The NFL regular season comes to an end this week and there is still plenty to be decided in both the NFC and AFC.
Bill Belichick could well be coaching his last ever game for the Patriots as they host the New York Jets, while there are clashes with plenty to play for as the Green Bay Packers face the Chicago Bears and the Washington Commanders host the Dallas Cowboys.
The highlight comes in the final game as the Buffalo Bills visit the Miami Dolphins with their postseason chances on the line.
We have picked out an accumulator for the week’s action.
Recommended five-fold: Patriots -2.5, Buccaneers -5.5, Packers -3, Commanders +13, Over 49.5 points in Bills @ Dolphins
- New England Patriots -2.5 vs New York Jets
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers -5.5 @ Carolina Panthers
- Green Bay Packers -3 vs Chicago Bears
- Washington Commanders +13 vs Dallas Cowboys
- Over 49.5 points in Buffalo Bills @ Miami Dolphins
Jets @ Patriots
The New York Jets and New England Patriots have both had disappointing seasons and will miss out on the play-offs.
It is set to be an offseason of major change for the Pats with legendary head coach Belichick potentially leading his last game in this one.
The Jets have a woeful record against these opponents, they have lost the last 15 head-to-heads between the pair, and Belichick would hate to go out on a defeat.
The Jets were carried by their defense throughout the season but the constant pressure on them has eventually paid in recent weeks and they have allowed at least 28 points in the last three games.
To add to that, New York have one of the worst offenses in the league, with the fewest passing touchdowns with just 11 and they have failed to cover in their last four road games.
The Pats have found a way to put quarterback Bailey Zappe in decent spots recently and they are fancied to win this one and cover the spread.
Zappe should lead a Patriots win
Buccaneers @ Panthers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers missed out on the opportunity to sew up the NFC South title last week with a 23-13 loss to the New Orleans Saints but they can get compensation against the struggling Carolina Panthers here.
The Panthers are 2-14 and their owner was fined for pouring a drink over fans recently, adding off-field controversy to what has been a poor season on the field.
The Bucs had won four straight before their loss to the Saints and they look strong under a revitalised Baker Mayfield - only three quarterbacks have thrown more touchdowns than the 28-year-old this year.
They face a Panthers side that have registered the lowest passing yards per attempt in the league this year, 5.6, and have only scored 23 touchdowns on offense this term.
Carolina have won just twice all season and the wait for a third victory looks set to be a fruitless one.
Side with the Bucs to secure the division and cover the spread in the process, something they have done in seven of their eight road games this year.
Bears @ Packers
The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers contest one of the most historic rivalries in the NFL and there is plenty on the line when the two meet in this final game of the regular season.
Green Bay need to win to reach the postseason and will be buoyed by their recent record against their rivals with the Packers winning the last nine head-to-heads between these two.
The Bears have been poor on the road this season, going 2-6, and could struggle once again here.
Only the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys have more receiving touchdowns than Green Bay and their passing game should be enough to see them get the better of their rivals.
They can also cover the spread, something they have done in 12 of the last 15 meetings between the two.
The Bears have the first pick in the draft and another in the top ten and could have one eye on next year already.
Rivera looking for the farewell win
Cowboys @ Commanders
Another big rivalry set to resume in the final game of the season is the Dallas Cowboys’ visit to the Washington Commanders.
Dallas need to win this game to take the NFC East title after looking like they may have to settle for a wild card spot again but there is nothing that the Commanders would rather do than spoil their party.
This will likely be Ron Rivera’s last game as Washington head coach and he will want to end on a high.
Add to that the fact the Cowboys have struggled on the road this season, with a 3-5 record on their travels, and the Commanders could keep this respectable.
The Cowboys have failed to cover in their last three games and while they should be able to pick up a win over their rivals, their road struggles mean it’s hard to fancy them doing so by more than 13 points.
Bills @ Dolphins
The final game of the NFL regular season is a blockbuster that will decide the destination of the AFC East title.
The Miami Dolphins are already guaranteed a play-off spot but the same cannot be said for the Buffalo Bills.
If the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Pittsburgh Steelers win then the Bills would drop out of postseason contention entirely with a loss.
However, if they win they will be second seed in the AFC thanks to the competitive nature of the division.
Josh Allen has had plenty of success against these opponents - he has at least two touchdown passes in his last 12 games against Miami - the longest streak in NFL history.
Both of these teams have explosive quarterbacks and they can contribute to a high-scoring clash.
