The best games in Week 10 – at least in terms of record – all fall in the early Sunday viewing window. There are three matchups between teams with winning records – and all of those teams would be in the playoffs at this point in the season.
New Orleans travels to Minnesota in a battle of 5-4 teams. Yes, that is Joshua Dobbs starting for the Vikings – and Minnesota has a chance to win its fifth straight game. The Saints are as unpredictable as ever.
San Francisco travels to Jacksonville in a battle of potential Super Bowl contenders. The 49ers are looking to end a three-game losing streak. This will be the debut for edge rusher Chase Young – who was acquired in a trade with Washington. Will that be the difference? Jacksonville has won five straight and also is coming off a bye week, too.
The final game is an AFC North divisional matchup between Baltimore and Cleveland. Lamar Jackson has regained MVP form for the Ravens, and the Browns will have Deshaun Watson this time. Baltimore (13.8) and Cleveland (17.4) have two of the best scoring defenses in the league.
Each week, Sporting News picks every NFL matchup by the spread. A look at our track record this season:
- Straight up: 87-49 (11-3 in Week 9)
- ATS: 70-62-4 (9-4-1 in Week 9)
Here are our straight-up picks for Week 9 (lines courtesy of Caesars):
POWER RANKINGS: Steelers, Browns join Ravens, Bengals in top 10; Bills, Cowboys drop out
NFL picks, predictions for Week 10
- Carolina Panthers at Chicago Bears (-3.5)
Thursday, 8:20 p.m., Prime Video
Justin Fields (thumb) could return this week, and that would help considering Chicago has seven turnovers in its last two losses. Carolina has allowed 36.2 points per game in four road losses, and we think Bears receiver DJ Moore — who has not scored since his three-TD performance on Thursday Night Football in Week 5 — finds the end zone at least once.
Pick: Bears 28, Panthers 21
Result: Bears 16, Panthers 13
- Indianapolis Colts (-1.5) at New England Patriots
Sunday, 9:30 a.m., NFL Network
The Colts and Patriots will play at Frankfurt Stadium in Frankfurt, Germany in a matchup that used to define the AFC championship hunt. The Colts rank seventh in the NFL with 14 takeaways, and the Patriots have been miserable on offense the last three weeks. New England has won the turnover battle the last three weeks and is still 1-2. Why do we have a hunch that Bill Belichick will pull an overseas upset, however small?
Pick: Patriots 20, Colts 19
- Houston Texans at Cincinnati Bengals (-7.5)
Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS
Seeing is believing for Houston first-round pick C.J. Stroud, who will be back close to where he played college ball at Ohio State. Stroud is coming off a five-TD performance, and the Texans are 4-1 ATS as underdogs. The problem? Stroud is 1-3 in four road starts, and the Bengals have won four in a row with a healthy Joe Burrow – who averages 283.3 yards with 10 TDs and two interceptions.
Pick: Bengals 29, Texans 20
- New Orleans Saints (-2.5) at Minnesota Vikings
Sunday, 1 p.m., Fox
This is a battle of 5-4 teams in the NFC playoff hunt. The Vikings are 1-3 S/U at home, which is surprising considering their reputation there. Dobbs led the comeback against the Falcons. Can he do it against another NFC South team? The Saints have not beat a team that currently has a winning record, but they are 3-2 S/U on the road. The Vikings won 28-25 last season. This time, the Saints return the favor.
Pick: Saints 28, Vikings 25
- Green Bay Packers at Pittsburgh Steelers (-3.5)
Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS
The Steelers are ahead of the Packers by a year in terms of replacing a Hall of Fame quarterback, and that shows in the progress. Pittsburgh averages 3.3 sacks per game, and they will turn the pressure up on Jordan Love. Green Bay has lost its last three road games by a combined total of seven points, and the defense has tightened up against the run a little bit. All five of Pittsburgh’s wins have been by seven points or less.
Pick: Steelers 21, Packers 18
- Tennessee Titans at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS
Rookie quarterback Will Levis has done an admirable job the last two weeks, but the Titans still average 18.5 points per game. Tampa Bay is stuck in a four-game losing streak, but Baker Mayfield has not been the problem. It’s a virtual pick ‘em, so go with the home team in a tight one.
Pick: Buccaneers 26, Titans 24
- San Francisco 49ers (-3) at Jacksonville Jaguars
Sunday, 1 p.m., Fox
How do the 49ers emerge from the bye week after a three-game losing streak? The Young trade should help bolster the pass rush, and Deebo Samuel (shoulder) could return this week. Brock Purdy has thrown five interceptions through the losing streak. Trevor Lawrence has a 70% completion percentage with six TDs and two interceptions through the streak. This could easily be the best game of the week. The line has ticked up a half-point. We are going to take the 49ers.
Pick: 49ers 26, Jaguars 20
- Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens (-6)
Sunday, 1 p.m., Fox
The Ravens hammered the Browns 28-3 in Week 4, but Dorian Thompson-Robinson was the starter in that game. Deshaun Watson threw a pair of TDs and let the defense do the rest last week. That won’t be as easy on the road against Baltimore – which has outscored opponents 119-40 at home. Cleveland has chances in the rematch, but a late field goal by Justin Tucker gives Baltimore a season sweep of their AFC North rival.
Pick: Ravens 24, Browns 21
- Atlanta Falcons (-2.5) at Arizona Cardinals
Sunday, 4:05 p.m., CBS
Clayton Tune took seven sacks in his first start for the Cardinals, who might get Kyler Murray and James Conner back this week. Arizona has failed to cover as an underdog five of the last six weeks. Atlanta is coming off back-to-back one-score losses, but they should be able to take advantage of an Arizona run defense that allows 126.7 rushing yards per game. Bijan Robinson has been quiet the last two weeks. That changes.
Pick: Falcons 23, Cardinals 19
- Detroit Lions (-1.5) at Los Angeles Chargers
Sunday, 4:05 p.m., CBS
The Lions had a bye week to prepare for a West Coast road trip. Detroit is 3-1 S/U on the road this season and has flexed a large following in those games. Jared Goff’s passer rating drops to 88.0 on the road this season, so a shootout with Justin Herbert is possible. The Chargers are coming off a short week, and their home losses to the Dolphins and Cowboys were by a combined total of five points. Dan Campbell and Brandon Staley let it hang out here.
Pick: Lions 33, Chargers 30
- New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys (-16)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m., Fox
This is the largest spread of the week – mostly because the Giants are down to third-string quarterback Tommy DeVito. Dallas beat New York 40-0 in Week 1. The Giants rank last in the NFL with 11.2 points per game. Dallas is 3-0 S/U at home this season and has won those games by an average of 26 points per game. It’s generally smarter to take that many points in a NFL game, but look for the Cowboys to roll in the second half.
Pick: Cowboys 35, Giants 17
- Washington Commanders at Seattle Seahawks (-6)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m., Fox
The Seahawks were humbled at Baltimore, but they are still tied atop the NFC West. Seattle is 3-1 S/U at home, and the difference has been generating more in a running game that has struggled.. Seattle averages 115 rushing yards per game at home, and that should work against Washington – who have four straight one-score games.
Pick: Seahawks 28, Commanders 24
- New York Jets (-2.5) at Las Vegas Raiders
Sunday, 8:20 pm., NBC
This game is more intriguing with Raiders interim coach Antonio Pierce, who can pick up a Big Apple sweep and get the Raiders back to .500 with a victory against the Jets. This is only the second time the Jets have been favored this season. Las Vegas is 3-1 S/U at home, and rookie Aidan O’Connell will not take too many risks. It will be another small upset in the desert.
Pick: Raiders 23, Jets 18
- Denver Broncos at Buffalo Bills (-7.5)
Monday, 8:15 p.m., ESPN
The Bills are back in prime-time after a Sunday Night Football loss to the Bengals. Buffalo is 4-0 S/U at home, but they failed to cover double-digit spreads against the Giants and Buccaneers. Denver took a two-game winning streak into the bye week, and the Broncos are 3-1 when they have one turnover or less.
Pick: Bills 27, Broncos 20