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Our FREE NFL picks versus the spread are purely for entertainment purposes only. But, let's face it, being right (winning) is more fun than being wrong (losing).
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DAILY WEEK 15 LINES FROM SPORTSBOOK.COM
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SUMMARY OF PICKS BY CONTRIBUTORS
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Week: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17
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Picks are for entertainment purposes only.
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Picks and spreads are as of Saturday, December 17th at 11:57 a.m. ET
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Lines used are always as of the time the pick was made.
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Date/Time (ET)
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Favorite
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Spread
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Underdog
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Kevin
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Dan
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Sean
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Thu, Dec 15 at 8:20 p.m.
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Atlanta Falcons 41, Jacksonville Jaguars 14
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Sat, Dec 17 at 8:20 p.m.
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Cowboys
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7.0
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BUCCANEERS
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DAL -7
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TB +7
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Sun, Dec 18 at 1:00 p.m.
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GIANTS
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7.0
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Redskins
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NYG -7
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Sun, Dec 18 at 1:00 p.m.
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Packers
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14.0
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CHIEFS
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GB -14
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Sun, Dec 18 at 1:00 p.m.
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Saints
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7.0
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VIKINGS
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NO -7
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Sun, Dec 18 at 1:00 p.m.
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BEARS
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3.5
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Seahawks
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Sun, Dec 18 at 1:00 p.m.
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TEXANS
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6.0
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Panthers
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HOU -6
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Sun, Dec 18 at 1:00 p.m.
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Titans
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6.5
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COLTS
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Sun, Dec 18 at 1:00 p.m.
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Bengals
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7.0
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RAMS
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CIN -7
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CIN -7
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Sun, Dec 18 at 1:00 p.m.
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Dolphins
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NL
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BILLS
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Sun, Dec 18 at 4:05 p.m.
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Lions
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1.0
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RAIDERS
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Sun, Dec 18 at 4:15 p.m.
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Patriots
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7.5
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BRONCOS
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Sun, Dec 18 at 4:15 p.m.
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EAGLES
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3.0
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Jets
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PHI -3
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Sun, Dec 18 at 4:15 p.m.
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CARDINALS
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6.5
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Browns
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Sun, Dec 18 at 8:25 p.m.
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Ravens
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2.5
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CHARGERS
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Mon, Dec 19 at 8:30 p.m.
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49ERS
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NL
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Steelers
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CONTRIBUTOR
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GAME 1
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GAME 2
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GAME 3
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Kevin
2011 Record: 33-14-4 (70.2%)
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Saints (-7) at Vikings
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Panthers at Texans (-6)
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Bengals (-7) at Rams
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Saints -7
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Texans -6
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Bengals -7
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With Vikings running back Adrian Peterson
listed as probable on the team's injury report,
he's expected to return after missing the past
three games with a high-ankle sprain.
Peterson is one of the league's best running
backs and teammate Percy Harvin has been
playing as well as any receiver in the league
recently. While the Vikings' offense should be
fine, can they stop or at least slow down the
Saints' high-powered offense? It's highly
unlikely. Saints quarterback Drew Brees leads
the NFL in passing yards (4,368) and is on a
record-setting pace. In fact, Brees needs to
average less passing yards than his worst
performance of the season for the final three
games to break Dan Marino's single-season
record. Through 13 games, Brees has thrown
for 300-plus yards 10 times. No team has
allowed more passing touchdowns (26) than
Minnesota, who is tied with the winless Colts
for a league-worst six interceptions. With the
49ers having an edge based on the
tie-breakers for the No. 2 seed (and
first-round bye), the Saints will be fully
motivated to take the lead (at least for a day
until the 49ers host the Steelers on Monday
Night Football) as Brees puts on an offensive
clinic.
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While both teams are starting rookie
quarterbacks, their paths to get the starting
nod are much different. Panthers
quarterback Cam Newton was the first pick
in this year's draft, has started from Day 1
and should be the league's NFL Offensive
Rookie of the Year (see past winners).
Texans quarterback T.J. Yates, the team's
fifth-round pick out of North Carolina, is
starting out of necessity as Matt Schaub
and Matt Leinart both suffered season-
ending injuries. That said, Yates threw his
first-ever 300-yard game as the Texans
clinched the AFC South and their first-ever
playoff berth last week. While I don't
expect a repeat performance from Yates,
the Texans should be able to run the ball
extremely well against a bad Panthers run
defense. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if
the duo of Arian Foster and Ben Tate both
rushed for 100-plus yards in this game like
they did against the Browns in Week 9.
Foster has eight 100-yard games (five
rushing and three receiving) and Tate has
four 100-yard games. As well as Newton
has played, the Texans have the league's
top-ranked defense (274.9 yards allowed
per game) and they are top four in both
rushing and passing defense. Against a
team like Carolina that has one elite
receiver, Jonathan Joseph should be able
to contain Steve Smith and force the other
(much less talented) Panthers receivers to
step up.
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Rams quarterback Sam Bradford is listed as
doubtful for this week's game, which means
the Rams will likely go with Kellen Clemens,
who has 33 pass attempts from 2008 to
2011. That said, the Rams offense has not
been particularly explosive regardless of
who has been under center. No team has
scored fewer points than the Rams (11.8
yards per game). Against the league's
seventh-ranked defense (314.8 YPG
allowed), that trend is unlikely to change.
On the other hand, the Rams run defense
has been particularly bad this season. No
team has allowed more rushing yards
(156.8 per game) than the Rams and the
Rams are one of three teams to allow an
average of at least five yards per carry this
season. The Bengals have struggled
recently in large part due to the level of
their competition. In their past five games,
they are 1-4, but those four losses have all
come against 10-win teams (Pittsburgh
twice, Baltimore and Houston). Look for
the Bengals to bounce back big against the
woeful Rams.
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Dan
2011 Record: 24-21-6 (53.3%)
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Cowboys (-7) at Bucs
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Bengals (-7) at Rams
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Redskins at Giants (-7)
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Cowboys -7
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Bengals -7
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Giants -7
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I love the exposure the NFL has now that the
college season is all but over except for the
bowls, and we now have games 3 nights a
week. The Cowboys found another way to lose
a game last week, and now they travel to
Tampa in an attempt to right the ship. The
Buccaneers have been really bad as of late,
as they have gone 1-6 in their last 7 games
against the spread. The Cowboys have also
taken the historical edge against Tampa, as
they have posted a 3-1 mark in their last 4
games against Tampa and the number. I love
Tony Romo's matchup this week, getting to
use Miles Austin, Jason Witten, Laurent
Robinson, and Dez Bryant against a
secondary that gives up 250 yards per game
and 22 TDs on the year. I would look for the
Cowboys to start early and fast, as they need
to keep pace in the NFC playoff chase.
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This game really stood out to me once I
first saw the line, and after going more
in-depth, I love this contest. The Bengals
will really need this game to keep pace in
the wildcard standings, as they will be
battling the Jets for the final spot. The
Rams have certainly regressed this year,
and I guess the only positive thing to say is
that they should have a decent draft
position at the end of the year. The Rams
have been really bad against the spread
this year, as they have posted a 2-11
mark, while the Bengals have gone 7-5-1.
The Rams have just been inept on offense
this year, as they have only averaged 11.8
points per game. I love Cedric Benson
going up against the worst rushing defense
in the league, and an underrated 6th
ranked overall defense limiting the Rams
to a few field goals on Sunday.
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The Giants have finally finished their meat
grinder of a schedule portion, and will look
to come back home and play the frisky
Redskins. The Giants have recently held
the edge when going up against
Washington, as they have gone 4-2-1 in
their last 7 games. The Giants have just
played 6 brutal games, in which 4 will be
certain playoff teams and the other two
were divisional rivals. I really like the
ground game of the Giants to carry the day
against a Redskins team that allows 116
yards per game. I also love the vaunted
Giants pass rush going up against that
patchwork Redskins line, and a shaky Rex
Grossman on the road. I would lay the 7
here, as the Giants will blowout Washington
with ease.
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Sean
2011 Record: 27-21-3 (56.3%)
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Packers (-14) at Chiefs
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Jets at Eagles (-3)
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Cowboys (-7) at Bucs
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Packers -14
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Eagles -3
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Bucs +7
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Kansas City hasn't scored more than 10
points in a game since October, and now they
face the league's best offense. Not sure how
this game is only two touchdowns. I think
this line should be around 17-1/2 points. This
is a gift folks, and you won't get a game like
this often. The Packers won't miss Greg
Jennings this week, as they are very deep at
WR. Rodgers will have a big day picking apart
a banged up Chiefs defense and the Packers
should win this one with ease. I like the
Packers big on the road. 34-10
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The Eagles start their spoiling this weekend
with a win over the Jets. I also expect very
close games with the Giants and Cowboys
as well this weekend, so this is a must-win
for the Eagles if they want any chance at
coming back in the NFC East. Stranger
things have happened, and both the Giants
and Cowboys' schedules are difficult the
final three weeks. Mark Sanchez and the
Jets have been on a mini roll lately, but
that was against pretty bad competition. On
paper, the Eagles crush the Bills, Redskins
and Chiefs. This game might be for Andy
Reid's job and I see the Eagles stepping up
at home and winning this one late. 24-20.
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Dallas doesn't have that killer instinct to
put away people when they are up. We saw
it last week versus the Giants and we will
see it again this week on the road in
Tampa. Tampa has lost 7 straight games
and is 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games, BUT
I think with a healthy Josh Freeman back,
and being a prime time game they will
keep this game close if not win it outright.
Just when you thought Dallas was getting
healthy getting Miles Austin back, they lost
rookie RB DeMarco Murray for the season.
They are a different team with Felix Jones
as the primary ball carrier thats for sure.
They go from a well-balanced offense, to
more of a one dimensional passing
offense. I am calling for the Bucs in an
upset on another FG winner, this time in
overtime. 23-20
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