NFL spread picks, Week 16: The league's Saturday takeover has returned with a vengeance
We have reached the extremely weird time of year when the NFL decides it wants to takeover your Saturdays in addition to Sunday, Monday and Thursday.
Fortunately, the short rest shouldn’t have too much of an impact on the two games slated to go head-to-head with the College Football Playoff. The Houston Texans visiting Kansas City is always a draw. The same goes for whenever the Pittsburgh Steelers meet the Baltimore Ravens.
We’ll be keeping an eye on all of it. In the meantime, our panel of experts has found its stride again. Everyone is safely over .500 on the season. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of consensus in our Week 16 picks so the standings may not change much either way.
Here’s who we’re going with. Tail (or fade) responsibly.
| Name | Last Week | YTD |
| Blake Schuster | 8-8 | 122-98-3 |
| Christian D’Andrea | 7-9 | 122-98-3 |
| Charles Curtis | 8-8 | 116-104-3 |
| Robert Zeglinski | 10-6 | 115-105-3 |
| Prince Grimes | 11-5 | 114-106-3 |
| Cory Woodroof | 12-4 | 112-108-3 |
All odds via BetMGM
Denver Broncos at Los Angeles Chargers (Thursday Night)
Opening Line: Chargers -4
Blake Schuster: Chargers -2.5
I’m sticking with my promise to stop fading Jim Harbaugh this year. I do not feel good about it right now.
Prince Grimes: Broncos +2.5
The Chargers have scored exactly 17 points in three straight games and Denver has a better defense than any of those teams.
Charles Curtis: Broncos +2.5
This should be a close game between two AFC West rivals.
Cory Woodroof: Chargers -2.5
Los Angeles can stifle the Denver offense.
Robert Zeglinski: Broncos +2.5
The Chargers’ offense is stuck in mud enough for me to think that the Broncos can clinch their first playoff berth in years, even without competent quarterback play. That’s how good the Denver defense is.
Christian D’Andrea: Broncos +2.5
That Denver defense is enough to keep Justin Herbert stuck in neutral another week.
Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs (Saturday)
Opening Line: Chiefs -4
Blake Schuster: Texans +3
Between Mahomes’ injury and the Chiefs’ 6-8 record ATS, I simply cannot take Kansas City.
Prince Grimes: Texans +3
The Chiefs might win, but they’re 1-7 ATS in their last eight games. I’ll take the points.
Charles Curtis: Chiefs -3
Assuming Patrick Mahomes plays, this is kind of a no-brainer.
Cory Woodroof: Chiefs -3
Kansas City will get away with it again.
Robert Zeglinski: Chiefs -3
Patrick Mahomes, on a sprained ankle, is somehow still a top-10 quarterback. Words cannot properly describe my annoyance.
Christian D’Andrea: Chiefs -3
It sounds like Patrick Mahomes will play. No one is more dangerous on a sprained ankle.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens (Saturday)
Opening Line: Ravens -5.5
Blake Schuster: Steelers +6
Mike Tomlin rarely loses ATS as an underdog and you want me to believe it’ll happen in back to back weeks? Nice try.
Prince Grimes: Steelers +6
Just not willing to lay this many points against a division rivial the Ravens have struggled with.
Charles Curtis: Steelers +6
Way too big of a spread for a divisional game, even though the Ravens are good.
Cory Woodroof: Steelers +6
Ravens by a field goal, but not by six.
Robert Zeglinski: Steelers +6
This line is way too big for a Mike Tomlin team with the AFC North on the line. The Ravens should win, though.
Christian D’Andrea: Steelers +6
Which recent outcomes should we overreact to? The one where the Steelers have gained just 430 yards the last two weeks? Or the longer term trend that shows Pittsburgh hasn’t lost in Baltimore since 2019?
Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears
Opening Line: Lions -1
Blake Schuster: Bears +6.5
Fine, I’ll be the sucker here. This isn’t quite the get-right game Detroit thinks it is.
Prince Grimes: Lions -6.5
Detroit’s injuries will catch up to the team at some point. This game is not that point.
Charles Curtis: Lions -6.5
A good get-right game for a banged-up roster.
Cory Woodroof: Lions -6.5
Detroit will roll.
Robert Zeglinski: Lions -6.5
The Bears have unofficially waved the white towel. Detroit has not, even with all of its injuries.
Christian D’Andrea: Lions -6.5
Time for Detroit to work out the frustrations of last week’s loss to the Bills.
New York Giants at Atlanta Falcons
Opening Line: Falcons -4.5
Blake Schuster: Giants +8.5
That is a lot of points for a rookie QB to cover in his first start.
Prince Grimes: Giants +8.5
The Giants won’t get blown out by a rookie in his first start, right? RIGHT???
Charles Curtis: Giants +8.5
As much as I’d like to say Michael Penix Jr. covers in his first NFL start, it’s a good bet to take the points.
Cory Woodroof: Falcons -8.5
PENIX!
Robert Zeglinski: Falcons -8.5
The Giants are a perfect soft landing pad for a rookie quarterback making his first start in late December.
Christian D’Andrea: Falcons -8.5
The most Falcons thing to do here is build false hope by destroying a team that’s lost to luminary quarterbacks like Cooper Rush and Bryce Young this fall.
Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals
Opening Line: Bengals -3.5
Blake Schuster: Bengals -7.5
Joe Burrow looked furious at the end of last week’s game, which the Bengals won 37-27. Cleveland is in trouble.
Prince Grimes: Bengals -7.5
I’ve seen Dorian Thompson-Robinson play.
Charles Curtis: Bengals -7.5
The Browns are terrible and starting a third, not great quarterback.
Cory Woodroof: Bengals -7.5
Joe Burrow will do what’s necessary to cover here.
Robert Zeglinski: Bengals -7.5
Joe Burrow is PISSED and he’s about to take it out on the Browns. Stay out of his way.
Christian D’Andrea: Bengals -7.5
Dorian Thompson-Robinson is not good, and he doesn’t have Nick Chubb to help him.
Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts
Opening Line: Colts -4
Blake Schuster: Colts -3.5
I guess? I don’t know, man. Don’t watch this one.
Prince Grimes: Colts -3.5
Who cares, honestly.
Charles Curtis: Titans +3.5
[Throws hands up, plays Eeny Meeny Miny Moe, makes pick.]
Cory Woodroof: Colts -3.5
Rudolph won’t help this Christmas.
Robert Zeglinski: Colts -3.5
Two hopeless teams with three awful quarterbacks combined. The National. Football. League. Feel the fever!
Christian D’Andrea: Colts -3.5
Both these teams have more talent than their rosters suggest. But Indy has the ability to turn on the afterburners here and keep its playoff hopes alive.
Los Angeles Rams at New York Jets
Opening Line: Jets -3
Blake Schuster: Rams -3.5
The tank resumes in New York.
Prince Grimes: Rams -3.5
Excited to see Matthew Stafford put Aaron Rodgers to shame in the old quarterback bowl.
Charles Curtis: Rams -3.5
The Jets winning last week didn’t change much for me.
Cory Woodroof: Rams -3.5
Los Angeles is a threat right now.
Robert Zeglinski: Rams -3.5
The Rams are red-hot and look like a legitimate NFC dark horse. Aaron Rodgers is still picking years-old fights because he can’t accept how washed he is.
Christian D’Andrea: Rams -3.5
The Jets defense just wants to get to winter break. It’s tough to blame them.
Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Commanders
Opening Line: Eagles -3.5
Blake Schuster: Commanders +3.5
I can’t turn down a home underdog in a divisional game. Even if that dog is the charred remains of Kliff Kingsbury’s playbook.
Prince Grimes: Eagles -3.5
The Commanders have proven themselves to be perfectly mid. Which should be good enough to get them to the playoffs but not hang with the Eagles.
Charles Curtis: Commanders +3.5
The Eagles look like a true contender, but I think Jayden Daniels finds a way to cover.
Cory Woodroof: Eagles -3.5
Philly has what it needs to win here.
Robert Zeglinski: Eagles -3.5
By virtue of health alone, Philadelphia might be the NFC’s best team right now. I like Jayden Daniels and Dan Quinn together, but Washington doesn’t have enough horses to win this big of a game yet.
Christian D’Andrea: Eagles -3.5
The Philly D should be able to handle Washington’s top-heavy attack if the Saints could do it last week.
Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers
Opening Line: Cardinals -1
Blake Schuster: Panthers +4
Kyler Murray thinks 35 degrees is too cold. Sir, not even water thinks that is too cold.
Prince Grimes: Cardinals -4
Look away, Sir Purr.
Charles Curtis: Cardinals -4
Uhhhh, sure?
Cory Woodroof: Cardinals -4
The Panthers have come back to Earth.
Robert Zeglinski: Cardinals -4
Bryce Young fell off a cliff with a four-turnover performance last week. I don’t think he’ll be that bad again, but Arizona deserves more faith, even in a middling season.
Christian D’Andrea: Panthers +4
Carolina got pantsed last week, but that doesn’t erase the progress of the previous month.
Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks
Opening Line: Seahawks -3
Blake Schuster: Seahawks +3
Seattle bounces back against the NFC North after getting trounced by Green Bay last week.
Prince Grimes: Vikings -3
Minny just a tier above the Seahawks.
Charles Curtis: Vikings -3
Don’t look now, but Minnesota seems like a dark horse in the NFC.
Cory Woodroof: Vikings -3
Minny is GOOD.
Robert Zeglinski: Seahawks +3
Geno Smith is healthy and the Vikings are traveling cross-country for this. I’m not about to count out a Seattle team with its back against the wall.
Christian D’Andrea: Vikings -3
If the Packers could do it against a full-strength Geno Smith, the Vikings can do it against a semi-injured one.
New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills
Opening Line: Bills -8.5
Blake Schuster: Bills -14
Old enough to remember when the Pats would lay 14 points in Buffalo and it still didn’t feel like a fair fight.
Prince Grimes: Bills -14
Jerod Mayo might want to retire after what the Bills are gonna do to the Pats in Buffalo.
Charles Curtis: Bills -14
A lot of points, but Buffalo at home and general Patriots stinkiness makes this one an easy pick.
Cory Woodroof: Bills -14
Sorry, Pats.
Robert Zeglinski: Bills -14
Josh Allen is going to do some dastardly things to Jerod Mayo’s defense, who somehow makes no decisions about how HIS offense should be operated as the head coach.
Christian D’Andrea: Bills -14
My prediction? Pain.
Jacksonville Jaguars at Las Vegas Raiders
Opening Line: Jaguars -1
Blake Schuster: Jaguars +1
The NFL Sickos Game of the Week.
Prince Grimes: Raiders -1
Ew.
Charles Curtis: Jaguars +1
Do I have to pick this game? Really? OK.
Cory Woodroof: Jaguars +1
Easy money…maybe?
Robert Zeglinski: Jaguars +1
Mac Jones getting any faith in big 2024. What a world.
Christian D’Andrea: Jaguars +1
If you watch this game voluntarily your local cable provider reports you to a panel of psychiatrists.
San Francisco 49ers at Miami Dolphins
Opening Line: 49ers -1
Blake Schuster: Dolphins -1
The Niners are running out of tailbacks. Maybe Frank Gore has one more game left in him?
Prince Grimes: 49ers +1
The Niners aren’t good but they do have a lot of pride.
Charles Curtis: Dolphins -1
Another one I have no idea about. I’ll take the home team.
Cory Woodroof: Dolphins -1
This one will be close as heck.
Robert Zeglinski: 49ers +1
Tua Tagovailoa isn’t trustworthy if his All-Pro receivers can’t win every week. I think the 49ers respond with a ton of pride after the De’Vondre Campbell fiasco.
Christian D’Andrea: Dolphins -1
Two untrustable teams. Miami’s got slightly brighter playoff hopes and is at home.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Dallas Cowboys (Sunday Night)
Opening Line: Cowboys -4.5
Blake Schuster: Buccaneers -4
I don’t think people appreciate Baker’s dedication to crushing everything Texas football fans love.
Prince Grimes: Buccaneers -4
In Baker Mayfield we trust.
Charles Curtis: Buccaneers -4
Can’t back the Cowboys, especially with the Bucs in the middle of a playoff push.
Cory Woodroof: Buccaneers -4
The Cowboys aren’t going to win this…right?
Robert Zeglinski: Buccaneers -4
If Tampa Bay had even a slightly better record, we’d be talking about Baker Mayfield in the MVP conversation. What a story.
Christian D’Andrea: Buccaneers -4. Tampa Bay just destroyed the Chargers on the road and now gets a much worse team.
New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers (Monday Night)
Opening Line: Packers -5
Blake Schuster: Packers -14.5
It’s so many points, but after what Green Bay just did to Seattle I have no choice.
Prince Grimes: Packers -14.5
GB’s last three wins have come by an average of 19 points, so sure, why not?
Charles Curtis: Packers -14.5
I didn’t even look to see who was at QB for the Saints.
Cory Woodroof: Saints +14.5
This is too big. Packers by 10.
Robert Zeglinski: Packers -14.5
Green Bay might be the NFC’s second-best team. It doesn’t matter who’s playing quarterback for the Saints, who cannot run competent plays with the game on the line for the life of them.
Christian D’Andrea: Saints +14.5
New Orleans has some talent and has been playing teams tough under Darren Rizzi. Not tough enough to win all that much, but still.