NFL Week 17 Predictions and Picks Against the Spread: Six Best Bets

The Baltimore Ravens are the second-best team in the NFL and they destroyed the second-best team. Which we saw coming last week as part of a 4-2 offering to move our season record to 45-43 (.511). Like the real teams, we'd love to enter the postseason with some momentum. Here are our six best picks for Week 17.

LIONS (+6.5) over COWBOYS

No one else will have the courage to say this but this is an objectively insane line. Our favorite spread-covering team has gotten its mojo back the past two weeks and knows it can move up in seeding now that they've clinched their division crown in 30 years. At this point you have to expect Jared Goff and this balanced attack to get 28 points if they're in a dome. As long as they avoid losing the turnover battle, the Lions should actually win this game. Easier said than done, obviously, but it's hard to imagine Dan Campbell's team taking a serious beatdown at this point of the season after getting a bit healthier. Lions 31, Cowboys 28

BUCCANEERS (-3) over SAINTS

Baker Mayfield is experiencing a renaissance and this team is quietly becoming a very reliable side to back week to week. That's four in a row for a group starting to believe in itself. Meanwhile, the Saints are wonderfully volatile and it doesn't feel right to trust them to get a season-saving win on the road. Buccaneers 30, Saints 20

VIKINGS (-2.5) over PACKERS

The Vikings made a tremendous amount of self-inflicted mistakes and still almost beat a really good side last Sunday. Both of these teams are playing to keep their playoff hopes alive and it should be a competitive affair but we like Minnesota's playmakers on both sides of the ball to be the difference. Vikings 23, Packers 20

BEARS (-3) over FALCONS

Justin Fields is a dynamic threat and the entire vibe has changed dramatically. We're expecting the Bears to keep flying in the correct direction, only further complicating the long-term plan in regards to keeping their current quarterback or using a high pick in the draft. NFC South teams in the frigid cold and sketchy weather does not seem like a good recipe for success. Bears 29, Falcons 24

CHIEFS (-8) over BENGALS

Okay, so at some point of time we're actually going to see the Kansas City Chiefs look like the Kansas City Chiefs, right? Fifteen games is a large sample size so maybe we're all just searching for the ghost of something but man, it's getting a bit ridiculous. Patrick Mahomes is simply too good to have a season where he goes out sad. The Bengals are held together with duct tape and sort of mirror the Raiders so maybe this is the week where water finds its level. Chiefs 34, Bengals 22

PATRIOTS (+12) over BILLS

Bill Belichick didn't hear no damn bell and he's actually putting together a nice little bit of resistance despite an obvious talent deficiency. They have the type of pesky defense that could create a lot of turnovers from Josh Allen. Throw in some unpredictable weather and we could be looking at a 60-minute slugfest. Bills 19, Patriots 17