Which teams will get above .500 in Week 14?
There are a total of seven 6-6 teams that have our attention heading into the final five weeks of the NFL regular season.
That includes Buffalo and Denver in the AFC. Both teams are outside the playoff picture for now, and they have tough road tests. The Bills head to Kansas City, and Denver travels to face the divisional-rival Chargers. Both those games are in the CBS afternoon window.
The NFC has the other five teams. Atlanta is the NFC South division leader, and they can expand on that against Tampa Bay in Week 14. Minnesota, Green Bay, Los Angeles and Seattle are the rest of that cluster in order, and all four teams are on the road this week. Those are hidden gems in the playoff race, and Sporting News picked two of those teams to win this week.
Each week, Sporting News picks every NFL matchup by the spread. A look at our track record this season heading into Week 14:
- Straight up: 122-71 (7-6 in Week 13)
- ATS: 96-91-6 (4-7-1 in Week 13)
Here are our straight-up picks for Week 14 (odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook)
POWER RANKINGS: 49ers jump Eagles at top; Packers, Colts keep rising
NFL picks, predictions for Week 14
- New England Patriots at Pittsburgh Steelers (-6)
Thursday, 8:15 p.m., Prime Video
Remember when this was the marquee quarterback event in the NFL? Now, you have two of the leagues’ worst scoring offenses – the Patriots (12.3 ppg) are, in fact, the worst. Pittsburgh (16.0 ppg) is not much better and will have Mitchell Trubisky for the injured Kenny Pickett on a short week. Will it be Bailey Zappe for the Patriots?
Pick: Steelers 17, Patriots 10
Result: Patriots 21, Steelers 18
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons (-2.5)
Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS
Atlanta won the first meeting 16-13 on Oct. 22, and a victory here would provide cushion in the NFC South race. The Buccaneers have lost their last four road games, and the defense is not creating enough turnovers. The Falcons are 2-0 ATS since turning back to Desmond Ridder as the starter.
Pick: Falcons 21, Buccaneers 18
- Detroit Lions (-3.5) at Chicago Bears
Sunday, 1 p.m., Fox
Why is this line so low? The Lions have the look of a Super Bowl contender – and they are 5-1 S/U on the road this season. Chicago blew a 12-point fourth-quarter lead against Detroit on Nov. 19 and had a bye week to prepare. Simple stat to track: Detroit is 7-1 when it has one turnover or less. If Jared Goff plays clean, then they will cruise here.
Pick: Lions 31, Bears 19
- Indianapolis Colts (-2.5) at Cincinnati Bengals
Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS
The Colts have pushed into the AFC playoff with four straight road victories – including three road wins – with Gardner Minshew at the controls. Cincinnati is adjusting to life without Joe Burrows, but their three home losses are by a combined total of 12 points. This feels like a trap game for the Colts.
Pick: Bengals 21, Colts 20
- Jacksonville Jaguars (-3) at Cleveland Browns
Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS
The Browns have played three quarterbacks over the last three weeks, and it’s starting to show. Those quarterbacks have a combined completion percentage of 51.9% the last three weeks. There is always the Jacksonville-in-cold-weather factor, and if Trevor Lawrence (ankle) misses this game we will go with the Browns at home.
Pick: Browns 28, Jaguars 26
- Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints (-5.5)
Sunday, 1 p.m., Fox
New Orleans beat Carolina 20-17 in the first meeting in Week 1. Derek Carr is in concussion protocol while dealing with back and shoulder injuries, so this could be a battle of Heisman Trophy winners with Jameis Winston and Bryce Young. Will they argue about Florida State and Alabama afterward? Look for the Panthers to cover in yet another one-score loss.
Pick: Saints 20, Panthers 17
- Houston Texans (-6) at New York Jets
Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS
The Texans have won four of five games and continue to prove their playoff worth with rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud. The Jets have 9.7 points per game in six games since their bye week – and neither Tim Boyle nor Trevor Siemian is the answer at quarterback. The Texans are 1-4 ATS as a favorite, but we’ll trust that offense on the road.
Pick: Texans 27, Jets 14
- Los Angeles Rams at Baltimore Ravens (-7)
Sunday, 1 p.m., Fox
The Rams have found a rhythm with three straight victories since the bye week. The running game has picked up around Kyren Williams, who averages 6.2 yards per carry the last two weeks. Los Angeles also has allowed 76 rushing yards per game in that stretch. Baltimore had a bye week and is 7-4 ATS as a favorite this season. It feels like a tighter game than expected, even with the early kickoff for Los Angeles.
Pick: Ravens 28, Rams 23
- Minnesota Vikings (-3) at Las Vegas Raiders
Sunday, 4:05 p.m., Fox
Both teams are coming off bye weeks, and this will be a quarterback matchup between Joshua Dobbs and Aidan O’Connell. That makes it a toss-up-by-turnovers type game. O’Connell has thrown just one interception in three home starts, and Joshua Dobbs had five interceptions in Minnesota’s last two losses. Who protects the football? This is one of the more difficult picks of the week.
Pick: Vikings 21, Raiders 17
- Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers (-10.5)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m., Fox
San Francisco has outscored opponents 134-49 since the bye week – an impressive four-game winning streak where Brock Purdy owns a 74.1% completion percentage with 11 TDs and one interception. San Francisco won the first meeting 31-13, and they are at home. There is value in the underdog, but it’s hard to bet against the 49ers – who are 2-1 ATS when favored by double digits. We’re going to try with a desperate Seattle team.
Pick: 49ers 34, Seahawks 24
- Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs (-2.5)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m., CBS
The Chiefs have lost two of three games, and the defense has created just one turnover in those games. Patrick Mahomes still has 14 TDs and four interceptions at home – where the Chiefs will be looking to avoid a third loss at Arrowhead this season. Buffalo had a bye week to get ready, but the Bills are 1-4 S/U in true road games.
Pick: Chiefs 29, Bills 24
- Denver Broncos at Los Angeles Chargers (-2.5)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m., CBS
The home team has won each of the last six meetings in this series, and that explains why the Chargers are favored coming off a 6-0 victory against New England. Denver is still in the playoff hunt. Russell Wilson’s numbers haven’t been as good on the road, but he might just be good enough to beat that trend this week.
Pick: Broncos 24, Chargers 22
- Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys (-3.5)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m., NBC
The always-compelling NFC East rivalry hits prime time, but Jalen Hurts is in concussion protocol. Hurts’ status could leave to major line movement if he is out – because the Eagles would have to turn to Marcus Mariota at Dallas – where the Cowboys are 6-0 this season and have scored 30 or more points in every game. We can’t pick against Dallas knowing that.
Pick: Cowboys 30, Eagles 20
- Tennessee Titans at Miami Dolphins (-13)
Monday, 8:15 p.m., ESPN
We have two Monday Night Football offerings – and the Dolphins have been a cover machine with an offense that averages 32 points and 428.4 yards per game. Miami is 4-1 ATS at home, and the Titans are 0-6 S/U on the road. With Derrick Henry (concussion protocol) potentially out, this is a lot to ask out of Tennessee.
Pick: Dolphins 34, Titans 19
- Green Bay Packers (-6.5) at New York Giants
Monday, 8:15 p.m., ABC
The Packers are suddenly the hottest team in the NFL. Jordan Love averages 285.7 passing yards per game with eight TDs and no interceptions through a three-game winning streak. The Giants took a two-game winning streak into the bye week and Tyrod Taylor might be back, so this will be about whether Green Bay has the maturity to win a prime-time road game. The Packers are 2-4 S/U on the road. This will be tight.
Pick: Packers 24, Giants 20
