Rick Pedone
Sports Editor

It’s going to be a wild Week 17 for half of the NFC teams.
Seattle, Minnesota, Chicago, Dallas, Washington and the N.Y. Giants (only with a lot of help) remain alive for the last three NFC playoff spots.
Plus, Green Bay and San Francisco are angling for the No. 2 seed and the attendant bye next weekend. Atlanta owns the No. 1 seed .
The Cowboys and Redskins convene Sunday night for a winner-take-all game at D.C. that will decide the NFC East title. In the AFC, all that’s left to decide are the top three seeds. The wilting Texans (12-3) can clinch the No. 1 seed by winning at Indianapolis Sunday.
The Sunshine State’s NFL entries will, mercifully, call it a wrap Sunday. You have to rewind to 2008 to find the last Florida NFL playoff representative, when Miami won the AFC East. Ouch.
Bowl picks:
Orange Bowl, FSU (-13.5) vs. Northern Illinois: The Seminoles have to be stoked for this one right? Noles by 19.
Sugar Bowl, Florida (-14) vs. Louisville: Gators fans are so excited about this that they bought about 12 tickets. OK, we’re exaggerating. It was 112. Gators by 10.
Fiesta Bowl, Kansas State vs. Oregon (-9): Ducks have to wonder how they aren’t playing for the national championship. Quack Attack by 16.
The paid professionals:
Tampa Bay at Atlanta: Falcons have absolutely nothing to play for, and they’ll still win. Falcons by 3.
Dallas at Washington (-5): Winner’s in, loser’s out. Skins by 3.
Brian “Big Man” McBride’s Super Sniffer Upset Special: Brownies over Steelers by 3.
Petey “The Gators Are Going To Win” Covino says: Gators by 20.
Andrew “Flaming Spear” Sullivan’s FSU Massacre of the Week: Noles, 42-14.
Young Jackson says: K-State Wildcats by 3 in a Good Bowl Game Alert! Bucs by 6 and Cowboys by 3 in a Romo Ready for Prime Time Upset.
Last week: Party Knight (4-4, 104-47) and Snoring Senior (4-4, 103-48) wish you a Happy New Year!