NFL Week 15 Picks 2025 (Thursday 11th December-Monday 15th December)

This is a thread that will be a little longer by the time the Sunday games come around- I will have a few thoughts about how the Playoff Picture looks, but Thursday Night Football has come around quickly this week and there is a selection from that game, which can be read below.

Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pick: Once again, the NFC South looks like it will only be sending one team into the post-season and in recent times the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6) have found a way to win the Division. However, a poor defeat in Week 14 has just opened the door for the Carolina Panthers who have the same record as the Buccaneers and those two teams are facing one another twice in the final three weeks of the season.

Those games are likely going to decide the fate of the Division, but the Buccaneers will be keen to find some momentum after recent setbacks. The loss to the New Orleans Saints means the Buccaneers have dropped five of the last seven games and injuries are just taking a toll on the team ahead of this Thursday Night Football game.

Divisional games against the Panthers will be key to the outcome of the NFC South, but that does not mean Tampa Bay can overlook the Atlanta Falcons (4-9) who have confirmed to be having another losing season.

Head Coach Raheem Morris may struggle to hold onto his role at the end of the season, but the Falcons will be keen to bounce back from a blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks. After upsetting the Buffalo Bills, the Atlanta Falcons have lost seven of eight games played, but they have to be motivated by trying to play spoiler for a long-time dominant Divisional rival.

The game in Week 14 was tied at 6-6 at half time, but the Falcons allowed a Kick Return for a Touchdown and then imploded with turnovers to allow the Seahawks to pull clear.

Veteran Quarter Back Kirk Cousins has struggled since coming in to replace an injured Michael Penix Jr, but he may benefit from handing the ball to Bijan Robinson to try and keep the Offensive unit in a stronger position. The Running Back may have had issues running against the Buccaneers Defensive Line in the past, but over the last few games there have been clear signs that the Tampa Bay front has worn down and that should be a positive for the Falcons.

Of course Kirk Cousins has to prove he can still make the throws needed to keep the chains moving and he is trying to do that without Drake London, who is set to miss out again.

There have been a couple of holes that have opened up in the Buccaneers Secondary as they have struggle to stop the run and this should give Atlanta a chance to at least move the chains with some consistency.

The question in this short week is whether Tampa Bay can at least produce a bit more out of their own Offensive unit, which has let them down a little during this poor run. Baker Mayfield has been playing through an injury, as have the Offensive Line, and the Buccaneers have just found it tough to keep the ball moving as they were perhaps doing earlier this season.

A part of the problem has been the injuries that have piled up around the Quarter Back and the Offensive Line, although the return of Bucky Irving has given the running game a boost.

Tampa Bay could have the likes of Mike Evans back in Week 15 too, which would be a monster addition to the passing game and give Mayfield a target who can make the big catches for him. You cannot be sure that Evans is completely ready and instead his big impact could come in the final three weeks of the regular season, although just having his presence could at least open some spaces for Baker Mayfield's other Receivers.

In recent games the Falcons have at least played the run a little better and that could be key in forcing Baker Mayfield to show his shoulder is not giving him issues after back to back poor passing games. The Falcons Secondary could still make a few stops if the team continue to build the pressure up front if, or when, the Buccaneers are in obvious passing situations and the road team can take advantage of having more than a Field Goal worth of points in this one.

The Buccaneers are 0-7 against the spread when playing at home on Thursday Night Football, while they have already beaten the Falcons this season and that could see the home team suffer a bit of complacency.

Atlanta have won on their last two visits to Tampa Bay- as long as they can avoid making the mistakes that saw the Week 14 game get away from them, the Falcons can keep this close enough on the scoreboard to make the points being given to them earn the cover.

New York Jets @ Jacksonville Jaguars Pick: A few weeks ago it looked like the AFC South was going to be sending the Divisional Winner into the post-season as perhaps the Number 1 Seed. Injuries have curtailed the Indianapolis Colts and the defeat to the Jacksonville Jaguars (9-4) in Week 14 has allowed the latter to take control of the Division instead.

Four wins in a row have been put together by the Jaguars since the defeat to the Houston Texans and that gives them a game lead over both Houston and Indianapolis in the standings.

There are still four weeks of the regular season to negotiate and the Jaguars have two Divisional games as well as a tough looking road game at the Denver Broncos to come, which makes this game in Week 15 important. With such a narrow lead in the standings, the Jacksonville Jaguars cannot afford to lose focus against the struggling New York Jets (3-10) who will be down to a third string Quarter Back.

New York have lost three of the last four games, including a blowout home defeat to the Miami Dolphins in Week 14, while Tyrod Taylor joins Justin Fields on the sidelines.

It means Brady Cook is set to make the start and it is a big test for an Undrafted Free Agent rookie- he came into the game against the Miami Dolphins last week, but threw two Interceptions and now faces a Jaguars Defensive unit that have been looking stronger and stronger down the stretch.

Brady Cook had a decent enough career with the Missouri Tigers, but the step up to the NFL level is huge and the New York Jets do not have a lot of experience around him. With the rookie in at Quarter Back, it is going to be even tougher to run the ball against the Jaguars Defensive Line which has been playing at a high level during this winning run and keeping Cook in third and long spots is an obvious win for the home team.

An Offensive Line that has been struggling to protect whoever has been behind Center is going to be challenged by the Jacksonville pass rush and the Jets are going to be even more reliant on their Special Teams to keep them in this game.

Credit has to be given to the Jets for continuing to play hard on the Defensive side of the ball, despite trading away a couple of key pieces several weeks ago.

They are a bit easier to run the ball against and so Travis Etienne Jr may have a bigger impact than he has been able to produce consistently in recent weeks. Trevor Lawrence has also been keen to use his legs when the pocket has collapsed and you should expect to see the Jaguars moving the ball into third and manageable spots.

Jakobi Meyers has arrived to give the Jaguars legitimate threats in the passing game and Trevor Lawrence has made full use of that and getting up to 24 points may be enough to cover if Brady Cook struggles on the other side of the ball as much as is expected.

The spread is a concern with Jacksonville simply not used to being asked to lay double digits as a favourite- it has happened once since 2018 and the Jaguars were beaten outright on that occasion.

However, this is a Jaguars team with more momentum than most in recent times and it really is a selection opposing the Jets as much as backing Jacksonville.

New York have found Special Teams plays that have kept them more competitive than they have deserved to be in games this season, but Jacksonville's Defensive unit may create a couple of turnovers to really swing this game in their favour.

Cleveland Browns @ Chicago Bears Pick: The late Interception as the Chicago Bears (9-4) were driving for a tying-Touchdown has meant losing the lead of the NFC North, but the players are simply focusing on bouncing back. They are back at home in frigid conditions in Week 15, and it is important for the Bears to not think ahead to earning revenge against the Green Bay Packers when the Divisional rivals meet for a second time in three weeks in Week 16.

The Bears have been set as the favourites against the Cleveland Browns (3-10) who have officially been eliminated from the post-season having been beaten for the fifth time in six games.

Shedeur Sanders has come in to give the Browns a boost at Quarter Back, although there are still big questions about whether he is someone that Cleveland will look to get behind next season. The last four games will continue to be a learning experience for both Quarter Back and team, although there is no doubting that Sanders has offered a spark.

He will be looking to lean on the running game against a Bears Defensive Line that have had issues in stopping the ground attack- however, the Cleveland Offensive Line has been battered by injury and they have not been able to exert real control up front, which has put the pressure on the Quarter Back to make plays with his arm.

To give him his credit, Shedeur Sanders has been able to do that and even this improving Chicago Secondary could allow Cleveland to make a few plays in the passing game to keep the chains moving.

Scoring points as they have against Las Vegas and Tennessee will give the Browns Defensive unit a huge boost and that will allow them to pick up their intensity to try and help earn the upset.

You have to like what has been produced by Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears when they have the ball in their own hands, but there is no doubt that they are facing one of the stronger Defensive units in the NFL. The key is the Line of Scrimmage where Chicago have been doing well to establish the run, but who are now facing a Browns team that have prided themselves on making it very difficult to push the ball against them on the ground.

If the Cleveland Defensive Line can stand up, they have the personnel who can rush Caleb Williams and a Secondary that is capable of making big plays. This could be all important in the expected conditions and there is every reason to believe the Browns can at least keep this competitive.

Most will still need convincing about Shedeur Sanders, which is the same for me personally, but he can use the Cleveland strengths at the Line of Scrimmage to be placed in a position for success.

Avoiding turnovers will be key in what are going to be tough conditions, especially if holding onto the ball too long.

As long as Shedeur Sanders can avoid those, he should be capable of helping the Cleveland Browns stay within this spread set.

Buffalo Bills @ New England Patriots Pick: The AFC East is still up for grabs, but it is the New England Patriots (11-2) who have stolen the march on the Buffalo Bills (9-4).

They have already beaten the Bills on the road, which means another win on Sunday will earn the New England Patriots the Divisional crown, although everyone associated with the road team are going to be expecting a big test from the long-time AFC East dominant team.

Ten straight wins have taken the Patriots to the top of the Division, although the win over the Bills is the standout victory in that run. That victory was all the way back in early October and New England have beaten those teams they would have expected to beat, which is still going to give them a lot of confidence as they edge closer to a return to the Playoff.

It should mean New England play with plenty of motivation to prove themselves by sweeping an opponent that will be thinking Super Bowl or bust.

We will learn plenty about the Bills this week too- over the course of the season the team have had issues on the Defensive side of the ball, but they look to be rounding into Playoff form at just the right time, although that is going to be tested by the Patriots.

A positive for the Bills Defensive Line is that they should be able to maintain recent standards when it comes to playing the run- they have held recent opponents to way below the season average and Buffalo will be facing a New England team that will look to pound the rock, but who have been struggling to rip off big gains.

Drake Maye will not be intimidated by the challenge he could be facing at Quarter Back and the numbers have remained very strong.

However, he is also going to be tested by an improving Buffalo Secondary as injuries have begun to clear up and this is a real opportunity for the Bills to close the gap at the top of the Division if they can maintain recent levels.

Josh Allen and company will feel the Buffalo Offensive Line can be the dominant unit on the Line of Scrimmage on either side of the ball and the Quarter Back can use his own legs and James Cook's in a bid to put his team in third and manageable spots. The Bills will be firm in that belief and will continue to pound the rock against this New England Defensive Line, which has struggled to clamp down up front, and that could be the edge needed in this big AFC East game.

This will also be key in giving Josh Allen time when he does step back to throw the ball down the field, although he will be aware that this New England Secondary are the strength of the team.

New England won a tight game on the road at Buffalo and there is every reason to believe this one will be competitive throughout too.

However, it is that Buffalo Offensive Line versus New England's Defensive Line edge that has to be given to the road team and it may be the factor that makes all of the difference in the final outcome.

The Bills have been solid road favourites when they have had Josh Allen under Center, while the Quarter Back has a very strong winning record against the spread when operating with revenge. After losing to the Jets and Patriots in Divisional games in 2023, Buffalo were able to win the second time around and it feels like an experienced team can do that in Foxboro in Week 15.

Indianapolis Colts @ Seattle Seahawks Pick: Three straight losses and four defeats in the last five have pulled the Indianapolis Colts (8-5) backwards at a time when injuries have decimated them in key positions.

Losing Daniel Jones to injury has really hurt a team that is going to be down to a third string Quarter Back with Riley Leonard looking likely to earn the call on Sunday.

Things have become so desperate that grandfather Philip Rivers has been signed up to the practice squad for the Colts- he has previously played here back in 2020 and Rivers feels he can make a big impact for the team, although he might only be seen as someone who can potentially come into the game if things do not go right for the starter, at least this week.

No matter the experience, or inexperience, at Quarter Back, this is going to be a huge test for the Indianapolis Colts.

Three wins in a row have taken the Seattle Seahawks (10-3) to the same record as NFC West leaders Los Angeles Rams and the teams are meeting in a big game on Thursday Night Football. The Colts have to hope that serves as a distraction, but it is the Seahawks Defensive unit that has really impressed and so it could be a very difficult day for Riley Leonard or whoever lines up under Center.

Indianapolis do have Jonathan Taylor, but the Offensive Line have been struggling to open up holes for the Running Back and there are not going to be a lot of spaces allowed by this Seahawks Defensive Line. They have been strong against the run anyway, but you have to believe Seattle will make sure Taylor is not going to beat them and instead it is up to the Colts Quarter Back to make the plays needed.

A strong Defensive Line is backed up by very good work in the Secondary and this just feels like a difficult game in which to move the ball with any consistency as far as the Indianapolis Colts are concerned.

Turnovers could be key to helping Seattle pull clear in this game, much as they were in the win over the Atlanta Falcons.

Extra possessions and/or short fields gives the Seahawks an edge and they should be able to make enough plays to push forward and earn a big victory.

Running the ball against the Colts Defensive Line has been a challenge all season, but there have been improvements made in the Seattle run blocking and that could at least help them keep Sam Darnold in third and manageable positions on the field. The Quarter Back has been solid in his first season with the Seahawks and he should be able to expose an injury hit Colts Secondary.

Pass rush pressure has been able to get to Sam Darnold at times and the Colts can still find a push up front, although it will be difficult to make stops consistently and especially if the Offensive unit are losing the field battle.

The spread is a wide one and the Indianapolis Colts have to be respected for the fight they have been showing, despite injuries beginning to really take a toll.

They were unable to stay with the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 14, who also have a solid Defensive unit, and the Seattle Seahawks may make enough plays on that side of the ball to be in a position to win and cover.

MY PICKS: Atlanta Falcons + 5.5 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Jacksonville Jaguars - 13.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Cleveland Browns + 7.5 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Buffalo Bills - 1 Point @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Seattle Seahawks - 13.5 Points @ 1.85 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Week 14: 0-1, - 1 Unit (1 Unit Staked, - 100% Yield)

Week 13: 3-4, - 1.50 Units (7 Units Staked, - 21.43% Yield)

Week 12: 1-5, - 4.17 Units (6 Units Staked, - 69.50% Yield)

Week 11: 2-4, - 2.23 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37.17% Yield)

Week 10: 3-3, - 0.34 Units (6 Units Staked, - 5.67% Yield)

Week 9: 2-2, - 0.18 Units (4 Units Staked, - 4.50% Yield)

Week 8: 4-3, + 0.52 Units (7 Units Staked, + 7.43% Yield)

Week 7: 3-2, + 0.69 Units (5 Units Staked, + 13.80% Yield)

Week 6: 3-4, - 1.09 Units (7 Units Staked, - 15.57% Yield)

Week 5: 3-3, - 0.33 Units (6 Units Staked, - 5.50% Yield)

Week 4: 2-3, - 1.14 Units (5 Units Staked, - 22.80% Yield)

Week 3: 5-3, + 1.56 Units (8 Units Staked, + 19.50% Yield)

Week 2: 3-2, + 0.67 Units (5 Units Staked, + 13.40% Yield)

Week 1: 0-2, - 2 Units (2 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

2025 Season: 34-41, - 10.54 Units (75 Units Staked, - 14.05% Yield)

College Football Week 15 Picks 2025 (Friday 5th December-Saturday 6th December)

Championship Week is always going to be important to teams around the College Football landscape and there are some big games to be played in 2025.

This time there are a few teams who will be worrying that a defeat in the Championship Game would see them miss out on the Playoffs, while Seeding is still up for grabs.

Games will be played from Friday through Saturday before the College Football Playoff Bracket is released next week.

Kennesaw State Owls @ Jacksonville State Gamecocks: Neither of these teams are Ranked as far as the College Football Playoff goes so the winner is not going to be thinking about pushing their way into the top twelve positions at the end of Championship Week.

However, make no mistake about the importance of winning the Conference USA Championship for both and that is going to mean plenty of motivation and intensity on the field.

Both the Kennesaw State Owls (9-3) and Jacksonville State Gamecocks (8-4) finished with 7-1 records in the Conference, although it is the Gamecocks who get to host the Championship Game having beaten the Owls three weeks ago.

Despite that win, the Gamecocks have been set as home underdogs again, although the line has dipped below a key number 3 from the regular season meeting compared with this Championship Game.

Kennesaw State will certainly feel they were the better team when losing in this Stadium, but the four turnovers on the day proved costly and the stronger yardage produced could not make up for that.

The Owls bounced back as would have been expected from that setback, but the pressure will be on Quarter Back Amari Odom who threw 3 Interceptions without a single Touchdown pass in the loss to Jacksonville State. This is not going to be far from the mind when he steps back in this one, although even a slightly cleaner game from that Quarter Back position is going to give the Owls an edge.

As the season has wound down, the Gamecocks have just had a few more issues controlling the Line of Scrimmage on the Defensive side of the ball and that means an opportunity for Kennesaw State to keep the Quarter Back in third and manageable spots. This should also mean having a clean pocket from which to throw down the field, while not needing to force the ball so much against a Secondary that will give up some big passing numbers, but who have thrived on picking off some of those pass attempts.

Capitalising on mistakes will be the plan for the home team who have been much cleaner with their execution and who will not think a Punt is the same as a defeat. Instead there will be patience from the Gamecocks to keep playing the field battle if they have to, while Jacksonville State have to be hugely encouraged with the problems the Owls Defensive Line have been having when it comes to stopping the run.

This is something that Jacksonville State will feel they can exploit, especially as the Gamecocks were rushing at 6 yards per carry in the win over Kennesaw State in the regular season.

Caden Creel will then be asked to keep things simple in the passing game and the Jacksonville State Gamecocks will be confident in earning another upset.

It could be another back and forth affair in this Championship Game, but the narrow edge has to remain with the Kennesaw State Owls and that is largely by building on what they learned from the regular season defeat. You have to believe the turnover gap will not be nearly as large as it was in that loss, and Kennesaw State have been playing well enough to think that even halving the number will be enough to secure the road victory.

The key will be to take Jacksonville State out of their comfort zone and forcing them to get into obvious passing situations, although that won't be easy.

Instead it could be Amari Odom who can earn redemption with a cleaner game than the first time around against the Gamecocks and the Quarter Back can lead the Owls to a Championship.

Troy Trojans @ James Madison Dukes Pick: The Sun Belt Championship has to be the main aim for both of these teams, but the James Madison Dukes (11-1) potentially have more on the line when hosting the Championship Game.

They dominated the Conference with a perfect 8-0 record and the Dukes have been rewarded by being placed as the Number 25 team in the Rankings.

With that in mind, winning the Sun Belt Championship may yet see the James Madison Dukes earn a spot in the College Football Playoff, although they will need some results to go their way on Saturday. That does mean the team can focus on winning a Championship on Friday in front of the home fans, even if the likelihood is that Head Coach Bob Chesney is set to depart James Madison for the vacant role with the UCLA Bruins.

Bob Chesney has not been able to deny those reports with the expectation being that he will move on, but he has given a lot of credit to the school and the players who have represented him and the Head Coach will be desperate for a Championship.

His team are hosting the Troy Trojans (8-4) who finished 6-2 in the Conference and winning the West Division.

The two teams had very different experiences facing the Old Dominion Monarchs, but that won't count for anything in this one-off game.

The Trojans are not going to make the College Football Playoff even with a win, but a Conference Championship is a big achievement for any team and they can use the 'inferiority complex' to motivate the players in this one.

Instead of having to worry about potentially 'impressing' the Playoff Committee, the Trojans will simply having been working on a plan to impose themselves Offensively. One of the big problems this season has been an inability to run the ball with any kind of consistency and Troy will not be expected to have a lot of impact trying to run the ball against this James Madison Defensive Line.

Goose Crowder returning at Quarter Back has given the Trojans something of a spark, and he has led the team to important wins to merely make the Championship Game.

However, throwing from third and long is tough enough without facing a Secondary like this one at James Madison, and especially when the Trojans Offensive Line have not always been the most productive in pass protection.

The Trojans should still have some success when it comes to moving the ball, although drives are expected to stall at times.

You cannot make that argument with as much confidence when it comes to this James Madison team that have found considerable balance when it comes to running and throwing the ball. Making things more comfortable is the fact that the Troy Defensive Line have had issues stopping the run, which in turn has made it that much more difficult when trying to slow down drives.

Alonza Barrett III may not be asked to throw too often in what are expected to be cold and potentially snowy conditions, but he can keep this drive ticking over when he is needed to do that.

Despite that, the Dukes should be comfortable showcasing their Offensive power and they will be looking to show the Playoff Committee why they should be a surprise contender for a place in the post-season amongst the elite of the College Football nation.

Conditions will make things tougher, but this team has dominated the Sun Belt Conference and they can do enough to win a Championship behind a dominant win.

BYU Cougars vs Texas Tech Red Raiders Pick: The Big 12 teams that came through the pack to both finish with 8-1 records in the Conference will be competing in the Championship Game.

The Texas Tech Red Raiders (11-1) and BYU Cougars (11-1) both have the same record, but it is Texas Tech who have been Ranked higher by the Playoff Committee and they are going to be competing in the Playoff regardless of the outcome. However, the BYU Cougars have effectively been asked to 'prove themselves' by winning the Big 12 Championship, even though the Big 12 Commissioner and both Head Coaches in this game have made it clear that both of these teams deserve their spot in the final twelve.

It is the regular season win secured by the Red Raiders over the Cougars that has given them the edge and Texas Tech are rightly favoured in the Big 12 Championship Game.

Errors made a big difference in the regular season loss, but it is going be a challenge for the Cougars to change things dramatically.

A problem is that the Cougars may struggle to run the ball, as they did in the regular season game against Texas Tech- they only had 2.5 yards per carry in that game and the Red Raiders Defensive Line have continued to clamp down on the run as the season has wound down.

Bear Bachmeier may have to carrry the burden for the BYU Offense, although there has been so much to like about this Texas Tech Secondary and the way they have backed up the stout Defensive Line. The Quarter Back struggled in that regular season meeting for consistency and that may be the case again in the Championship Game, which gives Texas Tech a big advantage.

Much like the Cougars, Texas Tech's Offensive Line may have a few problems when it comes to consistently pounding the rock on the ground.

However, Behren Morton is expected to have a few more holes to exploit when it steps back to throw the ball down the field, even though he will have to look out for the Cougars pass rush. If the team have placed Morton in third and manageable spots, the Quarter Back should be able to expose spaces in the BYU Secondary and that will give the Red Raiders a chance to back up the regular season win with another in the Championship Game.

Beating a team twice in the same season is never easy, but the Texas Tech Red Raiders have looked the stand out team in the Big 12 and they can secure another relatively comfortable win over the second best team in the Conference.

Duke Blue Devils vs Virginia Cavaliers Pick: Two years ago, the ACC were incredibly upset when the unbeaten Conference Champion was not called up to take part in the then four team College Football Playoff.

In 2025 there is potentially another situation developing where the ACC would not have a representative in the twelve team Playoff and it all comes down the Championship Game.

If the Duke Blue Devils (7-5) were to upset the Virginia Cavaliers (10-2), there is a real chance that the ACC will not be included in the Playoff- the Blue Devils finished 6-2 in the Conference and came out on the right side of a number of permutations to face the Cavaliers, who finished 7-1 in the ACC, and Duke will be looking for revenge after being blown out at home by this team three weeks ago.

The Cavaliers were dominant in that game, but they are well aware that this is a brand new day and the preparation has been to face a Duke team at their best.

However, it is the Virginia Defensive unit that looks very capable in shutting down the Duke Offense and that could be the key to the outcome, much as it was in the regular season.

Duke's Offensive Line is unlikely to have a lot of success running the ball against this Cavaliers team and that will mean Darian Mensah is going to have to step up for his team. He did have decent passing numbers in the first meeting, but Mensah will know how much of a challenge it is to keep the chains moving against this Virginia Secondary.

Of course the Blue Devils have nothing to lose and will pull out every play from the book to try and keep Virginia guessing, but the consistency they lack with the ball in hand is unlikely to be a similar problem for the Cavaliers.

Three weeks ago they piled up well over 500 Offensive yards against the Duke Blue Devils and the Cavaliers are likely to be very balanced when they have the ball in this one.

The Cavaliers Offensive Line is likely going to be the dominant force on the Line of Scrimmage and they should be able to make sure the team is in third and manageable spots for much of this game. This should only make things very comfortable for Chandler Morris at Quarter Back who will be aware of the issues Duke have had in the Secondary and the Cavaliers look like they can win well and make sure they earn their spot in the Playoff as the ACC representative.

Covering turned out to be pretty comfortable in the road win over the Blue Devils, but this one is likely to be closer with Duke pulling out all of the stops to try and keep up on the scoreboard.

With the strength of the Cavaliers on the Defensive side of the ball, Virginia should eventually begin to make the plays to pull away and earn a victory and cover to pick up the ACC Championship.

MY PICKS: Kennesaw State Owls - 1.5 Points @ 1.80 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

James Madison Dukes - 23.5 Points @ 1.85 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Texas Tech Red Raiders - 12.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Virginia Cavaliers - 4 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Week 14: 5-2-1, + 2.44 Units (8 Units Staked, + 30.50% Yield)

Week 13: 3-3, - 0.35 Units (6 Units Staked, - 5.83% Yield

Week 12: 4-2, + 1.64 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.33% Yield)

Week 11: 1-5, - 4.09 Units (6 Units Staked, - 68.17% Yield)

Week 10: 3-3, - 0.33 Units (6 Units Staked, - 5.50% Yield)

Week 9: 3-3, - 0.19 Units (6 Units Staked, - 3.17% Yield)

Week 8: 2-3, - 1.18 Units (5 Units Staked, - 23.60% Yield)

Week 7: 4-1, + 2.62 Units (5 Units Staked, + 52.40% Yield)

Week 6: 2-4, - 2.22 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37% Yield)

Week 5: 1-5, - 4.20 Units (6 Units Staked, - 70% Yield)

Week 4: 2-4, - 2.14 Units (6 Units Staked, - 35.67% Yield)

Week 3: 4-4, - 0.36 (8 Units Staked, - 4.50% Yield)

Week 1: 1-4, - 3.14 Units (5 Units Staked, - 62.80% Yield)

Week 0: 2-1, + 0.75 Units (3 Units Staked, + 25% Yield)

NFL Week 14 Picks 2025 (Thursday 4th December-Monday 8th December)

This is the last NFL Week of the season where there are teams on Byes and that means the focus has ramped up considerably when it comes to the Playoff race.

Some Divisions are wide open, but the Wild Card race is already beginning to see some separation after Thanksgiving Weekend and the pressure is on teams with some big games ahead.

The opening game of the Week 14 schedule is one of those that feels like an early Playoff game when the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions face off- the winner will certainly feel they can push into the post-season, but the loser would have not only lost ground on those above them, but would have another tie-breaker to overcome.

With the design of the NFL schedule, there are always big games left over in the final weeks of the season as Divisional battles lead the way,

It has been a poor season for the NFL Picks, the first in a while, although there is still plenty of time to turn things around.

However, losing another week would be a blow after a tough Sunday in Week 13 and the selections below need to return a solid return to just give the Picks some momentum if nothing else.

Opening up with a selection from Thursday Night Football, further Picks will be added to this thread in the days ahead.

Dallas Cowboys @ Detroit Lions Pick: This is not going to be like a traditional short week for teams preparing to play on Thursday Night Football and that is because both the Detroit Lions (7-5) and Dallas Cowboys (6-5-1) played last week on Thanksgiving Day.

Results could not have been any different for the two teams- the Lions lost another Divisional game to rivals Green Bay and that makes it very difficult to see how Detroit can win the NFC North now. However, the defeat was actually one that has a big impact on their hopes of even earning a Wild Card spot and if the Playoffs were to start today, the Lions would not be involved.

This makes this Week 14 game hugely important, but even more so when considering the Dallas Cowboys did earn an important win on Thanksgiving Day, which keeps them alive in the NFC East and in the Wild Card race. The Cowboys have put pressure on themselves to try and win out, and that may still be the only way into the post-season, but three wins in a row have given them real momentum and Dallas might be very tough to stop.

Offensively you can only admire how they are playing right now from Quarter Back to Wide Receivers to Running Back and the Offensive Line.

After seeing how Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers moved the ball with consistency in Week 13, Dallas are going to be very confident that Dak Prescott is going to be able to do the same with two Number 1 level Receivers and a balanced approach to the attack.

The Lions Defensive Line have continued to be pretty good when it comes to playing the run, but injuries in the Secondary are taking a toll.

With limited pass rush pressure being generated, Dak Prescott is going to have all day to find the likes of Jason Ferguson, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens down the field and this looks a game in which the Cowboys can match the efforts of the last two opponents faced by the Lions who have both scored at least 27 points.

It all adds up to the likelihood of Jared Goff and the Lions Offense to have to step up and keep up on the scoreboard- they did that as well as they could in the defeat to the Green Bay Packers, but injuries are beginning to hurt on this side of the ball and the Quarter Back could be without his top Receiver.

Amon-Ra St. Brown did not play very long in the Thanksgiving Day game and he is seen as a late decision to take part in Week 14, although the lean has to be that he missed out. The Lions are already without Sam LaPorta and Jared Goff may not have the consistent weapons needed in the passing game.

Earlier in the season he could at least have relied on David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs to rip off some big gains on the ground, but it is impossible to ignore the improvements made by the Dallas Defensive Line after late trades made. The Lions Offensive Line is a little banged up too, which has limited the time being given to Jared Goff when he has stepped back to throw the ball down the field and this Cowboys team looks to be peaking at a very good time, especially with the top of the NFL looking as wide open as it has this season.

Head Coach Dan Campbell has usually gotten his team to bounce back from losses very well and that has to be respected here.

The Lions might be hurt, but they will play hard, although you do have to wonder how they are going to find consistent stops against this Dallas Offense.

Having a hook over the key number 3 would be most appealing, but taking the points with the Dallas Cowboys looks the right play here, especially if Dak Prescott continues to play at his current level.

MY PICKS: Dallas Cowboys + 3.5 Points @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Week 13: 3-4, - 1.50 Units (7 Units Staked, - 21.43% Yield)

Week 12: 1-5, - 4.17 Units (6 Units Staked, - 69.50% Yield)

Week 11: 2-4, - 2.23 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37.17% Yield)

Week 10: 3-3, - 0.34 Units (6 Units Staked, - 5.67% Yield)

Week 9: 2-2, - 0.18 Units (4 Units Staked, - 4.50% Yield)

Week 8: 4-3, + 0.52 Units (7 Units Staked, + 7.43% Yield)

Week 7: 3-2, + 0.69 Units (5 Units Staked, + 13.80% Yield)

Week 6: 3-4, - 1.09 Units (7 Units Staked, - 15.57% Yield)

Week 5: 3-3, - 0.33 Units (6 Units Staked, - 5.50% Yield)

Week 4: 2-3, - 1.14 Units (5 Units Staked, - 22.80% Yield)

Week 3: 5-3, + 1.56 Units (8 Units Staked, + 19.50% Yield)

Week 2: 3-2, + 0.67 Units (5 Units Staked, + 13.40% Yield)

Week 1: 0-2, - 2 Units (2 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

2025 Season: 34-40, - 9.54 Units (74 Units Staked, - 12.89% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2025- Frazer Clarke vs Jeamie TKV (Saturday 29th November)

The Night of Champions in Riyadh was every bit as good a card as it looked like it could be on paper and the winners will all be moving into 2026 with confidence and some big fights ready to take place.

Not everything went perfectly- Bam Rodriguez continues to show he is one of the top pound for pound fighters in the sport, but his hopes of becoming Undisputed Super Flyweight have taken a step backwards when it was reported that 28-4 Andrew Moloney is going to insist on taking his mandatory shot at the IBF World Champion.

Eddie Hearn will be hoping that something can be done for his charge, but he has also insisted that Rodriguez is willing to move up to Bantamweight safe in the knowledge that he is clearly 'the man' in the 115 pound Division.

He could easily choose to still fight in Japan- Takuma Inoue has become the WBC World Champion in the Bantamweight Division and may take us a step closer to a potential Super-Fight against The Monster, and Takuma's brother, Noaya Inoue.

Abdullah Mason and Devin Haney both deserve a lot of credit for their own performances having shown fans plenty to be encouraged into 2026, while David Benavidez is not going to wait for Dmitry Bivol and/or Artur Beterbiev in the Light-Heavyweight Division and instead is on course to face Zurdo Ramirez for the Cruiserweight World Title next May.

Some reports suggested the Saudi Arabian money that has been pumped into Boxing was going to be slowed down in 2026, although those have since been refuted.

This is something to keep an eye on, perhaps not as soon as next year, but in the coming years with the 'investment' made in the sport offering very little real return. Big events in bigger ticketed sites will perhaps help, but it was never a sustainable approach to offer everyone as much money as was being offered to make the big fights, especially as fighters would rather sit and wait for a payday rather than being active.

2026 might be another big year, but fans should perhaps be prepared for the huge cards we have been witnessing to return to the kind of events that have been more prevalent in recent years.

After a long wait, Boxxer are finally ready to begin the deal with the BBC after leaving Sky and the Heavyweight bout for the British Title has captured some of the imagination this week.

Ben Whittaker is also out this weekend, albeit on a Matchroom card instead of being with Boxxer, as November comes to a close.

There are still some big fights to close out the year, but attention will soon turn to 2026 where we already are aware of some very interesting nights in the first couple of months of the New Year.

Frazer Clarke vs Jeamie TKV

When the original bout was scheduled, Frazer Clarke and Jeamie TKV seemed to be on good enough terms that the British Title was the only concern for the two Heavyweights.

Whether it is prompting from the Promoter, who is putting his first card together for a new broadcasting partner, or whether it is the delay in this bout taking place, there has been a clear shift in how the two main event Boxers feel about one another.

They have been pushing one another all week and the weigh-in face off came close to seeing everything kick off and that makes this an intriguing Heavyweight clash.

The winner is going to have some big opportunities presented to them in 2026- Frazer Clarke's two fights with the new WBO World Champion Fabio Wardley should make it pretty easy to try and chase that rematch if he is to win this, while in general he will be back on track after the crushing loss in the second of those contests against Wardley.

Frazer Clarke has been set as the favourite, which is no surprise considering his amateur experience and being a former Olympian.

He has also had the tougher experience in the pro ranks compared with Jeamie TKV, although the latter showed his qualities before a controversial loss to David Adeleye.

Jeamie TKV showed he can box to a plan and a mistake from the referee allowed David Adeleye to produce a huge punch that ultimately changed the outcome of the bout. That was also for the British Title, which will help TKV in terms of knowing what to expect, but Frazer Clarke is arguably a better Boxer than Adeleye and is going to be comfortable if this becomes a contest dominated by the jab.

After all of the tension that has been growing between the two this week, you have to expect a fight to break out as they get comfortable with what the other is bringing into the ring.

You do have to wonder if the Jeamie TKV rib issue is fully cleared up in between the slight delay in the bout taking place, but the 32 year old is not going to have any regrets about his choices and he can give Frazer Clarke something to think about.

However, the ultimate feeling is that the higher quality shots will be coming from Frazer Clarke the longer the fight goes and the former Olympian has shown he has enough pop to force Jeamie TKV to eventually have to take a backwards step.

The cards may be needed, but this is a home fight for Frazer Clarke and he may have enough to force a Stoppage after building the momentum through the middle of this contest. Doing so will be a way of making a statement about being ready to move onto the next level in a Division where an old rival is now a full Heavyweight Champion and Frazer Clarke will want to show he is past domestic level with a big performance on what could be a big platform.

One of the chief supports on the undercard is a battle between unbeaten fighters for the English Welterweight Title.

Anthony Yarde came up short at World level again last week, but his stablemate Joel Kodua can edge to the victory over Bobby Dalton, the defending Champion.

It is Bobby Dalton who has a bit more experience having had a couple of fights that have lasted this distance, but Joel Kodua did the same in his last bout and he may have the power edge in the contest.

This could see Joel Kodua put together a few more eye-catching moments on his way to taking the title on the cards.

Both sides are insisting that Ben Whittaker's previous Promoter have not deliberately scheduled an important card on the same night that the Midlander is making his debut under the Matchroom banner.

There may be some bitterness that Whittaker has decided to leave Boxxer, but the Light Heavyweight feels the delay in the television deal has stalled his career. At 28 years old, Ben Whittaker is very much looking to get in with some of the top names in the Division over the next twelve months and he feels like Eddie Hearn is the Promoter that can help make things happen.

Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev are rumoured to be meeting in a decider having secured a win apiece over the other, while David Benavidez is set to move up to Cruiserweight and may choose not to return to Light Heavyweight.

This opens the door for the likes of Ben Whittaker and he is expected to make relatively short work of Benjamin Gavazi, even if the underdog comes into this one with a 19-1 record having bounced back from a debut defeat.

However, the German has nothing that really stands out on his resume and might not have the footwork to keep up with Ben Whittaker.

Ben Whittaker is perhaps lacking top level power, but he is a quality Boxer and hits hard enough to turn the screw on this kind of opponent as soon as he wants.

Some feel Whittaker is perhaps guilty of showboating within bouts, especially when he knows he is levels above the opponent, but trainer Andy Lee brought out a spiteful performance from his fighter when crushing Liam Cameron. He will be demanding his charge makes a statement from the opening bell and Ben Whittaker should have all of the qualities to do that against a limited opponent.

The undercard is filled with local talent and a rematch between Cameron Vuong and Gavin Gwynne after the former was given a controversial Decision victory when they met twelve months ago.

Cameron Vuong has had another couple of fights under his belt and the younger fighter will want to show how much he learned when edging past Gwynne last year.

The oddsmakers are on top of that bout, but it could be worth backing Aaron Bowen to pick up a vacant Midlands Title by showcasing early power against Tom Cowling.

This is another step upwards for Aaron Bowen, but there is some excitement around what he has been producing and the local support should push him forward.

Tom Cowling will look to box himself away from trouble, but the Bowen power can make an early impact in this one.

MY PICKS: Frazer Clarke to Win Between 7-12 @ 3.00 William Hill (1 Unit)

Joel Kodua to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 2.37 William Hill (1 Unit)

Ben Whittaker to Win Between 1-5 @ 2.00 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Aaron Bowen to Win Between 1-5 @ 3.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Boxing 2025: 26-75, - 41.54 Units (131 Units Staked, - 31.71% Yield)

College Football Week 14 Picks 2025 (Friday 28th November-Saturday 29th November)

In previous years, Rivalry Week was all about the one-off game and having bragging rights for a full year.

While this is still the case for some teams, for others the game in front of them represents the final hurdle as far as earning a spot in the College Football Playoff is concerned.

Others still can afford a defeat this week and still remain on course to achieve all they want- think back to the Ohio State Buckeyes of 2024 who lost to the Michigan Wolverines AGAIN, and still earned a spot in the Playoff and ultimately finished the season as National Champions.

Now that is not to say that the entire Buckeye nation is not looking for revenge and to end this losing run against the Wolverines, but they certainly have more room to operate than say a team like the Mississippi Rebels, who will be facing rivals Mississippi State Bulldogs on the road.

Lane Kiffin's future will be confirmed on Saturday, but Friday is about winning to move into the Playoff, or losing and likely seeing Mississippi miss out.

The Alabama Crimson Tide, Miami Hurricanes, BYU Cougars and Oklahoma Sooners all have big games in which they are trying to stay alive in the Playoff conversation and so Rivalry Week has become so much more in 2025.

It was another inconsistent week for the College Football Picks in what has been another tough season.

Bad bounces hurt in places, but there have been too many poor selections and so the next few weeks need to be almost perfect to turn the numbers back around.

Games in Week 14 have been spread over a few days and selections from the Saturday offerings will be added to this thread, which begins with two Black Friday Picks.

Mississippi Rebels @ Mississippi State Bulldogs Pick: Double digit wins have become very common for the Mississippi Rebels (10-1) under Head Coach Lane Kiffin, but those successes have earned Kiffin plenty of attention.

After teams in the SEC fired Head Coaches during the course of the season, Lane Kiffin's name was at the top of the shortlists in Florida and LSU, two schools that feel they can offer the Head Coach more than Ole Miss.

A final decision on his future is expected to be announced as soon as Saturday, but an agreement has been made to keep Lane Kiffin as Head Coach for this hugely important Egg Bowl against rivals Mississippi State Bulldogs (5-6).

All of the attention is on Mississippi with the feeling being that a win for the Rebels will actually take them into the College Football Playoff, although there is also an outside chance it will be good enough to compete in the SEC Championship. Upsets will be needed for that to happen so the sole focus for the Rebels is making sure they win this game and avoid all the distraction around the Head Coach.

However, this is also an important game for the Mississippi State Bulldogs who are trying to end a three year wait to become Bowl eligible and who are also hoping to snap the two game losing run in this rivalry.

Both teams are playing after Bye Weeks, but there is going to be a question about how much Lane Kiffin's future has been a distraction to the players. They do have so much to earn out of winning this game, but the Rebels will have to focus if they are going to beat a Mississippi State Bulldogs team that have been plenty competitive, despite the 1-6 record in the SEC.

The Bulldogs have struggled to run the ball in recent outings and that is going to be an issue with the team likely to be a little one-dimensional in this game.

Blake Shapen has been sharing a bit of time with Kamario Taylor at Quarter Back and they are going to have to deal with the Ole Miss pass rush, regardless of who is operating behind Center. The Bulldogs Offensive Line have struggled to protect the Quarter Back as much as they have had issues in run blocking and that pressure can lead to mistakes, especially facing this Rebels Secondary that are still playing very hard in the bid to help the team reach the College Football Playoff.

This is a rivalry game so you have to expect motivation to help players produce at a higher level than they have been, but it is tough to see how the Mississippi State Defensive Line can slow the Rebels on the ground. In recent games they have allowed teams to rip off some big gains rushing the ball and Ole Miss are always going to use the Offensive Line to make life that much easier for Quarter Back Trinidad Chambliss.

Rushing the ball with some efficiency should also keep the pocket clean when the Quarter Back does drop back to throw the ball and this Rebels team have made some big passing plays in the four game winning run.

The Rebels have won four of the last five in this rivalry series and three of those wins have been by more than 7 points.

Distractions off the field and the decision to be made by the Head Coach have to be factors, but Ole Miss can show they are ready to compete in the College Football Playoff by putting together a solid road win in Starksville.

Indiana Hoosiers @ Purdue Boilermakers Pick: They have one foot in the Big Ten Championship Game, but the Indiana Hoosiers (11-0) will be motivated to beat a rival and finish the year unbeaten.

A win in Week 14 will likely be all the Hoosiers need to earn their place back in the College Football Playoff too and the development of this school over the last eighteen months has been really impressive. They are the Number 2 Ranked team in the Playoff Rankings and Indiana are going to want to maintain momentum ahead of what is expected to be a battle of unbeaten teams against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Big Ten Championship Game.

The Purdue Boilermakers (2-9) would love to throw a spanner into the works for a rival, but they are 0-8 in the Big Ten even if Head Coach Barry Odom insists there has been growth for a team that finished 1-11 last season.

Sustaining drives will be hugely challenging for the Boilermakers who are not expected to be able to run the ball with any kind of consistency.

This is not an Indiana pass rush that has been getting to the Quarter Back in recent games, but this is a Secondary that have been capable of making plays as teams have perhaps become a little too one-dimensional against them. The Hoosiers will certainly feel they can contain the Purdue threat considering the Boilermakers have not scored more than 16 points in any of the last three games, while suffering blowout losses to the Buckeyes and Washington Huskies.

Indiana should be pretty comfortable putting the ball on the ground and using the Offensive Line to open up some solid lanes against this struggling Purdue Defensive Line.

It should all lead to Fernando Mendoza having time when he does step back to throw and the Hoosiers should be able to exploit this Secondary. A couple of key players will be back to shake off any fitness issues ahead of what is expected to be an appearance in the Big Ten Championship Game and Indiana may not want to give too much away on the film tape, but they should still be comfortable in moving the ball both through the air and on the ground.

You have to expect the Boilermakers are going to be hugely motivated by the fact that they were blown out 66-0 in Indiana last season.

However, this Hoosiers team may be even better than the one the Boilermakers travelled to face last season and Indiana could run through this spread, even if the Buckeyes failed to cover a similar number.

Miami Hurricanes @ Pittsburgh Panthers Pick: Six teams still have some pathway into the ACC Championship Game and being able to keep alive Playoff consideration hopes.

Two of those are meeting in the early Saturday slot in College Football knowing they have to win and then hope things break their way later in the day.

The team that is perhaps going to have to go into the political business is the Miami Hurricanes (9-2) who have a win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, but are just 5-2 in the Conference this season. They are clearly playing with 'style points' in mind and the Hurricanes are plenty respected as the highest Ranked team in the ACC, but they are unlikely to find a way into the top twelve without playing in, and likely winning, the ACC Championship Game.

Miami will have to first concentrate on this one before looking for a number of results to land their way the rest of the way- losing would mean elimination from all talk of a Playoff spot and so that has to be the focus, rather than concerning themselves too much about the upsets that will be needed to earn a spot in the Championship Game instead.

They are travelling to another interested party in the permutations when facing the Pittsburgh Panthers (8-3) who actually did Miami a favour by knocking off the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in Week 13. 

It means Pittsburgh have improved to 6-1 in the Conference and the path into the ACC Championship Game is much easier to manage- they need to win in Week 14 and hope either SMU or Virginia are upset as big favourites.

Again, those other games are out of the control of the Panthers and so the sole focus has to be on winning at home and matching the nine wins that were secured in the 2022 season.

Credit has to be given to Pittsburgh for the way they played in the big win over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, but this is another significant test for them. They are going to be trying to run the ball against a very good Miami Defensive Line, which is important to at least slow down the Hurricanes pass rush that will be looking to expose the inexperience of Mason Heintschel at Quarter Back.

It has to be said again that the Panthers deserve credit for the Offensive output in the win last week and Heintschel will have taken a lot of confidence from having what is arguably his best game of the season. However, doing the same against the Miami Hurricanes is another big test for a young Quarter Back and especially if the pocket is collapsing around him.

Throwing in this Miami Secondary is not going to be easy under the pressure expected and Mason Heintschel will have to be wary of the Interceptions that can be created by the road team.

Haynes King got himself into an early hole in the loss last week, but Miami have to be very confident that Carson Beck can avoid the same type of mistakes at the Quarter Back position.

His Offensive Line is likely going to make sure that Beck is kept in third and manageable spots on the field and that should give the Quarter Back the time to attack this Pittsburgh Secondary that has been allowing players to thrive when throwing against them. The pocket is likely going to be kept clean for Carson Beck, but he will have noted that the Panthers picked up two more Interceptions last week in the win over the Yellow Jackets and winning the turnover battle feels vitally important to the outcome of this one.

Carson Beck had 2 Interceptions in the loss to the SMU Mustangs, but has bounced back in this three game winning run- in those victories, Beck has 8 Touchdown passes without throwing an INT and that gives the Miami Hurricanes the edge.

In recent seasons, Pittsburgh have been a very good home underdog to back, but they are 0-2 against the spread in that spot this season, including a blowout to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Head Coach Pat Narduzzi had suggested the game was not as important as others before that defeat, which may have contributed to the eventual performance, but the Panthers have also been well beaten by the Louisville Cardinals at home and Miami can at least offer an argument to the Playoff Committee by winning well here.

UCF Knights @ BYU Cougars Pick: The pressure is on the BYU Cougars (10-1) to finish the Big 12 season with one more win and improve the 7-1 record, while also confirming a spot in the Championship Game.

Of course there has to be a benefit from the fact that the Cougars will have no one else to blame but themselves if they are not able to secure a spot in that Championship Game and keeping Playoff hopes alive. The permutations have become very simple in the fact that the Cougars have to win this game and they are set as a big favourite to do that.

No one wants to underestimate the UCF Knights (5-6), especially as they have the motivation to earn a sixth win and to become Bowl eligible. Hopes were kept alive by beating struggling Oklahoma State in Week 13, but the Knights know they have to be a lot better to secure a win over one of the top teams in the Conference, especially having only produced a 2-6 record in Big 12 play.

Prior to that win, the Knights had been struggling and suffered blowout losses to the Texas Tech Red Raiders and Baylor Bears during a run of three straight defeats. This has been a team that have been struggling to run the ball and to ease the pressure on Quarter Back Tayven Jackson, and that is likely going to be an issue in this game against a tough BYU Defensive Line.

Some Quarter Backs have had recent success throwing the ball against the Cougars Secondary, although that is also as BYU have begun to play soft with a lead. Tayven Jackson will have a challenging time playing behind the chains, while that will also give the Cougars pass rush plenty of encouragement to pin the ears back and get after him when he drops back to throw the ball.

The Cougars should be more encouraged when they have the ball and this is a team that have continued to defy expectations after winning at Cincinnati as well as they did last week.

BYU's Offensive Line should be able to establish the run in this game against a 'weaker' opponent than some faced in recent weeks, while young Quarter Back Bear Bachmeier has been growing as a passer the longer the season has gone on. He will have seen the recent numbers that the UCF Secondary have been allowing and the Cougars should be able to move the ball with consistency, as long as they are not thinking too far ahead and what a win will mean to the team.

Last season the Cougars won very well as an underdog on the road at UCF, but they are hosting in Week 14 of the 2025 season and that should contribute to another strong win in this campaign.

MY PICKS: Mississippi Rebels - 6.5 Points @ 1.80 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Indiana Hoosiers - 28.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Miami Hurricanes - 7 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

BYU Cougars - 17.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Oklahoma Sooner - 10.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Illinois Fighting Illini - 7 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Alabama Crimson Tide - 5.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

USC Trojans - 21.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Week 13: 3-3, - 0.35 Units (6 Units Staked, - 5.83% Yield

Week 12: 4-2, + 1.64 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.33% Yield)

Week 11: 1-5, - 4.09 Units (6 Units Staked, - 68.17% Yield)

Week 10: 3-3, - 0.33 Units (6 Units Staked, - 5.50% Yield)

Week 9: 3-3, - 0.19 Units (6 Units Staked, - 3.17% Yield)

Week 8: 2-3, - 1.18 Units (5 Units Staked, - 23.60% Yield)

Week 7: 4-1, + 2.62 Units (5 Units Staked, + 52.40% Yield)

Week 6: 2-4, - 2.22 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37% Yield)

Week 5: 1-5, - 4.20 Units (6 Units Staked, - 70% Yield)

Week 4: 2-4, - 2.14 Units (6 Units Staked, - 35.67% Yield)

Week 3: 4-4, - 0.36 (8 Units Staked, - 4.50% Yield)

Week 1: 1-4, - 3.14 Units (5 Units Staked, - 62.80% Yield)

Week 0: 2-1, + 0.75 Units (3 Units Staked, + 25% Yield)

NFL Week 13 Picks 2025 (Thursday 27th November-Monday 1st December)

Time is not quite running out on this 2025 season, but the NFL Picks need some momentum after back to back really poor weeks.

Once again there can be some complaints about the manner of some of the defeats- the Eagles blowing a 21-0 lead, or the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots missing a cover by a combined three points.

Those moments are more frustrating than completely misreading some of the selections, and combined it has led to some tough moments through the opening twelve weeks of the year.

Week 12 may not have been a good week for the NFL Picks, but it was an important one for teams to keep their season alive, most notably for the Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys. Those teams meet in a big Thanksgiving Day game hosted by the latter, and there are also a couple of important Divisional games to be played on Thursday.

The schedules around the League means there are plenty of big Divisional games to be played between now and the end of the regular season and that is going to have a big impact on the final Playoff positions.

Games are set to be played from Thursday through Monday with an additional televised game in the 'Black Friday' slot that has become a new feature for the NFL.

Each outing feels much more important now with the regular season winding down.

That is also the case for the NFL Picks, which will be added to this thread, and it feels important to conclude this week with a winning return to just start moving the overall numbers back in the direction wanted.

Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions Pick: All three games on Thanksgiving Day look hugely important, but the first of those looks the one with most on the line for both teams.

The Detroit Lions (7-4) are hosting as usual and they are playing Divisional rivals Green Bay Packers (7-3-1) who would be edging them out for a Playoff spot if the regular season was to end today. Both are trailing the surprising Chicago Bears in the NFC North, while the Detroit Lions are just 1-2 in the Division this season and have already suffered a defeat to the Green Bay Packers, who are 2-0 against NFC North rivals.

Both teams were able to pick up a win in Week 12, but the Lions had to dig much deeper than the Packers with an Overtime win over the struggling New York Giants. Green Bay were more comfortable in beating the Minnesota Vikings, but those games are now in the rearview mirror and both the Lions and Packers are completely focused on a big Thanksgiving Day game.

For the home team, the Line of Scrimmage is going to determine so much about the direction this game will end up travelling.

Detroit have to find a way to establish the run in this game against a Green Bay Defensive Line that have continued to be stout up front and who will be looking to put Jared Goff behind the chains. All season the Packers have been able to clamp down on the run, including in the Week 1 success against the Lions when they limited Detroit to just 46 yards on the ground.

Being able to do the same IN Detroit is the challenge, especially after recent games in which the Lions have been able to get things going on the ground in front of the home supporters and when not dealing with outdoor conditions. However, the Packers will take encouragement from the success that Philadelphia had against the Lions as they look to force Detroit to try and beat them from third and long spots.

This is far from an easy test for the Lions Offensive Line, who have perhaps not been as confident when facing some of the tougher teams on the schedule. It will feel like a 'prove it' moment for a team chasing a Super Bowl, while also being important to help Jared Goff at Quarter Back considering some of the struggles he has when the pocket begins to collapse around him.

Green Bay will bring the pass rush when they have the Lions in obvious passing situations and they have a Secondary that have been producing at a high level for the majority of the season. In recent games it has really been a tough team to throw against with any consistency and so it is imperative for the Lions to find a way to keep the team in third and manageable spots in order to sustain drives.

It is a game that will be a challenge for the Detroit Offensive unit, but the same can be said for the Packers when they have the ball.

Josh Jacobs is expected to miss out again, but it would have been a tough game for him and it will be a tough game for Emanuel Wilson in relief as the Packers try and establish the run against a Lions Defensive Line that have played that very well in recent games. Much like the Packers on the other side of the ball, Detroit are going to want to see if Jordan Love can beat them from third and long situations and see if he can do that over and over again when facing a Secondary that have plugged in players as injuries have piled up.

It has not stopped the Lions from being effective and they will note that Jordan Love has not been the same at Quarter Back as he continues to deal with a shoulder issue on the non-throwing side.

Jordan Love will feel he can make some plays against this Secondary, but that becomes tougher from third and long situations and Green Bay's recent passing numbers have been tough to read.

Everything is pointing to a competitive game between these two rivals and in front of a national audience.

Both teams will have some issues running the ball, which is going to put pressure on the two Quarter Backs.

The narrowest of edges has to be with the Lions who should find running the ball a bit more comfortable inside of their own Stadium- they are also playing the Packers with revenge and the Lions are 10-2 against the spread against Divisional opponents in that spot.

They have struggled as a small favourite/small underdog this season, which is a concern when laying the points with Detroit, but the Green Bay Packers are 1-4 against the spread on the road.

Green Bay are in an unfamiliar spot of being given points this season, but it should be noted that they have not covered in the last eight Divisional games when given points and having just cleared the spread by double digits, as the Packers did in the Week 12 victory over the Minnesota Vikings.

Most will expect this game to come down to the wire, but the Lions look capable of being the one left standing at the end of this opening Thanksgiving Day game.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys Pick: Non-Conference games may not be as significant in the first half of the season, but by Week 13, every game on the schedule matters.

For the Dallas Cowboys (5-5-1) and Kansas City Chiefs (6-5), it is vital that they build on Week 12 wins that have kept Playoff hopes alive.

This second Thanksgiving Day game sees both the Cowboys and Chiefs sitting in tenth place in their respective Conferences, but also noting that teams currently occupying the last of the Wild Card spots have only been beaten four times. Chasing down Divisional leaders will be difficult as games are running down, but both teams have just kept Playoff hopes alive with battling wins and that will give them some confidence.

The Kansas City Chiefs looked to be on course for another defeat that would have dropped them below 0.500 when trailing by double digits against the AFC South leading Indianapolis Colts. However, they rallied for an Overtime win to just keep themselves in a position to attack the Wild Card spots.

Dallas were in a bigger hole having fallen 21-0 behind against Divisional rivals and NFC East leaders Philadelphia Eagles, but the road team made enough errors to allow the Cowboys to rally for the upset.

Building on that is key and the Dallas Offensive unit are playing with enough confidence to believe they can do that, as long as they can clear up some of the drops that have been affecting recent performance.

It will feel important for Dallas to find a way to at least make the Kansas City Chiefs respect the run- the Chiefs have been pretty stout up front in recent games and they will feel like the real winners if they can force the Cowboys to become one-dimensional.

However, any impact that can be made by the Offensive Line will then strengthen Dak Prescott and a passing game that has been very explosive. George Pickens and Jason Ferguson have given the Quarter Back more options outside of CeeDee Lamb and Prescott will have enough time in the pocket if the team is in third and manageable spots to expose the Chiefs Secondary.

The expectation is that Dallas are going to be able to have enough Offensive success to put the pressure on a banged up Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs to have to keep up on the scoreboard.

Where the Cowboys will still be confident they can have an impact with the running game, the Kansas City Chiefs have struggled to establish the run in recent games. Making it tougher is the clear improvements made by the Dallas Defensive Line after trades made and placing all of the burden on Patrick Mahomes and the passing game will feel like a big win for the Cowboys.

The Quarter Back is clearly not looking as comfortable as usual and that has meant he has been restricting his use of his legs, which has perhaps made it a little easier to face the Kansas City Chiefs. If Patrick Mahomes is not looking to put pressure on the Linebackers and Defensive Backs by pushing himself down the field, the Kansas City Offensive Line could be challenged by this Dallas pass rush when in the obvious passing situations.

Patrick Mahomes is Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Receivers are still very capable of linking up with the Quarter Back through the air, but any one-dimensional approach is something that NFL level Defensive units will be comfortable facing. The Quarter Back can still have success considering some of the issues that remain in the Dallas Secondary, but turnovers could be an issue and that will make it all the tougher for the Kansas City Chiefs to back up the Week 12 win with another.

Of course Kansas City can win, but they are 1-4 against the spread on the road and facing a Dallas team that have thrived when set as the underdog.

Taking the hook to cross over the key number 3 is going to be important for the Dallas Cowboys who can then cover even in a narrow defeat. However, this feels like a game where the Cowboys can produce enough Offensive output to perhaps earn the outright upset and to keep the Playoff hopes on track.

Chicago Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles Pick: They remain the NFC East leaders, but the Philadelphia Eagles (8-3) will want to flush the Week 12 loss at the Dallas Cowboys as soon as possible. They led 21-0 on the day, but the Offensive inconsistency came back to haunt them as the Cowboys fought back for the upset, although the Eagles are still a couple of games ahead of Dallas.

They are hosting another Divisional leader in this 'Black Friday' game on Friday- not many would have predicted that to be the case when the schedule came out, but the Chicago Bears (8-3) are the surprising team leading the way in the NFC North, although the likes of the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions will still believe they can chase the Bears down.

There is a lot to like about a Bears team that have won four in a row, although they have been on the right end of some of the tight margins. While this is unlikely to be sustainable, the Chicago players will be playing with a real sense of belief and that makes them dangerous against this Philadelphia team who are 8-13 against the spread after a defeat under Head Coach Nick Sirianni.

Injuries on both sides of the ball are also just holding the Eagles back, and first year Head Coach Ben Johnson has given Caleb Williams and the Bears a spark on the Offensive side of the ball.

The Bears will be looking to establish the run and they will use Quarter Back Caleb Williams to try and pick up some yards on the ground when the protection does break down. Credit has to be given to the way the Philadelphia Defensive Line have been playing of late, but all the Bears will want to do is to try and keep themselves in front of the chains and then see if the relatively young Quarter Back can then attack this banged up Secondary.

Caleb Williams has been getting the ball out of his hands pretty well and he should be able to connect with some of the Receivers to push the ball down the field.

Offensive problems have been a huge part of the Philadelphia season, even if they have still found a way to win more often than not. The defending Super Bowl Champions will feel they can find the right solutions if they can get a little healthier, but they could be without Lane Johnson on this short week and Saquon Barkley is also banged up.

Being without both of those players could make it tough for the Eagles to expose what has continued to be a vulnerable Chicago Defensive Line.

However, Jalen Hurts is capable of moving the ball with his legs out of the Quarter Back position and the Eagles will just be looking to keep ahead of the chains while still trying to find solutions to some of the passing problems. Adding to that is that the Bears have signed CJ Gardner-Johnson to improve the Secondary and Chicago could have Jaylon Johnson back from injury, which is going to make passing the ball against the Bears more challenging going forward.

They do not get a lot of pressure up front, but that has not stopped the Secondary from showing improvement during this winning run.

On paper you still have to believe the Eagles will be a little too good for the Bears, but this spread looks a bit too wide considering Philadelphia's struggles to blowout opponents this season.

With the battling that Chicago have continued to display, they could easily secure a backdoor cover in this one at the worst and the Bears can show the rest of the NFC that they more than just a surprising regular season team.

Atlanta Falcons @ New York Jets Pick: They are still only a couple of games out of the NFC South lead, but time is running out for the Atlanta Falcons (4-7) to chase down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Moving in the last weekend of November means Atlanta can ill-afford to lose games that they are expected to win and that will be the situation they are dealing with in Week 13 as the Falcons have been set as road favourites.

At this stage of the season and with games running out, even non-Conference games have added importance and the Falcons need to build on the win over the New Orleans Saints, which also ended the five game losing run.

Next up is a game at the New York Jets (2-9) who remain on course for a top five NFL Draft Pick and who will continue with Tyrod Taylor at Quarter Back in place of Justin Fields.

The decision to hand the keys to the veteran has stalled the Jets as far as an Offensive unit goes, but Tyrod Taylor is capable of moving the ball with his legs and Breece Hall should also be able to find more room to operate when the ball is handed to him. This is an Atlanta Defensive Line that has been struggling to stop the run, but there is also a game plan that could be put together to try and dare Taylor to beat them with his arm.

If they can put the Jets in obvious passing situations, the Falcons should be able to get to Tyrod Taylor and rush the throw, especially for a team that is missing some experience at the Wide Receiver position. This has led to some really poor numbers in recent games as far as the Jets passing game is concerned, although Tyrod Taylor may feel there are more opportunities against this vulnerable Falcons Secondary.

Kirk Cousins will be the veteran taking to the field for the Atlanta Falcons at Quarter Back and he should be able to use the confidence from last week to attack a Jets team that have traded away so many key players on this side of the ball.

He will be without Drake London again, but the Falcons had Darnell Mooney show some life and Bijan Robinson should also have a big impact on the game.

The Falcons are not easy to trust on recent form, although you have to keep pointing out the importance of winning against the New Orleans Saints.

Credit has to be given to the Jets for continuing to play hard on the Defensive side of the ball, despite the trades they have made, but the lack of Offensive output means the field position is against them. The Jets could have better chances to move the ball against this Falcons team, but ultimately they have looked like a team that is out of confidence and struggling to maintain any consistency within games, which should give Atlanta the edge in the game.

MY PICKS: Detroit Lions - 2.5 Points @ 1.80 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Dallas Cowboys + 3.5 Points @ 1.84 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Chicago Bears + 7.5 Points @ 1.80 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Atlanta Falcons - 2.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Los Angeles Rams - 10.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Buffalo Bills - 3 Points @ 1.86 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Denver Broncos - 5.5 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Week 12: 1-5, - 4.17 Units (6 Units Staked, - 69.50% Yield)

Week 11: 2-4, - 2.23 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37.17% Yield)

Week 10: 3-3, - 0.34 Units (6 Units Staked, - 5.67% Yield)

Week 9: 2-2, - 0.18 Units (4 Units Staked, - 4.50% Yield)

Week 8: 4-3, + 0.52 Units (7 Units Staked, + 7.43% Yield)

Week 7: 3-2, + 0.69 Units (5 Units Staked, + 13.80% Yield)

Week 6: 3-4, - 1.09 Units (7 Units Staked, - 15.57% Yield)

Week 5: 3-3, - 0.33 Units (6 Units Staked, - 5.50% Yield)

Week 4: 2-3, - 1.14 Units (5 Units Staked, - 22.80% Yield)

Week 3: 5-3, + 1.56 Units (8 Units Staked, + 19.50% Yield)

Week 2: 3-2, + 0.67 Units (5 Units Staked, + 13.40% Yield)

Week 1: 0-2, - 2 Units (2 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

2025 Season: 31-36, - 8.04 Units (67 Units Staked, - 12% Yield)