NFL Week 17 Preview

As the NFL season is about to end and playoffs begin the first weekend of January, we still have 1 week left of the regular season, and 2 spots are up for grabs.  The AFC is set, but the NFC is wide-open.

I'll start with the AFC first.  At this point, Indianapolis is locked in as the 5-seed in the playoffs, while Cincinnati grabs the other wild-card spot.  We can assume that Baltimore is the 4-seed and will host Andrew Luck and the Colts either Saturday night or Sunday afternoon.  The rest of the seedings will be determined on Sunday.  Houston, right now #1, travels to Lucas Oil Stadium for a rematch against the Colts who they defeated back in Week 15.  I figure that starters like QB Matt Schaub nor RB Arian Foster (who had a hamstring injury last week) will not be rested, instead focusing on homefield advantage.  However, if the Texans do lose, the worse they can end up is a #3 seed and a rematch of last year's Wild-Card matchup against the Bengals. 

Meanwhile the red-hot Denver Broncos are the #2 seed and have won 10 straight games.  Well, it will be 11 this Sunday as they host the 2-13 Kansas City Chiefs.  Look to be sure Peyton Manning will start, question is will he play all game?  If it's a blowout, it will rest and Brock Osweiler will see snaps under center.  Denver wins, they will be at worse a 2-seed with a 1st-round playoff bye.  However, if the Texans lose, the Broncos get homefield advantage at Sports Authority Field.

New England has had an roller-coaster season as well, losing tough matches to Seattle and San Francisco and they will play host to Miami on Sunday to finish off the 2012 season, but if the Patriots want to advance their playoff seed, they need help.  First thing the Patriots need to do is win.  The game time is at 4:25pm but the problem is Houston plays at 1pm.  The scenario the Pats need for a 1st-round bye is a win PLUS either Houston or Denver loses.  Let's say Houston loses, all the Pats need to do is win.  If the Texans win, they need the Broncos to lose (also a 4:25pm start).  Gonna be interesting as the night goes.  The homefield advantage scenario is harder because the Patriots need both HOU and DEN to lose.  My guess is that Brady starts, and then see Ryan Mallett get snaps under center. 

The NFC playoff picture is more complicated.  Atlanta has the homefield advantage and already locked up the #1 seed.  Green Bay travels to Minnesota for a 4:25pm contest and if the Packers beat AP and the Vikings, they will lock up the #2 seed.  San Francisco holds the tiebreaker over Seattle in the NFC West and a win or a Seahawks loss will give them the division.  The 49ers however could get the #2 seed if the Vikings win.  Seattle has locked up a playoff berth.  Right now they are the #5 seed, but can move up if they win and Arizona beats San Francisco to win division, and possibly could get the #2 seed if Green Bay also loses.  I believe that these scenarios won't happen and the Seahawks end up as a wild-card team.  The one thing I'll admit is that I think Seattle is a very tough team and that QB Russell Wilson can definitely be a great leader for this team for years to come.

Minnesota can clinch a playoff berth if they beat the Packers at home or a loss by Chicago (another scenario features losses by DAL & NYG).  Chicago has a tougher route as they must beat Detroit and also has to root for Green Bay to beat the Vikings.  Between these 2 NFC North teams that has a chance to play in January, the Vikings have a better shot.  And this leads to my last part of the preview: NFC East.

Always the most intriguing division in the NFL is the NFC East and the marquee matchup of the weekend of course features my beloved Dallas Cowboys as they travel to DC to face the Redskins.  The last time these 2 met was on Thanksgiving, and RG3 put on a clinic at Jerryworld and won that matchup but this game is important for BOTH teams: Win and your in, lose and go home.  The Redskins do have a shot at a playoff berth if they lose and that is both the Bears & Vikings also lose earlier in the day.  Cowboys can only win if they want to play in January.  The Giants, who had very good chances 2 weeks ago to be in the playoffs have diminished greatly, losing big to Atlanta & Baltimore last 2 games, now face Michael Vick & the Eagles come 1pm.  The Giants need to win, but they also need Dallas, Chicago & Minnesota all to lose. 

As I close, here's my predictions of what the seedings will look like for both conferences.

AFC: Houston, Denver, New England, Baltimore, Indy, Cincinnati
NFC: Atlanta, Green Bay, San Francisco, Dallas, Seattle, Minnesota