Week 17 NFL Game Picks

 Here we are. The final two weeks of the regular season and with so much at stake. We have a historic amount of teams still alive in the playoff race making for some great matches this weekend. The way we pick the winners is going to be a little different this week, you will see. Lets get into the picks!

Week 16 Predictions Record: 12-4 (best record of the season yet)
2021-22 Season Overall: 144-95-1

New York Giants (4-11) at Chicago Bears (5-10)
Prediction: Bears 23, Giants 16

Why the Bears? The Bears are simply the better team in this crapshoot. They have a lot of young players and also veterans who are still fighting to prove they deserve spots on the roster next season. The Bears offense will be too much for the Giants' weak O to match point for point.

JKFOOTBALL GAME OF THE WEEK - Kansas City Chiefs (11-4) at Cincinnati Bengals (9-6)
Prediction: Bengals 31, Chiefs 30

Why the Bengals? I'm calling UPSET! This should have been the primetime game of the week. What a game this is going to be. The Bengals are the hottest offense in football and are playing with a highly capable defense as well. The Chiefs may be the deepest offense with a better defense. Both teams are in the thick of the AFC playoff race with this game carrying massive implications. I just love what the Bengals have been doing on offense of late, they are at home, and playing inspired football. They shock the world and take this heavyweight battle!

Jacksonville Jaguars (2-13) at New England Patriots (9-6)
Prediction: Patriots 27, Jaguars 6

Why the Patriots? This is the easiest pick of the week. The lock of the week, really. The Patriots are an elite team, or at least close to it, and they will be facing the worst team in the league. Pretty easy pick there. The Pats also need to win the next two to make sure they secure a playoff berth so they aren't going to go easy on the hapless Jaguars.

Los Angeles Rams (11-4) at Baltimore Ravens (8-7)
Prediction: Ravens 31, Rams 27 (OT)

Why the Ravens? This could be the game of the week. The Ravens need this win so badly or they are pretty much done for in the AFC playoff picture (they already may be), but with Lamar Jackson along with many other players returning from various ailments, this team is in a much better place than it has been in the past few weeks. The Rams are good, but they haven't really been dominant in any win lately. The Ravens will win at home as they need to and will force the Rams defense to struggle with the tough task of containing Lamar Jackson.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-4) at New York Jets (4-11)
Prediction: Buccaneers 33, Jets 17

Why the Bucs? Not going to get into this one much, but they are just simply the better team, and it isn't close. Tom Brady and his boys hit their stride during this time of year and they are still easily in play for the NFC's no. 1 seed. They can't and won't afford to just lose an easy one.

Atlanta Falcons (7-8) at Buffalo Bills (9-6)
Prediction: Bills 36, Falcons 16

Why the Bills? This game also feels like a near lock to me. While the Falcons have a decent record, they are so so much worse than it would indicate. The Bills are starting to play really good complementary football, and that does not bode well for Atlanta's chances as they are playing complementary AWFUL football for the most part. Kyle Pitts could do some damage, but that is about it.

Miami Dolphins (8-7) at Tennessee Titans (10-5)
Prediction: Dolphins 25, Titans 22

Why the 'Fins? Another just amazing game this late in the season. The Dolphins have won 7 straight and hold a wildcard spot for the moment, they take their crazy momentum into Tennessee where they face the Titans who are coming off of a crazy win that keeps them right alive for the AFC's no. 1 seed. If the Fins win, they become even more likely to find a way into the post-season, if the Titans win, the one seed becomes so close to grasp. A loss would be detrimental to both sides. That being said, Fins' are gonna win. Their defense is on another planet right now and will eat up this porous Tennessee O-line.

Las Vegas Raiders (8-7) at Indianapolis Colts (9-6)
Prediction: Colts 28, Raiders 18

Why the Colts? They are going to just be able to outplay the Raiders. Straight up. If Carson Wentz actually missed the game due to COVID, this could have been a different result with some scary possibilities for the Colts, but thankfully for them, he isn't. The Colts seem like a team miles better and one of the elite squads in football, but if they lost this game, they would be in genuine danger of missing the playoffs. That being said, Jonathan Taylor is going to work this bad Vegas run D and should have the Colts dancing on forward.

Philadelphia Eagles (8-7) at Washington Football Team (6-9)
Prediction: Eagles 30, WFT 20

Why the Eagles? We saw this match just a few weeks ago, and the Eagles won with ease as they ran all over Washington. I expect a similar result here which will have the Eagles right on their way to an NFC wildcard berth. Antonio Gibson is set to miss this one for WFT due to COVID which is a major loss for the team and just another reason why they won't be able to keep up with Philly's capable offense. 

Denver Broncos (7-8) at Los Angeles Chargers (8-7)
Prediction: Chargers 27, Broncos 19

Why the Chargers? Chargers hammered the Broncos a few weeks ago and there is no way they are about to get upset AGAIN after that shocking loss to the Texans a week ago. The Broncos are poorly coached and they don't stand a chance here against a talented squad like LA.

Houston Texans (4-11) at San Fransisco 49ers (8-7)
Prediction: Niners 29, Texans 27

Why the 49ers? This is going to be an underrated game. The Texans are playing really good football of late, including their masterpiece of a victory over the Chargers last Sunday. The Niners are likely to get into the playoffs as a wildcard, but they had a tough L to the Titans last weekend and now will be starting Trey Lance this weekend. It will be close I suppose, but the Niners will come out on top in the end, they can't afford to lose here meanwhile the Texans are just playing for pride.

Detroit Lions (2-12-1) at Seattle Seahawks (5-10)
Prediction: Seahawks 24, Lions 22

Why the Hawks? If Jared Goff wasn't out of this one, I genuinely would probably pick the Lions. The Seahawks have lost all of their magic that they've somehow had over the last decade. They are falling apart and this could potentially be the last home game for certain Hawks' legends on the team like Wilson, Wagner, or even Pete Carroll. I think this will be a bad, low scoring, boring game, but the Seahawks *should* come out on top as it's Tim Boyle at QB for the Lions.

Arizona Cardinals (10-5) at Dallas Cowboys (11-4)
Prediction: Cowboys 28, Cardinals 23

Why the Cowboys? This is a playoff level match just weeks before they start. We could see this rematch very very soon, especially if the Cards can't win and stay in wildcard territory. The Cowboys will win, they are red-hot right now while the Cardinals are freezing cold. This game could be fun, but I don't see Dallas losing given the way they are playing right now.

Carolina Panthers (5-10) at New Orleans Saints (7-8)
Prediction: Saints 24, Panthers 13

Why the Saints? because the Panthers suck.

Minnesota Vikings (7-8) at Green Bay Packers (12-3)
Prediction: Packers 34, Vikings 16

Why the Packers? The Vikings are pretty banged up and will even be without Kirk Cousins (COVID). While the Vikings beat Green Bay earlier this year, there is no chance it happens on SNF with likely Sean Mannion under center for the team in purple. This one will likely get ugly.

Cleveland Browns (7-8) at Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7-1)
Prediction: Browns 26, Steelers 20

Why the Browns? This one could go either way, and both teams are barely alive in the AFC playoff hunt, but I'm taking the Browns who have been playing a lot better of late but not finishing games with wins. Big Ben's last home game as the Steelers QB will be bittersweet, but I don't think that's enough motivation for this poor Steelers team to win.