# NFL Week 17 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** football-nfl\ **Created:** [December 23, 2025, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/1025981 "2025-12-23T14:20:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2025, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/1025981/61 "2025-12-28T23:37:34Z")
The Raiders are trying to lose, right? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2025, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/1025981/62 "2025-12-28T23:38:09Z")
Tyler Shough making a strong case for offensive rookie of the year, even though he’s only played for the second half of the season. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2025, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/1025981/63 "2025-12-28T23:42:47Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > I get that it matters but not what then has to happen in the case of each wins to result in what? In the NFC, it’s a bit chaotic. Depending on tonight’s game plus next week, there are situations where any of the Bears, Seahawks, 49ers, or Rams can take the #1 overall NFC seed. It gets a lot simpler after tonight’s game, and to a lesser extent, tomorrow’s game. GB is locked into the #7 seed and the winner of the NFC south is locked into the #4 seed as a division winner. If the 49ers win tonight, the #1 seed / NFC West are decided by the Seattle/SF game next week. Chicago gets the #2 or #3 seed depending on next week. #5 and #6 would be the Rams plus the loser of Seahawks/SF depending on next week’s games. For the Bears to have that #1, they do need to win out plus they need the 49ers to win next week. If so, Rams win the NFC West and the #2 seed if they win out with Seattle as the #5 and SF as the #6. If the Rams drop a game in this scenario, Seattle wins the NFC West and #2 seed with SF as the #5 and Rams as #6. For the Rams to have #1, they need to win out, the Bears to win tonight and lose next week plus they need SF to win next week. Then Chicago has the #2, SF is the #6 and Seattle the #5. Otherwise, if the Rams drop a game plus the Bears win tonight and lose next week, Seattle has the #1 seed regardless of next week, Chicago the #2, SF the #5 and Rams #6. Like I said…chaotic. It gets massively simpler in about 5 hours. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2025, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/1025981/64 "2025-12-28T23:49:34Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Tyler Shough making a strong case for offensive rookie of the year, even though he’s only played for the second half of the season. The second half, where the Saints coincidentally have a 4 game winning streak. 😆 He might be their next franchise guy. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2025, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/1025981/65 "2025-12-29T00:33:01Z")
Down 13-12 with 5 seconds in the game, the Bills go for it on a 2 point conversion to win and Allen misses an open receiver. Just a bad throw. Bonkers, ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2025, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/1025981/66 "2025-12-29T00:42:28Z")
Thanks. So The Bears are #3 seed at worst. To get #1 seed they need to win out _and_ SF has to win next week. Otherwise they are #2 seed. Still get a bye but lose home field advantage in NFC championship game IF against the #1 seed. A win tonight assures them of at least #2 seed? Probably still more complex than that. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2025, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/1025981/67 "2025-12-29T00:44:29Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Otherwise they are #2 seed. Still get a bye but lose home field advantage in NFC championship game IF against the #1 seed. The #2 seed no longer gets a bye; that went away when they added a third wild-card team in 2020. If the Bears wind up seeded #2, they would host the #7 seed (the Packers, ironically enough) in the Wild Card Round. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2025, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/1025981/68 "2025-12-29T00:55:18Z")
With the Bills loss today, the AFC got cleared up just a bit. Patriots have won the AFCE. Broncos have won the AFCW. Broncos are the AFC #1 seed with a win next week or a Patriots loss. Patriots are the top seed with a win over the Fins and a Broncos loss to the Chargers. Chargers and Bills are wild card teams. Texans and Jaguars are in the playoffs; Jacksonville wins the AFCS with a win next week over the Titans, or a Houston loss. Houston wins the division with a win and a Jaguars loss next week. Winner of Ravens/Steelers game next week wins the AFCN. Loser is out of the playoffs. (At least, I think this is right…) ---
**Author:** ![SwissMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@SwissMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwissMan)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2025, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/1025981/69 "2025-12-29T01:00:20Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > Winner of Ravens/Steelers game next week wins the AFCN. Loser is out of the playoffs. This will definitely be the Sunday night game next week. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2025, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/1025981/70 "2025-12-29T01:41:44Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > Winner of Ravens/Steelers game next week wins the AFCN. Loser is out of the playoffs. > [@SwissMan](#): > > This will definitely be the Sunday night game next week Maybe. If the Seattle/Niners game is for the NFC #1 seed, then it will probably be the Sunday night game. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2025, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/1025981/71 "2025-12-29T01:54:07Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > So The Bears are #3 seed at worst. Yes, the winner of the NFC South is pretty much a lock for the #4 as they will either go 8-9 (Tampa wins next week and gets the tie-breaker) or 9-8 (Carolina wins). Or I suppose there’s the chance they tie, which means Carolina at 8-8-1. If you are looking just at the Bears, it’s considerably simpler to describe: Bears win tonight: No worse than #2 seed, will host GB in the wild card round #1 seed (plus the bye) with win AND SF win in Week 18 Bears lose tonight: #2 seed with win OR with Eagles loss in week 18 (will host GB in wild card round) #3 seed with loss AND Eagles win in week 18 (NFC West team in wild card - probably SF again or Rams) ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2025, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/1025981/72 "2025-12-29T02:41:27Z")
In recent memory, when was it the earliest it was known who the top 4 teams at the end were? Sorry if thats ungrammatical. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2025, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/1025981/73 "2025-12-29T03:14:34Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > Maybe. If the Seattle/Niners game is for the NFC #1 seed, then it will probably be the Sunday night game. And the Bucs/Panthers game is basically identical to the Steelers/Ravens game. Winner claims the worst division, loser sits out until next year. So it would have an equal claim for the Sunday night game. I suspect that game will be Seattle in San Francisco unless something changes dramatically in this Bears game tonight. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2025, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/1025981/74 "2025-12-29T03:26:28Z")
More important than showing a game with playoff implications, they want the late game to be one that matters to both teams no matter what happens earlier in the day. Even if a game is a big deal for one team, it’s not good football if the other is resting starters or doesn’t care. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2025, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/1025981/75 "2025-12-29T03:34:21Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > The Raiders are trying to lose, right?   They’re really talented that way. They don’t really have to try; it just comes naturally. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2025, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/1025981/76 "2025-12-29T03:35:17Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > The Raiders are trying to lose, right? It’s a popular theory of late, esp. after they put Maxx Crosby on IR last week. After losing to the Giants today, they are currently sitting at the #1 pick in next spring’s draft. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2025, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/1025981/77 "2025-12-29T03:47:04Z")
The Sunday night game between the Niners and Bears is quite entertaining. 35-35 after one play in the fourth quarter. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2025, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/1025981/78 "2025-12-29T04:10:46Z")
Pittsburgh gameplanned so hard to keep Myles Garrett from getting the sack record that they forgot try to win the game ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2025, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/1025981/79 "2025-12-29T04:16:56Z")
Was anyone predicting this kind of back and forth slugfest? And will the Bears pull off yet another win in the last two minutes? ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2025, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/1025981/80 "2025-12-29T04:37:32Z")
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