Dec 27, 2022
NFL Week 17 Preview: Picks, Predictions, and Against The Spread Bets
Our Expert's NFL Picks For Week 17
Dallas Cowboys at Tennessee Titans (+10, O/U 42)
Where to watch
Thursday, December 29th, 8:20 PM EST at Nissan Stadium
Dallas Cowboys at Tennessee Titans
Dak Prescott and the Cowboys are coming off their best game of the year, now they travel to Tennessee to take on the slumping Titans. The Cowboys are the clear favorites here as they have a much more explosive offense and the Titans are without Starting Quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Even though the Cowboys might be playing down to competition this weekend the Titans aren’t a team to back right now. The Titans have lost 5 straight and the Cowboys continue to roll.
Expert Pick:
Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-3, O/U 39.5)
Where to watch
Sunday, January 1st, 1:05 PM EST at Raymond James Stadium
Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Somehow both these teams are still in the mix which should make for an interesting game this Sunday down in Tampa Bay. The Panthers have been improving every week and have been stringing together momentum on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. Tom Brady’s decline has been on full display as the Buccaneers have been 3-11 against the spread this season. Carolina continues their push for a potential playoff run.
Expert Pick:
Cleveland Browns at Washington Commanders (-2.5, O/U40.5)
Where to watch
Sunday, January 1st, 1:05 PM EST at FedEx Field
Cleveland Browns at Washington Commanders
Two teams who are still trying to figure things out and find some bright spots in their mediocre seasons. The Browns have the better athletes but the Commanders will be at home and always have a chance to get a win with either one of their quarterbacks. The best part of these teams is their defenses which are usually able to keep the opposing teams out of the endzone. Fade the offenses and back the defenses in this late-season matchup of middle-tier teams.
Expert Pick:
Cleveland Browns and Washington Commanders Under 40.5
New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles (-6.5, O/U 44)
Where to watch
Sunday, January 1st, 1:05 PM EST at Lincoln Financial Field
New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles
The Saints have been lackluster all year, while The Eagles proved that they can hang with the top teams in the league even with their best quarterback on the sidelines. Backup QB Gardner Minshew is capable of leading the Eagles’ offense even though they lost against the Cowboys last week. The Saints struggle to put four quarters together and the Eagles look to get back on track after their loss against the Cowboys.
Expert Pick:
Arizona Cardinals at Atlanta Falcons (-3.5, O/U 41)
Where to watch
Sunday, January 1st, 1:05 PM EST at Mercedez-Benz Stadium
Arizona Cardinals at Atlanta Falcons
Both teams are out of the playoff race and neither has anything to play for. The Cardinals’ defense has had some bright spots but the team has lost 5 in a row and is coming off an overtime loss to Tampa Bay. This isn’t a great spot for Arizona here. The Falcons themselves have lost 4 in a row and the team is frustrated with their lack of success. Desmond Ritter doesn’t look like a solution at quarterback; they don’t have an effective way to consistently move the ball. Both teams are struggling to score.
Expert Pick:
Arizona Cardinals at Atlanta Falcons Under 40.5 Points
Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans (+4, O/U 43.5)
Where to watch
Sunday, January 1st, 1:05 PM EST at NRG Stadium
Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans
Trevor Lawrence has this Jaguars offense rolling right now and they have been able to put together consistent drives game after game. The defense is making crucial stops and the Jags have won 3 straight games. They will be showing up with the motivation to stay focused and get another win so they can keep hopes alive of winning the division. While the Texans have been playing close games and hanging tough against some top-tier teams, the Jaguars are coming together at the right time and continuing their streak down in Houston.
Expert Pick:
Jacksonville Jaguars -4 and Team Total Over 23.5 Points
Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions (-5.5, O/U 51.5)
Where to watch
Sunday, January 1st, 1:05 PM EST at Ford Field
Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions
The Lions dropped a game last week due to the Carolina Panthers’ impressive running game. The Bears have a good enough running game to replicate the same success on the ground which is why the total is so high. Even though the Lions lost, their offense was still impressive as they had no problem scoring points. The Bears have lost 8 straight games and there aren’t many signs that their losing streak stops soon. The Lions need to win this one to keep their playoff hopes alive against the surging Packers.
Expert Pick:
Detroit Lions Team Total over 29.5 Points
Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots (-2.5, O/U 42.5)
Where to watch
Sunday, January 1st, 1:05 PM EST at Gillette Stadium
Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots
Of all the spots to get right, Is Tua going to turn it around against the Patriots defense? Bill B’s defense should be able to take care of Tua and the Dolphins this time around. It’s in New England and it could be another tough cold road game for the tropical team down south. The Pats will be looking for revenge for their early season loss and with more film on Tua now, the Pats' defense should be able to contain him. The Patriots haven’t looked great in the past few weeks but look for them to right the ship here at home.
Expert Pick:
Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs (-13.5, O/U 45)
Where to watch
Sunday, January 1st, 1:05 PM EST at Arrowhead Stadium
Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs
Things just keep getting worse for Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos. It’s hard to imagine the Broncos have any motivation in this game against what might be the league’s best team. With that said the Chiefs have only covered the spread 4 times this year. They don’t show any need to blow teams out; they know they can win without having to try that hard. They just have their eyes on the playoffs at this point, these games are meaningless to them. Look for them to come out hot fast so that they can take their starters out and rest in the second half if it becomes a blowout.
Expert Pick:
Indianapolis Colts at New York Giants (-3.5, O/U 40.5)
Where to watch
Sunday, January 1st, 1:05 PM EST at MetLife Stadium
Indianapolis Colts at New York Giants
The Colts are an absolute mess. There are no signs that they are going to figure things out under interim head coach Jeff Saturday. This team is already checked out and making plans for the off-season. The Giants have the better coach and the better offense. The Colts defense is good but they might not care anymore after another loss on Monday Night Football against the Chargers. The Colts don’t seem fixable this year and the Giants are still motivated.
Expert Pick:
New York Giants -3.5
New York Jets at Seattle Seahawks (+2.5, O/U 42.5)
Where to watch
Sunday, January 1st, 4:10 PM EST at Lumen Field
New York Jets at Seattle Seahawks
The Jets received news that Mike White would be back in the starting position and gave fans hope that they can still sneak into the playoffs. They should be able to lean on their defense and limit Geno Smith and their running game. Seattle has dropped some games lately and will have to lean on the home crowd for motivation. Two unpredictable offenses and one great defense could lead to a Seahawks team that struggles to march down the field.
Expert Pick:
Seattle Seahawks Team Total Under 20 Points
San Francisco 49ers at Las Vegas Raiders (+5.5 O/U 44.5)
Where to watch
Sunday, January 1st, 4:10 PM EST at Allegiant Stadium
San Francisco 49ers at Las Vegas Raiders
The 49ers are absolutely rolling right now. There will be a ton of 49ers fans down in Las Vegas this weekend and it will look/sound like a home game for San Francisco. The Raiders have no shot at the playoffs at this point and won’t see much success against the best defense in the league. The 49er's offense has been most effective with Brock Purdy at Quarterback so that offense should continue to get better against a weak and unmotivated Raiders team. The Raiders' offense plays a lot better at home but won’t be enough to keep up with SF.
Expert Pick:
San Francisco -5.5 and Team Total Over 24.5 Points
Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers (-3, O/U 47)
Where to watch
Sunday, January 1st, 4:25 PM EST at Lambeau Field
Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers
The Vikings are already in the playoffs and the Packers still have a shot to make it in. This game means more to the Packers who are looking to win their last two home games to get into the playoffs before the regular season ends. The Packers have won three in a row and have covered all three of those games. They are playing better but Aaron Rodgers is still making some uncharacteristic mistakes that he hasn’t made in the past. But the team is starting to gel and come into form at the right time. The Vikings’ offense is the bright spot and their defense lacks leading to an opportunity for more points.
Expert Pick:
Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers Over 46.5 Points
Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Chargers (-7, O/U 41)
Where to watch
Sunday, January 1st, 4:25 PM EST, at SoFi Stadium
Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Chargers
Ever since Baker Mayfield arrived the energy of the Los Angeles Rams has been different. The Rams continue to impress as they scored 51 points on the Denver Broncos last week. The Chargers beat a weak Colts team on Monday Night Football but they have only won two games by more than 6 points all season. Look for the Rams to keep it close with the Chargers.
Expert Pick:
Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens (-3, O/U 36)
Where to watch
Sunday, January 1st, 8:25 PM EST, at M&T Bank Stadium
Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens
These late-season divisional rival games historically go under in these spots. The weather is colder, the games are more meaningful, and the teams have already faced each other once. Even though the total is at 36, everything is pointing toward these offenses continuing to struggle to score touchdowns. Neither team has shown any reason to believe their offense will wake up this week and all of a sudden score points on above-average defenses. Tough divisional rivalry with two struggling offenses in cold weather means under.
Expert Pick:
Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens Under 36 Points
Buffalo Bills at Cincinnati Bengals (+1, O/U 49.5)
Where to watch
Monday, January 2nd, 8:35 PM EST, at Paycor Stadium
Buffalo Bills at Cincinnati Bengals
Both the Bills and Bengals are mimicking each other at this point in the season. Two healthy star quarterbacks, the ability to move the ball and score at will, and defenses capable of getting enough stops to win a game. The only difference is Cincinnati's ability to run the ball. This could be a preview of a potential matchup come playoff time. The Bengals’ offensive line & defense started the year struggling but now are coming into form and are able to give protection to Joe Burrow and their run game.
Expert Pick:
All odds provided by the William Hill Sportsbook
The latest NFL Betting Picks are also published in real time on our social media: