Picking the entire NFL slate in the final two weeks of the season is really challenging. Who is playing? Where's the motivation? Which players have their minds on Cancun and Aruba?  Those are my excuses for having a terrible Week 17.

Overall picks to win: 8-8 in Week 17 (173-82-1 for the season) Picks to win with 1-5 confidence: 4-7 (103-64-1) Picks to win with 6-10 confidence: 4-1 (70-18) Overall to cover the spread: 9-6-1 (130-117-9) Cover-the-spread picks with 1-5 confidence: 8-4-1 (107-93-8) Cover-the-spread picks with 6-10 confidence: 1-2 (23-23-1)

In Sporting News' Week 18 picks against the spread, San Francisco, Carolina and Baltimore win de facto division championship games while New York ends up on a high note with Las Vegas taking the top draft pick.

The NFL season is 17 weeks in, and the playoff race is nearly at its end. The Week 18 matchup between the Steelers and Ravens will decide the winner of the AFC North, but the other divisions – and playoff spots – are all set in stone.