Steelers at Vikings
The Steelers looked like they were still alive in their push to make the playoffs last week in their win over the Ravens. The defense played really well, and while the offense struggled at times, they seemed to figure things out late in the game. The Vikings, on the other hand, had their worst game of the season in a loss to the Lions. Funnily enough, the Steelers and the Vikings are the only teams in the NFL that have played the Lions and failed to come away with a win. This game should be close, but with the injuries to Dalvin Cook and Adam Thielen, the Vikings aren’t the same offense, so the Steelers have the edge.
Expert Prediction: Steelers 17, Vikings 14
Analytics-Based Prediction: Vikings 24, Steelers 23
Saints at Jets
The Saints have been one of the worst teams in the NFL since Jameis Winston’s injury, but they haven’t played any atrocious teams since the injury. This game against the Jets will be a chance for the Saints to prove that they are still significantly better than the league’s worst teams. New York will likely struggle to stop Taysom Hill from running the ball effectively, and on the other side of the ball, this defense is much better than the Jets offense. New Orleans should be able to win with ease.
Expert Prediction: Saints 28, Jets 10
Analytics-Based Prediction: Saints 24, Jets 3
Falcons at Panthers
The Falcons and the Panthers have both looked really bad recently. The Falcons’ only win in the last four games was against the Jaguars. The Panthers had an impressive win over the Cardinals, albeit without Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins, but that game seemed like more of a fluke than an indication that Carolina is good. This game will be close because it’s a divisional matchup between two teams that are roughly on par, so the winner is more likely than not going to be the home team.
Expert Prediction: Panthers 25, Falcons 24
Analytics-Based Prediction: Falcons 27, Panthers 25
Seahawks at Texans
Last week the Seahawks started to show some life. Russell Wilson looked like he was close to returning to form and Seattle was able to pull off an upset to beat the 49ers. It’s probably too late for them to make a playoff push, but they can possibly end the season strong. The Texans have been horrible all year, and given how well the Seahawks played last week, Houston doesn’t really have a chance.
Expert Prediction: Seahawks 30, Texans 17
Analytics-Based Prediction: Seahawks 34, Texans 14
Raiders at Chiefs
The Chiefs offense has really struggled recently, with their win over the Raiders earlier this year being their only impressive showing recently. The defense has played well, but they haven’t done enough to prove that they’re a top unit. The Chiefs defense has gone from one of the worst in the league to one of the best in the league in the middle of the season, so it’s very hard to believe that they’ll be able to sustain this for the rest of the year. Odds are that they fall back down to earth and become an average to above-average unit. The Raiders will put up a better performance this week because they don’t have as many off-the-field issues to deal with. That being said, Kansas City should still win this game because Vegas has been far from a high-end team recently.
Expert Prediction: Chiefs 27, Raiders 17
Analytics-Based Prediction: Chiefs 30, Raiders 12
Ravens at Browns
The Ravens simply aren’t a very good team. They’ve been decimated with injuries and they’ve performed significantly worse than their record would indicate. Baltimore has won multiple games that they shouldn’t have won, and eventually that luck will run out. With Marlon Humphrey’s injury, this defense won’t be nearly as good as it has been. The Browns almost went into Baltimore and beat the Ravens two weeks ago, so with Marlon Humphrey’s injury and the fact that Cleveland is now playing at home, expect the Browns to win this one.
Expert Prediction: Browns 21, Ravens 17
Analytics-Based Prediction: Ravens 20, Browns 17
Cowboys at Washington
This game is looking a lot more interesting than many thought it would be early this season. If Washington somehow sweeps the Cowboys, they’ll probably win the NFC East. Dallas has massively fallen off and no longer looks like a Super Bowl-contender. Washington, on the other hand, is on a four game win streak over some very solid teams. This will be a close game, and it’s hard to know whether or not Taylor Heinicke can rise to the occasion. Dak Prescott will, and because of that, Dallas has a slight edge.
Expert Prediction: Cowboys 28, Washington 27
Analytics-Based Prediction: Cowboys 38, Washington 27
Jaguars at Titans
The Titans might be one of the worst teams in the NFL right now given their injuries. By the time the playoffs roll around that’ll be different, but they have a chance to lose many games until then. Julio Jones is coming back, but he’s not the same player he once was. That addition won’t mean much. The Jaguars will certainly have a chance to win this game given how poorly Tennessee has played. Given their win over the Bills and the fact that they kept it close against the Colts and the Falcons, Jacksonville is due for another win. Because of that, the Jaguars have a slight advantage.
Expert Prediction: Jaguars 23, Titans 20
Analytics-Based Prediction: Titans 31, Jaguars 20
Giants at Chargers
The Chargers looked really good last week against the Bengals, and they’ll need to keep winning to stay alive in a crowded AFC. The Giants will likely be without Daniel Jones again this week, so this offense will really struggle. The Chargers are at risk of having Keenan Allen unavailable because of Covid, but either way, they’re without a doubt the better team. Expect Los Angeles to win in a blowout.
Expert Prediction: Chargers 37, Giants 10
Analytics-Based Prediction: Chargers 44, Giants 9
Lions at Broncos
The Lions finally got their win. After so many close games, they were bound to eventually win one. The Broncos, on the other hand, looked really bad last week. Their offense couldn’t get anything going against the Chiefs defense, so they lost despite Kansas City’s offense struggling. The Lions will probably keep this game close like they usually do, but Denver will probably win given how poorly the Lions have played in close games. Maybe the win will turn things around for Detroit, but it seems unlikely.
Expert Prediction: Broncos 27, Lions 24
Analytics-Based Prediction: Broncos 28, Lions 24
49ers at Bengals
The 49ers and the Bengals both looked horrible last week, with the Bengals being destroyed by the Chargers and the 49ers losing to the Seahawks. Both teams will look to redeem themselves this week. The 49ers were without Deebo Samuel last week, but there’s a chance that he plays in this game. Prior to their loss, the 49ers had been on a solid win streak, whereas the Bengals had been pretty inconsistent. Since the 49ers have been more consistent recently, they seem more likely to win this game, regardless of whether or not Deebo Samuel plays.
Expert Prediction: 49ers 30, Bengals 28
Analytics-Based Prediction: Bengals 31, 49ers 30
Bills at Buccaneers
The Bills looked awful last week, there’s no other way to put it. If you lose to a team that only threw the ball three times, you are massively flawed. Buffalo knew exactly what the Patriots were going to do and they couldn’t stop it. They simply lack the physicality necessary to beat run-heavy teams. The Buccaneers love to pass the ball, but they can run it if they need to. Expect a big game from Leonard Fournette. With the Bills missing Tre White, Tampa Bay will also be able to test them through the air. On the other side of the ball, Tampas Bay has struggled against the pass, which is Buffalo’s strength, so the Bills will be able to move the ball. Ultimately, this game should be relatively close, and the Buccaneers are at home with Tom Brady, so they’ll probably find a way to win.
Expert Prediction: Buccaneers 37, Bills 34
Analytics-Based Prediction: Buccaneers 40, Bills 33
Bears at Packers
The Bears were horrible against the Cardinals last week. The weather conditions were bad and the Cardinals are from Arizona, yet Chicago looked like the team that couldn’t handle the conditions. Things won’t be much easier against the Packers, who are arguably better than the Cardinals and have owned the Bears for years. Expect this game to be over by halftime, with Green Bay proceeding to run the clock out.
Expert Prediction: Packers 34, Bears 13
Analytics-Based Prediction: Packers 33, Bears 10
Rams at Cardinals
This might be the game of the year in the NFC West. The Cardinals seem to have the division locked up, but it’ll still be a very good game with massive playoff implications. If the Rams lose, they’ll be at risk of missing the postseason, and if Arizona loses, they’ll be at serious risk of losing the NFC’s top seed. Arizona has looked good all year, but there are concerns about whether or not they can sustain this level of play for an entire season. The Rams, on the other hand, have looked horrible recently. Their win over the Jaguars changes nothing. This game will be close, but the Cardinals have been the better team recently, so they have a slight edge.
Expert Prediction: Cardinals 34, Rams 33
Analytics-Based Prediction: Cardinals 30, Rams 24