NFL 2018 Week 17 Recap

Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is in the books. With it the final week of the regular season. Out of the 32 teams, 20 of them are at home while the rest will move on into January for the playoffs. In the column, I'll give a recap of the week's games.

Dallas 36, NY Giants 35: TW: Cowboys, CV: Cowboys
It was an offensive game that put Dak Prescott against the entire Giants team. Jason Garrett rested Ezekiel Elliot and a few offensive linemen in the game. Ultimately it was Prescott that would give Dallas the win. Prescott threw the ball for 387 yards for four touchdowns. The Cowboys leading rusher was Rod Smith with 35 rushing yards and a touchdown. The Giants gave the 'Boys a fight. Eli Manning threw for 301 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Saquon Barkley would rush the ball for 109 yards with a touchdown. Wayne Gallman got a touchdown as well of his own while rushing for 23 yards. The Cowboys move on.

TW: 1-0; CV: 1-0

Carolina 33, New Orleans 14: TW: Saints, CV: Saints
The difficult part in predicting these games in week 17 is whether or not teams will rest their starters. This game was about as meaningless to the Saints as it was to the Panthers. The Panthers started Kyle Allen in his first NFL start. Allen had a great game throwing the ball for 228 yards for two touchdowns, at least until he injured his shoulder by Marcus Davenport before halftime. By then it was 23-0 at halftime. The Panthers got a boost in the running game with Cameron Artis-Payne rush for 56 yards and a touchdown. Teddy Bridgewater started the game for the Saints throwing the ball for 118 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Dwayne Washington rushed the ball for 106 yards. The Saints will have a bye week next week before their divisional game.

TW: 1-1; CV: 1-1

Atlanta 34, Tampa Bay 32: TW: Falcons, CV: Falcons
The game was a meaningless one for both. None of them were going to be playing next week. Matt Ryan threw the ball for 378 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Tevin Coleman got 45 yards rushing with a rushing touchdown. The Buccaneers got a good start out of Jameis Winston. Winston threw for 345 yards for four touchdowns and an interception. Peyton Barber got 66 rushing yards for zero touchdowns in the game. It was a shootout for the ages. Ultimately, Tampa will stay in the cellar of the NFC South for another year.

TW: 2-1; CV: 2-1

Detroit 31, Green Bay 0: TW: Packers, CV: Lions
Once again I pick the Packers, my team, and they fail to get the job done. Aaron Rodgers started the game throwing for 26 yards before getting a concussion. Deshone Kizer had some better stats throwing 132 yards with an interception. Kizer led the team in rushing with 40 yards. The Lions had better offensive stats. Matthew Stafford threw for 266 yards for two touchdowns while Matt Prater scored a touchdown on a fake field goal. Zach Zenner got 93 yards rushing with a touchdown in the game for the Lions. It'll be a cold winter in Green Bay, that's for sure.

TW: 2-2; CV: 3-1

Jacksonville 3, Houston 20: TW: Texans, CV: Texans
The season ends poorly for the Jaguars who were at this time last year a playoff team. Blake Bortles could only muster 107 passing yards with an interception. The quarterback led the team in rushing with 15. Deshaun Watson had a better day with 234 passing yards. Watson also got 66 rushing yards with a touchdown. Lamar Miller had 56 rushing yards with a touchdown of his own. Houston moves on to Wild Card.

TW: 3-2; CV: 4-1

NY Jets 3, New England 38: TW: Patriots, CV: Patriots
While the Patriots didn't get home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs, they still got a respectable 2nd seed. Sam Darnold threw for 167 yards for zero touchdowns. Elijah McGuire mustered 41 rushing yards for zero touchdowns. Tom Brady would throw for 250 yards for four touchdowns (three of them in the first half). Sony Michel ran the ball for 50 yards for zero touchdowns. New York stays home for another year while their rival gets a week off.

TW: 4-2; CV: 5-1

Miami 17, Buffalo 42: TW: Bills, CV: Dolphins
It was a dominating effort. At the start of the season, not a lot of people looked highly on the Buffalo Bills. I was one of them. Ryan Tannehill threw for 147 yards for two interceptions. Kalen Ballege was the Dolphins leading rusher with 47 yards. Kenny Stills was credited with a touchdown pass to Ryan Tannehill for three yards. Josh Allen gave the Bills 224 passing yards with three touchdowns and an interception (the pick was also a pick-six). Allen was also the Bills leading rusher with 95. Buffalo still finishes with a last-place mark in the AFC East.

TW: 5-2; CV: 5-2

San Francisco 32, LA Rams 48: TW: Rams, CV: Rams
The Rams have proven to be the NFL's best team all season long. It was a shootout to be sure. Nick Mullens had 282 yards passing with three touchdowns and interceptions. Former Redskin and Cowboy Alfred Morris had 111 yards rushing with a touchdown. Jared Goff threw the ball for 199 yards for four touchdowns. CJ Anderson rushed for 132 yards and a touchdown. San Francisco will stay at home while the Rams get a week off.

TW: 6-2; CV: 6-2

Philadelphia 24, Washington 0: TW: Eagles, CV: Eagles
Philadelphia had business to finish, then help would come. Nick Foles threw for 221 yards for two touchdowns and an interception. Nate Sudfeld would also get a touchdown from a 22-yard pass from Sudfeld to Nelson Aghalor. Wendell Smallwood rushed the ball for 53 yards for zero touchdowns. The Redskins on offense couldn't get a lot going. Josh Johnson only threw the ball for 91 yards with an interception. Chris Thompson could only get 10 rushing yards in the game for Washington.

TW: 7-2; CV: 7-2

Chicago 24, Minnesota 10: TW: Vikings, CV: Vikings
Most cases pointed to the Bears letting their foot off the gas. They didn't move a muscle. Mitchell Trubisky would throw the ball for 163 yards for zero touchdowns or interceptions. Jordan Howard ran the ball for 109 yards for two touchdowns. Tarik Cohen would get a touchdown of his own while rushing for 24 yards. Kirk Cousins got the start for the Vikings. Cousins threw the ball for 132 yards for a touchdown. The Vikings running game didn't get a lot going as Dalvin Cook ran the ball for 39 yards for zero touchdowns. The year ends in disappointment in Minnesota.

TW: 7-3; CV: 7-3

Arizona 24, Seattle 27: TW: Seahawks, CV: Seahawks
At the start of the season, the Seahawks looked to be in a rebuilding mode. After a 10-6 record, that talk diminished quickly. The Cardinals started Josh Rosen at quarterback. Rosen threw the ball for 149 yards for a touchdown. David Johnson ran the ball for 62 yards. Russell Wilson threw the ball for 152 yards for a touchdown and interception. The Seahawks running game was led by Chris Carson's 122 yards for a touchdown. Mike Davis also got the ball for 44 yards with a touchdown of his own. Seattle travels to Dallas on Saturday.

TW: 8-3; CV: 8-3

Cincinnati 13, Pittsburgh 16: TW: Steelers, CV: Steelers
Pittsburgh would win the game, however, they needed help to get a sniff at a playoff berth. Jake Driskell threw the ball for 95 yards for zero touchdowns. Joe Mixon was the Bengals leading rusher with 105 yards in the game. Ben Roethlisberger got 287 yards passing for a touchdown and an interception. James Conner would return to the team to start for the game. Conner got 64 rushing yards.

TW: 9-3; CV: 9-3

Cleveland 24, Baltimore 26: TW: Ravens, CV: Ravens
The Ravens kept it interesting in this one. Baker Mayfield threw the ball for 376 yards for three touchdowns and three interceptions. Nick Chubb couldn't quite get a lot going only rushing the ball for 24 yards. Lamar Jackson threw the ball for 179 yards for zero touchdowns. Jackson would run the ball for 90 yards for two touchdowns. Kenneth Dixon ran the ball for 117 yards for zero touchdowns. Cleveland played respectable football all year, maybe they might not be the butt of all jokes now.

TW: 10-3; CV: 10-3

Oakland 3, Kansas City 35: TW: Chiefs, CV: Chiefs
The light of the tunnel finally reached for Oakland in this game. Derek Carr threw the ball for 185 yards for two interceptions. Doug Martin ran the ball for the century mark at 100 yards on 21 carries. Patrick Mahomes threw the ball for 281 yards for two touchdowns and an interception. Damien Williams ran the ball for 51 yards with a touchdown. Tyreek Hill also got a rushing touchdown as well on a 15-yard play. Kansas City gets a week off.

TW: 11-3; CV: 11-3

LA Chargers 23, Denver 9: TW: Chargers, CV: Chargers
The Chargers still won the game despite some ineptitude on offense. Phillip Rivers threw the ball for 176 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Austin Ekeler was the Chargers leading rusher with 58 yards and a touchdown. Case Keenum threw the ball for 292 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Royce Freeman ran the ball for 60 yards. Another losing season in Denver.

TW: 12-3; CV: 12-3

Indianapolis 33, Tennessee 17: TW: Titans, CV: Colts
Indy moves on to Wild Card weekend. Andrew Luck threw the ball for 285 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. Marlon Mack ran the ball for 119 yards with a touchdown. Blaine Gabbert got the start for the Titans. Gabbert threw the ball for 165 yards for a touchdown and two interceptions. Derrick Henry put up good numbers with his 93 rushing yards. Tennessee won't move on to next weekend.

TW: 12-4, CV: 13-3

Records:

Tom (me)
2018:
Week 1: 10-5-1
Week 2: 6-9-1
Week 3: 8-8
Week 4: 12-3
Week 5: 6-9
Week 6: 10-5
Week 7: 10-4
Week 8: 11-3
Week 9: 9-4
Week 10: 7-7
Week 11: 8-5
Week 12: 11-4
Week 13: 10-6
Week 14: 7-9
Week 15: 8-8
Week 16: 11-5
Week 17: 12-4
Overall: 156-98-2

Cardinal Viking
2018:
Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 9-6-1
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 9-6
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 6-9
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 10-4
Week 9: 8-5
Week 10: 9-5
Week 11: 7-6
Week 12: 13-2
Week 13: 11-5
Week 14: 7-9
Week 15: 10-6
Week 16: 10-6
Week 17: 13-3
Overall: 156-98-2

I know I did promise to have this up on Tusday as it is Thursday. I will try to get the Wild Card + Preseason Prediction results up soon. Until then, see you soon!
-Tom