Week 17 Picks: Redskins, Bears should earn playoff berths (Shutdown Corner)

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Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins In his first game against the Cowboys, Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin completed 19-of-27 pass attempts for 304 yards and four touchdowns in a 38-31 win on Thanksgiving. Griffin is not 100 percent, but neither are key members of the Cowboys' defense. Jay Ratliff is out with a groin injury and outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware is dealing with elbow and shoulder injuries. Pick : Redskins 28, Cowboys 24 Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons The Falcons have won seven of their last eight against the Buccaneers, including a 24-23 win in Raymond James Stadium that started Tampa Bay's current five-game losing streak. The Falcons have little to play for, having already sewn up the NFC South and the No. 1 seed in the NFC Playoffs. A loss to the Buccaneers would, however, mean the Falcons went 3-3 within their own division. Matt Ryan has built a solid case for NFL MVP this season and can make his final argument against the Buccaneers. Pick : Falcons 30, Buccaneers 21 New York Jets at Buffalo Bills The Jets' circus continued in Week 17 as being sacked 11 times resulted in quarterback Greg McElroy experiencing concussion symptoms that has him unavailable to face the Bills on Sunday. Head coach Rex Ryan again bypassed Tim Tebow and re-inserted Mark Sanchez into the starting lineup . If you're worried about the Jets becoming less of a circus in 2013, fret not. The organization will likely be looking for a new general manager, who will be tasked with trying to get something of value for Tebow, and possibly Sanchez, in the offseason. Pick : Bills 17, Jets 16 Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals With the Ravens clinching the AFC North and the Bengals clinching a Wild Card spot, vanilla looks on both sides of the ball are expected as these two teams could meet again next weekend in Baltimore. Pick : Bengals 17, Ravens 14 Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions The Lions are attempting to avoid an eight-game losing streak to close out a miserable 2012 season, while the Bears need to win and need a Vikings' loss (to the Packers) to make the playoffs. Since arriving in Chicago, quarterback Jay Cutler has lit up the Lions, passing for 1,545 yards with 11 touchdowns and one interception in seven starts. Cutler has completed only 50 percent of his attempts for 273 yards and one touchdown in his last two starts against the Lions, whose pass defensed allowed 271 yards and four touchdowns in last Saturday night's loss to the Falcons. Pick : Bears 24, Lions 21

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