We don’t have a ton of marquee matchups for Week 10, but there are still a number of cross-conference contests with playoff implications. Let’s take a closer look at four games we like for our NFL Week 10 Parlay:
The Favorite
Carolina Panthers at Pittsburgh Steelers
Odds: Steelers -4
Related: NFL Betting Guide | Parlay Betting Guide
The Panthers and Steelers are both on a roll. The Panthers have won three straight and the Steelers have won four in a row. The Steelers, though, are beating better caliber opponents. Both teams have defeated the Baltimore Ravens in their winning streaks. Both defeated bad teams – Carolina over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Steelers over the Cleveland Browns – and both teams defeated 4-4 NFC opponents (Atlanta for the Steelers, Philadelphia for the Panthers). Pittsburgh, though, also won at Cincinnati, a team which would make the playoffs if the season ended today.
It should also be noted that after picking up two early-season home losses to Baltimore and Kansas City, the Steelers have won their last two home games by an average of 19.5 points per game. Carolina is 6-2 through eight games, but the Panthers have played five home games and only three road games. They are 5-0 at home but only 1-2 on the road. The Steelers are playing their best football of the season and are at home against a team which struggles on the road. Take Pittsburgh.
Pick: Steelers -4
The Underdog
Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts
Odds: Colts -3
The Jaguars have had a terrible year, but they have still given up 43 fewer points than the Colts have, and that includes games in which the Jaguars imploded, such as a 40-7 loss at Dallas against the Cowboys. When the Jaguars don’t collapse on defense, they remain extremely solid on that side of the ball. They can physically manhandle the Colts at the line of scrimmage and play this game the way they want to.
Indianapolis is not a very good team. The Colts have won two in a row, but against two of the worst teams in the NFL, the Raiders and Bills. The Jaguars are still the team which defeated the New England Patriots by 11 points earlier in the season. No, their offense isn’t good, but they can shut down Indianapolis, a team which has played only one division game in the AFC South to this point in the season. The Jaguars’ defensive superiority can carry them through this game. Coming off a bye week also helps Jacksonville’s chances. This is a team which definitely needed a reset. That reset should help this week against a team Jacksonville has done well against in recent years.
Pick: Jaguars +3
The Total
Arizona Cardinals at Kansas City Chiefs
Odds: 50
The Chiefs have gone over the total in a majority of their nine games this season. Kansas City has been involved in games with 50 or more points in all but one of its games – that was Jacksonville roughly one month ago, a 30-14 game with 44 total points. The Chiefs have scored at least 30 points in each of their last five games and have averaged 37 points in those five games. If Kansas City hits that 37-point average, which is exactly what it did last week at Cleveland, the Cardinals will just need to score 14 points to push this game over the total. The Cardinals are coming off a much-needed off week to revise their offensive approach under brand-new offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich. That should help their offense under rookie quarterback Josh Rosen. The team cut quarterback Sam Bradford, which should give Rosen an even more confidence that he doesn’t have to look over his shoulder. This is his team. This game sets up very well for the over if the total remains at 50 points.
Pick: Over 50
The Point Spread
New England Patriots at Tennessee Titans
Odds: Patriots -7
The Patriots’ two straight-up losses this season have occurred away from home. The Patriots’ three worst scoring performances this season – 25 points at Buffalo, 20 at Jacksonville, 10 at Detroit – have also come on the road. New England has not won any road game this season by more than seven points. The Patriots, in four road games this season, have an overall point differential of minus-one point. New England really is a different team away from home.
Tennessee is interesting in that the Titans are one of only three NFL teams (Seattle, Tampa Bay) to have played just three home games through the first nine weeks of the season. The Titans are 2-1 at home, but the small sample size also underscores the point that this team has a lot of home games ahead, which should be a positive motivating factor and also enable the Titans to play better as the season moves along. This was a playoff matchup last season – you know the Titans will get up for this game. Coach Mike Vrabel played for Bill Belichick and will treat this game as the centerpiece of this season. The Titans are an attractive play at home.
Pick: Titans +7
