NFL Week 14 Predictions and Picks Against the Spread: Six Best Bets
We don't want to make any promises but there's a chance our midseason slump is in the rearview window after pulling up our bootstraps and putting together a 4-2 week. This brings our season record to 42-36 (.538), which is not too shabby for a couple of idiots who just kind of look at a line and pick the side that feels right. Gambling! It's wild!
Below our our six best bets for Week 14 as teams fight for playoff position or, conversely, to improve their draft stock.
LIONS (-3) over BEARS
For the first time in recorded human history we did not pick the Lions last week after two consecutive losses riding Dan Campbell's team. They did enough to cover down in New Orleans and we will not be making the same mistake ever again. Justin Fields, along with Jordan Love, has been playing like he very much belongs in the NFC North title conversation for the next few years and just a few Sundays ago the Lions needed a miraculous comeback to walk away with the win. That said, three points is pure disrespect for a team that is 9-3 and more than capable of winning shoutouts. Jared Goff got back on track and a stout running game should help in any cold-weather issues. Jameson Williams has emerged as a weapon through the air and by land and Sam LaPorta might be the best tight end in the NFL for two years before anyone has the guts to say it aloud. Lions 31, Bears 17
CHIEFS (-2.5) over BILLS
It may be time to worry about the almighty Kansas City Chiefs. But this line ... this line stinks. Buffalo has all the talent in the world yet struggles to put together 60 minutes of football. The renewal of the AFC's best rivalry is super exciting and points should be plentiful. Oddly enough it may come down to who makes the fewest mistakes between Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen and that's an easy choice. We'd have taken Kansas City -6.5 so this feels like a dirty trick and a trap but we'll put our heads all the way in anyway. What's the worst that could happen? Chiefs 27, Bills 23
FALCONS (-2.5) over BUCCANEERS
God bless the NFC South. League bylaws insist there must be a winner and whichever team that is gets to host a playoff game — likely against a Dallas Cowboys team that is going to destroy them. But that's a problem for the future. We think the Falcons continue to squeak through in these battles of mediocrity. Either way it's being decided by a late field goal so why not trust the best kicker in the league? Falcons 16, Buccaneers 13
PATRIOTS (+5.5) over STEELERS
This should not be viewed as a vote of confidence in the Patriots (although something has to go right eventually, doesn't it?) and instead a reflection of how awful these two offenses are. It is legitimate to wonder if they'll make it to six points combined, much less if Pittsburgh is capable of beating New England by that much. It is risky to bet on a battle of backup quarterbacks but last week showed the Pats' defense is still legit and Mitchell Trubisky is going to be in a torture chamber on primetime. Whether or not Bailey Zappe does enough to get within field goal range won't matter. He should face at least one short field. But that won't be good enough. The Pats will go another week without an offensive touchdown after losing their best offensive player in Rhamondre Stevenson and everyone will be worse off for having watched this game. Steelers 7, Patriots 3
RAVENS (-7) over RAMS
At first glance this line feels high, even for an elite Ravens team playing in Baltimore, because the Rams have been pretty good recently. Or at least the offense has. And at 6-6 Los Angeles is still very much in the playoff picture, adding a dash of desperation to their play. Matthew Stafford is back to full capacity. It seems like an upset alert game. And yet, it's hard to buy Rams stock against this Ravens team. Stafford might play well enough to ensure the offense performs well enough but the defense has gotten smoked every time it's gone up against a semi-competent unit and Lamar Jackson's crew is far more than that. Ravens 34, Rams 23
PACKERS (-6.5) over GIANTS
It feels like it's time for the Packers to have a stinker after two tremendous primetime performances that lend credence to the idea that Green Bay has, in fact, done it again at the quarterback position. They're an exceptionally young team and those teams don't always know what to do with all that momentum, especially going into a third consecutive primetime matchup in enemy territory. Fortunately they've drawn the Giants, which means they'll be fine. New York's defense is not good at all and Tommy DeVito's backstory is significantly more enjoyable than his play. The good times will continue to roll for the Pack. Packers 27, Giants 13