Here we go! Christmas is behind us and we are days away from the arrival of 2023! The NFL season is reaching its end with several teams clinched and many others eliminated. None of the teams have locked in their playoff seeding, yet, and there are still several teams that can get in! Let's predict some games and see who gets in this weekend! Note: the Titans and Jaguars, as of now, are the only teams that will have their playoff fate decided in week 18.
Week 1 - 7-8-1
Week 2 - 9-7
Week 3 - 6-10
Week 4 - 7-9
Week 5 - 10-6
Week 6 - 5-9
Week 7 - 8-6
Week 8 - 10-5
Week 9 - 11-2
Week 10 - 7-7
Week 11 - 8-6
Week 12 - 9-7
Week 13 - 12-2-1
Week 14 - 8-5
Week 15 - 10-6
Week 16 - 10-6
Season so far: 137-101-2
Thursday:
Cowboys over Titans (home)
Playoffs: Cowboys are locked in to the 5 seed if they lose or Philadelphia wins.
The Titans have fallen all the way to the brink to where this game has no effect on their playoff positioning. They will either be the AFC South champs or they will be out depending on whether or not they can beat Jacksonville in week 18. The Cowboys still have faint hopes for the NFC East title and possible #1 seed in the NFC but will need many things to break their way after they did all they could in winning against Philadelphia last weekend.
Sunday:
Falcons (home) over Cardinals
Playoffs: Both teams are eliminated.
At this point, for both teams, pride and jobs are on the line, while evaluations for the future are being made. For the Falcons, it's seeing what they have in rookie QB Desmond Ridder over the final two weeks before deciding if they should move on. For the Cards, QB Kyler Murray may NOT be back year depending on how his recovery from his upcoming ACL surgery, and the following rehab, goes. J.J. Watt is set to retire and walk in to the Hall of Fame in five years. Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury could be coaching for his right to be the man on the sidelines next season.
Patriots (home) over Dolphins
Playoffs: Dolphins are the current 7 seed while the Patriots are the 8. They would swap if New England wins (pending other results, too). Miami clinches with a win + Jets loss.
Could this game be any bigger? The Dolphins have slid all the way to the fringe of playoff positioning following four straight losses and will be without QB Tua Tagovailoa for this game and possibly the NEXT game due to concussion protocol. The Pats have their own issues with losing their last two, while sharing an identical 1-4 record as Miami in their last five. It's hard to pick this but I will go with the home team over Miami running Teddy Bridgewater at QB on the road.
Eagles (duh!) over Saints
Playoffs: Philadelphia will win the NFC East and overall 1 seed in the NFC with a win. They can also clinch the division with a Dallas loss. They can also clinch the 1 seed in the NFC with losses from San Francisco, Dallas and Minnesota. The Saints are eliminated from playoff contention with a loss.
Despite their best efforts, the Eagles were unable to lock everything up in Dallas over the weekend due to their sloppy play - which haunted them in their other loss to the Commanders. Despite the loss, they control their own destiny and only need to win one more game. The health of the team is a real concern with uncertainty around QB Jalen Hurts looking as if he will sit for another week while Pro Bowl RT Lane Johnson being gone at least until the playoffs with an injury. This doesn't include several other players that are also banged up. A win this weekend would be HUGE for the team going forward health wise. The Saints are battling for their playoff lives as a loss here would eliminate them from divisional contention and, therefore, the playoffs.
Giants (home) over Colts
Playoffs: The Giants clinch a playoff spot with a win or a combination of losses from Green Bay, Detroit, Washington and Seattle. The Colts are eliminated.
Despite losing a thriller to the Vikings last week, the G-Men are in good shape due to every team immediately behind them in the standings also losing last week. A win here locks them in to the playoffs and likely the number 6 seed for wild card weekend. Colts interim HC Jeff Saturday continues his audition for an NFL job with the last two games of the season. While I think he has failed the audition with the historic comeback loss to the Vikings, a win on the road against a near-playoff bound opponent will help things.
Buccaneers (home) over Panthers
Playoffs: The Buccaneers win the NFC South with a win.
The Panthers are the only team in the division that has beaten the Bucs (week 7, 21-3) and will have to to so again to keep their playoff hopes alive. A win here would give them the division lead with a game to play. The Buccaneers winning will lock them in to the 4 seed in the playoffs and give them a week to rest up to get ready for wild card weekend.
Chiefs (home) over Broncos
Playoffs: Chiefs have clinched the AFC West and are still in contention for the top seed. The Broncos are eliminated.
A loss here for the Chiefs would be brutal for the hopes of getting a top seed, so they may come out with some intensity against a team that played them tough a few weeks ago. There are changes abound in this game, though, as Broncos HC Nathaniel Hackett was fired and QB Russell Wilson dealt with concussion protocol with several other players banged up.
Lions (home) over Bears
Playoffs: The Lions are still in contention for a playoff spot. The Bears are eliminated.
The Lions have played well as of late but last week's loss to the Panthers was a killer. Another loss here could possibly end their playoff hopes depending on other results. The Bears are looking at next season at this point but have some promise with the play of QB Justin Fields in recent weeks. All of that aside, this is a divisional game and it will not be easy.
Commanders (home) over Browns
Playoffs: Commanders clinch a playoff berth with a win + losses by Seattle, Detroit and Green Bay.
Welcome back Carson Wentz. Wentz takes over for QB Taylor Heinicke after being the backup for a few weeks after coming off of IR. Both QBs have been statistically similar outside of win-loss record, and it's up to Wentz to keep the team's playoff hopes (and potentially his job) alive. The Browns are not out mathematically but are at the bottom at the teams still eligible in the AFC. While it's very unlikely a run is made, it's more about getting QB Deshaun Watson up to speed.
Jaguars over Texans (home)
Playoffs: Jacksonville's playoff fate will be decided in week 18. The Texans are eliminated.
A meaningless game, for sure, that Jags QB Doug Pederson has said is not meaningless and will be coaching, and therefore having the players play, to win. The Texans have a half game lead on the Bears for the worst record in the NFL - the number 1 over pick in April's draft.
49ers over Raiders (home)
Playoffs: The 49ers have clinched the NFC West and are still in contention for the top seed. The Raiders are still in playoff contention.
The 49ers are rolling, having won eight straight. The Raiders are coming off a tough Christmas weekend loss to the Steelers and need to win to stay in the playoff picture. It will be difficult, as they also need help, since they benched QB Derek Carr, raising questions about the upcoming offseason and will he continue to be the QB for the team.
Seahawks (home) over Jets
Playoffs: Both teams are in playoff contention.
This was a tough game to pick for me, but I went with the home team in this one. Mike White will be back under center for the Jets but it may be a game or two too late. One will wonder whether or not the Jets would have been able to get a win or two had he played. We'll never know, and we can only know that he'll be under center and charged with stopping a four game losing streak that has seen the team fall out of the playoff picture. The Seahawks, losers of their last three, and four out of five, are a half game behind the Commanders for the final wild card spot in the NFC. QB Geno Smith has had a comeback player of the year worthy season and will need some of his finest work to keep his team's playoff hopes afloat.
Vikings over Packers (home)
Playoffs: Minnesota has clinched the NFC North. Green Bay is still in playoff contention.
The Vikings have continued to find a way to win all season in one score games. Because of this, they continue to keep the pressure on Philadelphia for the top seed in the NFC. Meanwhile, Green Bay has battled back from 4-8 to the edge of the playoff picture. They will need to continue winning, and get help, to stay in the playoff picture, but it's VERY possible. I'm sure QB Aaron Rodgers may be telling Packers fans to R-E-L-A-X.
Chargers (home) over Rams
Playoffs: The Chargers have clinched a playoff spot. The Rams are eliminated.
There's not too much to play for for either team as the Chargers could improve their playoff positioning (they are currently the 6 seed), or could stand pat and keep guys healthy for wild card weekend. The Rams are looking towards next year and while QB Matthew Stafford has said he will return, current QB Baker Mayfield will continue to audition for this, or another, starting QB job.
Ravens (home) over Steelers
Playoffs: Ravens have clinched a playoff spot. The Steelers are still in playoff contention.
I don't like going against Steelers HC Mike Tomlin. Especially in situations where they have won four out of five and with much to play for. But the Ravens still have sights on the division and a possible home playoff game as a win here would set up a winner takes division showdown against the Bengals in the final week.
Monday:
Bengals (home) over Bills
Playoffs: Buffalo has won the AFC East. They can clinch the top seed in the AFC with a win + loss from K.C. Cincinnati has clinched a playoff berth and can win the AFC North with a win + Ravens loss.
This has to be the best game of the week and has the makings of one of the best games of the season. A win by Cincy + a Chiefs loss would put all three teams at at 12-4, with Cincy owning the tiebreaker, with a week to go. Buffalo winning, regardless of what the Chiefs do, puts the potential AFC Championship game in Orchard Park. Which winning streak ends? The six gamer of Buffalo's? Or the seven gamer of Cincy's?
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