NFL spread picks, Week 10: Wait are the Panthers seriously a lock?

The less we say about last week the better. Only Christian D’Andrea and Charles Curtis (both 9-6) finished with winning records as the Texans, Saints and Broncos delivered crushing losses against the spread.

In Week 10, there are six consensus picks, which either means we’re all very smart or equally dumb. Good luck trying to figure that out.

Let’s check in on the standings and make some picks.

All odds via BetMGM

Bengals at Ravens

Opening Line: Ravens -3

Blake Schuster: Bengals +6.5

Cincy has looked significantly better over the last few weeks and the short rest here is enough for me to grab the points and run.

Prince Grimes: Bengals +6.5

Joe Burrow is slinging it. The Ravens will have trouble slowing that offense.

Charles Curtis: Bengals +6.5

Short week, so I think they should at least cover.

Cory Woodroof: Ravens -6.5

Lamar Jackson and this Ravens offense will go scorched Earth on this Bengals defense. I think Joe Burrow will make plays, but not enough to cover.

Robert Zeglinski: Bengals +6.5

The Ravens just barely eked out the first matchup between these two squads a few weeks ago. Joe Burrow is on a mission and I’m not getting in his way.

Christian D’Andrea: Bengals +6.5

Cincinnati stinks in Baltimore, but desperately needs a signature win this fall.

Patriots at Bears

Opening Line: Bears -5.5

Blake Schuster: Bears -5.5

The Bears aren’t irrevocably broken by any means and I think the defense will prove as much this week by holding serve at home.

Prince Grimes: Patriots +5.5

Can’t lay this many points on Chicago as long as the offense looks as broken as it has.

Charles Curtis: Patriots +5.5

I don’t trust this Bears offense, sorry.

Cory Woodroof: Bears -5.5

This Bears defense is still very good, and the Patriots just lost to the Titans and are starting a rookie quarterback. I’ll take Chicago.

Robert Zeglinski: Patriots +5.5

Caleb Williams completed less than 50 percent of his passes against two of the worst defenses in the league over the last two weeks. Plus, I watched his teammates quit on the vaccuum of leadership known as their coach in real time. What else is there to say?

Christian D’Andrea: Bears -5.5

Hell yeah time to prove to the world how I learned nothing before watching Chicago let me down again.

Giants at Panthers

Opening Line: Giants -1.5

Blake Schuster: Panthers +6

Pass.

Prince Grimes: Panthers +6

I’m not touching this game in real life.

Charles Curtis: Panthers +6

The Giants aren’t THAT good.

Cory Woodroof: Panthers +6

This will be close. The Giants may win, but the spread feels off. I’d feel better if this were Giants -3.

Robert Zeglinski: Panthers +6

Who the heck is laying six points on Daniel Jones in 2024? I’ll believe in him that much when pigs fly. Totally unrelated, Bryce Young is looking kinda OK, lately, right?

Christian D’Andrea: Panthers +6

I genuinely have no idea on this one. That’s just a lot of points for Daniel Jones to lay on the road.

Bills at Colts

Opening Line: Bills -2

Blake Schuster: Bills -4

I know the Colts are at home, but this spread should be bigger.

Prince Grimes: Bills -4

Buffalo defends the run decent enough, which could leave this game on the shoulders of Joe Flacco. Good luck with that.

Charles Curtis: Bills -4

Feels like they’re hitting their stride at the right time.

Cory Woodroof: Bills -4

The Colts can’t keep putting Joe Flacco out there and expecting him to lift their season every week. I mean, sure, the Browns pulled it off, but Flacco seems far more human this year.

Robert Zeglinski: Bills -4

The Bills’ run defense is officially troubling, and it might cost them another chance at the Super Bowl. Fortunately, the Colts have a forgettable rushing offense. Buffalo gets away with it for another week.

Christian D’Andrea: Bills -4

Buffalo’s wideout corps are dealing with injuries but Indianapolis may not have the horses to exploit this.

Broncos at Chiefs

Opening Line: Chiefs -9.5

Blake Schuster: Broncos +8.5

This Chiefs team is unworthy of your trust. Against the spread. They’ll keep winning outright because that’s the one guarantee in this league.

Prince Grimes: Chiefs -8.5

I can’t imagine Bo Nix’s first game in Arrowhead, without much of a run game to speak of, will go great.

Charles Curtis: Chiefs -8.5

The Broncos have been feisty but this Chiefs team feels like it’s cruising.

Cory Woodroof: Broncos +8.5

I dunno. The Chiefs are going to lose at some point. It might not be this week, but I could see the Broncos keeping it close. I’d feel better with a slightly lower spread.

Robert Zeglinski: Chiefs -8.5

That extremely rare pre-Halloween win for Denver last year was an anomaly. The Chiefs are to the Broncos as what the Packers are to the Bears. This won’t be close, and the Colorado Front Range will accept it in numb silence. I speak from experience.

Christian D’Andrea: Chiefs -8.5

Kansas City doesn’t get caught in many blowouts, but the Broncos just curled up into a ball and died against a poor Baltimore defense.

Falcons at Saints

Opening Line: Falcons -1

Blake Schuster: Falcons -3.5

If the Saints thought firing Dennis Allen before the Falcons came to town would spark New Orleans, they are about to be proven very very wrong.

Prince Grimes: Falcons -3.5

I’d feel a lot better about this pick with confirmation Chris Olave is out.

Charles Curtis: Falcons -3.5

Another team hitting its stride at the right time.

Cory Woodroof: Falcons -3.5

The Saints are going to give this game all they have and then some. That’s how desperate rivals play. However, the injuries on both sides of the ball for New Orleans will be tough to overcome.

Robert Zeglinski: Falcons -3.5

Well … at least the Saints seem like they want to start rebuilding again. It only took half a decade.

Christian D’Andrea: Saints +3.5

Teams playing the week after firing their head coach only win about 45 percent of the time (since 2019) but they cover two-thirds of the time. And few things would be more Falcons than struggling against a bad Saints team to dent their Super Bowl aspirations.

49ers at Buccaneers

Opening Line: 49ers -7

Blake Schuster: 49ers -5.5

It’s impossible to forecast the Niners offense this week as Christian McCaffrey works back into the fold, but it’s even harder to trust the Bucs.

Prince Grimes: Buccaneers +5.5

San Fran’s defense has been kinda beatable this year.

Charles Curtis: 49ers -5.5

Coming off the bye, I could see the Niners blowing out the Bucs.

Cory Woodroof: 49ers -5.5

If Christian McCaffrey comes back this week, that’s bad news for a Tampa Bay defense that hasn’t been great as of late.

Robert Zeglinski: 49ers -5.5

Kyle Shanahan off a bye against a coach who didn’t go for two with a chance to beat Patrick Mahomes before the inevitability of overtime. Hmmmmmm.

Christian D’Andrea: Buccaneers +5.5

I like the Niners off a bye, but this is too much to lay on the road.

Steelers at Commanders

Opening Line: Steelers -1.5

Blake Schuster: Steelers +3

Mike Tomlin’s team is 6-2 ATS. Stop giving this man extra points.

Prince Grimes: Steelers +3

I can’t imagine not taking this many points on a Mike Tomlin team against Washington. Even as improved as the Commanders are.

Charles Curtis: Steelers +3

I love this Commanders team, but I keep thinking Mike Tomlin is going to scheme enough to cover.

Cory Woodroof: Steelers +3

This is the exact kind of game you won’t want a rookie quarterback to start. Mike Tomlin will know how to slow this offense down.

Robert Zeglinski: Steelers +3

The Commanders’ defense is just shaky enough to make this a real battle. Unironically, games like this are why Russell Wilson is a Steeler.

Christian D’Andrea: Steelers +3

Pittsburgh has won its last seven games coming off a bye.

Vikings at Jaguars

Opening Line: Jaguars -3.5

Blake Schuster: Jaguars +5

They gave the Eagles a scare last week and still aren’t being taken seriously at home.

Prince Grimes: Jaguars +5

There’s been just enough slippage with the Vikings to take the points.

Charles Curtis: Vikings -5

The Jags are all sorts of bleh.

Cory Woodroof: Vikings -5

I predict Brian Flores’ defense makes a big comeback this week and slows Jacksonville to a halt.

Robert Zeglinski: Vikings -5

Minnesota is gradually falling back to Earth, but its floor is still so much higher than this Jaguars team.

Christian D’Andrea: Jaguars +5

If Trevor Lawrence plays, Vikings -5 otherwise. Total hunch play, but Doug Pederson kinda threw shade at his quarterback and there’s room here for a big Lawrence performance.

Titans at Chargers

Opening Line: Chargers -4

Blake Schuster: Chargers -7.5

Speaking of coaches I’m done doubting: You win, Jim Harbaugh. I give up.

Prince Grimes: Chargers -7.5

There’s not a single thing the Titans do better than the Chargers.

Charles Curtis: Chargers -7.5

Will the Titans score more than 10 points on this team? No way.

Cory Woodroof: Chargers -7.5

The Titans beat the Patriots this week, which wasn’t great for their draft standing. However, this grinding L.A. team is good news for those who want tanking in Tennessee.

Robert Zeglinski: Chargers -7.5

I kinda sorta think the Chargers can make some noise in the AFC playoffs. Sigh, Jim Harbaugh is a madman.

Christian D’Andrea: Chargers -7.5

Justin Herbert has quietly been one of the league’s best quarterbacks this season.

Eagles at Cowboys

Opening Line: Cowboys -2

Blake Schuster: Eagles -7.5

Philly has to run it up on Sunday. For the good of the franchise and to keep the absolute circus going in Dallas.

Prince Grimes: Eagles -7.5

The only person who could blow this cover for the Eagles is Nick Sirianni.

Charles Curtis: Eagles -7.5

Cooper Rush isn’t going to be good.

Cory Woodroof: Eagles -7.5

The Cowboys are reeling and banged up. This won’t be a fun one for Dallas.

Robert Zeglinski: Eagles -7.5

Fun fact: fourth-rounders in the NFL are expected to be solid starters. So, uh, when do y’all think Jonathan Mingo catches his first Dallas pass? Thanksgiving?

Christian D’Andrea: Eagles -7.5

I dunno man, Nick Siranni could mess up a stick figure but the Cowboys seem even less competent.

Jets at Cardinals

Opening Line: Jets -3

Blake Schuster: Jets +1

Have just a hunch Aaron Rodgers is gonna be fired up this week for one of the few winnable games left. And it’s not because Mike Williams is gone.

Prince Grimes: Cardinals -1

Don’t feel great about this. Just rolling with the home team.

Charles Curtis: Jets +1

There is no way I’m betting on this game.

Cory Woodroof: Cardinals -1

I like Arizona. They’re feisty. Who knows.

Robert Zeglinski: Jets +1

Kyler Murray vs. Aaron Rodgers in a game I like to call “Who do you trust somewhat more?”

Christian D’Andrea: Jets +1

I don’t think the Cardinals are that good. But I also knew the Jets aren’t. Welp, gimme the point.

Lions at Texans

Opening Line: Texans -1

Blake Schuster: Lions -3.5

I don’t feel good about this line but I don’t know how I’m supposed to pick against the Lions at this point.

Prince Grimes: Lions -3.5

The return of Nico Collins should help Houston, but that offensive line looked horrid last time out.

Charles Curtis: Lions -3.5

Trickier than it looks, but I say the Lions’ defense clamps down.

Cory Woodroof: Lions -3.5

The Texans will be fine in the long run, but this feels like a loss to me. Detroit is too good.

Robert Zeglinski: Lions -3.5

If Nico Collins comes back this week, this one goes down to the wire. If not, everyone starts pencilling Detroit into the Super Bowl after this.

Christian D’Andrea: Lions -3.5

Houston’s ability to fade into the background makes it very difficult to pick with a contender in town.

Dolphins at Rams

Opening Line: Rams -1

Blake Schuster: Dolphins +1

Primetime Monday night feels perfect for Tua’s re-emergence

Prince Grimes: Rams -1

Rams defense has been sneaky competent lately.

Charles Curtis: Rams -1

Still don’t have faith in the Fins.

Cory Woodroof: Rams -1

Los Angeles is coming around. That was a good win last week at Seattle.

Robert Zeglinski: Rams -1

No, no, see, Miami’s final stand for this season was last week. You’re confused, clearly.

Christian D’Andrea: Rams -1

Los Angeles’s offense has figured things out. The defense isn’t quite there, but I’ll still back Matthew Stafford over Tua Tagovailoa.