Sanders's Week 17 NFL Predictions

Week 17 NFL Predictions

Wow. Can you believe it? The season is finally over and we have one more week. However we have a couple juicy matchups left to decide playoff votes. This will be a short round of predictions as I didn’t write at all this weekend due to New Year’s and I woke up only 30 minutes before the games started.

HAPPY NEW YEAR’S EVERYONE AND CHEERS TO ANOTHER SEASON IN THE BOOKS!

Sanders went 9-7 last week putting him to a total 149-89-2 on the season.

Baltimore Ravens vs Cincinnati Bengals

A game that has no playoff implications as both have been eliminated. However, I am choosing Baltimore to win. It will (most likely) be Steve Smith’s final game of his career and I am looking for him to light up the Bengals defense. Also, the Ravens defense should be able to take advantage of a severely injured Bengals offense.

Ravens 20 Bengals 14

Jacksonville Jaguars vs Indianapolis Colts

Again. Another meaningless game where the Jaguars have to press the reset button on their coaching staff and the Colts just need a general manager who will actually give their star quarterback some help. The Jaguars are coming off a surprise upset against the Titans but I will chalk that up to more of Mariota getting hurt than the Jaguars actually beating down the Titans. The Colts are the better team even if slightly so.

Jaguars 17  Colts 21

New England Patriots vs Miami Dolphins

Both teams have a TON to play for. The Dolphins will get a chance to play for the 5^th seed and the Patriots are fighting for home-field advanatage. I actually don’t know who will win this game. Since their blowout loss to Baltimore, the Dolphins have gotten back up coming back to win their last 3 games to secure a playoff spot. This is a fighting team that could surprise many and even the Patriots. However, this is a Patriots team that has everything to play for and I’ll pick them to upset the Dolphins at home. Fun fact, the Dolphins are the team the Patriots struggle against the most when they play in Miami.

Patriots 28  Dolphins 27

Chicago Bears vs Minnesota Vikings

I wasn’t sure about this game and what to expect but I am going with the Vikings. They are the home team and after suffering so much in the second half of the season, Mike Zimmer is a good enough coach to put some fighting spirit into his team and leaving this horrible season with a positive outcome. The Bears, on the other hand, could benefit with a better draft pick.

Bears 20  Vikings 23

Buffalo Bills vs New York Jets

The Jets are completely hapless and it has a looked like a roster that has completely given up on the season. With that in mind, it doesn’t matter that the Bills coaching staff was gutted. This roster will play to show that they are better than their former coachs’ gameplans were and beat the Jets at home. Not that hard to do anyway.

Bills 23  Jets 13

Dallas Cowboys vs Philadelphia Eagles

The one game Romo will get to be in and neither team has anything to play for. The Eagles are eliminated from the playoffs and the Cowboys already have home-field advantage. That didn’t stop Dallas from absolutely destroying the Lions last Monday Night and I don’t expect anything different here either. The team-mates might even have some additional motivation with  Romo in the lineup, to get him warmed up for the playoffs should something happen to Prescott.

Cleveland Browns vs Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers have NOTHING to play for and are resting most of their starters. The Browns have everything to play for. A record that is NOT the worst in the NFL and the ability to end the season with two wins and going into the offseason with hope knowing they can continue to build. Many would view this an upset, however, I am picking the Browns simply because the Steelers won’t be trying and will simply be their to give some reps to their backup players and to collect their gamechecks.

Browns 24  Steelers 20

Carolina Panthers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers

It’s mysterious how up and down the Bucs and Panthers have been all year and it’s anyone’s guess as to who will win this. The Buccaneers have a 1% chance of getting into the playoffs if they win, but I am taking the Panthers to win this simply because I can’t imagine a team like the Panthers ending the season with a loss, even if their season is lost and forgettable. It will also display that the Bucs still have a ways to go to make the playoffs next year.

Houston Texans vs Tennessee Titans

In a game that means absolutely nothing, I am giving the Texans the win. The Texans will be playing with more force than any other team that has their playoff seed and spot locked in. Why? Simply because their playoff starting QB, Tom Savage, has only TWO starts under his belt with the NFL. Like, what? This offense will need all the reps in can get to prep for their first playoff matchup which will be against the Dolphins or the Chiefs. Neither team looks favorable to face at the moment. OH! And Matt Cassel is starting for the Titans at QB.

Texans 26  Titans 17

New Orleans Saints vs Atlanta Falcons

Another game that pretty much means nothing except for the fact the Falcons are trying to clinch the playoff bye. Because of that, I see the Falcons playing tough as the Saints are no longer in playoff contention and won’t have much motivation to win. The Saints have a chance, but the Falcons will have the home crowd with much more on the line. The pressure is on Atlanta. I also expect this to be a classic high-scoring shootout between Brees and Ryan.

Saints 31  Falcons 38

Oakland Raiders vs Denver Broncos

It hurts to think that MVP candidate Derek Carr is no longer available for the Raiders but not all hope is gone. This roster is still a very good one and it’s not like McGloin is an awful QB either. As long as he plays mistake free football, this team can still make a run, but if they get behind soon in any game, they aren’t going to make the comebacks they normally do because they won’t have the magic that is Derek Carr. As for the Broncos? They need to find a running game and offensive line that can help out Trevor Siemian. As much as people want to point fingers at Siemian, has ANY QB besides Brady or Rodgers had success with a poor offensive line and running game? Like come on, not even Andrew Luck can do it.

Raiders 24  Broncos 14

Arizona Cardinals vs Los Angeles Rams

I don’t care what anyone wants to say about the Rams. Jared Goff DOES NOT look NFL ready and they just don’t seem like a team ready to make even a squeak against anyone. Thus I given this an automatic win to the Cardinals. The Cardinals are the better team anyway.

Cardinals 31  Rams 17

Kansas City Chiefs vs San Diego Chargers

To be frank, Rivers has not looked very good as of late, and the Chiefs have been rolling since week 7 of last season even giving the Patriots a run for their money in the division playoffs last season. The Chiefs look like a sleeper to run the table and make the Super Bowl and, in my opinion, are much more dangerous than the Steelers. They’ll continue their dominance here against the Chargers. It won’t be easy though. That Chargers defense has become fierce and it’s just the kind of test Alex Smith needs to get playoff ready.

Chiefs 24  Chargers 21

Seattle Seahawks vs San Francisco 49ers

Wow. Worst game of week 17. Seattle wins. They want a playoff bye and need to win to have a chance to grab it. The 49ers are an awful team. Have I said enough? More than enough

Seahawks 27  49ers 13

UPSET OF THE WEEK!!!!

New York Giants vs Washington Redskins

The Giants have the No. 5 seed locked up and don’t have much to play for while the Redskins are fighting for their playoff lives. I think this will still be one of the most competitive games of the day as both teams are very flawed and need to test themselves. However, I am giving this game to the Redskins. They have a great offense that DESERVES to show what it can do in the post-season. However, the Redskins defense is the Achilles heel for the Redskins and will probably prevent them from making a Super Bowl run. What luck their final game of the season is against the INT-prone Eli Manning, who, in fact, is probably the Achilles heel of the Giants. Yikes.

Giants 17  Redskins 24

Green Bay Packers vs Detroit Lions

I am thinking the Lions miss the playoffs in what looked like such a great season for them. That’s right. I am picking the Packers. To me, they are the most dangerous team in the NFC besides the Cowboys and they will show it here against the Lions. It will be a rough tussle under the Sunday Night Lights, but I am looking for some Rodgers to Nelson magic to tear apart the Lions and make their way to reclaim the NFC North.

Packers 31  Lions 26