NFL Week 17 tips: Dolphins to deliver knockout blow to Pats

• Big schedule on New Year's Day with penultimate round of NFL games

• 15 of the 16 games this week have play-off implications

• Huge Dolphins v Patriots showdown in AFC East

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Such a thrilling NFL season as this was always going to come down to the wire, and Week 17 is another stunner with 15 of the 16 games on offer having direct play-off implications in one way or another.

So what better way to cure your New Year's Day hangover than by watching play-off places be won and lost with Sunday's January 1 schedule for the penultimate week of the season.

New Year's Day NFL Sunday Week 17 schedule

Miami Dolphins (8-7) @ New England Patriots (7-8)

Match Odds: 23/20 | 8/11
Spread: Pats -2.5
Points O/U: 41.5

Tua Tagovailoa is out so Teddy Bridgewater will be Miami's QB as they look to possibly book their play-off spot but definitely end New England's season if they beat the Pats for fifth straight game.

Normally you'd hate backing against the Pats at home in a must-win game, but Bridgewater is a more than decent back-up and Miami's dynamic receivers can still be too much for New England's depleted secondary.

Minnesota Vikings (12-3) @ Green Bay Packers (7-8)

Match Odds: 29/20 | 4/7
Spread: Packers -3
Points O/U: 48.5

The Vikings have won an NFL record 11 one-score games this season, and their only double-digit victory came against these Packers and they've got the chance hear to sweep Aaron Rodgers for the first time ever and end Green Bay's season all in one go.

Three wins in a row have kept the Packers clinging on to their play-off hopes despite winning the division Minnesota still have plenty of critics, as being underdogs here proves, and they'll be eager to send out a big message.

Indianapolis Colts (4-10-1) @ New York Giants (8-6-1)

Match Odds: 15/8 | 4/9
Spread: Giants -5.5
Points O/U: 38.5

It seems all too simple for the Giants to just beat the lowly Colts to secure their play-off spot, but that's really the deal. Fans of Big Blue will still no doubt be nervous but even the Giants won't find a way of screwing this up.

Carolina Panthers (6-9) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8)

Match Odds: 17/10 | 1/2
Spread: Bucs -3.5
Points O/U: 40.5

Even in what's been a tough season, Tom Brady can still book yet another play-off spot if he can guide the Bucs to victory here, but the way the Panthers ran the ball to beat the Lions last week makes them a huge danger. At the very least they could keep it close enough to cover.

New York Jets @ Seattle Seahawks

Match Odds: 5/6 | Evens
Spread: Jets -1.5
Points O/U: 42.5

It's all a bit desperate for both these sides with neither being able to book a play-off spot Sunday but the loser bascially being out of the running in yet another Geno Smith game versus a former employer.

It's a case of who you trust least here as both have huge holes, questions marks and loss of form to deal with. Seahawks wideout Tyler Lockett could be the key to the whole thing if he plays, but it's a risk either way. Defences will boss this one.

Denver Broncos (4-11) @ Kansas City Chiefs (12-3)

Match Odds: 5/1 | 1/7
Spread: Chiefs -12.5
Points O/U: 44.5

A slight word of warning here that the Chiefs have struggled to kill off the bad teams this season and Denver firing their head coach could result in player sraising their games to show their worth, so the spread may not be so easy to cover.

Saying that, the Chiefs have won 14 straight against Denver and Patrick Mahomes is a perfect 10-0 against the Broncos - so it's just a case of how many they win by.

Chicago Bears (3-12) @ Detroit Lions (7-8)

Match Odds: 2/1 | 2/5
Spread: Lions -5.5
Points O/U: 52.5

Detroit's winning run ended in Carolina last week but they're still in the play-off mix so the Bears on an eight-game losing run look perfect bounceback material.

There's two of the worst defences on show here hence the points total, but it won't be a walkover for the Lions as they's 31st in the league against running QBs and Justin Fields looks like one of the best, while they also allowed two 100-yard rushers last week.

Still, the need is greater so they should pull this one out of the fire.

San Francisco 49ers (11-4) @ Las Vegas Raiders (6-9)

Match Odds: 1/5 | 7/2
Spread: 49ers -10
Points O/U: 41.5

This line took a big jump in San Francisco's direction when the Raiders benched QB Derek Carr, although the way he's been playing it could actually give them a better chance.

Carr or no Carr though, the Raiders would look doomed with the 49ers simply the much better team and with still a lot to play for.

Thursday Night Football

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Dallas Cowboys (11-4) @ Tennessee Titans (7-8)

Match Odds: 1/6 | 9/2
Spread: Cowboys -12.5
Totals O/U: 39.5

The final Thursday Night Football of the season is an intriguing one as the Cowboys have their play-off spot booked yet have much more riding on this game as they chase the divisional title while this game means little to the slumping Titans.

Tennessee have lost five in a row but even regardless of this result the winner of their game against Jacksonville next week will determine who wins the AFC South and bags a home play-off game.

So the Titans may rest a good few starters, including star running back Derrick Henry, in a game they seem happy to just get out of the way to prepare for their final game showdown.