Week 17 Predictions
Patriots
@ Giants
Prediction:
The Patriots have nothing to play for this week as they are locked into the 3rd seed in the AFC and will not get a bye week in the wild card round. They will likely rest key starters like QB Tom Brady, CB Charles Woodson, ect. This could open up an opportunity for the Giants to get a win, although they also have nothing to play for other than pride. The Patriots are one of the best teams in the league and will be a threat to win the AFC. They have struggled inside their division, going 3-3, and would likely want to avoid playing the Bills in the playoffs. Outside their division they've been dominant, with an 8-1 record that will likely become 9-1 after this week. Even without Brady playing, they should easily win this one as they have some of the best depth in the league. They should be getting HB Willis McGahee back for the playoffs, so HB DeAngelo Williams will get a final opportunity as a starter to continue his great rookie season. The Patriots took him in the 1st round as the successor to McGahee, and with how well he's played in his rookie season it could cause the Patriots to consider moving on from McGahee in the offseason. The Giants on the other hand have had another disapointing season, they are in a tough division and lost QB Tony Romo early in the season to an injury. They have a solid core, but may look to be aggressive in the offseason to move towards becoming a more competitive team.
Bills
@ Eagles
Prediction:
A battle between two teams with everything to play for this week. The Eagles need to win to keep hold of the 2 seed, and the bye week. The Bills need to win, and get some help with a Colts loss, to make the playoffs. It's possible the Eagles decide to rest some starters instead of going for the bye week, but I think they'll go all out for the win. The Bills started the season 1-6, and it seemed like their pick would be in the top 5. They've since rebounded and have been one of the best teams in the league. They swept the Patriots and have had a great offense. They traded a 1st for QB Kyle Boller, who got injured early in the season and hasn't played much. He will likely be their starter next season, but they are rolling with QB Kerry Collins for the rest of the season. I'd take the Eagles at full strength to win a close one. QB Gibran Hamdan has had a great season, as well as WR Donte Stallworth. This game could be a shootout with two great offenses, but I think the Eagles will end up winning and securing a bye week.
Panthers
@ Buccaneers
Prediction:
Both teams are playing for pride as this is a battle of NFC South 5-10 teams. The Panthers have improved over their 1-15 record from last year, and are much better than their record suggests. QB Andrew Walter got injured on early in the season, which derailed their season. Their defense has been great, with 1st overall pick DeMeco Ryans leading the way. They have a young core of good players who will only get better, if they can fix the offense they could compete for the playoffs next season. The Buccaneers traded a 1st for QB Derek Anderson, and they started the season 2-0. Since then they've been 3-10 and have struggled on offense. They are 32nd in total offense, they will likely want to completely rebuild their offense in the offseason. I think the Panthers should easily win this one, as it's one of the best defenses in the league against one of the worst offenses.
Bengals
@ Dolphins
Prediction:
Another game where neither team is in the playoff race, the Bengals will be without QB Carson Palmer. They've been better lately than they were earlier in the season, going 3-3 in their last 6 games. Palmer had a down year after having a great season last year, the same goes for HB Michael Bennett. The Dolphins are in a rebuilding year with a new GM. QB Rex Grossman had a solid season before he got injured, and HB Marion Barber has had a breakout year. The Dolphins have a ton of picks, although they don't have a 1st round pick which they could look for in the offseason. With a new GM they should be able to get back on track quickly, and I think they'll win this game. They lost a close one to the Patriots last week, where the Patriots got a last second touchdown. They held on all game and their defense played well, I think they will be able to beat the Palmer-less Bengals this week.
Cowboys
@ Redskins
Prediction:
An NFC East battle with massive implications. Both teams need a win and a Lions loss to make the playoffs. The Cowboys look to make the playoffs after winning the Super Bowl last season, while the Redskins want to make the playoffs after missing it the previous three seasons. The Cowboys will be without QB Drew Brees, and have gone on long winning and losing streaks all season. The Redskins will also be without their QB in David Garrard. It will instead be J.P. Losman vs Marques Tuiasosopo. The Cowboys have the advantage at QB, as Losman had played well in his time as their starter. Tuiasosopo was recently released by the Jets, and both him and the Redskins hope that a fresh start will be good for him. With both teams starting backup QBs, this game could go either way. I think the Cowboys will end up winning this one as Losman provides the lesser falloff at QB. The Cowboys will then have to get some help from the Packers to make the playoffs.
Lions
@ Packers
Prediction:
The game that the winner of Cowboys @ Redskins will be watching, as they need a Lions loss to make the playoffs. While anything is possible, I think the Lions will prevent that from happening and get the win over the Packers. The Packers have had a down year, and are in a rebuilding year after QB Brett Farve's retirement. They have 3 1st round picks, and have been starting rookie Matt Leinart at QB. They seem to be looking ahead to next season as they rebuild this team back to a playoff contender. If they aren't motivated by the idea of knocking a division rival out of the playoffs, I think the Lions will win this one easily. The Lions have an elite offense and rushing game, which I think will be too much for the Packers and their rookie QB. The Lions will be a tough will card team to beat for whoever plays them as they have one of the best offenses in the league. They started the season 3-5, but have only lost once since then.
Jaguars
@ Texans
Prediction:
Both teams have had new starting QBs this season. The Jaguars drafted Jay Cutler with the 7th overall pick after losing out on Vince Young. The Texans traded Chad Pennington for Phillip Rivers, who has had a good season in his first year with the Texans. Jay Cutler has also had a solid rookie season, and currently had the Jaguars at 7-8. While the Jaguars are eliminated from the playoffs, they've got a lot of positives to take away from this season and should be back in contention next year. This game could go either way, I think the Jaguars will end up winning it and finishing the season at .500.
Saints
@ Bears
Prediction:
Two 4-11 teams who have had their QBs go down with injuries. The Bears had a good season last year, going 7-9 in QB Aaron Rodgers rookie season. He got injured early in the season, and they had a GM change as well. They've committed to a rebuilding year, and have 2 1st round picks to work with. The Bears have a few players they will need to resign in the offseason, including WR Andre Johnson. They should be able to return to form next season when they get a healthy Aaron Rodgers back at QB. The Saints traded QB Luke McCown in the offseason, and Ben Roethlisberger has had an up and down year. He's on a very cheap contract which gives the Saints a lot of flexibility to build around him in the offseason. I think with Aaron Rodgers returning to start the final game of the season, the Bears will end up winning this one.
Steelers
@ Ravens
Prediction:
The Ravens had a slow start to their season but found their rhythm and went on a 5-1 stretch, but since then they've lost 3 straight. Cody Pickett has struggled, throwing more INTs than TDs during the season. The Ravens have had a down year, and will likely look to retool this offseason as they work to get back to being a contender like in years past. The Steelers were aggressive in the offseason, trading for QB Luke McCown and WR Randy Moss. Those moves paid off early in the season, as they started 7-4. They currently sit at 8-7 and are stumbling into the playoffs after McCown suffered a season ending injury. They will have to rely on LaDainian Tomlinson and Randy Moss to carry this team in the wild card. They will face a tough matchup, likely either playing the Chargers or the Colts. I think they'll continue to stumble into the playoffs and lose to the Ravens this week. They are starting rookie Reggie McNeal at QB, who has been very volatile. I think he will struggle this week, and into the playoffs. The Steelers will have to rely on the rest of their team to help win any remaining games.
Seahawks
@ Falcons
Prediction:
Two NFC teams that have secured their spots in the playoffs. The Seahawks still have a shot at winning the NFC South, and even securing a bye week in the NFC. They will need help from another division rival in the Cardinals. If the Seahawks win against the Falcons, and the Rams lose to the Cardinals the Seahawks would win the division. While unlikely that the Rams lose, the Seahawks have a good chance at winning their game. The Seahawks have one of the best passing attacks in the league, led by QB Matt Hasselbeck. Hasselbeck has his 3rd straight season throwing for over 30 TDs. He's 31 years old so it remains to be seen if he will regress after the season, the Seahawks have a potential future successor in Jason Campbell on their team already. The Falcons also have a great QB in Michael Vick, the most dynamic player at the position. They have one of the best rushing games in the league, by way of both Vick and HB T.J. Duckett. The Falcons also have a good passing defense, while the Seahawks have a good rushing defense. It's a true battle of unstoppable forces vs immovable objects. I think the Seahawks will end up as the victors as their passing games continues to be elite. Even if they don't end up winning the division, they will be a dangerous team in the playoffs that could make a deep run.
49ers
@ Browns
Prediction:
The 49ers came into the season with high hopes, they made a lot of aggressive trades to win now. They've had a rollercoaster of a season, never winning or losing more than two games in a row. They traded for QB Brooks Bollinger in the offseason, who's only played 7 games and left two of them early. The 49ers likely would've been a potential playoff team if Bollinger was healthy all season. Bollinger has played for a different team every season for the past 4 seasons, but I think that trend will end with the 49ers. If they can stay healthy and continue to improve they could compete for the division next season, especially with the potential regression of the Rams and Seahawks QBs. The Browns have had a disappointing season, and will likely look to move on from QB Tim Couch in the offseason. They traded for David Greene who could be a potential option at QB next season, or they could look for someone in the draft. The 49ers should be able to win this game comfortably and finish their season off on a high note.
Titans
@ Colts
Prediction:
The Titans announced that they intend to play most of their starters. They want to beat their division rival and prevent them from making the playoffs. The Colts want to prevent a 3rd straight season where they go 9-7 and miss the playoffs. Even with the Titans starters playing, the Colts will be a tough matchup. They have a great roster and can compete with anyone. The Titans won the earlier matchup 51-21, I think this game will be a lot closer. I have the Titans sweeping the season matchup, if they end up playing their starters I think their team will be too much to handle for the Colts. If the Titans end up deciding to sit QB Daunte Culpepper, it could alter the game in favor of the Colts. If the Colts end up losing, they can still make the playoffs but will need the Bills to lose to the Colts. If the Bills win and the Colts lose, the Colts will miss the playoffs.
Vikings
@ Broncos
Prediction:
If this game was earlier in the season, it would be a contender for game of the year. I still think it'll be a great game, but the Broncos are shutting down QB Peyton Manning as well as other starters in this game. The Vikings still have a chance at getting a bye week, should they win and get help from the Bills beating the Eagles. I expect the Vikings to come out in full strength, while the Broncos will be playing a lot of backups. Even with their backups, the Broncos can still win this game as they've got a great team. Drew Bledsoe is one of the better backup QBs in the league who can win games. I think the Vikings will end up winning a close one, and will hope to earn a bye week with help from other teams. The Vikings will have an interesting decision in the playoffs, deciding whether Steve McNair or Vince Young will start at QB. I think they'll likely go with McNair, and then will officially move to the Young era full time next season.
Chargers
@ Raiders
Prediction:
The Chargers control their own destiny, if they win they will be the 5th seed and get to play a struggling Steelers team with a rookie QB. The Chargers have a great matchup to make that happen as they play the worst team in the league, although they should watch out as this could be a trap game. The Raiders have nothing to play for, but they are also locked into getting the 1st overall pick. They will likely want to end the season by potentially knocking out a division rivals out of playoff contention. I think the Chargers will get it down either way as they've got a great team, and the Raiders are in a rebuilding year. The Chargers showed they could beat anyone when they ended the Broncos perfect season last week. The Raiders will have look forward to the draft, where highly touted prospects like QB JaMarcus Russell and WR Calvin Johnson will be available to them. They traded Derek Anderson in the offseason, and will likely be in the QB market. Calvin Johnson is one of the most elite physical specimens to ever enter the draft, and could cause the Raiders to look elsewhere for a QB while they select him with the 1st overall pick.
Rams
@ Cardinals
Prediction:
The Rams are another team that controls their own destiny, with a win they will be the 1st seed in the NFC. They have one of the most dynamic offenses in the league, and have a ton of depth. They are the favorites to win the NFC, and it would be a great send-off for QB Kurt Warner who may retire after the season. The Rams shouldn't experience much of a fall off with Marc Bulger ready to take the reins next. The Cardinals are currently rebuilding, they recently traded QB Phillip Rivers in the offseason for QB Chad Pennington. Pennington could be moved again this offseason, which would be the 3rd time he's been traded should it happen. I expect the Cardinals to put up a fight, and this game could be closer than expected. I think the Rams will end up winning it and securing the 1st seed in the NFC. They are a team no one will want to play in the playoffs.
Chiefs
@ Jets
Prediction:
Both teams were in the mix for a potential playoff spot throughout the season, but they have both been eliminated in recent weeks. While missing the playoffs is disappointing, both teams should be happy with the success they've had this season. Last year the Jets went 2-14, and the Chiefs went 3-13. Both teams have seen a massive improvement over the previous season and can build off that success next year. Both teams are set to finish 3rd in their divisions, and both the AFC East and AFC West are very strong. Byron Leftwich has had a great year at QB for the Chiefs, he's beaten his career high for TDs in a season. Alex Smith has also seen a breakout year at QB for the Jets, significantly lowering the turnovers he's committed compared to last season. Smith won't be playing this game as he's out with an injury, and for that reason I think the Chiefs will end up winning this one. Both teams should be excited about the potential future they may have.
Playoff Seeding Predictions
AFC
1. Broncos
2. Titans
3. Patriots
4. Steelers
5. Chargers
6. Colts
My favorites for the AFC are the Broncos and the Patriots. It will come to no ones surprise if the Broncos end up winning the Super Bowl, they've been elite this season. The Patriots have Tom Brady at QB and one of the deepest and most complete rosters in the league. The Titans have a great roster and are a threat as well. The Chargers are my dark horse team, I don't think they should be slept on as a team that could make a deeper run than most people expect. I think the Steelers and Colts will likely struggle to make it out of the first round, although anything is possible in the playoffs.
NFC
1. Rams
2. Eagles
3. Vikings
4. Falcons
5. Seahawks
6. Lions
My favorite to win the NFC is the Rams, although the NFC is a bit more open than the AFC. I could see any of these six teams make a run and compete for the Super Bowl. If the Rams and Seahawks have to play in the divisional that could be the team that ends up making the Super Bowl. The Eagles and Lions have great offenses that can't be underestimated. If the Vikings end up starting Steve McNair at QB, he could be the difference maker that leads them deep into the playoffs.
