2023 NFL picks, score predictions for Week 17

Carolina Panthers (2-13) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (8-7)

Sunday, December 31, 1:00 PM ET

The Jacksonville Jaguars are absolutely imploding right now. After starting off this season looking like one of the top up-and-coming teams in the AFC, the Jags have been free-falling. Sky-diving. They are Clark Griswold on the slicked up sled heading toward Wal Mart. 

The Buccaneers dog-walked the Jaguars on Sunday and raised some serious questions about Jacksonville’s legitimacy in the AFC playoff race. Ultimately, the team playing like this has led them to a really sticky situation. Not only are the Jaguars free falling, but they’ve free fallen into a three-way situation at 8-7 in the AFC South with the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts.

The last couple of weeks of the season are really shaping up to be fascinating in that division.

On paper, this game at home for the Jaguars would seem to be a gimme. But I don’t think it’s going to be at all. Not with the way they’ve been playing. And the Panthers were knocking on the door of a win this past weekend against the Packers. They put up 30 points.

I think with how bad the Jaguars have played lately, we could see a cat on cat crime here with the Panthers play spoiler.

Prediction: Panthers win 28-26