Admin December 5, 2024
Week 13 was a get-well week for Sporting News NFL game picks and predictions against the spread. Now, the trick is keeping up the momentum for a smaller 13-game slate in Week 14.
The rich kept getting richer in many instances, with the Lions, Bills, Chiefs, Eagles, Vikings, and Packers all coming through with big wins. Can they keep it up, or will some of these teams get cold along with the weather?
Kicking off the final five weeks of the 2024 regular season, here’s the latest fearless forecast of professional pigskin prognostications.
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NFL picks against the spread for Week 14
Game of Midweek
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Packers at Lions (-3.5, 51.5 o/u)
Thursday 8:15 p.m. ET, Amazon Prime Video
The Packers should come in confident with the Josh Jacobs-led running game and Jordan Love playing better complementary offense for the active, playmaking defense. Both Green Bay and Detroit should play rather clean games with the run setting up the pass. The Lions have the slight edge as the home, domed team in another tight Thursday division affair.
Pick: Lions win 27-24 but fail to cover the spread.
WEEK 14 FANTASY FOOTBALL RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/ST | Kickers
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Game of the Week: Chargers at Chiefs (-3.5, 43 o/u)
Sunday 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC
The Chargers and Chiefs both excel at winning ugly, defensive-minded games, reflecting the bottom-line mindset of their veteran, championship coaches, Jim Harbaugh and Andy Reid. This will be physical duel with limited scoring, but expect Patrick Mahomes to make one more clutch play than Justin Herbert in the fourth quarter.
Pick: Chiefs win 23-20 but fail to cover the spread.
MORE: Chiefs set record for one-score winning streak
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Lock of the Week: Eagles (-12.5, 45.5 o/u) over Panthers
Sunday 1 p.m. ET, Fox
The Eagles are the top rushing offense in the NFL with feature back Saquon Barkley on a single-season record pace. The Panthers got worse as the league’s absolute worst run defense last week. Nothing needs to give here, and the Panthers will also have trouble with Jalen Hurts by air and by ground on the road. Bryce Young has played well of late but runs into a buzzsaw defense in Philly.
Pick: Eagles win 38-14 and cover the spread.
MORE: Saquon Barkley outduels Derrick Henry, stays on record pace
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Upset of the Week: Giants (+5, 39.5 o/u) over Saints
Sunday 1 p.m. ET, Fox
The Giants will stay scrappy offensively regardless of who’s at quarterback as they try to finish strong for lame-duck coach Brian Daboll. They can move the ball decently and their defense gets a break here from a limited Saints offense without Taysom Hill (knee). New York needs to save some face before the season ends, and it takes this toss-up after getting in the face of Derek Carr.
Pick: Giants win 20-17.
MORE:
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Jaguars at Titans (-3.5, 40 o/u)
Sunday 1 p.m. ET, CBS
The Jaguars are trying to stay game offensively with several receivers down and now Trevor Lawrence (concussion) hurt again. Mac Jones will do his best again, but he’s facing a better young QB, Will Levis. Levis is making his case every week to remain the starter in Year 3 and should pick apart the Jaguars’ secondary with plenty more of big-play scoring target Nick Westbrook-Ikhine.
Pick: Titans win 24-17 and cover the spread.
MORE: Trevor Lawrence injury update | Doug Pederson calls out Azeez Al-Shaair after illegal hit
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Jets at Dolphins (-6.5, 45 o/u)
Sunday 1 p.m. ET, CBS
The Dolphins are fading out of the AFC playoff picture, but the Jets have suffered through unofficial elimination status for longer. Aaron Rodgers takes some lumps vs. a tough pass defense while Tua Tagovailoa exploits a struggling Jets’ front seven with intermediate passing. De’Von Achane will rip off his share of explosive plays, too.
Pick: Dolphins win 30-20 and cover the spread.
MORE JETS: Will Jets bench Aaron Rodgers?
MORE DOLPHINS: Tua Tagovailoa remains winless in cold-weather games
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Falcons at Vikings (-4.5, 45.5 o/u)
Sunday 1 p.m. ET, Fox
Kirk Cousins is playing poorly and struggling with interceptions going into his tough road game at his former home in Minnesota. Brian Flores and the Vikings’ defense will work to be aggressive to put pressure on him, but Cousins will rebound with a motivated performance to keep the NFC South leaders in the game. In the end, counterpart Sam Darnold gets to go to work on a weaker pass defense at home.
Pick: Vikings win 31-27 but fail to cover the spread.
MORE: Will Falcons bench Kirk Cousins?
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Browns at Steelers (-6.5, 41.5 o/u)
Sunday 1 p.m. ET, CBS
The Steelers will need to get that frustrating losing trip to Cleveland out of their heads after taking care of the Ravens and Bengals in key spots. The Browns’ defense won’t be as jacked during the day on the road, while Russell Wilson will stay on a heater against a defense that gives up a lot of field-stretching pass plays.
Pick: Steelers win 24-10 and cover the spread.
MORE: Mike Tomlin says George Pickens needs to ‘grow up’
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Raiders at Buccaneers (-7, 45 o/u)
Sunday 1 p.m. ET, CBS
The Buccaneers will plunder their fellow pirates in this rematch of Super Bowl 37. Baker Mayfield will grind through his injury and lean on the run to set up the big pass plays. Aidan O’Connell can keep playing well against a beatable pass defense, but he will be operating in a one-dimensional attack in getting volume opposite Mayfield.
Pick: Buccaneers win 27-17 and cover the spread.
MORE: NFC South playoff picture
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Seahawks at Cardinals (-2.5, 45.5)
Sunday 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS
The Seahawks have played well on the road of late with big wins over the 49ers and Jets, but they also ripped into the Cardinals defensively at home in the first meeting. Arizona is a different team in the desert, especially with the defense forcing more key turnovers off pressure. That adds up to Kyler Murray splitting with Geno Smith.
Pick: Cardinals win 20-17 and cover the spread.
MORE: NFC West playoff picture
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Bills (-4.5 o/u)at Rams
Sunday 4:25 p.m. ET, Fox
The Bills cannot be stopped by the Rams’ young defense — not with Josh Allen rolling and his offensive line protecting him well and also opening up the explosive running game for James Cook. The Rams can handle more limited offenses, but Buffalo, even with injuries around Allen, isn’t one of them. Los Angeles continued lack of home-field edge burns it again.
Pick: Bills win 28-20 and cover the spread.
MORE: Josh Allen makes MVP statement | Allen pulls off rare TD ‘hat trick’ | Allen starts himself in fantasy
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Bears at 49ers (-4.5, 44 o/u)
Sunday 4:25 p.m. ET, Fox
Caleb Williams will get to operate against an injury-riddled 49ers defense after feeling it plenty in Detroit last Thursday. The 49ers keep wilting with injuries that limit the offense, now losing Christian McCaffrey yet again. Williams handles a shaky secondary well with a pressure break, but Brock Purdy, George Kittle, and the other healthy leaders help San Francisco save some face.
Pick: 49ers win 24-20 but fail to cover the spread.
MORE 49ERS: Christian McCaffrey injury update
MORE BEARS: Caleb Williams offers glimpse of potential vs. Lions | Best Bears’ coaching candidates
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Bengals (-6, 48.5 o/u) at Cowboys
Monday 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC
The Bengals’ offense is doing everything it can to win, but the defense will let the Cowboys into the game with more weaknesses against the run and pass. Joe Burrow will see some Dallas pressure in his face to contain a few big plays, but Cooper Rush will succumb more to Trey Hendrickson and friends.
Pick: Bengals win 24-20 but fail to cover the spread.
MORE: Cowboys playoff picture | CeeDee Lamb injury update
Stats of the Week
- Week 13 record straight up: 13-2
- Week 13 record against the spread: 10-5
- Season-to-date straight up: 131-64
- Season-to-date against the spread: 96-94