NFL 2020

[JustAnEngineer]

Dolphins-Patriots and Saints-Chiefs were both good games today.

I agree on Lawrence preferring the Jaguars over the Jets. The Jets have been on a downward trend for the past 10 years. The Jaguars were pretty decent as recently as 2.5 seasons ago.

[superjawes]

Merry Christmas!

Week 16

Christmas Football, 12/25
Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints

Saturday, 12/26
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions
San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals
Miami Dolphins at Las Vegas Raiders

Sunday, 12/27
Indianapolis Colts at Pittsburgh Steelers
Atlanta Falcons at Kansas City Chiefs
Chicago Bears at Jacksonville Jaguars
Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans
New York Giants at Baltimore Ravens
Cleveland Browns at New York Jets
Carolina Panthers at Washington RedCTRLV
Denver Broncos at Los Angeles Chargers
Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys
Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks

Sunday Night Football
Tennessee Titans at Green Bay Packers

Monday Night Football, 12/28
Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots

I'm guessing all the Chiefs want for Christmas is a #1 seed, and I think they secure that by beating the Falcons. While the Texans don't have long been eliminated from playoff contention, I think Watson's mobility will notch him an extra win against the Bengals. Over in Baltimore, I don't want to count out the Giants entirely, but with such a narrow window, I think the Ravens will sharpen themselves enough to stay alive for another week. Finally, I am picking the Bills over the Patriots, who have missed the playoffs for the first time in forever.

[JustAnEngineer]

It looks to me as if the Dolphins will miss the playoffs, despite having three more wins than the champion of the NFC Least will have.

[superjawes]

Week 16 - Results

Christmas Football, 12/25
Minnesota Vikings 33 at New Orleans Saints 52

Saturday, 12/26
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 47 at Detroit Lions 7
San Francisco 49ers 20 at Arizona Cardinals 12
Miami Dolphins 26 at Las Vegas Raiders 25

Sunday, 12/27
Indianapolis Colts 24 at Pittsburgh Steelers 28
Atlanta Falcons 14 at Kansas City Chiefs 17
Chicago Bears 41 at Jacksonville Jaguars 17
Cincinnati Bengals 37 at Houston Texans 31
New York Giants 13 at Baltimore Ravens 27
Cleveland Browns 16 at New York Jets 23
Carolina Panthers 20 at Washington RedCTRLV 13
Denver Broncos 16 at Los Angeles Chargers 19
Philadelphia Eagles 17 at Dallas Cowboys 37
Los Angeles Rams 9 at Seattle Seahawks 20

Sunday Night Football
Tennessee Titans 14 at Green Bay Packers 40

Monday Night Football, 12/28
Buffalo Bills 38 at New England Patriots 9

[Captain Ned]

Still not sure how my Steelers pulled that one out. I'm similarly astounded that my Gooners beat Chelsea.

[Captain Ned]

And the Pratiots are getting their arses kicked. Long past time.

[superjawes]

Well the games for next Sunday are locked in, so I'll throw this up. I'll spin out a few picks later. Here is your complete clinching scenarios for the week.

Week 17

Games with No Playoff Teams
New York Jets at New England Patriots
Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions
Las Vegas Raiders at Denver Broncos

Games with a Playoff Team, but no Major Playoff Significance
Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Los Angeles Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs

Games with Playoff Significance
Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns
Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals
Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills
Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers
Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams
Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts
Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans
Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears
New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers

Sunday Night Football, Regular Season Finale
Dan Snyder's Disaster at Philadelphia Eagles

Few surprises this week for me. For starters, I expected fewer meaningful games, but with the NFC East being the NFC East and a whopping FIVE AFC teams sitting at 10-5, there are a lot of moving pieces on Sunday. I'm also a bit surprised that KC are in a completely meaningless game, having locked up the #1 seed. I think most of their AFC opponents could beat the Chiefs in the playoffs, but it sure feels like KC is headed back to Florida in February.

The last surprise is the choice in Sunday Night Football. I know it's the game with the biggest potential impact, but it's still the NFC East, and Philly could already be eliminated by kickoff are only playing to spoil the Football Team's chances. It will be the most 2020 game of the season, even though it will be played 3 days into 2021.

EDIT 1: JAE pointed out that Philly are already out.

EDIT 2: Picks are in.

[superjawes]

Week 17

Games with Playoff Significance
Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills
Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams
Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts
Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears

Sticking with real games for Week 17. The Bills are already playoff-bound, and the Dolphins need a win to keep their playoff hopes in their hands, but knocking out a good divisional rival is the correct move, and I think Buffalo earned their status as contenders. Over in LA, we basically have a "win and in" situation for both teams. As improved as the Cardinals have been this year, they've got some prevent injuries that will hold them back. Coming back to the Midwest, I think Green Bay can and will secure their bye in Chicago with the added bonus of preventing a division rival from getting in. Finally, I have to take the Colts. Jacksonville got their only win of the season against us in week 1, so we should win it for pride. There are a few solid paths to the postseason if we get help in Houston, Cleveland, Buffalo, or even Cincinnati, but before that happens, we need a win on Sunday.

[JustAnEngineer]

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/th ... f-week-17/
I believe that I'd rather watch the Rams-Cardinals or Browns-Steelers games than the Eagles-WTFs game.

[superjawes]

Week 17 - Results

Games with No Playoff Teams
New York Jets 14 at New England Patriots 28
Minnesota Vikings 37 at Detroit Lions 35
Las Vegas Raiders 32 at Denver Broncos 31

Games with a Playoff Team, but no Major Playoff Significance
Atlanta Falcons 27 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 44
Los Angeles Chargers 38 at Kansas City Chiefs 21

Games with Playoff Significance
Dallas Cowboys 19 at New York Giants 23
Pittsburgh Steelers 22 at Cleveland Browns 24
Baltimore Ravens 38 at Cincinnati Bengals 3
Miami Dolphins 19 at Buffalo Bills 56
Seattle Seahawks 26 at San Francisco 49ers 23
Arizona Cardinals 7 at Los Angeles Rams 18
Jacksonville Jaguars 14 at Indianapolis Colts 28
Tennessee Titans 41 at Houston Texans 38
Green Bay Packers 35 at Chicago Bears 16
New Orleans Saints 33 at Carolina Panthers 7

Sunday Night Football, Regular Season Finale
Dan Snyder's Disaster 20 at Philadelphia Eagles 14

Well unless we get a new name tomorrow, I am going to have to dip into my reserve list of not-names for the Washington Football Team...