Every single game is on Sunday this week, as is always the case in Week 17. It’ll be a big day that wraps up the playoff picture, and there are some very meaningful games to keep an eye on. Here we go!
GAME OF THE WEEK – Indianapolis Colts (9-6) at Tennessee Titans (9-6), IND by 3 – It’s WIN AND YOU’RE IN on Sunday Night Football this week for the Colts and Titans, meaning the playoffs start Sunday for these two teams. Who would have thought the Colts would be in this position at the start of the year? Who’d have thought the Titans, under a new head coach and with an anemic offense, would have been as tough as they are this season? It’s going to be a great game, and playing on the road in a divisional matchup is going to be tough for the Colts. But something about the run they’ve been on the last couple months has a feeling of inevitability to it, and while the Titans are going to give them everything they’ve got, I see Indianapolis returning to the playoffs after a several year absence. Colts 23, Titans 20
Dallas Cowboys (9-6) at New York Giants (5-10), NYG by 6 – The Cowboys have absolutely nothing to play for this week—they locked up the division and can’t get a first-round bye. I’ll take the Giants at home playing in a game they probably want pretty bad. Giants 24, Cowboys 17
Oakland Raiders (4-11) at Kansas City Chiefs (11-4), KC by 13.5 – The Chiefs need a win to lock up homefield advantage. You can be damn sure they want the playoffs to run through Arrowhead. It’s been a long freaking time since that happened. Chiefs 33, Raiders 12
Carolina Panthers (6-9) at New Orleans Saints (13-2), NO by 7.5 – The Saints have clinched homefield advantage and have nothing to play for this week. Teddy Bridgewater is expected to see significant action for the Saints this week. I’ll take Carolina to win a meaningless game. UPSET! – Panthers 27, Saints 20
New York Jets (4-11) at New England Patriots (10-5), NE by 13.5 – The Pats still have a shot at homefield if the Chiefs lose, but that’s not going to be particularly likely. They’ll get the win here and finish the season with “only” 11 wins for the first time since 2009. Patriots 27, Jets 17
Philadelphia Eagles (8-7) at Washington (7-8), PHI by 6.5 – The Eagles need a win and a loss from the Vikings to get into the playoffs after they looked like they were dead in the water just a few weeks ago. They’ll get their win, but will the Bears help them out? Eagles 30, Washington 13
Detroit Lions (5-10) at Green Bay Packers (6-8-1), GB by 8 – Not a pretty first season as head coach for Matt Patricia. Another season like this and he’ll be out of a job. The Packers will finish the season with a win and begin the head coaching hunt in earnest. Packers 30, Lions 20
Jacksonville Jaguars (5-10) at Houston Texans (10-5), HOU by 7 – The Jaguars have to be the most disappointing team in the league this season, while the Texans have to be one of the most surprising. They’ll storm into the playoffs with another win, setting up a matchup against the Chargers. Texans 31, Jaguars 17
Cleveland Browns (7-7-1) at Baltimore Ravens (9-6), BAL by 6 – You think the Browns got nothing to play for this week? They could finish the season with their first winning record since 2007 just a year after going winless, AND they could knock out the town that stole their franchise in the process. You think that doesn’t sound sweet? Even if they lose, they get to say they took the Steelers out. It’s almost a win/win scenario. I can’t wait to watch what this Browns team does next year. Baker Mayfield is rapidly becoming one of my favorite players and personalities in the league. UPSET! – Browns 27, Ravens 23
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-10) at Atlanta Falcons (6-9), ATL by 1 – Couple of majorly disappointing teams battling it out this week. The Falcons are at home and have a ton more talent, so they’ll get the W. Falcons 30, Bucs 23
Miami Dolphins (7-8) at Buffalo Bills (5-10), BUF by 3.5 – Yet another mediocre season for the Dolphins, who just can’t seem to get anything building down there despite the constant preseason expectations of playoff pushes. UPSET! – Dolphins 23, Bills 19
Cincinnati Bengals (5-10) at Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6-1), PIT by 14.5 – Hue Jackson. Steelers 34, Bengals 14
Chicago Bears (10-5) at Minnesota Vikings (8-6-1), MIN by 5 – The Vikings have a whole lot more to play for than the Bears, but Matt Nagy has gone on record saying the Bears are coming out to win this football game. A loss for the Vikings could knock them out of the playoffs, and boy would I love to see that happen. UPSET! – Bears 24, Vikings 20
Los Angeles Chargers (11-4) at Denver Broncos (6-9), LAC by 6.5 – Chargers can win the division this week if the Raiders somehow pull an upset against Kansas City, but the chances of that are quite slim. Still, I expect a Charger victory in Denver in what will likely amount to a meaningless game. Chargers 27, Broncos 16
Arizona Cardinals (3-12) at Seattle Seahawks (9-6), SEA by 13.5 – Lol. Seahawks 30, Cardinals 13
San Francisco 49ers (4-11) at Los Angeles Rams (11-4), LAR by 10 – Lol. Rams 35, 49ers 13