#FromStateToSundays: Week 17 Preview – Mississippi State Athletics
Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Football Logan Lowery, Assistant Director/Communications
STARKVILLE – Week 17 of NFL action features four games involving head-to-head matchups former Mississippi State standouts as the playoff picture starts to clear.
Former Bulldogs on Dallas, Philadelphia, Minnesota, and Kansas City have all clinched playoff berths already. Washington and the New York Giants could join them with wins this weekend.
Philadelphia – featuring Fletcher Cox and Pro Bowler Darius Slay on defense – can capture the NFC East and a first-round bye in the playoffs if they win and/or the Cowboys lose. The Eagles are hosting the New Orleans Saints and J.T. Gray on Sunday at noon.
Dallas and quarterback Dak Prescott will start Week 17’s slate on Thursday at 7:15 p.m. when they travel to take on Denico Autry, Pro Bowler Jeffery Simmons and the Tennessee Titans.
Montez Sweat and Washington will try to punch their ticket to the postseason when they host Martin Emerson and the Cleveland Browns at noon on Sunday. For the Commanders to clinch, they need to win along with a loss by Seattle and Detroit and a loss or tie by Green Bay.
There are several scenarios in which Tyre Phillips and the Giants can reach the postseason but the easiest of those is to simply win at home over the Indianapolis Colts when they play Sunday at noon.
The Vikings and Cameron Dantzler have already earned a postseason bid and will visit the Packers contingent of Elgton Jenkins and Preston Smith on Sunday at 3:25 p.m.
Willie Gay, Pro Bowler Chris Jones and the playoff bound Kansas City Chiefs host the Denver Broncos Sunday at noon.
Logan Cooke and the Jacksonville Jaguars travel to the Houston Texans on Sunday at noon and later that day Johnathan Abram, Charles Cross, Gabe Jackson and the Seattle Seahawks welcome the New York Jets at 3:25.
The Arizona Cardinals added long snapper Hunter Bradley to their practice squad on Wednesday.
THURSDAY, DEC. 29
Dallas Cowboys at Tennessee Titans | 7:15 p.m. Prime Video
DE Denico Autry (TEN)
QB Dak Prescott (DAL)
DT Jeffery Simmons (TEN)
SUNDAY, JAN. 1
Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans | 12 p.m. CBS
P Logan Cooke (JAX)
Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs | 12 p.m. CBS
LB Willie Gay Jr. (KC)
DT Chris Jones (KC)
Indianapolis Colts at New York Giants | 12 p.m. CBS
OG Tyre Phillips (NYG)
New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles | 12 p.m. FOX
DT Fletcher Cox (PHI)
S J.T. Gray (NO)
CB Darius Slay (PHI)
Cleveland Browns at Washington Commanders | 12 p.m. FOX
CB Martin Emerson (CLE)
DE Montez Sweat (WASH)
New York Jets at Seattle Seahawks | 3:05 p.m. FOX
S Johnathan Abram (SEA)
OT Charles Cross (SEA)
OG Gabe Jackson (SEA)
Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers | 3:25 p.m. CBS
CB Cameron Dantzler (MIN)
OG Elgton Jenkins (GB)
LB Preston Smith (GB)