NFL Picks Week 17: Picking This Week's Surest Bets

While nothing is certain in the NFL, especially during what has been a crazy 2011 season, the schedule for Week 17 features two games that are almost sure bets. 

On Sunday afternoon, the 12-3 San Francisco 49ers travel to St. Louis to take on the 2-13 Rams, and it should be a blowout. The 49ers have stumbled a bit after a 9-1 start, but Alex Smith and company still look like a serious contender in the NFC. What's more, a win on Sunday can secure a first-round bye in the playoffs.

San Francisco has been dominant defensively all season while they have rushed the ball exceptionally well on offense behind running back Frank Gore. Meanwhile, St. Louis is struggling on both sides of the ball. They currently rank 30th in the NFL in passing offense (178.0 yards per game) and 23rd in rushing offense (103.7 yards per game). They are also surrendering a league-worst 154.5 rushing yards per game.

St. Louis is currently on a six-game losing streak. As a team, they have looked completely lost over that stretch. San Francisco has continued to win by beating up its opponents on both sides of the ball with a punishing run defense and bruising running on offense. Both teams will continue on those trends this week as Jim Harbaugh's squad will move to 13-3 and secure the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs.

Like the 49ers, the 9-6 Atlanta Falcons have already secured a playoff berth. On Sunday, they host the struggling 4-11 Tampa Bay Buccaneers in what should be a playoff tune-up for Atlanta.

The Falcons were smoked by the New Orleans Saints 45-16 on Monday night and will be looking to regroup and get on a positive roll heading into the postseason. Luckily for Atlanta, the Bucs have fallen completely flat after a somewhat promising 4-2 start. Since then, Tampa Bay has lost nine-straight games and has looked like one of the league's worst teams in the process.

The Bucs are a mess defensively and rank 24th in the league in pass defense (allowing 242.5 yards per game) and 31st in run defense (allowing 149.7 yards per game). When they are clicking, the Falcons have the potential to be as balanced offensively as any team in the NFL. With Matt Ryan under center and Michael Turner pounding the ball, they have as good a run-pass combination as anyone in the league.

The problem for Atlanta this season has been consistency. I think the Falcons will find it on Sunday and blast the Bucs, which will help build momentum for a playoff run.