New Orleans Saints @ Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons have it all to play for in Week 17 – win and they can get an unlikely first round bye and home field advantage for the second week of the playoffs. Saints quarterback Drew Brees needs just 132 yards to pass 5000 passing yards for the season; this would be the fifth time he has achieved this rare feat, while there have been four other instances (combined) of this being done in NFL history. Each of the last five meetings between the Saints and Falcons have been won by the underdogs.
Line bet – Saints +6.5
Best bet – Saints +12.5 @ $1.41
Feeling lucky – Falcons to win by 1-6 points @ $3.80
Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals
For 59 minutes the Ravens held sway against fierce division rival Pittsburgh in Week 16, but a last-minute touchdown ruined their playoff hopes and means this encounter with Cincinnati is for nothing more than pride. The Bengals have struggled all season and blew a golden chance to secure a last season with against Houston last week. The Bengals have won five of their last six encounters with the Ravens.
Line bet – Ravens +2.5
Best bet – Ravens +8.5 @ $1.33
Feeling lucky – Ravens to win by 1-6 points @ $3.70
New York Giants @ Washington Redskins
The New York Giants have made the playoffs for the first time since 2011 when they won the Super Bowl. The Washington Redskins need to win this game to earn themselves the sixth seed in the NFC. Washington has won each of its last two encounters with New York – both coming as an underdog.
Line bet – Giants +7.5
Best bet – Redskins H2H @ $1.22
Feeling lucky – Redskins to win by 1-6 points @ $3.65
Houston Texans @ Tennessee Titans
Somehow, the Houston Texans have clinched the AFC South division and will host a wildcard game in the first week of the playoffs. The Texans have conceded just 20.3 points a game and the least yards per game, covering a woeful offense that ranks 29th in points scored per game and 28th in yards per game. The Titans seemed likely to host this game with the division and playoff berth on the line, but it all fell apart last weekend as quarterback Marcus Mariota broke his leg and they were smashed by the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Texans have won eight of the last nine games in the series.
Line bet – Texans +3.0
Best bet – Texans +10.5 @ $1.28
Feeling lucky – Game total between 42-45 points @ $6.40
Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
One of the season’s most disappointing teams will travel to take on one of the most exciting young outfits in the NFL as the Panthers take on the Buccaneers. The Bucs have lost two straight to Dallas and New Orleans after looking set to charge into the playoffs, but will take plenty of positives out of the season. The road team is has covered the spread in six of the last eight meetings between the Panthers and Buccaneers.
Line bet – Panthers +5.5
Best bet – Bucs H2H @ $1.40
Feeling lucky – Game total between 48-51 points @ $6.60
Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions
The NFC North will be decided this game between the red-hot Packers and the Detroit Lions. While the winner will secure home field advantage in the first round, the loser will need to pray that the cards fall their way for the last remaining wild card spot. The Packers have won eight of their last 11 against the Lions, including last season’s corresponding clash when Aaron Rodgers threw a Hail Mary pass as time expired to steal the game from Detroit.
Line bet – Packers -3.5
Best bet – Packers H2H @ $1.55
Feeling lucky – Packers to score more than 31.5 points @ $3.30
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Indianapolis Colts
Another Week 17 clash that sees nothing but pride on the line will take place in Indianapolis as the Colts host the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Colts topsy-turvy season has cost them a chance at a playoff berth – they have had just one two-game losing streak but also a single two-game winning streak. Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles has somehow kept the starting job despite having a 22:16 TD:INT ratio and ranking 27th in completion percentage and 26th in QB rating. Each of the Colts’ last four home games have resulted in the game score finishing under the market line.
Line bet – Colts -4.5
Best bet – Colts H2H @ $1.44
Feeling lucky – Colts to score more than 35.5 points @ $5.80
New England Patriots @ Miami Dolphins
Two playoff-bound rivals clash in Miami when the Dolphins host the Patriots in a game that holds some significance in the postseason. A win for the Patriots will seal the number one seed and home field advantage throughout the playoffs, while the Dolphins are set to finish fifth or sixth and hit the road in the wildcard round. The home team has won the last eight games between these two teams, as well as covering the line in all eight games.
Line bet – Dolphins +10.0
Best bet – Dolphins +18.5 @ $1.31
Feeling lucky –Patriots to win by 1-6 points @ $3.70
Chicago Bears @ Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings have lost eight of their last 10 matches after starting the season 5-0 and were swept aside by the surging Packers 38-25 last weekend, while the Bears were routed 41-21 by the Redskins as Matt Barkley threw five interceptions. Eight of the last nine meetings between the Bears and Vikings have been won by the home team.
Line bet – Bears +4.5
Best bet – Bears +10.5 @ $1.35
Feeling lucky – Vikings to score between 20 and 22 points @ $5.80
Buffalo Bills @ New York Jets
The Buffalo Bills were eliminated from playoff contention after a stunning game against Miami on Christmas Day. Their playoff drought is now 17 seasons, the longest in the NFL. The Jets were smashed 41-3 by the New England Patriots and the season cannot end soon enough. The Bills have won five of their last six games against the Jets.
Line bet – Bills -3.5
Best bet – Bills H2H @ $1.54
Feeling lucky – Bills to score over 32.5 points @ $6.20
Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles
The Dallas Cowboys have sewn up the #1 seed in the NFC and smashed the Detroit Lions 42-21 The Eagles forced the Giants to sweat on results to go their way to secure a playoff berth after a brilliant 24-19 win which was controlled from start to finish. Eight of the last 10 meetings between the Cowboys and Eagles have been won by the road team.
Line bet – Cowboys +4.0
Best bet – Cowboys +7.0 @ $1.58
Feeling lucky – game total between 44 and 47 points @ $6.60
Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers stole a 31-27 victory over the Baltimore Ravens in the dying stages, securing a third straight playoff appearance as well as a second AFC North title in three years. The Browns won their first football game for the season against San Diego last weekend, avoiding an unenviable date with the history books. The Steelers have won their last six games, covering the spread in five of those games.]
Line bet – Steelers -5.5
Best bet – Steelers H2H @ $1.41
Feeling lucky – Steelers to score over 35.5 points @ $7.60
Arizona Cardinals @ Los Angeles Rams
The Arizona Cardinals will look to salvage some more pride from a difficult season as they head to Los Angeles to take on the Rams. The Rams suffered a sixth straight loss after squandering a late 14-point lead against the 49ers while the Cardinals defeated arch-rivals Seattle 34-31 in overtime. Each of the last four meetings between the Cardinals and Rams have been won by the road team.
Line bet – Cardinals -6.0
Best bet – Cardinals H2H @ $1.38
Feeling lucky – Cardinals to score over 32.5 points @ $6.20
Oakland Raiders @ Denver Broncos
Oakland travel to Denver for this Week 17 clash knowing that they need to win to secure a top two conference seed, and home field advantage in the second week of the playoffs. They will take on a Broncos team that will miss the playoffs a season after winning the SuperBowl, but Denver will be confident tackling a Raiders team missing star quarterback Derek Carr who injured his leg last week and will miss the remainder of the season. The Broncos have won eight of their last 10 encounters with the Raiders.
Line bet – Broncos -2.0
Best bet – Broncos H2H @ $1.80
Feeling lucky – Broncos to win by 7-12 points @ $5.30
Kansas City Chiefs @ San Diego Chargers
The Kansas City Chiefs fly to San Diego looking to snatch the AFC West division title after an entertainingly dominant 33-10 win over the Denver Broncos. The Chargers on the other hand became the answer to a trivia question as they lost to the previously win-less Browns in Cleveland, 17-20. The Chiefs have won each of their last five encounters with the Chargers, who have failed to cover the spread in their last four games.
Line bet – Chiefs -5.5
Best bet – Chiefs H2H @ $1.41
Feeling lucky – game total between 46 and 49 points @ $7.00
Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers
Seattle may have blown the chance of a top 2 seed and home field advantage through the first two weeks of the playoffs with a heart-breaking 34-31 loss at home to Arizona last weekend. The Seahawks have lost three of their last five games as their powerful defence has been shredded by Green Bay and Arizona. A trip to San Francisco to take on the 49ers may be just what the Seahawks need to tune-up for the post-season; the 49ers concede the most points per game and yards per game this season at 30.3 and 408.4 respectively. They have conceded more than 30 points on nine occasions this season, and more than 40 points in four games.
Line bet – Seahawks -10.0
Best bet – Seahawks H2H @ $1.24
Feeling lucky – Seahawks to score over 33.5 points @ $3.75
