NFL Playoff Picture Week 17: Predicting Games That'll Shape Postseason Landscape

Despite the fact that only two playoff spots will be up for grabs in Week 17 of the NFL season, there will be no shortage of excitement Sunday as the regular season concludes.

The AFC and NFC have qualified five teams each for the postseason thus far; however, a lot of movement could potentially occur in terms of the seeding. Home-field advantage is huge come playoff time, so most teams will play as hard as possible to earn at least one home game.

With the playoffs quickly approaching, here is a look at how three of the biggest Week 17 games with postseason implications are likely to play out.

Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons

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Things looked dire for the Carolina Panthers when a Week 13 loss to the Minnesota Vikings dropped them to 3-8-1, but with three consecutive victories since then, they are now essentially in a one-game playoff to reach the postseason.

The Panthers will travel to Atlanta to take on the Falcons, who eliminated the New Orleans Saints from NFC South contention last week. Although the winner of this game will end up with a losing record, they will be a divisional champion and host a Wild Card Weekend contest to boot.

Atlanta would seem to have the advantage on the surface since it is at home and already beat the Panthers in Week 11. With that said, though, Carolina is on a three-game winning streak, and it is starting to play like the team that went 12-4 last season.

The Panthers' defense was elite in 2013, and while that hasn't been the case for most of 2014, they are allowing just 10 points per game over their past three tilts.

Carolina also has the benefit of quarterback Cam Newton, who has been among the best late-season signal-callers in football in recent years, according to ESPN Stats & Info:

Newton returned to action last week and beat the Cleveland Browns after fracturing his back in a car accident the previous week. He played an extremely strong game, and he has a great outlook entering Week 17, per Mark Inabinett of AL.com:

"

You've just got to win the day. You can't look back at what you've done. You can't look forward all the way at what's up ahead. You just have to seize each and every moment. Carpe diem. Make the most of each and every opportunity you get. If we came out here and laid an egg, all that would have been for naught what the Falcons did with New Orleans. Coach always speaks on handle what we can handle, controlling our inner APE, and that's our attitude, our preparation and our effort.

"

The Falcons certainly can't be discounted since Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and Roddy White have done some special things within the confines of the Georgia Dome over the years, but with the Panthers playing such inspired football, it is easier to envision them seizing the No. 4 seed in the NFC.

San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs

There is still work to be done before the San Diego Chargers can call themselves a playoff team, but there is no doubt that they have a golden opportunity in front of them.

The Bolts simply need to win in Week 17 to qualify for the postseason. While beating the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium is never an easy task, San Diego has benefited from some of KC's misfortunes leading up to the contest.

Kansas City is technically still alive, although it needs to win and have both the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans lose. Even completing the first part of the equation will be difficult, though, as quarterback Alex Smith is out with a lacerated spleen, according to SportsCenter:

Smith may not be an elite signal-caller, but with 19 total touchdowns and just six turnovers on the season, he helps the Chiefs immensely in terms of avoiding negative plays.

With Smith on the shelf, backup Chase Daniel will make his second career start, per ESPN Stats & Info:

Interesting enough, Daniel's first start was also against the Chargers in Week 17 one year ago, and he played quite well. He threw for 200 yards and one touchdown as the Chiefs almost upset the Bolts and prevented them from making the playoffs before falling just short.

Daniel isn't incompetent by any means, but he is being placed in a tough situation. The Chargers are coming off an emotional comeback win over the San Francisco 49ers, and they won't let this chance pass them by.

St. Louis Rams at Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks rode home-field advantage all the way to the Super Bowl last season, and they are one win away from potentially carving out the same path this year.

Seattle is currently the NFC's No. 1 seed despite dealing with some bumps in the road over the course of the season, and a victory over the St. Louis Rams in Week 17 will clinch both the NFC West title and the all-important top seed.

Nobody wants to play the Seahawks at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, and everyone affiliated with the team is aware of that. The Rams are the only ones standing in the Seahawks way, but they aren't likely to pose much of a threat based on how well Seattle has been playing.

The Seahawks are in the midst of a five-game winning streak that has seen them allow less than seven points per contest, according to ESPN Stats & Info:

Their defense is so dominant, in fact, that they don't necessarily have to be perfect in other facets of the game, per ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky:

Seattle has played well offensively, too, though, with quarterback Russell Wilson and running back Marshawn Lynch leading the way.

Although the Rams upset the Seahawks in St. Louis in Week 7, they aren't a true threat to repeat the feat. Playing in Seattle is a totally different animal, and there simply isn't another team playing close to the Seahawks' level right now.

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