NFL Week 18 picks, predictions, odds: Packers finish off miracle playoff push

The NFL Week 18 schedule is here to bring the 2022 regular season to a close. There are several fascinating games on the docket, and it is the last chance 18 fan bases will get to see their favorite teams play until next season. Unfortunately, the games will be played under a cloud after the horrific Damar Hamlin situation last Monday night. As the entire league and everyone associated with it keeps Hamlin in their thoughts and prayers, the NFL is respectfully moving on, so we will as well with our NFL odds series and the Week 18 picks and predictions for every game on the schedule.

Week 18 of the NFL season is the most difficult week to bet outside of Week 1 before we’ve truly seen these teams. In the final week of the season, some teams have something to play for, others don’t, and in some games, that fact won’t seem to matter at all. The best we can do in Week 18 is take an educated guess and focus more on the small handful of games that matter for both teams.

In this final 16-game slate, Thursday and Monday night are out. That means we get two games on Saturday, eight Sunday games in the early window, five in the late window, and one on Sunday night.

Previous NFL Picks & Predictions: Week 17 | Week 16 | Week 15 | Week 14 | Week 13 |Week 12 | Week 11 | Week 10 | Week 9 | Week 8

So, without further ado, here are the NFL picks, predictions, and odds for Week 18.

Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the NFL odds.

Kansas City Chiefs (-9.5) @ Las Vegas Raiders

Full Chiefs-Raiders betting preview

The NFL doesn't plan to resume Bills-Bengals from Week 17, putting the Chiefs in position to get the No. 1 seed with a victory over the Raiders in Week 18. The Silver and Black got their new quarterback bump last week. This week, the roster will be ready for it all to be over, so Kansas City will roll to get that top seed to get these NFL Week 18 picks and predictions underway.

Prediction: Chiefs 38-21

Update: The Chiefs easily took care of business against the hapless Jaguars, 31-13

Tennessee Titans @ Jacksonville Jaguars (-6.5)

Full Titans-Jaguars betting preview

The Jaguars actually have a path to the playoffs even with a loss in this game if the Bills and Jets take home wins in Week 18. However, for all intents and purposes, this is a loser-goes-home match for the AFC South crown and one playoff spot between the Titans and Jaguars. While the Titans have exceeded expectations for years now under Mike Vrabel, starting Joshua Dobbs in a de facto playoff game is a bridge too far. That’s why the Jaguars take this one and find their way back to the postseason for the first time since 2017.

Prediction: Jaguars 24-17

Update: The Jaguars pulled out a 20-16 win over the Titans to win the AFC South.

New York Jets @ Miami Dolphins (-3.5)

Full Jets-Dolphins betting preview

The Jets are officially eliminated from the playoffs and the Dolphins' only shot at getting in is by winning this game. That said, this is a different beast than many of the games where only one team needs the W. First, Skylar Thompson is starting this game for Miami. On the Jets' side, they are a young, hungry, up-and-coming team, not a veteran squad looking toward vacation. Robert Saleh will have his guys fired up, and they will get the win even with Joe Flacco under center instead of Mike White.

Prediction: Jets 16-13

Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers (-2.5)

Full Browns-Steelers betting preview

This is one of the hardest games on the board to predict, as there is a Jekyll and Hyde nature to both these squads. You’d think that the Browns would play hard to end the first year of the Deshaun Watson Era on a high note, but the Kenny Pickett-led Steelers are the better team right now. I’ll lean on the fact that Mike Tomlin has never had a losing season as a head coach, and winning this game keeps that incredible streak alive.

Prediction: Steelers 17-14

Houston Texans @ Indianapolis Colts (-2.5)

Full Texans-Colts betting preview

This is a game that the Texans should want to lose, and everyone in the organization not standing on the field on Sunday will secretly be rooting for the L, which gives them the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. As for the Colts, this game means nothing at all, but first-time head coach Jeff Saturday will be trying his hardest to go out on a high note if he wants any chance of keeping this job (or ever getting another NFL job again).

Prediction: Colts 26-20

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Atlanta Falcons (-4.5)

Full Buccaneers-Falcons betting preview

Few teams have less to play for and more reasons to rest on Sunday than the Buccaneers. They are locked into the No. 4 seed no matter what happens, and they have an oft-injured, veteran team (plus a 45-year-old QB) who could use a week off. Atlanta is another young up-and-comer where players will be fighting for spots next year, and the coaching staff will want to end on something positive. That’s why Atlanta wins by a decent margin at home.

Prediction: Falcons 19-10

Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints (-3.5)

Full Panthers-Saints betting preview

This may be the most meaningless game on the Week 18 schedule, as the Panthers and Saints are both officially eliminated from playoff contention. The Saints are at home in this coin-flip game, which is why they are favored. However, the X-factor is Panther coach Steve Wilks. He has done an incredible job as interim head coach after the team fired Matt Rhule. He has one more chance to put his resume in for 2023, and he’ll win this one to make owner David Tepper’s choice that much harder.

Prediction: Panthers 24-23

New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills (-7.5)

Full Patriots-Bills betting preview

After what happened with Damar Hamlin on Monday, there is no football rhyme or reason that applies to this game. On a normal Sunday, the Bills fighting for a No. 1 seed should easily take care of the Patriots at home. However, no team has ever come into a game dealing with what the Bills are dealing with. Are they emotionally spent after last week or will they use their fallen brother as motivation to come out and play their best? I’m betting on the latter in these NFL Week 18 picks and predictions.

Prediction: Bills 35-13

Minnesota Vikings (-7) @ Chicago Bears

Full Vikings-Bears betting preview

If Justin Fields was playing in this game, I’d likely take the Bears to not only cover but win outright. Alas, the second-year sensation is out with an injury, and that will highlight just how much he carried his near-talentless offense to (even modest) success this season. The Vikings don't usually cover against bad teams lately, but in this one the talent gap will be too big for even Kirk Cousins and company to screw it up.

Prediction: Vikings 27-9

Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals (-9.5)

Full Ravens-Bengals betting preview

The Ravens are in the playoffs no matter what, but no one around the organization can feel good right now without knowing the status of Lamar Jackson moving forward. As for the Bengals, the Damar Hamlin situation affected them, too, but when they get on the field Sunday, the extra rest may help. Joe Burrow and company need to win the game to keep pace in the (now extremely complicated) No. 1 seed race, so they should boat race the Ravens.

Prediction: Bengals 38-13

New York Giants @ Philadelphia Eagles (-16.5)

Full Giants-Eagles betting preview

This game means nothing for the Giants and everything for the Eagles. New York is the No. 6 seed no matter what happens, but Philly is trying to lock up that top seed in the NFC. That said, I do think Brian Daboll will play some of his starters at least for a half in order to try and keep some of the team's positive momentum going. And while it sounds like Jalen Hurts will be back for this game, there's sure to be some rust on him. In the end, this will still be a close NFC East contest. The Eagles will eventually pull away, just not by two touchdowns.

Prediction: Eagles 32-22

Los Angeles Rams @ Seattle Seahawks (-6)

Full Rams-Seahawks betting preview

The Rams haven’t had anything to play for in forever, and most of the players on the team have simply been competing for 2023 jobs for a while now. The Seahawks desperately need this game to hold on to any postseason hope, even though if the Packers win on Sunday night they are out, regardless. The Seahawks will win to keep hope alive (and eliminate the Lions before Sunday night), but it won’t be a blowout by any means. Look for the Rams to make their NFC West rival work for it.

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Prediction: Seahawks 20-17

Los Angeles Chargers @ Denver Broncos (-3)

Full Chargers-Broncos betting preview

If the Ravens lose to the Bengals in the early Sunday window (see above), it will guarantee the Chargers the No. 5 seed in the AFC. That means while we will probably see Justin Herbert and some of his best players on offense to start, Brandon Staley will have a quick hook to get his guys some rest ahead of the next week’s playoff game. On the other sideline, Russell Wilson will be saying, ‘Let’s ride!” one final time for the 2022 season and should be able to get the W in this one, but it may be closer than we think.

Prediction: Broncos 21-20

Arizona Cardinals @ San Francisco 49ers (-14.5)

Full Cardinals-49ers betting preview

The simple fact here is that the Cardinals can’t and won’t stay with the 49ers. Brock Purdy’s team is one of (if not) the most dangerous teams in the NFL this season and may need this game if the Vikings or Eagles slip up. Either way, even the 49ers' backups are better than the sad-sack Cardinals, so they should cover either way.

Prediction: 49ers 30-10

Dallas Cowboys (-7) @ Washington Commanders

Full Cowboys-Commanders betting preview

This seems like such a trap game for the Cowboys. When you expect them to show up this season, they come up small. Then when expectations are low, they ball out and usually blow out the other team. However, by this point in the afternoon, if the Eagles and Vikings win early, the game will be meaningless to Dallas. A lot depends on how much they have to play for, but I’m going to guess nothing, so while they may still win, it won’t be by a full touchdown.

Prediction: Cowboys 26-21

Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers (-4.5)

Full Lions-Packers betting preview

The NFL messed up a bit by making this the last game of the weekend unless the Seahawks lose on Sunday afternoon. In that case, this is the first official playoff game of the 2022 season. Since I think the Seahawks will win, though, the Lions will be eliminated by this point. That said, Dan Campbell will still get his team up to play spoiler against a hated division rival. Still, though, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers might be the hottest team in the league right now, which is why they punch their ticket to the playoffs, which was unthinkable a few months ago. And that's a wrap on these NFL Week 18 picks and predictions.

Prediction: Packers 27-21

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