NFL Week 17 Odds and Predictions: Best Picks Against the Spread
No Saturday games this week as the College Football Playoff takes place on New Year’s Eve. Here’s a quick look at all Week 17 games, played Sunday unless noted.
Dallas Cowboys at Tennessee Titans
Dallas kept its slim NFC East playoff hopes alive with a 40-34 win over Philadelphia in Week 16; the Cowboys most likely aren’t winning the division but finish as the conference’s top wild-card team. This is a throwaway game for the Titans because them winning the AFC South all comes down to Week 18 in Jacksonville and who wins that game. Tennessee looked awful on Saturday in a home loss to Houston with QB Ryan Tannehill out for the year and rookie Malik Willis struggling.
Pick ATS: Dallas
Arizona Cardinals at Atlanta Falcons
Arizona lost a fifth straight game on Sunday, 19-16 in OT at home to Tampa Bay amid rumours that Coach Kliff Kingsbury will be a goner after the season. The Cards blew a 16-6 lead about midway through the fourth quarter. Atlanta was eliminated from playoff contention with a fourth straight loss Saturday, 17-9 in Baltimore.
Pick ATS: Atlanta
Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions
Chicago lost at home to Detroit 31-30 in Week 10 on a Jamaal Williams 1-yard TD run with 2:21 left. The Lions had 21 fourth-quarter points. The Bears were clobbered at home Saturday by Buffalo 35-13, their eighth straight loss. Justin Fields was completely held in check rushing-wise with just 11 yards on seven carries. Detroit’s wild-card chances took a hit with a 37-23 upset loss at Carolina. The Lions managed just 45 yards rushing.
Pick ATS: Detroit
Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City looks for the season sweep as it beat Denver 34-28 in Week 14. Patrick Mahomes had three picks but three TD passes and 352 yards. Russell Wilson was knocked out with a concussion. The Broncos were awful offensively again Sunday in a 51-14 blowout loss at the Rams and it cost first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett his job Monday. The Chiefs were 24-10 winners over Seattle on Saturday. Mahomes threw two TD passes before running for a clinching score in the fourth quarter.
Pick ATS: Denver
Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots
Miami opened the season with a 20-7 win over New England as the Dolphins defence dominated, including a fumble-return TD. The Fins were upset on Sunday, 26-20 at home by Green Bay, their fourth straight loss. Tua Tagovailoa was picked off three times in the fourth quarter. New England lost 22-18 vs. Cincinnati. The Patriots had the ball on the Cincinnati 5 with just over a minute to play when Rhamondre Stevenson was hit by Vonn Bell and fumbled with the Bengals recovering.
Pick ATS: New England
Indianapolis Colts at New York Giants
Indianapolis is playing out the string and on a short week after hosting the Chargers on Monday to close Week 16. Veteran Nick Foles made his first start of the year at QB for that one and the plan is for him to finish out the season barring injury. The Giants lost 27-24 at Minnesota but still hold down a wild-card spot. Daniel Jones had one of his best games of the year with 334 yards and a TD pass.
Point spread: Giants -3.5
Pick ATS: New York (alternate line of -3)
New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles
The big question here is whether Eagles quarterback and MVP candidate Jalen Hurts plays after missing Week 16 in Dallas with a shoulder injury. Philly lost 40-34 without him but still is in the driver’s seat for the NFC East title and conference’s top seed. The Saints kept their playoff hopes alive with a 17-10 upset win at Cleveland despite just 92 yards passing on a bitterly cold day by Andy Dalton.
Pick ATS: Depends on Hurts
Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Could this be Tom Brady’s final regular-season home game as a member of the Bucs? Quite possibly as he could retire or go somewhere else (Las Vegas? San Francisco?) in the offseason as a free agent. He led the Bucs back from down 16-6 in the fourth quarter on Sunday night in Arizona to win 19-16 in OT. The Bucs could wrap up the NFC South title this week. The Panthers upset Detroit 37-23 and have played much better since Sam Darnold was inserted at quarterback. Carolina stunned Tampa Bay 21-3 in Week 7 when PJ Walker was the Panthers’ QB.
Pick ATS: Tampa Bay (alternate line of -2.5)
Cleveland Browns at Washington Commanders
Cleveland was eliminated from playoff contention after losing 17-10 at home to New Orleans on Saturday. Deshaun Watson struggled again with just 135 yards and a pick, although it was very cold and windy. Washington lost 37-20 at San Francisco. Taylor Heinicke was pulled in the fourth quarter after two turnovers in favour of Carson Wentz. Coach Ron Rivera said he hadn’t decided which quarterback starts this game.
Pick ATS: Washington
Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens
This was flexed into the Sunday night window. The Ravens played again without starting QB Lamar Jackson on Sunday but beat Atlanta 17-9 to clinch a playoff spot. Not clear if Jackson will return this week. Pittsburgh kept its playoff hopes alive with a 13-10 home win over Las Vegas, picking off Derek Carr three times. Baltimore played without Jackson in Week 14 but still upset the Steelers 16-14. Pittsburgh QB Kenny Pickett was knocked out early with a concussion.
Pick ATS: Baltimore (alternate line of -2.5)
Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans
At 3-7, it looked to be another lousy season for the Jags, but they have lost just once since following a 19-3 minor upset at the Jets on Thursday in Week 16. Trevor Lawrence once again didn’t throw a pick and rushed for a score. Jacksonville is in both the AFC South race and wild-card hunt and the Jags would win the division title with victories in their final two games. Houston was an upset winner at Tennessee on Saturday but still has the NFL’s worst record. The Jags were upset by the Texans 13-6 in Week 5 back when Lawrence was struggling (two picks).
Pick ATS: Jacksonville
San Francisco 49ers at Las Vegas Raiders
San Francisco is the NFC West champion and won its eighth in a row Saturday, 37-20 over Washington. Rookie QB Brock Purdy improved to 3-0 in his career in throwing for 234 yards and two scores. He has thrown two TD passes in four straight games (one in relief). The long-shot playoff chances of the Raiders all but vanished Saturday with a 13-10 loss in Pittsburgh as Derek Carr was picked off three times. Looking more and more likely he’s not back next season.
Pick ATS: San Francisco
New York Jets at Seattle Seahawks
The Jets lost their fourth in a row Thursday, 19-3 at home vs. Jacksonville. Former No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson was quite terrible before getting pulled for ex-Winnipeg Blue Bombers QB Chris Streveler, but Mike White will return from a ribs injury and start this week. Seattle lost 24-10 in Kansas City on Saturday, its fifth defeat in the past six games. Former Pro Bowl wideout Tyler Lockett was out following finger surgery and might play this week.
Pick ATS: Seattle
Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers
All the Vikings do is win close games this season, and that continued Saturday in a 27-24 victory over the Giants on a franchise-record 61-yard field goal by Greg Joseph as time expired. Minnesota set an NFL record with its 11th one-score win of the season. Green Bay’s wild-card chances are still alive after 26-20 win in Miami, but the Packers still need to win out and get help. Minnesota opened the season with a 23-7 win over Green Bay as Justin Jefferson caught nine passes for 184 yards and two scores.
Pick ATS: Green Bay (alternate line of -2.5)
Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Chargers
Was to be the Sunday night game but was flexed out as it should have been. The awful Rams do come off a 51-14 blowout win over Denver. Baker Mayfield was sharp with only four incompletions and two TD passes. Cam Akers ran for three scores. The Chargers won at Indianapolis on Monday 20-3 to close Week 16 and clinch an AFC wild-card spot. They might rest players the final two weeks.
Pick ATS: Chargers
Buffalo Bills at Cincinnati Bengals, Monday
Easily the biggest game of the week with massive AFC playoff ramifications as Buffalo has clinched the AFC East and would be the conference’s top seed if it wins out. The Bengals are a game back and have clinched a playoff spot but not the AFC North yet. They won a seventh straight game Saturday, 22-18 at New England. The Bills weren’t tested much in their sixth win in a row, 35-13 in Chicago.
Pick ATS: Cincinnati