We're in the home stretch of the 2021 regular season as we officially have just four weeks remaining on the docket before we step into the postseason. As we make this mad dash to the end of Week 18, there's the promise of some wild movement throughout the playoff picture as the standings are razor thin on both conferences. Naturally, these high-stakes games make it that much more fun to bet on, which is what we'll focus on in this space.
We're coming off another strong week in our gambling corner as we hit on three of our five Locks of the Week, were over .500 on our ATS picks overall, and were 11-3 on the Moneyline, bringing us to respectable marks across the board for the season. We'll look to keep that positive momentum rolling in Week 15, starting with our latest five Locks of the Week.
2021 record
Locks of the Week ATS: 40-26-4
ATS: 98-106-4
ML: 127-80-1
Packers at Ravens
This is a game featuring two teams trending in different directions. Green Bay has ascended to the No. 1 seed in the NFC, while the Ravens just lost their second-straight game that has their lead in the AFC North teetering. That said, both quarterbacks -- Aaron Rodgers (toe) and Lamar Jackson (ankle) -- are dealing with injuries. While both are expected to play, it'll be interesting to see how each ailment impacts their overall play. I lean more on Rodgers being able to play through at a higher level as Jackson has been shaky even before this injury. Green Bay is also an NFL-best 11-2 ATS this season (5-1 ATS on the road), while the Ravens are below .500 (6-7 ATS) entering Week 15.
Projected score: Packers 27, Ravens 21
The pick: Packers -4.5
Titans at Steelers
It's hard to judge a team when they play against the Jaguars. Sure, the Titans were able to shut out Jacksonville 20-0, but they only averaged 3.8 yards per play offensively and totaled 263 yards of offense on that afternoon. That's good enough to beat one of the league's bottom dwellers, but I don't think it'll be sufficient to take down the Steelers in Pittsburgh. Mike Tomlin's team is getting some extended rest after playing last Thursday, and they did show some life in the second half as they tried to come back against the Vikings. Historically, Pittsburgh has been a strong bet as a home underdog, owning an 18-6-2 ATS record over their last 26 games under that circumstance. Meanwhile, Tennessee is 2-5 ATS in their last seven games as the road favorite.
Projected score: Steelers 23, Titans 21
The pick: Steelers +1.5
Panthers at Bills
The Buffalo Bills need a win in the worst way. They enter Week 15 clinging to a playoff spot as the No. 7 seed but should be able to get back into the win column on Sunday when they host the Panthers. Carolina's quarterback situation continues to be in a state of flux with Matt Rhule swapping Cam Newton and P.J. Walker in-game. Meanwhile, Buffalo did show flashes of their potential in that comeback attempt against the Buccaneers that forced OT last week. If they play like that at home, they should have no problem clearing this double-digit spread against the Panthers. The Bills are 6-1-1 ATS against teams with a losing record and 4-1-1 ATS following a loss. As for Carolina, they are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games.
Projected score: Bills 30, Panthers 17
The pick: Bills -10.5
Bengals at Broncos
The Bengals have been a bit of a frustrating bet this season. They have plenty of talent, but have struggled to find some consistency and are coming into this matchup losers of two straight. Despite that, I'm going back to the well on this team as Joe Burrow did look strong as they forced OT against San Francisco. While they were unable to complete the comeback, I'm looking for them to carry that second-half momentum to Denver on Sunday where they'll face a Broncos team that they should match up well against. Denver is 25th in the NFL in DOVA against the run, which plays right into the hands of Joe Mixon. Cincy is also 4-1 ATS in its last five road games, while the Broncos are 1-5 ATS in their last six against the AFC.
Projected score: Bengals 27, Broncos 24
The pick: Bengals +1.5
Texans at Jaguars
The Jaguars are on the verge of an utter collapse on and off the field. The Urban Meyer experience does not seem to be working whatsoever and Trevor Lawrence -- who had four interceptions last week -- hasn't been able to produce to the level that many hoped when he was taken No. 1 overall. While Houston isn't a blue-chip operation at the moment either, they have been playing better than Jacksonville. Last week, Davis Mills completed 67% of his throws for 331 yards. If he continues to play anywhere close to that level, getting the Texans with a field goal should be a smash play.
Projected score: Texans 20, Jaguars 17
The pick: Texans +3
Rest of the bunch
Chiefs at Chargers
Projected score: Chiefs 28, Chargers 24
The pick: Chiefs -3
Raiders at Browns
Projected score: Raiders 23, Browns 20
The pick: Raiders -1.5
Patriots at Colts
Projected score: Patriots 24, Colts 21
The pick: Patriots +2.5
Cardinals at Lions
Projected score: Cardinals 30, Lions 17
The pick: Lions +13.5
Jets at Dolphins
Projected score: Dolphins 27, Jets 14
The pick: Dolphins -10
Cowboys at Giants
Projected score: Cowboys 30, Giants 21
The pick: Giants +10.5
Washington at Eagles
Projected score: Eagles 27, Washington 20
The pick: Eagles -4.5
Falcons at 49ers
Projected score: 49ers 28, Falcons 17
The pick: 49ers -9
Seahawks at Rams
Projected score: Rams 27, Seahawks 24
The pick: Seahawks +4.5
Saints at Buccaneers
Projected score: Buccaneers 28, Saints 20
The pick: Saints +11
Vikings at Bears
Projected score: Vikings 27, Bears 21
The pick: Vikings -3.5
