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1 of 5 | Quarterback Jaxson Dart (L) and nan New York Giants could move into position to prime first successful nan 2026 NFL Draft pinch a nonaccomplishment to nan Las Vegas Raiders connected Sunday successful Las Vegas. File Photo by CJ Gunther/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 26 (UPI) -- A gathering betwixt nan Las Vegas Raiders-New York Giants is among respective Week 17 games pinch awesome implications for nan 2026 NFL Draft.
The Giants and Raiders some beryllium astatine 2-13, but nan Giants' weaker spot of schedule has them successful statement to prime first. The Raiders are connected way to prime second, but that could alteration pinch a nonaccomplishment Sunday successful Las Vegas.
Despite galore fans' -- and immoderate wide managers' -- desires to amended their teams done nan draft, coaches and players contend that they will effort to support winning, moreover if it could wounded their early talent pool.
"I'm not really concerned astir immoderate of that," Raiders coach Pete Carroll told reporters Monday. "I don't deliberation you want maine to be.
"We are going to play nan champion we tin play and spot what happens."
The Giants-Raiders matchup is nan first successful history to see 2 teams pinch progressive nine-game losing streaks.
The 2026 NFL Draft will beryllium held from April 23 to 25 successful Pittsburgh. The first 18 draught slots will beryllium finalized aft Week 18. The adjacent six slots will spell to chaotic paper teams. The adjacent 4 slots will spell to divisional information losers.
Pick Nos. 29 and 30 will spell to nan losers of nan respective convention title games. The loser of Super Bowl LX will gain nan No. 31 pick, pinch nan champion picking last.
The Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals presently beryllium successful slot Nos. 3 done 6, respectively, owed to their matching 3-12 records and spot of their schedules. They besides could amended their draught positioning pinch Week 17 losses.
The Browns person nan weakest spot of schedule of immoderate squad wrong nan Top 10 of nan projected draught bid and could climb wrong nan Top 2 this weekend. They will return connected nan Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6) successful Week 17 and extremity nan play pinch a matchup pinch nan Cincinnati Bengals (5-10).
The Browns are 3.5-point underdogs. The Raiders are 1.5-point favorites to hit nan Giants.
The New England Patriots (12-3) are 13.5-point favorites to hit nan Jets. The New Orleans Saints (5-10) are 2.5-point favorites to hit nan Titans (3-12).
The Bengals, who clasp nan No. 9 spot successful nan first round, are 7-point favorites complete nan Cardinals.
The Washington Commanders (4-12), who mislaid to nan Dallas Cowboys connected Thursday, presently clasp nan No. 7 spot. The Saints beryllium astatine No. 9, conscionable up of nan Bengals. The Kansas City Chiefs (6-10), who mislaid to nan Denver Broncos (13-3) connected Thursday, clasp nan No. 10 spot. They will extremity their play against nan Raiders successful Week 18.
The Miami Dolphins and nan Los Angeles Rams, who ain nan Atlanta Falcons' first-round action successful nan 2026 NFL Draft, are group to prime astatine Nos. 11 and 12, respectively. The Dolphins will big nan Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8) successful Week 17. The Rams will meet nan Falcons (6-9).
In nan NFC, six of nan 7 playoff berths are finalized. In nan AFC, 5 teams clinched berths. But teams from some conferences still will conflict for playoff positioning complete nan last 2 weeks of nan season.
The Steelers tin unafraid a playoff berth and nan AFC North title pinch a triumph complete nan Browns. They besides could clinch if nan Baltimore Ravens (7-8) suffer to nan Green Bay Packers connected Saturday, which could lead them to remainder starters Sunday successful Cleveland. Such a move could create a person game, perchance hurting nan Browns' draught stock.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin told reporters "it may," erstwhile asked earlier this week if nan consequence of nan Ravens-Packers crippled could effect his unit decisions against nan Browns.
The Patriots and Buffalo Bills are still fighting for nan AFC East section title and could wrestle distant nan apical wide seed from nan Broncos, which comes pinch a first-round bye and location section advantage. The Bills (11-4) will return connected nan Philadelphia Eagles (10-5), who already clinched nan NFC East.
Other impactful Week 17 NFC matchups characteristic nan Carolina Panthers (8-7) and Seattle Seahawks (12-3) and Chicago Bears (11-4) and San Francisco 49ers (11-4). The Panthers are nan only squad of that group yet to clinch a playoff berth. They presently clasp nan No. 4 seed.
The Buccaneers stay successful striking scope for a playoff berth, which intends nan must-win quality of their last 2 games could lead nan Dolphins to amended their draught banal pinch a nonaccomplishment Sunday successful Miami Gardens, Fla. The Buccaneers are 3-point favorites.
The Los Angeles Chargers (11-4), who already clinched a playoff berth, but are still fighting for positioning, will big nan Houston Texans (10-5) successful nan first NFL matchup of nan weekend. That crippled will footwear disconnected astatine 4:30 p.m. EST Saturday successful Inglewood, Calif.
The Texans presently beryllium successful nan No. 7 spot successful nan AFC playoff picture.
Current Top 10, matchups
1. New York Giants (2-13) astatine Las Vegas Raiders (2-13)
2. Las Vegas Raiders (2-13) vs. New York Giants (2-13)
3. Cleveland Browns (3-12) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6)
4. New York Jets (3-12) vs. New England Patriots (12-3)
5. Tennessee Titans (3-12) vs. New Orleans Saints (5-10)
6. Arizona Cardinals (3-12) astatine Cincinnati Bengels (5-10)
7. Washington Commanders (4-12) mislaid to Dallas Cowboys (7-8-1)
8. New Orleans Saints (5-10) astatine Tennessee Titans (3-12)
9. Cincinnati Bengals (5-10) vs. Arizona Cardinals (3-12)
10. Kansas City Chiefs (6-10) mislaid to Denver Broncos (13-3)
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (C) celebrates pinch teammates aft nan Dodgers conclusion nan Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 successful 11 innings successful Game 7 to triumph nan World Series successful Toronto connected November 1, 2025. Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI | License Photo
