Oh, what a final week it was. With three divisions and three playoff spots still to be decided in Week 17, a potentially lackluster slate of games was both entertaining and revealing. The league's hottest teams are still hot heading into wild-card weekend and much of the playoff field is indistinguishable, with oddsmakers giving the slight nod to home teams with the opening lines.
Here are five things that stood out from the weekend.
Colts make history in dominant finale
The final game of the weekend was the one with the greatest implications, as the Colts handled the short-handed Titans 33-17 in a de facto playoff game to clinch the No. 6 seed and continue their historic comeback. They're only the third team to make the playoffs after a 1-5 start, with Andrew Luck — the likely comeback player of the year — captaining nine wins in the past 10 games.
Luck has actually averaged fewer yards and attempts in the team's 10 wins versus its six losses, as a stellar offensive line and resurgent defense paved the road to January. For all its defensive praise, Houston has one of the most vulnerable secondaries in the league heading into next week’s wild-card matchup with its division rival. Siding with the Indy moneyline as a road underdog isn't nearly as crazy as it'd have seemed 10 weeks ago.
Ravens run roughshod once again
The other "all eyes on it" game in the AFC came down to the wire, as the Ravens held off a plucky Cleveland team in a 26-24 home win to clinch their first divisional title since their Super Bowl season in 2012. And they did it the same way they've done to historic proportions the past seven weeks: run, run, run.
Since Lamar Jackson took over in Week 11, Baltimore has averaged 230 rushing yards per game, punctuated by Sunday's season-high 296 yards. Ninety of those came from Jackson, who skated to two touchdown runs and nearly stretched for another in his sixth win through seven starts. He was the focal point in the Ravens' road win over the Chargers nine days ago, and his team is a slight home favorite entering this week against an L.A. squad with serious injury woes. Maybe the Chargers wise up to Baltimore's scheme this week, but the numbers wouldn't suggest it.
Bears keep bettors happy in statement win
It felt like a mystery heading into the weekend whether the Bears would rest their starters against Minnesota, securing a rematch next week, or fight ahead for the No. 2 seed in the NFC. They did neither, pummeling the Vikings in a semi-meaningless 24-10 win as the Rams' concurrent victory locked Chicago into the No. 3 seed.
What the win did, though, was continue the Bears' scorching run against the spread — nine wins in the past 10 weeks, including four straight wins for the unders — and remind everyone just how dominant this team's throwback look can be, even when the stakes are lowest. Chicago shut down a revitalized Vikings offense and rode its versatile run game to three scores in a quiet day for Mitch Trubisky, who could have a field day next week against Philly's 30th-ranked pass defense. The Bears may very well be the best team in the NFL, and they've certainty rewarded savvy bettors over the past three months.
Eagles save repeat hopes, but for how long?
With the Vikings' loss, the Eagles completed their miracle run to the postseason after the Super Bowl champs looked dead in the water six weeks ago. Since then, they've ripped off five wins — the past three behind the arm of Nick Foles, who left Sunday's 24-0 win over Washington with a rib injury after a hyper-efficient performance from the pocket.
If you've been reading these columns the past few weeks, this should come as no surprise. Philly is for real, and even a makeshift run game isn't enough to halt momentum. A hobbled Foles could be, though, as could a wintry road game against the aforementioned Bears. The Eagles could very well keep it close next week, but your chance to cash in on Philly fading might be over.
Forget the top seeds' showings — even the Saints
Knowing what to ignore is just as important as knowing what to notice, and there was little to learn from the top four seeds in the playoff field. The Chiefs, Patriots, and Rams all took care of business against four-win teams, and the Saints were steamrolled by the Panthers in a meaningless game without Drew Brees, Alvin Kamara or any real effort from the NFC's top seed.
The numbers will say that New Orleans, the current Super Bowl favorite, has now lost three straight against the spread and four of its past five. They'll also say that, prior to this week, the Saints had won 13 of their previous 14 games straight up. The starters on defense did show poorly against highlight hero Kyle Allen in the first half, but with a week of rest, this team is well positioned for a run to the championship.
Jackson Cowart is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Jackson, check out his archive and follow him @CJacksonCowart.