NFL Week 14 Predictions: New England Patriots and More Locks to Cover Spread

As the NFL season enters its homestretch, it becomes more and more difficult to find exploitable spreads. The oddsmakers have a good read on basically every squad, which means finding games where the two teams have different motivation levels is the best bet.

Here are three teams that should use that extra motivation to cover on Sunday. All lines courtesy of SBGGlobal.com.

New England Patriots (Minus-8)

Don't be concerned by New England's seven-point win over the Indianapolis Colts last week. The Patriots were firmly in control for the entire game and it was only close because the Colts scored two late touchdowns.

The Patriots' quest for a bye and home-field advantage continues with a trip to the nation's capital. The Redskins have lost seven of their last eight, including a thrashing at the hands of the New York Jets in Week 13. Expect the Patriots to reassert their dominance once again.

Prediction: Patriots by 17

Atlanta Falcons (Minus-2.5)

Last week, Atlanta dropped a winnable game against the Houston Texans, who were without Matt Schaub. The Falcons can't avoid many more setbacks if they want to secure a playoff berth with the NFC wild-card race becoming increasingly crowded.

The Carolina Panthers are a dangerous team because of Cam Newton's ability to take over a game. They still lack depth, however. The Falcons need to improve their offensive efficiency before the postseason begins if they fancy themselves as a legitimate contender.

Prediction: Falcons by 10

San Diego Chargers (Minus-7)

Even though they might be sitting at the bottom of the AFC West, don't count out the annually late-to-the-party Chargers. They picked up a convincing win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday night with Philip Rivers producing at the level we've come to expect in past seasons.

Next,  San Diego needs to make quick work of a fading Buffalo Bills squad. The Bills have clearly lost the early-season swagger which allowed them to start 3-0. Therefore, if the Chargers can put the clamps on in the first half, they should have no problem cruising to victory.

Prediction: Chargers by 14