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Here is the NFL on FOX Notes, Quotes and Anecdotes release for week 17 of the 2009 NFL season as issued by FOX Sports.

FOX SPORTS NOTES, QUOTES & ANECDOTES

NFC East Title and No. 2 Seed on the Line in NFL on FOX Week 17

Doubleheader Action

NFL ON FOX WEEK 17: SEEDING IN NFC PLAYOFFS ON THE LINE – All six spots are filled in the NFC, but the schedule and seeding picture is still cloudy as the NFL on FOX wraps up its 16^th regular season with an eight-game doubleheader on Sunday, Jan 3.  Beginning with the 1:00 PM ET games, Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings look to secure the No. 2 seed and a first round bye when they host the Giants.  In Charlotte, the No. 1 seeded Saints play a playoff tune-up against their NFC South rival Panthers.  Falcons/Bucs, 49ers/Rams and Bears/Lions round out the early action. At 4:15 PM ET, the NFC East division title is on the line when Tony Romo and the Cowboys host Donovan McNabb and the Eagles.  Philadelphia can clinch the No. 2 seed with a victory and Dallas secures a home playoff game with a win.  In Arizona, Kurt Warner and the Cardinals can secure the No. 2 seed with a victory over Aaron Rodgers and the Packers coupled with Vikings and Eagles losses.  Also, the Chargers host the Redskins.

Coverage begins at 12:00 PM ET with America’s most-watched pregame show, FOX NFL SUNDAY.  Terry Bradshaw and Curt Menefee co-host the Emmy Award-winning program and are joined by analysts Howie Long, Michael Strahan and Jimmy Johnson.  The crew is joined by NFL Insider Jay Glazer who presents the latest league news and scoops in the FOX NFL SUNDAY studio and comedic prognosticator Frank Caliendo contributes his weekly “Frank’s Picks” segment. 

LONG QUESTIONS WHO WILL RISE TO THE TOP OF THE NFC – Following the Vikings loss to the Bears on Monday night, the Saints backed into the No. 1 seed in the NFC but how the other five teams will rank comes down to Week 17. FOX NFL SUNDAY analyst Howie Long looks at how the NFC playoff picture has been drastically changed in a few short weeks: “Four weeks ago, I thought there was only one team that had a shot of beating New Orleans in New Orleans, and that was Minnesota. Now, with both the Saints and Vikings struggling, you can make a case that Philadelphia and Dallas might be the best teams in the NFC. After watching the Packers beat the Seahawks Sunday, I came away totally impressed with Aaron Rodgers, who is looking every bit the part of a franchise quarterback. He's everything that coach Mike McCarthy and GM Ted Thompson thought he would be. But the best news for the Packers is they are getting their running game on track at the right time. Ryan Grant scored twice and missed 100 yards by only 3. He has become a force. It’s amazing how things have changed over the last few weeks.”

BILLICK ON CALDWELL’S DECISION: “WINNING A SUPER BOWL IS THE ONLY BAROMETER FOR COLTS” – “You can go around and around on both sides of whether Jim Caldwell’s decision to sit his starters was the right move,” said NFL on FOX analyst and Super Bowl-winning head coach Brian Billick. “If the Colts win the Super Bowl, it means absolutely nothing.  If they stumble anywhere along the way and don’t win it all, this game will be looked upon as the reason. For the Colts right now, that’s the only barometer.  At the very least this has caused a pause for a team that had a great deal of momentum and was feeling good about themselves.  I know they’re going with the company line and the players are signing off on it but in that locker room there’s some question about whether they should have rested their starters.  If nothing else it has created a distraction.”

MALARIA NO MORE ROUNDS OUT FOX SPORTS SUPPORTS’ YEARLY CHARITABLE CAMPAIGN – FOX Sports has selected Malaria No More as the official charity of the BCS on FOX games in this January 2010.  Malaria No More provides simple nets to save lives in Africa by protecting those in danger of malarial mosquitoes that bite at night.  FOX Sports taped a public service announcement to help raise awareness for the cause.  The PSA features American Idol host Ryan Seacrest, BCS analyst and FOX NFL SUNDAY analyst Jimmy Johnson, BCS on FOX host Chris Rose and BCS on FOX analyst Charles Davis.  "FOX Sports Supports is a powerful partner, helping African families protect themselves from malaria,” said Scott Case, CEO of Malaria No More. “Offering up the tremendous platform of the Bowl Championship Series will help us reach a new audience, heighten awareness of malaria and get closer to our goal of ending malaria deaths in Africa.” Please visit www.MalariaNoMore.org for more information or www.foxsportssupports.com.