clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

NFL Playoff Picture: Meaningful Week 17 Games Include Chiefs-Raiders, Bears-Packers, Rams-Seahawks

With each week we learn more about the NFL playoff picture. Here's a look at a few games in the final week of the season that could decide divisions.

By Joel Thorman
Getty Images

The NFL this year focused on putting more division games late in the 2010-11 season schedule and the result is plenty of divisional races in the final week that will decide the NFL playoff picture. It's possible we see three divisions decided in Week 17 with three divisional games.

Here's a look at Week 17 NFL schedule:

Oakland Raiders vs. Kansas City Chiefs: It's possible this game doesn't even decide the division. With a couple of Oakland and San Diego Chargers losses, the Chiefs could win this division by Week 15. But if Kansas City doesn't run the table Oakland would come in with a better division record than the Chiefs and, in Week 17, potentially the head to head advantage.

Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers: OK, who figured Chicago would be in this position? They're actually a game up on the Packers right now and Green Bay has the ability to run the table. This will be an excellent game that would mean a lot. There could also be wildcard implications here.

St. Louis Rams vs. Seattle Seahawks: Ah, the battle for the NFC West crown. These teams are tied at 6-6 and it's looking like eight wins could do it. It's likely this game decides the division since they tied with four games to play. Who wins? I tend to lean to the Seahawks but Sam Bradford seems to get better every week.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New Orleans Saints: The Bucs have now fallen two games behind the Saints in the NFC South to put them in third place behind the 10-2 Atlanta Falcons. So this is for a wildcard, if anything, in Week 17.

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Houston Texans: The Jaguars now have a one-game lead over the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC South with four games to play. The Texans are currently two games behind while the Jaguars will also be keeping an eye on...

Tennessee Titans vs. Indianapolis Colts: We know they're good but they're just 6-6, one game behind the Jaguars. They may have to go undefeated the rest of the way.