NFL Week 17 Picks: Final Overview of Consensus Picks

We're entering the final week of the regular season, and once Sunday's action comes to a close, well, that's all she wrote for 20 of the NFL's teams. With only 12 teams heading into the playoffs, this marks the final time bettors will be able to take advantage of a full 16-game slate of wagering options in 2014.

It's important to refrain from getting too overzealous with your betting selections in Week 17, as every game features a clash between division rivals, and we know all too well those contests have a tendency to produce unexpected results.

In an effort to close out the regular season on a high note and send you into the playoffs with some momentum, let's take a look at the public consensus picks prior to Sunday's action. Hopefully, this will be a useful tool in deciding which games to bet and which to avoid before making your final decision.

Matchup	Spread	Consensus Pick
San Diego at Kansas City	KC -1	Chargers, 62%
Jacksonville at Houston	HOU -10.5	Jaguars, 58%
Philadelphia at NY Giants	NYG -2.5	Giants, 57%
Buffalo at New England	NE -4.5	Patriots, 56%
Dallas at Washington	DAL -4	Cowboys, 54%
Cleveland at Baltimore	BAL -14.5	Browns, 53%
Chicago at Minnesota	MIN -6	Even
Indianapolis at Tennessee	IND -6.5	Colts, 63%
Carolina at Atlanta	ATL -3	Falcons, 51%
NY Jets at Miami	MIA -6	Dolphins, 55%
New Orleans at Tampa Bay	NO -3.5	Saints, 51%
Oakland at Denver	DEN -14.5	Raiders, 59%
St. Louis at Seattle	SEA -13.5	Rams, 54%
Arizona at San Francisco	SF -6.5	49ers, 53%
Detroit at Green Bay	GB -7	Packers, 57%
Cincinnati at Pittsburgh	PIT -3.5	Steelers, 64%

All game odds and consensus percentages courtesy of Odds Shark and current as of December 27.

Public Consensus Analysis

Cincinnati Bengals (+3.5) at Pittsburgh Steelers (64 percent)

For some reason, the majority of the public aren't seeing the giant red flag overshadowing this game. The Bengals and Steelers are about to face off for the AFC North title in an extremely pivotal Week 17 contest. That alone makes this a scary wager no matter which team you're backing.

Most of the public is surely taking the last meeting between these teams into consideration when taking Pittsburgh to win. After all, the Steelers did rattle off 25 points in the final quarter to earn a decisive 42-21 victory. However, much has changed since then.

Cincinnati's offense has finally found an identity. When the Bengals last met the Steelers, rookie phenom Jeremy Hill only carried eight times—and averaged 5.8 yards per carry—while watching quarterback Andy Dalton sling the ball around. Since then, the Bengals have shifted to a run-first offense, and Hill has carried 25 and 22 times over the team's following two contests respectively.

The Bengals are now the NFL's fifth-ranked rushing team thanks to Hill's efforts and are coming off a huge Monday night victory over the Denver Broncos.

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh's offense has been very good thanks to the trio of Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell, but the team may find it a little more difficult to move the ball on a Cincinnati defense that has recently hit its stride, picking off Peyton Manning four times and pressuring the quarterback often in Week 16.

This is one game in which the majority of the public may stand to lose a few dollars.

Prediction: Bengals 27, Steelers 24

Indianapolis Colts (63 percent) at Tennessee Titans (+6.5)

Here's another great example of a game that is a very risky bet—but for an entirely different reason.

Generally, the Colts would be considered a lock with a 6.5-point spread against the lowly Titans. However, ask yourself this question: Are the Colts likely to play their starters, and if so, for how long?

Win or lose, the Colts are solidified in the AFC's No. 4 seed entering the playoffs. They can't pass the winner of the AFC North for the No. 3 seed due to tiebreakers, and since they've already won their division, there's no falling down into the wild-card slots.

Indianapolis has already ruled out three starters, as Dwayne Allen, Gosder Cherilus and Bjoern Werner won't play. Due to a lingering hamstring injury, it's conceivable quarterback Andrew Luck will also be without star wide receiver T.Y. Hilton.

The Colts have been struggling with turnover issues of late, which prompted veteran receiver Reggie Wayne to call a players-only meeting. The starters will certainly want to take the field to find a rhythm before heading into the playoffs, but who's to say they aren't yanked from the game after a good first quarter?

Chances are this game will be played in a similar fashion to a preseason dress-rehearsal in which the starters play roughly three quarters. If that's the case, Indianapolis should be able to build enough of a lead to cover this spread. If not, backers of the Colts won't be happy campers when this one comes to a close.

Prediction: Colts 24, Titans 17

San Diego Chargers (62 percent) at Kansas City Chiefs (-1)

This selection makes far more sense than the previous two. With a spot in the playoffs on the line, a battle between division opponents would generally be something to avoid. However, with the Chiefs missing starting quarterback Alex Smith due to a spleen laceration, the Chargers have a major advantage.

Despite dealing with a bulging disc in his back, San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers was able to generate 356 passing yards and four touchdowns against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 16, as the Chargers offense came alive. He did throw three interceptions as well and was clearly in pain throughout the game, but he pushed through and led his team to a dramatic comeback victory.

The veteran signal-caller will give it a go once again in Week 17, as he's been back at practice prior to the team's impending matchup against Kansas City. Having a starting quarterback at the helm to orchestrate the offense is of the utmost importance in games like this, and the Chiefs don't have that commodity.

With Smith out, Kansas City will need to rely on backup Chase Daniel. With a lackluster passing game and limited options, Daniel will find it difficult to get things going through the air against San Diego's sixth-ranked pass defense. This will make it easier for the Chargers to focus on the running game and contain the dangerous Jamaal Charles.

In a situation like this, it would be foolish to bet against the experienced quarterback.

Prediction: Chargers 26, Chiefs 16