(DeAndre Hopkins producing a magnificent one handed catch for Houston Texans against Pittsburgh Steelers, thanks to SkySportsNFL for picture)
Saturday 23rd December
Indianapolis Colts 16 Baltimore Ravens 23
The Ravens moved up to fifth seed in the AFC playoffs after
they saw off The Colts in Baltimore. The
hosts are now 9-6 and will clinch a wild card spot if they win in Week 17. Indianapolis themselves are now 3-12 with one
match remaining in the season.
Minnesota Vikings 16 Green Bay Packers 0
The Vikings shut out Green Bay at Lambeau Field to further
strengthen their chances of a first round bye in the NFC Playoffs and remain
the second seeds behind Philadelphia Eagles.
The Packers, who had already been eliminated from the playoff hunt, drop
to 7-8 for the season.
Sunday 24th December
Detroit Lions 17 Cincinnati Bengals 26
The Lions were eliminated from the NFC playoff race after
they suffered defeat against an already eliminated Bengals in Cincinnati. Detroit knew they had to keep winning to have
any chance of reaching the post season, but this loss meant the end of that
hope and they are now 8-7, whilst Cincinnati drop to 6-9.
Miami Dolphins 13 Kansas City Chiefs 29
The Chiefs clinched their division and a playoff berth in
the AFC after defeating Miami in Kansas City and make the fourth seed spot
their own. They also improve their
season record to 9-6, a relief no doubt after their mid-season wobble. The Dolphins, who are eliminated from the AFC
playoff race, drop to 6-9.
Buffalo Bills 16 New England Patriots 37
Buffalo’s chances of reaching the AFC Wild Card round
suffered a blow after they were thrashed by The Patriots in Foxboro and saw them
fall behind the Chargers in the hunt for the final Wild Card berth with just
one game remaining in the regular season.
The win for New England sees them clinch a first-round bye in the AFC
Playoffs and hold onto their number one seed going into the final weekend of
the regular season.
Cleveland Browns 3 Chicago Bears 20
The Browns are now just one game away from an 0-16 season
after they were beaten at Soldier Field by The Bears who for themselves this
was only their fifth win of the season as they improve to 5-10 on the season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19 Carolina Panthers 22
The Panthers clinched a playoff berth in the NFC after a
narrow win over Tampa Bay in Carolina, and means the hosts currently hold the
fifth seed spot and still have a chance of clinching their division with a win
next weekend which could see them take a higher seed berth going into the post
season. The Buccaneers drop to 4-11
after this latest defeat and are statistically the second worst franchise in
the NFC.
Atlanta Falcons 13 New Orleans Saints 23
The Saints clinched an NFC playoff berth after defeating The
Falcons in New Orleans meaning they are in pole position to win their division
and will do so with victory in their final regular season game. They currently hold the fourth seed spot on
11-4, behind The Rams on head to head record, but ahead of the Panthers due to
the same reason. Defeat for Atlanta
means they must win their final game to confirm their participation in the post
season. Defeat could see Seattle pinch
the final wild card spot.
Denver Broncos 11 Washington Redskins 27
This was a dead rubber however pride is at stake this time
of year and The Redskins improved to 7-8 after they downed Denver in the
Capital, leaving the Mile High side on 5-10.
Los Angeles Rams 27 Tennessee Titans 23
The Rams are in the driving seat for the Third Seed spot in
the NFC playoffs after they sneaked past Tennessee Titans on the road. LA have already clinched their division so
defeat next week would mean they could finish no lower than fourth in the
playoff shake up, but they will want that third seed spot so a win would
confirm this. As for Tennessee, they are
8-7 and in the coveted sixth spot in the AFC, and with LA Chargers and Buffalo
Bills on 8-7 and in the hunt, along with the Ravens in fifth spot on 9-7, it’s
all to play for in the final weekend in the regular season.
Los Angeles Chargers 14 New York Jets 7
LA won a low scoring one in New York against the Jets,
meaning they are in the driving seat to snatch a wild card slot if either
Baltimore or Tennessee mess up on the final weekend of the regular season. The Jets themselves lose for the tenth time
this season to fall to 5-10.
Jacksonville Jaguars 33 San Francisco 49ers 44
The Niners good late season form continued as they stunned
The Jags in San Francisco to take their record to 5-10 on the season and
hopefully for their sakes take this form into the new season in 2018. Defeat for Jacksonville doesn’t affect them
too much after they clinched their division to confirm their post season
participation in the AFC, however they will probably have to win next week to
nail down their third seed spot.
Seattle Seahawks 21 Dallas Cowboys 12
The Seahawks set up a final weekend showdown for an NFC
playoff spot after they eliminated the Cowboys from the playoff hunt with
victory in Arlington. A win for Seattle
on the final weekend would see them sneak into the last wild card spot and
knock Atlanta out if they lose their final game.
New York Giants 0 Arizona Cardinals 23
This dead rubber went the way of Arizona as they shut out
the Giants to go 7-8 on the season. New
York themselves are the second worst team in the NFL this season on 2-13, and will
no doubt want this season to end in a hurry.
Monday 25th December
Pittsburgh Steelers 34 Houston Texans 6
The Steelers clinched a first-round bye in the AFC playoffs
after they smashed Houston in Texas to keep their chances of snatching the
number one seed off New England going into the final weekend of the regular
season. Defeat for The Texans means they
fall to 4-11.
Oakland Raiders 10 Philadelphia Eagles 19
The Eagles clinched home field advantage in the playoffs
after they cemented the number one seed in the NFC after seeing off Oakland
Raiders in Philly. The hosts at 13-2 are
still number one in the entire NFL this season so will no doubt be confident
this could be their season, whilst Oakland, who will not be at the post season
party, are now 6-9.
Latest Standings
AFC East
New England Patriots (12-3) .800 (Clinched Division, Playoff
Place & First Round Bye)
Buffalo Bills (8-7) .533
Miami Dolphins (6-9) .400
New York Jets (5-10) .333
AFC North
Pittsburgh Steelers (12-3) .800 (Clinched Division, Playoff
Place & First Round Bye)
Baltimore Ravens (9-6) .600
Cincinnati Bengals (6-9) .400
Cleveland Browns (0-15) .000
AFC South
Jacksonville Jaguars (10-5) .667 (Clinched Division &
Playoff Place)
Tennessee Titans (8-7) .533
Houston Texans (4-11) .267
Indianapolis Colts (3-12) .200
AFC West
Kansas City Chiefs (9-6) .600 (Clinched Division &
Playoff Place)
Los Angeles Chargers (8-7) .533
Oakland Raiders (6-9) .400
Denver Broncos (5-10) .333
NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles (13-2) .867 (Clinched Division, Playoff
Place & Home Field Advantage)
Dallas Cowboys (8-7) .533
Washington Redskins (7-8) .467
New York Giants (2-13) .133
NFC North
Minnesota Vikings (12-3) (Clinched Division, Playoff Place
& First Round Bye)
Detroit Lions (8-7) .533
Green Bay Packers (7-8) .467
Chicago Bears (5-10) .333
NFC South
New Orleans Saints (11-4) .733 (Clinched Playoff Place)
Carolina Panthers (11-4) .733 (Clinched Playoff Place)
Atlanta Falcons (9-6) .600
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-11) .267
NFC West
Los Angeles Rams (11-4) .733 (Clinched Division &
Playoff Place)
Seattle Seahawks (9-6) .600
Arizona Cardinals (7-8) .467
San Francisco 49ers (5-10) .333
Latest Playoff Picture
AFC
Divisional Round
1st Seed New England Patriots (12-3)
2nd Seed Pittsburgh Steelers (12-3)
Wild Card Round
3rd Seed Jacksonville Jaguars (10-5)
4th Seed Kansas City Chiefs (9-6)
5th Seed Baltimore Ravens (9-6)
6th Seed Tennessee Titans (8-7)
In the hunt
7th Seed Los Angeles Chargers (8-7)
8th Seed Buffalo Bills (8-7)
NFC
Divisional Round
1st Seed Philadelphia Eagles (13-2)
2nd Seed Minnesota Vikings (12-3)
Wild Card Round
3rd Seed Los Angeles Rams (11-4)
4th Seed New Orleans Saints (11-4)
5th Seed Carolina Panthers (11-4)
6th Seed Atlanta Falcons (9-6)
In the hunt
7th Seed Seattle Seahawks (9-6)
Week 17 Schedule
Sunday 31st December
Washington Redskins @ New York Giants
New York Jets @ New England Patriots
Chicago Bears @ Minnesota Vikings
Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions
Houston Texans @ Indianapolis Colts
Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles
San Francisco 49ers @ Los Angeles Rams
Oakland Raiders @ Los Angeles Chargers
Kansas City Chiefs @ Denver Broncos
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Tennessee Titans
New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buffalo Bills @ Miami Dolphins
Arizona Cardinals @ Seattle Seahawks
Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons
Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens






