Browns are back in the playoffs. Plus, Week 17 game picks, odds and fantasy advice
Welcome to Week 17, the penultimate weekend of the 2023 NFL regular season.
About last night: Cleveland Browns 37, New York Jets 20 — The Browns are in the playoffs for just the third time since coming off hiatus in 1999. Cleveland has former AFC North rival Joe Flacco to thank for that, as the veteran has won four of five starts for the Browns. The Browns even have an outside chance at the AFC's No. 1 playoff seed.
Game of the week: Miami Dolphins at Baltimore Ravens — The Ravens are rolling toward home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. The Dolphins represent the greatest threat to the Ravens for the conference's top seed. A Ravens win clinches the AFC's No. 1 playoff seed; it would be just the second time in franchise history that's happened (2019 being the other). A Dolphins win secures Miami its first AFC East division title since 2008 and the team's first 12-win season since 1990.
This game is too good for there to be just one game of the week: Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys — In this best Lions season in many, many years, there's been a lot of "the Lions are X for the first time since X" talk. Well, there's some fun historical synergy in Saturday's matchup: The Lions' last playoff win came during the 1991 season against the Cowboys. That 31-year playoff win drought represents the longest such active drought in the league. That 1991 Lions playoff win? Well, it was the franchise's first playoff win since 1957. Could these two teams meet again this postseason, harkening back to that 1991 divisional playoff clash? Before then, the Cowboys put a 15-game home win streak on the line.
Sneaky-good game of the week: Pittsburgh Steelers at Seattle Seahawks — The Steelers saved their season with last week's win over the Bengals. With another win, Pittsburgh can secure its 20th consecutive season of finishing .500 or better (that would surpass the Patriots — 2001-2019 — for the second-longest streak; the Cowboys own the longest at 21 seasons from 1965-1985). The Seahawks can secure a playoff berth with a win and an unlikely Packers-Vikings tie.
Dud of the week: Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos — With the unexpected benching of Russell Wilson, the quarterback matchup here features Easton Stick vs. Jarrett Stidham.
➤ PHOTOS: Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games
NFL Week 17: Pigskin prognostications
- Week 17 predictions: Paste BN Sports' panel of experts picks winners (and final scores!) for this weekend's games. Are there any potential upsets?
- Lorenzo's Locks: Find out why Lorenzo Reyes is bullish on the Buccaneers in their possible NFC South-title clincher against the Saints 🔒.
- NFL Week 17 betting odds: Which teams are favored this week? If you’re new to sports betting, don’t worry. We have tips for beginners on how to place bets online.
- Power rankings: See how all 32 teams stack up, according to Paste BN Sports' Nate Davis, heading into Week 17. You probably can guess which team is No. 1. 📈
NFL news, notes and analysis
- Best and worst from the NFL in 2023: As the countdown clock ticks toward 2024, Jarrett Bell looks back at the year it has been in the NFL.
- Let Russ cook … somewhere else? Here are eight possible team fits for Russell Wilson (if the Broncos jettison the benched quarterback).
- Russell Wilson and Sean Payton were Broncos' forced marriage … and it finally unraveled. This move cuts deeper than merely trying to ignite a spark. It sends the clear message that Wilson’s tenure as Broncos quarterback is over, Jarrett Bell writes.
- Nothing powers the Ravens like disrespect. It's their fuel: The Ravens love to be disrespected and the team felt that was the case against the 49ers. No one expressed this more than Lamar Jackson, Mike Freeman writes.
- Calm down! The Chiefs' problem is not Taylor Swift: This is silly to even suggest. The pop star doesn't play quarterback or on Kansas City's leaky offensive line, and the jury's out if she can catch a football better than the Chiefs' receivers. Mike Freeman writes that you don’t blame a woman who doesn’t play in the NFL for a team not fulfilling its potential.
- Pro Football Hall of Fame reveals 15 finalists for 2024 class: The Hall of Fame's next class will be announced on Feb. 8 during the "NFL Honors" ceremony. Up to five modern-era players can be elected.
➤ Longest playoff droughts | Longest playoff win droughts
Fantasy football: Chasing that league title
Your quest for championship glory 🎉 has hit its ultimate moment here in NFL Week 17. Make sure to optimize that lineup!
- Position-by-position rankings: It's championship week in most fantasy football leagues (and if it's not, your commissioner is doing this wrong!), so be sure to get your lineup right. Use our PPR rankings to help you get that championship ring/belt/trophy 🏆.
- Start 'em and sit 'em players for Week 17: Let’s take a look at some players at each position fantasy managers might be on the fence about having active this week.
- Winners and losers from Week 16: While a rookie tight end is emerging as a playmaker for the Packers, another rookie tight end is floundering in Buffalo.
NFL Week 17 schedule 📅
Thursday
Saturday
- Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys, 8:15 p.m. ET (ABC/ESPN)
Sunday
- Miami Dolphins at Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
- New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
- Atlanta Falcons at Chicago Bears, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
- Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
- Las Vegas Raiders at Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
- Carolina Panthers at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
- Los Angeles Rams at New York Giants, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
- Arizona Cardinals at Philadelphia Eagles, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
- New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
- San Francisco 49ers at Washington Commanders, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
- Pittsburgh Steelers at Seattle Seahawks, 4:05 p.m. ET (FOX)
- Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos, 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)
- Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs, 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)
- Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings, 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC)
Talkin' football 🗣
- It's a Football Podcast: Paste BN Sports NFL insiders Safid Deen and Tyler Dragon dish on the latest hot topics surrounding the league. This week's podcast discusses the Ravens as Super Bowl favorites as other top contenders falter.
- NFL Facebook group: Run a post route to The Ruling Off the Field 🏈 to engage in friendly debate and conversation with football fans 🏟.
If you enjoy reading 4th & Monday 📰, encourage your football fan friends to subscribe 📱. Follow the marvelously mirthful writer of this newsletter on Threads @jimreineking 🧵.
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