Welcome to another week of Colin Cowherd’s Blazing 5 NFL picks. Last week, Cowherd went 3-2, bringing his overall record for the season to a balanced 17-17-1. As always, he’s here to share his picks for the week, diving into the matchups and breaking down why he’s choosing each team.
Blazing 5 Picks for Week 8:
- Rams at Cowboys – Cowboys -6.5
- Jets at Giants – Giants +3
- Eagles at Commanders – Commanders +7
- Texans at Panthers – Texans -3.5
- Raiders at Lions – Lions -7.5
Blazing 5 Picks for Week 18:
- Falcons vs Saints: Atlanta Falcons (+3)
- Seahawks vs Cardinals: Arizona Cardinals (+3)
- Bears vs Packers: Chicago Bears (+3)
- Eagles vs Giants: New York Giants (+5.5)
- Bills vs Dolphins: Buffalo Bills (-2.5)
For Week 18 of the NFL, Colin Cowherd’s “Blazin’ Five” picks are:
- Falcons vs Saints
- Pick: Atlanta Falcons (+3)
- Prediction: Falcons win 24-23.
- Rationale: Atlanta’s strong defense recently, including leading the league in sacks, and the Saints’ inability to defend the run and potential absence of Alvin Kamara.
- Seahawks vs Cardinals
- Pick: Arizona Cardinals (+3)
- Prediction: Cardinals win 27-24.
- Rationale: Seattle’s declining defense, Kyler Murray’s improving performance, and Arizona’s motivation to win.
- Bears vs Packers
- Pick: Chicago Bears (+3)
- Prediction: Bears win 28-27.
- Rationale: Chicago’s strong defense and offensive improvement, Green Bay’s defensive struggles, and the Packers’ recent unconvincing wins.
- Eagles vs Giants
- Pick: New York Giants (+5.5)
- Prediction: Giants win 27-26.
- Rationale: Tyrod Taylor’s mistake-free play, the Giants’ recent decent performance, and the Eagles’ poor defense since week eight.
- Bills vs Dolphins
- Pick: Buffalo Bills (-2.5)
- Prediction: Bills win 33-27.
- Rationale: Buffalo’s dominance over Miami, Josh Allen’s exceptional performance against the Dolphins, and Miami’s struggles against top teams.
Rams at Cowboys
Cowboys are Cowherd’s pick here, with a spread of -6.5. According to him, the Dak Prescott performs exceptionally well when playing at home.
He also notes that the Cowboys’ last 10 home games have seen them average 33 points per game, with a +16 turnover differential. Cowherd predicts a win and cover for the Cowboys, 28 to 20.
Jets at Giants
For this matchup, Cowherd is taking the Giants with a +3 spread. He questions the ability of the Jets’ Zach Wilson and praises the Giants for their offensive plays over the last two games.
Cowherd believes that the Giants have a more effective offense and will pull off an upset, predicting a final score of Giants 24, Jets 23.
Eagles at Commanders
Cowherd is picking the Commanders with a +7 spread. He cites the Commanders’ strong defensive performance and the Eagles’ recent struggle with turnovers.
He also mentions that the Eagles’ Jalen Hurts is not fully healthy. Cowherd expects the Commanders to cover, with a final score of Eagles 27, Commanders 23.
Texans at Panthers
The Texans are Cowherd’s pick with a spread of -3.5. He’s impressed with their recent performances, stating that they’ve won three of their last four games.
Cowherd also notes that the Texans have managed to hold their opponents to 21 or fewer points over the last month. He predicts the Texans will win 31 to 23.
Raiders at Lions
Cowherd is going with the Lions at -7.5. He believes that any good team that gets humiliated bounces back, citing the Lions’ strong stats in the first six weeks.
He also criticizes the Raiders for their recent losses. Cowherd predicts a Lions win with a score of 33 – 23.