It’s time for our NFL week 17 predictions against the spread at Wannamakeabet.com . The last weekend of the regular season has arrived. On one side, we have the AFC wide open in terms of seeding at the top. And a division (the North) is still up for grabs as well as the final wildcard. In the NFC, there is one wildcard up for grabs and two games that can determine its fate. I’m going to focus my predictions this week only on the games that matter in this context. Make sure you join our New Year’s Football league so you can have action on all these games as well as all the big bowl games coming up this weekend. Entry is free, click here to join!
Chicago Bears +4.5 over Minnesota Vikings
The Bears are a much better football team than the Vikings. And they are not going to lay down just because they have already won the division. If they put the Vikes away on Sunday, they won’t face them the following week in the Wildcard game, which they will be playing in since their record is not as good as the Rams or Saints. Conventional thinking is that the Bears will be resting players but I don’t see it that way. I think the Bears win outright and I love them on the moneyline +180 and especially love the 4.5 points, which opened at 6.5 Take the Bears to the bank.
Washington Redskins +6.5 over Philadelphia Eagles
You wanna talk about a hard game to win? Imagine the Eagles needing the Vikings to lose AND having to beat a hated division rival on the road. That’s what they face. The Eagles are not heads and shoulders above the Redskins. And they will need to play a great one to win this game much less cover the 6.5 points. I love the Skins getting the number here.
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Kansas City Chiefs -13.5 over Oakland Raiders
We’ve documented it several times. The Chiefs have not won the AFC West. Yet. And they still might not if they don’t win this game. They pounded the Raiders the first time around and Oakland won their Super Bowl last week when they said goodbye to their fans in the black hole. The Chiefs go big again on Sunday and ice the cake on the division and home field advantage throughout.
NFL Predictions against the spread archives.
Los Angeles Chargers -6.5 over Denver Broncos
Denver has mailed it in. The way they lost last week to Oakland proved it. And they have no interest in getting hurt or saving face on this season for this coach or for John Elway. The Charges are 6-1 ATS this season on the road and we think they’ll go 7-1 by hammering Denver at the long shot odds that KC slips up against Oakland and they slide into the number one spot. As we mentioned above, we don’t think that will happen either. The Chargers are among the best in the AFC and the Broncos, yes, among the worst.
Baltimore Ravens -5.5 over Cleveland
As a Browns fan this prediction is hard to make. But this is business, not personal. The Ravens stifling defense will have the assignment of welcoming Baker Mayfield to a playoff atmosphere on Sunday, and we think they’ll deliver one of their better performances of the year. The Ravens are clicking. They’ve had 10 days rest since the dramatic win over the Chargers on the road, and if they stay focused here and win this game, they’ll keep the hated Steelers out of the playoffs for the first time in quite some time. Baltimore gets revenge from the loss earlier this season at Cleveland in a big way to seal the deal on the AFC North.
Indianapolis Colts -3 over Tennessee Titans
The Colts just don’t lose to the Titans and they’re not about to start with the final Wildcard on the line Sunday. I’ll take Luck over Mariotta any day of the week and I think the Colt defense is a step up in class from Tennessee. The home field advantage seems like it should be worth more than three here. Colts are 6-2 at home this season and the Titans are 3-5 on the road. The Colts have everything they need to thrive this time of year. Great defense. Great Quarterback. Solid running game. Take the Colts in the best game on the card for the final Wildcard.
And that’s a wrap for our NFL week 17 predictions against the spread. May the refs and gambling gods be with you. Hope to see you in one of the leagues at Wannamakeabet.com this weekend. Happy New Year!
Jack Kincaid is a senior wannamakeabet.com NFL analyst.