Week 16 NFL Picks: Vegas Odds, Over/Under Advice, Spreads and Predictions
There are several vital games on the NFL schedule this week, but the Christmas Day game between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers stands out as the most compelling and important matchup of Week 16.
These two hated rivals are playing for superiority in the AFC North. If the Steelers (9-5) win, they will clinch the division title. If the Ravens (8-6) win on the road, they will move into first place and gain an edge over the Steelers, since they won the previous meeting between the two teams in Baltimore.
The Steelers went through a midseason slump but are on a roll now. They have won five games in a row and have the offensive weapons in Ben Roethlisberger, Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown to cause serious problems for the Ravens' fifth-ranked defense.
While the Ravens have built up good numbers on defense, they were taken apart by the New England Patriots offense in Week 14 and are vulnerable against quality opponents—a description that clearly fits the Steelers.
But while the Steelers appear to present the bigger threat in terms of putting up big numbers on the scoreboard, do not count out the Ravens. The sight of the Steelers' brings out the best in John Harbaugh's team. The Ravens have won the last four meetings in this series and six of the last seven.
Baltimore should be quite confident when it goes to Heinz Field, and if the Steelers don't gain an early advantage, the pressure will mount on the home team.
| N.Y. Giants at Philadelphia | New York -2.5 | 42 | NYG: Over |
| Minnesota at Green Bay | Green Bay -6.5 | 43 | GB; Under |
| Washington at Chicago | Washington -3 | 47 | Washington; Over |
| Atlanta at Carolina | Atlanta -2.5 | 52 | Atlanta; Over |
| San Diego at Cleveland | San Diego -6 | 43.5 | Cleveland; Under |
| N.Y. Jets at New England | New England -16.5 | 43.5 | New England; Under |
| Tennessee at Jacksonville | Tennessee -5 | 43.5 | Jacksonville; Over |
| Miami at Buffalo | Buffalo -3.5 | 41.5 | Buffalo; Over |
| Indianapolis at Oakland | Oakland -3.5 | 53 | Oakland; Over |
| Tampa Bay at New Orleans | Tampa Bay -3 | 52.5 | Tampa Bay; Over |
| Arizona at Seattle | Seattle -7.5 | 43 | Arizona; Under |
| San Francisco at Los Angeles | Los Angeles -3.5 | 40 | Los Angeles; Uner |
| Cincinnati at Houston | Houston -1 | 41 | Houston; Over |
| Baltimore at Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh -5 | 44.5 | Baltimore; Over |
| Denver at Kansas City | Kansas City -3 | 37.5 | Kansas City; Under |
| Detroit at Dallas | Dallas -7 | 44.5 | Detroit; Under |
The Steelers are five-point favorites in this game, according to OddsShark. The Steelers have dominated their December schedule in recent years, having recorded a 13-1 straight-up mark and a 12-1-1 record against the spread in their last 14 December games.
The Ravens have the weapons they need to give the Steelers a full 60-minute battle. Baltimore's recent edge in the series between the two teams indicates that the Ravens will not be intimidated in a hostile environment.
This game is likely to come down to the last possession, and it would not be a surprise if the difference was three points or fewer. The Steelers get the win, but the Ravens get the cover.
Indianapolis at Oakland
In the knee-jerk world of many NFL handicappers, the Indianapolis Colts' 34-6 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 15 was a significant development.
The Colts have been an inconsistent team throughout the season, but they put it together against Minnesota and won with ease. Does that mean that the porous Indianapolis defense has suddenly gotten its act together?
Not a chance.
The Vikings have an unproductive offensive attack, and while they lack elite receivers, the big problem is their struggling offensive line.
The Oakland Raiders have one of the best offensive teams in the league, ranking sixth in yards gained. Additionally, the Raiders regained first place in the AFC West when they beat the San Diego Chargers last week and the Kansas City Chiefs lost at home to the Tennessee Titans.
The Raiders have a one-game lead in the division and can win it by winning out. They also have a versatile offense led by Derek Carr.
The Colts have the offensive weapons in Andrew Luck and T.Y. Hilton to score touchdowns against a vulnerable Oakland defense.
The total in this game is 53 points, and while that's a big number for an NFL game, we see this game going over that total.
Look for these two teams to zoom past that number late in the third quarter.
Denver at Kansas City
These two longtime rivals will play in the NFL's featured game on Christmas night, and the Denver Broncos have the misfortune to catch the Kansas City Chiefs after they lost a 19-17 heartbreaker to the Titans in Week 15.
The Chiefs had the lead throughout the game, but when Ryan Succop hit the game-winning 53-yard field goal in the final seconds, that meant the Chiefs lost their lead in the AFC West and were relegated to the top wild-card spot.
Kansas City should come out motivated and angry after that loss. The Chiefs have nobody to blame but themselves, because they had a 14-0 lead in the first quarter before they eased off the gas pedal and gave the Titans a chance to get back in the game.
Alex Smith is capable of leading the Chiefs to a bounce-back game against the Broncos. No, Smith is not going to light up the Denver defense, but he should be able to take advantage of his short-passing skills and get the ball to dependable wideout Jeremy Maclin and tight end Travis Kelce.
The Chiefs also have an X-factor in explosive rookie Tyreek Hill, who is capable of big plays as a return specialist, receiver and runner. Hill has scored six receiving touchdowns, two as a runner, one on a punt return and one on a kickoff return.
The Broncos will have a hard time mounting an offense against Kansas City's opportunistic defense. The Chiefs may rank 28th in yards allowed, but they have big-play performers in Marcus Peters (five interceptions), Eric Berry (three interceptions, two returned for touchdowns) and Justin Houston (four sacks, one forced fumble in five games).
The Broncos struggle on offense, ranking 24th in yardage gained with Trevor Siemian at quarterback.
The Chiefs are 3.5-point favorites, and we see Kansas City winning the game and covering the spread.
.jpg?w=480 "NFL Combine Football")
.jpg?w=600 "Full Eagles-Cowboys Trade 🤝")
.jpg?w=600 "Brady Reacts to Mendoza Pick")
