Believe it or not, we have officially reached the final week of the regular season. This is wild to think about, but football fans can’t wait to see how things shape out with the postseason right around the corner. There are teams in desperation mode to record a victory this weekend. This piece has our NFL Week 18 picks for the 2022 season. Who will get the job done?
• Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions
• Sunday, Jan. 8 at 1:00ET
• Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin
In easily one of the biggest games of Week 18, the Packers have to beat the Lions to reach the playoffs. A little over a month ago, it felt nearly impossible that Aaron Rodgers and Co. would play beyond the regular season, but this team has recorded four straight wins and they can indeed reach the postseason if they take down Detroit on Sunday in a huge matchup.
In Week 17, the Packers hosted the Minnesota Vikings in what was supposed to be a back-and-forth showdown. That wasn’t the case, as the Packers dominated. Not only did they record a kickoff return for a touchdown, but a Kirk Cousins pass was also taken back to the house for a touchdown. Aaron Rodgers finished with two touchdowns on the day too.
| NFL Week 18 |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Packers to win | -135 | -135 | -135 |
| Lions to win | +155 | +155 | +155 |
| Chiefs to win | -420 | -420 | -420 |
| Raiders to win | +350 | +350 | +350 |
Meanwhile, for the Lions, also have to record a win if they want to sneak in. Jared Goff has been a bright spot for this team this season, as has running back D’Andre Swift. The Lions will have their hands full trying to take down the Packers at Lambeau Field, as that place is going to be rocking. Both these teams will be hungry to come out on top.
According to the best-rated sportsbooks, which includes the reliable Bovada review, the Packers currently hold -135 NFL betting odds to take down the Lions. Meanwhile, for Detroit, they’ve been set at +155. From our chair, we feel like it’s going to be way too tough for Green Bay not to post a win in this one. They’ve got all the momentum on their side. We’re going with the Packers. Agree? Check out our best NFL betting sites to get a wager in leading up to the Super Bowl.
Meanwhile, over in the AFC, the Chiefs will have no issues going up against the Raiders in Week 18. Kansas City still has a lot to play for, as they want to enter the postseason confidently. That will be the case for them, as Patrick Mahomes continues to look like the MVP front-runner. Mahomes looked fantastic in Week 17, going up against the Broncos.
Denver did everything they could to try and pull off an upset win, but Mahomes wouldn’t let that happen. His day was highlighted by two touchdown passes to Jerick McKinnon, who has been great late in the campaign. If you had McKinnon on your Fantasy Football team, congrats on likely winning your championship. McKinnon will play a big role for this offense the rest of the way.
As for the Raiders, they decided to bench Derek Carr for the final two games of the season. With that, Jarrett Stidham took over as the starting signal-caller and he nearly led the team past the 49ers last weekend. Stidham was sharp, throwing two touchdowns to Davante Adams. He’ll need to keep playing strong for the Raiders to even keep things close.
Per the oddsmakers, they expect the Chiefs to dominate here, as they hold -420 odds to win. The Raiders have been placed with +350 odds. There’s no way that Las Vegas can pull off a stunner in this one. While Adams remains one of the best wideouts in the game, this offense can’t go toe-to-toe with the Chiefs. We’re going with Kansas City as our pick. They will also be a team to watch over the next month.
In another exciting showdown, the Seahawks will beat the Rams at Lumen Field this weekend. Seattle is still hoping to grab the final postseason spot, as the Giants stole one of those positions thanks to their win over the Colts in Week 17. Seattle beat the Jets, keeping their hopes alive as well. They’ll need to take care of business against Los Angeles in this one.
Geno Smith has been great, and he’ll need to take care of the football against the stingy Los Angeles defense. The Rams offense will be led by Baker Mayfield, who can be dangerous at times but is also known for making some terrible decisions. The Seahawk’s defense could be in for a big day against him. Either way, we’re picking the Seahawks to come away with a win. There’s no chance Mayfield will record this road upset in Seattle.
