On the other hand, the 49ers have yet to secure a playoff berth but know they control their own destiny since they need the victory and that would be enough to grant them the sixth seed in the Conference. On one hand, the Rams will close out their season at home with a 12-4 record and while they can’t grab the top seed in the Conference, they will try to secure the second seed - that would produce a matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card Round. The game between the 49ers and the Rams has plenty of playoff implications for both teams, and it will undoubtedly be one of the biggest games to watch in the NFC during Week 18 of the 2021 NFL regular season. Expect Pittsburgh to end up on the winning side as Roethlisberger will gear up for one last playoff run before retiring. Baltimore is good enough to bounce back against any opponent, but Pittsburgh might be just too motivated to lose this game considering what is at stake for them. Not depending on themselves will be tough for both franchises, especially for Baltimore considering how they started the season, but Pittsburgh also has an extra motivation since this might very well be Ben Roethlisberger’s final regular-season game. The Steelers seem to be moving in a better direction compared to the Ravens, however, with Pittsburgh winning three of its last five games and coming off a 26-14 win over the Cleveland Browns the last time out while Baltimore extended its losing streak to five games when they suffered a 20-19 defeat against the Los Angeles Rams on Week 17. Both franchises are in the bubble when it comes to clinching a playoff spot, and both teams need the same formula to get that berth - winning here and waiting for other results to go their way. The Week 18 matchup between the Steelers and the Ravens just couldn’t be a bigger game based on where both teams are standing right now. Considering the Dolphins do not have a lot to play for, New England shouldn’t have major issues coming away with the victory. There’s no question the Patriots are the biggest favorites ahead of this game despite playing on the road, as they need the win if they want to have a shot at clinching the AFC East title. This is also an excellent matchup for the Patriots based on the numbers, as they give up just 16.9 points per game this season while the Dolphins average just 19.3 points scored per contest. Meanwhile, the Dolphins are coming off a 34-3 loss against the Tennessee Titans - one that ended their slim playoff chances - last week, and that result snapped their impressive seven-game winning run.
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The Patriots have been surprisingly competitive despite having a rookie quarterback in Mac Jones, as their stingy defense has carried them to a 10-6 record while going 6-1 on the road. However, this is a huge game for the visitors since they know a win here might be what they need to clinch the division title and secure a home game in the Wild Card Round next week. The Dolphins are already eliminated and the Patriots already clinched a playoff berth, so the scenario in this game is identical to the other game that will involve two AFC East teams (the New York Jets and the Buffalo Bills). Keep reading below for picks against the spread from our favorite games this week. If you bet against the spread that is great but if you are looking for moneyline picks or over under picks we have you covered there too.
Although this page is mostly focused on NFL picks against the spread, BetQL has betting data for every game and every bet type throughout the year.
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Each week will do a deep dive into our free NFL picks but also take a look at which side the experts are betting early in the week. Each week BetQL will highlight our free games and give away our NFL picks against the spread. Here you will find BetQL's free NFL picks for today and our NFL picks for this week.