2019 Week 17 Predix

Written by Sam DeCoste

Where has the time gone? We have reached the end of the 2019 regular season. Twenty teams will say goodbye to their season after Sunday, as twelve teams will begin their preparations for the postseason. But with one game to go, there is still playoff seeding to be determined. The 2, 3, 4, and 6 seed are still to be decided in the AFC, and the 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 seeds are all still up in the air in the NFC. First round byes are on the line, and home field advantage is still undecided as well. With one game left, there's all to play for, and playoff implications in 12 of the 16 games here in Week 17.

Week 16 turned out to be a very strong week for my predictions. I predicted 12 of the 16 games correctly, just one win short of the 150 mark with a week to go. With just 16 games left, this will be my least accurate Predix season to date, but let's see if I can improve on last week and end the season on a high note. With that, for the final time this regular season, and the final time this decade, let's get right into the Predix!

Here are my records over this season:
My record last week: 12-4
Regular season record: 149-90-1
Lock of the Week record: 11-5

 Saints @ Panthers

The Saints are looking to retain homefield advantage from last postseason, but they do not control their destiny. They need to win and have both the Packers and 49ers lose. But a first round bye is still attainable, as a win and a loss from either the Packers or 49ers will give them a week off. But if nothing goes their way on Sunday, the Saints will be hosting a game on Wild Card Weekend, which does not give the Saints the best chance of returning to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2009. 

In spite of these headache-inducing playoff scenarios, head coach Sean Payton will have the team motivated and ready to go into Charlotte and claim a win over the pathetic Panthers. Carolina has lost 7 straight games, and has not won since November 3. Rookie quarterback Will Grier threw 3 picks in his first career start in a blowout loss, and he will return under center on Sunday. Christian McCaffrey can also become the third player in NFL history to rack 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season, with 67 receiving yards against the Saints. Grier and the Panthers coaching staff will be motivated to force feed McCaffrey and get them over the line, which will keep them slightly competitive. Otherwise, the Saints have not lost to the Panthers in a meaningful game since 2016, and the Saints will make sure they take care of their own business. 

Prediction: NO 27, CAR 13

Dolphins @ Patriots

It went down to the wire this year, but the Patriots defended their AFC East crown with their win over the Bills on Saturday, and claimed their remarkable 11th straight division title. However, New England's second half stumbles have them fighting for a first round bye into the playoffs. A Chiefs win and Patriots loss would plummet New England to the three seed, where they would host a playoff game on Wild Card Weekend. Bill Belichick does not want to play next weekend, because the Patriots have never won a Super Bowl as a three seed or lower. 

That being said, the 4-11 Miami Dolphins are the only thing which stands in the way New England clinching a first round bye. These are the same Miami Dolphins which forfeited a 35-12 lead in the fourth quarter against the one-win Cincinnati Bengals, surrendered 430 total yards in the game, and is throwing out Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback. While Fitzpatrick is the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for four touchdowns for five different NFL teams, he has still never won in Foxboro. In a game which the Patriots need to win, the Dolphins have absolutely no chance to cause a stir.

Prediction: MIA 13, NE 30

Chargers @ Chiefs

The Chiefs are quietly one of the hottest teams in football. Andy Reid's squad has won five straight games, and Patrick Mahomes has thrown 7 touchdown passes in that stretch. While the offense has rediscovered their mojo, the resurgence in the defense is the most impressive element of the Chiefs game right now. In their win streak, the Chiefs have given up an average of 9.6 points per game, and just 6 points allowed in the previous two games combined. The defense has not allowed a touchdown in 9 straight quarters, and if they can continue to play at this level, they have an opportunity to be even better than their team last year.

In the Chiefs' way of a sixth straight win to end the season is the Chargers, who are shocked to see their season take the turn it has. At 5-10, the Chargers have been virtually out of the playoff conversation all season long, Philip Rivers regressed into a glorified Blake Bortles, and the team has simply not lived up to expectation. This should be the final time we see Melvin Gordon in a Chargers uniform, and will be a chance for the rest of the players on the roster to prove they belong on the Chargers roster, and show any existing Chargers fans that there is hope for 2020. But they will not march into Arrowhead and win this year like they did in 2018. Kansas City has something to play for, and they are playing at a much higher level. 

Prediction: LAC 17, KC 27

Packers @ Lions

The Packers are gearing up for their first postseason appearance since 2016, and they will finally bring January football back to Lambeau Field. A win guarantees a first round bye for Green Bay, and a complimentary 49ers loss hands Green Bay home field advantage. Their opponent is the Detroit Lions, a team which has not won a game since October 27. They have also been without Matt Stafford since Week 10, and the team has crumbled in November and December as a result with 8 consecutive losses. With David Blough starting at quarterback for the Lions, the Packers defense should suffocate this offense and walk away with an easy win.

Considering the form the Packers are in, they will be a tough out in the playoffs. Aaron Rodgers has had signature MVP style plays this season already, and he can deliver a killer pass at a moment's notice, but the strength of the team this year might be the defense. The Packers allowed just seven first downs and 139 total yards on the road to the Vikings on Monday night to win the NFC North. They have playmakers on defense that they have not had most of the decade, but now they can win on both sides of the ball, which makes them nobody wants to play. Sunday could get ugly.

Prediction: GB 22, DET 9

Steelers @ Ravens

The story of this game is Ravens coach John Harbaugh resting most of Baltimore's key players to prevent injury. Admittedly, the Ravens benching many of their starters gives the Steelers a substantially higher chance of winning this game, and even propelling themselves into the playoffs on the last day of the season. That is the narrative which has Steelers Nation believing they will get the win on Sunday. But let's not forget that Pittsburgh has been playing minus their starters for most of the season, and it starts at quarterback. 

Against the Jets, Devlin Hodges started for the Steelers, but tossed 2 interceptions in the first half. Mason Rudolph came in off the bench in relief of Hodges, but was knocked out of the game with an injury in the second half, which thrust Hodges right back. Hodges will start this game, and the task of sending the Steelers to the playoffs rests on his shoulders. The Steelers defense will keep the Ravens offense in check, especially with Robert Griffin III getting the start at quarterback. But who is to say that Duck Hodges will have his way against the Ravens backups? And keep in mind, even though the Ravens have nothing to play for, they would love to knock their division rivals out of contention to end their season. 

This game could come right down to the wire, but the Steelers starters have a higher impact than the Ravens backups, and they will pray that Houston beats Tennessee to thrust the Steelers back into the postseason.

Prediction: PIT 16, BAL 10

Jets @ Bills

With their loss to the Patriots last week, the Bills are locked in at the 5 seed in the AFC playoffs. A win or loss does not change the Bills playoff standing, which makes their Week 17 tilt against the Jets meaningless. Nonetheless, head coach Sean McDermott said he will play the starters for at least a half, and look to give his players a tune up for the Wild Card Round. McDermott is gambling with the potential for injury, and everyone will be questioning him if a key starter like Josh Allen or Tre'Davious White suffers an injury knocking them out, but it sounds like they will receive a fraction of snaps similar to a preseason game to reduce possibility of rust going into the playoffs.

Only the Bills know how many reps the starters will get, but they will most likely not play the whole game. Backup quarterback Matt Barkley will get the call for Buffalo against the Jets seventh ranked defense. The Jets suffered a heartbreaking Week 1 loss to the Bills when Buffalo came back from a 16-0 deficit to win, so the Jets will be motivated to end their season strong and send Buffalo into the playoffs with a loss. While the Jets will go to win, the starters are supposed to play, for how long we don't know. But Buffalo's starters are better than New York's starters, and if they are on the field, the Bills should come out with the win.

Prediction: NYJ 19, BUF 20

Bears @ Vikings

The Vikings will be on the road this postseason following a dud on Monday night against the Packers. In a game which the defense forced 3 turnovers from Green Bay's offense, the  Vikings offense produced just 139 total yards and totaled seven first downs. Kirk Cousins and this offense has been fun to watch this season, and have been statistic machines at times, but when the lights are on, the Vikings shrivel up like a vampire in sunlight. The injury to Dalvin Cook further limits the Vikings offense going into the playoffs, and they are going into the playoffs with minimal momentum.

Going into Wild Card Weekend, the Vikings could use a win to end the season strong against a weak Bears offense which was just neutralized on Sunday night. Mitch Trubisky may be playing for his job as the 2020 starter, and this will be his last chance of the season to show the front office that he is the long-term answer at quarterback. He will look towards Allen Robinson's way most of the game, and they will run the ball early and often with Tarik Cohen and David Montgomery. The Bears will not be pushovers, and will play hard for Matt Nagy. Talent should shine through, however, and the Vikings have more of it. They also don't have Trubisky. 

Prediction: CHI 16, MIN 21

Falcons @ Buccaneers

The Falcons are looking to end the season with 4 straight wins, with Matt Ryan arguably playing at an MVP level. Julio Jones has also played out of his mind over the past month, including a 10 catch, 166 yard performance against the Jags on Sunday. The offense is firing on all cylinders. at the end of the season, giving Falcons fans hope for 2020. 

Over in Tampa, Jameis Winston could potentially be playing his final game as a Buc if the front office decides to go in a different direction for next season. Over the course of the season, Winston has thrown for a league high 4,908 yards and 31 touchdown passes. The only problem is he has thrown 28 interceptions, and could become the first quarterback to throw for over 30 touchdowns and interceptions in the same season. His turnovers have killed the Bucs all year long, and at what point do the Bucs address a serious problem? 

While this is one of the handful of games with nothing at stake, this could be the most entertaining. Neither team has anything to play for, which could make for an offensive explosion, with a Winston pick 6 or two. As long as Winston plays, I will pick the Buccaneers opponent every week, because his counterpart capitalizes on his mistakes more often than not.

Prediction: ATL 34, TB 28

Browns @ Bengals

What a sad season it has been for the Ohio teams. The Browns were a popular favorite to take the NFL by storm this season and rampage back into the postseason, but poor coaching, internal dysfunction, and Baker Mayfield's unnecessary dialogue in the media has the Browns below .500 once again, and out of the playoffs. And Cincinnati, rolling out their first rookie head coach since 2003 when they hired Marvin Lewis, won just a single game all year, and are officially on the clock for April's draft. Both seasons have been utter disasters, and there could be serious turnover going into 2020.

It is the worst kept secret in the NFL that Odell Beckham wants out of Cleveland. This could be the last game the orange and brown for Beckham, while Freddie Kitchens' future is up in the air. Not to mention Andy Dalton's reign as Bengals starting quarterback may be wrapping up as well, and this will be his last game in a Bengals uniform. But Dalton played stellar against the Dolphins, throwing for 396 yards and 4 scores while leading his team back from 23 points down in the fourth quarter. The Bengals are playing hard, and they do not have the same dysfunction as the Browns right now. Call me crazy, but I see the Browns finishing the season with a dud on the road to the 1-14 Bengals.

Prediction: CLE 23, CIN 28

Titans @ Texans

The Titans battle the Texans for the second time in 14 days, with heavy stakes once again. While the Texans have defended their AFC South title, and the Titans are fighting for their playoff lives. A win for Tennessee puts them back in the playoffs, while a loss opens the door for Pittsburgh and Oakland. 

For Houston, the stakes are less substantial. If the Chiefs win in the early window, the Texans fate as the 4 seed will be sealed, and this game will have zero meaning for them. The Texans may not have the same hustle or inclination to go after this game like the Titans will. For Tennessee, this is their season. They are fighting for their playoff lives to see another day. It also appears that Derrick Henry will return to the Titans backfield, which would be a total game changer. Henry is is currently the NFL's third leading rusher and has carried Tennessee on his back the past four Decembers. His presence will be key this week, especially if the Texans have nothing to play for. It will be much more difficult for an unmotivated Texans defense to tackle one of the most hard-nosed runners in football. 

The reps from the Texans starters and the motivation from the team to go out and win this game will be decisive, because the Texans have virtually nothing to play for. But we've seen this before, where the Titans' Week 17 opponent was postseason bound, and had the chance to knock the Titans out of the playoffs in the final week. In 2017, the Titans beat the Jaguars who played their starters in a meaningless game for them. This week presents the same opportunity. Will the Texans go out and try to knock out their divisional rivals from playoff football, or will the Titans extend their season? Even I'm still trying to answer that question myself, it's a coin toss.

Prediction: TEN 23, HOU 17

Eagles @ Giants

With their 17-9 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, the Philadelphia Eagles control their own destiny. A win over the 4-11 New York Giants puts the Eagles back in the playoffs as the NFC East champs. On paper, the Eagles are favorites, and should be on their way to the postseason. But this game is going to be much closer than the spread would suggest. 

The Eagles are battling an all time injury bug, and give credit where credit is due. Quarterback Carson Wentz is making the most out of the players on the field, without so many of the skill position players he depended on. He is handing the ball off to Boston Scott in the backfield, and throwing to receivers like Greg Ward, JJ Acerga Whiteside, while  young studs like Miles Sanders and Dallas Goedert are making big time contributions. They got the job done against the Cowboys, but how sustainable is this? 

The Giants are better than their record says they are, and they have considerable talent on the offensive side of the ball. Daniel Jones has enjoyed a rather exciting rookie season, and if he can cut down the turnovers, will develop into a prolific franchise quarterback for the Giants. Jones became the first ever rookie quarterback to throw for over 350 yards and 5 touchdowns, ands did that last week against the Redskins. Saquon Barkley also exploded for 279 total yards and 2 scores, and he can carry that momentum into this week. Not to mention Golden Tate, Sterling Shepard, and Darius Slayton are also in the offensive arsenal. This Giants offense is talented and explosive, and will not roll over when the Eagles come to town.

Make no mistake, the Eagles are favorites to win the NFC East, and a win over the. Giants would make that happen. But wouldn't a Giants win spice things up a bit in the last game of the season? You betcha. 

Prediction: PHI 20, NYG 26

Redskins @ Cowboys

The clock is ticking for Jason Garrett, and Sunday may be his last rodeo in Dallas. The Cowboys need to beat the Redskins on Sunday and hope for a Eagles loss to the Giants to sneak back into the playoffs. As much as Dallas will want to scoreboard watch, they need to take care of their own business, otherwise the Redskins could turn the equation upside down. 

For the Redskins, Case Keenum will be rolling out at quarterback, and in the last game of his contract, Keenum will be happy to sling the ball all over the yard. But the offense will be starving of weapons, with Terry McLaurin out. The starting receivers will be Cam Sims, Kevin Harmon, and Steven Sims against the Cowboys, and the odds will be against them to make plays against the Dallas defense. That being said, this comes a week off the Cowboys defense surrendering 319 passing yards to an Eagles offense just as shorthanded. 

For the Cowboys offense, the number one ranked unit in yards per game this season, it's time to put up some points. They are just two weeks removed from a 44 point showing against the Rams, when the offense was humming. It's time to run the ball 25 times with Elliott, actually have Cooper on the field for third and fourth downs, and exploit the 25th ranked defense in the NFL.  

The stakes of this game can fluctuate during the course of the game, depending on what is going on in East Rutherford. It would be fun to see the Redskins be competitive, and maybe even have a lead, but the Cowboys are exponentially more talented, and desperate. I have paid the price all season long for betting on the Cowboys to take care of business, but with their season on the line, could they actually bottle it again? 

Prediction: WSH 17, DAL 20

Colts @ Jaguars

There are actually playoff implications to this game, but nothing to do with the two squads facing off. For the Oakland Raiders to clinch a playoff berth, they need a king's ransom worth of help, and one outcome they are depending on is a Colts victory over the Jaguars, which would give the Raiders a strength of victory tiebreaker over the Steelers. While there may be playoff stakes at play, the two teams on the field could give less of a rabbit's behind what the Raiders want. These are two struggling football teams who will each want to finish the season with a win over their divisional foes.

This is actually a very balanced football game, and the outcome could go either way. Jacoby Brissett has been very competent for a franchise which needed stability after the sudden retirement of Andrew Luck, Marlon Mack has been fantastic on the ground all season long, and the team remained in playoff contention for the first half of the season. The Jaguars have been exciting to watch with the rookie Gardner Minshew at quarterback, surprisingly usurping former Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles in his role, and letting Leonard Fournette play as well as his rookie season, and DJ Chark emerged as a potential superstar receiver in the years to come.

Week 17 games such as these are extremely difficult to predict, when neither team has anything to play for. I will roll with the Jaguars, because they are at home, and the offense is more talented. Sorry, Raiders.

Prediction: IND 13, JAX 23

Raiders @ Broncos

Somehow, the Oakland Raiders are still in the playoff hunt with a game to go at 7-8, and if everything goes their way, the Raiders will clinch a postseason berth. The odds are astronomical, but stranger things have happened, and if the Raiders take care of business, they could be pleasantly surprised by Sunday night.

In the Raiders grocery list of help they need, the most important part is that they grab a win over Denver, which is no easy task. Rookie quarterback Drew Lock has opened up the Broncos offense since taking over for Joe Flacco and Brandon Allen, and they have been remarkably more explosive. Philip Lindsay is running amok, Courtland Sutton is continuing to develop, and the defense is playing better every week. Denver has also won three of their last four, and are actually just one game worse than the Raiders this season. 

As for the Raiders, they have lost four of their last five, with their only win coming last week over the lackluster Chargers. They will also be without Josh Jacobs indefinitely, who just had non-football related surgery. Derek Carr will need to carry the team on his back with the smorgasbord of receivers in Oakland's arsenal, including Darren Waller, Tyrell Williams, and Hunter Renfrow. Not to mention Derek Carr has never won at Mile High Stadium in his career, and the Broncos may actually be the more talented football team on the field this week. Call me crazy, but the Broncos will spoil the Raiders potential fairytale playoff story with an upset win.

Prediction: OAK 10, DEN 21

Cardinals @ Rams

A year removed from a Super Bowl appearance, the Rams are eliminated from playoff contention. It is the worst season in Sean McVay's young career as head coach, but it has been incredibly discouraging for a multitude of reasons. Jared Goff did not play at a high enough level to warrant his ginormous contract extension, Todd Gurley doesn't look like the same player anymore, Brandin Cooks vanished all year, and the defense was a circus all season long. Of the many changes which could be coming to LA, the most important one is the firing of defensive coordinator Wade Philips. The defense has allowed over 44 points three times this season, and the acquisition of Jalen Ramsey hasn't paid dividends like it appeared it would when he was brought in. The Rams also will not have a first round pick each of the next two seasons, which will make improving the defense all the more difficult. 

Enough about the Rams. Let's give some praise to the Cardinals, who are coming off a remarkable dominating win over Seattle. Kyler Murray and Kenyan Drake were virtually unstoppable, and were able to quiet one of the country's loudest venues. The Cardinals are wrapping up the first season in the Kingsbury-Murray era, which could see even better days in 2020. It would be sweet for the Cards to rub salt in the wounds of the Rams, and send them into the offseason losing three straight games. But Sean McVay will not let his team quit on the season until the schedule is up, and they obliterated the Cardinals the last time the Rams faced off with the Cardinals. The Rams will end the season 9-7, just like everyone expected.

Prediction: ARZ 3, LAR 20

49ers @ Seahawks

The final NFL game of the decade. It seems fitting, considering these teams have developed one of the NFL's most exciting rivalries over the 2010s. The last time these teams faced off, the Seahawks prevailed over the 49ers, 27-24, in a heavyweight showdown for the ages, which went through five full quarters. In this highly anticipated rematch, the farm is on the line. The winner will be champions of the NFC West, and clinch a first round bye. But if the 49ers win, they will have home field advantage in the NFC playoffs. 

For the home team, Marshawn Lynch will be welcomed back into the fold. Lynch has not played a down for the Seahawks since 2015, and returns in an injury-plagued backfield calling out for someone to make plays. They need Lynch in the fold to make up for the lack of dynamism in the passing game. Tyler Lockett's hot start to the season fizzled off, DK Metcalf's lack of agility has manifested itself every single week, and there aren't any game changers in the receiving core besides Lockett to pick apart an elite defense like San Francisco's. At the same time, the Seahawks match up well with the 49ers defense, which has been getting exposed lately. The NFL's second total defense and leading passing defense has allowed 106 points over their previous three games, and have been unable to contain high octane offenses. Against the Seahawks in Week 10, Wilson threw for 232 yards and a touchdown, while the ground game with Carson was humming as well. 

The deciding factor on Sunday night will be the 49ers offense. Quarterback Jimmy Garappolo threw 2 interceptions against the Rams and the running game looked predictable last week, and didn't yield similar results to what they expect. It's time for the 49ers receivers to step up, including Emmanuel Sanders, who has been extremely quiet. Deebo Samuel has been superb and has made plays all season long, but they need big plays from the outside to quiet the crowd in Seattle. George Kittle is the best player to take the field on Sunday night, and he can take over the game if Garappolo throws his way early and often. But Jadeveon Clowney is coming back this week for the Seahawks which is a huge boost for a Seahawks defense which cannot make a stop lately. 

This has all the makings to be the most entertaining finish to an NFL regular season we seen this century. The stakes are incredibly high, and the result has a substantial effect on the road to the Super Bowl. Ultimately, this game is in Seattle, and the 49ers have not won in Seattle since 2011, and the 49ers have already lost to the Seahawks this season. I'm also feeling particularly bold in my final Predix of the regular season, so I'm going to make the Seahawks my final Lock of the Week.

Prediction: SF 20, SEA 24

Thank you for reading the Predix this season! Stay tuned for special playoff content right through the Super Bowl!