Bleacher Report's Expert Week 17 NFL Picks
NFL games can take bettors on a rollercoaster ride, and it happened multiple times in Week 16. The New York Jets, Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles squandered second-half leads but won their games. While that's good for straight-up bets, our experts who picked those teams against spread didn't enjoy the close finishes.
But enough of the gripes, Bleacher Report's NFL expert panel, which includes analysts Brad Gagnon, Kris Knox, Gary Davenport, Brent Sobleski and Maurice Moton along with editors Wes O'Donnell and Ian Hanford have placed their wagers for Week 17, and they can hear the dogs barking this weekend.
Our experts gave the consensus nod to seven underdogs, two of them SU, which means it could be a money-making week for anyone looking for plus-value picks.
Before we let the dogs out, check out our ATS and SU standings going into the final two weeks of the regular season.
ATS Standings
1. Gagnon: 133-103-4
2. Hanford 128-108-4
3. Davenport: 125-111-4
4. Moton: 124-112-4
5. Knox: 122-114-4
6. Sobleski: 117-119-4
7. O'Donnell: 115-121-4
Consensus picks: 126-110-4
SU Standings
1. Hanford 158-82
2. Moton: 152-88
3. Knox: 151-89
4. Gagnon: 146-94
5. O'Donnell: 143-97
6. Davenport: 142-98
7. Sobleski: 140-100
Consensus picks: 152-88
Lines are from DraftKings as of Wednesday, Dec. 27, at 4 p.m. ET. Check the latest lines at DraftKings. Information on public betting trends is courtesy of the Action Network. ATS records are provided by Team Rankings.
New York Jets (6-9) at Cleveland Browns (10-5)
1 of 16
DraftKings Line: Cleveland -7.5
Surprisingly, the Cleveland Browns have become a pass-heavy team with 38-year-old Joe Flacco under center. He's thrown at least 42 passes in all four of his starts, racking up at least 311 passing yards in three of those contests.
Yet the Browns still rank fourth in rush attempts per contest. So, the New York Jets should prepare for a balanced offensive attack with running backs Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt testing their 24th-ranked run defense Thursday night.
Aside from Davenport, our crew sided with the Browns to cover the spread. Sobleski is all-in on Flacco and Cleveland's No. 1-ranked total defense.
"Cue some Journey, because now is not the time to stop believing in Joe Flacco and his Cleveland Browns. While the Jets and Browns own the league's top-two-ranked passing defenses, everyone and their favorite vocalist, Steve Perry, believes the Browns will be able to move the ball through the air far more easily than the Jets could this season. The 38-year-old veteran does take some unnecessary shots down the field. At the same time, those attempts help stretch the defense, because Cleveland's opponents know a quick strike is legitimately possible now.
"Flacco has thrown for 300 or more yards in three of his four starts. New York will probably slow Cleveland to a degree, but it's tough to envision the Jets doing enough offensively to offset how well the Browns have played as of late."
Predictions
Davenport: Jets
Gagnon: Browns
Hanford: Browns
Knox: Browns
Moton: Browns
O'Donnell: Browns
Sobleski: Browns
ATS Consensus: Browns -7.5
SU Consensus: Browns
Score Prediction: Browns 23, Jets 13
Detroit Lions (11-4) at Dallas Cowboys (10-5)
2 of 16
DK Line: Dallas -6.5
On a two-game skid, the Dallas Cowboys will host the NFC North champions on Saturday, but don't expect the Detroit Lions to take their foot off the gas pedal in complacency.
The Lions still have a shot to claim the No. 1 seed if the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles lose in the next two weeks, though they must take care of business to leapfrog those clubs.
The Cowboys have the second-best home record ATS, and they score 18.4 more points per contest on their turf than on the road.
Most of our experts picked Dallas to win, though Knox explains why Detroit will cover the spread.
"I don't think we'll see the Cowboys lose at home, even against a quality team like Detroit," Knox said. "Dak Prescott and the Cowboys offense have simply been too consistent in Arlington, Texas, while the Detroit D has shown significant cracks in recent weeks.
"However, I can see an offensive track meet similar to the Cowboys-Seahawks matchup of Week 13. Dallas' defense has struggled against the run—it got dominated by Buffalo and then couldn't prevent Miami from grinding out a final drive—and the tandem of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery is terrific.
"Expect fireworks here and for Dallas to win a close one with a late drive or key stop."
Predictions
Davenport: Cowboys
Gagnon: Cowboys
Hanford: Lions
Knox: Lions
Moton: Lions
O'Donnell: Lions
Sobleski: Lions
ATS Consensus: Lions +6.5
SU Consensus: Cowboys
Score Prediction: Cowboys 34, Lions 30
New England Patriots (4-11) at Buffalo Bills (9-6)
3 of 16
DK Line: Buffalo -12
Oddsmakers don't seem to respect the New England Patriots' solid performances over the past three weeks, or the books expect the Buffalo Bills to extend their three-game winning streak with a scoring outburst at home.
Since Week 14, the Patriots have outright upset the Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos and narrowly missed a nine-point cover in a 27-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Last week, the Bills needed a late field goal with 28 seconds left in regulation to beat the Los Angeles Chargers, who had an interim head coach in Giff Smith and backup quarterback Easton Stick in for Justin Herbert (finger surgery).
Most of our panelists don't trust the Bills to cover a two-touchdown spread in this spot after they watched them in a close battle with the Chargers, but O'Donnell confidently laid the points with the heavy home favorite.
"New England actually beat the Bills back in October and has won two of its last three games. The Patriots lack elite talent and legitimate game-changers, but they have found ways to stay close in games and, as of late, actually win. But their rival Bills have won three straight, four of their last five, too, and more closely resemble the team we expected to see this season.
"Josh Allen is making the most of his legs and the defense is limiting opposing offenses to fewer than 19 points per game over its last five outings. Twelve is a big number to cover, but with every game being a postseason outing for Buffalo at this stage of the season, I'll back that incentive and momentum expecting a strong performance even if the cover comes late."
Predictions
Davenport: Bills
Gagnon: Patriots
Hanford: Patriots
Knox: Patriots
Moton: Patriots
O'Donnell: Bills
Sobleski: Bills
ATS Consensus: Patriots +12
SU Consensus: Bills
Score Prediction: Bills 26, Patriots 17
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Carolina Panthers (2-13) at Jacksonville Jaguars (8-7)
4 of 16
DK Line: Jacksonville -6.5
In Week 16, Trevor Lawrence sprained his right shoulder and didn't return to a lopsided battle with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, his status for the upcoming game remains "up in the air."
Though quarterback C.J. Beathard may get his first start of the season in place of Lawrence, Moton believes Jacksonville's turnover-prone offense—that's given the ball away 10 times in the past three weeks—will snap out of its funk with a commitment to the run game.
"Obviously, bettors should keep tabs on Trevor Lawrence's participation at practice this week, but the Jaguars match up well with the Panthers without him," Moton noted.
"In the event that Lawrence doesn't suit up, Jacksonville should be able to find success on the ground against the Panthers' 21st-ranked run defense that's allowed the most rushing touchdowns (23) through 16 weeks.
"Whether Lawrence suits up or not, running back Travis Etienne could rack up big numbers to help the Jaguars run away with a blowout victory at home.
"On top of that, the Jaguars should feel a high sense of urgency to get ahead early and win this contest to snap a four-game skid and stay atop the AFC South."
Predictions
Davenport: Panthers
Gagnon: Jaguars
Hanford: Jaguars
Knox: Panthers
Moton: Jaguars
O'Donnell: Jaguars
Sobleski: Panthers
ATS Consensus: Jaguars -6.5
SU Consensus: Jaguars
Score Prediction: Jaguars 24, Panthers 17
New Orleans Saints (7-8) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7)
5 of 16
DK Line: Tampa Bay -3
On a four-game winning streak, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have hit their stride, and they can claim the NFC South title with a win over the New Orleans Saints.
In the first meeting between these teams, the Buccaneers pulled away from the Saints in the fourth quarter. In that contest, Derek Carr played through a shoulder injury, throwing for just 127 yards.
With the exception of Moton, our crew doesn't see New Orleans splitting the season series with Tampa Bay. Knox simply trusts Baker Mayfield more than Carr in this crucial matchup.
"I'm not sure I would have trusted Baker Mayfield more than Derek Carr at the start of the season, but I do now. Mayfield is again playing with the confidence and ability we saw glimpses of in his early Cleveland career, and with Tampa's impressive collection of playmakers, the Bucs are poised to host a playoff game.
"Tampa's defense has been susceptible to the pass, but I just don't think Carr is seeing the field well enough right now to take full advantage. While New Orleans' defense is solid, it ranks 24th in yards per carry allowed, and with Rachaad White finally giving the Bucs some semblance of a ground game, I'd expect Tampa to control the tempo and the game here.
"The Buccaneers can clinch the NFC South with a win this week or next, but I don't see them putting it off until the season finale."
Predictions
Davenport: Buccaneers
Gagnon: Buccaneers
Hanford: Buccaneers
Knox: Buccaneers
Moton: Saints
O'Donnell: Buccaneers
Sobleski: Buccaneers
ATS Consensus: Buccaneers -3
SU Consensus: Buccaneers
Score Prediction: Buccaneers 27, Saints 21
Atlanta Falcons (7-8) at Chicago Bears (6-9)
6 of 16
DK Line: Chicago -3
The Atlanta Falcons have a slightly better record than the Chicago Bears, but the Bears are favored by the customary three points for the home team.
The Bears have covered the spread in five consecutive weeks, which include wins over the Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions and Arizona Cardinals and close losses to the Lions and Cleveland Browns.
Our panel gave the consensus nod to the Bears, who have helped bettors cash in over the past several weeks, but Moton went against the majority pick with a vote of confidence for a Taylor Heinicke-led offense.
"This looks like an even matchup between two inconsistent teams, though the Bears have shown notable improvement since they acquired defensive end Montez Sweat before the November 1 trade deadline and quarterback Justin Fields returned from a thumb injury in Week 11.
"However, the Falcons still have playoff hopes with quarterback Taylor Heinicke under center. Last week, Atlanta inserted him into the starting lineup over Desmond Ridder and scored a season-high 29 points while holding the Indianapolis Colts to 10 on the scoreboard.
"The Falcons have an offense that can travel on the road with Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier on the ground. As long as Heinicke doesn't turn the ball over as Ridder did, Atlanta could rack up some yards through the air against the Bears' 25th-ranked pass defense.
"Contrary to what the majority of our experts think, the Bears' streak of covering games comes to an end in a home loss to the Falcons."
Predictions
Davenport: Bears
Gagnon: Bears
Hanford: Bears
Knox: Bears
Moton: Falcons
O'Donnell: Falcons
Sobleski: Falcons
ATS Consensus: Bears -3
SU Consensus: Bears
Score Prediction: Bears 24, Falcons 20
Tennessee Titans (5-10) at Houston Texans (8-7)
7 of 16
DK Line: Houston -3.5
The Houston Texans may get starting quarterback C.J. Stroud back on the field this week.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Stroud has made progress while in concussion protocol, and there's "optimism" for his return from a two-week absence. Stroud practiced on Wednesday.
In Stroud's absence, backup quarterback Case Keenum helped lead the Texans to a 19-16 overtime win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 15, but he struggled mightily against the Cleveland Browns' No. 1-ranked pass defense last week, throwing for just 62 yards and two interceptions.
Assuming Stroud starts against Tennessee, our panelists expect Houston to clear the 3.5-point spread.
"As we all anticipate quarterback C.J. Stroud's return, no one should be surprised about a unanimous decision in favor of the Texans," Moton said.
"The Titans have struggled to score points with Ryan Tannehill under center, and in Week 15 against the Texans, they reached paydirt once with Will Levis, thanks to his rushing touchdown.
"In this matchup, Tennessee's 27th-ranked scoring offense isn't good enough to entice you to take the hook (.5) in hopes of a close game assuming Stroud clears concussion protocol. With him back in action, Houston will once again look like a playoff contender and win convincingly on its turf."
Predictions
Davenport: Texans
Gagnon: Texans
Hanford: Texans
Knox: Texans
Moton: Texans
O'Donnell: Texans
Sobleski: Texans
ATS Consensus: Texans -3.5
SU Consensus: Texans
Score Prediction: Texans 23, Titans 17
Miami Dolphins (11-4) at Baltimore Ravens (12-3)
8 of 16
DK Line: Baltimore -4
Logically, bettors should expect a close game between the top two AFC teams with the No. 1 seed within reach for both clubs.
Though the Ravens just thumped the San Francisco 49ers 33-19 on the road, they haven't been as dominant at home with a 4-3 record ATS.
In Week 16, the Dolphins earned their first win against a team with a winning record, but wide receiver Jaylen Waddle sprained his ankle in that contest and seems questionable to play Sunday.
Regardless of Waddle's status, some of our panelists expect Miami to wear down Baltimore's run defense with running backs Raheem Mostert and De'Von Achane. The Ravens rank 22nd in yards allowed per carry (4.4).
Gagnon went against the consensus to side with the Ravens; he's lukewarm on his selection but believes Baltimore is the pick here.
"I don't love giving more than a field goal to an 11-win team with the league's highest-scoring offense, but the Dolphins still haven't earned my trust in big spots—especially on the road. Against playoff-caliber teams outside of Miami, they're 0-3 and have been outscored by 49 total points.
"Meanwhile, the Ravens are firing on all cylinders following their most impressive win of the 2023 season to date. Buy down to minus-3 if you want to be safe, but Baltimore is the bet regardless."
Predictions
Davenport: Dolphins
Gagnon: Ravens
Hanford: Ravens
Knox: Dolphins
Moton: Dolphins
O'Donnell: Ravens
Sobleski: Dolphins
ATS Consensus: Dolphins +4
SU Consensus: Ravens
Score Prediction: Ravens 27, Dolphins 24
San Francisco 49ers (11-4) at Washington Commanders (4-11)
9 of 16
DK Line: San Francisco -13.5
The San Francisco 49ers looked like juggernauts after their Week 9 bye, winning six consecutive contests by at least 12 points after a midseason intermission. And then, the Baltimore Ravens dominated them 33-19 at Levi Stadium on Christmas. Quarterback Brock Purdy didn't finish the game because he experienced his second stinger in consecutive weeks.
Bettors may hesitate to lay 13.5 points with the 49ers until they know Purdy's status for this game, but Moton has faith that the 49ers' playmakers can rack up points with backup quarterback Sam Darnold if the 49ers call on him for a spot start.
"After a blowout loss to the Ravens, the 49ers will go back to their usual—crushing a bottom-tier team by multiple scores," Moton said.
"Sure, the 49ers offense may see some drop-off in production if Sam Darnold starts in place of Brock Purdy. With that said, running back Christian McCaffrey along with tight end George Kittle and wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel will run up the score on the league's most generous defense in terms of points and yards allowed.
"In Washington, the 49ers will regain some of their confidence with a 20-plus-point victory, and no, the Commanders' decision to start quarterback Jacoby Brissett over Sam Howell won't save them from a three-score beatdown."
Predictions
Davenport: Commanders
Gagnon: 49ers
Hanford: 49ers
Knox: 49ers
Moton: 49ers
O'Donnell: 49ers
Sobleski: Commanders
ATS Consensus: 49ers -13.5
SU Consensus: 49ers
Score Prediction: 49ers 35, Commanders 14
Arizona Cardinals (3-12) at Philadelphia Eagles (11-4)
10 of 16
DK Line: Philadelphia -11
The Philadelphia Eagles snapped a four-game losing streak in a win over the New York Giants last Monday, but they didn't look impressive in victory, giving up 25 points to an offense that's scored the second-fewest points per game leaguewide.
The Eagles didn't have starting cornerback Darius Slay (knee) on the field for their previous outing, but our crew is still a bit alarmed by the way the Giants outscored the Eagles 22-13 in the second half.
Our panel picked the Eagles to win, but as Moton explains, they haven't earned the benefit of the doubt with an 11-point spread.
"The Eagles haven't played well through December, so they don't deserve this massive point spread even in a matchup with the lowly Cardinals. Philadelphia didn't revert to Super Bowl form in a 33-25 win over the Giants last Monday when it squandered a 17-point lead while Taylor Taylor gave Big Blue's offense a spark.
"The Cardinals only have three wins, but quarterback Kyler Murray is capable of making the Eagles' 27th-ranked pass defense sweat a little bit.
"The Eagles haven't covered a spread since their 21-17 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11. Right now, they're not a team to bet on with a double-digit point spread."
Predictions
Davenport: Cardinals
Gagnon: Eagles
Hanford: Eagles
Knox: Eagles
Moton: Cardinals
O'Donnell: Cardinals
Sobleski: Cardinals
ATS Consensus: Cardinals +11
SU Consensus: Eagles
Score Prediction: Eagles 34, Cardinals 24
Los Angeles Rams (8-7) at New York Giants (5-10)
11 of 16
DK Line: Rams -6.5
Aside from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, one can make the case that the Los Angeles Rams are the hottest team in the NFC. After a 3-6 start, they've gone on a run after their Week 10 bye to position themselves for a playoff berth.
Matthew Stafford looks like the same quarterback who led the Rams to a Super Bowl title a couple of years ago. He's thrown for 10 touchdowns without an interception in his past four outings.
We have a clean sweep across the board for the Rams. O'Donnell doesn't expect quarterback Tyrod Taylor to give the New York Giants offense enough juice to keep the score within a touchdown.
"No team wants to play the Rams right now. They've suffered defeat only once in their last six games and can clinch a postseason berth with a win and just a little bit of help elsewhere this weekend," O'Donnell noted.
"The Giants are officially eliminated from the postseason race and have nothing to play for but pride. They don't match up well with the Rams either, and we could see this one get away from Big Blue early.
"There is some risk of a backdoor cover, which is why this line is the way it is especially if the Giants can get pressure on Matthew Stafford, but I just don't see them scoring enough points here and lean more toward a two-score victory for the road favorites."
Predictions
Davenport: Rams
Gagnon: Rams
Hanford: Rams
Knox: Rams
Moton: Rams
O'Donnell: Rams
Sobleski: Rams
ATS Consensus: Rams -6.5
SU Consensus: Rams
Score Prediction: Rams 28, Giants 17
Las Vegas Raiders (7-8) at Indianapolis Colts (8-7)
12 of 16
DK Line: Indianapolis -3
Though these teams hover around .500, this matchup has major playoff implications. The Indianapolis Colts are trying to cling on to the No. 7 seed in the AFC, and the Las Vegas Raiders are right back in the playoff hunt after a couple of impressive wins over divisional rivals.
After a 63-21 win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15, the Raiders defense led the charge in a 20-14 road victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, scoring two touchdowns. Also, second-year running back Zamir White ran for 145 yards in his best outing as a pro.
Interim head coach Antonio Pierce has turned most of our panel into Raider believers for this matchup, but Sobleski doesn't think the Silver and Black keep up its incredible run of defensive production.
"The spread for this contest indicates a standard home-field advantage. But it's one of three potential trends to watch closely and provides Indianapolis with a slight advantage," Sobleski pointed out.
"First, the Colts haven't lost at home since October. Second, Shane Steichen's squad hasn't lost back-to-back games during the same stretch.
"Finally, Indianapolis didn't lose the turnover battle in its last five victories. Whereas the Raiders' last four touchdowns all came via the defense. Expect a heavy dose of ball-control offense from Indianapolis, with Steichen leaning heavily on his offensive line and running backs."
Predictions
Davenport: Colts
Gagnon: Raiders
Hanford: Raiders
Knox: Raiders
Moton: Raiders
O'Donnell: Colts
Sobleski: Colts
ATS Consensus: Raiders +3
SU Consensus: Raiders
Score Prediction: Raiders 23, Colts 21
Pittsburgh Steelers (8-7) at Seattle Seahawks (8-7)
13 of 16
DK Line: Seattle -3.5
Both of these teams should field more productive offenses because of their talent at the skill positions. Yet the Seattle Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers rank 19th and 28th in scoring, respectively.
Perhaps we'll see Seahawks wide receivers DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba rack up a ton of receiving yards against Pittsburgh's 21st-ranked pass defense. Seattle running backs Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet could pose a significant threat to the Steelers' 20th-ranked run defense.
On the flip side, quarterback Mason Rudolph seemed to unlock the Steelers offense, particularly wideout George Pickens' big-play ability, in a 34-11 win over the Cincinnati Bengals last week. In that game, Pickens caught four passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns. On top of that, running backs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren rushed for 102 yards and a touchdown combined.
With all of those playmakers and two defenses that rank 21st or worst in yards allowed on the field, don't be surprised if the Seahawks and Steelers battle drive-for-drive in a high-scoring game.
Gagnon thinks the Steelers will avoid another losing season under head coach Mike Tomlin.
"The Steelers are the cockroaches of the NFL, and I mean that as a compliment. Those particular insects survive without important resources for much longer than most other organisms, and Pittsburgh bounced back from the brink of death last week," Gagnon quipped.
"Look for them to at least keep it within a field goal against a Seattle team that hasn't won a game by more than three points since before Halloween."
Predictions
Davenport: Seahawks
Gagnon: Steelers
Hanford: Seahawks
Knox: Seahawks
Moton: Steelers
O'Donnell: Seahawks
Sobleski: Steelers
ATS Consensus: Seahawks -3.5
SU Consensus: Seahawks
Score Prediction: Seahawks 28, Steelers 23
Los Angeles Chargers (5-10) at Denver Broncos (7-8)
14 of 16
DK Line: Denver -3
On Wednesday, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton informed his players that quarterback Jarrett Stidham will replace Russell Wilson for the remainder of the season.
After Payton's decision became public, oddsmakers moved the spread 2.5 points down to Broncos (-3).
Our five experts who initially picked the Broncos to cover doubled down on the three-point spread, including Davenport, who has no faith in the hapless Chargers rallying around an interim head and backup quarterback in consecutive weeks.
"With the news that the Broncos will hand the reins under center to Jarrett 'Not Russell Wilson' Stidham the rest of the season (that Wilson trade just looks better and better), this becomes a harder call," Davenport said.
"But Stidham is still a better quarterback than Easton 'Don't Call Me Weston—That's My Evil Twin Brother' Stick, and last week's performance against the Bills smacks of a 'Thank God Brandon Staley is Gone' bump for the Chargers.
"Look for Denver to potentially be the team with a spark this week. Who knows—Jerry Jeudy might even catch more than two passes."
Predictions
Davenport: Broncos
Gagnon: Chargers
Hanford: Chargers
Knox: Broncos
Moton: Broncos
O'Donnell: Broncos
Sobleski: Broncos
ATS Consensus: Broncos -3
SU Consensus: Broncos
Score Prediction: Broncos 22, Chargers 16
Cincinnati Bengals (8-7) at Kansas City Chiefs (9-6)
15 of 16
DK Line: Kansas City -7.5
Following a 20-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Christmas, the Kansas City Chiefs look like a team that's headed toward a first-round playoff exit instead of a strong title defense.
This season, the Chiefs have a 7-7-1 record ATS, and their ATS record dips to 3-4 at home.
Most of our experts have run out of patience in their wait for Kansas City to flip its offensive switch and look like a dominant team again. They sided heavily with the Cincinnati Bengals, who may have star wideout Ja'Marr Chase back after he missed the previous contest with a shoulder injury.
Davenport isn't ready to turn his back on the Chiefs though. He believes a Kansas City blowout is coming this weekend.
"Perhaps I am clinging to the past, a relic of a bygone era when the Chiefs could successfully throw the ball more than eight yards downfield. Perhaps the Bengals getting drilled by the Steelers last week has made me skeptical as to whether Jake Browning is, in fact, the greatest quarterback in NFL history.
"Perhaps I'm jamming to Speak Now right now and know in my soul of souls that anyone Taylor Swift likes must be destined for greatness. Or perhaps I think that an angry Patrick Mahomes is fixing to go off on someone besides teammates and Microsoft Surface tablets.
"Whatever the case, Chiefs by double-digits in a game that could become a rout."
Predictions
Davenport: Chiefs
Gagnon: Bengals
Hanford: Bengals
Knox: Bengals
Moton: Bengals
O'Donnell: Chiefs
Sobleski: Bengals
ATS Consensus: Bengals +7.5
SU Consensus: Chiefs
Score Prediction: Chiefs 23, Bengals 20
Green Bay Packers (7-8) at Minnesota Vikings (7-8)
16 of 16
DK Line: Minnesota -1.5
As of Wednesday, the Minnesota Vikings haven't tabbed a starting quarterback for this contest. According to Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune, the team will consider all three of their active signal-callers—Nick Mullens, Joshua Dobbs and rookie fifth-rounder Jaren Hall.
Over the past two weeks, Mullens turned the ball over at an alarming rate, throwing for four touchdowns and six interceptions in his two starts. Dobbs lost the starting job to Mullens for a similar reason; he threw for one touchdown and four interceptions in his last two starts.
As favorites in their previous three outings, the Packers have failed to cover the spread, and Moton doesn't see them in a favorable light as road underdogs either.
"Whoever the Vikings start at quarterback should be able to move the ball against the Packers' putrid pass defense. Green Bay defensive coordinator Joe Barry's unit has faltered miserably, and the Packers have allowed 651 yards and seven touchdowns through the air over the last two weeks.
"In Week 16, the Packers made Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young look like a legitimate No. 1 overall pick. He threw for a career-high 312 yards and two touchdowns, finishing with a personal-best 110 passer rating.
"In order for the Packers to win, they would have to outscore the Vikings in a shootout, which is a difficult task against Brian Flores' 10th-ranked scoring defense.
"Minnesota snaps its two-game skid and more people call for Packers head coach Matt LaFleur to relieve Barry of his defensive play-calling duties."
Predictions
Davenport: Packers
Gagnon: Vikings
Hanford: Packers
Knox: Vikings
Moton: Vikings
O'Donnell: Packers
Sobleski: Packers
ATS Consensus: Packers +1.5
SU Consensus: Packers
Score Prediction: Packers 24, Vikings 21
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