NFL straight-up picks, Week 17: Can Steelers rebound on Christmas? Will Bengals keep playoff hopes lit?

Week 17 is where things get tricky. Which recently eliminated from playoff contention teams are going to put up a fight in order to spoil an opponents’ poseason hopes? Who will be running at 80 percent, hoping to get to the offseason healthy enough to enjoy a badly needed vacation?

This complicates a season in which underdogs have won fewer games outright than any other since 2017. Chalk has dominated; only 69 of 239 games played through December 22 were won by teams that weren’t betting favorites.