(Image credit Thomas Shea/USA Today Sports)
Written by: Nicholas Mullick
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-mullick-354076184/
I can't believe that it is Week 14 of the NFL regular season. Time has gone fast. Before we take a look at my picks for week 14 let's take a look at my week 13 pick performance. And which teams are on a bye week.
Week 13: Record 7-7
Overall record: 86-104-3
Teams on a Bye Week
Indianapolis Colts
Miami Dolphins
New England Patriots
Philadelphia Eagles
Now that we have gone through how I went in Week 13 and showed what teams are on a bye week, I will now give my weekly NFL draft picks with spreads for week 14. The Spreads from these games were all found on Draftkings.
Thursday Night Football
Pittsburgh Steelers at Minnesota Vikings (Spread +3)
Oh boy, this game is between two organizations that are a mess this year and had either tied or lost to the Detroit Lions. I want to start with the Vikings who lost to the Detroit Lions last week. Honestly, the Vikings should have lost to them earlier in the season but got lucky due to the Lions having the Bobby Layne Curse and the Vikings got a field goal. I am concerned about the Vikings as they have to deal with injuries on offense and their defense is just awful. I won't be shocked if Mike Zimmer is gone at the end of this season if they don't make the playoffs. Luckily they face a team that loves to play down to competition with the Pittsburgh Steelers. This is apparently going to be Ben’s last year as he privately told people that this will be his last year. Honestly two years too late but not a surprise that he is gone now. Ben can't properly throw the football or stay healthy anymore. The offense is a mess excluding WR Diontae Johnson and RB Najee Harris. The defense is mediocre excluding a few talents like DE/EDGE TJ Watt, S Minkah Fitzpatrick, and LB Devin Bush. The Steelers should not have won last week but were lucky that the Ravens went for two points for some reason and pulled a Mike Tomlin by playing down to competition. Both teams need to win this game. I am not going to be betting on this game but I will take the swing by taking Minnesota as the Steelers could play down to competition like they always do.
My Pick: Minnesota Vikings (+3)
Sunday Football 1pm
Seattle Seahawks at Houston Texans (Spread +7.5)
Many of us did not expect this to be a game. No not a good one but the 12th Tank Game in the Tournament for the 1st overall pick. Two teams with not much to play for excluding higher draft capital. Well, Seahawks fans got bad news: the 1st round pick this year is New York Jets property due to the Jamal Adams trade. The more bad news is Jamal Adams will miss the rest of the season due to a shoulder injury. So yeah Seattle is screwed. Their season is pretty much done but mathematically they are still alive and the team that they are facing this week is mathematically eliminated. As a Jets/Jaguars fan this is a win-win game for me. If Seattle loses, the Jets get a higher draft pick. If the Texans lose or win the Jets and Jaguars will get a higher draft pick. I can’t lose here but I got, to be honest, this is way too many points for me to trust Seattle as they are not the home team. I am not going to bet on this game and I think Seattle wins but I will take the points with the Texans.
My Pick: Houston Texans (+7.5)
Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns (Spread -2.5)
This is a very underrated game. Both teams need a win here as the Browns need one to be in the hunt for the AFC North. The Ravens need a win to break this slump and prove that they are not inconsistent. Baltimore has not been good lately due to injuries and Lamar Jackson’s regression. The Browns are coming off a bye and should be a lot healthier than they were last week. I debated this game a lot. I am going to avoid betting on this game but I will take the Cleveland Browns to win and cover the spread.
My Pick: Cleveland Browns (+2.5)
Las Vegas Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs (Spread -9)
How is this spread at 9 points? Like seriously I know the Chiefs are back but they are not the team they were during the 2019 season. They have a ton of holes on the defense that the Raiders could expose. I know this game is in Kansas City but the Raiders are not an awful team. Yes, they have had a Dark Season but this team is not a dumpster fire. This is way too many points for me to not take the Raiders here. I think the Chiefs win but Spread wise I will take the Raiders.
My Pick: Las Vegas Raiders (+9)
Dallas Cowboys at Washington Football Team (Spread +4)
The Cowboys did a great job last week winning with a chunk of their team in a Covid Outbreak and the Cowboys without their head coach. They are lucky they have a former head coach in Dan Quinn on their coaching staff. They did a great job against the struggling New Orleans Saints. This week is a big test especially in the Battle for the NFC East as Washington has been sneakily winning games and getting close to possibly being in the playoffs. While in the middle of writing this news came out where DE/EDGE Rusher Montez Sweat tested positive for Covid-19 and will miss this game. That is a huge loss for the Vikings defense especially in facing a Cowboys team that has extra time to prepare and will get some members of their teams back. I will take on the Dallas Cowboys in this game.
My Pick: Dallas Cowboys (-4)
New Orleans Saints at New York Jets (Spread +9)
I badly want to make this a tank game and I debated it for a while. So I decided why not. Welcome to the 13th tank game in the tournament for the 1st overall pick. The Jets have little to no chance of making the playoffs this season and the Saints are dealing with injuries and inconsistency with the QB position. The Saints have been a mess on offense as they have been dealing with a ton of injuries. Jameis Winston suffered a Torn ACL and Taysom Hill has the same Hand injury that Russell Wilson has. RB Alvin Kamara has not been 100% and could miss this game. The Saints are a mess and could not beat a team without a chunk of their players out. I really like the Jets this week as they are the home team. This is way too many points for me to not take the New York Jets. I am going to be super locking the Jets in this game as well.
My Pick: New York Jets (+9)
Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers (Spread -2.5)
This is a game that in my opinion could seal a fate for a team. The Panthers and Falcons need to win as many games as they can if they want to make the playoffs. The Panthers lived and dies through the availability of RB Christian McCaffery. Now Christian McCaffery is out for the season due to his injury. The Panthers don't have a QB I can trust and I am not a big fan of Head Coach Matt Rhule. The Falcons have impressed me and I like what I am seeing for now from Arthur Smith. He has done a solid job coaching this season as I thought Atlanta would not be as good as they have been. This game is a no bet for me but I will take the Atlanta Falcons in this game as I have more confidence in Atlanta than with Carolina.
My Pick: Atlanta Falcons (+2.5)
Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans (Spread -8.5)
I am not going to go long with this game at all. On paper, the Titans are the better team but I just think with all the injuries that the Titans have currently have It might be best to give them an extra week to rest. The Bye week did come in handy so they have plenty of time to prepare for this game. Jacksonville is done and will tank the rest of the season. This is a no-brainer the Titans smoke the Jaguars give me Tennessee.
My Pick: Tennessee Titans (-8.5)
Sunday Football 4:05 pm
New York Giants at Los Angeles Chargers (Spread -10.5)
Again this is a quick one as it is another easy pick to make. I will take the Los Angeles Chargers in this game. No Question. Both Daniel Jones and Mike Glennon are not playing due to injuries and are starting Jake from state Fromm at QB. If Fromm gets hurt they will have to start Clayton Thorsen who was dreadful in the preseason this season. The Giants will have to travel and face the Chargers on the west coast.
My Pick: Los Angeles Chargers (-10.5)
Detroit Lions at Denver Broncos (Spread -8)
Congratulations to the Detroit Lions as they finally got their first win in the 2021 NFL Season. The team deserved it and should have gotten their win earlier in the season but the Team is still under the Bobby Layne Curse. They have another shot as they face the Denver Broncos but I have no idea what to think of them. But seeing the spread I think this is way too many points for me to trust the Broncos so I will take them in this game.
My Pick: Denver Broncos (+8)
Sunday Football 4:25 pm
Buffalo Bills at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Spread -3)
This is the Game of the Sunday Night. I really want to see how the Bills perform after that mess of a performance last week against the Patriots. I gave them a pass because that game had poor weather and they fought hard to keep it close. One thing I will say is that the Bills need a running back badly because Devin Singletary is terrible. This is Tom Brady vs the Bills but besides the whole Antonio Brown Vaccination Card fiasco, the Buccaneers are one of the best teams in the league. I will take the Bills I guess but I am going to pass on betting this game.
My Pick: Buffalo Bills (+3)
San Francisco 49ers at Cincinnati Bengals (Spread -1)
This is another underrated game this week that both teams need. The Bengals need it to gain something for the fight for the division and San Francisco needs it to get leverage in the 7th seed in the NFC. The 49ers are a team like I said I have no idea what to think about and were seconds away from beating the Seahawks. But San Francisco has a lot of fight just needs better execution. The 49ers secondary is a mess but that is the Bengals gain. The Bengals offense has been fantastic and their defense does need work but I think the Bengals overall are the better team so I will be taking the better team in Cincinnati.
My Pick: Cincinnati Bengals (-1)
Sunday Night Football
Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers (Spread -11.5)
Not going to go long with this game. I think it is a mismatch and Green Bay completely destroys the Chicago Bears in this game. The Packers are that good and the Bears are that bad. If you have not taken a look at my latest survivor pick article I would have taken Green Bay as my survivor pick for this week.
My Pick: Green Bay Packers
Monday Night Football
Los Angeles Rams at Arizona Cardinals (Spread -2)
This is the Game of the week. This is also the most important game for both teams as this gives either team leverage in the NFC West division title. Both teams are very talented and have also managed to overcome the injuries that both teams had to deal with. But in this game, they should be a lot healthier now and I expect this to be a hard-fought battle for both teams. I debated who to go with in this game but I will take Arizona as they won so many games without their starting players.
My Pick: Arizona Cardinals (-2)