Week 9 gave us plenty of thrills and surprising outcomes, and Week 10 appears to have more of the same unpredictable action from the NFL regular season. Not only do we have a handful of make-or-break showdowns for some of the league’s playoff hopefuls, we also have just four teams on bye this coming week that’ll make for even more sweet betting opportunities.
Join us as we provide brief overviews and predictions for each of Week 10’s tantalizing matchups below.
NFL News and Previews
- Washington Redskins vs. Kansas City Chiefs Preview - October 2, 2017
- Oakland Raiders vs. Denver Broncos Preview - October 1, 2017
- Carolina Panthers vs. New England Patriots Preview - October 1, 2017
- 2017 NFL Week 4 Picks and Predictions
2016 NFL Week 10 Complete Picks
**teams on a bye this week: Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, Oakland Raiders
Thursday, November 10
Cleveland Browns (+10) at Baltimore Ravens (-10) – 8:25 PM ET
How much more misery do the Browns have to endure this season? They were clearly outmatched by the surging Cowboys on Sunday, 35-10, to stay winless through nine games. Cleveland had rookie Cody Kessler start at quarterback again after dealing with a concussion from Week 8, but not even his efficient afternoon (19-of-27 for 203 passing yards and a TD) was enough to lead his team to an upset over Dallas. The Browns just can’t contain their opponents on D, as they have allowed over 30 points per contest this season.
On the other hand, the Ravens snapped their four-game skid by winning a huge battle on Sunday against their notorious rivals in the Steelers, 21-14. And if there’s a team that can keep Baltimore rolling, it’s none other than Cleveland. The Ravens have won eight of their last 10 home games against the Browns (albeit just 3-7 ATS), with their two losses during that stretch each having been lost by just a field goal.
And remember the last time that these two teams met in a prime-time game? Baltimore won that match from last season by returning a blocked field goal for a touchdown as the Browns tried to seal the victory with a gimme chip-shot as time expired. Oh, how the GPODAWUND find ways to humiliate themselves on any given game day…
Writer’s prediction: The Ravens (-10) peck away at the rotting carcass of the Browns, 27-15.
Sunday, November 13
Houston Texans (-1) at Jacksonville Jaguars (+1) – 1:00 PM ET
The AFC South was supposed to be a competitive division this season, but it seems that the Texans are the only ones determined to be successful in spite of their flaws. Houston’s defense, already playing without stud defender J.J. Watt for the season, limited the Lions to just 13 points en route to a crucial win in Week 8.
That victory kept the Texans undefeated at home, but now they will try to take one on the road fresh off a bye against the disappointing Jaguars. On Sunday, Jacksonville out-gained the Chiefs in total yardage, 449-231, but only came up with 14 points in another tough loss. Blake Bortles simply does not have a second gear when games go down the wire and he’s doing the team a lot more harm than good in the passing game.
Furthermore, the Texans have won all four of their last contests against the Jags (3-1 ATS), and it also doesn’t help that the Jaguars are still winless (0-3) at home this season.
Writer’s prediction: Houston (-1) nabs a victory on the road, 26-18.
Kansas City Chiefs (+3) at Carolina Panthers (-3) – 1:00 PM ET
Do the Panthers have enough mettle left in them to make a late-season push for the playoffs? Sure, they got a crucial victory over the Rams on Sunday, but they were outgained by Los Angeles in that contest 339 yards to 244 and squeaked out a win with a lackluster final score of 13-10. Clearly, Cam Newton is having one heck of a Super Bowl hangover this entire campaign. He was sacked five more times this week and failed to gain 270 passing yards for the fifth time this season.
On the contrary, the Chiefs are still playing good football even without starting QB Alex Smith at the helm. Nick Foles just did enough work on Sunday against the Jaguars (187 passing yards and a TD) to keep Kansas City from imploding on offense after the team got just 62 yards on the ground on 22 carries. But the best performance from the 19-14 win over the Jags was KC’s defense, which forced and recovered three Jacksonville fumbles as well as picking off Blake Bortles once. And with that, the Chiefs now lead the NFL with 20 takeaways for the season.
Take Carolina’s suspect offense and pit it against Kansas City’s stout defense, and you can pretty much come to the same conclusion as we did for this Week 10 matchup.
Writer’s prediction: The Chiefs (+3) contain the Panthers, 24-17.
Los Angeles Rams (+2.5) at New York Jets (-2.5) – 1:00 PM ET
Both the Rams and the Jets are coming off stinging losses in Week 9, and both also have just three wins for the season thus far. The two mediocre clubs have found little support from the QB position this year as New York’s Ryan Fitzpatrick and Los Angeles’ Case Keenum each have double-digit interceptions this season already.
Sunday’s contest between these two will pretty much be a toss-up for what should be an ugly match between two inept offenses. But if we were inclined to side with one particular team, we’d have to go with the Rams. Their D limited the Panthers to just 13 points in their loss on Sunday, whereas the Jets were outclassed by the Dolphins to the tune of 27 points and 111 rushing yards from Jay Ajayi.
Also, Keenum has thrown for over 290 yards in each of his last three starts for five TDs, compared to Fitzpatrick, who failed to hit the 200-yard passing plateau in two of his last three and with just three TDs in that span to show for.
Writer’s prediction: The Rams (+2.5) prevail with a quality road win, 20-14.
Atlanta Falcons (+1) at Philadelphia Eagles (-1) – 1:00 PM ET
There’s no stopping Matt Ryan and the Falcons offense, which racked up 461 offensive yards and 43 points to beat the Buccaneers on Thursday night. Ryan played like the early MVP candidate of the season once more, garnering four passing TDs without a pick in the win.
Heading in the opposite direction are the Eagles, who gave up four TDs themselves in Sunday’s 28-23 loss to Eli Manning and the Giants. The team couldn’t capitalize on New York’s two interceptions off of Manning, and instead saw Carson Wentz’ career-high 364 passing yards go to waste by him failing to throw a touchdown and having been picked off twice in the process as well. Wentz has now thrown five picks over the last five weeks after a very efficient three-week start to the season.
Atlanta has won all three of its past meetings against Philadelphia (SU/ATS), and there seems to be no indication that the former will slow down its potent offensive attack against an ailing Philly secondary.
Writer’s prediction: The Falcons (+1) soar past the Eagles, 33-23.
Green Bay Packers (-2.5) at Tennessee Titans (+2.5) – 1:00 PM ET
Playing uninspired football of late are the Packers, who lost their second-straight game on Sunday to the Colts, 31-26. Green Bay has now given up 30 or more points in each of their two successive defeats. And if it wasn’t for Indianapolis’ two turnovers on Sunday which were converted into 10 points, the Packers would’ve probably been buried by an even greater margin.
Funny we mentioned Green Bay giving up 30 or more points the past two weeks, because the Titans actually scored 35 or more points in each of their last two outings. They fought tooth-and-nail in the loss to the Chargers on Sunday, and might’ve won the game if not for Marcus Mariota’s three turnovers. See the irony there?
When you take a look at Mariota and Aaron Rodgers’ numbers this season, though, they’re pretty much identical. Rodgers has the better TD-INT ratio (17-4 versus Mariota’s 16-6), but Tennessee’s playcaller has over a hundred yards more than the former Super Bowl champ and is averaging 7.56 yards per attempt compared to Rodgers’ 6.34.
We expect this Week 10 contest to go down the wire, with the young Mariota and his Titans picking up a signature win over a quality opponent to stay alive in the playoff hunt.
Writer’s prediction: The Titans (+2.5) pull off a wild upset over the Packers in Music City, 31-29.
Minnesota Vikings (+2.5) at Washington Redskins (-2.5) – 1:00 PM ET
After a scorching 5-0 start to their season, the Vikings now find themselves in a three-game tailspin since coming off their bye in Week 6. They’ve averaged just 12 points per game in those losses, particularly because of a lack of a decent running game. Sam Bradford nicely completed 31 of 40 passes for 273 yards and a score, but Minnesota gained just 78 rushing yards on 25 carries for a dismal 3.12 yards-per-carry average in the 22-16 loss to the Lions on Sunday.
The Redskins shouldn’t be thrilled about their 27-27 tie with the Bengals in Week 8, either. Kirk Cousins’ banner afternoon (458 passing yards, two TDs) was all for naught as kicker Dustin Hopkins missed a 34-yard field goal for the win in overtime.
Nevertheless, Washington’s offense appears more well-rounded than that of Minnesota’s right now. The ‘Skins are third in the league in passing at nearly 300 yards per game and their aerial attack could very well jump on an uninspired Vikings secondary, which has suddenly surrendered four passing TDs during their three-game slide.
Writer’s prediction: The Redskins (-2.5) win a close one in the Capital just enough to cover the spread, 27-24.
Chicago Bears (TBA) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (TBA) – 1:00 PM ET
The Bears got a much-needed victory by defeating the Vikings in Week 8, 20-10, behind some solid play from a returning Jay Cutler and a breakout performance from Jordan Howard. Cutler went pick-free for 252 passing yards and a touchdown, while Howard amassed 153 rushing yards to go with a score as Chicago scored 20 points or more for just the second time this season.
Still, they could very well be outgunned by the Buccaneers on Sunday. Despite being drubbed by the Falcons last Thursday, the combination of Jameis Winston and Mike Evans in the passing game was still as lethal as it has been this whole season. Evans hauled in 11 catches for a whopping 150 receiving yards and found the end zone twice, whereas Winston had 261 passing yards and three TDs.
Week 10’s clash between the Bears and the Bucs might turn into a shootout, and we expect Tampa Bay to play with more heart in hopes of securing their first home win of the season and to keep pace with the rest of the resilient NFC South.
Writer’s prediction: The Buccaneers slice through the Bears, 29-19.
Denver Broncos (+1.5) at New Orleans Saints (-1.5) – 1:00 PM ET
If the Raiders managed to light up the Broncos on Sunday night, just imagine what the Saints could do to this struggling Denver team in Week 10.
All three of the Broncos’ losses this season have been at the hands of prolific offenses in Atlanta, San Diego and Oakland. The last time we checked, Drew Brees is still an elite QB, and he certainly has the skills and the weapons to expose Denver’s suddenly suspect secondary.
But strangely enough, New Orleans may opt to take matters to the ground more so than the air next Sunday. The Broncos allowed Oakland to run for 218 yards and three goal-line scores, all the while putting up just 33 rushing yards of their own. Meanwhile, the Saints’ backfield tandem of Mark Ingram and Tim Hightower each found the end zone and combined for 245 rushing yards in their convincing 41-23 win over the Niners on Sunday night.
Writer’s prediction: The Saints (-1.5) erupt in the Big Easy, 34-23, for their third-consecutive win.
Miami Dolphins (+3.5) at San Diego Chargers (-3.5) – 4:05 PM ET
Riding a three-game win streak into Week 10 are the Dolphins, who have gained a second wind to their season with the coming out party of Jay Ajayi. The second-year back finished Sunday’s win over the Jets with 111 rushing yards to give him a staggering total of 529 rushing yards in his last three starts.
However, as good as Ajayi has been of late, San Diego’s own feature back in Melvin Gordon has been much more electric since the start of the season. Gordon went berserk in the win over the Titans on Sunday with a career-high 196 rushing yards to go with another trip to the end zone. He now leads all players with 11 TDs scored for the season and he’s certainly the Chargers’ saving grace for their up-and-down season.
This contest has ground-and-pound written all over it, and both Ajayi and Gordon make strong cases in having a blockbuster night for their respective teams. Considering the ‘Fins have lost their last three games in San Diego (SU/ATS) and haven’t won there since 2005, it appears that they’re about to see their win streak end in Southern Cali against San Diego’s high-flying offense that’s putting up over 30 points per contest.
Writer’s prediction: The Chargers (-3.5) fry the Dolphins, 33-22.
San Francisco 49ers (+13) at Arizona Cardinals (-13) – 4:25 PM ET
Colin Kaepernick has started in each of San Francisco’s last three games and has actually improved in each passing week. Then again, all of three of those contests still resulted into losses. He finished with 398 passing yards with two touchdowns on Sunday against the Saints, but his team’s D simply can’t stop anybody right now.
The Niners refused to play defense yet again, as New Orleans piled up 571 offensive yards and 41 points on Sunday. They’ve now surrendered an average of 38.3 points per game to the opposition in their last four defeats, and will now face an Arizona team that has beaten them four out of five times since the 2014 season (4-1 ATS as well).
Although the Cardinals aren’t exactly lighting up the scoreboards recently, at least their defense is still capable of stunting San Francisco’s enigmatic offense. The Cards are ranked sixth in the NFL at allowing just 17.5 points per game to the opposition, and that’s pretty much all they need to keep the bumbling Bay Area crew… well… at bay.
Writer’s prediction: The Cardinals (-13) handily beat the 49ers at home, 34-17.
Dallas Cowboys (+2.5) at Pittsburgh Steelers (-2.5) – 4:25 PM ET
The young guns of the Cowboys in Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott are this season’s feel-good story for a Dallas team that had always fallen short of preseason expectations. The two made quick work of the lowly Browns on Sunday, with Prescott going a superb 21-for-27 for 247 passing yards and three scores, while Elliott continued his bid for a historic rookie season for a running back by rushing for 92 more yards and two TDs.
However, will Dallas’ offense finally meet its match when they take on the Steelers in Week 10? Ben Roethlisberger returned under center for the first time since mid-October after having surgery on his knee and started out slow in the seven-point loss to the Ravens on Sunday. But then Big Ben came to life in the fourth quarter by piling up 210 passing yards in the final quarter before Pittsburgh came up short of a comeback.
With the Steelers now merely at .500 with the rest of the AFC North breathing down their necks, another week of rest and practice for Roethlisberger will go along way for the team to reclaim sole possession of the top spot in the division.
Writer’s prediction: Pittsburgh (-2.5) brings Dallas down from its lofty perch, 35-24.
Seattle Seahawks (+7.5) at New England Patriots (-7.5) – 8:30 PM ET
Prior to Week 9, Russell Wilson looked nothing like the dual-threat quarterback that he is. Although Seattle’s coveted playmaker has yet to find his groove in the ground game again, all he needed was his arm to fend off the Bills on Monday night, 35-21. Wilson threw for 282 yards and two TDs on a sweet 20-of-26 passing, with star tight end Jimmy Graham being the recipient of both his scores.
But for as good as the Seahawks’ offense has been this past week, the Patriots have been in a league of their own prior to their bye. Since Tom Brady made his return from suspension October 10, New England has scored an average of 33.5 points in the four games since. The team’s defense has somehow lived up on its end as well, allowing just 17.5 points per game during that same stretch. But with stud linebacker Jamie Collins strangely having been dealt to the Browns during their bye, perhaps the Pats’ D may be in for a scare against the revitalized Seahawks.
Writer’s prediction: The Patriots prevail with an intense win over Seahawks, 27-24. Seattle does, however, cover +7.5.
Monday, November 14
Cincinnati Bengals (TBA) at New York Giants (TBA) – 8:30 PM ET
In a battle between two stud receivers, Week 10’s Monday night showcase between the Bengals and the Giants might be filled with tons of highlights. Cincy’s A.J. Green has four 100-yard receiving games this season already, but New York’s Odell Beckham Jr. has two more touchdowns (five) than Green to date.
It will all boil down to the relatively unpredictable arms of their respective quarterbacks in Andy Dalton and Eli Manning. While Manning has six picks this season to Dalton’s three, the latter has been known to flame out in prime-time matches. Dalton has a subpar record of 4-9 in evening games since his NFL debut in 2011, and we’re expecting the Red Rifle to shoot more blanks than hits under the cover of night once more.
Writer’s prediction: The Giants escape with a tense 29-27 victory.
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