Doesn’t it seem as if just yesterday that the Kansas City Chiefs opened the 2017 NFL season on a Thursday night with an upset in New England? Yet here we are at the end of the regular season. Several games still have playoff ramifications and here are two of them, as part of our Top NFL Week 17 betting picks: Jacksonville at Tennessee and Arizona at Seattle.
Could this be the last game ever for future Hall of Fame receiver Larry Fitzgerald? In Sunday’s 23-0 win over the Giants, Arizona’s first shutout in 25 years, Fitzgerald had nine catches for 119 yards and a touchdown. This season, Fitzgerald has 101 catches for 1,101 yards and six touchdowns. He now has five seasons with at least 100 catches, tied for the second-most in NFL history. Only Brandon Marshall (six) has more such seasons. Fitzgerald has nine seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards, tied for the third-most in NFL history. Only Hall of Famer Jerry Rice (14) and soon-to-be Hall of Famer (10) have more such seasons.
Drew Stanton completed 20-of-34 passes for 209 yards with two touchdowns and a pair of interceptions against the Giants. He returned to the starting role in place of Blaine Gabbert, who was 2-3 in the previous five games as a starter.
Expert Analysis & Top NFL Week 17 Betting Picks
2017 Division Leaders! (Through Week 16) pic.twitter.com/VnOCbaM167
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Jacksonville Jaguars (10-5) vs. Tennessee Titans (8-7)
- When: Sunday, 4:25 PM ET
- Where: Nissan Stadium, Nashville
- TV: CBS
- Radio: www.siriusxm.com/nfl
- Streaming Option: DirecTV to Go
- NFL Week 17 Betting Lines: TBA
Why Bet on Jacksonville?
The Jaguars are division champions for the first time since this century and don’t really have much use to care in this game. They will be the AFC’s third seed regardless. This is the Jaguars’ first division title since 1999 when they also finished ahead of the Titans and advanced to the AFC Championship Game. The Jaguars were in the AFC Central then and moved to the AFC South when the NFL realigned divisions after expanding to 32 teams. Jacksonville (10-5) comes off a 44-33 loss in San Francisco as the Jags’ No. 1 ranked defense was torched. Blake Bortles threw three interceptions for the Jaguars, including one returned for a touchdown by Dontae Johnson in the first half, after going three straight weeks without one in the best stretch of his career. Bortles threw for 382 yards and two touchdowns but it wasn’t enough for the Jaguars. Before Sunday, Bortles was the NFL’s highest-rated quarterback (128.6) in the first three weeks of December, when he threw for 903 yards and seven touchdowns with no interceptions. The Jags were really thin at receiver for the game as Allen Hurns, and Marqise Lee, were both inactive, although Hurns returned to practice last week and Lee is shooting to return for the playoffs after hurting his ankle. WR Jaelen Strong suffered a torn ACL in the loss. Making his Jaguars debut, Strong caught three passes for 38 yards and a touchdown in San Francisco before going down.Why Bet on Tennessee?
If the Titans don’t win this game, you might see Coach Mike Mularkey fired because it would mean a fourth straight loss and playoffs collapse. Tennessee will be a wild-card team with a win here. They also make the playoffs if they lose, the Chargers lose home to the Raiders and the Bills lose at the Miami Dolphins. To make matters even more interesting, a Titans victory over the Jaguars, paired with a Ravens victory over Bengals, would have Tennessee travel to Jacksonville in the wild-card round of the playoffs. Tennessee likely will be without running back DeMarco Murray for a while. He suffered a knee injury in Sunday’s home loss to the Rams. On the bright side, Derrick Henry, who will get more carries in Murray’s absence, has been a more effective runner this season, averaging more than a yard per carry more than Murray. Although Murray is the Titans’ No. 1 back, he has 659 yards on 184 carries this season, while Henry has 693 yards on 148 carries. Tennessee won in Jacksonville in Week 2, 37-16. Henry, Delanie Walker, and Jalston Fowler each ran for touchdowns. Marcus Mariota completed 15 of 27 passes for 215 yards. He had a 32-yard touchdown pass to Jonnu Smith in the final quarter. Blake Bortles threw two interceptions, including one tipped at the line, and fumbled once.Arizona Cardinals (7-8) vs. Seattle Seahawks (9-6)
- When: Sunday, 4:25 PM ET
- Where: CenturyLink Field, Seattle
- TV: Fox
- Radio: www.siriusxm.com/nfl
- Streaming Option: DirecTV to Go
- NFL Week 17 Betting Lines: Seahawks -9
Why Bet on Arizona?
The Cardinals are playing out the string and could have a new head coach, and starting QB, next year. Their current coach, Bruce Arians, has had some health problems. Arians haven’t told the Cardinals if he plans to return in 2018. It’s possible he walks away after two straight non-winning seasons. And their over-the-hill quarterback, Carson Palmer, hasn’t played since Week 7 due to a broken arm. It’s time for the Cards to move on from him.
Could this be the last game ever for future Hall of Fame receiver Larry Fitzgerald? In Sunday’s 23-0 win over the Giants, Arizona’s first shutout in 25 years, Fitzgerald had nine catches for 119 yards and a touchdown. This season, Fitzgerald has 101 catches for 1,101 yards and six touchdowns. He now has five seasons with at least 100 catches, tied for the second-most in NFL history. Only Brandon Marshall (six) has more such seasons. Fitzgerald has nine seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards, tied for the third-most in NFL history. Only Hall of Famer Jerry Rice (14) and soon-to-be Hall of Famer (10) have more such seasons.
Drew Stanton completed 20-of-34 passes for 209 yards with two touchdowns and a pair of interceptions against the Giants. He returned to the starting role in place of Blaine Gabbert, who was 2-3 in the previous five games as a starter.
