Top NFL Betting Picks for Week 16

With two weeks left in the regular season, the NFL’s playoff picture is becoming clearer. In the NFC, the Philadelphia Eagles have clinched a bye, and Minnesota has clinched the North Division. Dallas plays Seattle in a win-or-out game on Sunday, and all Carolina and Atlanta have to do is keep winning to secure their wild cards. In the AFC, the Steelers were inches from likely clinching home field through the playoffs until that pesky catch rule led to a touchdown coming off the rule, and then a bizarre interception kept Pittsburgh from kicking the chip shot that would have sent their game with New England to overtime. Jacksonville  can clinch the AFC South with a win, and it looks like the Chiefs will win the West unless something weird happens — but that’s how this season has gone. Let’s look at some NFL betting picks for Week 16.

Top NFL Betting Picks for Week 16

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— ESPN (@espn) December 19, 2017

Sunday, December 24

Detroit (-4) at Cincinnati (1:00pm ET, FOX)

The Detroit Lions have an easy path to the playoff — beat Cincinnati and Green Bay (who won’t be playing Aaron Rodgers) and wait for either Carolina or Atlanta to lose. The first step comes at the Bengals on Sunday. The Lions looked like they were headed for a dumpster fire after losing to Minnesota at home and then getting demolished at Baltimore, but they have recovered with wins at Tampa Bay and at home against the Bears. The Lions still don’t have a running game, but their defense has found some more starch, and Matthew Stafford remains one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the game. They take on a Cincinnati team that has already heard that longtime coach Marvin Lewis is on the way out, and a team that already was lacking in discipline and focus seems to have fallen off the table, losing three in a row. Their last two losses, to Chicago at home and at Minnesota, have come by a combined score of 67-14. I see Detroit continuing the Bengals’ misery. NFL Betting Prediction: Detroit 31, Cincinnati 13

L.A. Rams (-6.5) at Tennessee (1:00pm ET, FOX)

Do you still have questions about whether the Los Angeles Rams are here to contend this season? Yes, that Week Two loss at home to Washington looks ridiculous, but since then, then have lost to Seattle by six at home, at Minnesota by 17 and at home to the Eagles by eight. The Vikings and the Eagles will likely have the two byes in the NFC playoffs — and the Rams just took Seattle to the woodshed in their rematch, prevailing in a 42-7 embarrassment on the Seahawks’ vaunted home field. Jared Goff has emerged as a terrific quarterback in his second season, and Wade Phillips continues to amaze in his latest iteration as a defensive coordinator. They visit a Tennessee team that still doesn’t have a completely healthy Marcus Mariota throwing the ball and that doesn’t even have the defense to stop San Francisco, as they scored to take a late lead against the 49ers but then saw Jimmy Garoppolo lead a last-gasp drive to lead San Francisco to a game-winning field goal. The Titans’ playoff hopes are all but done, and the Rams are ready to drive the stake all the way through the Titans’ season. NFL Betting Prediction: L.A. Rams 38, Tennessee 16

Monday, December 25

Pittsburgh (-9.5) at Houston (4:30pm ET, NBC)

Houston is the latest team to get close to running out of quarterbacks but still mysteriously have no use for the services of Colin Kaepernick. Deshaun Watson blew his ACL, and Tom Savage was drilled into the concussion protocol a couple of weeks ago. That leaves them with T.J. Yates, who really has no business running an NFL offense. They prepare to host a Pittsburgh team that saw an amazing comeback against New England fizzle when tight end Jesse James caught a pass, turned to dive for the end zone, broke the plane with both hands and had the ball spin slightly in his hand once it hit the ground. The NFL’s bizarre overanalysis of catches continues to boggle the mind, and the touchdown came off the board. Then came a decision to throw a slant into a crowded end zone, which ended up in an interception, and a win became an almost certain field goal and then became a shocking loss. I wouldn’t want to be the next team that Pittsburgh has an opportunity to vent their frustrations on. NFL Betting Prediction: Pittsburgh 41, Houston 13