Friday Afternoon Quarterback: NFL Week 16

By BetOnline December 20, 2019

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BY ADAM GREENE

Week 16 is upon us. The Wild Card races are in the final laps and the Thursday night games are off the table. There’s no reason to screw around here. Let’s pick some games.

SATURDAY

HOUSTON TEXANS AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (+3, O/U: 40)

This is an odd game to feature solo on a Saturday. Sure, the Texans are fun to watch but no one outside of Jameis Winston’s mom’s house wants to watch the Bucs play anything. Congratulations, everybody. Christmas is ruined. TEXANS 27, BUCS 20

BUFFALO BILLS AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (-6.5, O/U: 37)

Now this is more like it. The top spot in the AFC East is up for grabs at Foxborough and I’m feeling these Bills, who are probably just happy to be playing outside of Buffalo in the winter. BILLS 23, PATRIOTS 20

SATURDAY NIGHT

LOS ANGELES RAMS AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (-6.5, O/U: 44.5)

The Rams have been one of the most frustrating teams to pick this season, win or lose. They’re still alive for the playoffs, but need to win out and for the Vikings to lose both their final games. I’ve got a feeling we’ll come into the Week 17 with some real suspense and this is one of the weeks L.A. actually decides to show up. RAMS 31, 49ERS 23

SUNDAY

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS AT ATLANTA FALCONS (-7.5, O/U: 47)

And just like that, this game becomes a tough one to pick. You could call it a loser leaves town match, but since both these head coaches (Doug Marrone and Dan Quinn) are destined to be fired at season’s end, I don’t think that fits. FALCONS 27, JAGUARS 13

BALTIMORE RAVENS AT CLEVELAND BROWNS (+10, O/U: 49.5)

Just one more piece of frustration for a lost Browns season. They’ll officially be delivered a losing record for the 12th consecutive year by the team that used to the be the Browns and has won two Super Bowls since dropping the cursed moniker. RAVENS 41, BROWNS 20

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS AT TENNESSEE TITANS (+2.5, O/U: 50.5)

And just like that, those playoff hopes in Tennessee evaporate like so much moonshine spilled on the gravel driveway of the trailer park. SAINTS 31, TITANS 23

CAROLINA PANTHERS AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (-6.5, O/U: 46.5)

Will Grier looks to get his firs NFL start this week for the Panthers and, not coincidentally, record his first NFL loss. COLTS 27, PANTHERS 10

CINCINNATI BENGALS AT MIAMI DOLPHINS (PK, O/U: 46)

Who wants to lose this game more? If these two teams were smart, they’d just take a knee every possession and end in a tie. BENGALS 20, DOLPHINS 17

PITTSBURGH STEELERS AT NEW YORK JETS (+3, O/U: 37)

Le’Veon Bell said he’ll show the Steelers fans that boo him nothing but love Sunday. Meanwhile Steelers safety Kameron Kelly showed Pittsburgh police nothing but his face as they punched it repeatedly after he did battle with them outside a bar Thursday night. JETS 23, STEELERS 20

NEW YORK GIANTS AT WASHINGTON REDSKINS (-1.5, O/U: 41)

The Eli Manning farewell tour comes to Washington just in time to screw up New York’s draft positioning. GIANTS 20, REDSKINS 17

DETROIT LIONS AT DENVER BRONCOS (-7, O/U: 38)

If Drew Lock needed a pick-me-up after facing off against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs last week, the Lions are here to help. BRONCOS 38, LIONS 10

OAKLAND RAIDERS AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (-7, O/U: 45)

I’m not sure who is interested in watching this game, but I’m pretty sure he’s in Las Vegas right now trying to drink enough coffee to kill his hangover before placing a bet on Chinese Dressage horse dancing. CHARGERS 26, RAIDERS 20

DALLAS COWBOYS AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (+2, O/U: 46)

If there’s one thing we can absolutely count on is that Jason Garrett will not have this Cowboys team ready to play two weeks in a row. EAGLES 17, COWBOYS 14

ARIZONA CARDINALS AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (-9.5, O/U: 51)

It’s time for the Seahawks to go ahead and close out the NFC West and the Cardinals are about to act like the official red carpet. SEAHAWKS 41, CARDS 23

SUNDAY NIGHT

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS AT CHICAGO BEARS (+6, O/U: 44.5)

This has been a rough season for the Bears, but good things have happened on offense over the last two months. It’s too bad they’ve played a murderer’s row schedule in the process. CHIEFS 38, BEARS 28

MONDAY

GREEN BAY PACKERS AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS (-5.5, O/U: 47)

Here it is, the game that will ensure everyone will be tuning into Week 17 for the Rams and Vikings games to see who makes that last wild card spot. PACKERS 34, VIKINGS 27