NFL Week 17 Predictions
As week 17 approaches and the regular season ending, there isn't as much drama as one would hope for going into the last week of the season. The NFC is set in terms of teams and the AFC seems pretty steady on who's in and who's out, besides the last wild card spot, but other than that, there isn't that much drama for week 17. Yes, the seeding isn't set in stone, but that won't change too much or really matter because the better team is going to move on regardless of the outcome of week 17. Now for the key match-ups of the week.
1. Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers
This a no-brainer as the top game of the week, hence why the NFL flexed this game to Sunday Night Football to conclude the regular season. This game is for all marbles, the NFC North division championship. After Green Bay's thrashing of the Vikings earlier this season, the Vikings will look to get revenge. Once again this game comes at the perfect time for the Vikings. The Vikings are coming off one the team's most dominant victories in franchise history, putting up 49 points (should have been 50, thanks Blair Walsh) against the Giants on Sunday Night Football, where usually the Vikings play horrible during prime-time games. On the other hand, Green Bay got absolutely rocked by the Arizona Cardinals in Arizona. Rodgers was sacked 8 times and the Cardinals dominated on both sides of the ball. That's a good sign for the Vikings, who were one play away from going to OT or winning against the Cardinals with a banged-up defense.
Like last time, this game came at a great opportunity for the Vikings and they blew it. I don't think Sunday's showdown will be quite as bad as their earlier meeting, but I think Green Bay will take this one and probably not have to face each other again next week in Green Bay for the Wild Card playoff pending a Seattle loss. I'm going go with the Packers by 6, 26-20.
The Seattle-Arizona game is a big game as well. The Cardinals already locked up the division, but this game is to stay in contention for a the #1 seed pending a Panther's loss, the Seahawks obtaining the #5 or #6 seed depending on the outcome, and straight up pride. Regardless if Carolina wins their game, I still think the Cardinals will go all out to beat the Seahawks to show who owns the NFC West division. The Seahawks will also want to win this game due to playoff position and momentum heading into the playoffs. Going in on a 2 game losing streak is not idea, even if they draw the Redskins as their wild card match-up. I think the Cards will take it and wrap up the #2 seed going into the playoffs red hot. 33-27 Cardinals.
The game that interests me 3rd most has to be the Jets at the Bills. The Jets are coming off a huge win over New England to keep their playoff dreams alive, thanks to the Steelers losing to the Ryan Mallet lead Ravens. The Bills are coming off a win as well, beating the Cowboys in a defensive stronghold 16-6. The Jets should win this game, but knowing it's against the Bills has to be a little frightening. Even if the Bills are beat up and don't have LeSean McCoy, Rex Ryan would love nothing more than to spoil his former team's playoff hopes. I'm calling the spoiler alert, Bills win by a FG, 20-17.
Here are the rest of my predictions:
| WEEK | AWAY TEAM | HOME TEAM | MY PICK |
| 17 | Jets | @Bills | Bills |
| Patriots | @Dolphins | Patriots | |
| Buccaneers | @Panthers | Panthers | |
| Saints | @Falcons | Falcons | |
| Ravens | @Bengals | Bengals | |
| Steelers | @Browns | Steelers | |
| Jaguars | @Texans | Texans | |
| Titans | @Colts | Colts | |
| Raiders | @Chiefs | Chiefs | |
| Redskins | @Cowboys | Redskins | |
| Eagles | @Giants | Giants | |
| Lions | @Bears | Bears | |
| Vikings | @Packers | Packers | |
| Chargers | @Broncos | Broncos | |
| Seahawks | @Cardinals | Cardinals | |
| Rams | @49ers | Rams |
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