Picture Credit: Atlanta Falcons, CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The NFL season is down to its final two weeks. Most teams have already either sealed their spot in the postseason or seen their chances for a playoff position diminished. For the few whose destiny is not yet determined, these next two weeks are crucial. Week 17 features matchups with major playoff implications. Here are the NFL’s top week 17 games:
5. Cardinals @ Rams
The Arizona Cardinals have already seen their playoff chances hit zero. The 2024 season has been far from a failure for Arizona. A career year for Kyler Murray and impressive play from a defense made up of unknown names give fans plenty to be excited about moving forward. Little more than pride is at stake for the Cardinals this weekend. The Rams, on the other hand, are playing for a division title. Los Angeles currently sits atop the NFC West at 9-6, just one game ahead of the Seahawks. The Rams should be able to lean on an elite group of offensive skill position players to outmatch the Cardinals.
LAR 24-14 ARI
4. Panthers @ Buccaneers
The week 17 Carolina Panthers are not the team that they were earlier in the season. In week 16, Carolina beat a Cardinals team that was competing for a playoff spot at the time. They’ll look to play spoiler again against the Buccaneers this weekend. Tampa Bay holds the same record as the division-rival Falcons, but Atlanta leads the division based on a tiebreaker. Look for the Buccaneers to feature Mike Evans heavily in the passing game as he continues to pursue his eleventh consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season. Despite improved play from Panthers’ quarterback Bryce Young, I give the Buccaneers the edge here.
TB 28-25 CAR
3. Broncos @ Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals, by some miracle, have not yet been eliminated from playoff contention. A win this weekend against the 9-6 Broncos would be key to the Bengals taking the final wild card spot in the AFC. This is a strength vs. strength matchup. Cincinnati boasts one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL, while Denver’s defense is among the top five in the league in scoring. The Broncos have excelled in limiting explosive plays throughout the season, giving them a key advantage over the Bengals.
DEN 20-17 CIN
2. Packers @ Vikings
With two games left in the season, the Minnesota Vikings have a very real chance at the top seed in the NFC. A week 18 matchup with the Lions is expected to determine who will earn the first-round bye, but the Vikings will need to take care of business against the Packers first. This game should come down to a chess match between Packers’ head coach Matt LaFleur and Vikings’ defensive coordinator Brian Flores. The Vikings have allowed just over 18 points per game this season, which ranks second in the league. I expect this unit to slow Green Bay’s attack enough to earn the victory.
MIN 21-20 GB
1. Falcons @ Commanders
After a narrow week 15 win over the Raiders, the Falcons benched quarterback Kirk Cousins in favor of rookie Michael Penix Jr. In his first NFL start, Penix was able to help earn Atlanta a dominant victory over the Giants. The Falcons are desperate for another win this weekend as they race the Buccaneers for the NFC South title. They’ll need to tame the volatile yet explosive attack of the Washington Commanders, led by rookie sensation Jayden Daniels. Daniels led the Commanders’ offense on their third game-winning drive of the season last week against Philadelphia. In a game that may come down to each quarterback’s ability to create positive plays outside of structure, the Commanders have the clear edge.
WAS 28-24 ATL
