NFL Week 17 Picks: Guaranteed Winners for Regular-Season Finale

The 2013 NFL regular season is going to go out with a bang. In 13 of the 16 games scheduled for the week, there are playoff implications. 

Not one of the four NFC divisions has crowned a champion. 

Fans will not only have to root for their favorite team—they are also going to have to root for scenarios that will help their team's postseason chances.

Of course, if patience isn't your strength, skip past all that and check out my full list of predictions for the week and a deeper look at three teams guaranteed to find victory this week. 

Date	Time (ET)	Away	Home	Picks
Dec. 29	1 p.m.	Cleveland Browns	Pittsburgh Steelers	Steelers
Dec. 29	1 p.m.	Washington Redskins	New York Giants	Giants
Dec. 29	1 p.m.	Baltimore Ravens	Cincinnati Bengals	Bengals
Dec. 29	1 p.m.	Houston Texans	Tennessee Titans	Titans
Dec. 29	1 p.m.	Jacksonville Jaguars	Indianapolis Colts	Colts
Dec. 29	1 p.m.	New York Jets	Miami Dolphins	Dolphins
Dec. 29	1 p.m.	Detroit Lions	Minnesota Vikings	Vikings
Dec. 29	1 p.m.	Carolina Panthers	Atlanta Falcons	Panthers
Dec. 29	4:25 p.m.	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	New Orleans Saints	Saints
Dec. 29	4:25 p.m.	Buffalo Bills	New England Patriots	Patriots
Dec. 29	4:25 p.m.	St. Louis Rams	Seattle Seahawks	Seahawks
Dec. 29	4:25 p.m.	Green Bay Packers	Chicago Bears	Bears
Dec. 29	4:25 p.m.	San Francisco 49ers	Arizona Cardinals	Cardinals
Dec. 29	4:25 p.m.	Denver Broncos	Oakland Raiders	Raiders
Dec. 29	4:25 p.m.	Kansas City Chiefs	San Diego Chargers	Chargers

Indianapolis Colts

Week 17 Opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

The Colts have been less than impressive in the second half of the season. They are, however, putting together a strong close to the season. The Colts have won their last two games, against the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs, by the combined score of of 48-10.

This week, the Colts get the Jacksonville Jaguars to close out the season. The Jags have been far more competitive in the second half of the season. Still, they haven't beaten a team with a winning record all season. 

The first time these two met, the Colts trounced the Jags 37-3. Jacksonville's offense is playing better football now, but it still has mustered just 36 combined points over the last two games against the less-than-elite defenses of the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans. 

The Jags will struggle against a Colts defense that has been on lock down the last two weeks.

The Colts do have the AFC South locked, so there is the fear that they won't play their starters the entire game. If neither the Cincinnati Bengals or the New England Patriots win, however, the Colts can still earn a first-round bye.  

Denver Broncos

Week 17 Opponent: at Oakland Raiders

Typically, I shy away from picking the away team in a divisional rivalry game. They seem to be a ripe setting for upsets.

The Denver Broncos, however, have not come this far to lose out on the AFC's No. 1 seed by losing to a four-win Raiders team.

The Broncos beat the Raiders by 16 in Week 2. In that game, Peyton Manning found little resistance. He finished the game with just five incompletions out of 37 passes with 374 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

The Raiders' current five-game losing streaks tells that Oakland is not any better prepared to slow down Manning than they were then.

Terrelle Pryor returns under center for the Raiders, and there is a chance that he sparks the offense. He won't spark it enough to keep up with the Broncos, however.  

Drama has accompanied Pryor's return, as his agent criticized head coach Dennis Allen for his handling of Pryor and said that the coach was setting up his client to fail. Allen fired back at the agent, but there is the concern that the coach and the player will not be on the same page—especially considering the fact that this may be Allen's last game: 

The Denver Broncos will cruise in this game and lock up home-field advantage. 

Philadelphia Eagles  

Week 17 Opponent: Dallas Cowboys

There is a big question mark hanging over this battle that will determine the champion of the NFC East. That would be the one hanging over Tony Romo:

This pick is not dependent upon the status of Romo, however. 

The Dallas Cowboys' abysmal defense is going to keep them out of the playoffs. The Cowboys allow the 27th-most yards in passing and the 31st-most yards in rushing. 

That isn't going to cut it against this Eagles team. 

Philadelphia is first in both yards per pass and yards per rush. They will be able to dictate the action to the Cowboys defense. 

Meanwhile, the Cowboys won't be able to rely on their surging run game. The Eagles allow the fourth-fewest yards per rush in the NFL. 

This game may be close until the fourth quarter, but the Eagles will pull out the win. 

All playoff scenarios via NFL.com. All stats via TeamRankings.com.