Bry’s Week-by-Week NFL Preview: Week Seventeen

Okay, well Week Sixteen brought us a lot more answers to the playoff questions.  In fact, there doesn’t seem to be as much drama in this final week as there normally is this time of year.  There are a couple big-time situations, though. 

Here are the teams with positions at stake in the NFC: 

• Eagles – #1 seed with a win OR a loss by both Carolina and Green Bay
• Cowboys – Wild Card with win; almost definitely out with loss
• Giants vs. Vikings – winner is probably in; loser is almost definitely out
• Saints vs. Panthers – winner wins NFC South; if Saints lose, they are almost definitely out; if Panthers lose, they will still get Wild Card if Dallas loses.

The AFC is much clearer, as all four divisions are locked up, and all four division winners are seeded.  The only questions surround the four teams vying for the two Wild Cards:

• Ravens – Wild Card with win OR loss by either Tennessee or Houston
• Texans – Wild Card with win OR loss by Buffalo and either Tennessee or Houston
• Titans – Wild Card with win AND loss by either Baltimore or Houston
• Bills – Wild Card with win AND loss by Houston and either Tennessee or Baltimore

Sunday, January 3:
1:00 – SAN FRANCISCO (8-7) at St. Louis (4-11)
Yes, the Niners actually have nothing to play for.  And, yes, they have clinched the NFC West and, therefore, a playoff game next week.  But, I don’t see Singletary resting people.  I think he would like to continue the winning spirit in San Fran.  I think that he will be on his guys even more so this week because the playoffs are only a week away.  Give me the Niners in this one, as they prepare for the playoffs.

1:00 – NEW YORK GIANTS (9-6) at Minnesota (9-6) *
Basically, a playoff game.  The winner has a great shot at a wild card, while the loser is going to miss the playoffs.  In a rematch of a Week Seventeen game last year (that was not exciting because the Giants pulled their starters halfway through), I think that the Giants are just much better prepared for this moment.  With the season on the line, this team will respond.  And, since it’s a dome, they don’t have to worry about Eli in the cold (not a good thing).  The Vikings and their aging, fatigued quarterback will not.  An utterly disappointing season for Minnesota ends at home in Week Seventeen.

1:00 – Jacksonville (5-10) at CLEVELAND (6-9)
The Jack Del Rio Era in Jacksonville ends with a whimper in Cleveland.  The Browns are still playing hard and actually finish with 5 wins in their last 7 games.  Not a bad first season for Mangini.

1:00 – Pittsburgh (14-1) at MIAMI (6-9)
The Steelers have everything locked up, so most of the starters probably will not play.  The Dolphins are still well-coached, despite a bit of a disappointing year, and they should respond and finish with a win at home.

1:00 – New England (12-3) at HOUSTON (9-6)
The Patriots are locked into the 2-seed, so you won’t see many starters on the field in Houston.  Which is great news for the Texans, who are in a win-and-in scenario.  With the win today, they clinch a Wild Card in the AFC.

1:00 – ATLANTA (4-11) at Tampa Bay (2-13)
The Falcons have one last gasp in them, as they close out probably the most disappointing year of any team in the NFL this year.  Tampa wasn’t exactly gangbusters, either, finishing at an abysmal 2-14.

1:00 – NEW ORLEANS (9-6) at Carolina (10-5) *
Winner-take-all game.  The winner wins the NFC South.  Period.  I believe that the Saints will go into Carolina and win this all-important game, capping a great divisional comeback, winning their final 4 games to win the division.  And, once again, in the NFC South, the last-place team from a year ago wins the division this year.  I just like the Saints offense in a must-win game.  This could be one of those “team with the ball last wins” kind of games.  Either way, this is a great Week Seventeen matchup.  The Panthers now need help around the league or they may be watching the playoffs from the golf course.  Also, the Saints win eliminates the Vikings.

1:00 – Cincinnati (2-14) at NEW YORK JETS (4-11)
The Jets salvage a 5-win season, as they hammer the Bengals here this week.  The Bengals go 2-14, and Marvin Lewis is out of a job.

1:00 – Philadelphia (11-4) at DALLAS (9-6) *
The Eagles are one win away from securing homefield advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, but Dallas is one loss away from be eliminated completely.  This, another Week 17 rematch from last year, may go the other way, as the Cowboys get a must-win and clinch a playoff berth.  The Eagles would love to knock their arch-rivals out of the playoffs in Week Seventeen for the second straight year, but I think the Cowboys will actually get it done this December.  But, though they don’t know it at the time, the Panthers loss to New Orleans gives the Eagles at least a first-round bye regardless of this result and still have a shot at the top-seed, depending on what happens in the desert later today.

1:00 – Indianapolis (11-4) at BUFFALO (8-7)
We all know what happens when the Colts have something clinched.  They play nobody.  This will be an easy win for the Bills who, techically, are still alive when this game kicks off, though it would take a near miracle for them to make the playoffs.

1:00 – Chicago (8-7) at DETROIT (2-13)
When this game kicks off, the Bears, like the Bills, are techincally still alive (though it would take a ridiculous combination of events), but unlike the Bills, the Bears are not facing a team whose only concern is resting its stars.  The Lions, though not very good, are still playing hard.  They are at home, and they probably view this game as a way to knock the Bears out of the playoffs.  On the other hand, the Bears probably don’t really believe much in their chances, anyway.  I like the Lions in a relatively easy win to end their season.  The Bears, even with their superstar quarterback, finish 8-8.

4:15 – WASHINGTON (9-6) at San Diego (9-6)
The Chargers have nothing to play for.  They have the NFC West wrapped up, but cannot catch any of the other division leaders.  They are locked into the 4-seed and a home game next week.  So, they will not be playing any of their starters.  The Redskins, however, will be playing their starters, but…because of the results of the early games, they will know (at least by the middle of the first quarter) that their season is over.  They went 1-4 against the other three teams that are tied with them for the Wild Card, so they cannot win a tiebreaker with the other 10-6 teams.  A good season ends without a playoff spot for the Redskins.

4:15 – BALTIMORE (9-6) at Oakland (7-8)
The Ravens are in a must-win situation, and they get the Raiders, who are out.  The Ravens, who really know how to get fired up for big games, know that they only need to win this game and they are going to the playoffs.  They should come out with a fire in Oakland and win this game handily.

4:15 – KANSAS CITY (5-10) at Denver (6-9)
Which team is more likely to still be playing hard?  This one was easy.

4:15 – Green Bay (10-5) at ARIZONA (7-8) *
The Eagles, with their loss in Dallas, have become the biggest fans of the team that beat them in the NFC Championship Game last year.  The Eagles need a Cardinals win here or they will fall to the 2-seed and may be facing Green Bay in Wisconsin for the NFC Championship instead of at The Linc.  And, though the Cardinals have nothing left to play for, after being eliminated last week, I think that they show up here at home and shock the Pack.  There is still some pride on this Cardinals team, and they matchup well against the Packers in Arizona.  This Packers loss is devastating because not only do they lose a shot at homefield advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, but they also lose the bye and now have to play on Wild Card weekend against another 10-6 team.

4:15 – TENNESSEE (9-6) at Seattle (7-8)
The Titans caught a big break last week, when the 49ers clinched the NFC West, thus eliminating the Seahawks.  This gives Tennessee a much better shot of going into Seattle and getting a must-win game in the final week of the season.  At the beginning of the day, the Titans needed a win and either a Baltimore or Houston loss to get a Wild Card.  They know, by now, that the Texans have won, but the Ravens also have a late game, so they are not out of it.  They will be playing hard and should get out of here with a victory.

FINAL REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS:
NFC EAST:
11-5   Philadelphia (1)
10-6     Dallas (5)
10-6     New York Giants (6)
10-6     Washington

NFC NORTH:
10-6   Green Bay (3)
9-7     Minnesota
8-8     Chicago
3-13   Detroit

NFC SOUTH:
10-6   New Orleans (2)
10-6   Carolina
5-11   Atlanta
2-14   Tampa Bay

NFC WEST:
9-7     San Francisco (4)
8-8     Arizona
7-9     Seattle
4-12   St. Louis

AFC EAST:
12-4   New England (2)
9-7     Buffalo
7-9     Miami
5-11   N.Y. Jets

AFC NORTH:
14-2   Pittsburgh (1)
10-6   Baltimore (6)
7-9     Cleveland
2-14   Cincinnati

AFC SOUTH:
11-5   Indianapolis (3)
10-6   Houston (5)
10-6   Tennessee
5-11    Jacksonville

AFC WEST:
9-7     San Diego (4)
7-9     Oakland
6-10   Denver
6-10   Kansas City

PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE:
Tomorrow, the full playoff results will be predicted, but here are the official brackets:

NFC:
Wild Card Round
#6 New York Giants (10-6) at #3 Green Bay (10-6)
#5 Dallas (10-6) at #4 San Francisco (9-7)

Divisional Round
TBD at #1 Philadelphia (11-5)
TBD at #2 New Orleans (10-6)

AFC:
Wild Card Round
#6 Baltimore (10-6) at #3 Indianapolis (11-5)
#5 Houston (10-6) at #4 San Diego (9-7)

Divisional Round
TBD at #1 Pittsburgh (14-2)
TBD at #2 New England (12-4)