NFL Week 17 preview: These 48 stats will define the games

We’ve arrived at Week 17 in the 2020 NFL season, and for many teams come Sunday, it’s win or go home in both wild card races.

Best mismatch for Falcons: Throw it again. Atlanta is ninth in yards per completion (11.5) and fifth in passing yards per game (273.7). The Falcons need Matt Ryan to have a big day and beat the Bucs’ blitzes.

Best mismatch for Buccaneers: Stop running. Tampa Bay allows a league-low 3.5 yards per carry. Atlanta’s offense is 31st in the category, at 3.7 YPC.

Stat to know: The Buccaneers have allowed 21 sacks, third-fewest in football.

Best mismatch for Bengals: A little football luck. Baltimore has fumbled 25 times, second-most in the league. Cincinnati needs to create turnovers for a close game.

Best mismatch for Ravens: Get there. Baltimore blitzes 44 percent of snaps, the highest rate in football. Cincinnati has surrendered 48 sacks, second-worst in the NFL.

Stat to know: The Ravens have rushed for a league-best 147 first downs.

Best mismatch for Cowboys: Nothing through the air. The Giants have a league-low touchdown pass rate (2.0%). Dallas must take advantage and hide its lackluster secondary.

Best mismatch for Giants: Get the ball. Dallas’ offense has the third-worst turnover rate (14.9%) while New York 11th-best (12.5%) defensively. Turnovers may tell the tale.

Stat to know: New York has only 275 first downs, only more than the Jets.

Best mismatch for Dolphins: Give me that. Miami is tied with Pittsburgh for the most takeaways (27). Buffalo’s offense is T-19th with 20 turnovers.

Best mismatch for Bills: Youth under center. Tua Tagovailoa has been benched twice over the past month, largely for the lack of big plays. Buffalo must limit the youngster from throwing long.

Stat to know: Miami has the best third-down defense (30.7%) while Buffalo’s offense is the best (50.3%).

Best mismatch for Vikings: Make it count. Dalvin Cook leads the NFL in rushing touchdowns (16) while Detroit’s defense has allowed the most (25).

Best mismatch for Lions: Easy money. Minnesota is second-worst, allowing scoring drives 49.1 percent of the time. Even with Chase Daniel, look for Detroit to move the ball.

Stat to know: Minnesota averages 8.1 yards per attempt, second-best in football.

Best mismatch for Jets: No passing. New England has thrown eight touchdowns, fewest in football. New York should create some problems for the Patriots in the passing game.

Best mismatch for Patriots: Nothing more. New England ranks fourth-best in yards after catch allowed (1,481). The Jets will have to get yards by going deep, something they’ve struggled with all year.

Stat to know: New England has committed only 56 penalties, fewest in football.

Best mismatch for Steelers: Get to Baker Mayfield. Pittsburgh leads the league in pressure rate (32.9%), sacks (52) and QB knockdown rate (12.2%) and Cleveland is missing starters up front.

Best mismatch for Browns: Short gains. Pittsburgh is dead last in yards per completion (9.5). This should be even worse with Mason Rudolph under center this weekend.

Stat to know: Pittsburgh generates pressure on 32.9 percent of snaps, best in the NFL.

Best mismatch for Cardinals: A lucky break. With Jared Goff sidelined with a broken thumb, Arizona draws backup quarterback John Wolford, who hasn’t thrown an NFL pass.

Best mismatch for Rams: Los Angeles allows 4.6 yards per play, best in the league. The Cardinals are T-13th in the metric offensively, but have trended down the back half of the season.

Stat to know: Don’t expect huge plays. The Rams and Cardinals are two of the three best teams in limiting air yardage.

Best mismatch for Packers: Throw it. The Bears rank T-21st (with Green Bay) in NY/A against. Aaron Rodgers should be able to find receivers with room to roam.

Best mismatch for Bears: Run that rock. David Montgomery has come alive in the last five weeks, only being held to under 95 rushing yards once. If the Bears win, it’ll be Montgomery gashed Green Bay’s defense, which is 21st in yards per carry (4.6) against.

Stat to know: The Packers are tops in the red zone at 78.4 percent. Chicago’s defense is second-best at 51 percent.

Best mismatch for Jaguars: Confidence. The Jaguars have beaten the Colts five out of their previous seven matchups.

Best mismatch for Colts: No offense. Jacksonville has scored on only 31.4 percent of drives, 30th in the NFL. Indianapolis ranks ninth in said category defensively (36.5%).

Stat to know: Jacksonville has been penalized for 1,017 yards, worst in the NFL.

Best mismatch for Chargers: Resting. The Chiefs will rest most of their stars, making this a game against backups for Los Angeles.

Best mismatch for Chiefs: Serving youth. Again, Kansas City will be giving young players a chance to shine. Look for linebacker Willie Gay to make some plays at the second level.

Stat to know: Kansas City averages 6.3 yards per play, most in the NFL.

Best mismatch for Raiders: Keep scoring. The Raiders have scored on 49 percent of their offensive drives, second to the Bills. Denver’s dealing with a hurting secondary, and it could spell the difference.

Best mismatch for Broncos: Make ’em miss. The Raiders have whiffed on a league-high 142 tackles. It’s an opportunity for free yardage if the Broncos can get guys in space.

Stat to know: Denver has thrown 23 interceptions, five more than anybody else in the league.

Best mismatch for Saints: No chunks. The Saints’ defense is fourth in YPC (3.9) and net yards per attempt (5.7). Without Christian McCaffrey, the Panthers will be hard-pressed to move consistently.

Best mismatch for Panthers: Injuries. Drew Brees has completed less than 60 percent of his passes since returning in Week 15 from a rib injury, while star receiver Michael Thomas is out. New Orleans is limited in its ability to get big plays.

Stat to know: New Orleans completes a league-high 71 percent of its passes.

Best mismatch for Seahawks: Get home. C.J. Beathard is the third starting quarterback for San Francisco this year, and an inexperienced one. Over their last seven games, the Seahawks have 31 sacks. Expect pressure for defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr.

Best mismatch for 49ers: Find Russell Wilson. Seattle’s offense allows the fourth-worst sack rate (8.0%) in football. Expect 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh to be aggressive.

Stat to know: Seattle has allowed 2,791 air yards this year, most in the NFL.

Best mismatch for Titans: Feed the beast. Derrick Henry leads the league in rushing, while Houston’s defense is worst in YPC against (5.0).

Best mismatch for Texans: Keep moving. Houston averages 6.3 yards per play, most in the NFL. Tennessee’s defense allows 5.8 yards, rankings 22nd.

Stat to know: The Titans have committed 11 turnovers, second-best in football. Houston has a league-worst eight takeaways.

Best mismatch for Football Team: Hit the quarterback. Philadelphia has allowed a league-worst 62 sacks. No other team has give up more than 48. Washington is sixth defensively in sacks (44).

Best mismatch for Eagles: Run, run, run. Philadelphia averages 5.1 yards per attempt, second-best in the league. To slow Washington’s pass rush, the Eagles need to stay ahead of the sticks.

Stat to know: No team has drawn more penalties (107) or penalty yardage (980) than the Eagles.