–The NFL saved its best for last this year. The final game of the season Sunday night will have the Vikings playing at the Lions for the top seed in the NFC. The loser will be the fifth seed. A lot is at stake but coach Dan Campbell of the Lions points out it is not a playoff game. But it is the next best thing. Since the Lions defense has been plagued with injuries, the Lions will need to outscore the Vikings if they are to get the top seed.
–There won’t two a Thursday night game in the final week of the regular season but two will be played Saturday. If the Ravens beat the Browns in the first game, they clinch the AFC North and the third seed and the Ravens also clinch if they tie or Pittsburgh loses to Cincinnati. The Steelers, who play the Bengals in the second game Saturday night, will be the fifth seed if the Ravens win the division but they can clinch the division if they win and the Ravens lose. Actually, there are advantages to being the fifth seed because the Steelers would then play Houston. Cincinnati can clinch a playoff spot if they win and Denver loses to Kansas City and Miami loses or ties with Jets.
–CBS has four early games – Carolina at Atlanta, the Giants at the Eagles, Buffalo at New England and Houston at Tennessee. If Tampa Bay beat New Orleans in an early Fox game or ties the Saints, the Bucs clinch the last NFC wild card spot and Atlanta gets left out even if it beats Carolina. The Eagles are one of the teams that will rest their starters so Saquon Barkley won’t get a chance to set the rushing record. Atlanta can clinch a playoff spot with a win over Carolina and a Tampa Bay loss to the Saints.
–CBS has two late Sunday afternoon games – Kansas City at Denver and the Chargers at Las Vegas. Denver can clinch a playoff berth with a win or tie against the Chiefs or a Cincinnati loss or tie at Pittsburgh and a Miami loss or tie against the Jets. The Chiefs are resting Patrick Mahomes so Denver has a good shot at winning. Miami can clinch with a win over the Jets and a Denver loss to the Chiefs.
–Fox has four early games – New Orleans at Tampa Bay, Washington at Dallas, Chicago at Green Bay and Jacksonville at Indianapolis. It has three late games, Miami at the Jets, Seattle at the Rams and San Francisco at Arizona.
VITO'S VIEWS 