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May 3, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin oversees drills during Steelers rookie mincamp and orientation at the UPMC Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Home » Blog » NFL Week 17: What to watch for

NFL Week 17: What to watch for

Matt Verderame NFL

The last week of the 2018 NFL regular season is upon us. Going into Sunday, there are still three playoff spots up for grabs, while we are still trying to figure out who is going to end up with the first-overall pick.

These are the storylines to keep an eye on…

– Who ends up winning the AFC North?

The Pittsburgh Steelers seemed to be in control of the division for the better part of the last three months, but they now find themselves sitting in second place and out side the playoff picture. Pittsburgh has to beat the lowly Cincinnati Bengals at home in Week 17 while getting an upset from the Cleveland Browns over the Baltimore Ravens in Charm City. A win by Baltimore and it wins the division and eliminates Pittsburgh from postseason contention.

Should the Steelers end up on the outside looking in, does that spell the end for Mike Tomlin? Pittsburgh is notorious for being conservative, but such a collapse might spark change.

– Who ends up with the No. 6 seeds?

In the NFC, the Minnesota Vikings are trying to hold off the Philadelphia Eagles. Minnesota is playing at home against the Chicago Bears, who will be playing hard in hopes of getting the second seed. The Vikings likely won’t get a gift from Philadelphia, which is playing against the banged-up Washington Redskins. The Redskins were eliminated last week, so they are playing out the string.

As for the AFC, it’s simple. The Tennessee Titans are hosting the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday night. The winner goes to the playoffs while the loser goes home. Marcus Mariota is uncertain to playas he recovers from a stinger, while MVP candidate Andrew Luck will be under center and ready to roll for the Colts.

– What does the NFL Draft order look like for 2019?

For the teams already bounced from the playoff picture, this is the main question as we enter the last full slate of games. Going into Week 17, the Arizona Cardinals are sitting in the pole position at 3-12. If Arizona loses to the Seattle Seahawks, it will be picking first when Roger Goodell puts the Cardinals on the clock in Nashville. However, a win in Seattle would open things up. The San Francisco 49ers are taking on the Los Angeles Rams, and if they lose and the Cardinals win, San Francisco would end up picking at the top of the heap. Currently, the New York Jets, Oakland Raiders and Detroit Lions round out the top five.

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