Every year after the college football regular season wraps up – which happened last Saturday with the Army vs. Navy game – the NFL stages at least a couple of games on a Saturday to fill the void because the Thursday night NFL slate ends in Week 15 each year. This Saturday to kick off Week 16 the league offers up three games ahead of every team playing on Sunday in Week 17.
Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com
The opener at 1 p.m. ET is the Houston Texans at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are 3-point home underdogs. The Bucs are playing out the string and will miss the playoffs for a 12th straight season, the second-longest drought in the NFL behind Cleveland. Tampa Bay at least has shown improvement in 2019 under first-year coach Bruce Arians after winning just five games each of the previous two years under then-coach Dirk Koetter.
Houston is chasing the AFC South title and if not then a Wild-Card spot. The Texans won a huge game at the Tennessee Titans last Sunday to take sole possession of first in the division and turn around and host Tennessee in Week 17 in a game that could determine the South champion. Houston is 1-6 ATS in its past seven games as a favorite.
The 4:30 p.m. ET game is Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots, whvo are -6.5. Since Tom Brady became the team’s starting quarterback early in the 2001 season, the Patriots have won the AFC East every year but twice, which is an incredible run of dominance. They will clinch an 11th straight division title with a victory.
That seems likely considering Brady is 31-3 in his career as a starting quarterback against Buffalo, although he struggled in a 16-10 win in Week 4. Four turnovers killed the Bills, who have clinched at least a Wild-Card spot (as have the Patriots). Buffalo is 7-0-1 ATS in its past eight road games.
The prime-time matchup (8:15 p.m. ET) is Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers, with the Niners as 6.5-point favorites. San Francisco was stunned at home against Atlanta on Sunday to fall back into a first-place tie in the NFC West with Seattle. Those two play Week 17 in the Pacific Northwest.
Los Angeles, the defending NFC champion, needs a minor miracle to earn a Wild-Card spot and looks to avoid the season sweep. It managed just 157 total yards in a 20-7 home loss to the Niners in Week 6. The Rams were a combined 0-for-13 on third and fourth down. Los Angeles is 2-6 ATS in its past eight against the Niners.
