Prisco’s Week 18 NFL picks: Steelers vs. Ravens prediction and more best bets
Picking the entire NFL roster over the final two weeks of the season is truly a challenge.
Who’s playing ? Where is the motivation? Which players have Cancun and Aruba in mind?
These are my apologies for having a terrible week 17. I went 7-8-1 ATS and 8-8 in a row. Not good.
My ATS record for the season is now 131-122-3, and my direct record is 167-88-1. The goal before the season was to at least surpass .500 in both categories. One is a lock. The ATS one is close.
So that means in one of the toughest weeks to pick matches, I have to bounce back.
Let’s just hope that with these choices I have understood who is thinking of tropical regions and not football.
Aruba, Jamaica, ooh I want to take you…anywhere but the NFL field.
Not yet, guys. One more week for some and even more for others. It’s just about trying to gauge the urge that’s making this week so difficult.
All NFL betting lines for Week 18 via DraftKings Sports Betting.
Both of these teams are playing good football, even though they were both eliminated. The Falcons beat the Rams on Monday night and looked good on both sides of the ball. The saints have found something at rookie passer Tyler Shough. I think he continues to play well as the Saints win late.
Take: Saints 23, Falcons 21
The Bills are purely playing for seeding, so it will be interesting to see how they handle this one. Do they sit Josh Allen? Is this important? The Jets are so bad right now that it won’t be. They are lifeless. Bills take it – no matter who plays.
Take: Bills 27, Jets 12
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The Bears are playing for seeding, while the Lions are looking to vacation spots. The Lions didn’t play well from the start, while the Bears played on offense. The Lions playing away have been a different team in recent years, but Chicago’s defense is not good right now. It’s a shootout, and the Bears take it.
Take: Bears 31, Lions 27
The Battle of the Ohio means nothing but pride. Both teams achieve impressive victories. The story here is whether Myles Garrett can get a sack to break the single-season sack record. Joe Burrow has played well, so expect that to continue. The Bengals win it, but Garrett gets the sack record.
Take: Bengals 30, Browns 24
The chargers have they decided they didn’t care about this gamesat Justin Herbert, as the Broncos play for the conference’s top seed after locking up the division last week. Look for this Denver defensive front to go after Trey Lance. It will be bad, with no real challenge for the Chargers.
Take: Broncos 30, Chargers 17
The Texans can still win the AFC South with a win and a loss for the Jaguars. The Colts are done, which is why they are signing rookie Riley Leonard. He will be overwhelmed by the Texans defense. It will be ugly. The Texans are great.
Take: Texans 30, Colts 13
If the Jaguars win this one, they will be AFC South champions. The Titans would love to spoil this party. But the Jaguars are one of the hottest teams in the league, and the Titans’ pass defense is a major problem. Look for a big game from Trevor Lawrence.
Take: Jaguars 31, Titans 17
The Rams will play their starters here after losing two games in a row. They need to get back on track. Matthew Stafford threw three interceptions Monday night, but this Arizona defense is in big trouble. Expect the Rams to start playing playoff-style football again.
Take: Rams 30, Cardinals 14
The Raiders must lose. Yes, they must lose. If they do, they get the first pick in the draft. The problem is, this version of the Chiefs isn’t very good. With Chris Oladokun at quarterback, they are still better than the Raiders. The leaders win.
Take: Chiefs 24, Raiders 16
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The Packers are stuck in seventh place, while the Vikings look ahead to the offseason. But Minnesota’s defense has been dominant over the past eight weeks. The Packers have quarterback injuries on a team that’s playing for nothing, so expect the Vikings to win behind their defense.
Take: Vikings 23, Packers 21
The Dolphins are playing for nothing, while the Patriots have a chance to move up to the top seed. The cold has been a problem for Miami, and it will be a challenge in terms of motivation. Look for the Patriots to roll here as Drake Maye continues his quest for the MVPbut Miami will score with the ground game.
Take: Patriots 28, Dolphins 19
The Cowboys are back on the road for a second straight week after beating the Commanders last week. This will be interim coach Mike Kafka’s final game in New York. The Giants played well in beating the Raiders, but this Cowboys team can score. Still, look for the Giants to stay close.
Take: Cowboys 29, Giants 27
The Eagles are playing for the eventual No. 2 seed, while the Commanders are playing for nothing. The Eagles beat the Commanders two weeks ago, and that will likely be the case here too. The Eagles need to get the offense going, and this is the perfect tonic for that. Big eagles.
Take: Eagles 29, Commanders 10
With the Steelers losing Sunday, it’s up for the division title and a playoff spot. The loser goes home. The status of Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson will be important here. If he plays with a bad back, how healthy will he be? The Steelers clearly missed DK Metcalf last week as he serves a two-game suspension, and he will be missed here. But the Ravens defense is a mess. The Steelers take him.
Take: Steelers 23, Ravens 17
