5 most interesting NFL matchups to watch Week 17

4. Washington Football team vs. Eagles

Washington is one of several teams on this list that failed to secure their postseason positioning against a relatively weak opponent in Week 16. Ron Rivera’s failure to defeat his former employer, the Carolina Panthers, makes his Week 17 matchup against Philadelphia pivotal for his team’s hopes of making the playoffs.

Similarly, Philadelphia also had a golden opportunity on Sunday to stake their claim to a playoff opportunity. Instead, Jalen Hurts failed to guide his team past a resurgent Cowboys squad. That loss effectively ended any hope the Eagles had of winning the NFC East and salvaging something from their ugly 2020 campaign.

It’s still an important game for Hurts to prove to Philadelphia’s front office that he should enter 2021 as the team’s unquestioned starter at quarterback. To succeed, he’ll need to find a way to make plays against Chase Young and Washington’s ferocious front seven. It is easy to envision a scenario in which this game devolves into an ugly battle of field position.

Washington’s offense comes into the matchup on even shakier ground. Dwayne Haskins was so bad in Week 16 that he was deservedly benched for Taylor Heinecke. The hope for Rivera and his staff is that Alex Smith receivers in time to start in the finale. If he does, look for him to lead his team to victory and secure a Disney movie based on his miraculous recovery from injury in the process.