NFL Picks Against the Spread, Week 17

Another winning week last week ensures a winning season for me this year despite a little bit more up and down then I have been in the past. This is always a weird week because it’s impossible to predict which teams will phone it in because they’re already have their locker rooms packed.

Houston Texans (+3.5) at Tennessee Titans

This is one of those teams you don’t know whether or not they phoned it in. This game could have been a big one had the Titans one last week, but they fell short against the Jaguars. Funny thing the NFL. Texans are 5-0 against the division and it’s the number one reason they are in the playoffs.

Pick: I’ll take the points

Buffalo Bills (-3.5) at New York Jets

The Bills making business decisions here playing E.J. Manuel over Tyrod Taylor. So who knows what we’ll get from this game. The Jets could be playing hard for their coach, but who knows. I think the Bills are the better team overall and they have the most consistent unit in the game (a good running team) so I’ll go that way.

Pick: Bills

Baltimore Ravens (-1) at Cincinnati Bengals

I think the Ravens are the better team here

Pick: Ravens

New York Giants (+7.5) at Washington

Last week the Titans had everything to play for, win and Week 17 was a winner take all division battle with he Texans. The Jaguars had been awful all season. Game time - and the Jaguars blow the Titans out of the water. Football is funny like that sometimes, these elite level athletes don’t just roll over. Mcadoo won’t come out and say how much the starters will play, but they will play some, and even if they don't play the whole game the backup units of the New York Giants (especially on defense) have shown a lot of ability and resiliency. 7.5 points is way too much and if the starters end up playing the whole game I think the Giants are going to win outright.

Pick: Giants

Jacksonville Jaguars (+4.5) at Indianapolis Colts

I thought the Jaguars would be very solid this year, but it never materialized. Was last week a sign of things to come or an aberration? The Colts are carried by Andrew Luck. He’s fantastic. They have nothing else but him and he carries them, I feel bad for the guy. In a different situation no one’s asking what’s wrong with him or if he’ll ever live up to the billing, he’d be excelling. Still though it’s Luck, Hilton and not much else. I’ll take the points here.

Pick: Jaguars

Green Bay Packers (-3.5) at Detroit Lions

The best thing for the Giants here is probably the Lions winning the game. The Packers are surging and the Lions are very beatable, but I don't know if that’s going to shake out that way. The Packers are rolling, the only pause I’d have here is everyone is picking the Packers and that always makes me nervous

Pick: Packers

Dallas Cowboys (+5.5) at Philadelphia Eagles

Cowboys getting 5.5 tells you all you need to know about how much Vegas believes the Cowboys will play their starters, but their backup Tony Romo if he plays a lot has plenty to prove.

Pick: Cowboys

Chicago Bears (+6) at Minnesota Vikings

It’s not that I don’t think the Vikings should win this game, it’s that I’m not confident the Vikings can score six points! What a huge letdown this season has been for Vikings fans (and Giants fans know the pain we had more than a couple 6-2 starts that ended in disaster).

Pick: Bears

Carolina Panthers (+4) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Panthers are still talented they are just now wildly inconsistent. I thought last week if the Buccaneers were fighting for a playoff spot the Panthers would relish the spoiler roll and beat them out-right. Now? I don’t really know, but 4 gives a lee way to be within a field goal and still cover.

Pick: Panthers

Cleveland Browns (+5.5) at Pittsburgh

This game will answer the question who’s better. The first string of the Browns or the second and third string Steelers?

Pick: Browns keep it rolling!

New Orleans Saints (+7.5) at Atlanta Falcons

Rodgers, Brees, Brady. I’ll never give more than seven points with these quarterbacks on the underdogs team.

Pick: Saints

New England Patriots (-9.5) at Miami Dolphins

Dolphins are getting no respect here. The Dolphins are a legitimately good team.

Pick: Dolphins

Arizona Cardinals (+6.5) at Los Angeles Rams

I’m partial to big home underdogs, even ones as poor as the Rams (especially in the last week of the season for two playoff less teams).

Pick: Rams

Kansas City Chiefs (-4.5) at San Diego Chargers

I’ll take the Chargers in another game that’s tough to predict how much Chiefs will play their guys. If memory serves me correct Reid is a rest your players type coach.

Pick: Chargers

Seattle Seahawks (-9.5) at San Francisco 49ers

Seahawks need this game to get the number two seed. I expect the 49ers to get walloped.

Pick: Seahawks

Oakland Raiders (+1.5) at Denver Broncos

Hey, Matt McGloin replace our MVP (my choice if I had a vote) quarterback, oh yeah on the road vs. an angry defending Super Bowl champions with the best pass rusher in the league. Good luck!

Pick: Broncos

Season Record

Week 1: 8-7-1

Week 2: 9-7

Week 3: 7-9

Week 4: 6-8

Week 5: 5-9

Week 6: 5-8-1

Week 7: 8-7

Week 8: 6-7

Week 9: 9-3-1

Week 10: 10-4

Week 11: 6-8

Week 12: 10-5-1

Week 13: 4-10

Week 14: 11-4-1

Week 15: 10-5-1

Week 16: 8-7-1

Overall: 118-97-7