NFL Week 10 picks: 3 games to watch as the NFC race gets tighter

The Los Angeles Rams are 4-point favorites over the San Francisco 49ers as of Friday evening, odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. Will the Rams be able to win and cover the spread on the road against a Niners team that has won the last four games against them?

That’s a question to be answered on Monday night, but these are three other games worth monitoring over the weekend:

Buffalo Bills (5-3) @ New York Jets (2-6)

At first glance, one might look at a Bills/Jets match-up as the next best thing to a bye week. In no known universe could a lowly 2-6 New York Jets squad with a rookie head coach and starting their back-up quarterback for the third straight week. But looks in today’s NFL can be deceiving and this week’s tilt in the Meadowlands is anything but a given for the visiting Buffalo Bills.

After an embarrassing offensive performance that saw the Bills manage more turnovers than scores, this is a team reeling from being upended by a different 2-6 unit after traveling south for the beginning of winter. This time, however, Buffalo will be eager to get back on track, and ready to reclaim their spot in the thick of the AFC title hunt heading into the second half of the season. Ultimately, while we typically enjoy a good upset story, in this case, New York is no Rudy Ruettiger. We expect the Bills to not only to win, but to easily cover the spread.

Point spread: Bills -11.5

Point total: 47.5

Seattle Seahawks (3-5) @ Green Bay Packers (7-2)

Two pre-season NFC champion favorites square off in what are similar, yet very different circumstances. While both teams feature quarterbacks returning to lead a potent offense, it’s the Seattle Seahawks with the chip on their collective shoulder after seeing a promising start to their 2021 campaign turn into a battle for their playoff lives and all but out of the race to win the NFC West.

On the other hand, the Green Bay Packers began their season in a less-than-inspiring fashion only to run off seven straight victories. It was Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, after missing a game due to his much publicized bout with the novel Coronavirus, who brought an end to their winning ways. Two teams looking for a rebound enter, but only one shall leave with the dub. The Seahawks are hungry, but the Packers are tough at home. We see Green Bay winning but Russ keeps it closer than the spread suggests and the point total under Vegas predictions.

Point spread: Packers -5.5

Point total: 49.5

Kansas City Chiefs (5-4) @ Las Vegas Raiders (5-3)

It has been a tumultuous few weeks for the Las Vegas Raiders. After having jettisoned their head coach and two star contributors - for reasons we shall not get into here - the Men in Black would love nothing more than to put their troubles aside by getting back to their winning ways and breaking the clouds that currently reside above usually sunny Sin City.

The Kansas City Chiefs have had recent troubles of their own, however. A slumping offense and suspect defense have contributed to a sense of vulnerability for the defending AFC champs. Despite whatever trouble may currently be ailing them, the Chiefs find themselves still in the chase for yet another division title and looking to tighten the stranglehold on their rivals to the West. Tales of Mahomes demise have been greatly exaggerated and the Chiefs win big in Vegas, easily covering the 2.5 point spread.

Point spread: Chiefs -2.5

Point total: 51