NFL Week 17 preview
WASHINGTON (6-9) AT EAGLES (4-10-1)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m., NBC OPENING LINE: Eagles by 4 SERIES: Washington, 87-79-5 LAST MEETING: Washington, 27-17, Sept. 13
WASHINGTON OFFENSE:
OVERALL (30), RUSH (26) PASS (26)
WASHINGTON DEFENSE: OVERALL (4), RUSH (12), PASS (3)
EAGLES OFFENSE: OVERALL (22), RUSH (9), PASS (27) EAGLES DEFENSE: OVERALL (21), RUSH (24), PASS (20, tie) FANTASY TIP: Rookie RB Antonio Gibson should be a good play against Philly’s banged-up defense.
ETC.: Eagles had won six consecutive meetings until blowing a 17-0 lead and losing to Washington in the season opener. ... WR Terry McLaurin’s 1,078 yards receiving are 519 more than the next closest Washington player even after missing last week’s game with a nagging ankle injury. ... Pro Bowl right guard Brandon Scherff could be playing his final game for Washington. Scherff is on the franchise tag this season. ... DE Chase Young leads all rookies with 6½ sacks. He had 1½ sacks in his first game against the Eagles. ... Eagles rookie QB Jalen Hurts joined Lamar Jackson as the only QBs in NFL history with 50-plus yards rushing in each of his first three career starts. ... Ex-Washington WR DeSean Jackson had an 81-yard TD catch last week. ... CB Darius Slay had his first interception of the season against Dallas.
Washington’s Antonio Gibson (24) rushed for 61 yards last week in his return from an injured toe.
ATLANTA (4-11) AT TAMPA BAY (10-5)
Sunday, 1p.m.
OPENING LINE: Bucs by 7½ SERIES: Falcons, 28-26
LAST MEETING: Bucs, 31-27 on Dec. 20
FANTASY TIP: Bucs’ Mike Evans is coming off a 10-catch, 181-yard, two-TD performance. ETC.: Falcons’ Calvin Ridley had 10 catches for 163 yards and a TD in first meeting. He has eight 100-yard games this season, most in NFL. ... Tom Brady has thrown a Bucs record 36 TD passes. He needs four more to join Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and Dan Marino as only QBs to throw at least 40 in multiple seasons. Rodgers has done it three times, the others twice.
BALTIMORE (10-5) AT CINCINNATI (4-10-1)
Sunday, 1p.m.
OPENING LINE: Ravens by 12½ SERIES: Ravens, 26-23
LAST MEETING: Ravens, 27-3, on Oct. 11
FANTASY TIP: Baltimore’s defense. Ravens limited Cincinnati to a late FG in the first meeting, and that was with Joe Burrow at QB.
ETC.: Ravens have three players with at least 600yards rushing (J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards and Lamar Jackson). Bengals don’t have anyone with 500yards. ... During their four-game winning streak, Ravens have averaged 37 points and 233.3yards rushing per game. Lamar Jackson has thrown eight TD passes and run for four during that stretch.
DALLAS (6-9) AT N.Y. GIANTS (5-10)
Sunday, 1 p.m., Fox
OPENING LINE: Giants by 3½ SERIES: Cowboys, 69-46-2 FANTASY TIP: Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb had eight catches for 124 yards against the Giants earlier this season. ETC.: Dallas has won its last three and has beaten New York seven straight times. Cowboys last finished a season with four consecutive wins in 2014. ... Dallas RB Ezekiel Elliott needs 63 yards rushing for 1,000 yards this season, his fourth in five seasons. ... Giants LB Blake Martinez is tied for third in NFL with 140 tackles. It’s his fourth straight season with at least 140. ... S Jabrill Peppers has career highs of 82 tackles, 2½ sacks and 10 passes defended.
MIAMI (10-5) AT BUFFALO (12-3)
Sunday, 1 p.m.
OPENING LINE: Bills by 5½ SERIES: Dolphins, 61-51-1 LAST MEETING: Bills, 31-28,
Sept. 20 FANTASY TIP: Miami’s Myles Gaskin facing a defense which has allowed 140 or more yards rushing in the past two weeks, and six times this season. ETC.: Dolphins have allowed fewest points in the NFL at 18.8 per game, and could finish leading that category for the first time since 1998. ... They also lead in third-down defense at 31% and are tied for first with 27 takeaways. ... Buffalo’s 445 points scored are 13 short of matching single-season team record set in 1991.
MINNESOTA (6-9) AT DETROIT (5-10)
Sunday, 1p.m. OPENING LINE: Vikings by 3½ SERIES: Vikings, 77-39-2 LAST MEETING: Vikings, 3420, Nov. 8 FANTASY TIP: Vikings QB Kirk Cousins could put up big numbers vs. Lions, and may have to with RB Dalvin Cook out. ETC.: In six starts against Lions, Cousins is 5-1with 1,518yards passing, 13TDs and one interception plus a 75.1% completion rate. ... Vikings WR Justin Jefferson leads NFL rookies with 1,267receiving yards, needing 111 yards to break Anquan Boldin’s rookie record from 2003. ... Detroit QB Matthew Stafford needs 209yards passing for his eighth 4,000-yard season.
NEW YORK JETS (2-13) AT NEW ENGLAND (6-9)
Sunday, 1p.m., CBS OPENING LINE: Patriots by 10 SERIES: Patriots, 68-54-1 LAST MEETING: Patriots, 3027, Nov. 9 FANTASY TIP: Jets’ Breshad Perriman had season highs in catches (5), yards (101) and TDs (2) in first meeting with Pats. ETC.: Jets coach Adam Gase is 9-22; his .290winning percentage is second worst in team history — only Rich Kotite (.125, 4-28) is lower. ... Jets on track to finish last in NFL in total offense for second straight year, averaging 15points and 275 yards per game. ... Cam Newton is 27yards from breaking Pats record for rushing yards by a QB (Steve Grogan, 539 in 1978).
PITTSBURGH (12-3) AT CLEVELAND (10-5)
Sunday, 1p.m., CBS OPENING LINE: Browns by 10 SERIES: Steelers, 77-59-1 LAST MEETING: Steelers, 38-7, Oct. 18 FANTASY TIP: Jarvis Landry will be raring to go after missing his first game in seven seasons. ETC.: Mason Rudolph will start for Ben Roethlisberger and face Browns DE Myles Garrett for the first time in Cleveland since their infamous scuffle last season. ... Pittsburgh’s 52sacks lead NFL, putting Steelers in a position to top the league a fourth straight seasons. ... Browns RB Nick Chubb is 41yards short of 1,000. He’ has 11TDs despite missing four games — including the earlier matchup vs. Pittsburgh.
ARIZONA (8-7) AT L.A. RAMS (9-6)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m., CBS OPENING LINE: Rams by 4½ SERIES: Rams, 44-38-2 LAST MEETING: Rams, 38-28, Dec. 6 FANTASY TIP: Nobody has any idea how Rams QB John Wolford will fare, but he’s likely to have plenty of opportunities. He might be worth a flyer. ETC.: Rams coach Sean McVay is 7-0 vs. Arizona, with six wins by double digits. ... First time since 1998 the Cards have had a “play-in” game during the final week. ... Rams are expected to play without their leading passer (Jared Goff), leading rusher (Darrell Henderson) and leading receiver (Cooper Kupp) due to injuries and COVID-19.
GREEN BAY (12-3) AT CHICAGO (8-7)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m., Fox OPENING LINE: Packers by 5½ SERIES: Packers, 100-95-6 LAST MEETING: Packers, 4125, Nov. 29 FANTASY TIP: Aaron Rodgers is 20-5 vs. Chicago, counting playoffs. ETC.: Packers can lock up No. 1 seed with a win or tie. ... Rodgers has thrown 44 TD passes with only five interceptions. He is one off his career high of 45 TD passes. … Davante Adams is one of only three players to have at least 100 catches and 17 TD receptions in the same season. … Bears could join the 1970 Bengals and 2014 Panthers as only teams since 1970 merger to make the playoffs despite a six-game losing streak.
JACKSONVILLE (1-14) AT INDIANAPOLIS (10-5)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. OPENING LINE: Colts by 12½ SERIES: Colts, 24-15 LAST MEETING: Jaguars, 2720, Sept. 13 FANTASY TIP: Indy’s strong defense has something to prove against one of the league’s worst offenses. ETC.: Jags have lost 14 straight since beating Indy in Week 1. ... Jacksonville and Pittsburgh are only AFC teams to have three receivers with 50 or more receptions. DJ Chark Jr. has 53, Laviska Shenault Jr. and Keelan Cole Sr. each have 52. ... With two TD catches, WR T.Y. Hilton will pass Jimmy Orr (50) for fourth in Colts history.
L.A. CHARGERS (6-9) AT KANSAS CITY (14-1)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. OPENING LINE: Chiefs by 3½ SERIES: Chiefs, 64-56-1 LAST MEETING: Chiefs, 2320, OT, Sept. 20 FANTASY TIP: If you’re playing for a title, you better hope Chiefs’ playmakers didn’t get you there. Most will get some — if not all — of the week off. ETC.: Chargers’ Justin Herbert has thrown at least two TD passes in five of his six road starts. He has six TDs and no interceptions in his past three games vs. division foes. ...Kansas City is 31-4 vs. AFC West since 2015. ... TE Travis Kelce already has Chiefs record with 105 receptions this season.
LAS VEGAS (7-8) AT DENVER (5-10)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. OPENING LINE: Broncos by 1 SERIES: Raiders, 66-54-2 LAST MEETING: Raiders, 37-12, Nov. 15 FANTASY TIP: Brocnos’ Melvin Gordon is 107 yards shy of his second 1,000-yard season. ETC.: Raiders TE Darren Waller has 98 catches, six shy of tying Tim Brown’s franchise record of 104 set in 1997. ... Josh Jacobs needs 24 yards rushing for his second straight 1,000-yard season. Only Raiders to do that are Marcus Allen (1983-85) and Mark van Eeghen (1976-78). ... Gordon is aiming for his fifth straight game with 75-plus scrimmage yards.
NEW ORLEANS (11-4) AT CAROLINA (5-10)
Sunday, 4:25p.m. OPENING LINE: Saints by 6½ SERIES: Saints, 27-25 LAST MEETING: Saints, 27-24, Oct. 25 FANTASY TIP: Drew Brees has at least two TD passes in three of his last four games at Carolina and has nine TDs with two INTs for a 113QB rating in four road starts this season. ETC.: Saints seeking to become first team to finish 6-0in NFC South since division was formed in 2002. ... Saints are second in NFL in time of possession (31:06) behind Packers (33:01). ... Panthers’ Robby Anderson has career highs in receptions (92) and yards receiving (1,056).
SEATTLE (11-4) VS. SAN FRANCISCO (6-9)
at Glendale, Arizona Sunday, 4:25 p.m. OPENING LINE: Seahawks by 4½ SERIES: Seahawks, 27-17 LAST MEETING: Seahawks, 37-27, Nov. 1 FANTASY TIP: 49erts’ Jeff Wilson Jr. ran 22 times for 183 yards and also caught a 21-yard TD pass last week. He figures to get a heavy load again with Raheem Mostert injured. ETC.: In his past five games against San Francisco, Russell Wilson has 13 TD passes and just one INT with a passer rating of 114.5. ... 49ers are one of three teams, along with Rams and Atlanta, not to allow a 100yard rusher this season.
TENNESSEE (10-5) AT HOUSTON (4-11)
Sunday, 4:25p.m. OPENING LINE: Titans by 4½ SERIES: Titans, 20-17 LAST MEETING: Titans, 42-36, OT, Oct. 18 FANTASY TIP: Titans’ Derrick Henry is assured of repeating as NFL rushing champ, first in NFL since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006-07. Henry ran for 212 yards in his last game vs. Texans. ETC.: Titans are 5-2on the road this season. ... QB Ryan Tannehill has a career-high 32TD passes and has thrown at least one TD pass in 12straight games. ... Houston QB Deshaun Watson needs 313yards passing to pass Matt Schaub (4,770) for most in a single season in franchise history.