NFL Odds Week 16: Picking Winners for Biggest Games on the Slate

There are some unbelievable games with huge playoff implications on the NFL schedule in Week 14 as the postseason landscape is gradually pieced together. 

With just two games left in the season, there are eight playoffs spots up for grabs and double the amount of teams with a legitimate shot to earn one of them. 

Needless to say, competition is going to be ferocious as those teams battle it out over the next couple of weeks. Here's a look at the odds for every game in Week 16, followed by a closer examination and prediction for the biggest games on the slate. 

Away Team	Home Team	Pick (Spread)
Miami Dolphins	Buffalo Bills	Bills (+3)
New Orleans Saints	Carolina Panthers	Panthers (-3)
Dallas Cowboys	Washington Redskins	Redskins (+2.5)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	St. Louis Rams	Rams (-5.5)
Cleveland Browns	New York Jets	Jets (-2)
Indianapolis Colts	Kansas City Chiefs	Chiefs (-6.5)
Minnesota Vikings	Cincinnati Bengals	Bengals (-8)
Denver Broncos	Houston Texans	Broncos (-10)
Tennessee Titans	Jacksonville Jaguars	Titans (-5.5)
Arizona Cardinals	Seattle Seahawks	Seahawks (-10)
New York Giants	Detroit Lions	Lions (-9.5)
Oakland Raiders	San Diego Chargers	Chargers (-10)
Pittsburgh Steelers	Green Bay Packers	N/A
New England Patriots	Baltimore Ravens	Ravens (-1.5)
Chicago Bears	Philadelphia Eagles	Bears (+3)
Atlanta Falcons	San Francisco 49ers	49ers (-10)

New Orleans at Carolina (-3.5)

The winner of this game will have an outright one-game lead in the NFC South with one game left to play. 

The last time these NFC South rivals faced off, Carolina limped back home after being thrashed 31-13 in New Orleans. But the Saints aren't the same team on the road (3-4) as they are at home (7-0), and Carolina's defense will not willingly suffer a second straight humiliating performance. 

The Saints are coming into the game having just been abused by the St. Louis Rams, and it won't get any easier when they hit the field at Bank of America Stadium to take on the Panthers. 

Carolina's defense needs to bring pressure on Brees in order to keep him from shredding its so-so secondary. With Charles Johnson and Greg Hardy both healthy again, the Panthers will be able to do so, which will result in a key turnover or two. 

Cam Newton really struggled in New Orleans, but he bounced back with a solid performance against New York, displaying the same good judgement that's helped him become a viable franchise quarterback this year.

The game will be close, but Carolina will cover the narrow spread, thanks to an improved effort from the Panthers defense. 

Arizona at Seattle (-10.5)

The Arizona Cardinals must keep winning to have a chance to sneak into the playoffs as a No. 6 seed. The San Francisco 49ers and Panthers are currently one game ahead of the 9-5 Cardinals. 

Yes, Arizona has won six of its past seven games, but nobody should expect the Cardinals to come close to beating the Seahawks at CenturyLink Field in Week 16. 

The last time the Cardinals headed north, Seattle buried them 58-0, and the Seahawks haven't lost a home game since Dec. 2011. 

But a 10.5-point spread isn't anything to approach flippantly. 

That said, Seattle has won its last two home games by a combined score of 75-27 over Minnesota and New Orleans, and the team is 4-2 against the spread at home this year. 

The Cardinals don't have a chance to cover the spread—let alone win. 

Chicago at Philadelphia (-3)

This is a huge game in Week 16. 

Chicago needs to keep winning to stay tied with Detroit for the NFC North lead, and Philadelphia needs to keep winning to stay ahead of Dallas, which is one game behind with two left to play. 

Both teams feature Swiss-cheese defenses and hot offenses, meaning this game will likely result in an offensive shootout. 

Because the game is being held in Philadelphia, where there's a chance of rain on Sunday, Dec. 22, you'd have to give the edge to the team with the stronger running game. 

Philly is the top rushing team in the NFL, and Chicago possesses the league's worst running defense. It doesn't take a math genius to conclude the Eagles have an edge on the ground at home. 

This will be the ultimate deciding factor in the game, and the Eagles will continue soaring as the NFC East leader heading into the final weekend of the season. 

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