2020 NFL picks, score predictions for Week 17

Atlanta Falcons (4-11) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-5)

Sunday, January 3, 1PM ET

It’s amazing that, despite the Atlanta Falcons’ competitiveness this season, they sit at 4-11 heading into the final week. Then again, that’s what happens when a team simply refuses to step up and make plays in the fourth quarter.

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Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are getting hot at just the right time. They’ve rattled off three wins in a row, thanks in large part to strong performances from Tom Brady, Mike Evans and the Tampa Bay defense. That doesn’t bode well for the Falcons, who stand a very small chance of playing spoiler on Sunday.

In the end, though, it doesn’t mean much. The Falcons would only be dropping themselves down the draft order by winning, and the Buccaneers are nearly locked into the fifth seed. The Los Angeles Rams could potentially push them down to the sixth seed, but that won’t be an option.

The Buccaneers get the win. Atlanta suffers yet another lackluster loss, and the front office begins the process of shaking up what’s been an underwhelming franchise in recent years. Brady delivers on his assumed promise to get Tampa Bay back to the playoffs, but how far can they go once the real fun begins?

Prediction: Buccaneers win 37-25