NFL Week 14 Predictions: Projections for the Early Lines, Spreads and Odds

Bettors have a solid 13-game sample size to base their NFL predictions on heading into Week 14, but even that doesn’t account for how unpredictable this league can be from one game to the next. 

After all, we just saw Ryan Fitzpatrick throw for 358 yards and six touchdowns, the previously 4-7 Atlanta Falcons upset the previously 9-2 Arizona Cardinals and the last-place St. Louis Rams drop 52 points in a blowout victory.

There are bound to be more surprises in Week 14, and the best you can do is enter the week with as much knowledge as possible. With that in mind, read on for some early predictions against the spread.

*Point spreads are courtesy of Odds Shark as of Sunday evening at 11 p.m. ET.

Matchup	Point Spread	Predictions Against Spread
Dallas Cowboys at Chicago Bears	DAL -4.5	Cowboys
St. Louis Rams at Washington	STL -2	Rams
Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars	HOU -4	Texans
New York Giants at Tennessee Titans	NYG -1	Titans
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions	DET -8.5	Lions
Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints	NO -9	Saints
Indianapolis Colts at Cleveland Browns	IND -3	Colts
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals	CIN -4	Steelers
New York Jets at Minnesota Vikings	MIN -4.5	Vikings
Baltimore Ravens at Miami Dolphins	MIA -3	Dolphins
Kansas City Chiefs at Arizona Cardinals	AZ -1.5	Cardinals
Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos	DEN -9	Broncos
San Francisco 49ers at Oakland Raiders	SF -7	49ers
Seattle Seahawks at Philadelphia Eagles	PHI -1.5	Eagles
New England Patriots at San Diego Chargers	NE -3	Patriots
Atlanta Falcons at Green Bay Packers	not listed	Packers

Game to Watch: Seattle Seahawks at Philadelphia Eagles 

Tim Sharp/Associated Press

As if there was any doubt that a showdown between the first-place Philadelphia Eagles and the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks would be difficult to project, Mike Clay of Pro Football Focus passed along his analysis on how close the game will be:

Both teams looked ready for postseason pushes with blowout victories on Thanksgiving.

Philadelphia’s win over the Dallas Cowboys was particularly important because it gave it sole possession of first place in the NFC East and the tiebreaker for the time being over Dallas. As for Seattle, its win put it ahead of the San Francisco 49ers for second place in the NFC West and also gave it an early tiebreaker against its rivals.

Both teams were on the road, too, which means the return games will be at home in those two matchups.

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

Eagles linebacker DeMeco Ryans already shifted his attention to the Seahawks in the aftermath, though, via Bob Grotz of The Reporter:

"

And the Seattle game, I think that’s a big game for us just to see, you know, ‘hey can you go play with the big boys? Can you go play with the defending Super Bowl champions? Can you step it up and hang with them and can you beat them at your house?’

That’s what that game is all about to me. I think that’s a real confidence booster type of game for our team. I know we can get it done. But it’s a matter of those guys stepping it up and getting it done. I feel like we play great at home. We’ve had an outstanding record at home. But you know, Seattle coming in, I know everybody is going to be looking at it as ‘hey, these are the Super Bowl champs let’s see how we match up against them.’

"

The key matchup will come between the Eagles offense, which was fifth in the NFL in passing yards per game and seventh in rushing yards per game heading into play Sunday, and the Seattle defense, which was second in passing yards allowed per game and fifth in rushing yards allowed per game entering play Sunday.

Superstar names like LeSean McCoy, Jeremy Maclin and Richard Sherman will take center stage, but it has been the emergence of Jordan Matthews that has made the Eagles offense all the more potent.

Matthews has five touchdown catches in his last five games and went over 100 yards receiving in two of them. Secondaries can no longer just focus on Maclin, which will be critical when Sherman is used to blanket one of those two receivers.

On the other side, the Eagles are 19th in scoring defense, which will be a problem against a Seahawks team that led the NFL in rushing yards per game entering play Sunday. Seattle will look to establish the run from the opening minutes not only because that is what it does best, but also to keep the Eagles' dangerous offense off the field. 

Tim Sharp/Associated Press

ESPN Stats & Info noted that fans will witness two strong running attacks Sunday:

With such a tightly contested game and various strengths, you have to look for other factors that will make the difference.

Seattle is 5-1 at home but only 3-3 on the road, and this game is in Philadelphia, where the Eagles are a perfect 6-0.

John F. Rhodes/Associated Press

The Eagles defense will have the crowd noise behind it and will make some critical early stops against that Seattle rushing attack. The offense will seize the initial lead and establish control, which will force the Seahawks out of their comfort zone and into passing situations (Seattle was 30th in the league in passing yards per game entering play Sunday).

That will be enough to ensure the tight victory for the NFC East leaders, although we could very well see a rematch in the playoffs. 

Prediction: Eagles 27, Seahawks 21

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