NFL Week 17 underdog plays: Consider teams in spoiler role
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There's no week in the NFL quite like Week 17, where some teams aren't trying and others have their seasons on the line. Most clubs at this stage are playing the role of spoiler, which can be the most attractive underdog spot of them all.
Here are three underdogs to consider in the final week of the regular season:
New York Jets (+1) at Buffalo Bills
This is the type of spot that Week 17 bettors should salivate. Neither of these teams has anything to gain - the Bills are locked into the AFC's No. 5 seed, while the Jets have long been eliminated from playoff contention. But Buffalo has plenty to lose if any key players get injured ahead of its second playoff run this century.
Coach Sean McDermott has been mum on whether his team will rest its starters, but he'd be foolish not to protect his core players. The Bills are 1-4 against the spread in games Josh Allen doesn't start since drafting him in 2018, while star corner Tre'Davious White has been the anchor for Buffalo's stellar defense.
The Jets have hardly been impressive this year, but they beat a Steelers team last week that desperately needed a win. Against an unmotivated Bills squad, take the points before McDermott officially rests his guys.
Cincinnati Bengals (+3) vs. Cleveland Browns
How perfect would this be? The Browns have largely been a dumpster fire this year and end their season in Cincinnati against the Bengals, who they beat for their only win in their last four games. Cleveland hasn't won on the road since Week 4, having lost five straight games away from home by an average of 13.6 points.
The Bengals have been worse, but their offense has found new life with longtime starter Andy Dalton back at the helm in December, nearly ripping off a 21-point fourth-quarter comeback last Sunday. With 14 losses, the Bengals have already secured the No. 1 seed, so why not add a little insult to Cleveland's misery?
The pressure is on Freddie Kitchens and the Browns to avoid an embarrassing finale, but it's hard to imagine Baker Mayfield, Odell Beckham Jr., and Co. pulling out all the stops a week after being eliminated from the playoffs. Zac Taylor's crew, though, is one loss away from the worst record in franchise history. It could be all the motivation the Bengals need to keep things interesting at home.
Houston Texans (+5) vs. Tennessee Titans
This line would make sense if the Texans were resting their starters ahead of Wild Card Weekend, and maybe they will. But coach Bill O'Brien has indicated that won't be the case against the rival Titans, who desperately need to win Sunday to sneak into the playoff field.
Why would Houston risk its starters in Week 17? For one, the Texans can still climb to the No. 3 seed if the Chargers upend the Chiefs next week, though that game will be over by the time this game kicks off. Do you really want to wait until 4:15 p.m. ET for the line to swing in Houston's favor?
Even if the Texans are in fact locked into the fourth seed, they'd likely prefer to avoid playing Tennessee for the third time in four weeks. Beating them in Week 17 can kill that possibility and give the team momentum heading into the playoffs. The line has already moved from Houston +6 to +5, so grab the points while you can.
C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.