NFL Week 17 Preview: Odds, Picks & Betting Tips

NFL Week 17 Preview

Week 17 arrives with playoff races tightening across both conferences and several teams entering the weekend in must-win situations. The Thursday tripleheader features Dallas, Detroit, and Denver all on the road in nationally televised matchups.

Saturday brings two more spotlight games with Houston traveling to Los Angeles in a battle of AFC contenders on NFL Network and Baltimore visiting Green Bay in a matchup with major seeding implications on Peacock.

Sunday’s slate is loaded with games that will determine wild-card positioning, division races, and potential first-round matchups. Buffalo and San Francisco host critical games, while Pittsburgh and Jacksonville enter as road favorites in contests that could impact AFC seeding.

With tight NFL spreads in many games, and several teams facing elimination scenarios, Week 17 sets up as a slate where identifying motivation, pressure, and matchup edges becomes essential.

NFL Week 17 Schedule and Betting Lines

Thursday, December 25

Time (ET)	Away	Home	TV	Spread	Total
1:00 pm	Cowboys	Commanders	Netflix	DAL -7	51
4:30 pm	Lions	Vikings	Netflix	DET -5.5	44.5
8:15 pm	Broncos	Chiefs	Prime	DEN -13	36.5

Saturday, December 27

Time (ET)	Away	Home	TV	Spread	Total
4:30 pm	Texans	Chargers	NFL Net	LAC -1.5	39.5
8:00 pm	Ravens	Packers	Peacock	GB -2.5	41

Sunday, December 28

Time (ET)	Away	Home	TV	Spread	Total
1:00 pm	Cardinals	Bengals	FOX	CIN -7	53
1:00 pm	Steelers	Browns	CBS	PIT -3.5	34
1:00 pm	Saints	Titans	CBS	NO -2.5	39.5
1:00 pm	Jaguars	Colts	FOX	JAX -6.5	47.5
1:00 pm	Buccaneers	Dolphins	FOX	TB -5	46
1:00 pm	Patriots	Jets	FOX	NE -13.5	43
1:00 pm	Seahawks	Panthers	CBS	SEA -7	42.5
4:05 pm	Giants	Raiders	CBS	LV -1.5	42
4:25 pm	Eagles	Bills	FOX	BUF -1.5	43.5
8:20 pm	Bears	49ers	Peacock	SF -3	52

Monday, December 29

Time (ET)	Away	Home	TV	Spread	Total
8:15 pm	Rams	Falcons	ESPN	LAR -8	50

NFL Week 17 Top Matchups

Baltimore Ravens at Green Bay Packers

Line: GB -2.5 | Total: 41 A critical Saturday night matchup with postseason stakes on both sides. Green Bay has been strong at Lambeau, while Baltimore’s defense continues to carry them through tight games. The line reflects how evenly matched these teams are entering Week 17.

Philadelphia Eagles at Buffalo Bills

Line: BUF -1.5 | Total: 43.5 One of the marquee games of the week. Buffalo remains in the hunt for solid AFC seeding, while Philadelphia looks to solidify its playoff seed. Weather could play a role in Orchard Park, and both teams enter with pressure to perform in a high-leverage spot.

Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers

Line: SF -3 | Total: 52 A high-profile Sunday night matchup featuring two offenses capable of explosive plays. San Francisco returns home looking to maintain momentum, while Chicago aims to stay alive for the top seed. The total suggests a high scoring game.

NFL Week 17 Betting Tips

The long winning streak of picking NFL winners ended last week, as I went 1-2 against the NFL betting pointspread. It has still been a fantastic season with a couple more weeks remaining in the regular season. The public has a lot of strong opinions this week, and keep in mind that I go against the public when making these selections. It is a little scary with how many games they like. The public is on the Lions, Broncos, Bengals, Patriots, Bucs, Bills, 49ers and Rams. That means I take the other side of those games with the picks.