NFL picks: Week 17

Jerry Jones insinuated that the Cowboys would play their starters on Sunday, but for how long? This game has no playoff implications for the Cowboys, who have already clinched the NFC East. It would seem likely that at least Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott would sit shortly after the start of the game. New York has covered in four of its last five games.

Fans in New Orleans are apparently paying to see Teddy Bridgewater vs. Kyle Allen in this Week 17 classic. Just as significant for the Panthers is that they could protect star running back Christian McCaffrey, cutting the Saints defense another major break.

New England got some help from Philly last week, making the Pats the likely No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs, but they still have to take care of business against the Jets. The Patriots are only 8-7 against the spread (ATS) this season, one of Bill Belichick's worst ATS performances as head coach, but should be motivated to finish strong so they can get a bye next week.

Green Bay got more Aaron Rodgers heroics last week in overtime, but playing extra won't help for a team that's already banged up. The Lions won this matchup in Detroit in early October and should be able to give Green Bay a game if they're motivated.

Houston lost a heartbreaker at Philly last week but still has reason to play and maintain the No. 3 seed with an outside shot at the No. 2 seed. Jacksonville's defense is really coming around again. It looks like Blake Bortles will finish out the year as the starter for Jacksonville, but the Jags haven't scored more than 17 points over their last four games.

Is this the Tampa Bay swan song for Jameis Winston and head coach Dirk Koetter in Tampa Bay? The team managed to hang in for much of last week at Dallas, and the Falcons continue to be banged up at running back, among other areas. Atlanta is tied for the league-worst ATS record at 5-10, and last week's win came with the help of Taylor Heinicke at quarterback for the Panthers. 

Last week wasn't pretty for either team, but Miami seems to be in an even bigger free fall after scoring just seven points at home vs. Jacksonville. Traveling to Buffalo in late December is always a tough task, and Miami's only road win was in Week 2.

Oakland got a triumphant win in what could be its final game at Oakland Coliseum and is 2-2 in its last four games, as Derek Carr has avoided turning the ball over lately. The Raiders don't have a great chance to spoil K.C.'s No. 1 seed on the road but proved they can score on the Chiefs, putting up 33 points in Week 13. The Chiefs are also 0-4 against the spread without Kareem Hunt.

Philly continues to hold out hope for a playoff spot but will  need help from the Bears, who are playing the Vikings. The Eagles also have to take care of business on the road at Washington, where Josh Johnson has given the offense a spark. The same can be said for the Eagles with Nick Foles. The team has won four of five, with the last two wins coming with Foles under center.

Can Baker Mayfield and Co. play spoilers? Baltimore is the hot team right now, winning five of six games with Lamar Jackson under center, but the offense isn't exactly dominating. It has averaged less than 20 points per game over the last three weeks, so Cleveland has a chance to keep the game close if it can avoid turnovers.

Steelers fans are cheering for the Browns on Sunday, as they need Cleveland to beat the Ravens for Pittsburgh to make the playoffs. Pittsburgh also needs to take care of business against the banged-up Bengals. The Steelers have won only one of their last five games but have played well over the last two weeks and do a good job stopping the run, which should make it difficult for Joe Mixon and Co. to move the ball.

Minnesota will make the playoffs with a win vs. Chicago. Luckily, the Bears can only gain ground in the playoffs with a win and a loss by the Rams, so head coach Matt Nagy could call off the dogs late in the game depending on the scoreboard. The Bears are 11-4 against the spread this season, best in the NFL, but are just 4-3 ATS on the road.

Denver barely showed up at Oakland last week, though it did beat the Chargers in L.A. earlier this season. The Broncos have lost three straight games and seem lost without Chris Harris Jr. and Emmanuel Sanders. The Chargers will be motivated to win, as a slipup by the Chiefs would give them the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

Pete Carroll isn't expected to give Arizona a break, using the Seahawks starters despite the team already clinching a playoff spot. Josh Rosen continues to struggle and could be overwhelmed in this environment.

The Rams need a win to keep the No. 2 seed but face a challenge against a 49ers team that's playing well recently. San Francisco has won two of its last three games and just fell short against Chicago last week. Though, it's worth noting all three of those games were at home, and the 49ers lost their last two road games by 18 points and 27 points, respectively. The 49ers are also likely to be without top running back Matt Breida. Todd Gurley's status remains up in the air for the Rams.

A recurring elbow injury continues to hound Marcus Mariota, and early signs point to the Titans rolling with Blaine Gabbert. Adding to the bad news are the recent losses on defense of Logan Ryan and Jurrell Casey. Mike Vrabel probably deserves Coach of the Year if the Titans are able to pull this one out despite all their injuries, though they have won four games in a row and six of eight.