Who’s ready for a surprise ending? This week’s tough to call
Week 17 always is a tough one to handicap. Some teams have nothing to gain as they prepare for the playoffs, wanting to merely stay as healthy as possible.
Others have everything to gain — a playoff berth, better seeding — and go hard from opening kickoff to final whistle. Deciphering who is ready to do what is difficult. Then throw in the clubs whose coaching staffs probably are lame ducks and it can become dizzying.
But we won’t just go through the motions, even as others on the field will. Kansas City (-4) at San Diego: Chiefs are eyeing AFC West title and must win here. Chargers have mailed it in to an L.A. zip code. Best bet: Chiefs, 26-13
Dallas (+4½) at Philadelphia: Cowboys get their bye next week, go for it this week. Upset special: Cowboys, 31-23
Oakland (+3½) at Denver: Defending champion Broncos go down fighting. Broncos, 17-16
Green Bay (-3½) at Detroit: Both teams staring at potentially falling out of the playoffs altogether. Packers, 24-22
New England (-9½) at Miami: New England often struggles in South Florida. Patriots, 24-20
New Orleans (+6½) at Atlanta: Falcons finish in style offensively. Falcons, 40-30
San Francisco (+9½) at Seattle: Seahawks sputtering their way to post-season. Seahawks, 20-10
New York Giants (+8) at Washington: Redskins need help. Giants need to wake up offence. Redskins, 20-16
Buffalo (-6) at New York Jets: Why didn’t Bills wait for more Rex revenge? Bills, 27-10
Cleveland (+7) at Pittsburgh: Browns had their fun last week. Steelers rest some folks, but still … Steelers, 22-9
Houston (+3) at Tennessee: Texans tune up for getting whipped in wild card game. Titans, 15-13
Carolina (+6½) at Tampa Bay: Panthers were 14-1 a year ago. Then 2016 got ugly. Panthers, 24-23
Chicago (+5) at Minnesota: Vikings were 5-0 in October. Then 2016 got ugly. Vikings, 17-16
Jacksonville (+4½) at Indianapolis: For Jags, 2016 always was ugly. Colts, 28-20
Baltimore (+2½) at Cincinnati: How much would Ravens like to have fourth quarter at Pittsburgh back? Ravens, 19-13
Arizona (-6) at Los Angeles: At least we know where the Rams will play next season. Cardinals, 27-16
Last week: Against spread, 9-7; straight up, 10-6
Season totals: Against spread, 119110-8; straight up, 146-92-2
Best bet: 10-6 against spread, 11-5 straight up.
Upset special: 6-9-1 against spread, 6-10 straight up