Week 17 NFL Picks: Predicting QBs Who Will Have Their Teams Flying High

Just because it's the last week of the season and some playoff teams have chosen to rest their starters doesn't mean that some of the year's best quarterbacks won't put up some serious yards and points on Sunday.

With much to play for, like playoff seeding, overall record and, of course, pride, these three top quarterbacks are going to have excellent outings in Week 17.

Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers (at New Orleans Saints)

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton has been the best rookie in the NFL this season, hands down, regardless of position.

He's the owner of both the single-season rookie passing record and the all-time single-season quarterback rushing touchdown record, and he has looked nothing but professional and elite throughout the season.

Now he and his team face the New Orleans Saints and their 30th-ranked pass defense that's giving up 238 yards per game. Newton, who has 3,983 passing yards for 20 touchdowns and 16 interceptions, and 674 rushing yards for 14 more scores, is averaging 259.5 passing yards per game and 44.9 rushing yards per game this season.

Against the Saints' porous secondary, he should have a big day in the air. While New Orleans is stronger at defending the run, the kinds of challenges that Newton's mobility has presented for opposing defenses should make for quite the high-scoring day for Newton, even if the Panthers do not win.

Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints (vs. Carolina Panthers)

With playoff seeding still worth playing for and the New Orleans Saints on a hot streak, quarterback Drew Brees will be playing a full four quarters this Sunday against the Carolina Panthers and their 26th-ranked pass defense.

No quarterback in the league, save the Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers, has had a better season than Brees, who is currently the owner of the single-season passing yardage record.

On the year, Brees has completed 70.7 percent of his passes, for 5,087 yards, 41 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, and he's averaging 339.1 passing yards per game.

It's safe to say that Brees will still be in top form this week and should lead his team to a close, high-scoring victory over the also-explosive Panthers.

Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions (at Green Bay Packers)

Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has always been pegged as one of the better passers in the NFL, but until this season, we've never seen just what he's capable of doing, with injuries marring both his 2009 and 2010 seasons.

Now that Stafford has remained healthy for a full regular season, it's apparent that he's on the verge of being one of the NFL's elite passers, and he should have ample opportunity to further state his case this week when he takes on the Green Bay Packers.

The Packers are giving up an average of 286.3 passing yards per game, good for the 31st pass defense in the league, while Stafford has averaged 301.2 passing yards per game through his first 15 games.

On the season, Stafford has thrown 385 completions for 4,518 yards, 36 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He put up 276 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions when the Lions and Packers first met this season on Thanksgiving, but this week will be quite different.

This week, the Lions have a lot to prove. They haven't reached the postseason since 1999, and a bit of momentum heading into the playoffs would do them a world of good.

If they can manage a win against the Packers (albeit primarily against their second-string, if recent reports are to be believed) this week, it will only help them heading into their first playoff game next week and in the event that they meet the Packers again in a few short weeks.

Stafford has been an excellent quarterback all season long and should have an excellent, 300-plus-yard outing this week.