The AFC playoff spots are filling up, thanks to the Colts’ 48-27 loss to the 49ers on MNF.
The Jaguars, Bills and Chargers all clinched berths, leaving four teams to fight for the two remaining AFC spots. The Colts are still mathematically alive, but need to win out and the Texans to lose out. (They meet in Week 18.)
The 49ers, who closed as 4.5-point favorites, would get the NFC’s No. 1 seed by beating the Bears and Seahawks in their final two games.
Let’s turn our attention to Week 17 as Christmas will be here before you know it. Updates on Thursday’s games:
Cowboys (-6.5) at Commanders: Even though Dallas has been eliminated, Dak Prescott will start. Marcus Mariota (right hand) is TBD. The Commanders’ backup is Josh Johnson and they signed Jeff Driskel off the Cardinals practice squad.
Lions (-6) at Vikings: J.J. McCarthy (right hand) missed the second half of Sunday’s victory over the Giants. No word yet on his status. Rookie Max Brosmer would start.
Broncos (-12.5) vs. Chiefs: Gardner Minshew is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury suffered in Sunday’s loss to the Titans. Two-time Super Bowl champion Chris Oladokun will start with Shane Buechele, fresh off the Bills practice squad, as backup.
One Saturday game worth monitoring:
Ravens-Packers: Lamar Jackson has a back contusion and is day to day vs. Green Bay (-2.5) on Saturday. Jordan Love has been placed in concussion protocol and backup Malik Willis injured his right shoulder vs. the Bears.
Finally, the NFL suspended Steelers WR DK Metcalf suspended two games for physically confronting a fan in their win at Detroit — not ideal for Pittsburgh, still trying to clinch the AFC North.
Everything we do on NFL Week 17 will be posted here.
Bowl tripleheader today
Adam Burke and Zach Cohen preview the upcoming bowl games with their Best Bets:
Today
>Boca Raton Bowl: Toledo vs. Louisville, 2 ET
>New Orleans Bowl: Western Kentucky vs. Southern Miss, 5:30 ET
>Frisco Bowl: UNLV vs. Ohio, 9 ET
Wednesday
>Hawaii Bowl: Cal vs. Hawaii, 8 ET
More top plays from . . .
Everything else we do during bowl season is posted here.
Quick Hits
NBA: Zach Cohen‘s Best Bets and Steve Makinen‘s Analytics Report will hit around mid-morning on our NBA page. Our Opta AI NBA player props projections are here.
College Basketball: Greg “Hoops” Peterson has his Best Bets for today’s menu. Adam Burke will file his plays by mid-morning.
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NHL: VSiN hockey analyst Jonathan Davis will post his Best Bets around mid-day.
