NFL Predictions Week 16: Top Underdog Picks, Vegas Odds and Score Predictions

The dawn of Week 16 means an uneven slate of games in terms of matchups you should care about. 

The difference between the haves and have-nots is as plain as possible, and while some teams will be fighting for the playoffs and seeding, others are just looking to drag what’s left of their team across the finish line. 

That means there’s more than one line that can be taken advantage of this week. Oddsmakers take a lot of things into consideration, but it’s hard to tell just how much motivation teams like the Cleveland Browns and San Diego Chargers will have coming into the penultimate week of the regular season. 

Here’s a look at the complete slate along with the latest odds from OddsShark and a look at some of the more intriguing lines from the week. 

Indianapolis Colts at Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders have been one of the best teams in the AFC all year and are at home on Saturday, yet they are only favored by four points against a Colts team that is 7-7 on the season. 

So why the close line?

The narratives behind this line have to do with motivation and injuries. First, the Colts are fighting for their season. If they win, they stay in the playoff race in the AFC South. A loss all but does them in. 

Then there’s Derek Carr’s injury. The quarterback’s injured pinky didn’t allow him to take snaps from under center last week, and that can hamstring the offense. NBC analyst Tony Dungy offered some insight into the potential consequences of not being able to go under center:

Very difficult. Definitely impacts the run game and limits your play action passes. Getting a bye would be big help. https://t.co/KUaf6t2w6C

— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) December 21, 2016

To use these narratives to pick the Colts is a bit disingenuous, though. It ignores the fact that the Raiders have just as much motivation to improve their playoff stock. Oakland has locked up a spot in the postseason, but a first-round bye is still in its sights and would be a huge help in getting Carr back to top form when it counts. 

Then there’s the fact that Carr may be closer to full health than is being lead on. According to the San Francisco Chronicle’s Vic Tafur, the quarterback has taken snaps under center in …

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