NFL Picks Week 17: NY Giants and Winners of Games with Playoff Implications

Most of the NFL Playoff teams are set, but there is still some positioning and a few spots to determine. The big one is Dallas and New York. The winner wins the NFC East and claims the final playoff spot. It is the Sunday Night game, and it'll be the final regular season game of the season.

Here are my predictions for each of the Week 17 games with playoff implications.

Carolina at New Orleans

What's at stake?

The Saints 

clinch a first-round bye with:

• a win plus 49ers loss or tie or
• a tie plus 49ers loss

Drew Brees will look to add to his record for single season passing yards. The Panthers have won two in a row, and the defense has played better in those games. They have only allowed 14.5 points per game during this span, but those games were against the injury riddled Houston Texans and the terrible Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Neither of those teams provide the type of offensive explosiveness that the Saints do. Though the Panthers only lost to the Saints 30-27 in their first meeting, New Orleans is on a mission right now.

The Panthers, led by Cam Newton, will lose, despite a spirited effort. The Saints will wait on the Niners to see if they have a first-round bye.

Saints 34 Panthers 24

Buffalo at New England

What's at Stake?

Patriots 

clinch home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:

• a win or tie or
• Ravens loss or tie plus Steelers loss or tie

The Pats are looking to lock up the conference and avenge an early season loss by defeating the Bills. The concerns that plagued the Pats early in the season have all but disappeared amidst their seven consecutive victories. In contrast, the optimism for the Bills has completely vanished, as they ended a seven game losing streak last week vs. Denver.

The Bills defense has fallen apart, and their once powerful offense has become subdued. They scored 20 points only two times since Week 8.

The Patriots will win this, and don't be surprised to see Tom Brady crank it up to possibly make the race for the single season passing yards record a little close with Drew Brees. Patriots will gain the home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Patriots 44 Bills 17

NY Jets at Miami

What's at Stake?

Jets

clinch a wild-card spot with:

• a win plus Bengals loss plus Titans loss or tie plus Raiders loss or tie or
• a win plus Bengals loss plus Titans loss or tie plus Broncos loss or tie

The Jets need a win and a prayer to make the postseason. Even if they were to receive all the help they need, knocking off Miami won't be an easy task. The Dolphins will be playing without Reggie Bush, but the defense is still formidable.

In typical Jets fashion, they will defeat the Fins, but two or more of the teams they need to lose won't.

Jets end a disappointing season 9-7 and are out of the playoffs.

Jets 21 Dolphins 10

San Francisco at St. Louis

What's at Stake?

49ers

clinch a first-round bye with:

• a win or
• a tie plus a Saints loss or tie or
• a Saints loss

The Niners' nasty run defense and opportunistic secondary will be too much for the Rams. Snuffing Steven Jackson and the running game will set Sam Bradford and the Rams up for the turnovers that have fueled the Niners' season. 

Despite their number one rush defense and strong run game, the Niners are +26 in the turnover game. That is tops in the league, and it figures to grow on Sunday.

49ers 20 Rams 6

Tennessee at Houston

What's at Stake?

clinch a wild-card spot with:

• a win plus Bengals loss plus Jets win plus Raiders loss or tie or
• a win plus Bengals loss plus Jets win plus Broncos loss or tie or
• a win plus Bengals loss plus Jets loss or tie plus Raiders win plus Broncos win

This game means nothing to the Texans, and they should take this opportunity to rest players. The most important player to their success they won't get back in Matt Schaub, but the other players of concern should get the day off.

The Titans are another team that needs tons of help to get in. The Texans, who will likely be running on cruise control, are struggling badly on offense. They have lost two in a row to Carolina and Indianapolis. The Titans are in better shape with injuries and they need it more.

Titans 21 Texans 10

Kansas City at Denver

What's at Stake?

 clinch AFC West Division with:

• a win or
• a tie plus Raiders loss or tie or
• Raiders loss

Tim Tebow and the Broncos cannot make the playoffs as a wild card. They have been exposed over the past two weeks by the Patriots and the Bills. The two common factors those teams have is an effective passing game.

The Broncos defense has not been the same since Brian Dawkins was injured. He missed the Patriots game and was not 100 percent last week against the Bills. He has been officially listed as doubtful for Sunday.

Kyle Orton will desperately want to stick it to the Broncos for benching him. This will be a spirited and close ball game. I think the Chiefs are playing better right now, and though I'd like to see Tebow lead his team into the playoffs, the Chiefs will win.

Chiefs 16 Broncos 10

Baltimore at Cincinnati

What's at Stake?

Ravens 

• clinch AFC North Division and a first-round bye with:
  • a win or
  • a tie plus Steelers loss or tie or
  • Steelers loss
• clinch home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
  • a win plus Patriots loss

Bengals

clinch a wild-card spot with:

• a win or tie or
• Jets loss or tie plus Raiders loss or tie or
• Jets loss or tie plus Broncos loss or tie

The Bengals simply have to win, but that is no easy task. The Ravens are among the NFL's elite, and the Bengals are winless against teams that are in the playoffs, including a 31-24 loss to the Ravens in Week 11.

The Ravens have been a bit inconsistent, but this experienced and focused defense will bring it Sunday. They will feast on Andy Dalton and eliminate the Bengals from the playoffs as the Jets will win.

Pittsburgh at Cleveland

What's at Stake?

Steelers 

• clinch AFC North Division and a first-round bye with:
  • a win plus Ravens loss or tie or
  • a tie plus Ravens loss
• clinch home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
  • a win plus Ravens loss or tie plus Patriots loss

The Steelers are one of the top three teams in the NFL when they are healthy and clicking. They should be able to win this game, even resting Ben Roethlisberger, which they should do.

The Browns defense has been solid this year, but their offense will struggle to reach the end zone against the Steelers.

Pittsburgh will gut this one out, hopefully with Charlie Batch, for their sake, but wins by the Patriots and Ravens will keep them in the three spot—even more reason to rest Roethlisberger. Winning the game isn't likely going to change their playoff position.

With Ben: Steelers 24 Browns 3

Without Ben: Steelers 14 Browns 6

San Diego at Oakland

What's at Stake?

Raiders 

• clinch AFC West Division with
  • a win plus Broncos loss or tie
  • a tie plus Broncos loss
• clinch a wild-card spot with:
  • a win plus Bengals loss plus Titans loss or tie
  • a win plus Bengals loss plus Jets win

Of these two teams, the Chargers have looked the most like a playoff team over the last four weeks. The Chargers' horrible mid-season and a loss last week has eliminated them, while the Raiders hang by a thread.

The Raiders' 16-13 win last week against Kansas City kept them alive and ended a three game losing streak. Can the Chargers play spoiler here? Yes, and they will.

The Raiders offense has been mistake prone, and Philip Rivers and his offense are finally on the same page. The Chargers will go into the Black Hole and eliminate the Chargers and send the Broncos to the playoffs as division champs.

Chargers 34 Raiders 20

Dallas at NY Giants

What's at Stake?

Cowboys 

clinch NFC East Division with:

• a win

Giants 

clinch NFC East Division with:

• a win or tie

This is the big one, and I predict a loss for Dallas will lead to a new regime. On the road, the Cowboys will have to show leadership that has yet to surface. They will be without DeMarco Murray, and the defense has underachieved.

Both of these teams are too talented to be in this position, but the Cowboys are especially disappointing. I believe it will continue with a Giants win behind a resurgent run game that has been the worst in the NFL this season.

Jason Garrett may very well be coaching his final game after this one.

Giants 23 Cowboys 16