My pick to win: listed first. All caps: home team.

Saints -13.5 vs. PANTHERS – The Saints’ path to a first-round bye is wide open: if they win and 49ers lose to the Seahawks (possible!); if they win and Packers lose to Lions (unlikely); or if the Seahawks beat the 49ers and the Packers beat the lions. Long story short, I look for them to run up the score against the lowly Panthers. ✅

COWBOYS -12.5 vs Redskins – One can hope. ✅

GIANTS +4 vs. Eagles – One can hope. ❌

Steelers +1.5 vs. RAVENS – The Steelers must win this game to get in the playoffs (along with a Titans loss, or one other very complicated scenario). The Ravens have nothing to play for other than a home crowd. They’ve already locked-in home field advantage in the AFC playoffs. That the betting line is so low tells you that Vegas thinks the Ravens second team is better than the Steelers first team. I’ll take the team that needs to win. ❌

SEAHAWKS +3.5 vs. San Fran – What a Sunday night game for week 17. Everything else will be decided by the time this game starts, loser gets the division title, loser gets stuck going into the playoffs as a wildcard. And if Frisco wins they get home field advantage throughout playoffs and a first-round bye. Either they get a bye and then play all games at home, or they start next week and play all games on the road. I’ll take the Seahawks just because I like the cut of their jib. ❌

Last week: 5-7-1
Season to date: 51-59-2