Alabama Crimson Tide Football Schedule 2015 in-order
After a122 season that ended in a College Football Playoff semifinal loss to Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl, Alabama kicks off its 2015 campaign against Wisconsin in Arlington, Texas.
The Crimson Tide, who are No. 5 in SI.com"s preseason poll, arepicked by SEC media to win the SEC West, though the media picked Auburn to win the conference championship.
Alabama"s offense ranked second in the SEC in passing yards last season and fifth in rushing yards. Coach Nick Saban has not yet decided on a quarterback to open the season, with seniorJake Coker,redshirt freshman David Cornwell andtrue freshman Blake Barnett among the competitors.
Defensively, the Crimson Tide were ranked No. 4 in the FBSin points allowed per game (16.6) and No. 2 in rushing yards allowed per game (88.7) in 2014.
Schedule
09/05: vs. Wisconsin* (8:00 p.m. ET, ABC)
09/12: vs. Middle Tennessee (4:00 p.m. ET, SEC Network)
09/19: vs. Ole Miss (9:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)
09/26: vs. UL-Monroe (TBD)
10/03: at Georgia (TBD)
10/10: vs. Arkansas (TBD)
10/17: at Texas A&M (TBD)
10/24: vs. Tennessee (TBD)
11/07: vs. LSU (TBD)
11/14: at Mississippi State (TBD)
11/21: vs. Charleston Southern (TBD)
11/28: at Auburn (TBD)
*AdvoCare Classic to be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas
Samuel L. Jackson, Denzel Washington and Wesley Snipes honor Spike Lee at the 2015 Governors Awards
The poorly kept secret of the Golden Globes is that they can be bought.
Voted on by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the awards are famous for the lengths to which studios will go to woo the group"s membership which usually numbers around 90. The most famous incident involved young actress Pia Zadora, who won an award in 1982 amid accusations that her husband had paid for it with an elaborate promotional campaign.
In accepting the Cecil B. DeMille Award for career achievement during Sunday"s ceremony, Denzel Washington told a terrific story about something he"d been told by Freddie Fields, the producer of Glory, for which Washington won his first Golden Globe (and his first Oscar):
Some of you may know Freddie Fields. He invited me to the first Hollywood Foreign Press luncheon. He said they are gonna watch the movie. We are gonna feed them. They are gonna come over. You gonna take pictures with everybody. You are gonna hold the magazines, take the pictures, and you"re gonna win the award.
[Audience laughter.]
I won that year.
As Washington"s later Oscar win for Glory shows, the Globes are often important Oscar precursors, setting the conversation for who the "frontrunners" are, leading to either an Oscar coronation or some sort of backlash.
That has become less true in recent years, as the Oscars have moved up their airdate to avoid influence. The two used to air two months (or more) apart, but now air closer to six weeks apart. Oscar nominations also used to be heavily influenced by Globe winners but Oscar ballots have already been turned in and, thus, can"t be swayed by the Globes" winners. But this system isn"t foolproof.
That explains why studios work the HFPA so much. It"s a much easier organization to woo than the 6,291-member-strong Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which votes on the Oscars. (AMPAS also has stricter rules about campaigning.)
As my colleague Caroline Framke points out in this piece on the HFPA"s role within awards season, the organization"s small membership gives it enormous, outsized importance.
Movies and especially television series that lie outside the safe or more obvious choices have a better shot at earning awards recognition if they appeal to the 90-member HFPA, as opposed to the larger governing bodies behind the Emmys and the Oscars. In any case, because so few make up its ranks, each member of the HFPA carries considerable power, at least as far as Golden Globe winners are concerned. Cumulative votes matter, of course, but one vote out of 90 carries much more weight than one vote out of 7,000 which is what makes the HFPA so powerful, and sometimes, so utterly random.
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 10 (UPI) -- Mozart in the Jungle was named Best Television Comedy and its star Gael Garcia Bernal Best Actor in a Television Comedy at the Golden Globe Awards ceremony in Los Angeles Sunday night.
Rachel Bloom scored the honor for Best Actress in a Television Comedy for her work in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, while Lady Gaga accepted the trophy for Best Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for American Horror Story: Hotel.
Christian Slater took home the prize for Best Supporting Actor in a TV Series, Limited Series or Movie for Mr. Robot, the show that garnered the title of Best Television Drama.
Taraji P. Henson was elected Best Actress in a Television Drama for Empire and Jon Hamm was declared Best Actor in a Drama for Mad Men.
The Affair cast member Maura Tierney earned the honor for Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series, Limited Series or Movie, and Oscar Isaac won the Globe for Best Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie for Show Me a Hero.
Wolf Hall was deemed the Best Limited Series or TV Movie.
Aaron Rodgers" Amazing Hail Mary: The Miracle in Motown! | Packers vs. Lions | NFL Photo: Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
Isn"t it so adorable and hilarious when super macho dudes, like the Green Bay Packers football team, embrace stereotypically female interests, such as watching "romantic comedies?" That is the thesis of this Wall Street Journal article, which honestly buries the lede: that not only do the Packers have terrible taste in romantic comedies, they don"t even really know what a romantic comedy is.
"I love rom-coms, all of them, Im a big rom-com guy, guard Josh Sitton told theJournal. How To Lose a Guy in Ten Days is a good one.The Devil Wears Prada is a great, great movie.
No.
At its core, a romantic comedy is a funny movie about love that goes awry in some way, but has a happy ending. Notting Hill? Rom-com. Love Actually? Totally a rom-com (and a favorite of bros!). Unfortunately, the Packers" operational definition of "romantic comedy" appears to be "a movie without explosions," or perhaps, "a movie with a woman in it." By that definition, The Human Centipedewould be classified a rom-com, which FYI it is not.
Pitch Perfect, an abiding love for which unites the Packers team, is not a romantic comedy, it is a comedy with women in it.The Devil Wears Pradais a comedy about the difficulties of being a woman balancing your professional and personal lives, which doesn"t sound very romantic to me.
Semantics aside, anyone with good taste is capable of discerning between a good and bad rom-com, and knows that a rom-com"s worth is largely determined by its cast. You could make a movie about a cyclops brewing a love potion to manipulate a robot dinosaur into loving her, but as long as it starred Hugh Grant, it"d be a good rom-com. The same cannot be said for Kate Hudson vehicles. (Sorry, Kate. Love your athleisure line though!)
If any of the Green Bay Packers need other totems of ladyhood womansplained to them, hit me up. I"ll be watching Bridget Jones" Diary (a rom-com).
Twenty NFL teams will sing their swan songs Sunday, as the regular season wraps up with one final day of wall-to-wall action in Week 17.
Twelve talented and lucky teams will of course move on to the playoffs, where a chance at Super Bowl 50 and football immortality awaits.
There are but two playoff spots up for grabs in Week 17. Indianapolis has a sliver of a prayer of a chance at stealing the AFC South title and No. 4 seed from Houston, while Pittsburgh is looking to bully its way into a wild-card slot at the expense of the New York Jets.
The seeding is by no means set in stone in either conference. Both No. 1 seeds are still up for grabs. The current NFL playoff picture can be found atNFL.com, and a listing of all the potential Week 17 scenarios is available atESPN.com.
Here"s the schedule for Sunday"s slate, along with TV and live-stream info. For a coverage map detailing where each game will be broadcast, check out506Sports.com.
Time (ET) Away Home TV Live Stream 1 p.m. New York Jets Buffalo Bills CBS NFL Sunday Ticket (subscription required) 1 p.m. New England Patriots Miami Dolphins CBS NFL Sunday Ticket (subscription required) 1 p.m. New Orleans Saints Atlanta Falcons FOX FoxSportsGo 1 p.m. Baltimore Ravens Cincinnati Bengals FOX FoxSportsGo 1 p.m. Pittsburgh Steelers Cleveland Browns CBS NFL Sunday Ticket (subscription required) 1 p.m. Jacksonville Jaguars Houston Texans CBS NFL Sunday Ticket (subscription required) 1 p.m. Tennessee Titans Indianapolis Colts CBS NFL Sunday Ticket (subscription required) 1 p.m. Washington Redskins Dallas Cowboys FOX FoxSportsGo 1 p.m. Philadelphia Eagles New York Giants FOX FoxSportsGo 1 p.m. Detroit Lions Chicago Bears FOX FoxSportsGo 4:25 p.m. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Carolina Panthers FOX FoxSportsGo 4:25 p.m. Oakland Raiders Kansas City Chiefs FOX FoxSportsGo 4:25 p.m. San Diego Chargers Denver Broncos CBS NFL Sunday Ticket (subscription required) 4:25 p.m. Seattle Seahawks Arizona Cardinals FOX FoxSportsGo 4:25 p.m. St. Louis Rams San Francisco 49ers CBS NFL Sunday Ticket (subscription required) 8:30 p.m. Minnesota Vikings Green Bay Packers NBC NBC Sports Live Extra
ESPN.com, NFL.com
Best NFC Matchup: Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers
This is obviously the best NFC matchup in Week 17. While Seattle and Arizona could well be a precursor of things to come in the postseason, watching Minnesota and Green Bay duke it out for the NFC North title and a home game in the NFC Wild Card Round onSunday Night Footballis a prime reason to clear your schedule and stay rooted to the couch.
Aaron Rodgers is mired in something of a slump, one that came to an ugly head when Arizona sacked him eight times and held him to 151 passing yards in a crushing 38-8 loss in Week 16.USA Today"s Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz notes Rodgers will need good protection from his offensive line Sunday if he is to have his usual success against the Vikings:
Protecting Rodgers will be paramount, and left tackleDavid Bakhtiariremains a game-time decision with a left ankle injury. BackupDon Barclaygave up four sacks to the Cardinals, and centerJ.C. Trettermight be called upon to fill in if Baktiari can"t play.
Minnesota"s defense has held strong amid a spate of injuries, recording nine sacks and five turnovers in its last two games.
But Rodgers has almost always lookedin command against the Vikings in his career, boasting a 33:4 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Green Bay didn"t even need his usual output in the first meeting this season, in which the Packers rolled up 212 rushing yards on the way to a 30-13 win.
Another big game from running back Eddie Lacy would come in handy. He rushed for 100 yards in the Packers" win over the Vikings earlier this season but has been hit-or-miss as of late, as has James Starks.
Occasionally, the stars align for these two backs and they both produce like they did in Week 15 against Dallas. It will be up to a healthy Linval Joseph at defensive tackle and a strong Vikings linebacker group to plug up the rushing attack and put pressure on Rodgers to perform.
Should the Packers find some sort of balance against Minnesota, the purple-clad warriors might need more than Adrian Peterson and Jerick McKinnon to carry the offense. The running backs are strong bets to perform well in this one against a poor Packers run defense. Peterson and McKinnon combined for 193 rushing yards and three scores in a Week 16 drubbing of the New York Giants.
It"s quarterback Teddy Bridgewater who needs to step up in this game. It"s tough to roll up on Green Bay in Lambeau Field without firing on all cylinders. The second-year man is aware that his squad can"t get caught up in the moment.
Its a big game, Bridgewater said, per Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, but we cant let the game become bigger than what it is.
Bridgewater certainly keeps cool as a cucumber, but his passing stats have been mostly lacking in his sophomore campaign (3,132 yards, 14 TD, 8 INT). He"s flashed potential at times, like this silky 28-yard touchdown toss to tight end Kyle Rudolph in against the Giants, per the NFL:
Rookie wide receiverStefon Diggs has factored heavily into some of Bridgewater"s best performances of the year, including catching two of his QB"s four touchdown tosses in Week 15 against Chicago. If he can create consistent separation on the outside, it will give Bridgewater not only a hyper-athletic target but open up room for Rudolph up the seams.
Green Bay is going to get up for this game. Rodgers is playing at home with a division title and a No. 3 seed in the playoffs on the line. This game is just screaming for a signature moment from one of the game"s best players. Minnesota will need Bridgewater to do more than "just enough" in order to win this game.
Best AFC Matchup: New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills
Oakland at Kansas City is a sweet AFC tilt considering the potential playoff ramifications, division rivalry and the fact that the Raiders are (finally) an ascendant young team that is looking to end the season on a high note against a franchise that"s currently on a nine-game win streak.
That said, you just can"t beat the potential entertainment value of Bills head coach Rex Ryan trying to ruin his former team"s playoff chances in the final game of the season.
Its crazy, said Jets quarterbackRyan Fitzpatrick, perUSA Today"s Jarrett Bell.A great storyline for you guys, I guess.
The Jets need a win to secure a playoff spot, but a loss combined with a Pittsburgh win over Clevelanda fairly likely outcomewould end their season. Buffalo already beat New York 22-17 this season in Week 10.
Fitzpatrick has been crucial to the Jets" success as of late, throwing 13 touchdowns against one interception in the team"s past five games. His Buffalo counterpart, Tyrod Taylor, has turned out to be a fine quarterback in his own right as a first-year starter, throwing 20 touchdowns against six interceptions and flashing ability as a runner at times.
Just as it was in the earlier meeting between these two teams, Brian Costello of theNew York Postidentifies the matchup between Bills wideout Sammy Watkins and Jets corner Darrelle Revis as one of the keys to the game:
Watkins had just three catches for 14 yards in the first meeting between the teams, but two plays drew a ton of attention on Revis. One a deep route that Watkins beat him on, but Tyrod Taylor overthrew him. The other was a third-and-2 pass late in the game that Watkins caught for a first down to extend a drive and basically ice the game for the Bills. Those two pays fueled Revis detractors.
Nevertheless, the truth is Revis has had a very good season in his return to the Jets. Watkins is the next challenge for him. Receivers are catching just 44.2 percent of the passes thrown their way when Revis is on them, the lowest percentage in the NFL among cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus. Quarterbacks have a 51.2 rating when throwing in Revis direction, the second-lowest mark among cornerbacks.
The duel on the flank between these two might not factor too much into the outcome if the weather in Buffalo is poor. Weather.com projects a 40 percent chance of snow around game time with 20 mph winds. Both Fitzpatrick and Taylor have done excellent jobs of limiting turnovers this season, but poor conditions can result in fluke plays and make it difficult to find a rhythm in the passing game.
If passing proves problematic, this game could come down to which team runs the ball better. The Jets have a stout, resolute rush defense.
Even though Buffalo will be without stud running back LeSean McCoy, per ESPN.com"s Mike Rodak, the tandem of Karlos Williams and Mike Gillislee could still do some damage.Williams has been a productive runner in his rookie season when healthy, scoring eight touchdowns and averaging 5.7 yards per carry.
Gillislee has come on strong as of late, rushing for 174 yards and two touchdowns on just 13 carries in the past two weeks. Hecredits video games as a reason for his success, per Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News:
Which team wins this game?
Jets running back Chris Ivory has slowed as of late, having been held under 50 yards rushing in three of the past four games. He did manage 99 yards on 18 carries against the Bills last time out, and the Jets can now also turn to Bilal Powell as a change-of-pace and/or a reliable option in the short passing game, though his status for the game is questionable, per Dennis Waszak Jr of the Associated Press (via Yahoo Sports).
Assuming the Jets can keep a clean pocket in poor conditions and give Fitzpatrick time to find Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker often enough, they should pull off a slim win and capture postseason glory.
But if the Bills come out for this game charged up and truly play like they have nothing to lose, prepare yourself for the hot waves of schadenfreude emanating from Ryan as he basks in the glory of ending the Jets" season.
Twenty NFL teams will sing their swan songs Sunday, as the regular season wraps up with one final day of wall-to-wall action in Week 17.
Twelve talented and lucky teams will of course move on to the playoffs, where a chance at Super Bowl 50 and football immortality awaits.
There are but two playoff spots up for grabs in Week 17. Indianapolis has a sliver of a prayer of a chance at stealing the AFC South title and No. 4 seed from Houston, while Pittsburgh is looking to bully its way into a wild-card slot at the expense of the New York Jets.
The seeding is by no means set in stone in either conference. Both No. 1 seeds are still up for grabs. The current NFL playoff picture can be found atNFL.com, and a listing of all the potential Week 17 scenarios is available atESPN.com.
Here"s the schedule for Sunday"s slate, along with TV and live-stream info. For a coverage map detailing where each game will be broadcast, check out506Sports.com.
Time (ET) Away Home TV Live Stream 1 p.m. New York Jets Buffalo Bills CBS NFL Sunday Ticket (subscription required) 1 p.m. New England Patriots Miami Dolphins CBS NFL Sunday Ticket (subscription required) 1 p.m. New Orleans Saints Atlanta Falcons FOX FoxSportsGo 1 p.m. Baltimore Ravens Cincinnati Bengals FOX FoxSportsGo 1 p.m. Pittsburgh Steelers Cleveland Browns CBS NFL Sunday Ticket (subscription required) 1 p.m. Jacksonville Jaguars Houston Texans CBS NFL Sunday Ticket (subscription required) 1 p.m. Tennessee Titans Indianapolis Colts CBS NFL Sunday Ticket (subscription required) 1 p.m. Washington Redskins Dallas Cowboys FOX FoxSportsGo 1 p.m. Philadelphia Eagles New York Giants FOX FoxSportsGo 1 p.m. Detroit Lions Chicago Bears FOX FoxSportsGo 4:25 p.m. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Carolina Panthers FOX FoxSportsGo 4:25 p.m. Oakland Raiders Kansas City Chiefs FOX FoxSportsGo 4:25 p.m. San Diego Chargers Denver Broncos CBS NFL Sunday Ticket (subscription required) 4:25 p.m. Seattle Seahawks Arizona Cardinals FOX FoxSportsGo 4:25 p.m. St. Louis Rams San Francisco 49ers CBS NFL Sunday Ticket (subscription required) 8:30 p.m. Minnesota Vikings Green Bay Packers NBC NBC Sports Live Extra
ESPN.com, NFL.com
Best NFC Matchup: Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers
This is obviously the best NFC matchup in Week 17. While Seattle and Arizona could well be a precursor of things to come in the postseason, watching Minnesota and Green Bay duke it out for the NFC North title and a home game in the NFC Wild Card Round onSunday Night Footballis a prime reason to clear your schedule and stay rooted to the couch.
Aaron Rodgers is mired in something of a slump, one that came to an ugly head when Arizona sacked him eight times and held him to 151 passing yards in a crushing 38-8 loss in Week 16.USA Today"s Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz notes Rodgers will need good protection from his offensive line Sunday if he is to have his usual success against the Vikings:
Protecting Rodgers will be paramount, and left tackleDavid Bakhtiariremains a game-time decision with a left ankle injury. BackupDon Barclaygave up four sacks to the Cardinals, and centerJ.C. Trettermight be called upon to fill in if Baktiari can"t play.
Minnesota"s defense has held strong amid a spate of injuries, recording nine sacks and five turnovers in its last two games.
But Rodgers has almost always lookedin command against the Vikings in his career, boasting a 33:4 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Green Bay didn"t even need his usual output in the first meeting this season, in which the Packers rolled up 212 rushing yards on the way to a 30-13 win.
Another big game from running back Eddie Lacy would come in handy. He rushed for 100 yards in the Packers" win over the Vikings earlier this season but has been hit-or-miss as of late, as has James Starks.
Occasionally, the stars align for these two backs and they both produce like they did in Week 15 against Dallas. It will be up to a healthy Linval Joseph at defensive tackle and a strong Vikings linebacker group to plug up the rushing attack and put pressure on Rodgers to perform.
Should the Packers find some sort of balance against Minnesota, the purple-clad warriors might need more than Adrian Peterson and Jerick McKinnon to carry the offense. The running backs are strong bets to perform well in this one against a poor Packers run defense. Peterson and McKinnon combined for 193 rushing yards and three scores in a Week 16 drubbing of the New York Giants.
It"s quarterback Teddy Bridgewater who needs to step up in this game. It"s tough to roll up on Green Bay in Lambeau Field without firing on all cylinders. The second-year man is aware that his squad can"t get caught up in the moment.
Its a big game, Bridgewater said, per Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, but we cant let the game become bigger than what it is.
Bridgewater certainly keeps cool as a cucumber, but his passing stats have been mostly lacking in his sophomore campaign (3,132 yards, 14 TD, 8 INT). He"s flashed potential at times, like this silky 28-yard touchdown toss to tight end Kyle Rudolph in against the Giants, per the NFL:
Rookie wide receiverStefon Diggs has factored heavily into some of Bridgewater"s best performances of the year, including catching two of his QB"s four touchdown tosses in Week 15 against Chicago. If he can create consistent separation on the outside, it will give Bridgewater not only a hyper-athletic target but open up room for Rudolph up the seams.
Green Bay is going to get up for this game. Rodgers is playing at home with a division title and a No. 3 seed in the playoffs on the line. This game is just screaming for a signature moment from one of the game"s best players. Minnesota will need Bridgewater to do more than "just enough" in order to win this game.
Best AFC Matchup: New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills
Oakland at Kansas City is a sweet AFC tilt considering the potential playoff ramifications, division rivalry and the fact that the Raiders are (finally) an ascendant young team that is looking to end the season on a high note against a franchise that"s currently on a nine-game win streak.
That said, you just can"t beat the potential entertainment value of Bills head coach Rex Ryan trying to ruin his former team"s playoff chances in the final game of the season.
Its crazy, said Jets quarterbackRyan Fitzpatrick, perUSA Today"s Jarrett Bell.A great storyline for you guys, I guess.
The Jets need a win to secure a playoff spot, but a loss combined with a Pittsburgh win over Clevelanda fairly likely outcomewould end their season. Buffalo already beat New York 22-17 this season in Week 10.
Fitzpatrick has been crucial to the Jets" success as of late, throwing 13 touchdowns against one interception in the team"s past five games. His Buffalo counterpart, Tyrod Taylor, has turned out to be a fine quarterback in his own right as a first-year starter, throwing 20 touchdowns against six interceptions and flashing ability as a runner at times.
Just as it was in the earlier meeting between these two teams, Brian Costello of theNew York Postidentifies the matchup between Bills wideout Sammy Watkins and Jets corner Darrelle Revis as one of the keys to the game:
Watkins had just three catches for 14 yards in the first meeting between the teams, but two plays drew a ton of attention on Revis. One a deep route that Watkins beat him on, but Tyrod Taylor overthrew him. The other was a third-and-2 pass late in the game that Watkins caught for a first down to extend a drive and basically ice the game for the Bills. Those two pays fueled Revis detractors.
Nevertheless, the truth is Revis has had a very good season in his return to the Jets. Watkins is the next challenge for him. Receivers are catching just 44.2 percent of the passes thrown their way when Revis is on them, the lowest percentage in the NFL among cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus. Quarterbacks have a 51.2 rating when throwing in Revis direction, the second-lowest mark among cornerbacks.
The duel on the flank between these two might not factor too much into the outcome if the weather in Buffalo is poor. Weather.com projects a 40 percent chance of snow around game time with 20 mph winds. Both Fitzpatrick and Taylor have done excellent jobs of limiting turnovers this season, but poor conditions can result in fluke plays and make it difficult to find a rhythm in the passing game.
If passing proves problematic, this game could come down to which team runs the ball better. The Jets have a stout, resolute rush defense.
Even though Buffalo will be without stud running back LeSean McCoy, per ESPN.com"s Mike Rodak, the tandem of Karlos Williams and Mike Gillislee could still do some damage.Williams has been a productive runner in his rookie season when healthy, scoring eight touchdowns and averaging 5.7 yards per carry.
Gillislee has come on strong as of late, rushing for 174 yards and two touchdowns on just 13 carries in the past two weeks. Hecredits video games as a reason for his success, per Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News:
Which team wins this game?
Jets running back Chris Ivory has slowed as of late, having been held under 50 yards rushing in three of the past four games. He did manage 99 yards on 18 carries against the Bills last time out, and the Jets can now also turn to Bilal Powell as a change-of-pace and/or a reliable option in the short passing game, though his status for the game is questionable, per Dennis Waszak Jr of the Associated Press (via Yahoo Sports).
Assuming the Jets can keep a clean pocket in poor conditions and give Fitzpatrick time to find Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker often enough, they should pull off a slim win and capture postseason glory.
But if the Bills come out for this game charged up and truly play like they have nothing to lose, prepare yourself for the hot waves of schadenfreude emanating from Ryan as he basks in the glory of ending the Jets" season.
Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch talks to teammates on the sideline in the second half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch talks to teammates on the sideline in the second half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine ... more Photo: Elaine Thompson, Associated Press
A young Seattle Seahawks fans holds up a sign wishing well to injured Seahawks" running back Marshawn Lynch before an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
A young Seattle Seahawks fans holds up a sign wishing well to injured Seahawks" running back Marshawn Lynch before an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Photo: Ted S. Warren, Associated Press
Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch watches from the sideline during an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in Seattle. Lynch did not play in the game. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch watches from the sideline during an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in Seattle. Lynch did not play in the game. (AP ... more Photo: Elaine Thompson, Associated Press
Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch, center, looks at his G*d-daughter, Lauren Hall-Lynch, left, as his mother, Delisa "Mama Lynch" Lynch, right, looks on before an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch, center, looks at his G*d-daughter, Lauren Hall-Lynch, left, as his mother, Delisa "Mama Lynch" Lynch, right, looks on before an NFL football game against the San ... more Photo: Elaine Thompson, Associated Press
Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch stiff arms Arizona"s Patrick Peterson after a 10-yard gain in the first quarter of the Seattle Seahawks-Arizona Cardinals game at CenturyLink Field in Seattle on Sunday November 15, 2015. (Photography by Scott Eklund/Red Box Pictures)
Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch stiff arms Arizona"s Patrick Peterson after a 10-yard gain in the first quarter of the Seattle Seahawks-Arizona Cardinals game at CenturyLink Field in Seattle on Sunday
... more Photo: Scott Eklund, Seattlepi.com
Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch ruled out vs Vikings
Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch did not travel with the team to Minnesota and will not play in Sunday"s NFC wild card playoff matchup versus the Vikings on Sunday.
The team issued a short announcement Friday evening:
"We have downgraded RB Marshawn Lynch to out. He did not travel with the team. Following our final workout Friday he felt like he couldn"t play."
Lynch had been listed as questionable on the team"s practice report released Friday afternoon.
Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll intimated Lynch would suit up on Sunday in a Friday morning radio interview with KIRO 97.3 FM.
"He"s going to play, and he"s looked really good in practice," Carroll said. "He"s practiced as hard as he ever has throughout the week just to prove to himself that he was right, I think, as well as everybody else. So he"s ready to go, and we are anxious to see him fit in."
But later in the day, Carroll told reporters the decision about whether or not Lynch would play would go right up until game time.
"I have not said yet that he"s playing," Carroll said. "I know that"s been out there, but I don"t know until we"ve finished the week. He looks really good, and we"re hoping so and very optimistic about that."
Lynch underwent abdominal surgery on Nov. 25, with his rehab lasting through the end of the regular season. He returned to practice this week and was a full participant on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
The 29-year-old rushed for 417 yards and three touchdowns on 111 attempts during an injury-marred regular season.
In his absence, the Seahawks will have to rely on halfbacks Christine Michael and Bryce Brown.
Michael, the team"s top pick in the 2012 draft, rushed for 102 yards on 17 carries in Seattle"s 36-6 Week 17 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. That effort came four months after the Seahawks traded him to the Cowboys for a conditional draft pick. Michael was subsequently released by Dallas, then signed and released by Washington before re-signing with Seattle on Dec. 16.
Brown initially signed with the Seahawks as a free agent on Oct. 27 before being released and re-signed twice in the ensuing two months. The former Philadelphia Eagles back rushed for 72 yards on 26 attempts during the regular season, including a 1-yard touchdown versus the Cardinals last Sunday.
Visit seattlepi.com for more Seattle Seahawks news. Contact sports reporter Stephen Cohen at stephencohen@seattlepi.com or @scohenPI.
