Week 14 in the NFL began with an ugly Thursday game that saw the deflated Pittsburgh Steelers lose 21-18 to a New England Patriots team that had only scored a combined 13 points in the three previous games.
That was easily the least appealing matchup of the week, on paper, but thankfully there are several marquee matchups to look forward to this weekend.
The Steelers are rapidly falling down the AFC standings and the Buffalo Bills are one of the teams hoping to avoid joining them.
It would’ve been difficult at the beginning of the season for most football fans to foresee that Josh Allen could stay healthy yet the Bills could still run the risk of falling to 6-7 entering their anticipated Week 14 matchup at the Kansas City Chiefs.
Arizona and Washington, two non-factors in the NFC playoff race, are off as the final two byes of the regular season and there are only two NFC vs. AFC matchups on the slate.
Bills-Chiefs is one of multiple matchups with significant playoff implications and Week 14 is capped off by simultaneous Monday night kickoffs.
Editor’s Note: Gambling problems aren’t only about losing money. They occur on a continuum, and can affect a person’s whole life. To learn more about developing a healthy relationship to gambling, and to find resources for support, click here.
SPREADS & TOTALS
– TB (+2.5) at ATL (-2.5) | O/U: 40.5 (1:00 p.m. ET)
– DET (-3.0) at CHI (+3.0) | O/U: 43.5 (1:00 p.m. ET)
– IND (+1.5) at CIN (-1.5) | O/U: 43.5 (1:00 p.m. ET)
– JAX (+3.0) at CLE (-3.0) | O/U: 32.5 (1:00 p.m. ET)
– CAR (+5.5) at NO (-5.5) | O/U: 37.5 (1:00 p.m. ET)
– HOU (-3.5) at NYJ (+3.5) | O/U: 33.5 (1:00 p.m. ET)
– LAR (+7.5) at BAL (-7.5) | O/U: 40.5 (1:00 p.m. ET)
– MIN (-3.0) at LV (+3.0) | O/U: 40.5 (4:05 p.m. ET)
– SEA (+10.5) at SF (-10.5) | O/U: 46.5 (4:05 p.m. ET)
– BUF (+1.5) at KC (-1.5) | O/U: 48.5 (4:25 p.m. ET)
– DEN (+2.5) at LAC (-2.5) | O/U: 43.5 (4:25 p.m. ET)
– PHI (+3.5) at DAL (-3.5) | O/U: 51.5 (8:20 p.m. ET)
– TEN (+13.5) at MIA (-13.5) | O/U: 46.5 (8:15 p.m. ET*Monday)
– GB (-6.5) at NYG (+6.5) | O/U: 37.0 (8:15 p.m. ET*Monday)
The two worst teams against the spread (ATS) meet this week when the Saints (2-9-1 ATS) host the Panthers (2-8-2 ATS).
The game with the highest total is the anticipated Eagles-Cowboys showdown. Dallas is 8-4 on overs, which is tied for best overs record in the NFL, while Philadelphia is 7-5 on overs. Dallas over are 5-1 when they’re at home; Philly overs are 2-4 when they are the road team.
Cleveland is 3-0 ATS when home favourites, while the biggest favourites of the week are the Dolphins who are 4-1 ATS when favoured at home.
PROP WATCH: CAN EAGLES STOP LAMB THIS TIME?
CeeDee Lamb ranks second in receiving yards behind Tyreek Hill and will look to continue his career year against the Eagles on Sunday. Lamb posted a career best 191 yards on 11 catches when Dallas visited Philly in Week 9.
The Eagles allow 260.3 passing yards per game, fourth-most in the NFL through 13 weeks, and they’re a team on the tail end of an incredibly difficult stretch of schedule. Philly beat Dallas, Kansas City and Buffalo before getting humbled by the 49ers last week and now they face a streaking Cowboys team that has won four in a row by a combined score of 168-72. Lamb had touchdowns in each of those wins.
Lamb’s prop lines vs. Eagles:
Anytime touchdown -138
Total receiving yards: Over 90.5 (-110) | Under 90.5 (-110)
Total receptions: Over 7.5 (+100) | Under 7.5 (-130)
Longest reception: Over 26.5 (-115) | Under 26.5 (-115)
Combined rushing/receiving yards: Over 95.5 (-115) | Under 95.5 (-115)
Two or more TDs +333 |Three or more TDs +1400
The Cowboys star receiver has been close to unstoppable since Week 6, averaging 117.7 yards per game and hauling in 73.3 per cent of his 86 targets over his past seven games and has seven total touchdowns during that stretch.
WEEK 14 STORYLINES TO FOLLOW
Can Buffalo keep up pace in the AFC wild-card race? While Eagles-Cowboys has high stakes for the NFC, the clear AFC Game of the Week is Bills-Chiefs. Kansas City will be at a rest disadvantage with the Bills coming off their bye, however Buffalo is 0-2 this season when they’ve had a rest advantage. Buffalo enters Week 14 as the 11 seed in the AFC and the team’s playoff hopes would be all but dashed with another loss.
“We understand what’s in front of us and what situation we’re in, but we’ve got a lot of guys in this locker room that are very excited to be back, and we have a very good feeling in this locker room right now for what we need to do,” Allen said this week via The Associated Press.
The Chiefs were upset by the Packers last week and haven’t lost two consecutive regular-season games under Andy Reid since early in the 2021 campaign. They run the risk of falling to 8-5 if they lose their third game in their past four outings. Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco has been ruled out against the Bills.
“I’ve been on a team that was 6-4 and ended up winning the Super Bowl,” Mahomes said. “We have confidence every week that we’re going to find a way to win. Obviously, these last few weeks we’ve lost a couple, but we still have that mindset.”
Which QBs are good to go? Trevor Lawrence was lucky to avoid a more serious high-ankle sprain Monday. Jacksonville’s starter was officially listed as questionable Friday ahead of his team facing a daunting challenge in the Cleveland defence in a game where the weather forecast could play a role in the outcome. Backup C.J. Beathard will get the nod if Lawrence can’t go.
The Browns did not name their starter Friday afternoon after Dorian Thompson-Robinson cleared concussion protocol. Joe Flacco started last week in the team’s loss to the Rams.
Ravens star QB Lamar Jackson has been dealing with an illness but appeared at practice Friday and should be good to go against a Rams team trying to leapfrog the Vikings and Packers for an NFC wild-card spot.
Derek Carr of the Saints is listed as questionable with several injuries. New Orleans could also potentially be without Taysom Hill.
Josh Dobbs was named Minnesota’s starter after throwing four interceptions in his most recent outing. He’ll have an additional weapon this week with the return of WR Justin Jefferson to the Vikings lineup. Jefferson hasn’t played since injuring his hamstring Oct. 8 but had 543 yards and three touchdowns in his first four games of the season when Kirk Cousins was behind centre.
Can Browning do it again? Jake Browning’s incredible performance in Cincinnati’s overtime win over the Jaguars Monday helped keep the Bengals’ playoff chances alive. The Bengals can move back above .500 and pull even with the Steelers, and possibly the Browns, with a win over the Colts this week. On the other sideline the Colts are a 5-1 road team and have been playing with their backup, Gardner Minshew II, since Week 6 and they’ve won four in a row. Joe Mixon was a huge help to Browning against Jacksonville with two touchdowns and 117 total yards. To help thwart that, the Colts are getting talented run-defender Grover Stewart back from a six-game suspension. The Bengals bottled up Travis Etienne Jr., and held the Jags to just 71 yards on the ground, but overall have been susceptible to the run game this season.
(Betting odds and trends via Covers, player prop odds via Bet365 as of Friday and subject to change)
