NFL Predictions Week 17: Odds, Picks and Projections for Final Schedule

The new year begins by ending the NFL season. Rather than spread the games throughout the week, the NFL will enlist all 32 teams to fill one last hectic Sunday.

One (two if the Broncos lose) playoff spot remains up for grabs, but everyone besides the Washington Redskins can alter their seeding Sunday. Three divisions remain in limbo, including one decided directly by Sunday night's season finale.

Games that only matter for pride are especially hard to peg, so let's examine two colossal NFC matchups after highlighting Week 17's early odds, courtesy of Odds Shark. 

Away	Home	Odds	Pick
New Orleans Saints	Atlanta Falcons	ATL -4	31-28 ATL
New York Jets	Buffalo Bills	NYJ -2.5	24-23 BUF
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Carolina Panthers	CAR -11.5	23-20 CAR
Detroit Lions	Chicago Bears	Even	24-21 DET
Baltimore Ravens	Cincinnati Bengals	CIN -7	23-13 CIN
Pittsburgh Steelers	Cleveland Browns	PIT -11	33-13 PIT
Washington Redskins	Dallas Cowboys	WAS -4	14-12 WAS
Jacksonville Jaguars	Houston Texans	HOU -6.5	28-26 HOU
Tennessee Titans	Indianapolis Colts	IND -6	20-17 IND
Oakland Raiders	Kansas City Chiefs	KC -7	23-14 KC
New England Patriots	Miami Dolphins	NE -9	30-20 NE
Philadelphia Eagles	New York Giants	NYG -3	34-31 NYG
Seattle Seahawks	Arizona Cardinals	ARI -4.5	30-24 ARI
San Diego Chargers	Denver Broncos	DEN -7.5	20-13 DEN
St. Louis Rams	San Francisco 49ers	STL -3	17-15 STL
Minnesota Vikings	Green Bay Packers	GB -3	27-24 MIN

Arizona Cardinals (-4.5) vs. Seattle Seahawks

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

After Week 16, most observers will have a new answer to "Who's the best team in the NFL?"

On a day when the Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers all lost in concerning fashion, the Arizona Cardinals thoroughly annihilated the playoff-bound Green Bay Packers.

Arizona, which has secured a first-round bye with a nine-game winning streak, recorded more sacks (nine) than Packers points in a 38-8 blowout. According to ESPN Stats & Info, the Cardinals broke a record as old as defensive end Calais Campbell:

Ranking first in point differential (plus-206) and total offense, the Cardinals look nearly unstoppable. Unfortunately, the Seahawks soiled this game's build by dropping their second loss of the year to the St. Louis Rams, ending a five-game winning streak that put them back on the list of title contenders.

Most head coaches keep their plans quiet, but Cardinals coach Bruce Arians promptly declared his intentions of not resting any starters, per ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss.

“We’re playing so well right now,” Arians said. “I don’t want to change any way that we prepare. ... We know that we’re going to get a week to rest anyways so we’ll have plenty of rest.”

Six weeks ago, Carson Palmer torched Seattle's secondary for 363 yards and three scores during a 39-32 road victory. Running back Chris Johnson absorbed 23 ineffective carries for 58 yards, but rookie David Johnson is embracing the starting spotlight, compiling 4.9 yards per rush.

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

If there's one legitimate worry to take away from Seattle's loss, it's the running backs combined for 21 yards on 15 handoffs. Against elevated competition, the wild-card winner misses Marshawn Lynch and Thomas Rawls. Arizona, ranked No. 4 against the run, proved its defense is just as lethal as its offense.

A Seahawks upset would add to the league's confusing chaos, but trust the NFL's most well-rounded team to upend a division rival at home.

Minnesota Vikings (+3) at Green Bay Packers

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

They entered their last showdown tied, but those identical records didn't seem like a proper evaluation at the time. Despite three straight losses, a 6-0 start for the Packers remained fresh enough in everyone's mind to expect a rebound. The Minnesota Vikings, meanwhile, didn't pack much punch in close victories.

They're even again at 10-5, but Minnesota sports a better scoring margin (plus-56) than Green Bay (plus-52.) That will happen when one club faces the NFL's best offense, while the other enjoys the New York Giants' league-worst defense and equally inept passing attack without the suspended Odell Beckham Jr.

Before selling the astronomical stakes of Sunday night's winner-take-all showdown for the NFC North division title, the losing team might receive a better playoff path.

If they lose to the Cardinals, the Seahawks would lock into the No. 6 seed. This means the NFC North champion hosts the Seahawks, while the loser instead goes to Washington. No team will ever admit to preferring one matchup over another, but the lower seed clearly nets an easier opponent.

Don't bother saying that to the Vikings, who are searching for their first division title since 2009. “I’m tired of watching Green Bay win it ever year, so [beating the Packers is] our No. 1 goal right now,” guard Brandon Fusco said, per the Star Tribune's Matt Vensel.

Green Bay's offense keeps crumbling around Aaron Rodgers, who has thrown seven touchdowns and four picks over the last five games. Suddenly, its biggest strength actually doesn't even exist over Minnesota's No. 31-ranked passing offense, as noted by NBC Sports' Aaron Gleeman:

For the Packers to duplicate Week 11's 30-13 victory, they'll again set their sights on silencing Adrian Peterson. The NFL's leading rusher posted 45 yards on 13 handoffs, and the Vikings are 2-5 when he fails to record at least 100 total yards.

His quiet performance was an especially unusual result considering Green Bay has yielded 4.5 yards per rush this season. A progressing Vikings passing attack creates enough of a threat to respect, and Eddie Lacy is far less trustworthy to compile 100 yards on the ground again.

They have already lost to the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears at home, so picking against the Packers at Lambeau Field is no longer sacrilege. Nobody is blocking defenders or getting open for Rodgers, so look for the Vikings to disrupt his pocket and steal a close game.