New Year, Same Objective (Week 17)

We are now down to the final two weeks of the regular season, and it's always at this point that things really pick up. Week 17 continues the holiday stretch, as it enters the New Year. Before 2021, Week 17 was the final week of the season, but now it's the penultimate week, though the importance remains the same. Some teams can come within range of clinching a spot, a division crown, or even home field, while others see their margin of error shrinking...fast. Week 17 will set the stage for the final week, with potential do or die games being created as a result. But before we get into all of that, let's take a look at the playoff picture.

In the AFC, the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs remain tied for the top spot at 12-3, with the Bills' head-to-head being the difference. The Cincinnati Bengals remain atop the AFC North and at the #3 position at 11-4, but taking the #4 spot: the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars and the Tennessee Titans are tied for the AFC South lead at 7-8, but head-to-head places Jacksonville at first place and in the #4 position, which will be the designed seed for the AFC South champion.

Regarding the Wild Card standings, the playoff-bound Baltimore Ravens hold the #5 position at 10-5, and that's now a prime position, as they could face the winner of the dismal AFC South. The Los Angeles Chargers (also playoff-bound) hold the #6 position at 9-6, while the Miami Dolphins dropped to 8-7 and hold the #7 seed. Behind the playoff line: four teams at 7-8, with the Tennessee Titans joining the New England Patriots, the New York Jets, and the Pittsburgh Steelers in that cluster. The 6-9 Las Vegas Raiders are also alive...barely.

In the NFC, the Philadelphia Eagles are still in the top spot, but they have dropped to 13-2 with their loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The Minnesota Vikings are gaining on the Eagles, as they are now one game behind them (two counting H2H) at 12-3. The red hot San Francisco 49ers hold the #3 position at 11-4, while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lead the NFC South at 7-8, and hold the #4 position, which will go to whoever wins that division.

In the Wild Card standings, the Cowboys maintain their hold on the #5 seed at 11-4, and with that win, it assures them of that exact seed should they fail to capture the NFC East. The New York Giants remained at #6 after dropping to 8-6-1, but here's where it gets very interesting. The Washington Commanders fell to 7-7-1 with their loss, but they still hold the #7 position. However, that hold has vastly decreased, as they are only a half game ahead of three 7-8 teams: the Detroit Lions, the Seattle Seahawks, and the Green Bay Packers. The Carolina Panthers and the New Orleans Saints remain alive at 6-9, but now, they actually do have an outside shot of getting in without having to win their bad division.

Regarding Week 17, a lot could be locked in, possibly resulting in a less than climactic Week 18. There are two playoff spots left in the AFC--one of them can be clinched this week. There are three playoff spots left in the NFC--all of them can be clinched this week. Three divisions can be wrapped up, as well as both #1 seeds. Here are the scenarios.

This is it. The moment that "Bills Mafia" had been waiting for. Their recent postseasons have had the same dead end: Arrowhead. Bills fans have felt that if they had the home field, it would be a different story. It's pretty hard to argue against that, and this season, the Bills have that chance to get the home field advantage they've craved for the last few seasons. If they win and the Chiefs lose, then the road in the AFC will have to go through Orchard Park. The Bills will be in Cincinnati on Monday night, hence the reason for this scenario, as a win would eliminate the Bengals from the #1 seed chase. Before this, however, the Chiefs will be at home against the lowly Broncos, who just fired Nathaniel Hackett as their head coach.

The Cincinnati Bengals will also be playing for something in that aforementioned Monday game, but that all depends on what happens on Sunday. If the Baltimore Ravens lose their Sunday Night contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers, then Cincy could take the AFC North with a win or tie. If the Ravens tie that game, the Bengals have to win that Monday game. This would mark back-to-back division titles for the Bengals; a feat they haven't achieved since 1981 and 1982, though because the latter was a strike-shortened season that saw divisions eliminated, it doesn't count towards their division championship total. If the Bengals lose and the Ravens win, then their head-to-head meeting on the final week will decide the division.

Despite their Christmas home loss, the Miami Dolphins enter Week 17 with a chance to clinch the last available Wild Card spot, as the only other spot left is the AFC South. A win and a Jets loss or tie will get it done, but if they tie, not only do the Jets have to lose, but the Steelers cannot win as well. The Dolphins will be in Foxboro against the freefalling Patriots, but Miami's freefalling themselves, and at the wrong time. They, again, mishandled Tua's health and sent their concussed QB back out to play the second half against the Packers, and look what happened. He's going to be out this week, and next week looks iffy, too. Miami faces the Jets next week, and if New York's still alive in the race...oh boy.

It's take two for the Philadelphia Eagles, as they can still wrap up the NFC East and the #1 seed. The scenario for the East is the same: a win or tie would do it, or a Cowboys loss or tie would do it. However, there's a slight wrinkle when it comes to the #1 seed. If they win, they get it. If they tie, a Vikings loss or tie will get it done. But this time, the Eagles can actually back into the #1 seed. If Dallas and San Francisco fail to win, and the Vikings lose, Philly gets the #1 seed. The Eagles are at home against the New Orleans Saints, who will be eliminated if they lose that game. The Niners are in Vegas, the Vikings are in Lambeau, but before all of that, the Cowboys will be in Nashville for the season's final Thursday game. At the moment, it's not known if Jalen Hurts will start this week, but if they win regardless of who is starting at QB, then Hurts will mostly likely take two weeks off afterwards.

Watching the NFC South's decline has been...well...interesting, a bit tragic, and immensely humorous. I never expected this division to plummet faster than Amber Heard's credibility, yet here we are, two weeks left, and no one has a winning record. In spite of all of this, one of the two most intriguing division races this season (the other being the other South Division) could come to an end this week. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers controlled their own destiny last week when it came to having an opportunity to win the division. All they had to was beat the Arizona Cardinals, and while it was (somehow) not easy, they did it. As a result, the Bucs control their own destiny to the division title; all they have to do is beat the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, and they will clinch the NFC South. The Bucs have the homefield in this rematch, but even so, they have to win this. If they don't, then Carolina locks up the tiebreaker, and TB will need a win and for Carolina to lose next week to get the division...at 8-9.

The Giants had their first opportunity to clinch a playoff spot; they needed a win and two of the three following teams to lose: Seahawks, Lions, Commanders. Sure enough, all three lost, but so did New York on a last second field goal. As a result, the Giants have ten different clinching scenarios this week, but the simplest one is "win and in," and they host the lowly, lowly Colts. The Giants have six different scenarios that involve them tying and needing different combinations of losses/ties from the Commanders, Lions, Seahawks, and Packers. Their last three have them getting in even if they lose. That's right, they have three ways to actually back in to a playoff spot, but the important thing is that they control their destiny for a playoff spot. Win and in. That's it.

The Washington Commanders' season has been an interesting one. For one, this is their first year with their official new name, after playing two years as the Washington Football Team following the long, long overdue removal of their original name. After a 1-4 start, the Commanders went 5-1-1 in their next seven, but they have suffered back-to-back losses as of late. Despite this, Washington can get into the playoffs this week, but while the Giants have ten ways to get in, the Commanders have only one way in: a win, losses from the Seahawks and Lions, and the Packers can't win. The Commanders will play their home finale this week, as they host the Cleveland Browns. Sounds like an easy win on paper, but remember, we just saw the Houston Texans defeat the Tennessee Titans on the road. Nothing is truly easy this late in the season.

So that's all the scenarios for this week. However, there's just one more I have to mention:

Normally, I mention teams who can clinch during that corresponding week; however, I have to mention the Green Bay Packers. As a Packers fan who suffered through this very catastrophic season, I did not expect us to have a pulse this late. When we lost to the Eagles, I went, "Well...that's it." But a funny thing happened: the Packers won three straight. Even funnier: all of the teams we needed to lose? They did. Now, all of a sudden, we Packers fans are being consumed by this hope thing that had been completely absent all year. Again, the Packers cannot clinch this week; but our scenario is quite simple. If the Packers win out, and either New York loses out or Washington loses one more time, we are in! Even better, both of the Packers' final games are at Lambeau against the Vikings (Week 17) and Lions (Week 18). We are just one Washington loss away from finally controlling our destiny, and if that loss comes this week, and if the Packers win, then Lions/Packers will be winner take all on the final week.

I love the penultimate week; it's the storm before the typhoon known as the final week. It should be quite fruitful this year, and will definitely set up an interesting Week 18. Of course, my biggest hope is that the Packers stay alive and have a chance to get in on the final week, but overall, I'm hoping for some big moments, and maybe a shocker or two this week. My seat belts will be fastened, and the same goes for the rest of the excited football fans!

Happy New Year!