The 5 Top NFL Games for Week 17 of the Regular Season: Packers-Lions, Chiefs-Chargers and more
By Andrew Garda
Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons
While this is a game to see who is the least pathetic team in the rather pathetic NFC South, it will have a massive impact on which team gets the four seed and ultimately a home game next week.
It will also spark another round of discussion as to whether the playoff seeding needs to be messed with, as a sub. 500 team will host a team with a much better record.
The Falcons have far too much talent to be in this position. With Matt Ryan and Julio Jones, there shouldn’t even be a question about whether they deserve to be in the playoffs, but like the rest of the division, they have been awful this year. Offensively, defensively, special teams, coaching – it’s all been a mess.
That’s not to say the Carolina Panthers have played well. Cam Newton has two fractured vertebrae after a nasty car accident (per Josh Katzowitz of CBSSports.com) and despite the excellent play of rookie Kelvin Benjamin, the wide receivers have been every bit the issue we expected them to be.
The Falcons are at home, which would normally give them the edge but with this game you throw the records out. Literally, because who will want to remember them when the season finally ends?
Next: Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers