Even with all but one of the 12 play-off berths wrapped up, there is plenty to play for in the final week. The NFC North will decide their division on the field, the top seed in the AFC is the Patriots’ to lose and MVP candidates have one more game to shine.
All on the line in the NFC North
If the Washington Redskins beat the New York Giants (Monday, 1.30am) they are very likely in as a Wild Card winner, and the season-finale duel between the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions in Detroit (5.30am) will be a win-or-go-home match (assuming no draws ... it gets confusing if any games end in draws). The Green Bay-Detroit winner will be NFC North champions regardless, but the loser could still get the No 6 seed should Washington falter. The Giants are locked in to the 5 seed as a Wild Card, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are still mathematically alive for the 6, though their chances are extremely slim.
Who gets a bye week?
The Dallas Cowboys have nothing to play for, having already secured the top NFC seed. The 2 seed (and subsequent bye week) belongs to the Atlanta Falcons if they beat the New Orleans Saints (1.25am), but if the Falcons lose the Seattle Seahawks can claim the coveted slot if they beat the hapless San Francisco 49ers (1.25am). In the AFC, the New England Patriots have a bye wrapped up, and either the Kansas City Chiefs or Oakland Raiders will have the other one.
Shuffling the AFC
The Raiders suffered a devastating loss last week in the form of injured quarterback Derek Carr, who is likely out for the year. But Oakland can still get the top seed in the AFC with a win at the Denver Broncos (1.25am) plus a Patriots loss at Miami (10pm). An Oakland loss plus a Kansas City win over the San Diego Chargers (1.25am) gives the Chiefs the West and the 2 seed, leaving Oakland one of the two Wild Card spots. Both the Raiders and Chiefs are in the tournament regardless of seeding, as are the surprising Miami Dolphins as the final Wild Card. The Pittsburgh Steelers are locked in to the 3 seed, and the Houston Texans are as the 4.
Individual honours
The MVP winner has been atypically tough to forecast this season, as Atlanta's Matt Ryan, New England's Tom Brady and Dallas rookie Ezekiel Elliott are among a group of many players to have made compelling cases for the league's top individual prize. Elliott – the likely Rookie of the Year – might not see too much playing time this week as the Cowboys would be wise to rest their starters, but the Falcons and Patriots quarterbacks will each be looking for important wins, allowing them to better their MVP cases. Though Brady is probably the favourite to win the MVP for a third time despite missing the first four games due to suspension, Ryan might have a better case, as he is on pace for the fourth-highest QB rating in league history (115.5) at the helm of an historically potent Falcons offence. Aaron Rodgers will get his share of votes, and Arizona's David Johnson is having an incredibly productive year as well, though his team's lack of success will likely count against him in the voting.
NFL Week 17 schedule
All times UAE (Gulf Standard)
Sunday, 10pm
• New England at Miami
• Jacksonville at Indianapolis
• Carolina at Tampa Bay
• Chicago at Minnesota
• Cleveland at Pittsburgh
• Buffalo at New York Jets
• Dallas at Philadelphia
• Houston at Tennessee
• Baltimore at Cincinnati
Monday, 1.25am
• Kansas City at San Diego
• Oakland at Denver
• Seattle at San Francisco
• Arizona at Los Angeles
• New Orleans at Atlanta
• New York Giants at Washington
Monday, 5.30am
• Green Bay at Detroit
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport