NFL Confidence Pool Picks Week 18

by Joey House - 12/31/2025

They say time goes by faster as you get older, and truer words were never spoken. It seems just a few short weeks ago, we were counting down to the first Thursday night game between Dallas and Philadelphia. Now here we are, staring down the final slate of the regular season, looking back on a year filled with upsets, injuries, breakout stars, and more chaos than anyone expected. And it has truly been a pleasure breaking down the games each week. With the schedule nearly wrapped and the playoff picture all but finalized, it's time to line up the matchups and roll out this week's Confidence Report.

Doc’s Sports offers NFL expert picks for every game on our NFL predictions page.

16 - Houston vs. Indianapolis: Houston has clinched a playoff spot and owns the league's top total defense, allowing the fewest yards per game while consistently forcing turnovers in divisional matchups. Indianapolis has struggled with late-season quarterback instability and ranks low in offensive efficiency against elite defenses. Winner-Houston

15 - Jacksonville vs. Tennessee: Jacksonville enters on a seven-game win streak, powered by a top-tier rushing attack that controls tempo. Tennessee ranks last in scoring and continues to suffer from protection issues that create negative plays against aggressive fronts. Winner-Jacksonville

14 - Philadelphia vs. Washington: Philadelphia has secured the NFC East and ranks in the top five in rushing offense, wearing down opponents in late-season games. Washington has surrendered big rushing totals recently and sits near the bottom in run-stop rate. Winner-Philadelphia

13 - New England vs. Miami: New England has engineered multiple fourth-quarter comebacks this season and ranks high in defensive pressure at home. Miami struggles with turnovers on the road and ranks lower in points scored away from home. Winner-New England

12 - Buffalo vs. NY Jets: Buffalo ranks second in scoring offense and consistently exploits weak secondaries with high completion rates. The Jets have gone multiple games without a takeaway and rank low in third-down defense against balanced attacks. Winner-Buffalo

11 - LA Rams vs. Arizona: The Rams lead the league in total offense and have excelled in cross-conference road games thanks to a balanced attack. Arizona allows high third-down conversion rates and ranks near the bottom in points prevented. Winner-LA Rams

10 - Cincinnati vs. Cleveland: Cincinnati posts strong home passing numbers and ranks in the top ten in aerial production against struggling defenses. Cleveland has been held to low-scoring totals in recent weeks and ranks near the bottom in offensive efficiency. Winner-Cincinnati

09 - Green Bay @ Minnesota: Green Bay has traveled well this season, finishing drives efficiently and ranking near the top of the league in red-zone touchdown rate on the road. Minnesota's defense has struggled in divisional home games, allowing extended drives and late scoring bursts that shift momentum. Winner-Green Bay

08 - Denver vs. LA Chargers: Denver leads the league in sacks and generates high pressure against pass-heavy offenses. The Chargers have late-season protection issues and rank low in third-down success. Winner-Denver

07 - Tampa Bay vs. Carolina: Tampa Bay ranks in the top ten in red-zone defense and performs well in divisional road games. Carolina has allowed frequent scoring at home and ranks low in recent takeaway production. Winner-Tampa Bay

06 - Dallas @ NY Giants: Dallas averages high point totals in cross-conference matchups and ranks well in total offense on the road. The Giants struggle on third down defensively and rank low in home scoring prevention. Winner-Dallas

05 - Chicago vs. Detroit: Chicago leads the league in turnover margin and forces multiple takeaways in most games. Detroit has made costly errors in high-pressure situations and ranks lower in ball security. Winner-Chicago

04 - Baltimore @ Pittsburgh: Baltimore ranks high in rushing yards and controls the clock effectively in rivalry games. Pittsburgh has allowed elevated rushing totals in recent divisional matchups. Winner-Baltimore

03 - Kansas City @ Las Vegas: Kansas City performs well against bottom-tier defenses and ranks high in road scoring. Las Vegas struggles with points allowed and carries a negative turnover differential at home. Winner-Kansas City

02 - Seattle @ San Francisco: Seattle has rallied with multiple comeback wins and ranks high in fourth-quarter road scoring. San Francisco has shown late-game vulnerabilities against aggressive offenses. Winner-Seattle

01 - Atlanta vs. New Orleans: Atlanta creates turnovers at home and has improved red-zone efficiency in recent weeks. New Orleans ranks low in scoring offense and continues to struggle with protection in divisional games. Winner-Atlanta

Get NFL picks on every single game, or if you want our very best bets by the experts, sign up for your free $60 account with a guarantee.

Pick:	GREEN BAY PACKERS +6.5
Start:	January 4, 2026 @ 1:00 PM
Expert:	Doc's Sports

Analysis:

Free Play from Doc’s Sports. Take #335 Green Bay Packers +6.5 over Minnesota Vikings (1p.m., Sunday, January 4 CBS) Green Bay is locked into the No. 7 seed in the NFC Playoffs and thus the experts are expecting them to rest a lot of players in this game. Minnesota is still very weak at the quarterback position, and I am not sure this is a good spot for them laying this many points against a divisional opponent. Does Green Bay really want to enter the playoffs getting blown out in this game making it 4 straight losses? I think they will play some key players and be able to take this game down to the wire. Do not miss out on Doc’s Sports Weekend Football Card featuring top plays in NFL, College Football, NBA, and NHL. Sign- up now and let 54 years of handicapping experience work for you. Read More Read Less

NFL Confidence Pool Picks Week 18

Most Recent NFL Confidence Pool Picks