NFL Week 17 Picks: Odds, Over-Under Prediction for Every Game

The last gameweek of the NFL regular season is supposed to be about the matchups that decide division championships and playoff opportunities.

There is some of that in Week 17 but not the plethora of such games that fans have gotten used to seeing during the final week of the regular season. The New Orleans Saints are in line to win the NFC South, but if they lose to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Carolina Panthers beat the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina will win the division title.

The Falcons and Seattle Seahawks are battling for the final NFC wild-card spot, while four teams are fighting for the two AFC wild-card spots.

Pro football handicappers are not always interested in the most "important" games. Instead, the key is finding the most predictable matchups in the final gameweek to make up for a season of lost chances.

Here's a look at the point spreads of every Week 17 game, followed by some analysis of three of the contests.

NFL Week 17 Matchups, Odds

Chicago at Minnesota (-11.5) | O/U 39.5

Cleveland at Pittsburgh (-10.5) | O/U 38

Dallas (-2.5) at Philadelphia | O/U 39.5

Green Bay at Detroit (-6.5)  | O/U 43

Houston at Indianapolis (-3.5) | O/U 41

N.Y. Jets at New England (-15.5)  | O/U 44

Washington (-3) at N.Y. Giants | O/U 38

Arizona at Seattle (-9.5)  | O/U 39

Buffalo (-2.5) at Miami | O/U 42.5

Carolina at Atlanta (-4)  | O/U 46.5

Cincinnati at Baltimore (-9.5) | O/U 40.5

Jacksonville at Tennessee (-3.5)  | O/U 41.5

Kansas City at Denver (-3.5)  | O/U 38

New Orleans (-7) at Tampa Bay | O/U 50.5

Oakland at L.A. Chargers (-8)  | O/U 42

San Francisco (-1.5) at L.A. Rams   | O/U 44

Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings

The Chicago Bears are playing out the string in what could be John Fox's last game as head coach, while the Minnesota Vikings are preparing for what could be a long run in the playoffs.

The Vikings come into this game in the No. 2 spot in the NFC playoff structure, and a win guarantees they will remain there. If they lose, they could be surpassed by the Carolina Panthers, but that is an unlikely scenario.

Don't expect Mike Zimmer's team to relax, at least not until they have this game in hand. 

Chicago quarterback Mitchell Trubisky has made some progress during his rookie season, but he still has much to prove as he prepares to make his 12th start of the year. He is competing against one of the NFL's elite teams and best defenses, and it's a major test of how much he has improved.

While it's not likely Trubisky will have a big game, the Bears want to see how he comports himself against upper-level competition. If he has a panic-ridden game that includes multiple fumbles and interceptions, it will likely indicate he could have more difficulty in the 2018 season.

Minnesota quarterback Case Keenum has been the architect of many of Minnesota's major accomplishments this season. He has proved to be an accurate passer who can get away from the pass rush. He has done an exceptional on short- and medium-range throws, and his 21-7 TD-interception ratio demonstrates he has been effective throughout the season.

Adam Thielen, Stefon Diggs and tight end Kyle Rudolph have given Keenum an array of receivers who can make plays in crucial situations, and they should be prepared for big games against a Chicago defense that has been hurt by injuries in the second half of the year.

Trubisky does not have the kind of receivers who can affect the game like Minnesota's trio. Jordan Howard and rookie Tarik Cohen form a talented running back duo, but it won't be enough against a Minnesota defense that is coming off a road shutout of the Green Bay Packers.

The Vikings are 11.5-point favorites over the Bears. Don't expect Chicago to stay in this game much past the first quarter. Minnesota will close the regular season in strong fashion and punish their longtime NFC North rivals.

New York Jets at New England Patriots

The New England Patriots have one step left to take in order to accomplish their primary regular-season goal, which means they need to come up with a victory over the New York Jets in their Week 17 game.

If the Patriots win, they will earn the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs and have home-field advantage in every game prior to the Super Bowl.

If they somehow lose to the undermanned Jets, that would open the door for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Mike Tomlin's team is in the No. 2 position, and they face the winless Cleveland Browns in their regular-season finale.

Pats head coach Bill Belichick is not taking this game for granted, even though the Jets will start Bryce Petty at quarterback because Josh McCown's season ended with a hand injury and consequent surgery in mid-December.

Meanwhile, quarterback Tom Brady will be in his usual position with the Patriots, and that means the Jets defense will be under attack. He will have his choice of pass-catchers, including Rob Gronkowski, Danny Amendola, Brandin Cooks and James White, and the Jets defense is not capable of slowing down a motivated Patriots team.

This game will belong to New England, but what of the monstrous 15.5-point spread? It's hard to see the Jets scoring more than two touchdowns, while the Pats should easily score five or more. We will swallow hard and lay the points with the defending Super Bowl champions.

Oakland Raiders at Los Angeles Chargers

Both of these teams had their chances to win the AFC West title, but neither could handle the Kansas City Chiefs when the season was on the line.

Kansas City beat the Oakland Raiders in Week 14 and Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15. While the Raiders have struggled since their loss, the Chargers came through with a much-needed win over the Jets, and that means they are still alive for playoff consideration.

While they are on the outside looking in, the Chargers can earn a spot if they win this game and the Tennessee Titans lose to the Jacksonville Jaguars (as long as the Baltimore Ravens win or the Buffalo Bills lose).

The Chargers have a much better offense than the Raiders. L.A. quarterback Philip Rivers has averaged 267.7 passing yards per game while throwing 25 TD passes and just 10 interceptions. He has cut down on his turnovers since the Chargers turned their season around in October.

Keenan Allen is one of the most acrobatic and athletic receivers, while Tyrell Williams is a fine complementary pass-catcher. Melvin Gordon has rushed for 1,012 yards and eight touchdowns, and the Chargers are functioning quite well.

The Raiders can't say the same thing, as signal-caller Derek Carr has had an ordinary season that has been blighted by injuries. Wideout Amari Cooper has struggled badly and Michael Crabtree has not been able to overcome his partner's struggles. Oakland probably doesn't need to tear down the house in the offseason, but it does have to play much better in 2018.

The Chargers are eight-point favorites, and the Raiders have not demonstrated the offensive abilities to stay close to a team that can move the ball like Los Angeles. The Chargers win and cover.

All point-spread information according to OddsShark.