Dave Blezow of The Post picks his pick for the NFL Week 17 games. The home team in CAPS.
(Note: Point selections and spreads are from Thursday’s Bettor’s Guide).
By the end of Sunday, the New York Giants could be the winners of the NFC East title and will head to the playoffs. They could be the owners of the third worst record in the NFL, which carries the third pick in the 202d draft. Or the result could end up somewhere in the middle and not as good as any of these extremes. .
This line flipped six points from a Giants -3 lookahead to a Dallas Cowboys -3. The public is clearly in love with the Cowboys offense – which eventually took off with Andy Dalton and scored 30, 41 and 37 points in the last three weeks, all winning. The Giants got up to 30 points exactly once this season and that was in the 37-34 loss to the Cowboys on October 11, the game in which Dak Prescott was injured. The Giants have not scored more than 17 points in any of the last five games.
I think you can throw the recent scores, and the winning series of the Cowboys and the Giants on the window still come on Sunday. For an advantage as big as the Cowboys have in this game, they are just as likely to waste that talent. The giants will come to them with difficulty, with a good plan. If Daniel Jones is healthier and can do more, the Giants can stay alive long enough to start the Washington-Philadelphia game.
choice: Giants, +3.
New York Jets (+3) over NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
The Jets have won two games in a row, but just as important for a section like this, they have covered the spread in five of the last seven games. This race began on November 9, in a 30-27 loss to the Patriots at MetLife Stadium, a game that the 9-point Jets, led by 10 points, in the middle of the fourth quarter. The Patriots are in a short week of a loss for Bills that had the “season over” written everywhere. The Jets will play hard again for Adam Gase, who will be fired soon, and this time a victory will not cost him in the draft position.
BUFFALO BILLS (-1) over the Miami Dolphins
Miami gets a wild card with a win, and this is usually a bigger motivator than sowing. Buffalo rested the stars in Week 17 last year and lost to the Jets, then lost in the first round. I think Sean McDermott plays it straight.
CINCINNATI BENGALS (+12) over Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens also earned a wild card and destroyed Cincinnati, 27-3, on Oct. 11, when Joe Burrow was healthy. However, there are no style points. A sure victory, with 7-10 points, would do the trick. Brandon Allen, who threw for 371 meters last week, can keep the Bengals hanging or pass them through the back door.
CLEVELAND BROWNS (-10) over Pittsburgh Steelers
The wide reception cavalry will return for the Browns, who would win. The Steelers go the opposite way, placing Ben Roethlisberger and others. Under normal circumstances, Mason Rudolph could give the Steellers a chance, but in essence it is Mike Tomlin who tells his team that the regular season is over.
Minnesota Vikings (-7) over DETROIT LIONS
Matthew Stafford says he will play if he can, but has already donated enough body parts for the Lions’ hopeless cause. Dalvin Cook came out, but the Vikings have other backs that can get some yards and keep the double threat.
Atlanta Falcons (+6.5) over TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Good for Bruce Arians because he kept his foot on gasoline after catching a bar in the playoffs, it makes sense, because the fifth seed faces NFC East in the first round. But let’s stay with Matt Ryan and the Falcons, who were a missed goal late outside of Kansas City overtime.
CHICAGO BEARS (+5.5) over the Green Bay Packers
The Bears won three in a row and would enter here with a victory. The Packers could get first place, which would allow them to be the only NFC team to rest next week. They will do their best, but there is a lot of space under this number.
Las Vegas Raiders (-2.5) over DENVER BRONCOS
The Raiders are 1-5 for the past six years, and the victory was Gregg Williams’ blitz disaster. But in every game, you can see how dangerous this team is. The Broncos Archive will reveal the best of them.
Jacksonville Jaguars (+14) over INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
The Jaguars face the only team they have beaten back in Week 1. The Colts need a win and a loss in Tennessee and could suffer a downfall if the Titans win big on the scoreboard. There’s no need for Jags to stock up now that Trevor Lawrence is secure.
Los Angeles Chargers (-3.5) over KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
KC has won the AFC seed and Andy Reid will rest players, including Patrick Mahomes. The Chargers had a frustrating season, but they still have the firepower to defeat a selfless enemy.
Arizona Cardinals (+1) over LOS ANGELES RAMS
As much as I respect Sean McVay and I’m afraid of Aaron Donald, this game seems to end up playing Kyler Murray (possibly diminished) and John Wolford instead of Jared Goff (and without Cooper Kupp).
San Francisco 49ers (+5.5) over the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle needs both the Packers and the Saints to lose to get a head start. If there is bad news on the dashboard in Glendale, Arizona, it could give the 49ers a hit or a upset.
CAROLINA PANTHERS (+6.5) over the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans has another shot at number 1 and pa, but he can’t imagine Sean Payton letting Drew Brees take too many shots here. Teddy Bridgewater is still 7-3 ATS as an underdog this season and 24-6 as a “dog in his career, as the Panthers closed as a 1-point favorite in Washington last week.
(Update: The Saints will be without Alvin Kamara, who tested positive for COVID, and everyone behind them will lose the game because they had close contact. WR Ty Montgomery will run back and Taysom Hill should receive some ports. the line dropped by only half a point at Saints -6).
Tennessee Titans (-7.5) over HOUSTON TEXANS
Houston burned me several times as an underdog, but I trust Mike Vrabel to come back from the snow loss to the Packers. Before that, the Titans had averaged 37.4 points in the previous five games, and the Texans D was horrible.
Washington (-1.5) over PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
It’s still the beginning of the week, so we have to guess if Alex Smith will play for WFT. Although his availability will have a big say in the outcome, the defensive line of Chase Young, Jonathan Allen and Montez Sweat is what gives Washington the best chance to cross the NFC East finish line.
The best bets: Bengals, falcons, jaguars
Lock of the week: Bengali (Locks 4-11-1 in 2020).
Last week: 9-7 overall, 2-1 Best bets.