Sorry Six: Losing in the last minutes of Week 17 is the sorriest loss of all

Here we are, end of the season, and here’s what we know: even the best teams can turn in sorry performances every now and then. You want to save your best for last, but that’s not always the case … and here at the Sorry Six, we’re happy to point that out. Let’s begin, shall we?

• The Baltimore Ravens warmed the hearts of everyone in Buffalo, but you can forgive the Ravens for not feeling too glad about that. Baltimore surrendered a late lead to Cincinnati in one of the most thrilling finishes of the year … one that cost the Ravens a playoff spot that was theirs for the taking. That’s going to leave an orange-and-black burn for quite a few months.

• The Philadelphia Eagles head into January as the No. 1 seed in the NFC, but that’s based on past performance, not expected future results. With uncertainty at quarterback and several fully operational teams lurking beneath them, the Eagles and their fans are hearing footsteps … and they’re not Carson Wentz’s.

• When Cam Newton is on, there aren’t many defenses that can stop him. But when he’s not, the Carolina Panthers are all too beatable. Newton missed on his first nine passes and threw three interceptions … not what you want when you’re going on the road in the postseason.

• The Washington Redskins’ season-ender against the New York Giants was as meaningless as a Christmas carol in January, but Washington even managed to screw up a layup game like this one. Every step forward Washington takes is immediately followed by a head-over-heels stumble back down a hill.

• The Jacksonville Jaguars are already locked into the third seed in the AFC, but they’ve lost their last two straight in embarrassing fashion. Blake Bortles reminded us that he’s Blake Bortles against Tennessee, and clearly the defense is going to have to keep other teams from even getting off the bus in order for this offense to have a chance in the postseason.

• And finally, we’d like to take a moment to recognize the sorriest team of 2017, a team that defined sorriness for a city, a league, and a generation. Cleveland, our sweet 0-16 masterpiece, we praise you, we honor you, and we want you to know: there’s always a place for you on the Sorry Six.

That’ll do it for this year on the Sorry Six! Thanks for hanging with us all season! Enjoy the playoffs, and remember: never be sorry.

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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter or on Facebook.