Year after year, when a team loses a big game the fans, and sometimes players, anoint a scapegoat, or more simply a goat, to carry the blame. Let’s take a look at the 2011 goats, and who might steal their crown in 2012.

The elite eight in the NFL have now been whittled down to four. But before we can look ahead to championship weekend, we need to look at what was unexpected (and expected) from the divisional playoffs.

12 teams entered, eight teams remain. So it’s not quite the Thunderdome, but the competition will be fierce. To highlight the series of great matchups this weekend, take a look at the content we whipped up for your reading pleasure.

Thomas DeCoud visited “NFL AM” to discuss the Falcons matchup vs the Lions and dropped a little Barry White on his way out.

NFL fans received a gift from the scheduling gods this weekend as there are six matchups with gigantic playoff implications in what has been dubbed, “Statement Sunday.” Once again we turned to the heavens to see what the future might hold for each of the 12 teams in the featured games. Here are your week 15 NFL horoscopes:

Not sure if you were paying attention, or taking an open-eyed snooze like some NFL referees, but it’s week 14 and the playoff race is heating up as more teams drop out, and one pesky team hangs on for dear life.

Time now to take a look at the unexpected (and expected) from Week 10, and we’re not going to talk about new Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni. Although, if you’ve followed my work, you know I love the move and have called for it the last couple of weeks. (Just look back to the 2011 Lakers season to see what an unmotivated Phil Jackson is all about.)

Matt Ryan discusses the Falcon’s hot start and whether he deserves consideration in the MVP race.

During each week of the season we will collect and curate the best Instagram photos from our NFL photographers. Here are our picks for week 2. 1. Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers 2. Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars 3. Arizona Cardinals at New England Patriots 4.Tennessee Titans at San Diego Chargers 5. Denver Broncos at Atlanta Falcons Follow @NFL on Instagram.

Thomas Dimitroff is confident in his quarterback Matt Ryan.

Julio Jones and A.J. Green had phenomenal rookie seasons, but which will have the upper hand in year two.

Mike Smith said on “NFL AM” the Falcons playoff failures were a team effort.

Asante Samuel‘s deal with the Atlanta Falcons includes $4.375 million guaranteed, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

As draft historians fondly recall, there are always first-round moments where the fun really starts. What will 2012′s be? NFL.com and NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport writes Pete Carroll‘s Seahawks might be sitting in the catbird seat.

Free-agent DT Aubrayo Franklin visited the Falcons on Monday, according to a league source.