NFL Week 17 Picks : Cincinnati Bengals and Teams Ready to Pull off an Upset

Week 17 brings different experiences for several NFL teams. Some are fighting for playoff berths, some are in line for top-five NFL Draft picks and there are teams that are looking to ruin others’ fortune. These three teams are ready to pull off an upset.

Detroit Lions

With Aaron Rodgers sitting on the bench for this game, Matt Flynn won’t be able to keep up with the high-powered offense of the Detroit Lions.

Detroit will be able to put up more points with Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson than the Packers will with Flynn. 

Stafford has thrown for 4,518 yards and 36 touchdowns and Johnson has grabbed 85 receptions for 1,437 and 15 touchdowns this season. They have one of the best quarterback-wide receiver combinations in the NFL.

This game is probably going to be a shootout, but I’ll take an established quarterback over a backup any day of the week.

Prediction: Lions 28, Packers 24

Miami Dolphins

Miami has been a dangerous team since November 6, 2011. If only they were in playoff contention because this team has a capable defense and offense, which most AFC teams can't say. 

Matt Moore has been playing unbelievable football. He has thrown 11 touchdowns to just two interceptions in his past six games.

The New York Jets have been spiraling out of control. They have lost two in a row and four of their past seven games.

It's not just Mark Sanchez that's struggling, it's both sides of the ball. 

New York’s defense has allowed 74 points in the past two games. Six times they have allowed 29 or more points this season.

Miami continues their hot play with a big upset victory that ruins the Jets' season. 

Prediction: Dolphins 20, Jets 16

Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati hasn’t defeated a top-tier team this season. They lost to San Francisco, Denver, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Houston. But each of those games was lost by seven points or less, so they are right where they want to be. 

The Bengals have a great defense. They are fifth against the rush and 12^th against the pass. They should be able to give rookie quarterback Andy Dalton opportunities to win the game on the offensive side of the ball.

Dalton has been solid this season. He has thrown for 3,166 yards and 20 touchdowns on the year. Interceptions have been a major downfall for Dalton. He must be able to protect the football unlike he has done this season (13 interceptions).

Baltimore is an awful road team this year. Every loss that they have seen has been on the road. Ray Rice only received a combined 36 carries in their losses. Seems like a simple fix, right? I guess not judging by their four losses.

They haven’t realized that Rice getting the ball 20 or more times per game gives them the best chance to succeed.

The Ravens are too concerned with making Joe Flacco look like a superstar rather than winning games.

Bengals pull off the upset at home finishing an incredible regular season for Marvin Lewis.

Prediction: Bengals 24, Ravens 21