Well, it is finally here, the final week of the regular season, Sunday Ticket, and Red-Zone.  Some teams have secured their berth in the post-season and are likely to play it easy this week, some are playing for positioning in the playoffs, some fighting to secure a spot, and the rest are closing out the year and heading into the offseason.  Always a bittersweet time of year.  On Monday, the playoff matchups shall be set, and Coaches aplenty will be terminated.

Onto the Maps:  Week 17, Broadcast Maps

Lone Prime-time game is Vikings at Packers for the NFC North Crown.  Both teams shall play in the postseason, but it is only a question of whether it is a home game or a road game.

We have a 10:5 early to late game ratio.  I do wish the league would improve the ratios next year.  We seem to have had a lot of front-loaded schedules this year.  I doubt it since it seems Fox and CBS want to preserve the supremacy of the marquee 4PM game.

CBS early features Jets-Bills in most of the country.  Jets are in the playoffs if they win.  The Bills have had a disappointing year, but can play spoiler.  I think you know my thoughts on the matter.  Steelers-Browns dominate the Mid-Atlantic and Appalachia.  Steelers need a win and Jets loss to advance into the playoffs. Steelers have had a knack for struggling to defeat awful teams.  It is unfortunate that there is a strong likelihood a 10 win team does not advance to the playoffs.  Patriots-Dolphins is limited to their core markets.   Patriots need a win to secure the top seed, and they have had their struggles in Miami in the past.   Jags-Texans is also in their core markets.  A Texans win secures the 4 seed.  Titans-Colts is also fairly limited.  Colts have a small chance of making the playoffs, but I would prefer to see Houston be the 4 seed since they are the better team.

CBS late features Chargers-Broncos in an overwhelming part of the country.   Broncos can secure the 2 seed with a win and may even have a shot at the top seed if the Fins pull the upset.   Rams-9ers is the first game without any playoff implications whatsoever and appropriately is broadcasted in a small area,  Fisher can rack up another milestone in his quest to be the most mediocre football coach in human history with another 8-8 year.

Fox early features Giants-Eagles in their core markets plus St. Louis and Miami.  I guess those markets need to double down on the misery of a lost season.  This one is just for pride as both teams have had disappointing seasons.  Ravens-Bengals in a wide horizontal strip of the center of the country.  Cincy can secure the 2 seed with a win and a Broncos loss.  [*Redacted] s-Dallas is meaningless as Washington cannot improve its seeding, it’s only a question of who they host in the playoffs.  Don’t know why this game is featured in so much of the country.  Saints-Falcons is also devoid of meaning.  Atlanta can salvage a winning season, but it will still sting considering the position they were in 10-11 weeks ago.  Lions-Bears fight for win #7.  A 7-9 season for the Lions is something I would not have expected at the mid-point of the year.

Fox late features Seahawks-Cards in most of the top 1/3 of the country, plus the Southwest.  Both teams are in the playoffs, Cards have a chance at the one seed with a win and Panthers loss.   I am not sure about the tie-breakers, but Seattle is playing for a road game against either the [*Redacted] s or the NFC North winner, so a win is a big deal for them.   Raiders-Chiefs is in the middle 1/3 of the US.  Oakland can finish .500 or the Chiefs can secure the 5 seed with a win (which would also be their unlikely 10th consecutive win considering the dire straits they were in during October).  Lastly, Bucs-Panthers dominates the Southeast.  Panthers can secure homefield advantage with a win.

I hope you have enjoyed these posts.  Until next year then.  Onward and upward.