NFL picks 2017, Week 17: Experts see Browns headed for history

The last week of the regular season is finally here. It’s kind of landing with a whimper too. Going through the list of these games, it’s striking just how many of them are about as meaningless as it gets. But our panel has a job to do. No inherently predictable Week 17 Browns game is going to keep us from fulfilling our assigned duties as football experts.

Last week featured a number of one-sided games. Our panel picked six out of 16 total games unanimous and correct. There were three more games where only one panelist picked the eventually losing team.

There were also a pair of upsets. We all picked the Jaguars to beat the 49ers and the Cowboys to beat the Seahawks. Nope. We were all wrong. And probably should have seen that coming with those two games.

Seattle is determined to win in spite of itself. No amount of locker room flare-ups, piss poor pass protection, and backup cornerbacks can stop them ... well, that and some A-level incompetence from the Cowboys.

This week the Seahawks host the hapless Cardinals in a must-win game. Their playoff hopes are riding on it. They’ll probably win, too. Our panel certainly thinks so; we all picked Seattle to win.

The Niners have the unsinkable Jimmy Garoppolo, whose teams are undefeated when he starts. Will that come to an end this week against the Rams? Los Angeles has its postseason ticket punched already, so the Rams can rest their starters this week. Despite that, our panel still has a heavy lean for the Rams. I’d say don’t bet against the legend of Jimmy GQ; not this season anyway.

Resting starters and avoiding injuries

Games in the last week of the season are always hard to pick. You get a handful of teams that have clinched their playoff berth resting their starters. Then you have a mass of teams with nothing left to play for. Which ones will try to play spoilers? Which ones will treat the last week like the Pro Bowl, a 60-minute cardio session where the main priority is avoiding injury?

Minnesota still kind of needs a win to clinch a first-round bye. The Vikings play the Bears this week, and our panel is unanimous that it will happen. Chicago’s one of the teams I just don’t know what to expect from. Head coach John Fox is probably getting fired, which makes the last game of the season even stranger for them.

Everyone on the panel picked the Patriots to beat the Jets. Duh. They need a win to clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Or they need a Steelers loss. However, the Steelers are playing the Browns, a team destined for 0-16.

There is nothing left for the Jaguars to accomplish this season. They’re locked into the No. 3 spot in the AFC. Head coach Doug Marrone has no plans to rest his starters against the Titans, and after last week’s embarrassing loss to the 49ers, they could probably use the tune-up. The Titans have to win this game if they want to make the playoffs. And coach Mike Mularkey probably has to make the playoffs to save his job. Our panel is pretty evenly split on this one.

And what about games with the Texans at the Colts? Two teams, two lost seasons, nothing left to play for whatsoever. Have fun watching that one!

All right, you know the rules. Our panelists are allowed to change up to two picks by Friday. That’s definitely something to keep an eye on this week with teams more apt to shutdown injured players, playoff teams resting starters, etc.

Our guest this week is Pete Sweeney from Arrowhead Pride, SB Nation’s home for all things Kansas City Chiefs.

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