2016 NFL Week 17 Predictions, Picks and Preview

And just like that, the 2016 NFL regular season is down to its final week. Most teams have nothing left to play for and are just about ready to start the offseason. But there are still more than a few playoff hopefuls who will play in meaningful games, none more meaningful than the Sunday Night Football matchup between the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions, which will decided the NFC North title. Read on below for our complete against the spread picks for all 16 games of Week 17.

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2016 NFL Week 17 Against the Spread Picks

*all games for Week 17 will be on Sunday, January 1

Baltimore Ravens (+2.5) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (-2.5) – 1:00 PM ET

The Ravens will be smarting after blowing a 10-point fourth-quarter lead to the Steelers in a 31-27 loss that eliminated Baltimore from playoff contention. The Ravens will be eager to wash that bad taste from their mouths heading into the offseason, and the Cincinnati Bengals will be a good opponent to bounce back against.

The Baltimore defense held the Bengals offense in check in their last matchup, and should be able to do the same again.

Writer’s Prediction: The Ravens (+2.5) recover and end their season with a 27-21 win over the Bengals.

Houston Texans (+3) vs. Tennessee Titans (-3) – 1:00 PM ET

The Houston Texans have already clinched the AFC South after beating the Bengals on Saturday, and are locked in to the No. 4 seed in AFC. Quarterback Tom Savage has yet to throw a touchdown pass in over a game and a half of action since taking over for Brock Osweiler, but he’ll get the chance throw his first one against the Titans. Head coach Bill O’Brien will give him the start to get him more reps in preparation for their upcoming playoff game.

He’ll face a Titans team which blew its shot at the division by losing to the Jaguars. Not only that, but they also lost starting quarterback Marcus Mariota with a broken leg. Matt Cassel went just 13-of-24 for 124 yards in relief of Mariota, and he won’t figure to do much better against a very good Texans defense which has surrendered just 15.7 points in their last three games.

Writer’s Prediction: The Texans (+3) enter the postseason on a high and beat the Titans, 24-17.

Carolina Panthers (+6) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-6) – 1:00 PM ET

At this point, Cam Newton and the Panthers would like nothing more than to end this disastrous season already. The reigning MVP had an absolutely miserable showing in their 33-16 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Newton went just 18-of-43 for 198 yards.

The Bucs let a great opportunity to strengthen their playoff chances slip after a 31-24 loss to the Saints. They still have a sliver of hope left, and that extra bit of motivation – not to mention a very good defense which can terrorize Newton – should see them past the Panthers.

Writer’s Prediction: The Bucs (-6) beat up on the pitiful Panthers, 28-17.

Jacksonville Jaguars (+4.5) vs. Indianapolis Colts (-4.5) – 1:00 PM ET

The previously lifeless Jags finally showed signs of life in their first game without head coach Gus Bradley. Blake Bortles was on point with the deep ball against Tennessee, and finished 26-of-38 for 325 yards. The Jags will look to end another disappointing season on a high, but it’s still much harder to trust in Bortles putting together two straight good games than it is to think Andrew Luck will have two straight stinkers.

Luck went just 19-of-29 for 288 yards with 2 TDs and 2 INTs in the Colts’ loss to the Raiders, but he’s bounced back very well after a loss this season. The Colts haven’t lost back-to-back games since Weeks 1-2.

Writer’s Prediction: The Colts (-4.5) crush the Jags in their finale, 35-21.

New England Patriots (-10) vs. Miami Dolphins (+10) – 1:00 PM ET

Judging by the way Bill Belichick’s mind works, it’ll be a major surprise if he takes this Week 17 matchup with Miami seriously. The Pats are secured a first-round bye along with the Oakland Raiders, but must beat the Dolphins to seal the No. 1 seed.

However, it’s unlikely Belichick will value that as much after the Derek Carr injury. The Pats have lost each of the last two Week 17s in large part due to sitting his stars out, and a third straight L seems likely, especially against a Dolphins team which can still move up to the No. 5 seed with a Chiefs loss.

Writer’s Prediction: Miami (+10) beats an understrength Pats team, 24-17.

Chicago Bears (+5.5) vs. Minnesota Vikings (-5.5) – 1:00 PM ET

The Matt Barkley bandwagon hit a huge speed bump in the form of a Washington defense which picked him off five times on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Minnesota defense got run over by the freight train that was Aaron Rodgers and the resurgent Packers offense.

The Bears have covered in their last two games against division rivals, but let’s go with the Vikings to come out with a convincing performance in front of their home fans. It’s the least they could do after such a disappointing end to a once-promising season.

Writer’s Prediction: The Vikings (-5.5) end their season on a high with a 31-21 win.

Buffalo Bills (-6) vs. New York Jets (+6) – 1:00 PM ET

The New York Jets are a shambles. They just got humiliated 41-3 by the Pats, which then sparked some in-fighting within the team’s stars. And now, they face their former head coach Rex Ryan, who’s just the sort of petty grudge-holder who’d want to rub a little more salt in his former employer’s wounds.

Writer’s Prediction: Ryan and the Bills (-6) put down even more embarrassment on the Jets with a 35-13 thrashing.

Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles – 1:00 PM ET

The Cowboys sent quite an emphatic message to the rest of the league with their 42-21 demolition of the Detroit Lions on Monday Night Football. The Cowboy stars all had big games, and that should be the last time we see them in a while. There’s no point risking them in a meaningless Week 17 game against the Eagles. The question will be whether Tony Romo will be sharp enough to take down a very good Philly defense, and the answer is likely no.

Writer’s Prediction: The Eagles end their season with a 24-13 win over the resting Cowboys.

Cleveland Browns (+7) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (-7) – 1:00 PM ET

Santa finally delivered the Cleveland Browns that elusive first win of the season just in time for Christmas. But can they make it two in a row against the Steelers, who have nothing to play for as they’ve sealed the AFC North and the No. 3 seed? Maybe not, but they can certainly give the Steelers’ second- and third-stringers a game.

Writer’s Prediction: The Browns (+7) don’t get humiliated in their season finale as they keep it close and cover in Pittsburgh.

New Orleans Saints (+6.5) vs. Atlanta Falcons (-6.5) – 4:25 PM ET

The Falcons sealed the NFC South crown with a win over Carolina and a Tampa Bay loss. They still need to secure the No. 2 seed in the NFC with a win, but beating the Saints won’t be easy. Drew Brees is back to playing some very good football after a bit of a rough stretch, and will be out to spoil the Falcons’ fun.

Writer’s Prediction: The Falcons win, but the Saints (+6.5) make them work in a closely-contested game.

New York Giants (+7.5) vs. Washington Redskins (-7.5) – 4:25 PM ET

The Giants backed their way into the playoffs after a loss to the Eagles, but with certain results going their way, they are now locked into the No. 5 seed. With all their injuries, head coach Ben McAdoo is unlikely to risk any of his stars for Week 17. That gives Washington a golden opportunity to get the win it needs to keep its playoff hopes alive.

Writer’s Prediction: Kirk Cousins and co. take care of business as Washington (-7.5) wins big, 28-14.

Arizona Cardinals (-6.5) vs. Los Angeles Rams (+6.5) – 4:25 PM ET

It says everything about the Rams’ trainwreck of an offense that they could only produce 177 yards of total offense against a terrible 49ers defense. It’s just hard to trust them in any scenario. The Cardinals don’t have anything left to play for, but even if they don’t give out max effort, they still have more than enough talent to run through the Rams on the road with ease.

Writer’s Prediction: The Cardinals (-6.5) crush the Rams, 34-10.

Oakland Raiders (+2.5) vs. Denver Broncos (-2.5) – 4:25 PM ET

The Oakland Raiders just about survived one quarter without Derek Carr, but can it survive one full game and come out with a win against Denver? Judging by how bad the Broncos offense and run defense have been this season, the answer surprisingly might be yes.

The Raiders racked up 210 yards on the ground against the Colts, and will face a Broncos defense which gave up 238 rushing yards themselves against the Chiefs. Meanwhile, this Denver offense has scored just 26 total points over the last three games. Don’t be surprised if this Raiders team rallies together after the fall of their star and takes it to a Broncos team with nothing left to play for.

Writer’s Prediction: The Raiders (+2.5) get the big road win, 24-21.

Kansas City Chiefs (-4.5) vs. San Diego Chargers (+4.5) – 4:25 PM ET

Chargers head coach Mike McCoy’s fate is essentially sealed after he lost to the Cleveland Browns. Let that sink in for a moment. The Chargers lost to the Cleveland Browns! There’s no coming back from that, and San Diego’s already bad home-field atmosphere should be even worse after that loss.

The Chiefs still have something to play with the AFC West title still within the realm of possibility, so expect KC to blow the doors off a Chargers team that’s most likely checked out for the season.

Writer’s Prediction: Kansas City (-4.5) ends the Chargers’ season with a 28-13 spanking in San Diego.

Seattle Seahawks (-10) vs. San Francisco 49ers (+10) – 4:25 PM ET

The Seahawks cost themselves a shot at a first-round bye after losing to the Arizona Cardinals. That’s not the only thing they lost as two more key players – Tyler Lockett and Thomas Rawls – went down with injuries. But even with those injuries, the Seahawks should still be good enough to take care of the 49ers.

Writer’s Prediction: The Seahawks (-10) send the 49ers into the offseason with a 28-14 defeat.

Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions – 8:30 PM ET

The Lions defense got roasted and toasted by Dak Prescott and the Dallas passing game on Monday Night Football. Can they recover in time for the visit of the red-hot Aaron Rodgers, who has 11 touchdowns and 0 picks in his last five games? And even if they do, will it even matter given how locked in Rodgers has been? Probably not. Rodgers is just in that rare form where it’s foolish to go against him. The big stage and the high stakes are sure to bring out the best in him.

Writer’s Prediction: The Packers win the NFC North with a 28-21 win over the Lions.

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