With five playoff spots, four division titles and both No. 1 seeds still up for grabs, Week 17 of the NFL season features only one game – Arizona at Atlanta – with no playoff implications.
Four teams – Tampa Bay, Washington, the Giants and Miami – can clinch playoff berths this week. The Buccaneers (7-8) can win the NFC South by simply beating Carolina. (Or not so simply, considering the division is a total mess and the Bucs lost to Carolina 21-3 earlier this season.)
The week ends with one of the better late-season "Monday Night Football" matchups: Buffalo (12-3) at Cincinnati (11-4). It's only the third time "MNF" has featured two teams with at least 11 wins apiece.
The Bills can clinch home-field advantage in the AFC with a win and a Chiefs loss. The Bengals can clinch the AFC North with a win or tie and a Baltimore loss.
- NFL scoreboard: Week 17 schedule, game previews, stats
Here are this week's games:
THURSDAY'S GAME
Cowboys (-13 ½) at Titans: The Titans aren't as good, they've lost five straight, Derrick Henry is hurt, Josh Dobbs is making his first NFL start at QB, and this game means nothing to them because, win or lose, they can still win the AFC South by beating the Jaguars next week. Add it up and it looks pretty good for Dallas. Cowboys 34, Titans 20
SUNDAY'S GAMES
Vikings (+3½) at Packers: Sorry, Purple Nation, but you aren't getting rid of Aaron Rodgers this easily. In what could be an elimination game for the Packers, Rodgers takes advantage of Lambeau Field and a mostly QB-friendly defense to keep alive the possibility of a third meeting come wild-card weekend. Packers 34, Vikings 31
Bears (+6½) at Lions: The Lions need to win out to have a chance at the playoffs. The Bears checked out a couple weeks ago. Lions 26, Bears 21
Saints (+6½) at Eagles: Jalen Hurts or/and Gardner Minshew will play well enough to outscore a Saints team that's averaging only 14.9 points while going 3-4 over the past seven games. Eagles 25, Saints 16
Dolphins (+2 ½) at Patriots: Patriots by 3
Colts (+5 ½) at Giants: Giants by 7
Jaguars (-4 ½) at Texans: Jaguars by 6
Cardinals (+3 ½) at Falcons: Falcons by 5
Broncos (+12 ½) at Chiefs: Chiefs by 10
Panthers (+3½) at Buccaneers: Buccaneers by 7
Browns (+2½) at Commanders: Browns by 3
49ers (-9½) at Raiders: 49ers by 7
Jets (-2 ½) at Seahawks: Seahawks by 3
Rams (+6 ½) at Chargers: Rams by 3
MONDAY'S GAME
Bills (-½) at Bengals: Cincinnati has won seven in a row. Buffalo has won six straight. In the first meeting between Joe Burrow and Josh Allen, Burrow wins a shootout to give him and his Bengals a 2-0 mark against Buffalo and K.C. this season. Bengals 38, Bills 35
UPSET SPECIAL
Steelers (+2½) at Ravens: Don't count the Steelers out just yet. With Baltimore still chasing after the AFC North title, Pittsburgh comes through with enough defense to win a low-scoring battle. Steelers 13, Ravens 10
Last week's Upset Special: Packers (+4½) 33, Dolphins 26. Final: Packers 26, Dolphins 20. Record: 5-11.
SEASON RESULTS
Straight up last week/season: 11-5/135-101-2.
Against the spread last week/season: 8-8/119-116-3.
Vikings picks: 9-6.