The regular season is down to its final stretch, and the stakes couldn't be higher. Teams are fighting for playoff survival while division leaders jockey for position. Here are three Week 17 matchups that deserve your attention—and your wager.

Texans @ Chargers

Saturday night in Los Angeles shapes up as a critical AFC showdown.

Houston has won seven straight, including victories over the Jaguars, Bills, Colts, and Chiefs. The Texans sit one game back in the AFC South and occupy the seventh playoff spot. Los Angeles is 11-4 after winning six of their last seven and trails the AFC West lead by a single game.

Both teams need this win—Houston to secure a playoff berth, Los Angeles to chase division position.

The Chargers face a catastrophic matchup problem. They're down two All-Pro-caliber offensive tackles, and the remaining linemen aren't adequate. Coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman have built a smash-mouth system that plays to Justin Herbert's strengths, but Herbert is dealing with a broken left hand.

It won't matter Saturday. Houston's defense ranks second in DVOA and features the league's best pass-rush duo: Danielle Hunter (13 sacks) and Will Anderson Jr. (11.5 sacks). The Chargers' wounded offensive line will be massacred.

Houston's offense, meanwhile, is a liability. Ranked 21st in DVOA, 25th in yards per play, and 19th in points per game, the Texans struggle when C.J. Stroud takes the field. The same offensive line issues that plague Los Angeles plague Houston.

San Diego's defense is ninth in DVOA and gaining momentum. It allowed 17 to Dallas last week and 10 to Kansas City the week prior. Three weeks ago it held Philadelphia to 19.

This game will be a slog. Neither offense will move the ball effectively.

PICK: Under 39.5 points scored by both teams combined

Broncos @ Chiefs

For the third straight week, the same story holds: Kansas City is broken and overmatched.

Patrick Mahomes went down two weeks ago. Gardner Minshew lasted one half against Tennessee before injury. The Chiefs will start a backup quarterback who has no business suiting up on Sundays against one of the league's elite defenses.

Denver is coming off a loss but still controls its AFC West destiny. The Broncos remain one of the conference's best defensive units.

Kansas City has nothing. They have no one to throw the football.

PICK: Broncos (-12.5) to win by more than 12.5 points

PICK: Chiefs team total Under 10.5 points scored

Bears @ 49ers

San Francisco faces a brutal scheduling nightmare.

The 49ers played Monday Night Football in Indianapolis, then crossed the country to prepare for Chicago. The Bears played Saturday night. Chicago gets at least 48 hours of extra preparation—a massive advantage.

The Bears' offense is built for this scenario. Chicago leads the NFL in rushing attempts, and the rebuilt offensive line is performing at peak efficiency. Ben Johnson's system is tailored for Caleb Williams, and the 49ers' defensive line—depleted and tired—cannot mount a pass rush.

San Francisco should score on Chicago's poor defense, and the Bears' pass coverage is suspect. But Chicago has won six games this season while trailing by less than two minutes in the final moments—the most such victories in NFL history. That resilience matters.

The Bears will compete. Chicago's turnover creation and situational advantage make them dangerous.

PICK: Bears (+3) to lose by fewer than 3 points or win outright