NFL Week 16 Best Bets: Critical NFC Showdowns Dominate Schedule
Our NFL Week 16 Best Bets include the most compelling, meaningful and impactful Thursday game since the season-opener. The top two teams in the NFC meet in Seattle with both the No. 1 seed in the conference, and NFC West division title, potentially at stake.
The Rams and Seahawks (both 11-3) also share NFL-best 10-3 records against the spread. The Rams unloaded the playbook on the Detroit Lions in Week 15, taking down Dan Campbell’s Felines 41-34 in a wide-open affair. Conversely, the Seahawks failed to reach the end zone but kept a leg-up on Philip Rivers and the Colts in a thrilling 18-15 win at Seattle. It marked the first time Seahawks history that their kicker went 6-for-6 in a game.
The NFL moves into its Saturday timeslot this week, as well. Football fans and bettors will be bouncing between a troika of college football playoff games and two NFL offerings. Saturday night, the Bears and Packers meet for the 211th time – and the second time in 3 weeks. Green Bay beat Chicago 28-21 in Week 14. Earlier Saturday, the Eagles play host to Washington. Both Saturday games air on FOX.
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Sunday Highlights: Steelers at Lions; Patriots at Ravens
In the Sunday national game timeslot on CBS, the Steelers fight to keep their hold on first place in the AFC North as they visit the Lions.
Sunday night, the Patriots limp into Baltimore on the heels of a crushing 35-31 loss the Bills. New England blew a 21-0 lead at home in the loss. Monday night, the 49ers play host to the Colts. Both teams need wins to keep pace in their respective divisions and maintain playoff position. Rivers, 44, came out of retirement Sunday and nearly led Indy to an upset win at Seattle Sunday.
You can wager responsibly on each game using the best sports betting apps.
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Week 16 NFL Best Bets – Game-By-Game Previews & Analysis
Thursday, Dec. 16
LA Rams (11-3) at Seattle Seahawks (11-3)
8:15 p.m (Prime Video)
Buzz: Both share an NFL-best 10-3 ATS. Matthew Stafford wrapped-up the season MVP race with a 368-yard, 2-TD passing performance against the Lions Sunday en route to 41-34 victory The Rams own the top seed in the NFC. They rolled through the remnants of what was once a ferocious Lions defense and put up 24 points in the 2nd half. Puca Nacua amassed 9 catches for 181 yards and was all but unstoppable, despite briefly leaving and returning after an injury. But the Rams lost Davante Adams. The Seahawks and Sam Darnold failed to reach the end zone and barely escaped the Old Man Strength of Philip Rivers. Seattle kicked 6 field goals, including one at the gun, to nab a 18-15 win. Thursday night, the Rams find themselves literally out of their element – outdoors, mostly likely in the rain, and in front of a loud and hostile crowd. The Seahawks’ offensive woes continue. Meanwhile, the Rams can score on the ground or in the air. Stafford weathered plenty of bad weather across the NFC North during his days with the Lions. He’ll do the same this week in our NFL Week 16 Best Bets.
Best Bet: Rams ML (-112) Hard Rock Bet via OddsJam
Saturday, Dec. 20
Philadelphia Eagles (9-5) at Washington Commanders (4-10)
5 p.m. (FOX)
Buzz: The Commanders scored a too-little-too-late 29-21 win over the fellow-also-ran Giants Sunday. Expect Philly fans to make the relatively short trip to Landover for this home-away-from-home game. The Eagles scored a decisive get-right 31-0 win over the Raiders at home Sunday. Philly gets another playoff tune-up this week. These teams meet again in 2 weeks. By then, the Eagles will have wrapped up the NFC North and may well be locked into their playoff position. This week, Philly uses the full 60 minutes to continue building toward what it hopes is a deep playoff run. And they grab an easy cover in the process. Enjoy the Tulane-Ole Miss Game instead.
Best Bet: Eagles -5.5 (-110) FanDuel via OddsJam
Green Bay Packers (9-4-1) at Chicago Bears (10-4)
8:20 p.m. (FOX)
Buzz: These teams meet for the 211th time. In their most-recent clash, the Green Bay won 28-21 at Lambeau Field two weeks ago. The Bears mauled the Browns 31-0 Sunday. The Packers, meanwhile, ran out of air against the Broncos in Denver. Green Bay fell short 34-26, despite scoring on its first 5 drives. In addition, the Packers lost LB Micah Parsons for the season with a knee injury. Both Caleb Williams and Jordan Love can win – or lose – this one on their own. The fewest turnovers and the most reliable kicker wins in our NFL Week 16 Best Bets.
Best Bet: Packers -2.5 (-110) FanDuel via OddsJam
Sunday, Dec. 21
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7) at Carolina Panthers (7-7)
1 p.m. (FOX)
Buzz: Tampa Bay and Carolina share first place in the NFC South. Both are coming off NFC South losses in Week 14. However, these teams meet again in 2 weeks. So a loss here won't be fatal. The Buccaneers aim for their 5th straight NFC South title. The Panthers, meanwhile, have edged up to playoff-contender status. Carolina has proven to be a tough out at home this season. The Panthers are on the prowl against the line in this situation, covering 11 straight as underdogs after a loss. Here. they're getting points at home in a game that may well come down to a kick at the gun.
Best Bet: Panthers +2.5 (-110) at FanDuel via OddsJam
Buffalo Bills (10-4) at Cleveland Browns (3-11)
1 p.m. (CBS)
Buzz: The Bills put themselves in the middle of the Super Bowl 60 conversation in Week 15 with a thrilling come-from-behind 35-31 win over the Patriots at Gillette Stadium. The Bills trailed 21-0 and 24-7 at the half before scoring on 5 straight possessions. Buffalo’s offensive line dominated the line of scrimmage and Josh Allen was pin-point perfect. The Browns, long since eliminated, remain in the chase for the No. 1 overall pick. They tapped out in a 31-3 loss to Chicago Sunday. Look for lots of James Cook early, and lots of scrubs in the second half. Buffalo may only need 21 points to secure this cover.
Best Bet: Bills -10 (-110) at FanDuel via OddsJam
Los Angeles Chargers (10-4) at Dallas Cowboys (6-7-1)
1 p.m. (FOX)
Buzz: The Chargers officially eliminated Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs Sunday with a 16-13 victory. The Bolts’ defense held KC just 13 points before Mahomes left the game with a torn ACL. That same defense tees up against the Cowboys this week. After their loss to Minnesota Sunday night, the Cowboys have a 1% chance to make the playoffs. That number moves to 0% this week as the Bolts electrify Jerry World on both sides of the ball. This one may be worth a peek in the 4th quarter as the FOX cameras turn to Jerry Jones’ luxury suite as the Cowboys’ Super Bowl drought officially turns 30. The Chargers have covered in 8 straight as road dogs against NFC teams.
Best Bet: Chargers +1.5 (-110) at BetMGM via OddsJam
Kansas City Chiefs (6-8) at Tennessee Titans (2-12)
1 p.m. (CBS)
Buzz: For the first time since Dec. 28, 2014, the Chiefs play regular-season game after being eliminated from playoff contention. And they’ll do it without Patrick Mahomes. He suffered a season-ending torn ACL in Sunday’s playoff-elimination loss to the Chargers. The Titans need a loss to maintain any realistic chance of landing the No. 1 overall draft pick. How the Chiefs react after losing their QB and season remains to be determined. Garnder Minshew offers some hope, given his history. The Chiefs are too deep and talented to simply roll over. The caveat here is KC’s woeful 5-8-1 record ATS, which is worse than Tennessee’s (6-7-1). Still, the Titans have lost 11 straight at home. And KC has covered in 10 of 11 on the road following a home loss.
Best Bet: Chiefs -3.5 (-105) at Hard Rock Bet via OddsJam
Cincinnati Bengals (4-10) at Miami Dolphins (6-7)
1 p.m. (CBS)
Buzz: The Bengals tapped out of their season Sunday in a 24-0 home loss to Baltimore. Not sure how, or why, they’d suddenly start clicking on the road. Especially in South Florida, on the first day of Winter? Bettors far too often ignore late season Florida weather as a factor. It will be warm and humid Sunday in Miami Gardens. With rain in the forecast. The Dolphins played Monday night game at Pittsburgh and may well be eliminated before kickoff. Who wants it less? Probably not the home team. Take the Dolphins in our NFL Week 16 Best Bets.
Best Bet: Dolphins ML (-115) at BetMGM via OddsJam
New York Jets (3-11) at New Orleans Saints (4-10)
1 p.m. (CBS)
Buzz: What better way to celebrate the Winter Solstice and Holiday Season in New Orleans than sitting inside a half-empty Caesars Superdome watching Brady Cook and Tyler Shough sling it for 2 teams with a combined 7-21 record? Can’t think of one, either. If you must wager upon the outcome of this game – and we do not recommend it – take the under given the relative strength of both defenses going up against rookie QBs.
Best Bet: Under 40.5 Points (-110) at BetMGM via OddsJam
Minnesota Vikings (6-8) at New York Giants (2-10)
1 p.m. (FOX)
Buzz: The Vikings won 34-26 at Jerry World Sunday night, but only after being eliminated from the playoffs earlier in the day 14. J.J. McCarthy put up the best numbers of his brief career. He and the Vikings have reason to play well for the rest of the season as they build toward next year. The Giants, meanwhile, continue to play out the string under an interim coach. Look for lots of Grinch masks and paper bags scattered across MetLife Stadium.
Best Bet: Vikings -2.5 (-105) at FanDuel via OddsJam
Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4) at Denver Broncos (12-2)
4:05 p.m. (FOX)
Buzz: The Broncos own a playoff spot, the best record in the NFL, an inside track for home field in the AFC, and a 12-game winning streak at Empower Field. Denver rebounded to score an 34-26 win over Green Bay Sunday as Bo Nix threw 4 TD passes. (Micah Parsons tore his ACL trying to run down Nix in the 3rd quarter.) The Jaguars, meanwhile, hold a one-game leader over Houston in the AFC South. This game presents Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne and their feline brethren with the toughest test possible in the NFL. An unseasonable mild day in the Mile High City eliminates weather as a possible concern. The Broncos’ stout defense (18.6 PPG) doesn’t need cold weather to dominate. However, this has all the right ingredients to evolve into a surprisingly high-scoring game. The total feels a bit too low given the talent on both sides. Take the over in our NFL Week 16 Best Bets.
Best Bet: Over 45.5 (-110) at BetMGM via OddsJam
Atlanta Falcons (5-9) at Arizona Cardinals (3-11)
4:05 p.m. (FOX)
Buzz: This matchup of avian also-rans serves as our pre-Christmas turkey. The Falcons won their Super Bowl Thursday night by upsetting the Bucs 29-28 on the road. The Cardinals have lost 6 straight and 12 of 13 overall, while failing to cover in 5 of their last 6. The Falcons have begun to earn their wings on offense. They take flight this week inside State Farm Stadium. Back the Falcons to win in our NFL Week 16 Best Bets.
Best Bet: Falcons ML (-120) at Hard Rock Bet via OddsJam
Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6) at Detroit Lions (8-6)
4:25 p.m. (CBS)
Buzz: Jim Nantz and Tony Romo visit Ford Field to call the CBS national doubleheader game. Pittsburgh played host to Miami Monday night. The Lions slipped to third place in the NFC North Sunday after butting heads with the Rams. Detroit teeters on the brink of missing the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Steelers, somehow remain in first place despite a season full of Aaron Rodgers and Mike Tomlin-related drama. The Lions need to sharpen their offensive claws for the playoffs. Rodgers is 18-8 all-time against the Lions, but has lost his last 2 starts at Ford Field. The Lions have won 15 straight after a loss. But they’ve slipped drastically against the number, falling to 7-7 this season after covering at a 68% clip from 2021-24. This week, however, they get out in front early and don’t let up. Take the Lions to cover in our NFL Week 16 Best Bets.
Best Bet: Lions -7 (-114) at BetMGM via OddsJam
Las Vegas Raiders (2-12) at Houston Texans (9-5)
4:25 p.m. (CBS)
Buzz: The Raiders must lose to keep pace in the race for the No. 1 overall draft pick. The Texans, meanwhile, sit just a game behind Jacksonville in the AFC South. They pull the lucky straw this week as the Jaguars visit Denver. Houston extended its winning streak to 6 with a 40-20 win over Arizona at home Sunday. C.J. Stroud continued his ascent by completing 22 of 29 passes for 260 yards and 3 TDs. The Raiders have some trend lines pointing in their favor (they’ve covered in 8 of 9 against AFC teams in December), not to mention the 14.5-point number. But this game matters for the Texans. And their defense should keep Vegas in single digits.
Best Bet: Texans -14 (-114) Caesars Sportsbook via OddsJam
New England Patriots (11-3) at Baltimore Ravens (7-7)
8:20 p.m.
Buzz: This game was flexed into the Sunday prime-time spot. The Patriots blew a 21-0 lead at home in losing 35-31 to the Bills in Week 14. The Bills scored on 5 straight possessions, as New England’s defense proved impotent against James Cook and the Bills O-Line. And Josh Allen was . . . Josh Allen. The Ravens, therefore, have an easy game plan to follow. Run Derrick Henry at the Patriots, and let Lamar Jackson carefully pick and choose his spots. Meanwhile, the Patriots need to demonstrate resilience after their 10-game winning streak ended in such a calamitous fashion. Drake Maye has slipped slightly in terms of numbers and effectiveness in his past 3 games. He’s delivered big time on the road this season at Buffalo and Tampa Bay. Can he and the Patriots bounce back this week? Well, they've covered in 4 straight as road underdogs. Woof! Take the Patriots in our NFL Week 16 Best Bets.
Best Bet: Patriots +2.5 (+100) at Caesars Sportsbook via OddsJam
Monday, Dec. 22
San Francisco 49ers (10-4) at Indianapolis Colts (8-6)
8:15 p.m. (ABC/ESPN)
Buzz: Philip Rivers ended an 1,800-day retirement at age 44 and nearly led the Colts (11-point underdogs) to an outright victory at Seattle in Week 15. The Colts kept the Seahawks out of the end zone but still lost 18-15 on a last-second field goal. Rivers led the Colts downfield inside Lumen Field against the Seahawks for a go-ahead field goal with 60 seconds to play. The 49ers, however, have been a bit of a mirage this season. They have not beaten a team that currently holds a winning record since the Rams on Oct. 3. But the 49ers are getting healthier. They remain contenders to win the NFC West. And still hold a 12% chance to earn the No. 1 NFC seed. And San Francisco has covered 5 straight time as favorites on the road.
Best Bet: 49ers -5.5 (-105) at DraftKings via OddsJam
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