College Football Picks- Playoff Semi Final 2025 (Thursday 9th January-Friday 10th January)

The new College Football Playoff format is going to be changed and evolved in the coming years and those involved will be keeping a close eye on the development of the Bracket this year.

No one wants to make sweeping statements after one sample of games, but the fact that all four First Round winners were able to beat higher Ranked opponents in the Quarter Final will have been noted.

Of course a couple of the lower Seeded teams were better than those that earned Byes through to the Quarter Final, but it won't be lost on many that none of the Conference Champions are going earn a chance of becoming National Champions. The long layoff between games for those earning the Bye into the Quarter Final was a concern before the games were played and you have to think that the organisers will want to make sure that is not a trend going forward.

In saying that, both Semi Final games should be a good one and there will still be a deserving National Champion crowned when all is said and done.

Right now it is very hard to look past the Ohio State Buckeyes who look intent on making up for an underachieving regular season, but the other three teams left standing will all be extremely confident on winning the Championship too.

Penn State Nittany Lions vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish Pick: It is best to not read too much into the first edition of the twelve team College Football Playoff, but it has been noted that the four First Round winners all came through their Quarter Final games to earn places in the final four.

Perhaps in the future the four teams earning the Bye will have guaranteed home field advantage to make up for the time spent away from competitive action, but that is a matter for another day.

Teams like the Penn State Nittany Lions (13-2) and Notre Dame Fighting Irish (13-1) could not, and should not, care less with the chance of winning a National Championship now coming over the horizon.

Both schools have to be excited about the opportunity in front of them as Penn State look for a first National Championship since 1986 and Notre Dame the first since 1988. Out of the two, the Fighting Irish have a lot more recent experience of playing in the College Football Playoff, but that is not going to count for a lot in this Semi Final.

The Fighting Irish beat the Indiana Hoosiers out of the Big Ten before upsetting the SEC Champions Georgia Bulldogs, but will note that there is room for improvement. Notre Dame were not very comfortable Offensively in the win over the Bulldogs and were perhaps fortunate that Georgia were without starting Quarter Back Carson Beck, who might have helped that Quarter Final become a lot more competitive than it was at the end.

Next up is the Penn State Nittany Lions who beat the SMU Mustangs and then covered as a big favourite in the victory over the Boise State Broncos. Head Coach James Franklin will have something to build upon thanks to this Semi Final run, but he will also be very aware that Penn State could not have asked for a better portion of the Bracket and this is a huge step up for the Nittany Lions, who were beaten by Oregon in the Big Ten Championship Game in early December.

Much like Notre Dame, Penn State will be very pleased with the efforts of the Defensive unit in their two Playoff wins, but may feel there is still more to come from Quarter Back Drew Allar and the rest of the Offense.

Unsuprisingly the Line of Scrimmage is going to play a huge factor in this game on both sides of the ball.

Running the ball against this Fighting Irish Defensive Line has been challenging for teams all season and they were able to shut down the Bulldogs in the Quarter Final. Doing the same against the Nittany Lions will be tougher considering the experience of the Quarter Back, which was missing against Georgia and allowed Notre Dame to dare the SEC Champions to beat them through the air.

Someone like Drew Allar is capable of making plays against this Secondary, although running the ball is also important to establish the balance and just offer Penn State's Offensive Line a little less time to keep the pass rush out of the backfield. The long Allar has to hold the ball to allow routes to develop down the field, the better for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish who will feel any under pressure Quarter Back could be picked off by the Defensive Backs.

Extra possessions could be crucial in a Semi Final like this one and avoiding turnovers is going to be important for Drew Allar and Fighting Irish Quarter Back Riley Leonard.

Good news for the Fighting Irish is that Jerimiyah Love looks like he will be ready to go after some early doubts about the big time Running Back. There is little doubt that Love and Riley Leonard will be needed to help Notre Dame try and establish the run against a very good Penn State Defensive Line, one that is expected to have standout Abdul Carter available to play.

Ashton Jeanty was able to pick up 104 yards on the ground against Penn State in the Quarter Final, but it took thirty carries to do that and that just underlines how good the Nittany Lions have been up front.

Having a dual-threat Quarter Back may aid Notre Dame, but they are going to have to be patient and try and wear down the Nittany Lions through the course of the Semi Final. It may also be a situation where Riley Leonard has to try and exploit the one or two holes that have existed in the Penn State Secondary and see if the pass can help open the running lanes.

Riley Leonard did not have a good game against the Georgia Bulldogs so may feel he has something to prove with his arm having thrown for just 90 yards in the Quarter Final win. He did avoid turnovers though and it is going to be a game that may end up being a field position battle where the team that plays the cleaner game is able to win.

The layers are finding it tough to separate Penn State and Notre Dame and the same can be said here.

Instead, it may just be the best option to focus on the Defensive units and expect them to come out on top.

College Football rules can make backing the under a bit more difficult- Overtime rules can see the points really rack up, and this is a game that is likely going to be close enough to potentially need an extra bit of time to find a way to separate them.

However, you have to believe both teams are going to grind this one out at times and that could see the clock run quicker than in other games. Both will look to pound the rock and open up the pass, but the Quarter Backs may not be tasked with trying to do too much when they step back to throw the ball in order to avoid turnovers.

Both the Nittany Lions and Fighting Irish have shown how good their Defensive units can be this season and a tight, competitive Semi Final is expected.

Texas Longhorns vs Ohio State Buckeyes Pick: Losing to the Michigan Wolverines cost the Ohio State Buckeyes (12-2) a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game and put Head Coach Ryan Day firmly on the hot seat. Failing to beat their old rival again would have hurt the fans, but the fact the Buckeyes had lost to a Wolverines team in disarray this season really placed the pressure on the Head Coach.

Ultimately you are going to be judged by titles when you are the Head Coach of a school like Ohio State and the Buckeyes felt like an underperforming team with their 10-2 record to conclude the regular season.

Things have certainly changed in the Playoff though.

Missing out on the Big Ten Championship Game ended any chance of earning a Bye through to the Quarter Final, but the Buckeyes have been able to turn their momentum right around. Blowing out the Tennessee Volunteers at home was impressive, but there is no doubt that the best performance in the Quarter Final Round came from Ohio State who crushed the Oregon Ducks, the Number 1 Seed and Big Ten Champion.

This is going to feel like a road game for the Buckeyes, no matter how the fans are known to travel, and that is because it is being played in Dallas.

Against the Texas Longhorns (13-2).

Losing the SEC Championship Game meant the Longhorns have also been forced to win two games to earn their spot in the Semi Final of the 2024 Playoff. They were comfortable winners against ACC Champions Clemson Tigers, but Texas made really hard work of beating the Big 12 Champions Arizona State Sun Devils and it feels like the Longhorns have a lot more to prove.

Quinn Ewers will earn the start at Quarter Back, but the fans are hoping there will be a big package in place for Archie Manning, who is seen as a much more effective runner and a confident passer. There will be plenty of motivation within Ewers though and that is because he actually originally signed up to play for Ohio State before transferring to Texas.

The Longhorns may need their Quarter Back to be at his absolute best against this tough Buckeyes Defense and that is all down to the strength of the Ohio State Defensive Line. It has been so tough to run against them all season, but the Texas Offensive Line have not been playing that well down the stretch and that will offer little encouragement for them.

Making the Longhorns a little one-dimensional will be seen as a big win for the Ohio State Buckeyes and will ramp up the pressure on Quinn Ewers.

The Quarter Back is obviously going to be confident in his own ability, but Texas' Offensive Line may struggle to keep the Buckeyes out of the backfield if Ewers is stuck in third and long spots on the field. A talented Ohio State Secondary have benefited from the pressure that the pass rush have generated and they will certainly believe they can stall drives and potentially pick off an errant pass or two.

This is going to be a prove it kind of game for Quinn Ewers and he will try and boost himself through the personal motivation of playing against his old team for the first time.

Ohio State's Quarter Back is also firing himself up through personal experiences and Will Howard is well aware of the Texas Longhorns having transferred to Ohio State after several years facing Texas in the Big 12. Will Howard has never beaten Texas (0-4), but it also fair to say that the Quarter Back was not throwing to the kind of talented Receivers at Kansas State as he is with Ohio State.

Unlike the Longhorns, the Buckeyes Offensive Line may have a lot more success running the ball and that is key to helping Will Howard and the passing game to really attack the Longhorns down the field. That Offensive Line has also been pretty good when it comes to pass protection, which is all the easier if you are playing in front of the chains and giving Will Howard a clean pocket would give Ohio State a big edge.

Take nothing away from the season that Texas have put together and the level of play that the Secondary have found, but their most recent games have been more difficult when it comes to stopping the pass. Will Howard can connect with the likes of Emeka Egbuka and Jeremiah Smith against the Longhorns Secondary and they can certainly pick up from where they left off against the Oregon Ducks as a team.

Ohio State look a big more battle hardened for a Semi Final of this magnitude and the team look to have got things figured out in time for the chance to win another National Championship.

Beating the Texas Longhorns will be far from easy, especially in Dallas, but the Buckeyes might have the more balanced Offensive game-plan and the stronger play at the Line of Scrimmage on both sides of the ball. The Buckeyes Secondary might be operating at a higher level than their counterparts with the Longhorns and it all may just end up leading to another big win for Ohio State to move into the National Championship Game to be played later this month.

MY PICKS: Penn State Nittany Lions-Notre Dame Fighting Irish Under 45.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Ohio State Buckeyes - 5.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

PlayOff Quarter Final: 2-2, - 0.18 Units (4 Units Staked, - 4.50% Yield)

Playoff First Round: 3-1, + 1.72 Units (4 Units Staked, + 43% Yield)

Week 15: 3-3, - 0.28 Units (6 Units Staked, - 4.67% Yield)

Week 14: 6-2, + 3.50 Units (8 Units Staked, + 43.75% Yield)

Week 13: 4-4, - 0.36 Units (8 Units Staked, - 4.50% Yield)

Week 12: 3-6, - 3.23 Units (9 Units Staked, - 35.89% Yield)

Week 11: 1-5, - 4.15 Units (6 Units Staked, - 69.17% Yield)

Week 10: 1-6, - 4.05 Units (7 Units Staked, - 57.86% Yield)

Week 9: 4-2, + 1.82 Units (6 Units Staked, + 30.33% Yield)

Week 8: 2-4, - 2.23 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37.17% Yield)

Week 7: 6-3, + 2.55 Units (9 Units Staked, + 28.33% Yield)

Week 6: 3-2, + 0.82 Units (5 Units Staked, + 16.4% Yield)

Week 5: 0-5, - 5 Units (5 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

Week 4: 3-2, + 0.73 Units (5 Units Staked, + 14.60% Yield)

Week 3: 3-5, - 2.35 Units (8 Units Staked, - 29.38% Yield)

Week 2: 2-4, - 2.26 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37.67% Yield)

Week 1: 4-2, + 1.64 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.33% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2025- Jai Opetaia vs David Nyika (Wednesday 8th January)

2024 was a really strong year for Boxing fans with some big fights put together by the Saudi authorities and there were a number of Undisputed Champions produced thanks to the influence of Riyadh Season.

More of the same is expected over the coming twelve months and there is already a big night set in the calendar for Saturday 22nd February with a deep, impressive card that has a number of bouts that could have headlined events on their own.

Further announcements are expected to be made, while the UK based promoters that have really embraced working with Saudi Arabia have made it clear that they do want to put together stronger nights for the home fans.

David Benavidez vs David Morrell is set so the headline fights are not only being made by those associated with Saudi Arabia and this has to be a positive for the fans.

We are still going to be a little greedy and want a bit more- it would be good if Terence Crawford and some of the other top American names were more active, while it should not be too long before Canelo Alvarez announces his next fight.

The financial boost offered by the Saudi authorities have also helped create a year-long feel around Boxing, which in previous years might have had quieter months.

In January this year we have the return of Jai Opetaia and Naoya Inoue and both are hoping to win and then move onto bigger and better opportunities in the next several months.

Other decent fight nights have been put together with all the roads leading to the huge David Benavidez vs David Morrell fight on February 1st, which will open another good looking month of action.

After a disappointing 2023 for the Boxing Picks, it was a bounce back year in 2024 with a solid return all things considered.

In saying that, there is always room for improvement and that is where the focus will be over the next twelve months.

The easy number to point to is the 36% winning rate for the selections, but the fact that it did not prevent the Picks ending with a positive return underlines the difficulty of the markets.

For example, picking someone like Canelo Alvarez to beat Edgar Berlanga is not going to offer much of a payout and finding other angles to approach a fight like that offers much greater returns even if it is that much harder to string the winners together.

Ultmately it is about returning a number that ends in the black and not the red, although the ambition is to improve that hit rate in 2025.

Jai Opetaia vs David Nyika

The first big name heading out to the ring in 2025 is Jai Opetaia, arguably the top Cruiserweight in the sport.

Fans are hoping that the Australian will soon be heading into a bout with Gilberto Ramirez to really determine the top fighter in the Division, but it would be a mistake to look too far ahead.

A replacement was required after Huseyin Cinkara was forced to withdraw and many feel that David Nyika has helped stimulate a lot more interest in Jai Opetaia's homecoming.

Australia vs New Zealand will always do that and David Nyika is an experienced amateur, although has perhaps not has the exposure as a professional to really warrant this opportunity right now. That amateur experience is going to be important, but the pro game is different and this a huge challenge for The Nice Guy Nyika.

He has called for a firefight, although Jai Opetaia is not convinced that will be the case.

Instead the Champion believes David Nyika will try and box from the outside, but his lack of experience could see Jai Opetaia go through the gears pretty quickly with body work opening things up.

David Nyika Stopped Tommy Karpency in his last bout back in September, a fighter that has been in with plenty of big names. However, those have been at Light Heavyweight in the main and Karpency has clearly been worn down by plenty of other Stoppage defeats in his professional career and facing Jai Opetaia is a significant step up in opponent.

Mairis Breidis was able to take Jai Opetaia the distance in both fights between the pair in July 2022 and May 2024, but the Champion has been dominant against less stellar competition around those contests.

You know David Nyika is going to want to display his toughness, but that may actually work against him with him likely to be easy to find as far as Jai Opetaia is concerned.

Fighters from this part of the world are able to stand up to more punishment than you may expect, but this is a huge punching and dangerous Jai Opetaia and he is expected to make his superior level count. There is still a chance for David Nyika to come again, but the fight feels too early for the New Zealander and the likelihood is that we see that on display in another relatively early finish for the Champion.

Matchroom are one of the co-promoters of the event and they have placed a couple of their Heavyweights on the undercard who are hoping to follow Jai Opetaia's lead by building strong local support.

One of those is Justis Huni who has been spoken about as a potential opponent for Moses Itauma.

That does feel like a big step up for Huni considering he needed the cards to get the better of Andrew Tabiti and Kevin Lerena, two Cruiserweights coming into the Heavyweight Division.

The win over Lerena was on a card held in Riyadh, but Justis Huni has headed back to Australia for his last two fights and this is another showcase kind of bout for him.

Shaun Potgieter is next up for the home fighter and he has not been in with anyone like Justis Huni before, and that step up is expected to be evident before the bell to signal the Sixth Round is needed.

No one has lasted more than two Rounds with Teremoana Jr so far in his very young career and that is unlikely to have changed after his bout with Osasu Otobo. The latter's only previous defeat was in a Second Round Stoppage and Teremoana Jr can back up his first appearance under the Matchroom banner with another early night work having been out last month in Monaco.

MY PICKS: Jai Opetaia to Win Between 1-6 @ 2.87 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Justis Huni to Win Between 1-5 @ 1.61 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Boxing 2024: 36-64, + 9.46 Units (126 Units Staked, + 7.51% Yield)

NFL Week 18 Picks 2025 (Saturday 4th January-Sunday 5th January)

Remarkably we have moved into the final week of the NFL regular season with seventeen weeks already in the books and with one more left to go.

Fourteen places are up for grabs in the NFL Playoffs when the season begins and twelve of those have already been secured as we move into Week 18.

Seeding is still up for grabs, most notably the Number 1 Seed in the NFC which will be decided on Sunday Night Football, while the AFC North Division will be decided on Saturday with both the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers playing in back to back games.

The Wild Card Round of the Playoffs is set to be played across next weekend and so it is no surprise that some of the teams that have secured their place in the post-season will choose to shut down starters. That does mean Saquon Barkley is not going to be given the time to snap the regular season record for rushing yards, but the Philadelphia Eagles Running Back is unlikely to be disappointed if it means winning a Super Bowl.

Decisions that are going to be made by the Head Coaches in terms of starters makes the week a little harder to call so you just have to be that much more careful with the selections being made.

The NFL Picks for the 2024 season had been in good shape through the first half of the regular season, but Week 9 through to Week 16 had been much tougher and undone a lot of the good work that had been put together.

Despite the poor run, the NFL Picks have produced a positive number for the regular season going into Week 17.

We had some luck with the Cincinnati Bengals pick, but misfortune when backing the Atlanta Falcons to cover against the Washington Commanders to even those games out and overall the 7-3 record from the ten Picks made means the regular season has been a good one.

Being careful through Week 18 is the key before heading into the Playoffs and two solid weeks out of three have just restored some lost momentum from the second half of the regular season.

Picks from the Week 18 games will be added to this thread and can be read below.

Cleveland Browns @ Baltimore Ravens Pick: One more win will secure the AFC North Division for the Baltimore Ravens (11-5) and that would mean earning the Number 3 Seed in the Playoff and a home game next week. Three blowout wins in a row have put the Ravens in a strong position and they are a massive favourite to beat the Cleveland Browns (3-13).

The Browns have had a miserable season all in all and they will be looking forward to drawing a line under the campaign and try and go again in 2025. There is every chance they could still secure the Number 1 Draft Pick with a loss and some help on Sunday and even the desire to play spoiler for a rival may not be as high considering the Ravens have already secured a Playoff spot.

Instead the motivation might be on the side of the home team considering they were beaten in Cleveland and have lost three of their last four games against the Browns.

The exception in that little run is a blowout win for Baltimore and they may have the capabilities of crushing this Browns team that may be down to a fourth choice Quarter Back.

For now it sounds like Dorian Thompson-Robinson will be given the start, but Cleveland are toying with the idea of Bailey Zappe at Quarter Back instead after the poor play of DTR. Jameis Winston is going to be the emergency Quarter Back, but neither Thompson-Robinson nor Zappe are going to give the Ravens too much to worry about.

The Browns would love to establish the run to set things up, but that looks a much tougher task against the Baltimore Ravens Defensive Line and especially with so little to play for. Jerome Ford might not even suit up and it is asking a lot of either of the two expected starting Quarter Backs to exploit this Ravens Secondary if playing from third and long spots on the field.

It would mean facing the Baltimore pass rush, which has been getting after the Quarter Back, and errant throws will be picked off by the Defensive Backs who have benefited from the pressure being produced up front.

Lamar Jackson has just set a new rushing record for Quarter Backs in the NFL, but he will be well aware of the challenges that the Cleveland Browns have given to him in the past. However, between Jackson and Derrick Henry, the Ravens should be able to establish the run, even against this tough Browns Defensive Line, and that should just open things up for the pass.

The Ravens have found a decent balance with their Offensive unit and Lamar Jackson has proved he can run and throw the ball effectively. The big test will be taking that into the Playoff and really giving Baltimore the level needed to have a deep run, but this is a final regular season game and the Quarter Back should have spaces to exploit.

Having a player like Derrick Henry behind him means the Ravens are able to negate much of the pass rush and the Ravens Offensive Line should give Lamar Jackson time to make his plays down the field.

Of course this is a huge spread and it will be very difficult for the home team to overcome the mark, although the feeling is that as little as 24 points could be enough for Baltimore.

The Browns might not have the same motivation to play spoiler as if this game was played a couple of weeks ago and Baltimore have won three in a row by huge margins.

After losing in Cleveland, Baltimore will be that much more focused and that can help them secure the AFC North behind a big win- a couple of turnovers may just give them those extra possessions to beat a Cleveland team thinking ahead rather than on this final regular season game.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Pittsburgh Steelers Pick: Two AFC North rivals have plenty to play for this weekend and that is even if the Baltimore Ravens have won the Division before kickoff.

The Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6) can only win the Division if the Ravens are upset by the Cleveland Browns in the early Saturday kickoff, although that is very unlikely considering the huge favourite the Ravens are.

Of course that will mean there are question marks about whether the Steelers would play their starters with a Playoff spot already secured if they have nothing more than Seeding to play for. At the moment the Steelers are in control of the Number 5 Seed which would mean a road game at the Houston Texans rather than falling into Number 6 and having to face the Baltimore Ravens again.

Head Coach Mike Tomlin has indicated that he would not consider resting starters even if the Steelers are unable to win the Division, although that mindset could potentially change. The Steelers have lost three in a row to lose control of the AFC North and there is a feeling that they would love to have more positive momentum before playing their first Playoff Game next week.

Russell Wilson has enjoyed a good season at Quarter Back and he racked up 414 passing yards in the win over the Cincinnati Bengals (8-8) on the road. However, that was the Bengals at the end of a three game losing run and they have just given themselves hope of reaching the post-season having won four in a row since then.

The Steelers should be able to have a positive day Offensively if the starters are in the game with the Offensive Line expected to establish the run, which makes things that much more comfortable for Russell Wilson at Quarter Back. Pittsburgh look healthier and Wilson will feel he can exploit the issues the Bengals have had in the Secondary all season, even if the Offensive Line have just suffered in pass protection.

Interceptions have helped power the Cincinnati run of wins and they will be hoping they can step in front of some of the passes in this one as the Bengals look to finish with a winning record and then scoreboard watch on Sunday.

Joe Burrow and the Offensive unit deserve a lot of credit for keeping Cincinnati alive too having beaten the Denver Broncos to make this a meaningful game for themselves in Week 18.

The Quarter Back is clearly a very good player, but it does help that the Bengals have two top Receiving options and Burrow has made it clear that he hopes that both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are still playing here in September 2025. And Cincinnati's Offensive Line have just found some spaces for Chase Brown to exploit on the ground during this winning run, although Brown is not expected to suit up this week.

Pass protection has been a problem for Cincinnati, but Joe Burrow has taken the hits and still gotten up and attacked teams effectively down the field. You have to believe that Joe Burrow is hugely encouraged by the successes teams have had throwing against the Steelers Secondary during their losing run and the belief is that the Cincinnati Bengals can do enough to keep Playoff hopes alive through another day.

The uncertainty of the approach that Pittsburgh will take is a concern, but you have to believe that Mike Tomlin will have his starters out on the field to build rhythm for at least half of this game, even if Baltimore have won.

It could see the Steelers score enough points to at least help combine with the Cincinnati Bengals to cover this total line set, especially if the game is anything like their first meeting. With plenty of throwing likely to be used, especially by the Bengals, this could stretch out the game and both Offensive units may show off their playmakers in a high scoring Week 18 outing.

At the end of the day, it may be the Bengals who have enough motivation and momentum to edge to the win on the road to keep their Playoff hopes alive.

Chicago Bears @ Green Bay Packers Pick: Losing to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 17 has meant the Green Bay Packers (11-5) have lost their grip on the Number 6 Seed in the NFC.

They are going to be playing in the Wild Card Round next week, and the Packers will still be looking to finish the season with a strong performance and try and move back above the Washington Commanders. Playing at the Los Angeles Rams rather than the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card Round has to be motivation enough for the Packers who have fallen to the best teams they have faced this season.

Fortunately for Green Bay, this is not one of the best teams and the Chicago Bears (4-12) are about to enter an uncertain off-season with a new Head Coach to be appointed. The early signs were positive for the Bears, but things began to go wrong when allowing the aforementioned Commanders beat them on a Hail Mary and that sparked a ten game losing run.

For much of that run, the Bears had been competitive, but they haven't even been that over the last four weeks and even the additional time to prepare to face a Divisional rival is unlikely to have helped turn the page.

The Bears have been struggling mightily on the Offensive side of the ball with the team having problems establishing the run, which has left Caleb Williams in a tough spot behind an under fire Offensive Line. There has simply not been a lot of protection offered to the rookie Quarter Back, and Williams must be looking forward to the end of the season even more so than many of his team-mates.

Caleb Williams does have some Receivers who can make plays for him, but the Bears may be behind the chains against this Packers Defensive Line and that is only going to see the pocket collapse around the Quarter Back. This has proven to make it tough for consistent drives to be maintained, while Williams will have to be aware of the Interceptions that the Green Bay Packers have manufactured.

Giving Jordan Love and the Offensive unit extra possessions could be key to covering a big spread and the Green Bay Quarter Back is looking for a confidence boosting performance in the final game of the regular season. Following the loss to the Vikings, Jordan Love made it clear he needs to be a bit better to get Green Bay over the line against the stronger teams they are set to face in the NFL Playoffs.

He can lean on the Packers Offensive Line much more than Caleb Williams can do with the Bears unit and Josh Jacobs can keep Green Bay in third and manageable spots against a worn down Chicago Defensive Line.

With plenty of time being afforded to him, Jordan Love should find the spaces to exploit in the Chicago Secondary and the Packers can certainly move into the Wild Card Round behind a big win.

The Bears should have beaten Green Bay when hosting them at Soldier Field in November, but the defeat has maintained the Packers dominance of this rivalry. Before that narrow win, the Packers had also cleared the lines the layers had set for them against the Bears and they can get back to doing what they do best against Chicago with the likelihood that the starters will stay in the game for the full game.

Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons Pick: It always surprises to see Head Coaches mismanage the time at the end of games as often as they do and Raheem Morris admitted his failure to use one of two Time Outs left at the end of the Fourth Quarter in Week 17 might have proved costly for his team. The Atlanta Falcons (8-8) wasted too much time and ended up having to take a long Field Goal, which came up short, and ultimately were then beaten in Overtime by the Washington Commanders.

It is a devastating defeat that means the Falcons have lost control of their own destiny- if they had won in Week 17, Atlanta would have been one win away from securing the NFC South Division and earning the Number 4 Seed in the Playoff, but now they need to win and hope the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are upset when playing New Orleans at the same time.

Making the Playoffs is a long shot right now, but the Falcons will have to focus and make sure they do their end of the bargain by beating the Carolina Panthers (4-12) who have lost five of their last six games, including a 34 point blowout at the hands of the Buccaneers in Week 17.

Players like Chuba Hubbard have been shut down for the season and the Panthers are another team who will have a relatively high Draft Pick with big decisions to make.

Bryce Young looks to have done enough to earn another shot as the starting Quarter Back and he will be hoping that someone can step up and fill Hubbard's shoes more effectively than they did last week. The Quarter Back did not play badly against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the Panthers were unable to establish the run and the one-dimensional Offensive plan was pretty easy for the Buccaneers to deal with.

At least this week the Panthers Offensive Line are facing an Atlanta team that have allowed plenty of yards to be picked up on the ground and that should be a huge boost for Young.

There is little doubt that Bryce Young will need that help considering the improved play of the Falcons Secondary in the second half of the season. The hope is that Carolina can establish the run and sustain drives with the Quarter Back asked to complete third and manageable spots on the field.

However, any time the Panthers are behind the chains it becomes much tougher for Bryce Young operating behind an Offensive Line that has not been nearly as effective in pass protection as they have in run blocking. In recent games, Atlanta have found a very positive pass rush and that could be key to stalling drives and giving the Offensive unit a chance to win this game for the home team.

Michael Penix Jr has had little starting time for the Atlanta Falcons, but has shown enough to have the fans believing that the page being turned from Kirk Cousins to the rookie came too late and ultimately has cost the Falcons a spot in the post-season. He began poorly last week on the road at Washington, but Penix Jr recovered really well and was not helped by his Head Coach in his bid to win both of the starts made for Atlanta.

He should be able to lean on Bijan Robinson and the Offensive Line in this one to make things all the more comfortable and the Falcons are expected to have the qualities needed to rip open some big gains on the ground. This is going to make life comfortable for the rookie Quarter Back and Michael Penix Jr is expected to have the time to find his playmakers down the field.

Both teams should have success moving the ball in this final regular season game, but Atlanta's balanced Offensive unit should have the edge.

Bryce Young has played well since being restored to the starting lineup, but this Falcons Secondary is playing with more confidence and the pass rush might just force a couple of good field positions for Michael Penix Jr and the rest of the Offensive unit. The Panthers showed in Week 17 that their desire to really compete might just have slackened a touch and Penix Jr can have a very strong game before the team begins scoreboard watching and hoping for an upset in Tampa Bay.

New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pick: There must have been a feeling that the disappointing Week 16 loss at the Dallas Cowboys might have been the fatal blow to the Playoff hopes, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7) have been given a second opportunity to secure the NFC South Division.

No one needs to scoreboard watch with their destiny back under their own control and Tampa Bay only need to beat this Divisional rival in Week 18 to earn the Number 4 Seed in the NFC.

Five wins in six games have given the Buccaneers every opportunity to win the Division and they blew out the Carolina Panthers to bounce back from the disappointment of losing in Dallas. Being at home and facing an eliminated opponent means all of the cards are in Tampa Bay's favour and they are set as a very big favourite.

That is no surprise against the New Orleans Saints (5-11) who have been hit hard by injury and who have suffered three defeats in a row with the last two being blow out losses.

The awful terrorist attack on New Year's Day in New Orleans will have rallied the Saints together and it will give them motivation to end this season and give their community something to smile about. Of course the Saints players would have been concerned about any family members or team members that had headed into New Orleans to celebrate the New Year and it will have been an emotional time for the team before heading to Tampa Bay.

Spencer Rattler is expected to earn another start at Quarter Back for the New Orleans Saints, but this is going to be a tough test for him without some key Saints playmakers. Alvin Kamara is questionable to play, but even with the Running Back healthy and ready to go, it would have been tough for the New Orleans Saints to establish the run against this Buccaneers Defensive Line playing at a very high level.

Instead all of the pressure will be on Rattler and the rookie Quarter Back is going to be put under duress by this Tampa Bay pass rush. This pressure up front has helped the Tampa Bay Secondary produce some big games of late, while Spencer Rattler has made rookie mistakes when trying to force passes down the field.

Extra possessions would make things all the more comfortable for Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers who have overcome losing some key players to maintain momentum and look to have another Playoff run.

Earning the Number 4 Seed will mean a meeting with either the Detroit Lions or Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card Round, but Tampa Bay know the Playoffs is a 'new season' for teams and the Buccaneers have to be confident of heading into that game with a lot of momentum behind them.

Bucky Irving has taken over as the lead Running Back and he has to be excited about playing behind this Buccaneers Offensive Line that has been able to bully teams up front. The home team are expected to rack up some serious yards on the ground and Bucky Irving also represents a threat coming out of the backfield to give Baker Mayfield another option in the passing game.

Being in front of the chains should mean Baker Mayfield has that bit more time to attack this New Orleans Secondary and the veteran has proven himself to be very comfortable in the system being run. Mike Evans continues to play at a really high level and the Buccaneers should be able to move the ball both on the ground and through the air as they take the game to New Orleans.

Make no mistake, this is a huge spread and a backdoor cover cannot be ruled out, but Tampa Bay have been in really good form and crushed the Carolina Panthers by 34 points last week. Backing up those big wins is tough, but prior to the defeat to Dallas, Tampa Bay had won four games in a row by margins of 23, 3, 15 and 23 points and they have all of the momentum to blowout a Saints team that have been outscored by 50 points in their last three losses.

Earlier this season, the Buccaneers racked up just shy of 600 Offensive yards in beating New Orleans by 24 points on the road and they should have all of the momentum to win this game comfortably in Week 18 too.

There is an outside chance that the Buccaneers could actually improve Seeding with a win too, but the only real focus has to be winning to ensure Playoff Football is played next weekend.

Seattle Seahawks @ Los Angeles Rams Pick: The NFC West Division crown has already been secured by the Los Angeles Rams (10-6) and they are either going to finish with the Number 3 or Number 4 Seed in the Playoff.

With that in mind, Sean McVay has made it clear that he will give some key players a rest before the Wild Card Round is played next weekend and that includes starting Quarter Back Matthew Stafford.

Jimmy Garoppolo is very assured as the backup, but he may be without some of the top Receiving options and the starting Running Back with the mentality already focused on the Wild Card rather than finishing the regular season with another victoy.

The Seattle Seahawks (9-7) still have plenty to play for, even if the season ends in Week 18.

An opportunity to win ten games in a single season would see the team surpass 2023, which is a boost, while there are players that have personal incentives to reach. Head Coach Mike Macdonald has made it clear that his Seahawks team are going to be playing to win, even if finishing with the same record as the Rams would see them miss out on a deep tie-breaker, and the fact that Los Angeles are going in with a host of backups helps.

You cannot really know what to expect from the Los Angeles backups and they are not likely to contain the run, although Geno Smith is going to take to the air to make sure the incentives are reached. The Quarter Back has been under duress behind this Offensive Line, but that should be eased in this final regular season game and Geno Smith should be able to hit his playmakers down the field.

The Seahawks are going to be motivated having lost the first of the regular season meetings in early November, despite being the better team, and the Rams may not be able to sustain Offensive drives in this one.

Improvements made down the stretch makes it tough for the Rams and the second string to have a lot of success and that begins with the challenges to run the ball against this Seattle Defensive Line.

Experience is not a problem for Jimmy Garoppolo, but playing behind the chains is tough and Seattle's Secondary have also shown enough down the stretch to offer the team some positives to take into 2025. The Seahawks can build some pass rush pressure and they may be able to force some errant throws from Garoppolo, which may just give Seattle the edge and the momentum to push through and cover this spread.

Los Angeles have won three in a row in the series, but the Seattle Seahawks might have the motivation to come through with a big road win.

Los Angeles Chargers @ Las Vegas Raiders Pick: Jim Harbaugh has guided the Los Angeles Chargers (10-6) back into the Playoff in his first season as the Head Coach and he has made it clear that his starters will be playing even with the Wild Card Round to come next week.

There is an outside chance that the Chargers can improve Seeding with a victory, but they will know where they stand by the time this game kicks off as they need a Pittsburgh defeat on Saturday.

In Week 17 the Chargers crushed the New England Patriots on the road and they are not expected to play at home again this season, so there is a road warrior mentality that Jim Harbaugh will want to harness and this is an opportunity to build momentum.

Of course the Las Vegas Raiders (4-12) will want to try and spoil the plan for a rival from within the AFC West and they have won consecutive games, although that might have been costly for the Raiders and their bid to earn a very high NFL Draft Pick.

The wins have been against Jacksonville and New Orleans and this is a significant upgrade in opponent for the Raiders to beat in their final game of the season.

Las Vegas will be hoping they can establish the run, although it has not been the best of time for this Offensive Line which has worn down. However, there have been spaces to exploit against this Chargers Defensive Line and that may be a positive for Aidan O'Connell at Quarter Back.

He should have some time to find Brock Bowers, who has set a new rookie record for Receiving yards out of the Tight End position, and that should give Las Vegas a chance to keep the chains moving. However, this is a Raiders team that have been pretty poor for most of the season and who were beaten by 12 points when facing the Chargers in Los Angeles.

This will also be seen as a chance for the Chargers to build some rhythm and that should mean a few more carries for JK Dobbins who only returned to action in Week 17. He has had a bit more time than the usual work week to get himself ready, which will help, and Dobbins can certainly give Los Angeles a threat on the ground against this struggling Raiders Defensive Line.

Justin Herbert has been given time at Quarter Back and he should be given time by the Offensive Line to find some of the playmakers down the field.

This is an opportunity for Justin Herbert to keep things ticking along against a Raiders Secondary that have been worn down through the course of the regular season, even if they have played pretty well against the last two opponents. However, holding Mac Jones and Spencer Rattler down is one thing and containing Justin Herbert is another and this looks like a chance for the Chargers to back up the win over the Patriots with another win and cover of a line that is set at a similar mark as it was in Week 17.

Minnesota Vikings @ Detroit Lions Pick: No one will have been surprised to hear that Sunday Night Football will conclude the regular season with the Week 18 game between the Detroit Lions (14-2) and Minnesota Vikings (14-2).

The situation has led to plenty of people talking about whether the NFL Playoffs need to be Seeded more effectively considering a team with fourteen wins is going to enter the Wild Card Round having to travel and as the Number 5 Seed.

Both the Lions and Vikings have so much to earn this week, but slipping down to Number 5 will make things much tougher when it comes to positioning a way into the Super Bowl.

The NFC North and the Number 1 Seed in the NFC is going to be handed to the winning team, which means a Bye Week through to the Divisional Round and an opportunity to host the Playoffs through to the Super Bowl and, perhaps even more importantly, earning plenty of rest and recuperation time.

For the losing team it will mean a road game either in Los Angeles, Tampa Bay or Atlanta and even winning that game would likely mean having to travel to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Divisional Round if Seeding is played out.

With that in mind, both Dan Campbell and Kevin O'Connell are going to be preparing their team to put in one big effort to secure the top Seed in the Conference.

Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings have been the surprising team of the season and they have found a way to win games even when in tough positions within games. They have maintained momentum and the Vikings have continued to surprise, while there were just 8 yards and 2 points between Minnesota and the Detroit Lions in one of their two losses this season.

In recent games the Vikings Offensive Line have not been able to get Aaron Jones going, but they could change that against Detroit's Defensive Line that have just had issues clamping down on the run.

The reality is that there will be a lot of pressure on the shoulders of Quarter Back Sam Darnold, but it helps that the Quarter Back is surrounded by some big time Receivers. The injuries in the Detroit Secondary gives Darnold a huge opportunity to put Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison in routes that can challenge the Lions down the field and the Minnesota Vikings have to be very confident that they can move the chains with a lot of success.

Planning may be a little bit different for the Detroit Lions when they have the ball and they will want to lean on their big Offensive Line and not shy away from moving the ball on the ground. David Montgomery is set to miss out again, but Jahmyr Gibbs is more than capable of holding down the fort and continues to be a big threat coming out of the backfield.

Keeping Jared Goff in front of the chains is important to just ensure he is given enough time to find his own Receiving playmakers and the Lions have shown they have the Offensive power to overcome Defensive problems. The Quarter Back will be challenged by an improving Minnesota Secondary, but Goff will play with a lot of confidence after helping Detroit fight back in their win over the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football.

There is so much to like about this game and the winning team may have the momentum to take into the Playoff that leads to an appearance in the Super Bowl.

Taking the points in what could be a game in which the winning team will be the one that has the ball last looks the right play, especially with the Vikings being as competitive as they have been all season.

Having a full Field Goal start is a huge boost and Minnesota might have enough to keep this one close, even against a very dangerous Lions Offense.

MY PICKS: Baltimore Ravens - 19.5 Points @ 1.86 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Cincinnati Bengals - 2.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Green Bay Packers - 10 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Atlanta Falcons - 7.5 Points @ 1.91 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 14 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Seattle Seahawks - 6.5 Points @ 1.91 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Los Angeles Chargers - 4.5 Points @ 1.92 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Minnesota Vikings + 3 Points @ 1.85 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Week 17: 7-3, + 3.27 Units (10 Units Staked, + 32.70% Yield)

Week 16: 2-3, - 1.18 Units (5 Units Staked, - 23.60% Yield)

Week 15: 6-2, + 3.37 Units (8 Units Staked, + 42.13% Yield)

Week 14: 2-4, - 2.23 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37.17% Yield)

Week 13: 1-3, - 2.17 Units (4 Units Staked, - 54.25% Yield)

Week 12: 2-4, - 2.17 Units (6 Units Staked, - 36.17% Yield)

Week 11: 2-3, - 1.23 Units (5 Units Staked, - 24.60% Yield)

Week 10: 1-6, - 5.05 Units (7 Units Staked, - 72.14% Yield)

Week 9: 3-2, + 0.73 Units (5 Units Staked, + 14.60% Yield)

Week 8: 4-2, + 1.72 Units (6 Units Staked, + 28.67% Yield)

Week 7: 4-3, + 0.73 Units (7 Units Staked, + 10.43% Yield)

Week 6: 4-2, + 1.67 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.83% Yield)

Week 5: 4-2, + 1.64 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.33% Yield)

Week 4: 6-2, + 3.45 Units (8 Units Staked, + 43.13% Yield)

Week 3: 3-3, - 0.23 Units (6 Units Staked, - 3.83% Yield)

Week 2: 4-2, + 1.62 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27% Yield)

Week 1: 5-2, + 2.67 Units (7 Units Staked, + 38.14% Yield)

Season 2024: + 6.61 Units