# NFL Week 17

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/566163>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [January 2, 2011, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/566163 "2011-01-02T20:01:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/566163/41 "2011-01-03T17:38:39Z")

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Even with Stafford back, I think it is a stretch to think it is very possible, if not likely the Lions will be a better team than at least three of the Packers, Bears, Giants, Eagles, Cowboys, Saints, Falcons, and Bucs next season. And that’s assuming the Vikes don’t pick up a veteran QB to help Peterson (McNabb?), and the West continues to suck donkey balls.

Well the last part of that doesn’t seem too unlikely…

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**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/566163/42 "2011-01-03T17:52:55Z")

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Well, they don’t have to better better than three of them. They just have to be better than the Packers and Bears (and maybe Vikings). Of course, it’s likely that either the Packers or Bears will be better than at least five of those teams, so…

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**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/566163/43 "2011-01-03T18:00:12Z")

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True. I can’t see them winning the North next year - the Packers should be pretty heavy favorites (assuming Finley comes back healthy and there is a running back).

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**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/566163/44 "2011-01-03T18:01:13Z")

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> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#):
>
> Whoa there, tiger. Not with that secondary.

I hear what you’re saying. However, the Lions defense only gave up 56 points in their last four games (two of them away). Their D line partially makes up for the secondary’s shortcomings.  
mmm

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**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/566163/45 "2011-01-03T18:15:15Z")

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> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#):
>
> I hear what you’re saying. However, the Lions defense only gave up 56 points in their last four games (two of them away). Their D line partially makes up for the secondary’s shortcomings.

Don’t read too much into that - that includes a game against Minnesota’s third string QB, and against the Packer’s second stringer in a game where he hadn’t prepared.

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**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-17/566163/46 "2011-01-03T18:18:02Z")

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That, and the other two games were against the Bucs and the Dolphins, who were 20th and 30th in scoring, respectively.

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