The NFL schedule in Week 10 presents a handful of games that will be anything but difficult to watch, with some intriguing matchups highlighting the slate on Sunday and Monday. Yet, as usual, it includes some games that are difficult for picks and predictions.
Based on the opening lines for Week 10 at Sportsbook Review, six games opened with point spreads of four points of fewer. Those toss-ups, thankfully, are balanced by a handful of relatively easy picks; the Ravens, Saints and Colts opened as double-digit favorites over the Bengals, Falcons and Dolphins, respectively.
MORE: Get the latest NFL odds & betting advice at Sportsbook Review
Between Seahawks vs. 49ers, Vikings vs. Cowboys, Rams vs. Steelers, Bills vs. Browns, Panthers vs. Packers and even Giants vs. Jets, Week 10 in the NFL is nothing if not intriguing. We hope it'll be equally successful when it comes to predictions.
Here are our Week 10 NFL picks straight up, all the way through the Monday night game in San Francisco.
NFL picks, predictions for Week 10
- Los Angeles Chargers (-1) at Oakland Raiders
Thursday, 8:20 p.m. ET, Fox, NFL Network, Amazon Prime Video
Before it shifted in LA's favor, this game opened as a pick 'em with good reason. Neither the 4-4 Raiders nor the 4-5 Chargers are expected to keep up with the Chiefs in the AFC West, but both are still contenders for a wild card. Los Angeles entered the season with higher expectations, and coming off consecutive refreshing wins, Anthony Lynn's bunch is starting to look like the team many expected it to be. Quietly, the Chargers have a top-10 scoring defense. That will be the key against a good-but-not-unstoppable Raiders offense.
Prediction: Chargers 23, Raiders 17
- Baltimore Ravens (-10) at Cincinnati Bengals
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
The tale of this tape is simple. The Bengals have the NFL's worst rush defense, and the Ravens have the league's best running game. Cincinnati also has one of the league's worst offenses, and we have no reason to believe the switch to Ryan Finley at quarterback will matter against a Baltimore defense that just handled Tom Brady and New England with relative ease. The Bengals are the healthier team coming off their bye and will have home field, but neither advantage will matter.
Prediction: Ravens 28, Bengals 14
- Buffalo Bills at Cleveland Browns (-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
The Browns need to win this game. Yet, they needed to beat the Broncos, too, and we all know what happened in Denver. Cleveland has hit a new low point this season, which is why it opened as a favorite at home against a team that has four more wins; oddsmakers are assuming the Browns will put up a fight with their season on the line. But this also is a chance for the Bills to earn a statement win with one of if not the NFL's best defense.
Prediction: Bills 24, Browns 20
- Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints (-12 1/2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Fox
We're surprised Dan Quinn reached Week 10 without getting fired; Falcons owner Arthur Blank evidently concluded during the bye week that the players' respect for the head coach outweighs such a disappointing first half of the season. The second half begins with a matchup against a rival that happens to be arguably the best team in the NFL. Atlanta, on the heels of some coaching personnel tweaks, will be fired up and motivated to pull off what would be a stunning upset in New Orleans. But that's the only advantage the Falcons have, and it's not enough. The Saints, remember, are fresh off their bye week, too.
Prediction: Saints 30, Falcons 21
- New York Giants (-1 1/2) at New York Jets
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Fox
For a matchup of two teams that are so bad, Giants vs. Jets is about as interesting as it gets. Part of the reason is the ineptitude that's engulfing Gang Green; many in New York already want coach Adam Gase fired after the embarrassment in Miami, and a loss to the team's NFC counterpart could do the trick. The Giants are bad defensively, and the Jets could simply beat them with Le'Veon Bell. But why would they do that?
Prediction: Giants 20, Jets 14
- Kansas City Chiefs at Tennessee Titans (TBD)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
This spread is a late arrival thanks to the doubt surrounding Patrick Mahomes' status. The Chiefs very well might get the return of their MVP quarterback against the Titans, but even if they don't, Matt Moore's steady play is sufficient for a win in Tennessee. Tyreek Hill — a problem for all teams, to be fair — will be impossible for the Titans' banged-up secondary to contain. On the other side, a vulnerable KC run defense will focus on containing Derrick Henry just like it did against Dalvin Cook.
Prediction: Chiefs 27, Titans 21
- Arizona Cardinals at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Fox
The Cardinals and Buccaneers were the most impressive losers in the NFL last week, with Arizona nearly upsetting San Francisco and Tampa Bay taking Seattle to overtime. So neither team's record is reflective of its confidence. Both of these defenses tend to struggle, but the Bucs have been solid against the run, and the Cards can't match up against Tampa's receivers. Bruce Arians will get a satisfying win against his former team.
Prediction: Buccaneers 34, Cardinals 28
- Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears (-2 1/2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
This is the Bears' first NFC North game since their 16-6 win over the Vikings in late September. That feels so long ago. Chicago, loser of four straight games, is on the verge of a total collapse, and if Matt Nagy's team isn't already there, a home loss to Detroit might do the trick. As bad as the Bears' offense has been, in theory, it should produce against the NFL's second worst defense in terms of yards allowed. Chicago's bigger problem in this game is the Lions' top-five offense against a suddenly imperfect Bears defense.
Prediction: Lions 26, Bears 24
- Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts (-10 1/2)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS
The Dolphins need to take it easy with that winning stuff; they no longer have the inside track for the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft after their victory over the somehow equally inept Jets. Fortunately they draw the Colts, who with or without quarterback Jacoby Brissett should have no problem against what is still the league's worst scoring defense. Indianapolis needs to get back on track in the playoff hunt following its loss in Pittsburgh. This is the perfect chance.
Prediction: Colts 27, Dolphins 17
- Los Angeles Rams (-3 1/2) at Pittsburgh Steelers
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, Fox
This is the first leg of a tricky two-week stretch for the Steelers, who after facing the defending NFC champions Sunday have to go to Cleveland on a short week to play a desperate rival on a Thursday night. Los Angeles and Pittsburgh are close to equal defensively, so the difference will be a Rams offense that, aside from Brandin Cooks, is at full strength coming out of a bye week. Good coaching will allow the Steelers to keep it close, but a late Greg Zuerlein field goal will be the difference. (Also, Aaron Donald tends to play well at Heinz Field.)
Prediction: Rams 23, Steelers 20
- Carolina Panthers at Green Bay Packers (-5)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, Fox
The Panthers probably wish the Packers would have waited an extra week to receive their wake-up call. Green Bay was embarrassed in Los Angeles, and against a leaky Carolina defense that has been relying on turnovers, Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Jones and Co. are set up for a convincing rebound back at Lambeau. Cam Newton was in Green Bay last week getting his foot examined, but he won't be there Sunday to help Christian McCaffrey and the Panthers pull off the upset.
Prediction: Packers 31, Panthers 21
- Minnesota Vikings at Dallas Cowboys (-2 1/2)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC
In theory, this game between two NFC contenders should be close, which is bad news for the team that has a quarterback with an 0-10-1 record when trailing in the fourth quarter with his current squad. That's Kirk Cousins, who has earned his reputation as a player who wilts in big, prime-time games. A Sunday night in Dallas, a spot in which Dak Prescott typically thrives, certainly qualifies. With both teams facing stingy defenses, the Cowboys will make more big plays.
Prediction: Cowboys 28, Vikings 24
- Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers (-6)
Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN
Somewhat lost in the shadow of Russell Wilson's MVP-caliber play this season has been a shaky Seahawks defense that's allowing 25.6 points per game. While Seattle represents San Francisco's biggest test yet, the NFL's last remaining undefeated team this season won't have to deal with much resistance at home Monday night. Wilson, meanwhile, will need to be more magical than usual against a defense that can get to him without blitzing. He'll get his share of highlights, but they won't be enough.
Pick: 49ers 26, Seahawks 17