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 stil