PFT’s Week 17 2024 NFL weekend preview, headlined by Packers-Vikings

It’s the penultimate weekend of the 2024 season, and five more teams can punch their playoff tickets. Others can cement their spots on the playoff tree.

Either way, we’re two weeks away from the start of the postseason, which will feature games far more compelling than the college football playoffs. (That’s a low bar.)

Here’s a look at the 13 remaining games in Week 17.

9-6 Chargers (-4.5) at 3-12 Patriots, Saturday 1 p.m. ET, NFL Network (Chris Rose and Ross Tucker)

The Chargers are in with a win or loss from the Colts and Dolphins.

The Patriots have lost five in a row. They hope to avoid their second six-game losing streak of the season.

Currently, LA is headed to face the Ravens in the wild card round of the playoffs. Which would give us a rematch of Harbaugh vs. Harbaugh, in Jim’s first season after a nine-year hiatus from the NFL.

9-6 Broncos at 7-8 Bengals (-3.5), Saturday 4:30 p.m. ET, NFL Network (Kevin Harlan and Trent Green)

The Broncos are in with a win and the Bengals are out with a loss.

The Bengals, to punch a postseason ticket, must win out (they visit Pittsburgh in Week 18) and have the Broncos lose two and the Colts and Dolphins lose one game each.

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is the first player in NFL history to have seven consecutive games with 250 or more passing yards and three or more touchdown passes.

Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase has a chance to become the fifth receiver to lead the league in catches, yards and receiving touchdowns since the merger. The others? Jerry Rice, Sterling Sharpe, Steve Smith Sr., Cooper Kupp.

7-8 Cardinals at 9-6 Rams (-7), Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, NFL Network (Rich Eisen and Kurt Warner)

The Cardinals were eliminated in Week 16, driven by losing four of five games. The Rams can win the division with one win and at least three wins or a tie from six other teams.

The Cardinals, who won the first game between these teams in a Week 2 41-10 blowout, haven’t swept the Rams since becoming the LA Rams again.

The Rams are 8-2 since entering the bye 1-4 and have won four in a row.

4-11 Jets at 12-3 Bills (-8.5), Sunday 1 p.m. ET, CBS (Jim Nantz and Tony Romo)

The Bills narrowly won in Week 6, the first game for Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich. This time, the Bills are trying to win the No. 2 seed while the Jets again play the string; they haven’t been to the playoffs since 2010.

With a win, the Bills will match a franchise record 13 regular season wins.

Bills running back James Cook has seven touchdowns in the last five games. He is tied for the NFL lead with 14 rushing touchdowns. He has 16 total touchdowns.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen, the betting favorite for MVP, admitted this week that he has been playing with a broken left hand for most of the season.

3-12 Titans at 3-12 Jaguars (-1), Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS (Spero Dedes and Adam Archuleta)

The Titans have lost four in a row and the Jaguars have lost seven of eight.

Jacksonville is 2-2 in the AFC South and 1-9 against the rest of the league.

3-12 Raiders (-1.5) at 5-10 Saints, Sunday 1 p.m. ET, Fox (Adam Amin and Mark Sanchez)

The Saints became the first team in 2024 to be shut out, in a 34-0 Lambeau Field blowout Monday night.

Quarterback Derek Carr, thanks to a lingering hand injury, won’t get a chance to face the team that cut him just months after signing him to a $40 million per year extension.

7-8 Colts (-7.5) at 2-13 Giants, Sunday 1 p.m. ET, Fox (Kenny Albert and Jonathan Vilma)

The only drama in this one is whether the plane will be back again.

Indy needs a win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

The Giants will win the top pick with two losses to end the season. They already tied a single-season franchise record with 13 losses, and they set a team record with 10 straight losses.

7-8 Cowboys at 12-3 Eagles (-8.5), Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Fox (Joe Davis and Greg Olsen)

The Eagles are looking to sweep Dallas for the first time since 2011.

Jalen Hurts is after Philly. Kenny Pickett gets the start for Philly.

Dallas has played hard despite being eliminated. Will that be enough to get another season or two for Mike McCarthy?

4-11 Panthers at 8-7 Buccaneers (-7.5), Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS (Ian Eagle and Charles Davis)

The Bucs need to pick up a game on the Falcons in the last two weeks to win the division. Tampa Bay is out with a loss and an Atlanta win.

Carolina is 3-4 in their last seven games; they have lost three times by one score – to the Chiefs, Bucs and Eagles.

Tampa Bay receiver Mike Evans needs 182 receiving yards to hit 11 straight 1,000-yard seasons. That would tie Jerry Rice for the most consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in NFL history.

7-8 Dolphins (-6.5) at 3-12 Browns, Sunday 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS (Andrew Catalon, Tiki Barber and Jason McCourty)

Miami can make the playoffs by winning the last two games and having the Broncos or Chargers lose their last two.

The Dolphins have lost 11 in a row with the temperature at kickoff below 40 degrees. The series dates back to 2016.

The Browns have lost four in a row since their epic snow globe win over the Steelers on Thursday night in Cleveland.

11-4 Packers (-1) at 13-2 Vikings, Sunday 4:25 PM ET, Fox (Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady)

As a rule, the game could not be moved to prime time because the first game was played on CBS. At least one of the annual games between NFC division rivals will be played on Fox, where it was flexed to 4:25 PM ET.

Last time out, Minnesota led 28-0 before holding on to win, 31-29.

The Vikings secure the no. 1 seed (and the division title) if they win. If the Vikings lose to the Packers, the Lions can clinch the top seed with a win on Monday night.

The Minnesota quarterback has 16 touchdowns and one interception over the last six weeks. Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love and eight touchdowns and no interceptions in the last five games.

Receiver Justin Jefferson has 349 receiving yards and five touchdown catches in the last three games.

A victory by the Vikings will give them their first nine-game winning streak since starting the 1975 season 10-0.

8-7 Falcons at 10-5 Commanders (-4), Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock (Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth)

For the first time ever, a pair of rookie quarterbacks will meet in the first round in prime time.

The Commanders strike with a win or a Buccaneers loss. Washington can still win the NFC East if they win and if the Eagles lose.

A win would give Washington its most wins in a single season since 1991.

13-2 Lions (-3.5) at 6-9 49ers, Monday 8:15 PM ET, ESPN/ABC (Joe Buck and Troy Aikman)

If Minnesota loses, a Detroit win clinches the top seed. If Minnesota wins, the game becomes irrelevant for the Lions. They still plan to try to win the game — despite the short week on the back end before the Week 18 showdown with the Vikings.

The 49ers have lost five of six and are eliminated from the playoffs.

The game is a rematch of the NFC Championship; the Lions led by 17 at the half before the 49ers stormed back.