NFL Week 17 Tips
Heading into Week 17 in the NFL season, only four of the 14 available playoff places are still to be claimed.
The Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East have become the first team to clinch their division but the penultimate week of regular-season action could see more teams claiming top spot.
After three match-ups on Christmas Day, there will be a Saturday double-header featuring a huge AFC game between the Texans and the Chargers, but that still leaves 10 games for Sunday, topped by the Bears meeting the 49ers in a clash of 11-4 teams, and a Monday night match-up.
We’ve picked out our four favourite bets in our Week 17 tips, including one for the key cross-conference clash between the Buffalo Bills and the Philadelphia Eagles.
TIP 1 - Cincinnati Bengals -7 @ 10/11
Cincinnati Bengals vs Arizona Cardinals (Sunday, 6pm GMT)
The Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals are both out of playoff contention in their respective conferences but the Bengals showed with last week's free-scoring 45-21 win over the Dolphins that they are keen to finish strongly and this represents a similar assignment.
It would have been understandable if the Bengals had not even asked quarterback Joe Burrow to play the last few games once their playoff dream had died but there was no sign of them jockeying for draft position when they put Miami to the sword, romping clear with 28 second-half points.
The Cardinals have lost 12 of their last 13 games after a 2-0 start to the year and five of their last seven losses have come by margins of seven or more points.
TIP 2 - Pittsburgh Steelers -4.5 @ 23/25
Cleveland Browns vs Pittsburgh Steelers (Sunday, 6pm GMT)
The AFC North contest between the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers features two teams with very different motivations.
The Steelers could already have clinched the AFC North by kick-off if the Baltimore Ravens fail to beat the Green Bay Packers on Saturday, but otherwise a home win over their rivals would get the job done.
The Browns, however, are last in the division and with no incentive to win this one given that if they lose their final two games they will be guaranteed a top-two pick in the draft.
The Browns covered the large handicap in their battling 23-20 home loss to the Buffalo Bills last week, but that effort came at a cost as rookie running back Quinshon Judkins suffered a broken leg.
The Steelers impressed in their road win at Detroit last week and are finishing the year well, although they will have to cope without suspended wide receiver DK Metcalf.
TIP 3 - Over 45.5 points @ 10/11
Miami Dolphins vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Sunday, 6pm GMT)
The Dolphins and Buccaneers can both blame their shaky defences for the fact that they don't have better records this year and they can put up plenty of points between them in their latest Florida derby.
The Buccaneers have now lost six of their last seven games to fall to 7-8 and lose top spot in the NFC South to the Carolina Panthers, but they have scored at least 20 points in all of those games except one against the strong defence of the LA Rams.
The Dolphins turned to rookie Quinn Ewers at quarterback last week after benching Tua Tagovailoa and the jury is out on that move, but Miami scored 21 points against the Bengals and Ewers now faces another of the more generous defences in the league.
Mike McDaniel's team gave up 45 points last week and Bucs QB Baker Mayfield will fancy his chances of getting a big score on the board too.
TIP 4 - Philadelphia Eagles moneyline @ 49/50
Buffalo Bills vs Philadelphia Eagles (Sunday, 9.25pm GMT)
The Bills and Eagles already know they will be in the playoffs this season but they both have other targets to aim for when they meet at Highmark Stadium on Sunday.
The Bills are one win behind the New England Patriots in the AFC East with two games left to play, while the Eagles have already clinched the NFC East but can still improve their seeding from the current third spot if they win their final two against the Bills and Commanders.
This is a tougher test than the Eagles have faced in winning their last two games against the Raiders and Commanders, but the Bills made hard work of getting past a Browns team who were double-figure home underdogs against them last week, scraping home 23-20.
The Bills generally do better at home, where they are 6-1, but the Eagles should have some success with their running game against the susceptible home defence.
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to change
17 Up NFL Early Payout Terms & Conditions
Early payout on bets if your team goes 17 points up. Applicable to pre-match bets on specific 17 Up markets only on NFL matches. Cashed-out bets do not qualify. 18+. T&Cs & exclusions apply.
