If you are looking for NFL Week 16 results, then our table below has them. If you are looking ahead to NFL Week 17, then note the embedded article below.
The Thursday Night Football game that started Week 16 is over. The Los Angeles Rams posted a critical victory over the New Orleans Saints, 30-22. That result helps LA's complexion in the playoff picture as much as it hurts New Orleans. For this game, we had the right pick, which was for LA to cover a -4.5 spread. There are still 15 games to come over Christmas Day weekend and our NFL Week 16 predictions, picks, and betting tips are all below.
Top Ten NFL Power Rankings: Heading Into Week 16
Our Top Ten NFL Power Rankings are not predictions of who will win in the future. They are good food for thought for that. But our power rankings assess what has happened in the past. Winning counts more than anything but winning on the road, by big margins, and against quality opposition counts for a lot too. From this perspective, beating the best team in the NFL, in a game that the best team hosts, by a huge spread is the optimal result a team can have. Below are our Top Ten NFL Power Rankings heading into Week 16.
San Francisco 49ers Remain on Top: NFL Week 16
- San Francisco 49ers (11-3): beat Arizona 45-29 in NFL Week 15
- Baltimore Ravens (11-3): defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 23-7 in NFL Week 15
- Philadelphia Eagles (10-4): lost to the Seattle Seahawks 20-17 in NFL Week 15
- Dallas Cowboys (10-4): lost to Buffalo 31-10 in NFL Week 15
- Miami Dolphins (10-4): beat NYJ 30-0 in NFL Week 15
- Detroit Lions (10-4): beat the Denver Broncos 42-17 in NFL Week 15
- Buffalo Bills (8-6): beat the Dallas Cowboys 31-10 in NFL Week 15
- KC Chiefs (9-5): beat the New England Patriots 27-17 in NFL Week 15
- Cleveland Browns (9-5): beat the Chicago Bears 20-17 in NFL Week 15
- Cincinnati Bengals (8-6): beat the Minnesota Vikings 27-24 in NFL Week 15
Bubble teams:
- Houston Texans (8-6): beat the Tennessee Titans 19-16 in NFL Week 15
- Jacksonville Jaguars (8-6): lost to the Baltimore Ravens 23-7 in NFL Week 15
If you compare the NFL Power Rankings above to Super Bowl ante-post odds, then things match up with bet365. Our Top Two teams are San Francisco and Baltimore and those are the top betting favorites to win the Super Bowl (bet365). One overrated team is the KC Chiefs. If you think KC will be turning things around soon, then you are advised to wait to bet them later. The Chiefs are third favorite to win the Super Bowl at +700 with bet365. However, they are the 8th-most-proven team by our rankings.
One team that is underrated in sports futures is the Cincinnati Bengals. They are +160 to make the playoffs. At this late stage of the season, they currently sit inside playoff seeding. Furthermore, they hold some important tiebreakers right now against close rivals. Also, we project Cincinnati to go 2-1 for the balance of the season to finish 10-7. At +160, bettors should be happy to take them to make the playoffs with bet365.
The Bengals could also be taken in conference ante-post. They are at 60 to 1 with bet365 with each-way terms of 1-2, 1/2. That means that, if you select the terms, you could get the Bengals at 30 to 1 just to make the conference championship. Jake Browning seems real enough at this point.
NFL Week 16 Preview
NFL fans should note that there are no longer any byes in the 2023-24 NFL season. There were not any byes in NFL Week 15 either. That means you cannot be betting on a team in NFL Week 16 who had a bye in the previous week with the hope that the better rest will lead to surprising on-field results.
Due to the Christmas holiday season, NFL Week 16 will have an irregular schedule. There is the standard stand-alone game on Thursday, December 21st. This will feature the New Orleans Saints vs the Los Angeles Rams in a game with playoff implications.
Later, there are two games on Saturday in NFL Week 16, which makes it different from most weeks. Sunday's NFL schedule is lighter than normal with just 10 games scheduled.
Lastly, Christmas Day, which will be on Monday, has a triple-header, with the start times staggered so that they do not overlap. For specific game times and matchups, you can use the chart below which will be populated with main-market betting recommendations (all odds from bet365). The date of the opening spread is from the date when we first looked at the games, which was December 13th, 2023.
NFL Week 16 Results and Betting Tips: Our Table
| Game Date | Away vs Home | The Pick (date of The Pick) |
| Thursday, December 21st, 2023 Thursday Night Football 8:15 PM ET | Saints vs Rams Opening spread: Rams -4.0 December 18th spread: Rams -4.5 Outcome: Saints 22, Rams 30 | Rams -4.5 (Dec 18) (Winner) |
| Saturday, December 23rd, 2023 4:30 PM ET | Bengals vs Steelers Opening spread: Steelers -1.0 December 18th spread: Bengals -2.5 Outcome: Bengals 11, Steelers 34 | Bengals -2.5 (Dec 18) (Loser) |
| Saturday, December 23rd, 2023 8:00 PM ET | Bills vs Chargers Opening spread: Bills -9.5 December 18th spread: -13.5 Outcome: Bills 24, Chargers 22 | Bills -13.5 (Dec 18) (Loser) OVER 42.5 (Dec 18) (Winner) |
| Sunday, December 24th, 2023 Early Set 1 PM ET (all early-set games) | Browns vs Texans Opening spread: Texans -1.5 December 22nd spread: Browns -2.5 Outcome: Browns 36, Houston 22 | Browns -2.5 (Dec 22) (Winner) |
| Sunday, December 24th, 2023 Early Set | Lions vs Vikings Opening spread: Lions -2.5 December 22nd spread: Lions -3.0 Outcome: Lions 30, Vikings 24 | Lions -3.0 (Dec 22) (Winner) |
| Sunday, December 24th, 2023 Early Set | Packers vs Panthers Opening spread: Packers -5.5 December 22nd spread: -5.0 Outcome: Packers 33, Panthers 30 | Panthers +5.0 (Dec 22) (Winner) |
| Sunday, December 24th, 2023 Early Set | Colts vs Falcons Opening spread: Falcons -1.0 December 22nd spread: Falcons -2.5 Outcome: Colts 10, Falcons 29 | Colts +2.5 (Dec 22) (Loser) |
| Sunday, December 24th, 2023 Early Set | Seahawks vs Titans Opening spread: Seahawks -2.0 December 22nd spread: Seahawks -3.0 Outcome: Seahawk 20, Titans 17 | Titans +3.0 (Dec 22) (Push) |
| Sunday, December 24th, 2023 Early Set | Commanders vs Jets Opening spread: Jets -3.0 Outcome: Commanders 28, Jets 30 | Jets -3.0 (Dec 22) (Loser) |
| Sunday, December 24th, 2023 Middle Set 4:05 PM ET | Jaguars vs Buccaneers Opening spread: Jags -2.5 December 22nd spread: Bucs -3.0 Outcome: Jaguars 12, Bucs 30 | Bucs -155 (Dec 22) (Winner) |
| Sunday, December 24th, 2023 Middle Set 4:25 PM ET | Cardinals vs Bears Opening spread: Bears -3.0 December 22nd spread: Bears -4.0 Outcome: Bears 27, Cardinals 16 | Cardinals +4.0 (Dec 22) (Loser) |
| Sunday, December 24th, 2023 Middle Set 4:25 PM ET | Cowboys vs Dolphins Opening spread: -0.0* December 22nd spread: Dolphins -1.0 Outcome: Dolphins 22, Cowboys 20 | Cowboys +1.0 (Dec 22) (Loser) |
| Sunday, December 24th, 2023 Sunday Night Football 8:15 PM ET | Patriots vs Broncos Opening spread: Broncos -5.5 Outcome: Patriots 26, Broncos 23 | Broncos -5.5 (Dec 13) (Loser) |
| Monday, December 25th, 2023 1 PM ET | Raiders vs Chiefs Opening spread: Chiefs -10.5 Outcome: Raiders 20, Chiefs 14 | Raiders +10.0 (Dec 22) (Winner) |
| Monday, December 25th, 2023 Monday Night Football 4:30 PM ET | Giants vs Eagles Opening spread: Eagles -10.5 December 22nd spread: Eagles -13.5 Outcome: Giants 25, Eagles 33 | Eagles -13.5 (Dec 22) (Winner) |
| Monday, December 25th, 2023 Monday Night Football 8:15 PM ET | Ravens vs 49ers Opening spread: 49ers -5.5 Outcome: Ravens 33, 49ers 19 | 49ers -235 (Dec 22) (Loser) |
Baltimore Ravens vs San Francisco 49ers: NFL Week 16
Talk about a blockbuster matchup. The final game of Week 16 will feature the top two teams in our NFL Power Rankings. The 49ers on the moneyline is the right pick at -250. They have better top talent that should shine in this "main event" kind of game.
Giants vs Eagles: NFL Week 16
The line on the Philadelphia Eagles has budged in the last week. The Eagles opened at -10.5 but are now -13.5 (bet365) against the New York Giants. The big spread comes at a time when Philadelphia has struggled. The Eagles have three straight losses and they have gone -46 on point differential in those losses.
Philly's struggles lately could be taken lightly. Two of the losses were on the road. Meanwhile, their home loss was to the No. 1 team in our power rankings, the San Francisco 49ers. Also, Jalen Hurts was sick when up against Seattle recently.
Looking at things from NYG's point of view, what has Tommy DeVito proven on the road? He had one good game as a visiting QB but that was only against Washington. This is a game where you have to expect Philadelphia to be making a statement. Expect the Eagles to win this one by 20-23. Take them to cover -13.5 accordingly.
Raiders vs Chiefs: NFL Week 16
What does it mean when a below-average team suddenly scores 63 points and wins by a 42-point spread? Should they be followed up the next week as +10.5 underdogs? That is the conundrum facing those who are thinking about backing or betting against the Las Vegas Raiders. They pounded the LA Chargers 63-21 in Week 15 but are +10.0 against the Chiefs in Week 16.
The game could be looked at differently, Mainly, the game could be viewed in terms of how disappointing the KC Chiefs have been this season. The Chiefs are 9-5, which is below expectations. Patrick Mahomes is no longer a credible pick to win the NFL MVP. He has drifted out to 20 to 1 with bet365's futures.
The Chiefs would be 4-8-1 against -10.0 if the spread was applied to their results. You have to think we are going to see an above-average version of the Raiders following their 63-point outburst, at least offensively. What if KC needs to score in the high 30s to cover a -10.0 spread? If you throw out a 41-point game against Chicago, KC has never gotten to the high 30s or higher this season. My recommendation is to take the points on the Raiders.
Jaguars vs Bucs: NFL Week 16
The Jaguars are in horrible shape heading into this game, mainly with Trevor Lawrence questionable heading into Friday. The Bucs have played some of their best football lately, just as Jacksonville is sinking. Take the Bucs on the moneyline in this game, which might be Baker Mayfield for TB against CJ Beathard for the Jags.
Packers vs Panthers: NFL Week 16
The Green Bay Packers and the Carolina Panthers will meet on Sunday. The Panthers are coming off of a win from last week. They catch the Packers at a time when Green Bay is struggling. With Carolina holding the Atlanta Falcons to just seven points last week, a +5.0 handicap looks large this week. Carolina also catches GB at a time when they are struggling and injured.
Seahawks vs Titans: NFL Week 16
The Seahawks are coming off of a win over Philadelphia. However, the victory was against an Eagles team that is starting to founder. Seattle doesn't have enough of a road resume this season to take in this game. They are 2-5 as an away team, which is the main reason they can't be expected to make the playoffs.
Browns vs Texans: NFL Week 16
Both of these teams have a huge injury report. One thing that stands out with this game is that the Houston Texans were early small favorites. Heading into the weekend, they are now small underdogs. CJ Stroud, Houston's prize rookie quarterback, was DNP on both Wednesday and Thursday. Bettors will have to assume that he will not play unless he is upgraded.
The Browns should win this game. They've already proven that they are resilient to injuries just by the fact that they remain playoff contenders after losing DeShaun Watson and Nick Chubb. Take Cleveland to cover -2.5 for a spread in this one.
Buffalo Bills vs LA Chargers: NFL Week 16
The Buffalo Bills went from -9.0 to -13.5 as favorites over the last several days. That has as much as to do with their 31-10 victory over Dallas as it has to do with the fact that the LA Chargers surrendered 63 points to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 15. If you are giving up that many points to Aidan O'Connell, then what will happen to you against a Josh Allen-led team that is fighting for their playoff lives? Yes, Buffalo will win this one by two converted touchdowns or more. Also, OVER 42.5 looks great given that Buffalo might score that many points themselves let alone the 10 to 15 you can expect from LA.
Cincinnati Bengals vs Pittsburgh Steelers: NFL Week 16
The Cincinnati Bengals have not crumbled following the loss of Joe Burrow. Far from it, Cincinnati could make the playoffs this season still. The Bengals were the underdog on early odds for this game but have gained some favor following the results from Week 15. You have to love Cincinnati to cover -2.5 in this upcoming game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers are in a meltdown that has included double-digit losses to Arizona and Indianapolis in recent weeks. Meanwhile, they lost a close one to the New England Patriots. With Pitt's losses to those three teams, shouldn't Cincinnati be bigger than just -2.5?
NFL Week 16 Predictions: Early-bird picks
If you are looking ahead at NFL Week 16, then one thing you can think about is games with playoff implications for one team -- but none for the other. Motivation is a very qualitative variable to consider. What motivates one player, will not motivate another in sports. However, teams that are still vying for the playoffs stand to be more motivated than teams that are not. Sometimes, mathematically eliminated teams seem to pride themselves on being a spoiler, however, that's not always the case.
The New England Patriots probably won't be playing motivated football in NFL Week 16. Meanwhile, the Denver Broncos have been a very determined team for the last couple of months. The Broncos have a chance for an upset in Week 15 against Detroit. But win or lose that game, Denver should be in a dogfight for their playoff lives in Week 16. They will not let a home opportunity against one of the biggest underachievers in the NFL slip away. Take the Broncos to cover -5.5 on early-bird bets for Week 16.
Thursday Night Football: Saints vs Rams (Week 16)
The Thursday Night Football game in NFL Week 16 will be between two teams that are on the bubble to make it into the 2023/24 NFL playoffs. Each team is 7-7 with the Rams getting the nod on tiebreakers heading into Week 16. The winner of this upcoming game will be in the playoff picture heading into the very late weeks of the season.
The Rams have been the confident bet of late. They have won four of their last five games. Also, their only loss was to the Baltimore Ravens and the spread wasn't huge at just six points. At -4.5 at home and noting some stinkers with the New Orleans Saints this season, our recommendation is to back LA to win this one.
Injury report: the Rams started the practices this week in better shape on the Monday edition of the game's injury report.
The Rams have come on strong enough that bettors should be considering them at really long odds to win the conference. They are 35 to 1 with bet365 with each-way terms available at 1-2, 1/2. That's 35 to 2 if they simply qualify for the conference final.
