San Diego, Arizona and Minnesota clinched division titles
Sunday, while Philadelphia surged into the playoffs as at least a
wild card.
The Chargers (11-3) edged Cincinnati 27-24 on Sunday, and when
Denver lost to Oakland, the AFC West belonged to San Diego for the
fourth straight season.
"It's an incredible feeling," star outside linebacker Shawne
Merriman said.
"It's all kind of a blur," added Nate Kaeding, whose 52-yard
field goal won it. He hadn't gotten a division championship cap
until team president Dean Spanos walked by in the locker room and
gave the kicker his.
The Cardinals (9-5) won the NFC West for the second successive
year by beating Detroit 31-24, then having San Francisco lose at
Philadelphia 27-13. The Eagles (10-4) moved into the postseason
with that win.
"We're not happy with how we played," Larry Fitzgerald said.
"We know we need to improve, but the opportunity to win double
digits, I don't know the last time a Cardinals team was able to do
that."
That would be 1976 when they represented St. Louis.
Philadelphia made the playoffs for the eighth time this decade.
"It's always good to clinch a spot early, but we're still going
to put our foot on the pedal," Donovan McNabb said. "It's an
exciting time, but nothing to get overly excited about. One of our
goals is to have a bye week and win the NFC East and the only
chance for that to happen is to win the last two games."
Philly hosts Denver, then travels to Dallas, which is one game
behind the Eagles in the division.
Green Bay's 37-36 defeat at Pittsburgh gave the Vikings (11-2
and playing at Carolina on Sunday night) the NFC North.
Indianapolis already clinched the AFC South and New Orleans owns
the NFC South.
