Week 17 capsules

TV GAMES All times Central

Ravens at Bengals Noon, CBS LINE - Bengals by 6½

LAST MEETING Nov. 10: Ravens beat Bengals 20-17, OT LAST WEEK Ravens lost to Patriots 41-7; Bengals beat Vikings 42-14 RANKINGS Ravens: offense (29), defense (9); Bengals offense (10), defense (5)

NOTES Ravens won earlier game by overcoming Andy Dalton’s 51-yard “Hail Mary” to A.J. Green that tied it on last play of regulation. ... Both teams made playoffs last season: Ravens won Super Bowl, Bengals lost in first round. ... Ravens clinch wild card with victory over Bengals and loss by Miami or San Diego. Ravens can lose and get wild card if Miami, San Diego and Pittsburgh all lose. ... Bengals won AFC North and have No. 3 seed. Will move up to No. 2 with victory and Patriots loss to Bills. ... Ravens only NFL team to make playoffs each of last five seasons. ... Bengals scored 40 points in each of past four home games. Only 1952 Lions and 2000 Rams have done it as well. ... Bengals trying to go 8-0 at home for second time in team history.

Broncos at Raiders 3:25 p.m., CBS LINE - Broncos by 11

LAST MEETING Sept. 23: Broncos won 37-21 LAST WEEK Broncos beat Texans 37-13; Raiders lost to Chargers 26-13 RANKINGS Broncos: offense (1), defense (22); Raiders: offense (18), defense (18)

NOTES Broncos won four consecutive in series. ... Denver clinches top seed in AFC with victory. ... Broncos need 18 points to break New England’s single-season mark of 589 set in 2007. ... Denver QB Peyton Manning has won six consecutive starts vs. Raiders. Manning completing 79.3 percent of passes vs. Oakland in three starts with Broncos. ... Manning needs 266 yards passing to break Drew Brees’ single-season mark of 5,476 set in 2011. Manning broke Tom Brady’s TD record last week by reaching 51. ... Raiders quarterback Terrelle Pryor will make first start since Nov. 10. Pryor needs 3 yards rushing to break Rich Gannon’s single-season franchise record of 529 set in 2000. ... Raiders have allowed 419 points this season, 40 shy of breaking team worst set in 1961.

Panthers at Falcons Noon, Fox LINE - Panthers by 6

LAST MEETING Nov. 3: Panthers beat Falcons 34-10 LAST WEEK Panthers beat Saints 17-13; 49ers beat Falcons 34-24 RANKINGS Panthers: offense (25), defense (7); Falcons: offense (12), defense (28)

NOTES Panthers clinch NFC South and first-round bye with victory. ... Carolina seeking first division title since 2008. ... Since division realignment in 2002, no NFC South team has won back-to-back titles. Falcons won division in 2012. ... QB Cam Newton first NFL player to have more than 50 TDs passing with more than 25 TDs rushing in first three seasons. Newton has 62 TD passes, 28 TDs rushing. . WR Steve Smith expected to miss game with left knee sprain. Smith needs 55 yards for 10th season with at least 800 yards receiving. ... Falcons TE Tony Gonzalez to play in final game before retirement. Gonzalez fifth in NFL history with 15,071 yards receiving. Has caught passes in 210 consecutive games, second-longest streak in NFL history behind Jerry Rice (274).

Bucs at Saints

3:25 p.m., Fox LINE - Saints by 12

LAST MEETING Sept. 15: Saints beat Buccaneers 16-14 LAST WEEK Buccaneers lost to Rams 23-13; Saints lost to Panthers 17-13 RANKINGS Buccaneers: offense (32), defense (13); Saints: offense (5), defense (4)

NOTES Buccaneers QB Mike Glennon has 14 TDs, five INTs in past 10 games. ... RB Bobby Rainey has six TDs in past seven games. ...WR Vincent Jackson has 1,189 yards receiving, his third consecutive 1,000-yard season and fifth in past six years. ... DT Gerald McCoy has seven sacks in his past seven games and at least one sack in each of his past three. He has career-high nine sacks, one of which came in Bucs’ last game vs. Saints. ... Saints must win to guarantee playoff spot, but also can make playoffs with Arizona loss. ... Saints aim to make playoffs for fourth time in five years, missing in 2012, when head coach Sean Payton was suspended in NFL’s bounty probe. ... Saints have lost three of last four games, all three losses on road. ... Saints are 7-0 at home.

OTHER GAMES

Lions at Vikings Noon

LINE - Vikings by 3

LAST MEETING Sept. 8: Lions beat Vikings 34-24 LAST WEEK Lions lost to Giants 23-20, OT; Vikings lost to Bengals 42-14 RANKINGS Lions: offense (3), defense (16); Vikings: offense (13), defense (31)

NOTES Final game in 32-year history of Metrodome. ... Lions were eliminated last week from playoff contention with fifth loss in last six games. ... QB Matthew Stafford has NFL-most 14 turnovers (including 12 interceptions) over last six weeks for Lions. With 67 yards passing, he’ll reach 4,500 for third consecutive year. ... Lions WR Calvin Johnson has 1,492 yards and 12 TDs receiving. Vikings will move to University of Minnesota stadium for next two seasons while new stadium is being built on site of Metrodome, which will be torn down next month. ... Vikings’ defense 18 points allowed away from setting dubious franchise record for most in single season.

Texans at Titans Noon LINE - Titans by 7½

LAST MEETING Sept. 15: Texans beat Titans 30-24 OT LAST WEEK Texans lost to Broncos 37-13; Titans beat Jaguars 20-16 RANKINGS Texans: offense (11), defense (7); Titans: offense (19), defense (15)

NOTES Texans have won three consecutive vs. Titans, seven of last 10. ... QB Case Keenum has 80 or higher passer rating in two of past four road games. But he missed last week with injured right thumb. ... QB Matt Schaub has completed 65.6 percent of passes for 1,185 yards with 10 TDs and interception in past four games at Tennessee. ... Titans QB Ryan Fitzpatrick had career-high 402 yards passing and tied career best with four TD passes in last home game. Fitzpatrick threw for 310 yards with three TDs in first NFL appearance against Houston on Nov. 27, 2005.

Redskins at Giants Noon LINE - Giants by 3½

LAST MEETING Dec. 1: Giants beat Redskins 24-17 LAST WEEK Redskins lost to Cowboys 24-23; Giants beat Lions 23-20, OT RANKINGS Redskins: offense (9), defense (21); Giants: offense (30), defense (12)

NOTES Meaningless game except for players and coaches looking for work next season. ... Many questions about Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan’s future year after leading team to playoffs. ... With injury-plagued Robert Griffin III being held out, QB Kirk Cousins has averaged 302.3 yards passing in three starts. ... Giants QB Eli Manning leads league with career-high 26 interceptions. ... RBs Andre Brown and Peyton Hillis battling concussions, so rookie Michael Cox will play a lot. ... WR Jerrel Jernigan has 13 receptions for 147 yards and TD since replacing injured Victor Cruz as slot receiver two games ago.

Jets at Dolphins Noon LINE - Dolphins by 5½

LAST MEETING Dec. 1: Dolphins beat Jets 23-3 LAST WEEK Dolphins lost to Bills 19-0; Jets beat Browns 24-13 RANKINGS Dolphins: offense (27), defense (11); Dolphins: offense (28), defense (20)

NOTES Dolphins totaled season-best 453 yards in victory at Jets in Week 13. ... Neither team has swept series since Miami won both games in 2009. ... Dolphins and Jets rank 1-2 in NFL in sacks allowed. Miami has given up franchise-record 58, and Jets have allowed 47. ... Jets rank last in NFL with passer rating of 65.2. ... Jets are 1 for 8 on fourth-down conversions, worst in league.

Browns at Steelers Noon LINE - Steelers by 6½

LAST MEETING Nov. 24: Steelers beat Browns 27-11 LAST WEEK Browns lost to Jets 24-13; Steelers beat Packers 38-31 RANKINGS Browns: offense (15), defense (10); Steelers: offense (16), defense (14)

NOTES Browns have lost six consecutive since 4-5 start. Cleveland has had six-game losing streak in four of last six seasons. ... Browns have not won in Pittsburgh since 2000. ... Cleveland WR Josh Gordon leads NFL with 1,564 yards receiving. ...Steelers have won seven of 11 to get into fringe of AFC playoff race Steelers need to win and have Baltimore, Miami and San Diego lose to claim second AFC wild card.

Jaguars at Colts Noon LINE - Colts by 10½

LAST MEETING Colts beat Jaguars 37-3, Sept. 29 LAST WEEK Jaguars lost to Titans 20-16; Colts beat Chiefs 23-7 RANKINGS Jaguars: offense (31), defense (27), Colts: offense (17), defense (19)

NOTES Jaguars have lost two consecutive in series and are trying to avoid first season sweep since 2009. ... Colts can get No. 3 playoff seed with victory and Bengals loss and No. 2 seed and first-round bye with victory and losses by Bengals and Patriots. ... Indy can match last season’s victory total with victory.

Packers at Bears 3:25 p.m.

LINE - Packers by 3

LAST MEETING Nov. 4: Bears beat Packers 27-20 LAST WEEK Packers lost to Steelers 38-31; Bears lost to Eagles 54-11 RANKINGS Packers: offense (4), defense (26); Bears: offense (8), defense (29)

NOTES Winner captures NFC North, Chicago also clinches with tie. Loser misses postseason. ... Packers have won six of seven against Bears, including NFC title game three years ago. ... QB Aaron Rodgers will return to lineup after missing seven games.

49ers at Cardinals 3:25 p.m.

LINE - 49ers by 1 LAST MEETING Oct. 13: 49ers beat Cardinals 32-20 LAST WEEK 49ers beat Falcons 34-24; Cardinals beat Seahawks 17-10 RANKING 49ers offense (24), defense (3); Cardinals: offense (21), defense (6)

NOTES 49ers RB Frank Gore needs 47 yards to reach 10,000 for career. ... Colin Kaepernick needs 38 yards to break franchise QB season rushing record of 537 set by Steve Young in 1972. ... 49ers’ 31 points against Atlanta on Monday night most by San Francisco in second half of any game since 1985. .... 49ers have won eight of last nine meetings. .... Cardinals could become second team to go 11-5 and not make playoffs since division format established in 2002. New England did it in 2008.

Chiefs at Chargers 3:25 p.m.

LINE - Chargers by 10 LAST MEETING Nov. 24: Chargers beat Chiefs 41-38 LAST WEEK Chiefs lost to Colts 23-7; Chargers beat Raiders 26-13 RANKINGS Chiefs: offense (20), defense (23); Chargers: offense (6), defense (24)

NOTES With Chiefs assured of No. 5 seed in AFC playoffs, Coach Andy Reid pondering whether to rest players such as QB Alex Smith, RB Jamaal Charles. ... Chiefs have lost four of six, including 41-38 thriller against Chargers at Arrowhead. .... Chiefs were 2-14 last season and are finishing off one of NFL’s best turnaround. ... Chargers have won eight of last 10 in series. ... To clinch final AFC wild-card spot, Chargers need to beat Chiefs, have both Miami, Baltimore lose or tie. Chargers can also clinch with tie, losses by both Miami, Baltimore. ... Chargers have missed playoffs three consecutive years.

Rams at Seahawks 3:25 p.m.

LINE - Seahawks by 11½ LAST MEETING Oct. 28: Seahawks beat Rams 14-9 LAST WEEK Rams beat Buccaneers 23-13; Seahawks lost to Cardinals 17-10 RANKINGS Rams: offense (17), defense (7); Seahawks: offense (14), defense (1)

NOTES Seahawks can wrap up NFC West title, first-round bye and home-field advantage in postseason with victory after failing in two previous attempts. Seahawks could fall as far as fifth seed in NFC with loss and 49ers victory. ... Seahawks lead NFL in total defense (281.3), turnovers (37) and are second in scoring defense (14.8). ... Rams have one regular-season victory over Seahawks in Seattle (2004) since 2002. ... Rams trying to finish with .500 record for first time since 2006.

Bills at Patriots 3:25 p.m.

LINE - Patriots by 7½ LAST MEETING Sept. 8: Patriots beat Bills 23-21 LAST WEEK Bills beat Dolphins 19-0; Patriots beat Ravens 41-7 RANKINGS Bills: offense (23), defense (8); Patriots: offense (7), defense (25)

NOTES Patriots have won last 12 home games against Bills, including 11 since moving to Gillette Stadium in 2002. ... New England won season opener at Buffalo on Stephen Gostkowski’s 35-yard FG with 5 seconds left. ... Bills lead NFL with franchise-record 56 sacks and are first team with three players (Mario Williams, Kyle Williams, Jerry Hughes) having at least 10 sacks since 2000 Saints.

Sports, Pages 24 on 12/29/2013

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