NFL Week 16 Picks From the MMQB Staff: Packers and Bears Clash for First Place

The league is built on competitive balance that makes sustained success hard. Plus, Joe Burrow isn’t going anywhere and thoughts on Philip Rivers.

The Bears and Packers meet again with a lot on the line. / Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It’s Week 16! With three weeks to go in the regular season, the playoff picture is starting to crystalize while fans of many teams are looking ahead to mock drafts. One of those teams is the Chiefs, who face new questions in the wake of Patrick Mahomes’s torn ACL.

Week 16 kicks off with one of the biggest games of the regular season. The Rams and Seahawks are tied atop the NFC at 11–3, and they’ll meet in Seattle in prime time. The winner will have sole possession of the No. 1 seed with two weeks to go, while the loser will be staring at the possibility of entering the playoffs as a wild card. Five of our six experts have the Rams getting a win on the road.

In Chicago, the Bears and Packers will renew their rivalry two weeks after they met at Lambeau Field. Our panel is split down the middle, with three pickers expecting a season sweep for the Packers and three picking a Chicago win after the loss of Micah Parsons. We are also split down the middle in the battle of NFC South co-leaders between the Buccaneers and Panthers in Carolina. And finally, five of our six pickers have the Broncos improving to 13–2 with a win over the Jaguars.

Here’s who we have making picks this season:

Conor Orr, senior writer
Gilberto Manzano, staff writer
Matt Verderame, staff writer
John Pluym, managing editor
Mitch Goldich, senior editor
Clare Brennan, associate editor

All picks are straight up. Visit SI Betting for picks against the spread and much more gambling content. 

SI graphic

Green squares denote upsets.

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Rams at Seahawks

• Clare Brennan: Rams
• Mitch Goldich: Seahawks
• Gilberto Manzano: Rams
• Conor Orr: Rams
• John Pluym: Rams
• Matt Verderame: Rams

Eagles at Commanders

• Clare Brennan: Eagles
• Mitch Goldich: Eagles
• Gilberto Manzano: Eagles
• Conor Orr: Eagles
• John Pluym: Eagles
• Matt Verderame: Eagles

Packers at Bears

• Clare Brennan: Packers
• Mitch Goldich: Bears
• Gilberto Manzano: Bears
• Conor Orr: Bears
• John Pluym: Packers
• Matt Verderame: Packers

Jets at Saints

• Clare Brennan: Saints
• Mitch Goldich: Saints
• Gilberto Manzano: Saints
• Conor Orr: Saints
• John Pluym: Saints
• Matt Verderame: Saints

Bills at Browns

• Clare Brennan:Bills 
• Mitch Goldich: Bills
• Gilberto Manzano: Bills
• Conor Orr: Bills
• John Pluym: Bills
• Matt Verderame: Bills

Chiefs at Titans

• Clare Brennan: Chiefs
• Mitch Goldich: Chiefs
• Gilberto Manzano: Chiefs
• Conor Orr: Titans
• John Pluym: Chiefs
• Matt Verderame: Titans

Chargers at Cowboys

• Clare Brennan: Chargers
• Mitch Goldich: Chargers
• Gilberto Manzano: Chargers
• Conor Orr: Chargers
• John Pluym: Chargers
• Matt Verderame: Chargers

Vikings at Giants

• Clare Brennan: Vikings
• Mitch Goldich: Vikings
• Gilberto Manzano: Vikings
• Conor Orr: Vikings
• John Pluym: Vikings
• Matt Verderame: Vikings

Buccaneers at Panthers

• Clare Brennan: Buccaneers
• Mitch Goldich: Buccaneers
• Gilberto Manzano: Panthers
• Conor Orr: Buccaneers
• John Pluym: Panthers
• Matt Verderame: Panthers

Bengals at Dolphins

• Clare Brennan: Dolphins
• Mitch Goldich: Dolphins
• Gilberto Manzano: Bengals
• Conor Orr: Bengals
• John Pluym: Dolphins
• Matt Verderame: Dolphins

Jaguars at Broncos

• Clare Brennan: Broncos
• Mitch Goldich: Broncos
• Gilberto Manzano: Broncos
• Conor Orr: Broncos
• John Pluym: Jaguars
• Matt Verderame: Broncos

Falcons at Cardinals

• Clare Brennan: Falcons
• Mitch Goldich: Falcons
• Gilberto Manzano: Falcons
• Conor Orr: Falcons
• John Pluym: Falcons
• Matt Verderame: Falcons

Raiders at Texans

• Clare Brennan: Texans
• Mitch Goldich: Texans
• Gilberto Manzano: Texans
• Conor Orr: Texans
• John Pluym: Texans
• Matt Verderame: Texans

Steelers at Lions

• Clare Brennan: Lions
• Mitch Goldich: Lions
• Gilberto Manzano: Lions
• Conor Orr: Lions
• John Pluym: Lions
• Matt Verderame: Lions

Patriots at Ravens

• Clare Brennan: Patriots
• Mitch Goldich: Patriots
• Gilberto Manzano: Patriots
• Conor Orr: Patriots
• John Pluym: Ravens
• Matt Verderame: Patriots

49ers at Colts

• Clare Brennan: 49ers
• Mitch Goldich: 49ers
• Gilberto Manzano: 49ers
• Conor Orr: 49ers
• John Pluym: 49ers
• Matt Verderame: 49ers

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