NFL Predictions Week 10: Last-Minute Picks and Advice for Sunday's Schedule

Some working on NFL picks excel right up against the deadline. Some don't.

It's similar to a quarterback, really. Fans watching a game have a certain trust level in each signal-caller tasked with making a fourth-quarter comeback. Some guys inspire confidence, and it's surprising when they can't pull it off. Others encourage viewers to move on with their day before the disappointment.

Luckily for would-be NFL bettors who wait until Sunday to make picks, endless resources and information have piled up over the course of the week leading up to the game. Granted, it's often better to exploit early-week lines before they shift, but the upshot here is more available information.

Below, let's add to the pile with a look at the entire schedule and highlight some of the notable lines.

NFL Week 10 Schedule, Odds

Cincinnati at Tennessee (-5) | O/U 40.5

Cleveland at Detroit (-9.5) | O/U

Green Bay at Chicago (-6) | O/U

L.A. Chargers at Jacksonville (-4.5) | O/U 41

Minnesota (-1.5) at Washington | O/U 42.5

New Orleans (-2.5) at Buffalo | O/U 46

N.Y. Jets (-2.5) at Tampa Bay | O/U

Pittsburgh (-10) at Indianapolis | O/U 44.5

Houston at L.A. Rams (-11.5) | O/U 46.5

Dallas at Atlanta (-3) | O/U 50.5

N.Y. Giants (-1) at San Francisco | O/U 41.5

New England (-7.5) at Denver | O/U 46.5

Miami at Carolina (-9) | O/U 39.5

Cleveland at Detroit (-11)

The question here isn't so much whether the Detroit Lions can take care of the business at home against the Cleveland Browns—it's by how much. 

While not a great outlook for the Browns, so it goes when a team starts the season 0-8, the coaching staff can't commit to a quarterback one way or another and the front office botches a simple trade for a quarterback.

The Lions don't have nearly as many problems. Matthew Stafford's team looks iffy at face value because they have lost three of their past four games. But face value is deceiving when one realizes the losses came against game Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers squads. Two of those losses were by a maximum of five points and the other was in New Orleans.

Maybe the biggest point for a team like the Lions going into Sunday is simply not overlooking the Browns.

"You throw the tape on, these guys jump off the screen to you, especially on the defensive side of the ball," Stafford said, according to Stats LLC (via ESPN.com). "These guys stop the run about as good as anybody in the NFL. They've got young, really talented guys in the secondary. They've got a bunch of first- and second-round picks, guys that have obvious talent and skill."

Despite the lack of wins lately, Stafford has still looked good while compensating for a poor rushing attack, throwing 14 touchdowns against four interceptions. His defense ranks sixth in the league by allowing 89.9 rushing yards per game, meaning the Browns might be forced to the air.

Detroit's ability to stuff the run means more pressure on rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer, he of 11 interceptions on a 52.1 completion percentage. This line wouldn't look so good if the Browns could threaten through the air, but it's something Detroit will capitalize on at home.

Prediction: Lions 28, Browns 10

Minnesota (-1.5) at Washington

How about a slight-upset special?

An encounter between the Minnesota Vikings and Washington Redskins feels like the flip of a coin, something the line reinforces.

But is it? The Vikings might be on the road, but we are talking about a team with a good problem to have because it needs to decide who starts under center—for all the right reasons, not because a starter is struggling.

After all, the Vikings got Teddy Bridgewater back from injury after a lengthy recovery, but he's been on the sidelines while Case Keenum has led the team to a 6-2 record. For now, at least, it sounds like head coach Mike Zimmer will keep rolling with the guy who has taken them this far.

"We'll just see how it goes," Zimmer said, according to ESPN.com's Courtney Cronin. "We'll see where we are at, where we're going. Case has done great. We'll just keep going from there and see how this thing all plays out."

And why not? Keenum hasn't had to do much while his running game has piled on seven touchdowns and the defense allows only 16.9 points per game while ranking in the top seven against the pass and rush. 

The outlook isn't nearly as positive for the Redskins, a team that has lost two of three and escaped the 0-9 San Francisco 49ers by two points. Quarterback Kirk Cousins has completed 67.9 percent of his passes, but nobody around him has stepped up, and the team has posted four allowances of 29 points or more.

While Washington has played a tough schedule, the bye was back in Week 5 and little has changed. If the offense had looked better, the hosts might seem like a good pick. But the Vikings defense is on the way to town and ready to help the Redskins' season-long struggles continue.

Prediction: Vikings 24, Redskins 13

Houston at L.A. Rams (-13)

Sometimes, the question isn't who so much as it is by how much.

Such is the case when the Los Angeles Rams face the Deshaun Watson-less Houston Texans. Without the star rookie under center, the Texans have watched this line balloon without stopping.

What is the cutoff point for bettors? Hard to say, as even with Watson, the Texans were still losing consistently and enter this one at 3-5. Big names on the defensive side of the ball like J.J. Watt aren't healthy.

To make matters even worse, the Rams look like one of the best teams in the NFC at 6-2. Quarterback Jared Goff continues to excel behind a strong offensive line, having thrown 13 touchdowns against four interceptions. Running back Todd Gurley looks strong again and has seven touchdowns. The defense is a top-10 unit against the pass and allows 19.4 points per game with 10 interceptions and nine forced fumbles.

The Texans certainly understand the challenge in front of them:

But there is only so much the Texans can do with an offense built around Tom Savage. We saw this much right in Week 1 when head coach Bill O'Brien pulled the plug on his season's starter despite an entire offseason dedicated to working the offense around him as a starter.

This spread and outlook might look a bit different if the Texans had an advantage anywhere on the field. But Savage managed to bumble his way to a 19-of-44 effort in a loss to the 3-6 Indianapolis Colts last time out, lead back Lamar Miller averages 3.7 yards per carry and the Watt-less defense has coughed up 40 or more points twice over its past four outings, which might be more if the two exceptions didn't come against the Colts and Browns.

At home, the Rams are going to line up and play their game, which should naturally push this one to the over, as risky as it seems.

Prediction: Rams 34, Texans 14

Stats courtesy of NFL.com. Odds according to OddsShark.