Week 18 NFL Game Picks: Final Week of the Regular Season!

 We made it. The playoffs are practically here as the final week of the regular season is this week. The hunt for the Lombardi is truly about to begin and we can't wait. We still have some business to attend to first, gotta make these final game picks to see what record we finish out the regular season with! (For the games that don't really matter, I won't touch much on them).

Week 17 Predictions Record: 11-5
2021-22 Season Overall: 155-100-1

Saturday Game 1 - Kansas City Chiefs (11-5) at Denver Broncos (7-9)
Prediction: Chiefs 40, Broncos 20

Why the Chiefs? After losing in heartbreaking fashion to the Bengals last weekend in what may have been the game of the year, the Chiefs are going to come out hungry and absolutely SMOKE the sorry Broncos. This won't guarantee the Chiefs the #1 seed but it at least gives them a shot at it. If the Chiefs are to play on wildcard weekend for the first time in Mahomes' career, then they will at least be coming in with a major head of steam. This also may be Vic Fangio's final straw, he could be fired after the game.

Saturday Game 2 - Dallas Cowboys (11-5) at Philadelphia Eagles (9-7)
Prediction: Cowboys 33, Eagles 20

Why the Cowboys? There is a chance this match-up could be run right back next weekend in the first round of the playoffs, but for the time being, I see the Cowboys dominating this week. The Eagles have had a COVID outbreak this week and will be down a ton of starters, they were probably going to rest starters anyway. The Cowboys are still in play for the no. 2 seed in the NFC and will come out as hungry as the Chiefs and have a field day against this ravaged Eagles team. However, if these teams do meet again next week, it could be a great game.

Indianapolis Colts (9-7) at Jacksonville Jaguars (2-14)
Prediction: Colts 25, Jaguars 17

Why the Colts? This game is the one that a ton of people in the NFL world will have their eyes on. If the Colts can win with ease like we would expect, there will be not much drama in the AFC playoff picture. However, if the Colts lose, suddenly many AFC hopefuls are alive. While this seems like a walk in the park win for the Colts, they haven't won in Jacksonville in EIGHT years!! The Colts are a great team though and we expect them to break the streak now. 

Washington Football Team (6-10) at New York Giants (4-12)
Prediction: Washington 21, Giants 10

Why Washington: In what is likely their last game as the 'Washington Football Team', they will not disappoint. The Giants are a bottom three team in the NFL right now, and I don't think they will be able to do much once again this Sunday. Washington Football Team goes out with a victory.

Cincinnati Bengals (10-6) at Cleveland Browns (7-9)
Prediction: Bengals 22, Browns 19

Why Cinncy? This game probably won't matter much as Cinncy (while alive for the #1 seed), is very unlikely to get it. Joe Burrow had a minor knee injury last weekend in the win so the team is going to rest him as a precaution along with probably some more key stars. The Browns will be without Baker Mayfield which could be seen as a good thing by some. While the Browns will be playing starters and the Bengals probably won't, Cleveland has been so bad of late that I'm still taking these Bengals whether that's dumb or not.

Pittsburgh Steelers (8-7-1) at Baltimore Ravens (8-8)
Prediction: Ravens 27, Steelers 23

Why the Ravens? The winner of this game still has faint playoff chances but will need a lot of other things to go their way. Both teams will likely play hard even if they know their chances are slim-to-none. I expect Lamar Jackson to finally be back from injury in this one and that will be an astronomical boost for this club. The Steelers played with all of their heart and emotion in Big Ben's final game at Heinz Field on MNF, I don't think they have much left in the tank. Ravens win a close one and hope somehow they can squeeze into the post-season.

Green Bay Packers (13-3) at Detroit Lions (2-13-1)
Prediction: Packers 26, Lions 18

Why the Packers? It remains known for sure if it will be Aaron Rodgers and some of the Pack starters or Jordan Love and the second team, but we have to assume it will be the latter. Either way, the Packers are winning this game. They have the #1 seed clinched but even their backup team is better than the Lions.

Chicago Bears (6-10) at Minnesota Vikings (7-9)
Prediction: Vikings 28, Bears 14

Why the Vikings: They are the better team with the better QB and the better staff and the better talent. When these teams faced off a few weeks back, the Vikings won with ease. It should be that way again here to close out the season.

Tennessee Titans (11-5) at Houston Texans (4-12)
Prediction: Titans 31, Texans 21

Why the Titans? This is crazy to say, but with a win on Sunday, the Titans secure the no. 1 seed in the AFC and the first round bye. They have been injured, poorly playing, and inconsistent the entire season yet through it all, they may end up with the elusive first round bye. The Texans have been playing some good football of late, and I could see this one being close early, but I expect the Titans to pull away late en route to securing the top seed in the conference.

New Orleans Saints (8-8) at Atlanta Falcons (7-9)
Prediction: Saints 27, Falcons 20

Why the Saints? The Saints actually have a pretty clear path to the post-season, if they win here and then the Niners can't pull off their upset, they are in. This team plays hard for Sean Payton and should have no problem pulling off their end of the deal. It will come down to the Niners who play at the same time.

Seattle Seahawks (6-10) at Arizona Cardinals (11-5)
Prediction: Seahawks 30, Cardinals 27 (OT)

Why the Seahawks? This is going to be a fun one. The Cardinals can still win the NFC West with a win here and a Rams loss, but the Seahawks suddenly look like no pushover. They are finding their footing and looked really good last weekend when they dropped 50+ on the Lions. The Cards beat Seattle earlier in the season, but Russell Wilson has one last trick up his sleeve. In a shootout that goes to OT in the desert, Wilson and the Seahawks play spoiler and shut the Cards division crown hopes right down.

Buffalo Bills (10-6) at New York Jets (4-12)
Prediction: Bills 34, Jets 24

Why the Bills? While the Bills played poorly in their win last weekend and the Jets played well in their loss, it doesn't change the fact that the Bills are the better team and need the win to secure the AFC East and get that round 1 home game. I think this one could be fun and the Bills could trail for some of it, but ultimately I see them winning and clinching the division for the second-straight season.

Carolina Panthers (5-11) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (12-4)
Prediction: Bucs 30, Panthers 10

Why the Bucs? because the Panthers are AWFUL.

San Fransisco 49ers (9-7) at LA Rams (12-4)
Prediction: Niners 28, Rams 27

Why the Niners? UPSET! In a game that the Niners MUST win to get into the playoffs, they come through. Regardless of records or injuries, the Niners seem to have the Rams' number every year. At a low point in their year earlier on this season, the Niners blew the Rams out of the water in what was their first win en route to getting back over .500 and into the playoff chase. The Rams will be shell-shocked, but will feel much better after the loss when they see the Cards lost anyway and that the division is theirs. I don't care who is at QB for the Niners, they make it as Matthew Stafford has been playing some bad football of late and SF is finally the team to capitalize on it.

New England Patriots (10-6) at Miami Dolphins (8-8)
Prediction: Patriots 24, Dolphins 20

Why the Pats? If the Fins' had won last week, this might have been the game of the week as crazy playoff implications would be on the line. However, that's not the case, but this should still be a good one. The Pats can win their division with a win here plus a Bills loss. It seems unlikely that the Bills lose too but you never know. This will be a defensive affair but Mac Jones and the rushing offense of New England will guide them to a late victory that they hope would get them the division title.

Sunday Night Football - Los Angeles Chargers (9-7) at Las Vegas Raiders (9-7)
Prediction: Chargers 29, Raiders 27 (OT)

Why the Chargers? What a game to end out the regular season. The winner of this game is in to the AFC playoffs and the loser is out (unless the Jags beat the Colts). This is one of the biggest rivalries in the NFL and now they have extra motivation to also be going at it for a chance to make the playoffs. As magical as the Raiders have been lately, the Chargers are just too good of a team to not get into the playoffs. They have an elite offense and a defense as talented as anyone in the league. Even though the Raiders' play of late should inspire me to pick them over the Bolts, I can't. Chargers win an instant classic that I predict ending in an OT safety for the win!

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If these predictions were right, here is what wildcard weekend would look like:

NFC:

#1 Packers (BYE)

#5 Cardinals @ #4 Rams
#6 Niners @ #3 Cowboys
#7 Eagles @ #2 Buccaneers

By the way, all 3 of those WC match-ups are amazingly good, with upset chances in every single one.

AFC:

#1 Titans (BYE)

#5 Patriots @ #4 Bills
#6 Colts @ #3 Bengals
#7 Chargers @ #2 Chiefs

As good as the NFC matches are, these might be even better. Two divisional rematches in which the teams both split 1-1 in the reg. season series and the Colts and Bengals which the winner might be the biggest dark-horse to win it all in the entire playoffs.