NFL Upset Picks, Predictions for Week 18: Titans Could Surprise in Jacksonville
Will the Tennessee Titans still prevail while shorthanded? Read why we’re not so quick to write off the Titans as one of three underdogs we like for our Week 18 upset picks.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have won four straight while the Tennessee Titans have dropped six in a row, making Jacksonville a popular choice to win Saturday’s showdown for the AFC South title.
Here are our top NFL upset picks for Week 18 (odds via FanDuel Sportsbook, PointsBet, and DraftKings Sportsbook; Picks based on a 1-to-5 star rating).
Check out our NFL against-the-spread pick power rankings for Week 18, and our odds and lines.
NFL Upset Picks for Week 18
- Titans (+240 via PointsBet) vs. Jaguars
- Panthers (+160 via FanDuel) vs. Saints
- Rams (+240 via DraftKings) vs. Seahawks
NFL Upset Predictions for Week 18
Titans (+240) ⭐⭐⭐
With the Jaguars riding a four-game winning streak and the Titans losing six straight, many are handing Jacksonville the AFC South crown before this game is even played. That’s created a fat price to back a Tennessee squad that always seems to punch above its weight in these types of situations, even if the Titans are down to third-string quarterback Joshua Dobbs and dealing with numerous injuries on defense.
Tennessee hung with the powerful Cowboys during Dobbs’ first career start in Week 17, trailing Dallas just 17-13 in the fourth quarter before the Cowboys pulled away. The Titans played that game without Derrick Henry, opting to rest their star back for this crucial showdown with the Jags. Speaking of rest, Tennessee will have enjoyed nine days off to prepare for this contest after playing last Thursday, while Jacksonville played Sunday and is on a short week.
Although Jacksonville can lose this game and still claim a wild-card berth if the Steelers, Patriots, and Dolphins all lose in Week 18, this is essentially a playoff game. At the current +240 price, backing an experienced Titans team that's played five postseason contests over the past three years is worth a shot against a young Jags squad that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2017.
Editor's note: Hey Ohio! Welcome to legal sports betting. Check out the best sites for Ohio sports betting and the best Ohio sportsbook promos!
Panthers (+160) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
It might be difficult to support the Panthers a week after their slim playoff hopes died with a 30-24 loss to the Buccaneers, a game during which Carolina held an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter before Tom Brady and the Bucs exploded for 20 points. However, the Panthers were playing hard for interim coach Steve Wilks earlier in the season when they were considered out of postseason contention. We should see another strong fight from a Carolina team that's covered during seven of its last 10 games.
There's nothing for the Saints to play for now either after officially being eliminated from the playoff race following Green Bay’s win over the Minnesota Vikings last week. Although New Orleans beat the Philadelphia Eagles 20-10 in Week 17 for its third straight victory, the team's offense has been held to 21 points or fewer in seven of the club's last eight games. That will make it easy for the Panthers to stay close throughout and pull off a late victory.
Rams (+240) ⭐⭐⭐
The Seahawks were home underdogs to the 7-8 Jets in Week 17 and were on an 0-6 ATS skid. Now after winning for the first time in four games and second in seven, Seattle is a touchdown favorite over the Rams? Sure, the Seahawks need a victory for any hope of claiming a wild-card spot in the NFC. But that must-win situation has inflated this line to the point where there’s plenty of value in backing the Rams to play spoiler.
Los Angeles should relish that opportunity against its NFC West rival, a team the Rams have covered the spread against in seven of the last eight meetings. One of those covers came last month in L.A., when the Rams led Seattle during the final minute before falling 27-23. Los Angeles ran for 171 yards during that contest, and now Baker Mayfield is at quarterback for the Rams instead of John Wolford.
Check out our NFL Week 18 trends to know
NFL Week 18 upset picks made 1/3/2022 at 10:18 a.m. ET.
Here are our Best NFL Betting Sites:
- FanDuel: Get a $1,000 No-Sweat First Bet Offer | Read our FanDuel Review
- Caesars: Earn a First Bet Offer of Up to $1,250 | Read our Caesars Review
- DraftKings: Get a 20% Deposit Match up to $1,000 | Read our DraftKings Review
- PointsBet: Earn Five First Bet Offer of Up to $100 Each | Read our PointsBet Review
- BetMGM: Get a First Bet Offer of Up to $1,000 | Read our BetMGM Review
* Bonuses not applicable in Ontario.
Related Pages
Related Articles
