NFL 2020ne, Week 17

I don't know if it's the extra wild card in each conference or the 2020 of it all, but the number of relevant games in Week 17 of the NFL season is ridiculous!  What's also ridiculous is the fact that, despite everything everyone had to endure this season, they've made it to Game 256 on schedule.  Not many people thought they would, and it's notable that they did.

But back to Week 17 and how relevant it is.  There are five AFC teams that are currently 10-5.  Only four of them will make the playoffs.  Meanwhile, the NFC East winner will either be 7-9 or 6-10 and host a playoff game next week.  Of the 16 games, only five are completely irrelevant...and two of those involve playoff teams!  So, yeah, it's gonna be crazy!

Dolphins (10-5) at Bills (12-3): Buffalo-The Buffalo Bills are a team on a mission.  They sent a message against the Steelers, and they sent another one against the Patriots.  And they want the 2-seed.  So, there will be no resting starters or anything like that against the archrival Dolphins...especially since they have a chance to knock Miami out if they win.  The Bills always love it when the Dolphins' visit to Buffalo isn't until the end of the season, too.  All of that adds up to a 13-3 record, a 2-seed, and (potentially) two home playoff games.

Ravens (10-5) at Bengals (4-10-1): Baltimore-None of the AFC wild card contenders is playing better football at the moment than the Ravens.  They've won four straight since that Thanksgiving/Wednesday fun and will be the wild card team that the Chiefs, Bills and Steelers most want to avoid in the playoffs.  Cincinnati, of course, is also ending the season on a high, having notched back-to-back wins, including a victory over the Steelers.  A Ravens team with a chance to clinch may be too much for them, though.

Steelers (12-3) at Browns (10-5): Cleveland-Hopefully fate and 2020 haven't been playing a cruel trick on the Cleveland Browns this whole time!  For weeks, their playoff berth has looked secure and we've been talking about them finally ending their 18-year drought.  Then all of their wide receivers go on the COVID list, they lose to the Jets, and they suddenly find themselves needing to beat Pittsburgh or hope one of the South teams loses.  Otherwise, they're out.  Fortunately, the Steelers seem to care more about making sure everybody's healthy for next week than trying to get the 2-seed and the second home game.  As a result, I think the Browns will, indeed, end their playoff drought.

Titans (10-5) at Texans (4-11): Tennessee-As if trying to clinch the division in Green Bay wasn't already going to be hard enough, the Titans also had to deal with snow last Sunday night!  They had very little chance against the Packers, and Green Bay made sure they knew it.  Fortunately, they hold the tiebreaker and have another shot to clinch the AFC South in Houston.  A loss, meanwhile, could knock them out entirely.  Sounds like plenty of motivation to take of business against a Texans team that's ready for the season to be done.

Jaguars (1-14) at Colts (10-5): Indianapolis-Jacksonville's win came against Indianapolis in Week 1.  And it's why the Colts are the team on the outside looking in right now.  If all five 10-5 teams do the same thing this week (win or lose), it's Indy who'll be out.  All because of a Week 1 loss to Jacksonville.  If they lose to the Jaguars again, there's no chance they make the playoffs.  The only think they can control is making sure they don't bookend the season with losses to the Jaguars.  They won't.

Chargers (6-9) at Chiefs (14-1): Chargers-Kansas City clinched the NFL's best record last week and has absolutely nothing to play for.  Which leaves me wondering how much we'll see of the Chiefs' starters against the Chargers.  I'd imagine they'll play some, but certainly not the whole game.  Frankly, 15-1 isn't and shouldn't be that important.  I've also been saying all season that they had too many close calls to go 15-1.  Getting back to the Super Bowl matters far more, anyway.  Besides, it's not like 14-2 is anything to sneeze at.

Jets (2-13) at Patriots (6-9): New England-First, they played a game where they were eliminated from playoff contention.  Now, they'll play one knowing they'll finish the season below .500.  My how things have changed in New England!  Somebody might need to check on Patriots fans to make sure they're OK!  As for their opponents, leave it to the Jets to start the season 0-13, then go on a two-game winning streak (with both of those wins potentially knocking the other team out of the playoffs).  Jets fans can take solace in the fact this will be Adam Gase's last game as their head coach.

Raiders (7-8) at Broncos (5-10): Denver-Who knows with this one?  The Raiders have looked like a playoff team at times, and there's also been times where looked like a team that had no business being in the playoff race as long as they were.  Obviously going for the field goal instead of the touchdown last week didn't quite work out.  As a result, all they've got to play for in the season finale is a .500 finish.  Will they care enough about that, though?  My guess is no.

Cardinals (8-7) at Rams (9-6): Arizona-That loss to their stadium-mates really hurt the Cardinals bad.  Perhaps more than they even realized.  The Bears hold the tiebreaker, so Arizona needs to win to get in.  And if Chicago beats Green Bay, the loser of this game, remarkably, is out!  This after just assuming pretty much all season that the wild card teams would be Tampa Bay and the two that didn't win the West.  I'm picking Arizona here not because I think they're better than the Rams (I don't) or because I'd rather see them in the playoffs than the Rams (I don't).  It's because that's the only way they both make it...and they both deserve to!

Packers (12-3) at Bears (8-7): Green Bay-Aaron Rodgers has never played an NFC Championship Game at home!  I was shocked when Cris Collinsworth mentioned that last week!  Of course, that's not the only reason why home field is huge for the Packers, but it's perhaps the biggest one.  They've lost their last three NFC Championship Game appearances, so just getting there won't be enough.  And they'll want to make sure that if they get back again, it'll be in Lambeau.  Having the only bye will just be a bonus.  So will the chance to knock the Bears out!

Seahawks (11-4) vs 49ers (6-9): Seattle-Even though the No. 2 seed no longer has a bye attached to it, you'd have to figure the Seahawks still want it.  Sure, some of their home field advantage is lost with no fans in the stands, but they'd still much rather make the Saints (or whoever) fly to the West Coast and play outdoors in Seattle in January.  The 1-seed is still in play, too, so you know they'll be keeping tabs on the Packer game.  Either way, they'll bring their A-game to Arizona.

Saints (11-4) at Panthers (5-10): New Orleans-For the Saints to get the NFC bye, they need it to be a three-way tie at 12-4.  It's a long shot, but it's doable.  At least, it was doable when they had their running backs.  Now I'm not so sure.  Especially since the Panthers have proven that they can be a formidable opponent (just ask Washington!).  They still have Drew Brees and wide receivers, so I think they still have enough to take care of the one thing they can handle.  But I also wonder if they position themselves to be healthy for next week.

Washington (6-9) at Eagles (4-10-1): Washington-When Alex Smith is playing quarterback, Washington is a legitimately good football team.  When he doesn't, they aren't.  So, it's a good thing that Smith will be under center in the season finale against the Eagles.  It's also a good thing that the rest of the division is so bad they get a mulligan for last week.  Yes, it means that we'll have a 7-9 division winner, but it wouldn't be the first time that's happened.  They'll make the most of their second chance, rendering the Giants-Cowboys game irrelevant.

Cowboys (6-9) at Giants (5-10): Dallas-Speaking as a football fan, it would be absolutely absurd if the 6-10 Giants win the division and host a playoff game!  It's not like a 7-9 division winner is much better, but 7-9 could easily be 8-8.  And, frankly, Dallas is a good enough team that the Cowboys could've been 12-4 this year if everything had gone their way.  After the Giants' miserable efforts against Arizona, Cleveland and Baltimore, I have no confidence in them winning this game and forcing the three-way tie they need to be the least-bad team in the NFC East.

Falcons (4-11) at Buccaneers (10-5): Tampa Bay-Tampa Bay clinched last week, but still has plenty to play for.  If the Bucs win, they're the 5-seed.  That means a visit to the NFC East winner next week.  If they lose, they could drop to 6, which would mean going to New Orleans, Seattle or Green Bay.  Which of those options would you prefer?  That's what I thought!  And no need to worry about resting starters, since they got to do that in the second half of the Lions game.

Vikings (6-9) at Lions (5-10): Minnesota-As for the Lions, they end the season by hosting Minnesota.  The Vikings were the seventh "if the season ended today..." playoff team a few weeks ago, but a loss to the Bears knocked them out of the discussion.  And, after letting Alvin Kamara run all over them on Christmas, .500 isn't even a possibility anymore.  Nevertheless, they're better than the Lions and are presumably keeping their coaching staff, so this game gives them a chance to get a jump on next season.

Last Week: 12-4
Overall: 153-86-1