MyBookie Head Oddsmaker, David Strauss, stops by to break down the remaining Week 16 match-ups
Joe Johnson
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From MyBookie Head Oddsmaker, David Strauss
The penultimate week of the NFL regular season is upon us, and while we won’t get all the answers we want this weekend, we will see some more teams clinch while others officially miss out on the postseason. The Kansas City Chiefs have a shot at clinching the #1 seed in the AFC this weekend, which is not good news for the other teams making in the playoffs in that conference. Having to go to Arrowhead Stadium at any time is tough but being made to go there in a playoff run against the defending Super Bowl champions is even less appealing. It’s going to be another big weekend, so let’s get to started by making some picks against the spread for Week 16 so you can make your bets against their NFL odds.
NFL 2020 Week 16 ATS Picks Expert Analysis
Chicago Bears (-7 ½) at Jacksonville Jaguars
As we just mentioned, the Chicago Bears are clinging to life in the NFC playoff race, but they probably need to win out to have a real shot at sneaking in. They couldn’t have asked for a better matchup to get the first of those wins, as they will be on the to face a Jacksonville team that has now lost 13 in a row. Furthermore, with the Jets winning last week, the Jags are now in pole position for the first pick in the NFL draft, so how motivated are they going to be to win this one? Jacksonville is just 4-8 against the spread in their last 12 games, while the Bears have covered in 4 of their last 6 meetings with the Jaguars, I think all of that adds up to the Bears winning and covering.
Buffalo Bills (-7) at New England Patriots
There is something very strange about reaching this stage of the season and seeing the New England Patriots eliminated from playoff contention. It looks as though they have a rather daunting rebuild job on their hands starting this offseason, while the Buffalo Bills look like a team that has a legitimate shot at winning the Super Bowl. This is an opportunity for the Bills to clinch the #2 seed in the AFC, so you can bet that they are going to be highly motivated ahead of this game. They have been on fire of late and have now covered the spread in each of their last 6 games. On the flipside, the Patriots are 4-8 ATS int their last 12 games played in the month of December.
NFL 2020 Week 16 O/U Picks Expert Analysis
Atlanta Falcons at Kansas City Chiefs (OVER 53 ½)
The Chiefs are putting together another fantastic regular season, with just 1 loss to this point, but they will be well aware that making it back to the Super Bowl is not guaranteed. The Chiefs are not really blowing teams out that often and are finding themselves in close battles, just as they were this past weekend against the Saints. The Chiefs have now seen the OVER hit in 4 of their last 6 games. The Atlanta Falcons are sputtering towards the finish line and have now lost 3 in a row. They have not been great offensively of late, but I think they put enough points on the board to help take this one OVER.
NFL Betting | Straight-Up Picks for Week 16 of the 2020 Season
Washington Football Team over Carolina Panthers
For a while, it looked as though no team really wanted to win the NFC East. As we head into the final 2 weeks of the season, we suddenly have a race on our hands. The Washington Football Team holds top spot, which means a postseason berth, right now, but the Dallas Cowboys are breathing down their neck after winning 2 in a row. Washington is coming off a loss to Seattle, which was not a surprise, but they had won 4 in a row prior to that one. The Carolina Panthers are an absolute mess at the moment and are on a 3-game losing skid, as well as losing 8 of the last 9. The bookies have this as a close one, but I think it will be Washington that comes away with the win as they look to tighten their grip on the division.
Seattle Seahawks over LA Rams
This is a game that could decide the NFC West, but it could have been a much bigger game had the Rams not hurt their chances over the weekend. The Seahawks were able to grind out a win over Washington and have now won 4 of their last 5 games. The Rams had won 4 of 5 prior to the weekend, and it certainly looked as thoughtthey were a lock against the winless Jets. That’s not how things played out, though, as the Rams inexplicably lost 23-20 in that one. They did beat the Seahawks earlier this season, but they are on the road this time against a Seattle team that can clinch the division with a win. I do not see the Seahawks passing up that opportunity.
Philadelphia Eagles over Dallas Cowboys
The Philadelphia Eagles are not going to win the NFC East, but they can play a role in deciding who eventually lands in the top spot. The Dallas Cowboys are once again back in the hunt after winning each of their last 2 games, but they realistically need to win out to overtake Washington and get the playoff spot which goes to the division winner. While the Cowboys have home field advantage in this one, they are going against an Eagles team that has suddenly come to life with Jalen Hurts under center, Philly has just 1 win on the road this season, but I think they head into Dallas and destroy the party for the Cowboys.