(Follow-up) Three Hours of More Disappointment, Followed by 21 Yards of Pure Joy

     Last night, I was ecstatic.
     Tonight, I was franticly worried.
     All I needed was seven points from Ray Rice to get my fantasy football team into the playoffs. To put it into perspective, I'm talking about a running back who was averaging 20 per game.  Seven points is the equivalent to fifty total yards and two catches out of the backfield. It was just that easy.
     Well, after an opening-drive fumble by Rice (-2 pts.) and Ray completely disappearing as his team struggled on offense, my playoff hopes came down to a drive that, the scope of the NFL, did. not. matter.
     See, Rice was stuck on five points for the majority of the fourth quarter, and if that were to finish that way, Team B (and consequently me) would lose by two points.
     Baltimore was down 27-14 with less than two minutes to go.  Green Bay was going to win, there was no doubt.  All it would take was one catch for three or more yards (Rice had 17 yards receiving to that point) to make me postseason bound.  But Joe Flacco looked awful.  It looked like he'd never complete another pass.  And I had just about given up hope and turned the game off to catch up on Family Guy and Flashforward.  But then it happened.
     On first-and-15 and from the shotgun, Flacco handed the ball to Rice (!!!), and Rice found a hole in the line and exploded into the Packers secondary.  He got the first down.  I checked the box score.  He only needed 17 rushing yards to get two more fantasy points.
     MIKE TIRICO, DID HE GET 17 YARDS?

Mike: "a 21-yard run for Rice gives the Ravens a first-down and, oh, this just in, Grant Burkhardt's fantasy football has just secured the last spot in the playoffs! Listen to the crowd roar!"

(That's a loose translation of course, I wasn't able to hear what he was saying over the Lambeau Field crowd. I just figured that's what he said.)

     Incredible!

     A side-note: I'm realizing that garbage-time drives are horrific for fantasy owners.  From Favre's TD pass to Harvin to Rice's 21-yard miracle, I've had enough football for a while.

     But the playoffs begin this weekend. And Team "Somewhere Over Dwayne Bowe" (say it fast for full effect) is going to be playing for the Championship.

     Score.