NFL kicks off calendar year with crazy final week of play

Take a look at each in-depth breakdown and then vote for your favorite nuttiest play of Week 17 at the bottom of the right column.

Who needs a helmet?

Game:Titans 23, Texans 22

The situation: On fourth-and-2 from their own 43-yard line, the Texans' Matt Turk punts the ball to the Titans' 16.

Things got a bit nutty when ...Titans return specialist Marc Mariani was chased down on the play by a helmetless Bryan Braman.

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Welcome to Starks Island

Game:Dolphins 19, Jets 17

The situation: Trailing 16-10, the Jets face a first-and-10 situation from their own 47-yard line midway through the fourth quarter.

Things got a bit nutty when ...Jets QB Mark Sanchez, who was under duress from Jason Taylor, threw a pass right into the awaiting arms of defensive end Randy Starks, who returned the interception 18 yards before tripping up at the Jets' 25-yard line. It was Starks' second interception of the game, an amazing feat for a defensive lineman.

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Texans' two-point fail

Game:Titans 23, Texans

The situation: With 19 seconds left in the game, the Texans pull to within a point of the Titans on a touchdown pass from Jake Delhomme to Bryant Johnson.

Things got a bit nutty when ... The Texans -- with nothing to lose with their playoff seed already secure -- decided to go for the victory on a two-point try. What followed was a comedy of errors that could have helped the Titans sneak into the AFC playoff field. First, tight end Joel Dreessen jumped before the snap for a false start. After a 5-yard penalty, the Texans decided to go for another two-point conversion. However, the snap from Thomas Austin went over Delhomme's head and the Titans held on to slim playoff hopes, which were later dashed when the Chiefs defeated the Broncos.

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Lofton capitalizes on Buccaneers mishap

Game:Falcons 45, Buccaneers 24

The situation: The Buccaneers, already trailing 28-0 early in the second quarter, faced a third-and-6 from their own 24-yard line.

Things got a bit nutty when ... The comedy of errors that was Tampa Bay's first half in Atlanta continued with a pick six by Falcons linebacker Curtis Lofton. Lofton happened upon his gift when two Buccaneers receivers ran into each other, leaving only the linebacker open to catch Josh Freeman's pass.

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One angry Lion

Game:Packers 45, Lions 41

The situation: The Lions trailed the Packers 17-16 midway through the second quarter, and faced a second-and-6 from Green Bay's 11-yard line.

Things got a bit nutty when ...Matthew Stafford's pass to Titus Young appeared to have given the Lions a touchdown. Instead, it was ruled that Young did not score. Having already used up his challenges, Lions coach Jim Schwartz is helpless, unable to challenge the play because it was not originally ruled a scoring play. Needless to say, Schwartz did not agree with the call. The Lions wind up settling for a field goal.