Week 17 NFL Picks

Week 17 brings a fresh challenge for NFL handicappers, with some teams motivated to win, others motivated to lose and sometimes the motivation can change befofe kick-off or at halftime.

The playoff ramifications of Week 17 games throws the point spread into chaos. The result is that making NFL picks in Week 17 can be very tricky. It can be very frustrating or it can be very profitable.

Green Bay is dogged at home. They are 14-1 and their top players will watch from the sidelines as the visiting Detroit Lions try to lock down a higher playoff seed.

It’s a nothing game for Green Bay, but doesn’t mean they are incapable of winning as 3.5-point pups – it just means they won’t break a sweat trying and certainly won’t risk an injury.

It makes the Americas Line scores predictor’s job tougher.

The computer struggled to a 9-7 ATS mark in Week 16 and it predicts the Packers will still win, the Patriots won’t cover the spread against Buffalo and Atlanta will rebound to cover a 13-point spread against Tampa Bay.

Watch also the playoff ramifications of each game. While the ‘must-win’ angle is often overstated in handicapping circles, you should be aware of each team’s situation.

Here are the Week 17 NFL predictions and results from the previous week below that. (Opening spread and total information courtesy of Bovada )

Road Score Home Score Spread ATS Total OU
Chicago 24.3 Minnesota 16.7 EV CHI 41 P
NY Jets 22.9 Miami 22.8 -2 NYJ 41.5 O
Washington 17.8 Philadelphia 24.4 -9 WAS 46 U
Tennessee 20.6 Houston 27.1 1.5 HOU 40.5 O
SF 49ers 27.7 St. Louis 4.3 12 SF 35.5 U
Indianapolis 7.6 Jacksonville 13.6 -5 JAC 37 U
Carolina 26.9 NewOrleans 38.6 -9.5 NO 55 O
Buffalo 23.1 NE Patriots 34.9 -13 BUF 51.5 O
Detroit 32.9 Green Bay 39.9 3.5 GB 46.5 O
Kansas City 11.8 Denver 15.3 -3 DEN 36.5 U
Seattle 20.8 Arizona 17.6 -3 SEA 41 U
San Diego 25.2 Oakland 20 -3 SD 49 U
Baltimore 27.5 Cincinnati 22.4 3 BAL 39 O
Tampa Bay 10.8 Atlanta 25.3 -13 ATL 46.5 U
Pittsburgh 23.5 Cleveland 11.5 OFF - OFF -
Dallas 26.3 NY Giants 22.1 -3 DAL 48 O

Week 16 picks, resulting in 9-7 ATS run by the Odds Shark computer.

Road Score Home Score Spread ATS Total OU Actual
Houston 28.8 Indianapolis 8 6.5 HOU 40 U 19-16 IND
Arizona 18.5 Cincinnati 22.4 -5.5 ARI 40 O 23-16 CIN
Cleveland 12.9 Baltimore 25.6 -13.5 CLE 39 U 20-14 BAL
Tampa Bay 13.2 Carolina 22.3 -7 CAR 49 U 48-16 CAR
Minnesota 14.4 Washington 18.9 -5.5 MIN 43.5 U 33-26 MIN
Miami 24.2 NE Patriots 33 -10.5 MIA 48.5 O 27-24 NE
St. Louis 5.3 Pittsburgh 22.9 -16.5 PIT 39 U 27-0 PIT
Denver 19.9 Buffalo 19.2 3 BUF 42.5 U 40-14 BUF
Oakland 17 Kansas City 12.5 -1 OAK 43 U 16-13 OAK
NY Giants 21.7 NY Jets 26.6 -3 NYJ 47 O 29-14 NYG
Jacksonville 12.7 Tennessee 18.9 -7.5 JAC 39 U 23-17 TEN
San Diego 28.2 Detroit 29.5 -3 SD 50.5 O 38-10 DET
Philadelphia 25.4 Dallas 26.9 -3 PHI 50.5 O 20-7 PHI
SF 49ers 29.2 Seattle 19.9 3 SF 38 O 19-17 SF
Chicago 26.3 Green Bay 37.8 -14 CHI 44 O 35-21 GB
Atlanta 29 NewOrleans 35.5 -7.5 ATL 53 O 45-16 NO