Entering Week 16 of the 2021 NFL season, it is getting tougher and tougher for the best betting sites on the NFL to deliver concrete grips on their lines. Rosters are being ravaged by a surge of COVID-19 cases, which has made it difficult to discern the number of players who will be available on a weekly basis.
Fortunately, the latest injury and health-and-safety reports are in. That gives us enough information to drop Week 16 NFL picks, wherein we'll ponder the futures of both the Green Bay Packers as NFC favorites and the slumping Buffalo Bills.
Here are the latest Week 16 NFL betting odds, courtesy from the folks over at BetOnline:
| Favorite |  | | Underdog |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | -183 | +163 | Tennessee Titans |
| Green Bay Packers | -350 | +280 | Cleveland Browns |
| Arizona Cardinals | -110 | -110 | Indianapolis Colts |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | -480 | +390 | Carolina Panthers |
| Los Angeles Chargers | -436 | +327 | Houston Texans |
| Atlanta Falcons | -261 | +208 | Detroit Lions |
| Cincinnati Bengals | -135 | +115 | Baltimore Ravens |
| Los Angeles Rams | -164 | +135 | Minnesota Vikings |
| New York Jets | -140 | +120 | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| New England Patriots | -135 | +115 | Buffalo Bills |
| Las Vegas Raiders | -122 | +101 | Denver Broncos |
| New Orleans Saints | -165 | +145 | Miami Dolphins |
| Dallas Cowboys | -538 | +389 | Washington Football Team |
In light of the NFL's COVID-19 issues, we cannot stress this enough: Whether you're wagering on games, NFL props or betting on the Super Bowl, it's mega-important to quadruple-check all NFL odds. Linemakers are moving their NFL betting odds more often and to starker degrees as they react to the latest breaking news. Make sure you're staying on top of those changes.
Consider going through our reviews of the top online sportsbooks to help you grapple with an ever-shifting NFL betting landscape. We researched the most reliable sports betting sites so you don't have to. Take advantage of it.
2021 Week 16 NFL Predictions
Please note that all of our Week 16 NFL picks are accurate as of Wednesday, December 22. We sound like a broken record, but it's crucial to note given all the health-and-safety issues currently plaguing the league.
If you're placing your Week 16 NFL predictions later than this, chances are you'll need to make these NFL picks against different NFL betting lines.
Are Packers Now Favorites to Come Out of NFC?
After seeing both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Arizona Cardinals stumble in Week 15, lots of folks are asking whether the Aaron Rodgers-led Packers should be favorites to come out of the NFC.
Our answer is an overwhelming, resounding...no.
This shouldn't really surprise anyone. The Packers have done a nice job getting to 11 victories before Week 16 despite navigating an early offensive slump and a later-season absence form Rodgers. But the offense is so vulnerable outside of his heroics, and they haven't needed to play against an especially difficult schedule.
Green Bay's good schedule fortune will continue in Week 16 against the Cleveland Browns. They would normally pose a tougher challenge if everyone were available, but their quarterback situation is currently in shambles due to a slew of COVID-19 cases. If the Packers don't win this Christmas Day affair, they'll need to take a long look in the mirror.
OSB Prediction: Green Bay Packers (-350)
Bills Need to Beat Patriots...But Will They?
Without question, the Bills need to pick up this victory against the New England Patriots if they have any hope of recapturing the lead in the AFC East. We believe they will get it.
Not only has Buffalo's offense returned to form over the past two weeks, thanks in large part to quarterback Josh Allen, but the Patriots offense is slogging through a slump now that the scouting report has dropped on rookie QB Mac Jones.
Playing in New England may change the calculus a bit, but the Bills are far from strangers to battling in cold weather. They can steal this one.
OSB Prediction: Buffalo Bills (+115)
Cardinals Bounce Back vs. Colts
The Cardinals should absolutely be lampooned for falling to the then-winless Detroit Lions in Week 16. Putting up just 12 points against that defense is criminally bad. But we shouldn't expect it to happen again.
Sure, the Indianapolis Colts are 7-2 since beginning the season 1-4. But their third-ranked offense isn't as dynamic as it seems. They need running back Jonathan Stewart to carry a lion's share of the workload, and Arizona has done a better job defending against ground games in recent weeks.
OSB Prediction: Arizona Cardinals (-110)
Jags Notch a Win Over Jets
For the life of us, we cannot figure out why the Jacksonville Jaguars are underdogs against the New York Jets.
It is difficult to come up with lines for two really bad squads, but the Jaguars clearly have the higher ceiling if they get a good game from rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence. On top of that, teams tend to play a tad better after changing head coaches, and the late-season dismissal of Urban Meyes could spark something of a mini-turnaround for a Jacksonville team that, despite its record, is not absent offensive talent.
OSB Prediction: Jacksonville Jaguars (+120)
Tampa Bay Finds a Way Against Carolina
The New Orleans Saints defense held the Bucs offense to zero points in Week 15. That is not a typo, even though it reads like one.
Ask yourself this: Do you really expect Tom Brady and crew, who rank in the top five of points per game this season, to lay another egg? Especially when playing a barely average Carolina Panthers passing defense?
That's what we thought.
OSB Prediction: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-480)
Take a look at this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can decide which one to use for all of your NFL betting:
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