Week 17 of the NFL season features a number of marquee matchups. The Houston Texans (10-5) face the Los Angeles Chargers (11-4). The Chicago Bears (11-4) travel to San Francisco to face the49ers (11-4). The Philadelphia Eagles (10-5) square off against the Buffalo Bills (11-4). All of those games have playoff implications, but perhaps the game that could change the direction of a franchise the most will take place in Sin City.
In Las Vegas, the two worst teams in the league will face each other with the Number One overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on the line. The home Raiders will face the visiting New York Giants. Both teams have dismal 2-13 records, but both have very different outlooks on the upcoming draft. Here is a look at what is at stake for each team.
Las Vegas hoped to get a few good years out of quarterback Geno Smith; however, the magic he showed in Seattle seems to be fading. At 35 years old, the team has to start thinking about the future. With Kenny Pickett and Aidan O’Connell as the other two quarterbacks on the roster, the Raiders will most likely have to look to the draft for a solution.
If GM John Spytek so chooses, that Number One overall pick could turn into Heisman trophy winner Fernando Mendoza or one of the QBs in a strong draft class. Unfortunately, another major issue may change his draft strategy. Over the last 48 hours, the team seems to have had a major falling out with defensive star Maxx Crosby. If that relationship is not repaired, things could get complicated. Regardless, they will need that top pick to try to address their issues.
If the Giants lose on Sunday and end up with the top pick, things may be a bit different. As things stand right now, New York appears to believe that they have their quarterback of the future in Jaxson Dart. Dart clearly has a lot to learn (like how to slide to avoid contact), but he has looked good since taking over as the starter. Presumably, the Giants would have liked to have given Dart more time to adjust to the pro game. Unfortunately, 37-year-old Russell Wilson seemed to visibly grow older with each snap, and a change had to happen sooner rather than later.
So, if they are, indeed, happy with Dart as their long-term QB1, the Giants may well trade the top pick in the draft. In doing so, the team could stockpile picks to use in other areas. Both teams clearly have a lot of areas to address. Having the most important position (QB) covered, however, allows the Giants to potentially make a leap forward with those extra picks. The team has some other key pieces in place already, in running back Cam Skattebo (when he returns), wideout Wan’Dale Robinson, and pass rusher Brian Burns. With extra picks from trading the Number One pick, the team could see vast improvement over the next two seasons.
This Week 17 game is a major opportunity for these two teams. Both teams desperately need to have a big draft this offseason. Both teams desperately need to lose this game. The Giants are favored to win, and with Crosby out, that seems even more likely. This is a trainwreck of a game that no one probably wants to watch, but one that fans will definitely be checking the score on. One of these two teams will most likely look drastically different next season, and who it is will probably hinge on Sunday’s outcome. You never want your team to lose, but in the case of the two fanbases…you kind of do these next two weeks.
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