{"id":24615,"date":"2023-12-29T16:08:07","date_gmt":"2023-12-29T21:08:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/?p=24615"},"modified":"2023-12-29T16:08:10","modified_gmt":"2023-12-29T21:08:10","slug":"friday-afternoon-quarterback-nfl-week-17-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/nfl\/friday-afternoon-quarterback-nfl-week-17-4\/","title":{"rendered":"FRIDAY AFTERNOON QUARTERBACK: NFL WEEK 17"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

BY ADAM GREENE<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our penultimate NFL week officially began as we all expected, with the Cleveland Browns winning by three scores over the New York Jets, 37-20. Considering both these teams were in the same boat a month into the season, with injured star quarterbacks and elite defenses, Robert Saleh and Jets general manager Joe Douglas should have some hard questions to answer after this game. Specifically, how is Kevin Stefanski and Cleveland GM Andrew Barry so much better at this than you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We still have a full slate of Sunday games, so let\u2019s pick them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MIAMI DOLPHINS AT BALTIMORE RAVENS <\/strong>(-3.5, O\/U: 47)<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the best game of the week and has been since the schedule was released. As it\u2019s gotten closer, it\u2019s only become bigger so you can see why no one, not a single human in the NFL front office, thought it might be a good idea to flex it into Prime Time or to even the 4:30 block. You\u2019re nailing it, guys! The Ravens have beaten everyone and the Dolphins have only one victory over a team with a winning record. That doesn\u2019t mean they suck, but they\u2019re not beating Baltimore. Ravens 34, Dolphins 27<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS AT BUFFALO BILLS (-12, O\/U: 40.5)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

From where I\u2019m sitting, literally a thousand miles away at a desk in East Tennessee, the Bills look like the only team in the AFC that has a prayer against Baltimore. Of course, they have to keep their playoff spot to get the chance. The Pats are done for the year and there\u2019s a good chance that the Super Genius Bill Belichick is done for a career. He\u2019s not going out without a fight. Bills 27, Patriots 17<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ATLANTA FALCONS AT CHICAGO BEARS (-3, O\/U: 38)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have a playoff elimination game between two teams that are already realistically eliminated from the playoffs. You could call this a \u201closer leaves town\u201d match, but since both teams have a losing record and probably still will after this game, a loser has to get into town first. Bears 27, Falcons 20<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

TENNESSEE TITANS AT HOUSTON TEXANS (-4.5, O\/U: 42.5)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Will it be Will Levis or Ryan Tannehill for the Titans Sunday? Considering I can\u2019t find any news on it, it appears the media has phoned it in on Tennessee\u2019s season just as the team has. I do know CJ Stroud should be playing for Houston and, as Aaron Neville once sang, \u201cAnd that may be all I need to know.\u201d Texans 24, Titans 16<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (-3.5, O\/U: 44)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our second playoff elimination game shows up on the docket. I could complain that they should be playing this game in a more featured time slot, but we have at least two more games that can make the same eliminator claims. Vegas has won two straight in impressive fashion after putting forth one of the worst offensive performances of the year three weeks ago in a 3-0 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Indy continually moves in and out of the playoff bracket like a toddler being annoying with the automatic door at Walmart. I\u2019m not sure if a win here gets them back into the Top 7, but they should go ahead and wrap all the Raiders\u2019 postseason hopes. Colts 31, Raiders 23<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

CAROLINA PANTHERS AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (-6.5, O\/U: 38)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Jaguars have done all they can to ruin what should have been a cakewalk to an AFC South title. Luckily for them, Santa left a visit from Carolina under the tree this week and all will be made right with the world. Jaguars 31, Panthers 13<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LOS ANGELES RAMS AT NEW YORK GIANTS (+4.5, O\/U: 43.5)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Rams have battled their way back into contention and, as of right now, look like the only team that could trip up the San Francisco 49ers on their way to the NFC Championship. They\u2019ll get a chance to prove it next week, but for that game to mean anything, they need to take care of business against a bad Giants team that will be a little bit better with Tyrod Taylor at quarterback. Rams 34, Giants 20<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ARIZONA CARDINALS AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (-10.5, O\/U: 48)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You always want to win, but the Eagles climbing out of their losing streak by beating teams like the Giants and Cardinals doesn\u2019t feel as if it fixes anything. Arizona will be a willing doormat, as they need to lose their final two games to keep the No. 2 overall draft pick. Eagles 30, Cardinals 17<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

NEW ORLEANS AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (-3, O\/U: 42)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the Buccaneers won\u2019t be eliminated with a loss here, the Saints will so you know what that means. Buccaneers 44, Saints 23<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (+13.5)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s no universe in the multiverse where the Commanders win this game, even if they trot out Jacoby Brissett at quarterback, but the Niners should be careful. Brock Purdy has suffered a stinger two weeks in a row, so once they get a solid lead, San Fran should toss the keys to Sam Darnold and sim to the end of the game. 49ers 34, Commanders 16<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

PITTSBURGH STEELERS AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (-3.5, O\/U: 42)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, the Seahawks proved me wrong. Thanks to a string of good luck, they\u2019ve managed to produce a winning record once again. It\u2019d be too bad for the Steelers to come into the Pacific Northwest and ruin it. Steelers 24, Seahawks 20<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

CINCINNATI BENGALS AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (-7, O\/U: 44.5)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Jake Browning glass slipper shattered last week and put multiple eyes out. He\u2019s still atop their depth chart, but don\u2019t be surprised to see AJ McCarren get the nod from the bullpen as it gets ugly. Kansas City hasn\u2019t looked this bad in a long time and they\u2019re about to take it out on a team they usually struggle against. Chiefs 33, Bengals 23<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS AT DENVER BRONCOS (-3, O\/U: 37.5)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Easton Stick. Jarrett Stidham. This is it. The quarterback duel we\u2019ll all be recounting to our grandchildren. Denver has seen fit to cut ties with Russell Wilson completely, even as the guy was having a solid season. I guess Sean Payton had seen enough and has made the call that he might want to coach a quarterback that can see over his own offensive line next year. Broncos 17, Chargers 14<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last week<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Straight up:<\/strong> 12-4<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Against the spread:<\/strong> 10-6<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Season<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Straight up:<\/strong> 124-74<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Against the spread:<\/strong> 110-88<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter <\/em><\/a>@TheFirstMan<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connect with us our socials on <\/em>Twitter<\/em><\/a> and <\/em>Instagram<\/em><\/a> for the latest sports news, viral moments, betting odds and the occasional memes.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BY ADAM GREENE Our penultimate NFL week officially began as we all expected, with the Cleveland Browns winning by three…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":11802,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[129],"tags":[146],"class_list":["post-24615","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl","tag-nfl"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24615","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24615"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24615\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24616,"href":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24615\/revisions\/24616"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11802"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24615"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24615"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24615"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}