NFC heavyweights clash to headline NFL Week 17 on TSN, TSN+
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Coverage of the 2023 NFL season continues this week on TSN and TSN+ with several playoff races reaching a critical point.
Things kick off with the final Thursday Nighter of the season that sees the New York Jets and go head-to-head with the Browns in Cleveland, a heavyweight showdown between the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions Saturday in prime time and an NFC North clash on Sunday Night Football to close out the week.
Week 17 starts Thursday at 8:15 p.m. ET/5:15 PT LIVE on TSN1/4, TSN.ca, and the TSN App.
Jets travel to Cleveland to battle Browns on TNF
The Jets (6-9) are playing for a pride, sitting out of the playoff picture as their season draws to a close, and second-year running back Breece Hall was electric in a 30-28 victory over the Washington Commanders.
He racked up 191 yards from scrimmage and scored two touchdowns and will look to replicate that production against a much stingier Browns defence.
Watch the Jets vs. the Browns at 8:15 p.m. ET/5:15 PT LIVE on TSN1/4, TSN.ca, and the TSN App.
Cleveland (10-5) holds the top wild-card slot in the AFC, and can clinch a spot in the playoffs with a victory over the Jets. Their defence has allowed the fewest yards per game (260.3) in the NFL.
Veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, who led the Baltimore Ravens to the 2013 Super Bowl title, has taken over as the fourth starting QB for Cleveland this year and won three of the four games he started, including three straight entering Week 17.
NFC heavyweights battle on Saturday Night
Detroit (11-4) travels to Dallas to take on the Cowboys (10-5) in a showdown that could significantly alter the NFC playoff picture.
The Lions clinched the first NFC North title in team history with a win over the Minnesota Vikings a week ago - their last division title came in 1993, when they played in the NFC Central.
David Montgomery and rookie Jahmyr Gibbs continued to serve as a formidable RB duo, combining for 135 yards rushing and three touchdowns in the 30-24 win.
Dallas, meanwhile, lost a crucial game against the Miami Dolphins to fall a game behind the Philadelphia Eagles for the NFC East lead.
Jason Sanders hit the game-winning field goal for Miami as time expired from 29 yards out, negating another strong effort from Cowboys QB Dak Prescott. He threw for 253 yards and two touchdowns in the loss.
NFL Sunday action headlined by RedZone on TSN+
As always, you can also follow all the action around the league Sunday with NFL RedZone on TSN+ starting at 1 p.m ET/10 a.m. PT.
Watch seven hours of commercial-free football with NFL RedZone TSN+.
TSN and TSN+ also have you covered with two games during the 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT. window.
The San Francisco 49ers (11-4) look to get back on track after a loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football in Week 16, and they face the Commanders (4-11).
Brock Purdy was intercepted four times in the 33-19 loss to the Ravens, but coach Kyle Shanahan didn't want to single out any player for the poor performance that ended a six-game winning streak.
"Our whole team struggled there in the second half, so it wasn’t just [Purdy],” said Shanahan after the game.
The Commanders mounted a furious comeback in their loss to the Jets, but Greg Zuerlein hit a 54-yard field goal as time expired to earn the win for New York.
Meanwhile, TSN+ subscribers can watch the New Orleans Saints (7-8) battle the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7) in a clash of NFC South foes.
Subscribe to TSN+ to watch the Saints vs. the Buccaneers LIVE.
Tampa Bay has surged to the top of the division on the heels of a four-game winning streak, and QB Baker Mayfield was strong again last week to help the Bucs cruise to a 30-12 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, totaling 283 yards and two touchdowns.
The Buccaneers throttled the Saints 26-9 in their first meeting of the season.
Two teams in desperate need of a victory to keep their playoff hopes alive meet in the afternoon slot, with the Pittsburgh Steelers (8-7) heading out west to face the Seattle Seahawks (7-8)
Watch the Steelers clash with the Seahawks LIVE on TSN1/4/5, TSN.ca and the TSN App, with coverage starting at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT.
Pittsburgh is locked in a four-way tie for the final wild-card slot in the AFC after trouncing the Cincinnati Bengals 34-11 in Week 16.
George Pickens had the best game of his young career, proving to be a consistent deep threat en route to a 195-yard, two-touchdown performance.
Seattle, meanwhile, control the last wild-card spot in the NFC, but need a win to stay ahead of four squads tied at 7-8 behind them.
Geno Smith led the Seahawks with two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, including the game winner to Colby Parkinson with under a minute remaining in their 20-17 victory over the Tennessee Titans a week ago.
NFC North showdown closes out Week 17
The Vikings (7-8) and Green Bay Packers (7-8) meet to end Week 17, and both teams need a win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.
Both teams need a lot of help to qualify for the playoffs, as they each sit a game behind the owners of the final two wild-card slots in the NFC and tied with two others at 7-8.
Minnesota has lost two straight behind inconsistent QB play, and the choice between Joshua Dobbs, Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall looms large for this week.
“All three of those guys are worthy of being involved in that discussion. We’ll make the best decision in the interest of winning games,” said head coach Kevin O'Connell after Mullens threw four interceptions in the loss to the Lions a week ago.
The Packers won a nail biter in Week 16 against the lowly Carolina Panthers, as the defence struggled to make stops in the second half. A 23-10 halftime lead evaporated in the fourth quarter, but Anders Carlson hit a field goal with 19 seconds remaining in the game to push Green Bay to a 33-30 victory.
Running back Aaron Jones, who has missed six games this season due to various injuries, had his best game of the year against Carolina, running for 127 yards on 21 carries.