Laugh at Bill’s Week 17 NFL Predictions, Including Packers-Ravens, Playoffs

Will the Green Bay Packers beat the Baltimore Ravens? And what will the NFC playoff standings look like entering Week 18?

Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis (2) makes an adjustment at the line during their game vs. the Vikings. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers are down but they’re not out in the NFC North race.

While the Packers gave away last week’s game against the Bears, Green Bay has a puncher’s chance of winning the division, anyway. The first two legs of that unlikely pursuit would come this week, starting with the Packers’ home game against the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday night and the Bears’ road game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night.

Here’s our Packers-Ravens prediction, along with the rest of Week 17 and the potential playoff standings.

Packers vs. Ravens Prediction

This one could come down to who wants it more.

Will it be the Packers?

Maybe not. They have lost two consecutive games, both in excruciating fashion. In the loss at Denver, Micah Parsons suffered a torn ACL. In the loss at Chicago, Jordan Love suffered a concussion.

Green Bay just wrapped up a grueling five-game stretch against Minnesota, Detroit, Chicago, Denver and Chicago. With a playoff berth locked up, the NFC North championship a rather remote possibility and Green Bay perhaps stuck at the No. 7 seed, human nature could have the Packers exhaling after last week’s gut-punch loss.

Will it be the Ravens?

Maybe not. With a 7-8 record, they have lost three of their last four games. They trail the Steelers by two games in the AFC North. They’d need to beat the Packers on Saturday, they’d need the Steelers to lose at Cleveland on Sunday and then they’d need to win at the Steelers next week.

With two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson out with a back injury, will the Ravens be in desperation mode in hopes of staying alive in the playoff hunt or will they start planning their tee times?

Beyond the intangibles, the obvious key to the game will be the play of the quarterbacks. Will Malik Willis outduel Tyler Huntley? If so, the Packers have a good chance of winning. If Huntley, buoyed by the presence of juggernaut running back Derrick Henry, outplays Willis, then the Ravens probably will win.

Here’s an under-the-radar key but one that’s critically important. The Packers once had one of the best red-zone offenses in the NFL. After going 1-of-4 at Denver, they went 0-for-5 at Chicago – the team’s worst red-zone performance in at least 20 years. After failing to score a touchdown in only one goal-to-go situation all season, they went 0-for-3 last week.

“It hasn’t been good enough. Flat out. We’ve been bad,” offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said.

Baltimore’s defense, on the other hand, ranks sixth in the red zone and fourth in goal-to-go.

No matter who’s playing at quarterback, no team can afford to trade seven points for three. It’s the single biggest reason why the Packers blew last week’s game against the Bears, which never should have come down to an onside kick.

The guess is the Packers will find motivation. Willis will give the Packers an edge at quarterback, and perhaps he’ll mean some new wrinkles to get the red-zone attack moving again.

Prediction: Packers 23, Ravens 17.

Last week’s prediction: Bears 27, Packers 23.

Season record: 10-4-1.

NFL Week 17 Predictions

The big game of the week will be played on Sunday night, when the Chicago Bears will visit the San Francisco 49ers. If the Bears win, they will clinch the NFC North. If the 49ers win, they will remain in the thick of the race for the NFC West crown and No. 1 seed.

Thursday’s predictions: Cowboys over Commanders, Lions over Vikings, Broncos over Chiefs.

Saturday’s predictions: Chargers over Texans, Packers over Ravens.

Sunday’s early predictions: Seahawks over Panthers, Bengals over Cardinals, Steelers over Browns, Jaguars over Colts, Buccaneers over Dolphins, Patriots over Jets, Saints over Titans,

Sunday’s afternoon predictions: Giants over Raiders, Bills over Eagles.

Primetime predictions: 49ers over Beras, Rams over Falcons.

Last week’s record: 10-6.

Season record: 156-84-1.

Predicted NFC Playoff Standings

Assuming the predictions are accurate, this is what the NFC standings would look like entering Week 18.

1. Seattle Seahawks: 13-3.

2. Chicago Bears: 11-5.

3. Philadelphia Eagles: 10-6.

4. Carolina Panthers: 8-8

5. San Francisco 49ers: 12-4.

6. Los Angeles Rams: 12-4.

7. Green Bay Packers: 10-5-1.

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11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-8.

Green Bay would be a half-game behind Chicago entering Week 18. The Packers will play at the Vikings, who have won four in a row, and the Bears will host the Lions, who have fallen apart.

Note: No. 8 Minnesota, No. 9 Detroit and No. 10 Dallas have been eliminated. The Buccaneers trail the Panthers by one game in the NFC South and will host Carolina in Week 18.

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