NFL Picks Week 16: Predictions, Odds Guide and over-Under Lines

For the first time all season, we will not see football played on a Thursday night.

Instead, we will get all of our games over Christmas weekend, with two on Saturday, two on Christmas Day and the rest on Christmas Eve.

Week 16 of the NFL season could present a Christmas gift that 11 teams are seeking: Clinching a playoff berth or clinching a higher seed in their respective conference.

Here are the 11 teams that could clinch in one way or another this week: New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Tennessee Titans, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons.

Below, we examine the spread, over/under and make predictions for each game.

We also take a short dive into a few games that stick out.

Will your favorite team clinch this week?

Let's investigate.

Indianapolis Colts at Baltimore Ravens

Date and Time: Saturday, December 23 at 4:30 p.m. ET

Spread and Over/Under Total: BAL -13.5, 40.5

Pick: Ravens 27, Colts 10

Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers

Date and Time: Saturday, December 23 at 8:30 p.m. ET

Spread and Over/Under Total: MIN -8.5, 40

Pick: Vikings 28, Packers 17

Detroit Lions at Cincinnati Bengals

Date and Time: Sunday, December 24 at 1 p.m. ET

Spread and Over/Under Total: DET -5, 43

Pick: Lions 21, Bengals 20

Los Angeles Rams at Tennessee Titans

Date and Time: Sunday, December 24 at 1 p.m. ET

Spread and Over/Under Total: LAR -6.5, 47.5

Pick: Rams 27, Titans 23

Los Angeles Chargers at New York Jets

Date and Time: Sunday, December 24 at 1 p.m. ET

Spread and Over/Under Total: LAC -6.5, 42

Pick: Chargers 27, Jets 13

Miami Dolphins at Kansas City Chiefs

Date and Time: Sunday, December 24 at 1 p.m. ET

Spread and Over/Under Total: KC -10, 43

Pick: Chiefs 30, Dolphins 17

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers

Date and Time: Sunday, December 24 at 1 p.m. ET

Spread and Over/Under Total: CAR -10, 47

Pick: Buccaneers 27, Panthers 24

Denver Broncos at Washington Redskins

Date and Time: Sunday, December 24 at 1 p.m. ET

Spread and Over/Under Total: WAS -3.5, 40.5

Pick: Redskins 20, Broncos 10

Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints

Date and Time: Sunday, December 24 at 1 p.m. ET

Spread and Over/Under Total: NO -5.5, 52.5

Pick: Saints 24, Falcons 20

Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots

Date and Time: Sunday, December 24 at 1 p.m. ET

Spread and Over/Under Total: NE -11.5, 47.5

Pick: Patriots 33, Bills 20

Cleveland Browns at Chicago Bears

Date and Time: Sunday, December 24 at 1 p.m. ET

Spread and Over/Under Total: CHI -6.5, 38

Pick: Bears 17, Browns 13

Jacksonville Jaguars at San Francisco 49ers

Date and Time: Sunday, December 24 at 4:05 p.m. ET

Spread and Over/Under Total: JAC -4.5, 42

Pick: Jaguars 24, 49ers 16

Seattle Seahawks at Dallas Cowboys

Date and Time: Sunday, December 24 at 4:05 p.m. ET

Spread and Over/Under Total: DAL -4.5, 47

Pick: Seahawks 24, Cowboys 21

New York Giants at Arizona Cardinals

Date and Time: Sunday, December 24 at 4:25 p.m. ET

Spread and Over/Under Total: ARI -3.5, 40

Pick: Giants 20, Cardinals 18

Pittsburgh Steelers at Houston Texans

Date and Time: Monday, December 25 at 4:30 p.m. ET

Spread and Over/Under Total: PIT -8.5, 44

Pick: Steelers 28, Texans 13

Oakland Raiders at Philadelphia Eagles

Date and Time: Monday, December 25 at 8:30 p.m. ET

Spread and Over/Under Total: PHI -9, 47

Pick: Eagles 27, Raiders 20

Analysis

Indianapolis Colts at Baltimore Ravens

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

The first game of Week 16 kicks off at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, where the Ravens will host the depleted Colts.

The quarterbacks on each side have struggled this season, though they are in different situations.

With that said, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco has been on a bit of a roll lately, throwing and scoring no fewer than 269 yards and two touchdowns over his past three games, respectively.

The loss of cornerback Jimmy Smith stings—we saw that in Week 14 with a 39-38 loss to the Steelers, but against the Colts that shouldn't matter much.

The Colts' biggest weapon is wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, but that's about it. Hilton has a chance to put up some numbers, but the rest of the Colts offense will struggle to get the ball moving.

Remember, the Ravens defense isn't dead yet and a win in Week 16 will put them at 9-6 on the year. It's hard to imagine this Ravens team winning double-digit games, but with victories here and in Week 17 over the Bengals, they'll do just that and be a postseason team.

Sorry, Indy. As WWE Chairman Vince McMahon's entrance song says, you've got "No chance in Hell."

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers

Julio Aguilar/Getty Images

Although they lost 24-21 to the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football in Week 15, we saw shades of Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winstons' old self.

The Panthers are a tough out, especially at home, but the Buccaneers have a spark at the moment.

While the Buccaneers suffered some injuries to offensive lineman J.R. Sweezy (who is now on injured reserve) and tight end O.J. Howard, they still, on paper, have arguably a better set of skill position players than the Panthers.

In their last game, the Bucs managed to hold the Panthers to 17. They only managed to score a field goal, but that was a long time ago.

Maybe I'm investing too much hope in Winston's MNF appearance, but this game feels like a divisional upset.

The Bucs will play spoiler this week. If the Panthers win they're in the postseason.

Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots

Joe Sargent/Getty Images

After downing the Steelers with less than a minute to go in Week 15, the Patriots are in the driver's seat for the No. 1 seed in all of the AFC.

That journey continues at home against the incumbent sixth seed Buffalo Bills.

The last time these two met was in Week 13 with the Bills hosting.

Do you remember the result of that game? The Bills got smothered, 23-3.

This time they're in New England—do you think anything different is going to happen?

A win this week and a victory in Week 17 against the Jets guarantees the No. 1 seed for the Patriots.

They're going to ram this game down the Bills throats. Not only will the Patriots as a team make the Bills feel like they're in quicksand, but the aura of playing in Foxborough will seal their fate.

Pats win big. Again.

Statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference. All odds courtesy of OddsShark. All clinching scenarios courtesy of Randall Liu, the NFL's Senior Director of Football Communications.