The line for this game has been moving back and forth all week with updates on Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ injuries. It looks like he will be ready to go and play on Saturday at home against the Houston Texans. The Texans have won two straight over the past two weeks to stop their mid-season slide that was taking them from contention of the AFC number one seed back to fighting just for their division lead. However, with their win last week they have secured the AFC South crown again and will now be looking to gain momentum before the playoffs. Houston will be looking to their pass rush, which has the second most sacks in the NFL (45), to cause chaos for an already hobbled Mahomes. We expect the Texans to cause problems for a shaky Kansas City offensive line, and when Mahomes is sacked more than three times the Chiefs have only won by over 3 points once in regulation. We expect this trend to continue and for the Texans to cover the spread on Saturday.

After losing to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday the Detroit Lions now sit at 12-2 along with the Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles at the top of the NFC. With only three weeks to play, each game becomes a must win in order for the Lions now to secure the number one seed. In the first game of the remaining three the Lions will face divisional rivals Chicago Bears, whose eight game losing streak have plummeted them out of playoff contention. Although the losing streak has spoiled their season, Bears’ fans can take pride in the recent turn of form for Caleb Williams, who could’ve taken the Lions to overtime in the reverse fixture if not for some poor clock management. Williams was able to throw for over 250 passing yards and three touchdowns in this game and now the Lions’ defense has suffered even more defensive injuries, five players already added to IR just this month. With the Lions’ defense reeling, conceding 39.5 points per game since last playing the Bears, we expect Caleb Williams to impress again this week and be able to help the Bears upset the Lions in Chicago.

The Washington Commanders have been one of the surprise packages this season, going from bottom of the NFC East to being able to secure a playoff spot this week if they can defeat the Philadelphia Eagles at home and certain results go their way. The Commanders’ success has been tied to their rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels hitting the ground running in the NFL, so much so that he is the favorite for the offensive rookie of the year. The reverse fixture for this matchup back in Week 11 was one of Daniels’ worst games of the season, only just clearing 200 total yards including passing and rushing. Since this game Daniels has generated 9 total touchdowns across three games to help his team breakaway from the wildcard group. This week we expect Jayden Daniels to do enough offensively to keep the Commanders within touching distance of the Philadelphia Eagles in a close low scoring game. We’re taking the Commanders to cover the spread at home this week.

In Week 15 the San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins both suffered devastating losses that, while did not mathematically eliminate them, made a path to a playoff spot extremely difficult with both teams two wins back from a playoff spot with only three games to play. Both of these teams struggled offensively in Week 15, with only one offensive touchdown. We expect the San Francisco 49ers, with the extra rest of playing on Thursday Night instead of Sunday, will be able to bounce back more emphatically and upset the Dolphins in Miami.

The Jacksonville Jaguars and Las Vegas Raiders have both been eliminated from the playoffs this year and their matchup on Sunday will only now be for pride and draft order. Both teams have been struggling offensively all year and even more so since both losing their starting quarterbacks to injury reserve for the season. Whilst Mac Jones and the Jaguars have shown some slight offensive spark, the Raiders offence has hit a complete wall, not scoring over 20 points in five gameweeks. We think the Jaguars will be able to outscore the Raiders in a low scoring affair in Las Vegas on Sunday.

The Seattle Seahawks lost their first game in five weeks on Sunday Night Football and with that the lead of their division. They will be looking to instantly bounce back at home to a Minnesota Vikings team that has won seven games in a row and joined the Detroit Lions at the top of the NFC North and entire NFC at 12-2. We think that Sunday’s game may be a case of the Vikings looking ahead to their crucial end of season divisional games and slip up this week against a dangerous Seahawks team in Seattle.