NFL Week 16 Predictions: Straight Up & Against the Spread Picks for Every Game

| December 20 |

10 mins read

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Week 16 is upon us in the world of NFL and it's getting to squeaky bum time for the playoff chasing sides...

In week 15, all four writers were in positive territory straight up, with Alan leading the pack at a magnificent 13-3.

As for Against The Spread and there was only one winner, as Neil went 11-5 on a really tough week. The less said about Adam's 5-11 the better.

For our full season-long record check out the bottom of the article. Please read on for all of our NFL Week 16 Picks & Predictions.

No teams have a bye this week, so there are 16 games to cover.

*Odds accurate as of 09:00, Wednesday 20 December, 2023

Week 16 NFL Picks & Predictions:

Friday - 01:15:

Game 1: Saints (+4.5) @ Rams

Picks ATS:

Adam: Saints
Alan: Rams
Jonny: Saints
Neil: Rams

Money Line - Rams 1/2 & Saints 13/8

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Rams
Alan: Rams
Jonny: Rams
Neil: Rams

Comments: These are lethal closing weeks of the regular season for so many reasons. Many strive to clinch a postseason spot. Some are mentally on their holidays already, nearly, wishing to forget grim campaigns that promised much whilst delivering not-a-lot.

Big sides might start resting and rotating a little in readiness for the knockout football to come. All adds to the intrigue!

These NFC rivals both stand 7-7, and still harbour Super Bowl dreams. LA are simply a better side for me and will be backed accordingly - Alan

Saturday - 21:30:

Game 2: Bengals (-2.5) @ Steelers

Picks ATS:

Adam: Bengals
Alan: Steelers
Jonny: Bengals
Neil: Bengals

Money Line - Bengals 10/13 & Steelers 11/10

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Bengals
Alan: Steelers
Jonny: Bengals
Neil: Bengals

Comments: 8-6 Bengals, 7-7 Steelers; both doing their thing in already-there Baltimore's Division, the AFC North. Massive game then, with so much on the line. Second in the North, the Browns, are not out of sight at 9-5 so the stakes couldn't be higher.

Pittsburgh are a team I struggle to get a handle on, but home field could be key. For the Bengals the enduring woe is not Joe, but No Burrow. Steelers won the fixture in Cincinnati in November. They might just repeat the feat, but it could be ugly - Alan

Sunday - 01:00:

Game 3: Bills (-10.5) @ Chargers

Picks ATS:

Adam: Bills
Alan: Bills
Jonny: Chargers
Neil: Bills

Money Line - Bills 2/11 & Chargers 9/2

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Bills
Alan: Bills
Jonny: Bills
Neil: Bills

Comments: Massive spread alert. Don't like 'em. Never have. The Bills need to be doing better than 8-6 to justify 9/1 odds about an eventual Super Bowl triumph in Nevada in February, but they've been woefully inconsistent. They can account for anyone on their day though, which makes life hard for us pin-stickers.

Chargers need snookers and Erling Haaland. Bills win, surely, but that spread is troubling - Alan

Sunday - 18:00:

Game 4: Commanders (+3.5) @ Jets

Picks ATS:

Adam: Jets
Alan: Jets
Jonny: Commanders
Neil: Jets

Money Line - Jets 8/13 & Commanders 13/10

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Jets
Alan: Jets
Jonny: Jets
Neil: Jets

Comments: The very epitome of a dead rubber in terms of postseason hopes, because they've gone up in smoke. Who am I least disappointed with? The Jets.

Washington have shipped over 400 points this campaign too, and I can't see anyone else in the two Conferences who've done that - Alan

Game 5: Lions (-3.5) @ Vikings

Picks ATS:

Adam: Lions
Alan: Lions
Jonny: Vikings
Neil: Lions

Money Line - Lions 4/7 & Vikings 7/5

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Lions
Alan: Lions
Jonny: Lions
Neil: Lions

Comments: Top-two in the NFC North face each other at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. At 10-4 it's very much advantage Detroit, but the 7-7 Vikings have both the Packers and the Bears hoping for slip-ups in that Division.

Should be a real humdinger - Alan

Game 6: Browns (+2.5) @ Texans

Picks ATS:

Adam: Browns
Alan: Texans
Jonny: Browns
Neil: Texans

Money Line - Texans 7/10 & Browns 6/5

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Browns
Alan: Texans
Jonny: Browns
Neil: Texans

Comments: I'm mentally filing this already in the 'too tough to call' slot. 9-5 Browns, 8-6 Texans - not much in it then on the seasonal returns for each so far.

Like the way the Texans put away the Titans last week in a close one, while Cleveland overcame the Bears in another tense affair. Not much in it between them in the Super Bowl outright betting either, which although fanciful perhaps is an indicator that stranger things have probably happened, if not recently.

If I said to you I've changed my mind on this one three times already in the last hour would you believe me? - Alan

Game 7: Packers (-4.5) @ Panthers

Picks ATS:

Adam: Packers
Alan: Packers
Jonny: Packers
Neil: Panthers

Money Line - Packers 4/9 & Panthers 15/8

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Packers
Alan: Packers
Jonny: Packers
Neil: Panthers

Comments: A couple of times this season I've gone with Carolina as the home underdog and they've come good. The 9-7 victory over the Falcons on Sunday wasn't exactly a thing of beauty but it did show that despite it being an extremely trying year for the franchise, so much so that Frank Reich was shown the door, that the players are still playing hard. I don't think much of Green Bay so give me the Panthers - Neil

Game 8: Seahawks (-2.5) @ Titans

Picks ATS:

Adam: Seahawks
Alan: Seahawks
Jonny: Seahawks
Neil: Titans

Money Line - Seahawks 8/11 & Titans 23/20

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Seahawks
Alan: Seahawks
Jonny: Seahawks
Neil: Titans

Comments: No Will Levis. No problem. This is one of those games where you look back at last weekend and swing wildly behind the Seahawks but they are only a 2.5pt favourite. What do the boffins in Vegas know that we don't? Ryan Tannehill will step in for the injured rookie second-rounder and does anyone for a minute really think Drew Lock is any good? I like the home underdog once more - Neil

Game 9: Colts (+1.5) @ Falcons

Picks ATS:

Adam: Colts
Alan: Colts
Jonny: Colts
Neil: Falcons

Money Line - Falcons 20/23 & Colts 20/21

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Colts
Alan: Colts
Jonny: Colts
Neil: Falcons

Comments: I seem to be on a run of going against the grain (it will happen again in Game 10) but Atlanta at home this season seem to always find a way. I don't think they have a depth of talent on either side of the ball but they are better than the sum of their parts.

Taylor Heinicke is a backup QB for a reason but he can certainly come in short-term and give the team a spark. The playoffs are a longshot now but for the third write-up in a row, I'll take the home underdog. - Neil

Sunday 21:05

Game 10: Jaguars (+1.5) @ Buccaneers

Picks ATS:

Adam: Buccaneers
Alan: Buccaneers
Jonny: Buccaneers
Neil: Jaguars

Money Line - Buccaneers 10/11 & Jaguars 10/11

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Buccaneers
Alan: Buccaneers
Jonny: Buccaneers
Neil: Jaguars

Comments: Jacksonville got well and truly put in their place last weekend up in Baltimore and once again we saw that Trevor Lawrence and company are just a step below the truly top teams in the AFC. This week it is the short-journey down to Tampa to take on the suddenly red-hot Buccaneers but do we really think Baker Mayfield can keep dealing at the level we've seen in recent weeks?

I sure don't. The Jags are going through a bit of a rough-patch but I still think they are the 4th or 5th best team in the AFC at worst. I'm not sure Tampa are even playoff worthy (although someone has to win the NFC South I suppose). This is a big game for Jacksonville with Indy and Houston right there in the division. They right the ship and get a much needed W in a low-scoring affair - Neil

Sunday 21:25

Game 11: Cowboys (+2.5) @ Dolphins

Picks ATS:

Adam: Dolphins
Alan: Dolphins
Jonny: Dolphins
Neil: Dolphins

Money Line - Dolphins 4/5 & Cowboys 21/20

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Dolphins
Alan: Dolphins
Jonny: Dolphins
Neil: Dolphins

Comments: What next for the Cowboys, after their demoralising blow-out to the Bills? It's the little matter of the Miami Dolphins, who are trying for the #1 seed in the AFC and are 6-1 at the Hard Rock.

The Fins may well have leading wide receiver Tyreek Hill back for this one and I for one can't see anything other than a home win - Adam

Game 12: Cardinals (+4.5) @ Bears

Picks ATS:

Adam: Cardinals
Alan: Bears
Jonny: Cardinals
Neil: Bears

Money Line - Bears 4/9 & Cardinals 9/5

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Bears
Alan: Bears
Jonny: Cardinals
Neil: Bears

Comments: I like Kyler Murray and was tempted to take the road underdog but when push came to shove, I went for the home side. Chicago managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory last week but once they had done so, they made a last-gasp attempt to grab victory but and they were oh, so, close. I'll take the legs of Justin Fields over the aforementioned Murray this season but if this went either way, I wouldn't be stunned - Neil

Monday 01:15

Game 13: Patriots (+5.5) @ Broncos

Picks ATS:

Adam: Patriots
Alan: Broncos
Jonny: Patriots
Neil: Broncos

Money Line - Broncos 4/11 & Patriots 9/4

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Broncos
Alan: Broncos
Jonny: Broncos
Neil: Broncos

Comments: Two old stagers face off here for possibly the last time, as Bill Belichick and Sean Payton do battle once more.

The 3-11 Patriots have been poor on the road, going 2-4 S/U and are averaging just 16 points on their travels.

Denver had a really poor loss last week to the Lions and will want to make amends in front of their home support.

I'm taking the Broncos to win this one in a fairly close affair - Adam

Monday - 18:00:

Game 14: Raiders (+9.5) @ Chiefs

Picks ATS:

Adam: Raiders
Alan: Raiders
Jonny: Raiders
Neil: Chiefs

Money Line - Chiefs 1/5 & Raiders 19/5

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Chiefs
Alan: Raiders
Jonny: Chiefs
Neil: Chiefs

Comments: The Chiefs got back to winning ways last week, after a dire run of form saw them losing four games out of six.

However, the offense still isn't clicking correctly and they will need to improve and fast, if they are going to make a decent attempt at defending their title.

The Raiders somehow went from being nilled to scoring 63 last week, showing just how unpredictable this NFL actually is.

Las Vegas have lost their last six to the Chiefs, by an average of 17 points per game but I think this one could be a lot closer. - Adam

Monday - 21:30:

Game 15: Giants (+11.5) @ Eagles

Picks ATS:

Adam: Eagles
Alan: Eagles
Jonny: Eagles
Neil: Eagles

Money Line - Eagles 1/6 & Giants 9/2

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Eagles
Alan: Eagles
Jonny: Eagles
Neil: Eagles

Comments: These two sides face off for the first of two such match ups over the next three weeks and the Eagles really need to get back on track after three straight losses. At least it was a bit closer against Seattle last week, after two huge losses to NFC rivals.

The Giants had a disappointing loss to the Saints last week, after three wins on the spin and this will be a good test for the Tommy Devito experiment.

Surely Philly get back on the winning track here ahead of the most important time of the season. - Adam

Tuesday - 01:15:

Game 16: Ravens (+5.5) @ 49ers

Picks ATS:

Adam: Ravens
Alan: 49ers
Jonny: 49ers
Neil: 49ers

Money Line - 49ers 2/5 & Ravens 2/1

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: 49ers
Alan: 49ers
Jonny: 49ers
Neil: 49ers

Comments: The game of the week takes place on the west coast on Monday Night Football, as two red hot 11-3 sides in Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers face off.

How will Lamar Jackson fare against one of the best pass rushes in the league? How will Baltimore cope with the sheer bloody genius that is Christian McCaffrey?

This game could go a long way to decide who will be the number one seeds in their respective conferences, which makes it must watch. I'm taking the 49ers to just win it, possibly in overtime. - Adam

Season Records:

Against the Spread: