While all of the playoff participants in the NFC have been determined and only seeding remains, the lower seeds in the AFC are all wide open. We discuss all the likely playoff scenarios and project seeding in this podcast.
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NFL Week 17 2009 Picks
Straight Up
| MATCHUP | Vegas Vinny | BostonMac | RJ | Peso* | Actual |
| Patriots @ Texans | Texans | Texans | Patriots | Texans | |
| Colts @ Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills | |
| Steelers @ Dolphins | Steelers | Steelers | Dolphins | Steelers | |
| Jaguars @ Browns | Browns | Browns | Browns | Jaguars | |
| Niners @ Rams | Niners | Niners | Niners | Rams | |
| Giants @ Vikings | Vikings | Vikings | Vikings | Giants | |
| Bears @ Lions | Bears | Bears | Bears | Bears | |
| Falcons @ Bucs | Falcons | Falcons | Falcons | Falcons | |
| Saints @ Panthers | Saints | Panthers | Panthers | Saints | |
| Packers @ Cards | Cards | Cards | Cards | Cards | |
| Chiefs @ Broncos | Broncos | Broncos | Chiefs | Broncos | |
| Ravens @ Raiders | Ravens | Ravens | Raiders | Ravens | |
| Redskins @ Chargers | Chargers | Chargers | Chargers | Chargers | |
| Titans @ Seahawks | Titans | Titans | Titans | Titans | |
| Eagles @ Cowboys | Cowboys | Eagles | Eagles | Cowboys | |
| Bengals @ Jets | Jets | Jets | Bengals | Jets | |
| Prev Week | 10-6 (.625) | 9-7 (.563) | 8-8 (.500) | 10-6 (.625) | |
| Overall | 156-84 (.650) | 158-82 (.658) | 151-89 (.629) | 134-106 (.558) |
Against the Spread
| MATCHUP | Vegas Vinny | BostonMac | RJ | Peso* | Actual |
| Patriots @ Texans (-8) | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | |
| Colts @ Bills (-7) | Bills | Colts | Bills | Bills | |
| Steelers @ Dolphins (+3) | Steelers | Steelers | Dolphins | Steelers | |
| Jaguars @ Browns (-1.5) | Browns | Browns | Browns | Jaguars | |
| Niners @ Rams (+7) | Niners | Niners | Rams | Rams | |
| Giants @ Vikings (-9) | Vikings | Vikings | Vikings | Giants | |
| Bears @ Lions (+3) | Bears | Bears | Bears | Bears | |
| Falcons @ Bucs (+2) | Falcons | Falcons | Falcons | Falcons | |
| Saints @ Panthers (-7) | Saints | Panthers | Saints | Saints | |
| Packers @ Cards (-3.5) | Cards | Cards | Packers | Cards | |
| Chiefs @ Broncos (-13) | Broncos | Broncos | Chiefs | Broncos | |
| Ravens @ Raiders (+11) | Raiders | Raiders | Raiders | Ravens | |
| Redskins @ Chargers (-3.5) | Chargers | Chargers | Chargers | Chargers | |
| Titans @ Seahawks (+4) | Titans | Titans | Titans | Titans | |
| Eagles @ Cowboys (-3) | Cowboys | Eagles | Eagles | Cowboys | |
| Bengals @ Jets (-10) | Jets | Jets | Bengals | Bengals | |
| Prev Week | 6-9 (.400) | 7-8 (.467) | 7-8 (.467) | 5-10 (.333) | |
| Overall | 111-125 (.470) | 115-121 (.487) | 112-124 (.475) | 111-125 (.470) |
* The peso is a coin flip of an old peso to pick the game.
Locks of the Week
Vegas Vinny: (5-10-1, Balance =$0) Looks like Vegas Vinny is moving to Reno next year. With this piss poor showing, I’ve lost my shirt and have to leave town. However, what I have been great at this year is absolutely jinxing teams. With that in mind, I love the Cowboys as my Lock of the Week. As only 3 point favorites, there is no way the Cowboys don’t cover the spread against an Eagles team playing on the road. With the NFC East Division crown at stake, I fully expect Tony Romo and company to come out and lay a whooping on the Eagles. I’ll bet my last quarter to win 20 cents. Then I gotta call my sponsor.
BostonMac: (10-6, Balance = $1,370) St. Louis is done. Their only motivation is to clinch the worst record in the league and the subsequent Ndamukong Suh sweepstakes that come with a loss. With the possibility of Steven Jackson not playing again after being beaten up all season long, the 49ers will run away with the last game of the season. I’ll put whatever I have to beat R.J.’s double-up, plus $1, on SAN FRANCISCO (-7).
RJ: (6-9-1, Balance = $945) Oh, that Lamarr Woodley. He should go on the road and do stand up comedy, because he and his Pittsburgh Steelers sure can’t play football on the road (2-5 SU, 1-6 ATS). In case you missed it, Woodley claimed that the Patriots and Bengals were going to just “lay down” and lose their respective games to the Texans and Jets in order to avoid the Steelers in postseason play. That’s fine; it can even be considered a sort of motivational ploy to question the Pats and Bengals integrity. But alas, the Steelers outside linebacker forgot one thing:
The Steelers are not going to beat Miami on Sunday, which they need to do in order to even worry about these scenarios. The Steelers have developed a bad habit of assuming victory (see: losses against KC, Oakland and Cleveland) when they’re favored. Miami, despite being virtually elimanted, is always a tough out, especially at home. I can see Joey Porter enjoying sending his old team packing without a playoff spot.