NFL Week 16 Picks: Predicting the Winner of All 16 Matchups

For teams that weren't already there, Week 16 officially begins the do-or-die time for playoff hopefuls.

Not every postseason contender faces a big-time test on Sunday's slate, but all but two matchups—Tennessee vs. Jacksonville and the Giants visiting the Rams—contain some sort of playoff implications. Teams teetering on the edge of a playoff spot will have to go up against lowly squads looking to play the role of spoiler, while a couple of matchups between probable playoff teams grace the slate later on Sunday and into Monday.

The Saints and Bears just finished up Week 15 on Monday Night Football, but it's never too early to take a look forward to a crucial Week 16 slate. Let's break it down below.

Matchup	Spread	Predicted Winner
Tennessee at Jacksonville	JAX -3	Jaguars
Philadelphia at Washington	PHI -8.5	Eagles
San Diego at San Francisco	SF -2.5	Chargers
Minnesota at Miami	MIA -7	Vikings
Baltimore at Houston	BAL -3.5	Ravens
Detroit at Chicago	DET -4.5	Lions
Cleveland at Carolina	CAR -3.5	Panthers
Atlanta at New Orleans	NO -6.5	Saints
Green Bay at Tampa Bay	GB -11.5	Packers
Kansas City at Pittsburgh	PIT -3	Steelers
New England at New York Jets	NE -11.5	Patriots
New York Giants at St. Louis	STL -5	Rams
Buffalo at Oakland	BUF -7	Bills
Indianapolis at Dallas	DAL -2.5	Colts
Seattle at Arizona	SEA -9	Seahawks
Denver at Cincinnati	DEN -3.5	Broncos

Note: Odds courtesy of Odds Shark, last updated December 15

Top Matchups in Week 16

Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals looked weeks ago like they were about to run away with the NFC West, but a predictable surge has come from the Seahawks, setting up a Sunday tilt that should decide the division.

A pair of back-to-back losses to Seattle and Atlanta in November are the only defeats the Cardinals have seen in over three months. But they're now down to their third-string quarterback, as the team announced Monday that Ryan Lindley would start at quarterback. 

John Froschauer/Associated Press

He couldn't be going up against a more formidable defense, with the Seahawks allowing just 27 points in their last four combined contests—all double-digit wins. Opposing teams rack up an NFL-worst 184.3 yards passing against Seattle on average.

Running the ball won't come easy, either. Kerwynn Williams has been strong in the last few weeks, but him and Stepfan Taylor are no match for the Seahawks' front seven.

As for Seattle, it is fresh off another resounding victory over San Francisco and is firing on all cylinders. Head coach Pete Carroll noted his team's mindset:

The Cardinals did well to negate Marshawn Lynch's impact in the teams' first meeting, but Russell Wilson made them pay with nearly 300 total yards and will do so again if given the chance. 

Arizona is bound for the playoffs but will be doomed to a wild-card spot after the Super Bowl champions leave town.

Prediction: Seahawks 16, Cardinals 7

Kansas City Chiefs at Pittsburgh Steelers

Right when their season looked to be slipping away, the Chiefs bounced back from a three-game losing streak to throttle the team that began the streak—the Oakland Raiders. But if Kansas City is for real about its playoff chances, winning Sunday in Pittsburgh would be a much bigger step.

There's no doubting the importance of these final two games—if the Chiefs win against Pittsburgh and San Diego to close out the season, they'll be in the playoffs. 

But the importance of Sunday won't be lost on their opponent, as the Steelers can get into the playoffs with a win against Kansas City. They would also double-down in knocking off another wild-card contender, and the experience of the team knows just getting into the playoffs is half the battle, per ESPN's Ed Werder:

Pittsburgh has overcome paltry secondary play and overall inconsistency to stay in this position, largely due to the dominance of Ben Roethlisberger and Le'Veon Bell. Big Ben may not be airing it out against a strong Chiefs secondary, but Bell should have his way against a Kansas City run defense that concedes 132 yards per game on the ground.

Jamaal Charles might scamper free for a couple of big plays, but the Steelers are much better at stuffing the run than the pass. And considering Alex Smith hasn't connected on a touchdown pass to one receiver this season, the Steelers' chances should be liked.

Prediction: Steelers 27, Chiefs 20

Indianapolis Colts at Dallas Cowboys

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

The playoffs are fast approaching (although not yet clinched in the Cowboys' case) for the Colts and Cowboys, and both 10-4 teams will look to sweeten their spot in the postseason with a win in Week 16.

Jason Garrett's Cowboys took care of business in a rematch with Philadelphia, catapulting them to the front of the NFC East. But with only a one-game advantage over the Eagles, they could still concede the division or lose out on the playoffs altogether without some more wins down the stretch.

The Colts already took care of winning the AFC South but have their sights set on a first-round bye that would be seismic in their Super Bowl chances. In Andrew Luck's first two visits to the postseason, they only made it out of Wild Card Weekend once—and were toppled by the Patriots on the road soon after.

Both teams will play like their seasons are on the line, but passionate play can't overcome obvious mismatches on the field. Luck's passing game should prove to be just that against an up-and-down Cowboys secondary that gives up nearly 250 yards passing per contest.

If you add that to the likelihood that DeMarco Murray won't be playing—he had hand surgery on Monday, per USA Today's Jim Corbett—then it becomes even more obvious the Colts will have the upper edge in AT&T Stadium.

Prediction: Colts 29, Cowboys 22