I would feel much better if we had lost on purpose. After all, there's no way we will go 17-0, so best if we use up our 2-4 losses on NFC teams.
Reminds me of the old paradox:
First day of class the teacher says "there will be a surprise quiz before the end of the semester."
Student thinks about it. There can't be a surprise quiz on the last day of class, because then it wouldn't be a surprise. And since there can't be a quiz on the last day, there can't be a quiz on the second-to-last day. And so on and so on.
Then the teacher hands out a surprise quiz on the 2nd day of class and guess what? He's surprised.