NFL odds, lines, picks, spreads, best bets, predictions for Week 17, 2021: Model backing Cardinals, Steelers

Twenty-four of the 32 NFL teams are still in postseason contention entering the Week 17 NFL schedule. Thus, nearly every game in the league’s penultimate week carries meaning with at least one team fighting for either a playoff spot or positioning. One such matchup could very well be an AFC postseason preview as the Titans host the Dolphins. Tennessee is a 3.5-point favorite per Caesars Sportsbook in the latest Week 17 NFL odds and a victory would secure the AFC South for the Titans.

But Miami has won seven straight and it controls its own destiny in nabbing one of the final Wild Card spots. Can Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins keep their winning ways alive despite having four fewer days of rest than Tennessee? And which team should you lean towards when placing your Week 17 NFL bets? All of the Week 17 NFL lines are listed below and SportsLine’s advanced computer model has all the NFL betting advice and predictions you need to make the best Week 17 NFL picks now.

Now, it has turned its attention to the latest Week 17 NFL odds and locked in picks for every NFL matchup. Head here to see every pick.

Top Week 17 NFL predictions

One of the model’s strongest Week 17 NFL picks is that the Cardinals (+5.5) cover the spread against the Cowboys. After Dallas’ dominant Sunday Night Football victory over the Washington Football Team, the line for this game opened up with Dallas as three-point favorites. The model favored the Cardinals at that number, so it’s now even more behind Arizona to cover since the line has grown to 5.5 points.

Arizona is a league-best 7-1 on the road both straight-up and against the spread. It is also 5-0 ATS as an underdog or in a pick’em, and Kyler Murray will be unlike anyone that Cowboys have faced recently. Dallas has won four straight, but all four came against backup QBs in Taysom Hill, Mike Glennon and Taylor Heinicke twice. None of them rank among the top 20 in passer rating, while Murray ranks fifth at 100.5. Also, Murray appears to finally be completely over that ankle injury which sidelined him earlier in the year as his 74 rushing yards in Week 16 was a season-high.

SportsLine’s model has Murray racking up nearly 300 yards of total offense and accounting for two touchdowns. His production, combined with a Cards defense that allows four fewer points per game on the road, allows Arizona to stick with Dallas as the model has the Cowboys winning by just one point. Thus, it has Arizona (+5.5) covering in 60 percent of simulations. 

Another one of its Week 17 NFL predictions: The Steelers (+3) cover against the Browns on Monday Night Football. This is an eliminator game as the winner will have just under a 25 percent chance of making the postseason, while the loser will be eliminated from playoff contention. Recent history favors Pittsburgh as since Ben Roethlisberger was drafted in 2004, the Steelers are 29-6-1 against the Browns straight up. The Steelers have also covered in their last four regular season meetings with the Browns.

Baker Mayfield’s play hasn’t given any indication that he’ll end that streak as he’s been dreadful over the last month. He’s had more touchdowns than turnovers just once over his last five games and the model predicts that stat will be once over his last six games following Monday Night Football. Pittsburgh is projected to win straight up as the underdog and to cover almost 60 percent of the time. The model also says you should back the Over (40.5) in that game as the teams are projected to combine for 41 points.

How to make Week 17 NFL picks

The model has also made the call on who wins and covers in every other game on the Week 17 NFL schedule, and it’s calling for a Super Bowl contender to go down hard. You can only get every pick for every game at SportsLine.

So which NFL picks can you make with confidence, and which Super Bowl contender goes down hard? Check out the latest NFL odds below, then visit SportsLine to see which teams win and cover the spread, all from a proven computer model that has returned over $7,100 since its inception, and find out.

Week 17 NFL odds, spreads, lines

Sunday, Jan. 2

Raiders at Colts (-7.5, 45)

Giants at Bears (-6, 37.5)

Buccaneers at Jets (+13, 46)

Falcons at Bills (-14.5, 44.5)

Eagles at Washington (+4, 46)

Chiefs at Bengals (+5.5, 49.5)

Jaguars at Patriots (-15.5, 41.5)

Dolphins at Titans (-3, 41.5)

Rams at Ravens (+3.5, 46.5)

Broncos at Chargers (-5.5, 45)

Texans at 49ers (-12.5, 44)

Cardinals at Cowboys (-5.5, 51.5)

Panthers at Saints (-7, 38.5)

Lions at Seahawks (-6.5, 42.5)

Vikings at Packers (-6.5, 47.5)

Monday, Jan. 3

Browns at Steelers (+3, 40.5)