Get insights into your NFL picks this week.
Minnesota Vikings (+154) @ Los Angeles Chargers (-188)
Two teams on similar paths are looking for some magic on Thursday Night Football to keep their playoff hopes alive.
We know who we’d all pick if it the Vikings-Chargers game comes down to Carson Wentz and Justin Herbert. Or do we?
Herbert’s 3-0 start has turned into 3 losses in the Chargers last 4 games. He has suddenly gone cold, with 6 picks in the last 5 games including two last weekend.
Wentz, on the other hand, managed 313 yards of passing against a tough Eagles’ defense last week. But that came with two costly picks as well, so he’s the same Wentz of the past 5 years. J.J. McCarthy is close to being healthy enough, so longshot bettors might like the Vikings if he can reclaim that magic from his only other primetime game this season.
This game looks to be as close as the spread of -3.5 for LAC appears. But it’s just too tough to give Wentz – or even a returning McCarthy – the edge here. Count on Herbert enjoying the home field advantage and regression giving him a boost to regain his mojo.
Check the latest NFL odds at Lucky Rebel.
Chicago Bears (-240) @ Baltimore Ravens (-310)
“SOS Lamar” signs are probably popping up all over Baltimore.
The Ravens, a lock for the playoffs before the season started, find themselves at 1-5 and are basically toast unless Jackson returns from injury fast.
Keep an eye on the injury reports this week. Coach Harbaugh was hopeful Jackson would be back for this game, but as of Monday this week he did not practice.
That -6.5 line for Baltimore in the Ravens-Bears game seems like it’s programmed for Jackson’s return. Without him, the line could move a good 4-5 points. The smart money would be wise to hedge this one, pre-injury confirmation and post.
The Bears do have some say in this game, either way. RB D’Andre Swift has come alive in the past few weeks, WR Rome Odunze is having a breakout rookie year, and the defense leads the NFL in takeaways. Six and half points seems like a lot for the Ravens, with or without their star QB in the lineup.
New York Giants (+280) @ Philadelphia Eagles (-355)
In the past five or six seasons, this Giants-Eagles game would have been a gimme for Eagles bettors.
This season, even though the spread is a hefty -7.5 for Philly, it should be a different story.
Giants’ RB Cam Skattebo can wear down a defense over 4 quarters, so if it’s close to start the 4th don’t discard NYG. QB Jaxson Dart is gaining confidence every week too. He had 3 TD passes (all without Malik Nabers) and ran for another one in last weekend’s epic game against the Broncos.
The Eagles are probably the least inspiring Super Bowl champions in the past decade. Coming into last weekend’s game against the Vikings, they were 30th in the NFL in passing. QB Jalen Hurts took that personally and suddenly woke up the entire team in that game, with 326 yards and 3 TDs.
They might have unlocked something with that performance. If that seems like the Eagles’ new direction (and if it looks like Saquon is finally ready to break out this season against his former team), then Philly could dominate at home. New York is only 26th in the league in pass yards against.
But if you think the Giants can bounce back from that soul-crushing loss to Denver – keep in mind they still put up 32 points against a tough Broncos’ defense – then count on them to beat the spread and even take a look at that +310 moneyline for them to win straight up.
Dallas Cowboys (+146) @ Denver Broncos (-179)
The Broncos accomplished an NFL first last weekend with 33 points in the 4th quarter. That’s after putting up three straight quarters with zero points.
QB Bo Nix threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more in that crazy comeback win over the Giants. Similar to the Eagles last weekend, we aren’t sure how to read this. Was it some kind of unlock for Nix and the offense? Or will they go back to being the team that is up and down, losing two straight to start the year and putting up only 13 points in a 2-point win over the Jets two weeks ago?
Assuming Nix has found his rhythm for good, he can light up the weak Dallas secondary. And with the O/U set at 51 points, we like the Over too. Dallas is a force on offense, with close to 32 points per game. WR CeeDee Lamb is back and fellow wide receiver George Pickens is having an all-star season. Denver’s All-Pro DB Patrick Surtain can only stop one of them…
But then, Dallas has lost ugly a few times this year, to teams like the Bears and the Panthers.
If the uneven performance by both teams so far this season makes the Cowboys-Broncos game tough to feel good about on either side of the spread, take that generous-looking Over instead.
Green Bay Packers (-183) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (+149)
The Packers-Steelers showdown is another game on the 2025 Aaron Rodgers revenge tour.
While it would have been more dramatic if it was at Lambeau, this should still be enough ammo for Rodgers to get extra motivated. The Steelers’ QB is having a solid season, with 4 TDs last weekend and .
But Jordan Love and the rest of the Pack have something to say about the outcome here too. Love and his receivers might light up a Pittsburgh secondary that just gave up 161 yards to the Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase alone last weekend, part of 342 yards overall thrown by Joe Flacco.
Micah Parsons might also not be very sentimental about Rodgers’ story. Parsons picked up 3 sacks last weekend, he leads the league in 4th quarter pressures, and he’ll be looking to hunt down a slow 41-year-old QB all night.
This one is tight everywhere when it comes to the spread, moneyline and O/U. But given how Pittsburgh struggled with Cincy last week, there’s a good chance Parsons and Love could ruin Rodgers’ revenge party.