together,” Spagnuolo said. “I know each one of us firmly believes a solid foundation has been built and although not all of us will be here to experience it, this foundation will propel the team to great success in the near future.

“I also want to thank Chip Rosenbloom, Lucia Rodriguez and Stan Kroenke for their decision to bring me here three years ago. I truly appreciate the opportunity they gave me.

“I want to pass along deep gratitude toward every Rams employee for their ‘behind the scenes efforts and loyalty’ and for embracing Maria and I throughout our time here.

“I want to thank every Rams fan for their passionate support. I apologize for not bringing enough success for them to enjoy this past season. You deserve more!

“It has been a privilege and an honor to represent this franchise as its head coach and I wish nothing but success for the organization going forward. I will always pull for the Rams. Maria and I feel blessed to have been a part of this city and we’ll continue to have caring hearts for the people of St. Louis. God Bless.”

Brian Billick and Dennis Green break down the final week of the regular season, including the tension in New York and the Cowboys’ collapse. Plus, hear who the coaches believe will come out on top on Wild Card Weekend.

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With Week 17 in the books, we know what the 2012 NFL Draft order through pick No. 20 will be. Here is what it looks like:

Team                                       W-L     SoS
1.  Colts                                      2-14    .539
2.  Rams                                     2-14    .590
3.  Vikings                                 3-13    .559
4.  Browns                                 4-12    .531
5.  Buccaneers                        4-12    .551
6.  Redskins                              5-11    .477
7.  Jaguars                                5-11    .500
8t. Panthers                             6-10    .504<
8t. Dolphins                             6-10    .504<
10. Bills                                     6-10    .520
11t. Chiefs                                 7-9     .512<
11t. Seahawks                         7-9     .512<
13. Cardinals                           8-8     .469
14. Cowboys                            8-8     .473
15. Eagles                                  8-8     .488
16. Jets                                       8-8     .500
17. Bengals from Raiders    8-8     .504
18. Chargers                              8-8     .516
19. Bears                                     8-8     .527
20. Titans                                   9-7     .461

>Coin toss at NFL Scouting Combine will determine order

- Picks 21-32 determined by when playoff teams lose
- Browns hold the Falcons’ first-round pick
- Patriots hold Saints’ first-round pick

With Week 17 in the books, we now know who will play who and when during NFL Wild Card Weekend:

Saturday, Jan. 7
AFC: No. 6 Cincinnati Bengals (9-7) at No. 3 Houston Texans (10-6), 4:30 p.m. ET (NBC)
NFC: No. 6 Detroit Lions (10-6) at No. 3 New Orleans Saints (13-3), 8 p.m. ET (NBC)

Sunday, Jan. 8
NFC: No. 5 Atlanta Falcons (10-6) at New York Giants (9-7), 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
AFC: No. 5 Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) at No. 4 Denver Broncos (8-8), 4:30 p.m. ET (CBS)

In addition to wild-card games, the NFL also released the schedule for divisional games:

Saturday, Jan. 14
NFC: Highest remaining NFC seed at No. 2 San Francisco 49ers (13-3), 4:30 p.m, ET (FOX)
AFC: Lowest remaining AFC seed at No. 1 New England Patriots (13-3), 8 p.m. ET (CBS)

Sunday, Jan. 15
AFC: Highest remaining AFC seed at No. 2 Baltimore Ravens (12-4), 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
NFC: Lowest remaining NFC seed at No. 1 Green Bay Packers (15-1), 4:30 p.m. ET (FOX)

Think you have it all figured out when it comes to where all 12 playoff teams will be seeded after Week 17? So did we until our crack research department came up with this handy-dandy guide to Week 17 and how the results for each playoff-implicated game could alter the structure of the postseason.

• For a look at the NFC Week 17 scenarios, click here.

CLICK on image for full version

Think you have it all figured out when it comes to where all 12 playoff teams will be seeded after Week 17? So did we until our crack research department came up with this handy-dandy guide to Week 17 and how the results for each playoff-implicated game could alter the structure of the postseason.

• For a look at the AFC Week 17 scenarios, click here.

CLICK on image for larger version.

On the one hand, there are only three out of 12 playoff spots still up for grabs heading into the final week of the regular season. On the other hand, there are so many possibilities in terms on a) who gets those three spots; and b) where teams fall in the seeding. Here are the playoff scenarios heading into Sunday:

AFC

CLINCHED:
New England – AFC East and a first-round bye
Houston – AFC South
Baltimore – playoff spot
Pittsburgh – playoff spot

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
New England clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
1) NE win or tie OR
2) BAL loss or tie + PIT loss or tie

BALTIMORE RAVENS
Baltimore clinches AFC North division and a first-round bye with:
1) BAL win OR
2) BAL tie + PIT loss or tie OR
3) PIT loss

Baltimore clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
1) BAL win + NE loss

PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Pittsburgh clinches AFC North division and a first-round bye with:
1) PIT win + BAL loss or tie OR
2) PIT tie + BAL loss

Pittsburgh clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
1) PIT win + BAL loss or tie + NE loss

DENVER BRONCOS
Denver clinches AFC West division with:
1) DEN win OR
2) DEN tie + OAK loss or tie OR
3) OAK loss

OAKLAND RAIDERS
Oakland clinches AFC West division with:
1) OAK win + DEN loss or tie OR
2) OAK tie + DEN loss

Oakland clinches a playoff spot with:
1) OAK win + CIN loss + TEN loss or tie OR
2) OAK win + CIN loss + NYJ win

CINCINNATI BENGALS
Cincinnati clinches a playoff spot with:
1) CIN win or tie OR
2) NYJ loss or tie + OAK loss or tie OR
3) NYJ loss or tie + DEN loss or tie

NEW YORK JETS
New York clinches a playoff spot with:
1) NYJ win + CIN loss + TEN loss or tie + OAK loss or tie OR
2) NYJ win + CIN loss + TEN loss or tie + DEN loss or tie

TENNESSEE TITANS
Tennessee clinches a playoff spot with:
1) TEN win + CIN loss + NYJ win + OAK loss or tie OR
2) TEN win + CIN loss + NYJ win + DEN loss or tie OR
3) TEN win + CIN loss + NYJ loss or tie + OAK win + DEN win

NFC

CLINCHED:
Green Bay – NFC North and home-field advantage
San Francisco – NFC West
New Orleans – NFC South
Detroit – playoff spot
Atlanta – playoff spot

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
San Francisco clinches a first-round bye with:
1) SF win OR
2) SF tie + NO loss or tie OR
3) NO loss

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
New Orleans clinches a first-round bye with:
1) NO win + SF loss or tie OR
2) NO tie + SF loss

NEW YORK GIANTS
New York clinches NFC East division with:
1) NYG win or tie

DALLAS COWBOYS
Dallas clinches NFC East division with:
1) DAL win

Nine teams have clinched playoff spots and the final three will book their ticket into the postseason in Week 17.

The Broncos, Raiders, Bengals, Jets and Titans are vying for the final two available spots in the AFC. In the NFC, the Giants and Cowboys square off in a de facto play-in game.

Here’s how it all breaks down heading into Week 17:

NFC

CLINCHED:

Green Bay Packers — North Division and home-field advantage through NFC playoffs.

San Francisco 49ers — West Division.

New Orleans Saints — Wild-card spot.

Detroit Lions — Wild-card spot.

Atlanta Falcons — Wild-card spot.

ELIMINATED:

Arizona, Carolina, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Washington, Chicago.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

San Francisco clinches a first-round bye with:

1) SF win

2) SF tie + one NO loss or tie

3) NO loss

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

New Orleans clinches NFC South Division with:

1) NO win or tie

2) ATL loss or tie

New Orleans clinches a first-round bye with:

1) Two NO wins + SF loss or tie

2) NO win + one NO tie + SF loss

NEW YORK GIANTS

Giants clinch NFC East Division with:

1) NYG win or tie

DALLAS COWBOYS

Dallas clinches NFC East Division with:

1) DAL win

ATLANTA FALCONS

Atlanta clinches NFC South Division with:

1) Two ATL wins + two NO losses

AFC

CLINCHED:

New England Patriots — East Division and a first-round bye.

Houston Texans — South Division.

Baltimore Ravens — Wild-card spot.

Pittsburgh Steelers — Wild-card spot.

ELIMINATED:

Buffalo, Cleveland, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Indianapolis, Miami, San Diego

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

New England clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:

1) NE win or tie

2) BAL loss or tie + PIT loss or tie

BALTIMORE RAVENS

Baltimore clinches AFC North Division and a first-round bye with:

1) BAL win

2) BAL tie + PIT loss or tie

3) PIT loss

Baltimore clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:

1) BAL win + NE loss

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Pittsburgh clinches AFC North Division and a first-round bye with:

1) PIT win + BAL loss or tie

2) PIT tie + BAL loss

Pittsburgh clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs  with:

1) PIT win + BAL loss or tie + NE loss

DENVER BRONCOS

Denver clinches AFC West Division with:

1) DEN win

2) DEN tie + OAK loss or tie

3) OAK loss

OAKLAND RAIDERS

Oakland clinches AFC West Division with:

1) OAK win + DEN loss or tie

2) OAK tie + DEN loss

Oakland clinches a wild-card spot with:

1) OAK win + CIN loss + TEN loss or tie

2) OAK win + CIN loss + NYJ win

CINCINNATI BENGALS

Cincinnati clinches a wild-card spot with:

1) CIN win or tie

2) NYJ loss or tie + OAK loss or tie

3) NYJ loss or tie + DEN loss or tie

NEW YORK JETS

Jets clinch a wild-card spot with:

1) NYJ win + CIN loss + TEN loss or tie + OAK loss or tie

2) NYJ win + CIN loss + TEN loss or tie + DEN loss or tie

TENNESSEE TITANS

Tennessee clinches a wild card spot with:

1) TEN win + CIN loss + NYJ win + OAK loss or tie

2) TEN win + CIN loss + NYJ win + DEN loss or tie

3) TEN win + CIN loss + NYJ loss or tie + OAK win + DEN win

The Cowboys-Giants battle for the NFC East title will be shown in prime time next Sunday, the NFL announced.

As part of the league’s flex scheduling, the game was moved from 1 p.m. ET on FOX to 8:20 p.m. on NBC.

Other changes in the Week 17 schedule are as follows:

Buccaneers-Falcons moves to 4:15 p.m. ET on FOX.

Ravens-Bengals moves to 4:15 p.m. ET on CBS. The Ravens have clinched a playoff berth. They can claim the AFC North and a first-round playoff bye with a win over Cincinnati, while the Bengals can clinch the AFC’s No. 6 seed with a win.

Steelers-Browns moves to 4:15 p.m. ET on CBS. Pittsburgh can win the AFC North with a win over Cleveland and a Cincinnati victory over Baltimore.

The Broncos’ 40-14 loss to the Bills and the Raiders’ 16-13 overtime victory over the Chiefs tightened the AFC West race.

Here are the scenarios concerning who could win the division title:

The Broncos (8-7) will win the division if:
• They beat the Chiefs next week.
• Even if the Broncos and Raiders both finish 9-7, Denver would own the tiebreaker based on common games.

The Raiders (8-7) will win the division if:
• They beat the Chargers next week and the Broncos lose to the Chiefs.
• Oakland doesn’t own any tiebreakers over Denver, so it needs to win the division based on overall record.

After further review, the Colts would claim the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft if they lose Thursday night to the Houston Texans.

Because of a calculation mistake by STATS, it originally was reported that the Colts could fall no lower than the No. 2 pick, based on numerous scenarios. However, after recalculations, it was discovered that should the Colts lose to the Texans, their best possible strength of schedule would be .5430, which still would be lower than the Minnesota Vikings’ worst possible strength of schedule of .5469

The Colts entered the game 1-13. The other two teams also in the mix for the No. 1 pick — the Vikings and Rams — are 2-12.

You can watch the Colts-Texans game, live from Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium, on NFL Network. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET.

Seven teams have clinched playoff spots and four more can do so this weekend: The Cowboys, Falcons and Lions in the NFC and — that’s right — Tim Tebow and the Broncos in the AFC. Of course, there’s still plenty of jockeying for playoff position – home-field advantage, byes, etc.

Here’s how it all breaks down heading into Week 16:

NFC

CLINCHED:

Green Bay Packers — North Division and first-round bye.

San Francisco 49ers — West Division.

New Orleans Saints — Wild-card spot.

ELIMINATED:

Carolina, Minnesota, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Washington.

GREEN BAY PACKERS

Green Bay clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs:

1) GB win or tie

2) SF loss or tie

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

San Francisco clinches a first-round bye:

1) SF win + NO loss

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

New Orleans clinches NFC South Division:

1) NO win or tie

DALLAS COWBOYS

Dallas clinches NFC East Division:

1) DAL win + NYG loss or tie

2) DAL tie + NYG loss

ATLANTA FALCONS

Atlanta clinches a wild-card spot:

1) ATL win or tie

2) DAL loss or tie + CHI loss or tie + ARI loss or tie

3) NYG loss or tie + CHI loss or tie + ARI loss or tie

DETROIT LIONS

Detroit clinches a wild-card spot:

1) DET win or tie

2) CHI loss or tie + ARI loss or tie + SEA loss or tie + DAL loss or tie

3) CHI loss or tie + ARI loss or tie + SEA loss or tie + NYG loss or tie

4) CHI loss or tie + ARI loss or tie + SEA loss or tie + ATL win or tie

AFC

CLINCHED:

Houston Texans — South Division.

New England Patriots — East Division.

Baltimore Ravens — Wild-card spot.

Pittsburgh Steelers — Wild-card spot.

ELIMINATED:

Buffalo, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Miami, Jacksonville.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

New England clinches a first-round bye:

1) NE win + HOU loss or tie

2) NE win + PIT loss or tie + BAL loss or tie

3) NE tie + HOU loss

4) NE tie + PIT loss + BAL loss

New England clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs:

1) NE win + HOU loss or tie + PIT loss or tie + BAL loss or tie

BALTIMORE RAVENS

Baltimore clinches AFC North Division:

1) BAL win + PIT loss

Baltimore clinches a first-round bye:

1) BAL win + PIT loss + HOU loss

DENVER BRONCOS

Denver clinches AFC West Division:

1) DEN win + OAK loss or tie

2) DEN tie + OAK loss + SD loss or tie

Denver clinches a wild-card spot:

1) DEN win + NYJ loss + CIN loss + TEN loss or tie

Congratulations to the Texans, who have clinched their first playoff berth in franchise history. With three weeks left in the season, there are still eight playoff spots up for grabs. And three teams — the Patriots, Ravens and Steelers — officially have a chance to join the party this weekend.

Here’s a look at the Week 15 playoff scenarios:

NFC

CLINCHED:
Green Bay Packers — North Division and first-round bye
San Francisco 49ers — West Division
New Orleans Saints — wild card spot

ELIMINATED:
Carolina, Minnesota, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Washington

GREEN BAY PACKERS
Green Bay clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs:
1) GB win or tie
2) SF loss or tie

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
New Orleans clinches South Division title:
1) NO win + ATL loss or tie
2) NO tie + ATL loss

AFC

CLINCHED:
Houston Texans — South Division

ELIMINATED:
Buffalo, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Miami, Jacksonville

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
New England clinches East Division title:
1) NE win
2) NE tie + NYJ loss or tie
3) NYJ loss

New England clinches a wild card spot:
1) NE tie
2) CIN loss or tie + OAK loss or tie + TEN loss or tie

BALTIMORE RAVENS
Baltimore clinches a wild card spot:
1) BAL win or tie
2) NYJ loss + OAK loss or tie
3) NYJ loss + TEN loss or tie
4) OAK loss or tie + TEN loss or tie

PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Pittsburgh clinches a wild card spot:
1) PIT win or tie
2) OAK loss or tie
3) TEN loss or tie
4) DEN loss
5) NYJ loss

Special guest Dennis Green joins Brian Billick for this week’s Coaches Podcast. Get the inside scoop on the hottest news around the league, including the impact on the latest coach firings. Plus, hear Green’s advice for John Fox on how the Broncos can better utilize Tim Tebow.

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