Chapter 1018: A New Year’s Eve Across Time Zones

When people looked at the AFC, the fall of the Kansas City Chiefs was an even bigger story than the playoff spots. Even the absence of the Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t seem like major news. The strong teams were the same as always, and the weak teams were the same familiar faces. The AFC was still the familiar AFC, with no surprises or unexpected turns.

But when people looked at the NFC, surprises and unexpected outcomes had become a regular part of every season. It was only after the final week of the regular season that all the playoff spots were finally decided. Even the San Francisco 49ers, who had secured the top seed, still delivered an exciting final game.

NFC

NFC West Champions: San Francisco 49ers, 16-0, No. 1 seed.

NFC South Champions: Atlanta Falcons, 13-3, No. 2 seed.

NFC North Champions:

Green Bay Packers, 11-5, No. 3 seed.

NFC East Champions: Washington Redskins, 10-6, No. 4 seed.

The two wildcard teams are:

NFC West Second: Seattle Seahawks, 11-5, No. 5 seed.

NFC North Second: Minnesota Vikings, 10-6, No. 6 seed.

It’s no exaggeration to say that the NFC’s 2012 season underwent a complete transformation. The entire playoff landscape of the NFC had changed.

Of last season’s playoff teams, the defending champion New York Giants were out with a 9-7 record. The Detroit Lions finished with a dismal 4-12 record at the bottom of their division. The New Orleans Saints suffered a losing streak in their final tough games and finished 7-9. They had none of the grit and resilience that they showed against the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round last year.

Compared to the AFC, the emergence of the Washington Redskins, Seattle Seahawks, and Minnesota Vikings directly replaced half of the playoff teams, completely changing the overall situation. Last year, these three teams were ranked 13th, 11th, and 15th in the NFC.

Even the three teams that made the playoffs two years in a row—the San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, and Green Bay Packers—saw a huge shift in their power dynamic. The rise of the 49ers and Falcons and the drop of the Packers were all noticeable, not just in their win-loss records, but also in their overall play and underlying strength. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

The rules and norms from last year’s season are no longer applicable this year.

The NFC South is still the most competitive division. Aside from the Atlanta Falcons, the other three teams—the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers, and New Orleans Saints—all finished with a 7-9 record, making it a tight race.

The NFC North had the best overall performance this season. Besides the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings, who made it to the playoffs, the Chicago Bears finished seventh in the NFC with a 10-6 record. They had the same record as the Redskins and Vikings but just missed the playoffs due to tiebreakers. The Detroit Lions, meanwhile, became the punching bag this season.

The rise of the NFC West is still unstoppable. The excellent performances of the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks are clear for all to see. The St. Louis Rams are still at their best in their division, and the Arizona Cardinals, who lost their momentum in the second half of the season, could easily replicate the Indianapolis Colts’ miracle if they solve their quarterback issues.

Lastly, the NFC East was just as competitive as the other three divisions. The Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, New York Giants, and Philadelphia Eagles still have the closest skill levels to each other. Every team had a chance, and every team could also fall apart. Details determined the outcome of the entire season.

The Redskins finished 10-6, the Giants 9-7, and the Cowboys 8-8. Except for the Eagles, who had a meltdown this season like the Lions and finished with a pathetic 4-12 record, the other three teams fought until the final week of the regular season to decide their playoff spots.

Simply put, strong teams are always limited by the salary cap and can’t be absolutely dominant. At the same time, the weak teams are not weak at all and are competitive against any opponent. This is what makes every NFC season full of excitement and suspense. This also makes the San Francisco 49ers’ complete dominance this season even more remarkable.

Regardless, all 12 playoff spots in the AFC and NFC have been decided. There’s not much time to rest, as the wildcard games are about to begin!

On January 5, the AFC’s third seed, the Houston Texans, will face the sixth seed, the Cincinnati Bengals, while the NFC’s third seed, the Green Bay Packers, will take on the sixth seed, the Minnesota Vikings.

Of the two games, the NFC North showdown is undoubtedly the most anticipated.

In the final regular-season game, the Packers lost to the Vikings on the road with a narrow 37-34 score, which allowed the Vikings to step on the shoulders of their other division rival, the Bears, to make the playoffs. That game has become a classic for Vikings fans. However, the Packers successfully stopped Adrian Peterson from making history, which was a huge win for them.

Now, just a week later, the two teams will face each other again. There’s no need for hype or buildup; the fireworks have already begun to fly.

On January 6, the AFC’s fourth seed, the Baltimore Ravens, will face the fifth seed, the Indianapolis Colts. The NFC’s fourth seed, the Washington Redskins, will go up against the fifth seed, the Seattle Seahawks.

Both of these games have something in common: the fifth seed has one more win than the fourth seed. Does this mean the fifth seeds have the upper hand? One thing is for sure: the fourth seeds won’t give up their home-field advantage easily. Of the two, the NFC game is still the more exciting matchup.

In these two games, three rookie quarterbacks—Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, and Russell Wilson—will be on display. And the latter two will face off head-to-head!

Last season, the three breakout rookie quarterbacks—Lu Ke, Andy Dalton, and Cam Newton—never had a chance to play each other in the playoffs, which was a shame. Now that they’re in their second year, even if they do play, it’s not the same. But this season, Griffin and Russell will face each other on the playoff stage!

Both are mobile quarterbacks. Both are capable of throwing and running for touchdowns. Both have top-tier scrambling ability. Both have excellent control over their turnovers. Both have had great success with the read-option offense.

Now, with the two set to face off, how can people not be excited?

The 2012 season ended on Sunday. Monday and Tuesday were the last day of 2012 and the first day of 2013. The wildcard games will officially begin on Saturday and Sunday.

In other words, the eight teams in the wildcard games have no time to enjoy the New Year’s holiday. They must immediately begin preparing for their next game. As for the top two seeds in each conference, they can slow down and relax.

Lu Ke spent New Year’s Eve in San Francisco with his family. His family and the Newman family got together for a big New Year’s Eve party. Lu Ke and Logan invited many of their teammates to celebrate with them. Even Jim Harbaugh showed up. The party was crowded and lively, and it was the first big gathering for the San Francisco 49ers outside of football.

Meanwhile, Candice went back to New York. For her modeling career, she still considers New York her home base and center of life. This year, Candice’s parents came to New York to spend the New Year’s holiday together, so she took an early flight back to New York on the 31st, hoping to count down with her parents.

Late at night, at the iconic Times Square New Year’s countdown, even with a three-hour time difference between San Francisco and New York, Lu Ke and Candice seamlessly welcomed 2013 together through a phone call and a live TV broadcast.

In a moment, the distance between time and space seemed to disappear.

"Maybe you should come to New York to see the countdown here. It’s really a spectacular moment. Almost a million people gather in one place, waiting patiently for one specific moment. It’s a rare sight in life," Candice’s voice came through the phone with a faint static and a distant roar.

Before Lu Ke could answer, Candice laughed and said, "But that would be too difficult, right?"

Lu Ke said nonchalantly, "It’s not that difficult. If we don’t make the playoffs, anything is possible."

"Oh...then never mind. I’ll make a new New Year’s wish," Candice’s voice came through, full of disappointment.

Even without seeing her, Lu Ke could imagine Candice’s playful scrunched-up nose. He couldn’t help but laugh. "We’ll take it one step at a time. I thought I would only be able to see you in a Victoria’s Secret fashion show after I retire, but who knew? This year—I mean, last year—I already saw it."

"Retire? Are you serious? By the time you retire, I won’t be able to model anymore. No one wants to see an old lady with wrinkles and gray hair walk the Victoria’s Secret runway," Candice complained directly.

Lu Ke laughed out loud. "Hey, what kind of monster do you think I am? Do you expect me to retire when I’m 70?"

"I love seeing you constantly fight and chase your dreams. That’s the real you, and that’s the perfect you," Candice said seriously, without changing her mind. "I know you belong on that field."

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