NFL Week 17 Picks: 6 Games That Will Settle the NFL Playoff Picture

There is only one week of regular season NFL football left to play, and Week 17 won't fail to please. There are six games on this week's schedule that will finally settle the participants in the playoff picture. 

There are seven teams vying for three playoff spots, and the majority of them will exit Week 17's action with a bitter taste in their mouths.

It seems fitting to me that these games are all being played on January 1, 2012. After all, this is when the next season really begins in the NFL: the playoffs.

Tennessee Titans @ Houston Texans

Will this be the game that Chris Johnson finally...never mind; I'm over that. I am pumped for this game, though. 

The Tennessee Titans need some help, along with a win, to get into the 2011 NFL playoffs. The win will be tough enough, but I'll get to that in a minute.

First, let's look at what needs to happen in order for the Titans to get into the playoffs: They would need to win and the Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos need to lose.

The Titans did put up 24 points against a tough Jacksonville Jaguars defense, and I expect them to put up a good fight.

The game is in Houston, though, and I am predicting that the Texans defense will be tough with the extra energy they'll receive from the fans. Remember, Houston has never reached the postseason until this year. 

Prediction: Texans win at home, 24-13, wiping out the Titans' playoff dreams.

New York Jets @ Miami Dolphins

Reggie Bush has found his groove, and that spells trouble for the New York Jets in their Week 17 matchup against the Miami Dolphins.

The Jets have floundered all season long under the poor leadership of head coach Rex Ryan. His loud-mouthed bursts of hot air have filled his team with a false sense of entitlement for respect that is only earned through a steady display of consistent on-field excellence. 

Tony Sparano was abused by Stephen Ross, and his former players know it. The team has been playing some of the best football in the league for the last couple of months.

They have the motivation to keep playing with passion, especially given the fact that Jason Taylor will be playing the final game of his career in front of loyal fans that will come out in droves to cheer him on. 

Prediction: Jets go home with heads hung low as the Dolphins trounce them at home, 31-13.

Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals

I will be furious if fans don't pack Paul Brown stadium when the Baltimore Ravens visit the Cincinnati Bengals. This is the biggest game in the history of this franchise, given that Andy Dalton and A.J. Green might become the next Montana/Rice.

I wonder how tough it would be to go out for your Week 17 playoff-clinching game against your bitter rivals only to see the stadium half-empty. 

What I'm trying to say here is that all you Bengals fans need to pack that stadium and watch your band of misfits beat the Ravens on their way to the playoffs.

Prediction: The crowd shows up and the Bengals beat the Ravens, 24-21.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Denver Broncos

Honestly, is there a writer out there that can write a better script than the reality of this game? Kyle Orton returns to the place that scorned him for a quarterback that isn't even a quarterback. That must burn him up inside. 

Orton hasn't been sharp, though, and he'll need to be on his game because the Denver Broncos will be bringing the heat. The Broncos defense has been good at home this year, and fans are pumped up about this game in a way that they haven't been in almost a decade.

Tim Tebow will need to be better this week than he has been lately. Tamba Hali is in a mood to destroy quarterbacks lately, and he'll be coming around the corner on a regular basis.

In the end, this game will come down to the Broncos' running game. Will they be able to chew up yards and clock enough to dominate the time of possession battle and keep Orton off the field?

Prediction: Broncos dominate at home, winning 24-12.

San Diego Chargers @ Oakland Raiders

Whatever was wrong with Philip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers earlier this year just isn't anymore. The Chargers will be too much offense for the Oakland Raiders and Carson Palmer.

The biggest disappointment for the Raiders and their fans this year besides losing Jason Campbell to a broken clavicle was losing Darren McFadden to his nagging foot injury. McFadden is unequivocally talented, but the guy just can't seem to stay healthy. 

Prediction: Raiders lose at home to a red-hot Rivers, 38-27, and the Raiders endure an offseason full of turmoil and doubts. 

Dallas Cowboys @ New York Giants

This game, above all the rest, is why I love the NFL's decision to keep most of the divisional games until the end of the season. The New York Giants host the Dallas Cowboys in the final game of the 2011 regular season, and the winner gets the last spot in the NFC. 

The drama will build all day long, as all the other playoff spots become established and only one spot remains. 

Victor Cruz was too much for the vaunted New York Jets secondary in the Giants' Week 16 win, and I don't believe the Cowboys secondary will have any luck either in Week 17.

The Cowboys have been hit hard by injuries to end this season, and I believe it will be their doom. 

Prediction: Giants offense blows up at home and wins 35-24.