The race for playoff positioning and division championships in the NFL is heating up significantly entering Week 17. We are coming off of yet another phenomenal week of action in Week 16 with plenty to unpack, and so much to look forward to.
Week 17 is going to be another loaded slate with games all throughout the holiday weekend. Fans will be treated to a trio of games on Christmas Day, including the Lions trying to keep their playoff hopes alive and the Broncos trying to maintain their lead in the AFC West.
Which teams are getting wins in Week 17? We're breaking down every single matchup on the schedule, as well as making our game picks and score predictions for each game.
NFL Picks and score predictions for every Week 17 game
Dallas Cowboys (6-8-1) @ Washington Commanders (4-11)
Thursday, December 25, 1:00 PM ET (Netflix)
This game obviously doesn’t carry the luster the NFL would have hoped for, especially because the Commanders could be down to their third option at the quarterback position. This could be one of the ugliest games of the week, and it seems like the oddsmakers are expecting exactly that. The initial over/under is set at a whopping 50.5 total points, so very little resistance is expected for these two defenses.
The Cowboys, to their credit, have played pretty great offense almost the entire season. They didn’t have enough against the Los Angeles Chargers, but they still have the weapons to be able to completely wreck the Commanders’ defense, especially if Josh Johnson is giving the Cowboys extra possessions to work with.
Here’s a fun angle to maybe watch in this game as a couple of receivers are playing for new contracts. George Pickens has a future with the Dallas Cowboys, but how high can he drive the price? A huge game against a division rival in front of a national audience will play into his favor no matter if the stakes are high or not.
For the Commanders, how about the intentional involvement lately of former first-round pick Treylon Burks? He’s earned his way to a new deal as a reclamation project elsewhere after this season, and a couple more big plays could really raise his stock.
Prediction: Cowboys win 34-16