Vikings at Lions (-2½)
NFL games don’t get much bigger, with this one deciding the NFC North champion and the conference’s No. 1 seed. If the Vikings prevail, Kevin O’Connell team will be just two home victories away from fulfilling the franchise’s destiny by losing a fifth straight Super Bowl.
Pick: Vikings by 3
Minnesota Vikings linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel pressures Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) in the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
Giants at Eagles (-3½)
Eric Dickerson’s rushing record is safe now that Philly’s Saquon Barkley is sitting out the season finale. The retired Rams star was openly rooting against the Eagles’ running back, though he would have been willing to change his mind had Barkley offered him a 1979 gold TransAm.
Pick: Eagles by 7
Running back Eric Dickerson of the Los Angeles Rams is seen during a game against the Green Bay Packers, 1984. (AP Photo)
Seahawks at Rams (even)
Former Seattle coach Pete Carroll has expressed interest in returning to coaching at the age of 73. He’s so committed to following in the footsteps of Bill Belichick that Carroll also expressed interest in dating a 20-year-old.
Pick: Seahawks by 3
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, center, watches as players react after Russell Wilson was intercepted by New England Patriots strong safety Malcolm Butler during the second half of NFL Super Bowl XLIX football game Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Dolphins at Jets (+2½)
Tyler “Snoop” Huntley kept Miami’s playoff hopes alive last week, and he’s expected to start again for injured Tua Tagovailoa. The Dolphins’ Snoop is sometimes confused with T-Mobile spokesperson and Martha Stewart pal Snoop Dogg, except Huntley doesn’t have a rap sheet.
Pick: Dolphins by 3
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tyler Huntley (18) reacts after scoring a touchdown during an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Kirk Irwin)
Chiefs at Broncos (-8½)
The Chiefs won the first-ever Christmas game on Netflix, though LeBron James blasted the event, saying that Christmas belongs to the NBA. James was so upset by the Chiefs-Steelers ratings that he’s going to need a couple of weeks off for load management.
Pick: Broncos by 3
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, left, and head coach Darvin Ham, right, complain to referee Jason Goldenberg after a foul call during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Texans at Titans (-4½)
Houston’s 31-2 Christmas loss to Baltimore was seen on Netflix by nearly 25 million viewers. It was the most-watched event on the streaming service since the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul boxing spectacle, though that fight was actually much more competitive.
Pick: Texans by 3
Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry, left, and quarterback Lamar Jackson walk off the field wearing coats presented to them by Netflix, after playing the Houston Texans, in an NFL football game, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Maria Lysaker)
Jaguars at Colts (-5½)
Earth just passed the 8 billion mark in population, according to demographic experts. Those masses on our home planet have very little in common, except none of them will live long enough to see Jacksonville win a Super Bowl.
Pick: Colts by 3
Jacksonville Jaguars mascot Jaxon Neville runs on the field before an NFL preseason football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Bears at Packers (-9½):
Chicago interim coach Thomas Brown denied there was any late-game confusion as the Bears again butchered the final seconds in their Week 17 loss to Seattle. And you can trust Brown, as he was one of the few people present at Soldier Field who wasn’t legally intoxicated at the time.
Pick: Packers by 7
Chicago Bears interim head coach Thomas Brown listens to reporters after an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Saints at Buccaneers (-13½):
New Orleans is likely to close the season as the only NFL team to get shut out this season. Not too surprising, as Saints replacement quarterback Spencer Rattler has proven to be an even bigger disappointment as a pro as he was as a collegian.
Pick: Buccaneers by 24
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson (44) sacks New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Bills at Patriots (+2½):
New England can clinch the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft with a loss Sunday to the AFC East champions. That means we’re only days away from Deion Sanders’ first declaration that his son Shedeur will never play for the Patriots.
Pick: Bills by 7
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders confers with his son, quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2), in the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Saturday’s games
Bengals at Steelers (+2½):
Pick: Bengals by 3
Browns at Ravens (-17½):
Pick: Ravens by 24
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow celebrates a touchdown with wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, left, during the second half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)
Other games
Panthers at Falcons (-7½):
Pick: Falcons by 8
Commanders at Cowboys (+3½):
Pick: Commanders by 3
49ers at Cardinals (even):
Pick: Cardinals by 3
Chargers at Raiders (+5½):
Pick: Chargers by 7
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) in action during the second half of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Record
Week 17
15-1 straight up
9-7 vs. spread
Season
181-75 straight up (.707)
144-112 vs. spread (.563)
All-time (2003-24)
3812-2095-14 straight up (.645)
2904-2873-144 vs spread (.503)
You can hear Kevin Cusick on Wednesdays on Bob Sansevere’s “BS Show” podcast on iTunes. You can follow Kevin on Twitter — @theloopnow. He can be reached at kcusick@pioneerpress.com.
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