The NFL Roundup 2021: Week 17

Written by John Edward Betancourt

​Well, football fans, we made it. After months of stress and strife in the football world (and our everyday lives for that matter as well), we’ve arrived in 2021. And it is just wonderful to know that we are finally inching closer to playoff football. Because tomorrow sees the regular season in the NFL come to a close and thanks to the strangeness of the past year, we still have big games looming on the horizon for teams that are hoping to make it into the tournament. Which means that the time has come to preview some of the stories and matchups that await us tomorrow, when Week 17 in the NFL gets underway.
 
Who will win the NFC East?
Usually by now, the division champions are either crowned or the team that will clench it, is super close to locking everything up. But this season is of course, the weirdest one on record and for proof… then look no further than the situation in the NFC East. Because at this point, we haven’t a clue who will win this division and there really isn’t a clear victor waiting in the wings and that’s just wild. But alas, there has to be a winner and well… if I had to guess, it is going to be the Washington Football Team. Simply because they really do have the best defense in the division and Ron Rivera is able to draw something powerful out of this squad on a weekly basis. But then again, they might not clinch the East, since Dallas is coming on hot and the Giants are also fighting hard to secure a post season berth. Which means all we can do is wait and see how things are going to play out tomorrow and really, the only thing that is a certainty when it comes to the NFC East; is that the winner of this division will likely be one and done in the postseason. Because none of these squads are elite in the slightest.
 
Which coaches will be fired after this weekend?
If there is one unfortunate tradition that the NFL takes part in every year, it would have to be, Black Monday. For this is the day where coaches are sent packing en masse for not leading their team to victory and while several sub-par coaches have already been let go this year, there will most certainly be more when Week 17 wraps up. But who could that potentially be? Well, there are three names that definitely come to mind in regard to that question: Adam Gase, Anthony Lynn and Doug Marrone. Because none of these coaches have been able to get their teams going, despite having talent on the roster and of course, Gase has presided over one of the worst seasons in New York Jets history. So, I fully expect all of these gentlemen to be gone come Monday, and hopefully their exits finally allow for the Jets and Chargers and Jaguars to find some measure of success, since they’ve been searching for wins for some time now.

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The Most Fascinating Games to Watch This Weekend

Miami Dolphins (10-5) at Buffalo Bills (12-3)
Bills Stadium – Orchard Park, New York
Sunday, January 3, 2021 – 1:00 p.m. EST – CBS

It’s been quite the long time since the Miami Dolphins enjoyed any kind of actual playoff run. In fact, the last time they made it past the Wild Card Round was the year 2000. But the Dolphins have a chance to return to the postseason and make a splash in the playoffs for a change, if they beat the Buffalo Bills on Sunday and that is uh… that’s a tall task. Because the Bills have proven themselves to be one of the best teams in the AFC this year, and they are playing lights out football in every phase of the game. And while there is a 50/50 chance that Josh Allen will sit out a fair chunk of this game, if not all of it, that really doesn’t help Miami’s chances. Because that defense is pretty darn stout, and this team would love to go 13-3 and remind the league that they are forced to be reckoned with. But there is a chance that Miami could pull off the upset here, since they are a plucky squad that plays with a nothing to lose attitude. But more than likely, Buffalo will wrap up the win here no problem, because they boast the better team.

Pittsburgh Steelers (12-3) at Cleveland Browns (10-5)
FirstEnergy Stadium – Cleveland, Ohio
Sunday, January 3, 2021 – 1:00 p.m. EST – CBS

​Well, let’s be honest folks… this game is less about whether or not Pittsburgh can right all of their wrongs in this game and is more about Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns. Because it’s already been announced that Big Ben is going to sit this one out and let Mason Rudolph take the snaps under center, and the Steelers are already in. Which means that Baker Mayfield has a grand opportunity in front of him here, to take control of this game and possibly get the Browns into the playoffs for the first time since 2002. While at the same time, showing the football world that he is indeed worthy of the number one overall draft pick, that the Browns spent on him a few years ago and honestly, I think he might be able to pull off the ‘upset’ here. Because he really has done some impressive things on the field this year and all of his Wide Receivers are back after last week’s Covid incident. So, don’t be shocked if Mayfield wows us all and leads the Browns into the post-season, because this QB and this team are finding their stride at just the right time.