By Jacob Sanders
Tis Week 17 which means we are in the last week of the regular season. It also means that we have entered a brand new calendar year. I wish everyone a happy 2021, and I hope your teams makes the playoffs if they are still in contention (unless it means they would take my team out)!
Sanders went 9-7 last week putting him to 156-88-1 on the season! Let’s get to it.
ATL Falcons vs TB Buccaneers
The Falcons have remained a competitive team but also one of the worst 2nd half teams we have seen this season. Considering that the Buccaneers are “aiming for 11-5” and they are playing one of the worst teams to do it, I’m guessing the Bucs don’t allow an upset here, especially when it appears that this TB12 offense has been firing on all cylinders the last few weeks.
Falcons 17 Bucs 31
DAL Cowboys vs NY Giants
The Giants have cooled off in recent weeks ever since going on their winstreak. Ever since that win streak, they have not won a game and look back to be the same team that started 0-5. Dallas, on the other hand, has ramped it up in recent weeks albeit against weak foes. Luckily for them, they get another weak foe on Sunday. I would certainly consider it an upset if Dallas doesn’t finish with the higher score when the clock reaches 0:00.
Cowboys 23 Giants 14
NY Jets vs NE Patriots
I’m taking the upset pick here. Who would have thought that in Week 17 I would be picking the Jets to beat the Patriots? Certainly not me. However, I’m rolling the dice here. The Jets are on a hot 2 win-streak while the Patriots appear to be crumbling and limping to the end of the regular season. I expect this Jets team to let their coach head out of New York on a (slightly) positive note.
Jets 24 Patriots 13
MIN Vikings vs DET Lions
At this point, I have given up on trying to predict how any Vikings or Lions game will go. They are the two teams I am worst at picking this season. The Vikings should be better than they are, but are not, and the Lions are just a mixed bag of confusion. Someone save Matt Stafford. Let this incoming Vikings W (I think) be an indicator that the Lions should rebuild, and that rebuild involves trading Matt Stafford to a team who will treat him well.
Vikings 26 Lions 17
PIT Steelers vs CLE Browns
Seeing as the Steelers are resting some key starters with Mason Rudolph starting the game, AND the Browns need just to win to get in, it seems like an easy choice to pick Cleveland. I anticipate the Browns to come out with some eagerness that gives them an edge over a fatigued Steelers team that is looking for a break they have not gotten yet this season.
Steelers 17 Browns 28
BAL Ravens vs CIN Bengals
We’ve seen this episode of Week 17 before. The Ravens walk into the final regular season game of the year where they are in a “win and in” situation. Last time, Andy Dalton secured a 4th and 12 conversion into a go ahead TD that ended the Ravens season that year. Enter this year, where this Ravens team has been built to beat losing teams, and has yet to be upset by a team that is far more objectively worse than they are. The Ravens have shown to a be a team who doesn’t lose to teams with losing records going in for the last 3 seasons. I don’t expect that to change. Playoff implications or not.
Ravens 34 Bengals 17
MIA Dolphins vs BUF Bills
Maybe it’s bad of me to make assumptions. But I am assuming the Bills rest their starters in the 2nd half after they see that Cleveland is going to beat Pittsburgh which would mean the Bills lock up the #2 seed. With that assumption in mind, I would like to think the Dolphins win the game in the 2nd half and punch in their playoff ticket. However, this is Sean McDermott we are talking about, and it’s possible we don’t see the Bills rest their starters and, instead, crush the playoff dreams of their divisional foes.
Dolphins 27 Bills 20
SEA Seahawks vs SF 49ers
Well, the 49ers DID just upset the Cardinals last week. However, I can’t be led to believe that the 49ers make the same mistakes the Cardinals did against the 49ers. While I am moderately down on this Seahawks team heading into the playoffs, they would do well to boost their confidence going forward by slaughtering a 49ers team which is injury-riddled beyond all reason. I believe this happens.
Seahawks 31 49ers 16
AZ Cardinals vs LA Rams
I keep this one short. I understand the Cardinals have “underperformed” this season. But I think this is the team they are at this point. My 11-5 division winner prediction was wrong, but I believe this team has enough talent and heart to be a Rams team that has been wrecked on offense by COVID and injuries. Sean McVay may put up a game plan that beats the Cardinals. I won’t be surprised. But I don’t anticipate it either.
Cardinals 23 Rams 14
JAX Jaguars vs IND Colts
It’s possible the Jaguars play with reckless abandon this game and upset the Colts playoff chances by going 2-14 and proudly boasting the #1 pick in the draft. However, I believe that both of these teams are in different positions and at different skill ceilings than when they met back in Week 1. The Colts don’t allow the worst team in football (according to schedule) to 2-0 this year.
Jaguars 17 Colts 30
TEN TItans vs HOU Texans
The JJ Watt speech was nice and probably speaks to a lot of more broader and bigger issues going on within the Texans organization. However, it wasn’t a rallying speech. It was a speech of ventilation and a leader telling his team that things need to be different. Gonna have to wait for the offseason to get that change as the Titans are coming in ready to roll over the Texans defense with Derrick Henry and bounce back from an embarrassing loss on Sunday Night Football.
Titans 35 Texans 24
LV Raiders vs DEN Broncos
It would be just like the Raiders to lose this game in spectacular fashion as well. For those saying Gruden was dumb for not getting a touchdown, we’ve already seen a Falcons team fail in getting a touchdown and leaving too much time in the clock. Give Gruden some slack because if it had worked, everyone would be calling him genius. Also, that no-look pass from Fitzpatrick was a miracle play that shouldn’t have happened. Anyhoo, Gruden and Co. come to face off against a Broncos team still trying to find its identity. As I said, it would be like the Raiders to lose this game. Don’t think it happens though.
Raiders 27 Broncos 24
LA Chargers vs KC Chiefs
Keeping this one short and sweet. Seeing as the Chiefs are not trying at all for this game by resting most of their starters, I expect a Chargers team who almost beat them near the beginning of the season, to finish the job this time. Chargers win this game almost by default barring a spectacular performance by Chad Henne and the Chiefs offense.
Chargers 27 Chiefs 20
GB Packers vs CHI Bears
A few people are predicting an upset by this Bears team that is on a hot streak. They seem to forget that the Packers are on a hot streak is well and are producing far more heat than the Bears are. The Packers have owned the Bears when Aaron Rodgers is at the helm and I don’t anticipate that narrative to change. Mitchell Trubisky also probably struggles again against Green Bay but that’s nothing new.
Packers 34 Bears 23
NO Saints vs Carolina Panthers
Yes, Alvin Kamara is out for this week, but I also don’t expect a Carolina team that has been struggling on offense to make much noise against this stellar Saints defense. That’s pretty much all the analysis to give on this one. Saints defense wins this game for them, even if it’s an ugly game.
Saints 20 Panthers 16
Washington vs PHE Eagles
It’s no secret that I’ve given this Washington team far more credit than they probably deserve. However since Alex Smith is playing this week, I am AGAIN putting some unwarranted faith into this Washington team. They are just an entirely different team when they have a QB who can move the ball. And while Jalen Hurts has been fun to watch, this Washington defense is going to maul the Eagles offensive line and get to the QB, regardless if it’s Wentz or Hurts.
Washington 27 Eagles 24
