NFL Week 17 Recap: Grading Every Team's Sunday Performance

The Sunday of Week 17 of the NFL schedule is in the books. Here is how all sixteen teams that played on Sunday graded out.

The Sunday of Week 17 of the NFL is in the books. Here’s how each team graded out.

As always, these grades don’t just take into account how a team played and the final score. It factors in things like expectations, short and long-term goals of the franchise, injuries, and other factors. This late in the year, draft position will play a huge role in grades.The big picture has to be kept in mind.

New York Jets: C-

40-14 (L) @ Bills

The Jets are a complete joke, and trailed 33-0 on Sunday. Aaron Rodgers essentially took himself out of the game, too. But, they didn’t hurt their draft position, as another rebuild is on the horizon. So, an F turns into a C-.

Buffalo Bills: A-

40-14 (W) Vs. Jets

The Jets have quit on their season, and the Bills took care of business with a dominant win. That being said, the offense was a bit clunky, and that’s something they will want to get figured out next week before the playoffs start.

Las Vegas Raiders: D

25-10 (W) @ Saints

The Las Vegas Raiders need a franchise quarterback, and they just made things much more difficult for themselves by winning on Sunday. Heading into Week 16, they were in position for the second-overall pick. But, now, after back-to-back wins, they’re down to 8th. It will likely take a trade with a ton of assets to move up into position to draft Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders.

New Orleans Saints: D

25-10 (L) Vs. Raiders

The Saints are a tough team to grade, as their upside in terms of draft position isn’t super strong, but they aren’t playing for anything, either. I guess you could argue that rooke quarterback Spencer Rattler showed some flashes. But, ultimately, this is a roster that needs a major overhaul.

Indianapolis Colts: F-

45-33 (L) @ Giants

Things broke Indianapolis’s way this weekend to stay in the playoff hunt heading into Week 18. Instead, they lost to the NFL’s worst team, giving up 45 points to a decrepit offense. This season has turned out to be a total clunker. The rare F- grade is deserved.

New York Giants: F

45-33 (W) Vs. Colts

Two F’s in one game may not happen for a very long time. But, the Giants won, playing themselves out of the first-overall pick in the NFL Draft and potentially setting the franchise back years in the process. It’s as disastrous a win as any in recent NFL history.

Dallas Cowboys: C-

41-7 (L) Vs. Eagles

The Cowboys had played hard down the stretch, even when their playoff hopes were bleak. They entered Sunday officially eliminated, and played like it. That being said, they didn’t cost themselves any draft position. Still, it’s never good to be humiliated by a rival.

Philadelphia Eagles: A

41-7 (W) Vs. Cowboys

No Jalen Hurts, no problem for the Philadelphia Eagles. Saquon Barkley closed in on the single-season rushing record, both Tanner McKee and Kenny Pickett played well at quarterback, and the Eagles played a complete game to clinch the NFC East and the number-two seed in the NFC.

Carolina Panthers: D

48-14 (L) @ Buccaneers

Yes, they preserved draft position. But, unlike other bad teams on this list, the Panthers already have their quarterback of the future and are trying to build for the future. Clunkers like this do the franchise little good.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: A+

48-14 (W) Vs. Panthers

The Buccaneers took care of business after a tough loss last week. Coupled with the Atlanta loss, they just need to beat the lowly Saints next week to win the NFC South for a fifth-straight year.

Tennessee Titans: B

20-13 (L) @ Jaguars

Unlike some other teams, the Titans did not ruin their draft position on Sunday. Now, they’re in second-overall spot, and the franchise will have a lot of leverage over the next few months. A young offensive line continued to show the ability to run the football, too.

Jacksonville Jaguars: B

20-13 (W) Vs. Titans

The Jaguars already have their franchise quarterback, so draft position isn’t quite as important to them. And, young players Travon Walker and Brian Thomas Jr. continued to shine on Sunday. Those guys are franchise cornerstones, and it’s important they end the season strong. That’s, ultimately, what is most important for a team that isn’t as far away as their 4-12 record suggests.

Miami Dolphins: A+

20-3 (W) @ Browns

The Miami Dolphins had to win to keep their playoff hopes alive, and had to do it without Tua Tagovailoa. Yes, the Browns are bad, but this was an awesome team victory to keep the season alive. That’s a culture-building win, and the kind of win that has evaded the franchise in the Mike McDaniel tenure.

Cleveland Browns: C

20-3 (L) Vs. Dolphins

At this point, losses are perfectly fine for the Browns, who need to get in position to draft a franchise quarterback. Maybe that’s why they are playing Dorian Thompson-Robinson over Jameis Winston. Currently, the Browns have the third-overall pick in next April’s draft.

Green Bay Packers: D-

27-25 (L) @ Vikings

Credit to the Packers for fighting back late. But, they were dominated for three quarters by their divisional rivals in a huge game for playoff seeding. Jordan Love really struggled early, which is concerning. Now, they’re in line to play the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card Round, a brutal draw for a team that will likely finish 12-5.

Minnesota Vikings: A

27-25 (W) Vs. Packers

No matter what happens next week against Detroit and in the playoffs, this Vikings team has proved to not be a fraud. They dominated the Packers for three quarters, and showed they are a legit contender to finally win a Super Bowl. A win next week and they have home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Absolutely nobody saw that coming before the season started.

Atlanta Falcons: F-

30-24 (L) @ Commanders

The Falcons likely choked away a playoff spot, and they have their head coach, Raheem Morris, to blame. His disastrous clock management should earn him a pink slip after just one season in charge. Disastrous, disastrous game for a team that led most of the way.