NFL Playoffs: Week 17 Viewers' Guide

As you prepare to settle in for one last Sunday of regular-season football, here's your guide to which games matter and which games don't.

Games that matter to both teams
Broncos at Chargers, 8:15 p.m.: Winner goes to the playoffs, loser is eliminated.
Dolphins at Jets, 4:15 p.m.: Dolphins clinch AFC East with win. Jets clinch AFC East with win and Patriots loss. Jets clinch wild card with win, Patriots win and Ravens loss.

Game that could matter to both teams
Cowboys at Eagles, 4:15 p.m.: Cowboys clinch wild-card berth with win. Eagles will find out when the early games are over whether they're playing for anything: If the Buccaneers and either the Vikings or Bears lose at 1 p.m., the Eagles just need to win to make the playoffs. If the Buccaneers win at 1 p.m. or both the Vikings and Bears win at 1 p.m., the Eagles aren't playing for anything against the Cowboys.

Games that matter to one team
Rams at Falcons, 1 p.m.: Falcons earn the No. 2 seed in the playoffs with a win and a Panthers loss. Rams are eliminated.
Panthers at Saints, 1 p.m.: Panthers earn the No. 2 seed with a win or Falcons loss. Saints are eliminated.
Bears at Texans, 1 p.m.: Bears win the NFC North with a win and a Vikings loss, or a wild-card berth with a win and both the Cowboys and Buccaneers losing. Texans are eliminated.
Giants at Vikings, 1 p.m.: Vikings win the NFC North with a win or a Bears loss. Giants have already clinched the No. 1 seed.
Raiders at Buccaneers, 1 p.m.: Buccaneers earn the No. 6 seed with a win and Dallas loss. Raiders are eliminated.
Patriots at Bills, 1 p.m.: Patriots clinch the AFC East with a win and a Dolphins loss. Patriots also can clinch the No. 6 seed with a win and a Baltimore loss. Bills are eliminated.
Jaguars at Ravens, 4:15 p.m.: Ravens can clinch the No. 6 seed with a win. Jaguars are eliminated.

Games that don't matter
Browns at Steelers, 1 p.m.: Steelers have clinched the No. 2 seed. Browns are eliminated.
Titans at Colts, 1 p.m.: Titans are the No. 1 seed. Colts are the No. 5 seed.
Chiefs at Bengals, 1 p.m.: Both teams are eliminated.
Seahawks at Cardinals, 4:15 p.m.: Cardinals are the No. 4 seed. Seahawks are eliminated.
Redskins at 49ers, 4:15 p.m.: Both teams are eliminated.

Games that matter to the 1976 Buccaneers
Lions at Packers, 1 p.m.: Lions are attempting to avoid becoming the first 0-16 team in history. Packers are attempting to avoid the shame and humiliation of losing to the Lions.

See Also:
Predicting the Playoffs: So Many Playoff Scenarios, So Little Time

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

12-26-2008 @ 7:11PM

Pezz said...

If Favre knows whats good for him, he will not lye down like a bitch, there should be no problem with the Jets beating the Dollyphins, statistically they are a better team, the Dollyphins have won their last three games by the skins of their teeth to horrible teams. Do the right thing Favre and not throw the game like everyone in New England thinks your going to do. Go to the hall of fame not the hall of shame.

12-26-2008 @ 8:27PM

muss said...

ha pezz knew exactly what i was thinking. Don't think Mangini will play fair. I wouldn't be shocked if the Jets throw the game like the haters they are.

12-26-2008 @ 10:42PM

Trey said...

Though it is true that the Dolphins have won by the skin of their teeth; it should be noted that they WON. The Jets lost their last game to a poor team and have barely pulled out their wins lately...against lesser opponents. Call the Dolphins all of the stupid names that you want Pezz, but know that the Jets will have their hands full tomorrow. Given your bad attitude and broken English; I'll assume that you are a Patriots fan. Sorry cheaters...maybe you'll get it done next season. Football is hard when you have to play fair huh?

12-27-2008 @ 2:38AM

nate said...

GO FISH!! I am from NY, but grabbing Brett Favre and throwing Chad Pennington into the trash showed a complete lack of class, so I hope that poetic justice prevails and Miami wins and goes to the playoffs, leaving the Jets -- and their management -- to contemplate their QB decision while ice fishing all winter.

12-27-2008 @ 7:55AM

frank said...

If anyone knows Pennington its' the Jets , so they know as well as I do they can blitz cause he can't go deep and hes' not mobile. Any Miami fans out there ? I need to know what sceme Miami used to get 3,500 yds. out of Noodle-arm . E-mail me @ G08026

12-27-2008 @ 10:47AM

Tamakun said...

C'on guys. Give the Fins some credit for what they have done so far. Be positive for a change. Instead of saying ......... Dolphins would miss payoffs with loss to the Jets, why can you say .... Dolphins will win division with a victory over Jets? Fins won the last threee, Jets lost 3 out of 4. Does that mean anything to you?

12-27-2008 @ 11:32AM

David said...

The Rats won't throw the game. They'll just lose because they suck. It is amazing that the Rats management dumped pennington for the long-past-his-expiration-date Favre. I love the irony of the Rats discarded QB putting the final nail in the pathetic Rats coffin. Hey Rats fans and team, please bring Favre back next year for another hilarious meltdown.

12-27-2008 @ 7:33PM

Ouch David...that's pretty harsh. But it's true; no one could have scripted a better ending to the AFC East's regular season. The Jet's won the first meeting due to how horribly Miami's defense played. Well, the Jets are deteriorating and the Dolphins are surging...guess we'll have to see what happens. I don't expect the Fish to make it out of the first round of the post season; but after a single (last second) victory last year...possibly making the playoffs this year is pretty special :)