What to Look For - Week 17

Record passing.

Record scoring.

Record comebacks.

Record chaos.

The National Football League’s 2020 regular season concludes Sunday. The ride was bumpy at times, but with some juggling of bye weeks and postponements here and there, the NFL will reach its first finish line with every team playing 16 games.

Then it’s onto the postseason.

With an additional team in each conference eligible for the playoffs, 12 of Sunday’s 16 games carry some kind of playoff implication — either for a team to qualify, win its division, determine final seeding or, in the case of the NFC, decide which team claims the coveted bye week and home-field advantage. (Although in this COVID-influenced season, home field hasn’t meant quite as much as in years past.)

For an explanation of the playoff scenarios and a look at some records that could fall this weekend, read on...

PLAYOFF PUSH: All 16 games are divisional contests in Week 17 and there are still 18 teams in contention for a trip to Super Bowl LV. There hasn’t been more teams still alive for postseason berths entering the league’s final week since 2006 (20 teams).

Six division titles have been secured, three of which feature a team that did not win their division in 2019 – the AFC East  (BUFFALO BILLS), AFC North (PITTSBURGH STEELERS) and NFC West (SEATTLE SEAHAWKS).

Both the AFC South, coming down to the INDIANAPOLIS COLTS or TENNESSEE TITANS, and NFC East, with the DALLAS COWBOYS, NEW YORK GIANTS and WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM each still in contention for the division crown, are guaranteed to also have new winners in 2020.

The five new division winners this season will be the most in a season since 2017 (five).

Additionally, Pittsburgh won their division after missing the postseason in 2019, while two other division titles – AFC South (Indianapolis) and NFC East (Dallas, N.Y. Giants or Washington) – can be won by a team that missed the playoffs last season. At least two teams have won their divisions the season after missing the playoffs in 16 of the past 17 years.

Should Washington win the NFC East, they would complete the “worst-to-first” turnaround. At least one team has won its division the season after finishing in or tied for last place in 15 of the past 17 seasons.

The ARIZONA CARDINALS and MIAMI DOLPHINS can also qualify for the postseason this year after finishing in last place in their division last season.

Since 1990, at least four teams every season have qualified for the playoffs after failing to make the postseason the year before.

HIGHEST SCORING SEASON: The 2020 season has seen some of the most prolific offensive play in league history and in Week 17 will secure its spot as the highest scoring season ever. ​

There have been 1,373 touchdowns scored in 2020, the most in a single season in NFL history, and on Sunday, the 2020 season will surpass the 2013 season for the most points scored in a single season in NFL history.

Three teams – GREEN BAY (31.6 points per game), KANSAS CITY (30.1) and TENNESSEE(30.0) – are each averaging at least 30 points per game this season while NEW ORLEANS(29.9), TAMPA BAY (29.9) and BUFFALO (29.7) each average at least 29 points per game.

2020 can join 2011 (three teams) and 2018 (three teams) as the only seasons in which at least three teams averaged at least 30 points per game since 1950. No season has seen four teams each score at least 30 points per game.

The seasons with three teams to average at least 30 points per game since 1950: