Week 17’s Top 5 NFL Games
The Chargers and Chiefs will each look to secure the one remaining wild card berth in the AFC.
The National Football League brings its regular season to a close Sunday with the final round of divisional games.
Three division races will be decided over the final weekend of action, while a solitary wild card berth is up for grabs in the AFC. Outside of that, postseason-bound teams will be jostling for position, looking to improve their postseason standing heading into next weekend, while the rest of the league will be looking to take one final bow before the campaign comes to a close.
Betting Sports now brings you a rundown of the five most influential games left on the schedule, including a trio of games that will decide a division champion.
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Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons
Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA (Sun, 1:00 p.m. ET)
The much-maligned NFC South title race comes to a close Sunday afternoon as the Carolina Panthers travel south to face the Atlanta Falcons in a winner-takes-all showdown at the Georgia Dome.
Carolina (6-8-1, 2-4-1 road) has won three on the bounce to climb into first place in the division. The Panthers will need a rare road win if they’re to host a wild card game next weekend. The good news is that Ron Rivera’s side is 2-0 on the road in divisional play.
Atlanta (6-9, 3-4 home) managed to stay alive and eliminate the New Orleans Saints in one fell swoop a week ago. Now Mike Smith’s side – currently 5-0 against NFC South opponents – will look to run the table in divisional play, ready to host Arizona, Detroit, Green Bay or Seattle.
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Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers
Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI (Sun, 1:00 p.m. ET)
The NFC North champion will be crowned at historic Lambeau Field Sunday as the Green Bay Packers host the Detroit Lions.
Detroit (11-4, 4-3 road) earned a 19-7 victory when the two sides met at Ford Field in Week 3 and has, for the most part, held serve since. Despite a stellar record on paper, aside from that win over the Packers, the Lions have not had a win over a quality opponent and will enter this one as the underdog. The Lions can secure a No. 1 seed with a win and losses for the Seahawks and Cardinals.
Since losing to the Lions on September 21, Green Bay (11-4, 7-0 home) has had Week 17 circled on its calendar with revenge very much on the mind. Since that defeat, the Packers have materialized into one of the league’s genuine threats, and will be confident they can emerge victorious from this one. The Packers can finish No. 1, No. 2, No. 5, or No. 6 depending how results play out. A No. 1 seed will require a win and a loss for Seattle.
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San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs
Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO (Sun, 1:00 p.m. ET)
The San Diego Chargers will look to lock down a wild card berth Sunday, hitting the road to face the Kansas City Chiefs, a side desperately trying to stay alive.
San Diego (9-6, 4-3 road) controls its own fate heading into the final week of the regular season. The Chargers can secure a playoff berth with a road win on Sunday, but it was the Chiefs that earned a road win when the two sides met back in October. A loss eliminates the Bolts from contention.
Kansas City (8-7, 5-2 home) needs a little help to score a second straight playoff berth under Andy Reid. In addition to getting the win against the Chargers, the Chiefs will also need the Jaguars to defeat the Texans in Houston and the Browns to defeat the Ravens in Baltimore. The latter is something that has happened just once in the last 10 years and not at all in the last seven.
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Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens
M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD (Sun, 1:00 p.m. ET)
Should San Diego slip up in its push for the final AFC wild card berth, the Baltimore Ravens will be first in line to take their place. The Ravens will host the Cleveland Browns on Sunday afternoon.
Baltimore (9-6, 5-2 home) can secure a postseason berth with a win over the Browns and a loss for the Chargers. If the Bolts and Ravens lose, the Houston Texans are next in line, followed by the Chiefs. If the Ravens are successful in their playoff bid, three teams from the AFC North will be represented in January.
While Cleveland (7-8, 3-4 road) is out of the playoff picture, the Browns do have something to play for. A victory on Sunday would see the side finish at .500, avoiding a losing season for the first time since 2007 and just the third time since the franchise was resurrected in 1999.
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Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers
Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA (Sun, 8:30 p.m. ET)
The Cincinnati Bengals visit the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday in a game that will determine the AFC North champion.
Pittsburgh (10-5, 5-2 home) secured at least a wild card berth a week ago with a big win over the Chiefs. The Steelers can move up as high as the No. 3 seed if they’re victorious over the Bengals on Sunday Night Football. Mike Tomlin’s side won 42-21 when these sides met in Cincinnati at the beginning of December.
When schedulers picked this game for Sunday’s prime time slot, Cincinnati (10-4-1, 5-2 road) hadn’t punched its ticket to the postseason yet. That changed on Monday night with the Bengals’ 37-28 win over the Broncos. Marv Lewis’ side can clinch the No. 2 seed with a win over the Steelers and a Denver loss (vs. Oakland). Alternatively, the side will finish with the No. 5 seed with a loss, thus facing a tough road to Super Bowl XLIX. Either way, the Bengals will be in the post season for the fourth straight year, something fans of yesteryear would hardly be able to believe.
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