(#102) Denver Broncos | ATS | . 

While the New England Patriots survived the Divisional Round game against Houston (I had them,) it wasn't entirely convincing. The Texans turned the ball over five times in the contest and I simply don't see Denver making those same mistakes. The Patriots will now go on the road in a hostile environment this weekend for the first time since playing the Jets in December. 

I know that Denver got a bit lucky according to some in the Divisional Round against the Bills on that INT-Catch call. But, as there's nothing that can be done now, I believe that the Broncos have all the momentum in the world. Jarrett Stidham may not have seen any games this season. But, he's more than capable as a starter and I believe that he's going to show up in a massive home game against his old team. 

That's right. Jarrett Stidham used to back up Tom Brady in 2019. I firmly believe that the Broncos defense is stronger than the Patriots and that will be the difference on Sunday afternoon at Mile High. Grab as many points as you can. 

Burns' Prediction: 23-20 Broncos.

(#391) Buffalo Bills | ATS | . 

Here we go again. Last year, Buffalo was able to host Denver with the success that it had during the regular season. In that game, the Bills dominated and won by 24 points. You may be thinking that the Broncos are out for revenge from that game. Well, it's true to an extent. Buffalo's not as strong on paper this year and that makes it less scary of a team. But, there's still Josh Allen who in my eyes, is the best QB in the playoffs this year. 

Denver had a fantastic year and got credited with the #1 seed in the AFC as a result. That being said, Jacksonville was able to expose its defense in the latter stages of the regular season and guess who just beat the Jags? Buffalo did. The Broncos don't run the ball all that well and that's going to hurt them in this game as it's one spot that the Bills struggle. Don't get into a shootout with Allen either as he's capable of simply tearing a part any defense that's in front of him. 

I do believe that the Broncos have an outstanding defense and it's going to be tough with the wide receiving core that the Bills have. But, the Bills should try and establish a run game and I wouldn't be shocked if Allen continues to use his legs a ton. Buffalo's had Denver's number in recent season's I simply believe that Buffalo's going to be able to take advantage of KC not being in the playoffs this year and make another run at glory. Buffalo moves on once again. 

Burns' Prediction: 35-21 Buffalo.

(#339) Miami Dolphins | ATS | . 

Miami might be eliminated from playoff contention but that doesn't mean that it's going to stop trying. The Dolphins beat Tampa Bay last weekend and now have a date against their divisional rivals in the Pats to try and give New England the toughest possible path in the playoffs. Mike McDaniel wants to keep his job and shocking the world with a win on Sunday definitely could help Dolphins fans forget about the sub-par season. 

Like I mentioned in the first paragraph, the Patriots can still move around in the top of the AFC standings. Yes, New England is the much stronger team and are the double digit favorites for a reason. But, this is a tougher game than people are expecting in Week 18. Let's not forget that it was a one score game when these teams matched up earlier in the season. 

No matter the circumstances, a divisional team should always want to beat another divisional team. New England's only focus is on the playoffs right now while Miami's is winning this game. I'm not going to predict an outright win, but this game should be much closer than the line suggests on Sunday afternoon. 

Burns' Prediction: 28-24 Pats.

(#428) Buffalo Bills | ATS | . 

Even though I know that the defending champions are getting more and more comfortable as the season gets older, I do believe that this is a very tough matchup for the Eagles in week 17. Looking at the standings, this quite possibly could be a preview of the Super Bowl. I mean, things are so up in the air at the moment that any team in either the AFC or NFC could emerge as the Lombardi winners this season. 

Despite its B2B wins, Philadelphia has still lost three of its past five games. The offense has definitely been underwhelming this season and the rush defense is nothing special either. That might be a problem against the current best rushing team in the NFL. 

Josh Allen absolutely loves the spot light and he's definitely going to be in the middle of it this weekend. This has the chance to be an epic matchup. With the Bills having ramped up the offensive pressure lately, I expect more brilliance from Allen and co. on Sunday afternoon. 

Burns' Prediction: 31-24 Bills.

(#124) Denver Broncos | ATS | . 

While I definitely respect what Jacksonville has been able to accomplish this season, currently on a five game winning streak and with a 10-4 record, there's been some very easy games along the way. The Jags had the luxury of playing the Cardinals, Titans, a hurt Colts team and Jets B2B2B2B over the past four weeks. That's very easy. 

Now, the real test comes. Denver finally showed me last weekend what I've been waiting to see all season, especially Bo Nix. That was a wicked performance and I'm expecting more of the same throughout the rest of the season. The Broncos have won 11 consecutive games (very quietly) and will definitely be a problem for anyone in the playoffs. 

Both teams are cruising at the moment, but being at home, at Mile High is definitely going to be something different that the Jags don't experience too much whatsoever. Pat Surtain is going to shut down whatever passing game TLAW has and this will be a massive win for Denver on Sunday afternoon with KC & LAC on deck. Lay the number. 

Burns' Prediction: 33-21 Broncos. 

***This is an AFC Game. But, this is labelled as Burns' #1 NFL GAME OF THE YEAR. So this is the biggest.***

(#482) Dallas Cowboys | ATS | . 

Minnesota somehow managed to dominate Washington last weekend and have a stellar performance defensively, winning 31-0. This weekend, I expect much different results. The Vikings have been very poor offensively this season and even though last week was a step in the right direction, JJ McCarthy didn't light the stat sheet up at all and Justin Jefferson was non-existent. 

Dallas has one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL despite just a .500 record. The Cowboys lead the league in both total YPG and passing YPG this season. That being said, offense is where Dallas should be able to exploit the Vikings. Playing at home on Sunday Night, give me the Cowboys by at least a touchdown and probably more. 

Burns' Prediction: 34-20 Cowboys.

(#463) Buffalo Bills | ATS | . 

Buffalo is finally starting to wake up. The Bills came back against the Bengals last weekend and I finally saw the Josh Allen that I've been waiting to see all season long. Therefore, I absolutely love the Bills in this matchup to claw back into the AFC East race to claim the divisions top spot. No, a win wouldn't completely do it. But, it would put Buffalo in a fantastic spot as we edge closer and closer to the playoffs. 

New England has been great and I can't take any credit against it. That being said, the Patriots have had one of the easiest schedules of the year of any teams and I believe that it's going to come back to hurt them when it matters most. They've won 10 consecutive games but definitely don't have as strong of an offense as the high powered Bills averaging less total yards, rush yards as well as points. 

Earlier in the season when these sides matched up, NE got the best of Buffalo in a tight three point game. I believe that Josh Allen will take that game personally and dominate offensively this weekend. I'll take the PK line before it goes up. 

Burns' Prediction: 33-26 Bills.

(#138) Las Vegas Raiders | ATS | . 

A few weeks ago, Denver took on LV on a Thursday night and wasn't able to get the job done against the spread. That was the 6th win by one score. Since that game, there's been two more wins and two more wins by less than a touchdown. So in 12 games this season, 10 of those results have been a loss or a win by eight points or less. I believe that the trend of that will continue on Sunday in the Broncos' final divisional game of the year. 

Las Vegas has been eliminated from playoff contention. But, that doesn't mean that Geno isn't going to want to continue to fight of a job somewhere next season. Ashton Jeanty still has something to prove and Brock Bowers didn't get a full season to show his greatness. I believe that the Raiders have a ton to play for still to silence the haters. This is too many points. Hammer the Raiders at home on Sunday afternoon. 

Burns' Prediction: 23-20 Raiders.

(#484) New England Patriots | ATS | . 

Even though I respect the Giants and love how they play, fighting for every single yard and on every single down. However, I do believe that there's definitely a gap in skill from NYG compared to the best of the best. 

New England is newly one of the best teams in the NFL. Drake Maye has himself in the MVP conversation this season with how he's playing and I believe that there's a real chance that the Pats win some games in the playoffs this year. They've won nine consecutive games on the year and are one of the best defensive sides in the NFL despite having a great offense as well. 

In the end, a shorthanded Giants side is going to struggle on the road against a healthy 10-2 NE side. NYG is winless on the road through seven games so far and this is not going to be an easy one. I'll lay the points on Monday Night as my MNF. GAME OF THE YEAR. 

Burns' Prediction: 35-23 Pats.

(#477) Buffalo Bills | ATS | . 

I know that it hasn't been a pretty month of football for Buffalo and it's been hard for it to establish any sort of rhythm, I'm not counting this team out whatsoever just yet. The Bills have been one of the best teams in the NFL over the past few years and with Josh Allen at the helm there's no doubt in my mind that this team can win these types of ball games. I mean let's not forget that he won the MVP last season. 

The Steelers defense has been alarming as well, giving up 31 points to the Bears last weekend. Not only that, but the Steelers find themselves with one of the worst offenses in the NFL in terms of total yardage per game as well. Given how great Buffalo's been at stopping the pass, Pittsburgh's going to have to rely on the run game a lot in this contest I'd have to think. 

I believe that Buffalo has the edge on both sides of the ball and even on the road it should prevail with ease. The Bills are 11-3 over their last 14 games coming off a road loss (away or home) since the mid-way point in 2020. I've got Buffalo dominating this football game on Sunday afternoon. 

Burns' Prediction: 33-17 Bills.

(#480) Los Angeles Chargers | ATS | . 

Las Vegas has not had a good season whatsoever and it's as simple as that. The Raiders just fired their Offensive Coordinator (Chip Kelly) and I believe that the interim guy is going to have just as much trouble. The wide receiver core is completely depleted after trading away Jakobi Meyers. 

Los Angeles, on the other hand, needs to bounce back with a big performance. The Chargers were humiliated on the road in Jacksonville a couple of weeks ago, but had the bye week last weekend to regroup and gain some energy to close out the season with. Earlier this season, the Chargers held the Raiders to just nine points on the road. 

With this matchup being in Los Angeles now, at Sofi, I expect the Chargers to look much better than it did vs. JAX. Herbert has been brilliant for the most part this season and he should get back to his great passing ways on Sunday afternoon. Lay the points. 

Burns' Prediction: 34-14 Chargers.

(#463) Carolina Panthers | ATS | . 

Last weekend definitely wasn't what Carolina hoped for, losing against one of the worst teams in the NFL at home. However, the Panthers are still performing very well this season and let's not forget what happened the last time these sides met up. They hammered the Falcons and shut them out in a 30-0 contest. 

Atlanta might just be the most underwhelming team in the NFL. It's had some great performances. But, four consecutive defeats have the Falcons near the bottom of the NFC and searching for answers. There's not much that ATL can do correctly at the moment and even though it's at home, it's travelling back from Europe so the jet lag could be there. 

I just can't get what happened earlier this season out of my head. Divisional games are supposed to be tough. But, Carolina just seems like the wrong opponent for the Falcons. I've got the Panthers winning outright, but will definitely take the points if I get this line. 

Burns' Prediction: 29-17 Panthers.

(#268) Seattle Seahawks | ATS | . 

Even though Jacoby Brissett has done a solid job for the Arizona Cardinals at keeping them within striking distance since taking over for the injured Kyler Murray, I believe that it's simply not good enough. Yes, they won last week against Dallas on MNF. Yes, they've kept all five of their losses within a single score this season. But, this is not a great matchup for ARI against a divisional opponent that's hungry, who has scored so many more points this season. 

Seattle is playing like one of the best teams in the NFL at the moment and I don't expect that to change this week. The Seahawks have won three consecutive games now and each of them have been by more than a touchdown, including last weekends 38-14 win over Washington on SNF. 

In the end, being at home in a division game is key. The Seahawks have the better offense and the better defense already, and with the 12th man in behind them on Sunday, I expect another big win from them in week 10. 

Burns' Prediction: 34-17 Seahawks.

(#462) Detroit Lions | ATS | . 

Even though Minnesota still has one of, if not the best Wide Receiver in the NFL in Justin Jefferson, I believe that this team is in shambles this season. In one of the toughest divisions in football, there's pretty much no room for error and the Vikings have not been very good this season. Carson Wentz is done for the year and who knows what JJ McCarthy is going to be like after this many weeks off. Nobody even knows whether he was "benched" or not.

Looking at Detroit, it's one of the best teams in the NFL again this season. Fresh off the bye week, Detroit needs to keep dominating in order to pass Green Bay in the coming weeks. Like I said, this division is ultra competitive and the Lions are right in the mix at the moment. They've got a very difficult run of games coming up as well, so this one is as big as ever. Give me the Lions to win this comfortably by double digits. 

Burns' Prediction: 37-14 Lions.

(#279) Dallas Cowboys | ATS | . 

Coming off a commanding victory against Washington, Dallas is in excellent shape at the moment. Getting Ceedee Lamb back in the lineup has been a massive help and the way that Dak Prescott is playing at the moment, there's no doubt in my mind that he's going to continue to play strong, even against this harder defense. 

Pat Surtain will likely draw Lamb for the most part. But, don't forget about George Pickens too. One of them should be open against a Broncos defense that was quite miserable against the Giants for the most part last weekend. If not for the comeback of the decade, Denver would have lost that game. 

I believe that Dallas is in better shape at the moment despite the slightly worse record. The defense has stepped up its game and the offense is blazing on all cylinders right now. I'm big on Dallas this weekend. 

Burns' Prediction: 34-23 Cowboys.

(#269) Buffalo Bills | ATS | . 

Coming off the bye last week, I simply just don't see Buffalo losing a third consecutive game. It's a similar situation as my NFC GOY last weekend on the Eagles. The Bills came into this season as one of the favorites in the AFC and have now been surprisingly under-performing over the past few games. Now, that should all change on Sunday in Week 8 against a Carolina team that I believe is over-performing. 

Talking about the Panthers, they are 4-3 and have won three consecutive games. Even at home, they remain significant dogs this weekend. Having said that, this is not a game that they should win. Carolina has been great at running the ball, but Buffalo's been even better. The Panthers won't have any answers for Josh Allen's improvisation and Buffalo will simply out score them in this massive contest for the standings after NE won again. 

Overall, I'm expecting Allen to take things into his own hands if the offensive game-plan/script isn't working. The Bills will be a popular survivor pick if people still have them available. Expect a double digit win this weekend. 

Burns' Prediction: 37-17 Buffalo.

(#110) Los Angeles Chargers | ATS | . 

Last weekend, I played against Minnesota with Philadelphia as my NFC GAME OF THE YEAR. If not for a missed 42 yard field goal, Philly would've won by even more. Having said that, I'm not a big fan of the Vikings right now given the injuries. Aaron Jones has been a big miss and Carson Wentz hasn't been anything special either. On the road now, this is going to be a tough game after flying across the country on a short week. 

Los Angeles started the year very well. Since, the Chargers have cooled right off. Losing by double digits both last week and a few weeks ago vs. Indianapolis & Washington at home are unacceptable. That being said, they remain at home and are still the favorites on Thursday evening. 

I'm hoping that LAC gets Joe Alt back in the lineup for this week. He will be questionable throughout the week and most likely be a game-time decision. This play isn't relying on him one bit, as I believe that this is simply just a great spot for LAC to bounce back. But, I do believe that his presence would help tremendously. Herbert threw for 400 yards over the weekend. Expect another big game through the air against a Minnesota team that allowed tons of deep balls against the Eagles. 

Burns' Prediction: 24-17 Chargers.

(#461) Philadelphia Eagles | ATS | . 

Well it's no secret that Philadelphia is struggling at the moment to find any sort of consistency offensively, it's only a matter of time before it comes alive again. Let's not forget that the Eagles won the Super Bowl last season with a very similar roster. In reality, they should be very good at running the ball (second in NFL last season) and that should be something that they rely on against a weaker rush defense in Minnesota. 

Looking at the Vikings, it's still up in the air whether JJ McCarthy is going to come back this week, or at all. Minnesota has done fine without him and has a winning record. However, the team surely doesn't look as talented on paper as the Eagles, that's for sure. The Vikings missed a lot of their best players last week including Cashman and Van Ginkel on defense. Van Ginkel could return this week but even if he does, he won't be 100%. 

In the end, I simply do not see Philadelphia losing a third consecutive game. The Eagles have the intangibles to beat any team in the NFL and they should get the job done here this afternoon, even on the road. This is a massive game for them to regain full control of the NFC East. Hammer Philadelphia. 

Burns' Prediction: 31-19 Eagles.