All Episodes

January 1, 2026 21 mins

All lines provided by Hard Rock Bet. 

Nick Wright shares his predictions for Week 18 of the NFL season including the monster matchups between Aaron Rodgers' Pittsburgh Steelers and Lamar Jackson's Baltimore Ravens for the AFC North, Sam Darnold's Seattle Seahawks and Brock Purdy's San Francisco 49ers for the NFC West & NFC 1 seed, and Baker Mayfield's Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Bryce Young's Carolina Panthers for the NFC South. Later, Damonza shares his teaser and Nick gives a Touchdown Genie pick ahead of the NFL's final week of the regular season. #Volume

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark as Played
Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome in What's Driving Nick Right? Episode four to ten hour,
Week eighteen. Can't believe It's final the year gambling show.
This episode of What's Right when Nick Wright is presented
to you, as always by boost Mobile, a reminder everyone
to everyone to like, rate, subscribe, and review, and a
reminder that all our lines come courtesy our friends at

(00:23):
hard Rock Bet Demons. Last week, we knew it was
gonna be a tough one. I gotta say we went
one in four. I don't feel badly about any of them,
so I hate the fact that going one and four
puts us a game under five hundred for the year,

(00:45):
to forty one forty two and two. But if we
go through the picks, we can, you know, explain away.
I don't know if it's explain away, But just so,
we had Dallas minus six and a half at Washington
they won by seven. That was a good one to
get early. As we said, we liked getting the favorites early,
but that cut against us. On Jacksonville. We had Jacksonville

(01:07):
minus six and a half at Indy that went down
to five and a half by Friday. They ended up
winning by six. So those two kind of offset each other.

Speaker 2 (01:19):
So to speak.

Speaker 1 (01:20):
Then you have the three Stone losers that Pittsburgh minus
four at Cleveland. My concern there was exclusively if Baltimore loses,
Pittsburgh won't care Baltimore won. Pittsburgh was peak motivated for
that game, and Rogers just played one of the worst

(01:41):
games anyone's played at quarterback all year. In a big spot,
I don't My handicap on it was that Cleveland would
struggle to get to fourteen. They didn't get to fourteen.
I thought Shador would struggle against Tomlin's defense. He did,
it didn't matter. That's how bad Rogers. Buffalo minus two

(02:01):
and a half against Philly, the again, that was I'm
on the wrong side of it. I got it's because
if Buffalo, if they just don't miss the first extra point,
it doesn't get blocked. The best cases, they win by one.
But it felt to me like Buffalo was the more
trustworthy team. I guess they weren't, but that was I

(02:25):
don't feel like we were way off on it. The
Buffalo ended up losing by one, could have won by one.
We the Maybe the smarter line there is take the
Eagles getting points, because a really good team getting points.
I thought Buffalo at home, and Chicago plus three at
the Niners in a game that that game was tied

(02:45):
seven to seven, fourteen, fourteen, twenty one, twenty eight, thirty five,
thirty five, and I'm getting three points. The Bears were
covering literally every minute of that game until the final
two minutes they were either covering or winning. And so

(03:06):
we have had three and two weeks where I felt
like I didn't my process was not as good as
this one and two week. But it is what it is.
It's one and four. It means to finish the regular
season at five hundred, I have to go three and two,
and to finish above five hundred, I have to go
four and one or five, and oh, it is what
it is. I also did a stupid Christmas Day teaser

(03:29):
that I should have just left the teasers to you.
I lost that one, so I had Detroit to win.
They didn't win this week though. Week eighteen always tricky,
particularly at this moment early in the week. We don't
have all the info, but I think I have a
sound strategy. We'll bring it to you in a moment. First,
I gonna remind you today's shows brought to you by
representing sponsor hard Rock Bet Florida sportsbook and the official

(03:52):
sportsbook partner of your favorite Florida teams like the Jags, Bucks, Heat, Magic,
and Panthers. Week eighteen playoffs on the line. You think
you know how it's gonna play out, build a same
game parlay on hard Rock Bet and turn game day
into payday. Or if you're more into hardwood than grid iron,
you can put up shots on the NBA and college

(04:13):
every night on hard Rock Bet, your home for hoops
action all season long. You can even combine your football
and basketball bets if you've got a Week eighteen parlay
at an NBA bet or player prop to it and
turn up the payout. And if you miss the start
of the game, don't worry. Hard Rock Bet has live
in game betting, so you're never too late to bet

(04:34):
any football or hoops game all season. Find a winner
or grab that player prop you had circled and bet
live in just as few as he taps you haven't tried.
Your first bet on hard Rock Bet plays a five
dollars bet and if it hits, you get not only
your winnings, but also an extra one hundred fifty dollars
in bonus bets. The hard Rock Bet Sportsbook GAP is
the only legal sportsbook for whenever you're in Florida, and

(04:57):
it's also live in Arizona, Ohio, New Jersey, the Indiana, Tennessee, Virginia, Illinois, Colorado,
and Michigan. Coming soon to more states too. Plus hard
Rock Bet offers new promos every single day, so whenever
you're listening, just open the app and check out what
you've got any day of the week. Download the hard
Rock Bet app and make your first deposit payable and

(05:19):
bonus bets not a cash offer offered by the Seminole
Tribe of Florida. In Florida, offered by Seminal hard Rock Digital,
LLC and all other states, must be twenty one plus
and physically present in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan,
New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, or Virginia to play. Terms and

(05:39):
conditions apply. Concerned about gambling in Florida, call one eight
three three play Wise. In Indiana. If you or someone
you know is a gambling problem wants help, call one
eight hundred and nine with it gambling problem Call one
eight hundred Gambler Arizona Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia.

(06:00):
All right, demons, let's get to the games this week
that we are not playing.

Speaker 2 (06:05):
First, stay away is Cleveland at Cincinnati. Cincinnati seven and
a half point favorites.

Speaker 1 (06:11):
So yeah, neither team has anything on the line. Neither
team can even play spoiler for the other team. It
feels like Cincinnati should win by a touchdown. I also wonder, though,
in this game, do we see a little Jake Browning? What?
I don't you know? The what does? How much does
Burrow play? I just neither team anything to play for,

(06:35):
even really, draft positioning not so much. So we're staying away.

Speaker 2 (06:39):
Next Cleveland, plus the point should we're trying to prove
something Tennessee. Yeah, jackson Tennessee at Jacksonville. Jacksonville's twelve and
a half point favorites.

Speaker 1 (06:50):
So problem here is this if during the Jacksonville game,
they see that the there are some foot off the
gas possibilities. If New England jumps out to a huge
lead and Denver jumps out to a huge lead, Jacksonville's

(07:14):
incentives die a bit. Now they still need to they
haven't locked up the division, so they have to win
or else Houston can steal the division from them. But
I don't love the idea of laying a huge number
with a team that could be if you know, if
Houston's losing New England and the Denver winning by a lot,

(07:36):
Jacksonville all of a sudden is playing for nothing and
they are not going to pour it on. Plus, Tennessee's
playing a little bit better as of late. With that said,
Jacksonville's way better than the Titans, So I'm not taking
the Titans plus points, staying away.

Speaker 2 (07:49):
Next, Dallas are the Giants. Giants four point dogs.

Speaker 1 (07:55):
I like Dallas in this spot, However, again, we're not
gonna spend a lot of The stay away logic is similar.
I don't know if Dak will play the whole game.
The Giants obviously, you know know they're not getting the
number one pick after the win last week. Those Jackson

(08:17):
Dart doesn't want them to get the number one pick anyway.
He wants to keep that job. But I'm just staying
away from it. Next.

Speaker 2 (08:24):
Next, you got New Orleans and Atlanta. Atlanta's three point favorites.

Speaker 1 (08:28):
Yeah so, and that's obviously devastating for Tampa. If Atlanta
were to win this game, because then they're out no
matter what. I kind of like New Orleans the way
Tyler Shuck's been playing, but Bijon coming off, you know,
he a late push maybe for Offensive Player of the year.
Scary a bit, so I'll stay away. Next.

Speaker 2 (08:49):
Next, you got Indy at Houston. Houston'ston that point favorites.

Speaker 1 (08:56):
What will the Colts look like with Ryley Leonard? Because
Philip Rivers is done, They're gonna start Riley Leonard this week.
I don't know. Houston obviously very incentivized to win this
game because they can win the division, but they also
want to stay in the five spot, and so Houston
really needs the game. I just don't think Houston's offense

(09:20):
is good enough to lay ten and a half points
against anyone. So I'm staying away.

Speaker 2 (09:24):
Next, Uh, Green Bay at Minnesota. Minnesota six and a
half point favorites. What the heck?

Speaker 1 (09:31):
Well, yeah, because green Bay's they don't the green Bays
locked into the seven. Yeah, green Bay can't move, So
Max Brosmer is a six and a half point favorite.
What a weird game it all? I mean it could
be who is the Packers third string quarterback? The kid Clayton.

(09:51):
It could be Clayton tune against Max Brosmer. Oh, I'm
not wagering American dollars on that game. Staying away.

Speaker 2 (09:58):
Next. Next, we got Chargers at Denver. Denver's thirteen point favorites.

Speaker 1 (10:04):
Denver obviously has to win to be the one seed.
I also though, but I don't want to lay thirteen
points because I feel like that Trey Lance might. Yeah,
Herbert's obviously out. Trey Lance might feel like this is
my opportunity. He looked fine in the preseason.

Speaker 2 (10:27):
Uh yeah, Chargers too. I know it's Denvers.

Speaker 1 (10:31):
Well, it's just I think they're gonna be resting a
bunch of guys. But I also think it'll be a
low possession game because they're gonna be running the ball
so much. So I'm just staying away.

Speaker 2 (10:39):
Next, Washington at Philly. Philly seven and a half point favorites.

Speaker 1 (10:44):
So this is Philly. If Philly wins, they can get
the two seed if Chicago loses. But that also means
if they see Chicago's way ahead of Detroit, they might
start resting people. Also, I don't think Philly's offense right
now is worthy enough to lay more than a touchdown
particularly when we don't know if they're gonna be peak motivated.

Speaker 2 (11:05):
Next, Oh what you got Detroit at Chicago? Chicago's two
and a half point favorites.

Speaker 1 (11:12):
Chicago needs the game, but I feel like if Dan
Campbell's team isn't gonna quit on Dan Campbell and they're
gonna want to go out a little bit better than
they looked and they're on extra extra rest. Chicago played.
When did Chicago play Sunday night? Detroit played Thursday? So
I'm staying away. Next.

Speaker 2 (11:33):
Next you got the Jets at Buffalo, Buffalo seven and
a half point favorites.

Speaker 1 (11:37):
The fact that Jets are the Buffalo's only seven and
a half point favorites means they're worried Josh Allen might
sit or might only play a half since we don't
know that'll stay away.

Speaker 2 (11:46):
Next, Arizona at the Rams. Rams are eight point favorites.

Speaker 1 (11:52):
I will bet this game on. I will bet the
Rams if Seattle win Saturday Night. If Seattle wins Saturday Night,
then the Rams are playing to be the five seed.
If the Niners win Saturday Night, then the Rams are
locked into the sixth seed. So right, So if they're

(12:13):
locked into the sixth seed. I wouldn't bet them. If
they're playing for the five I might or I will,
all right, demon say five games, I'm betting. Let's go all.

Speaker 2 (12:22):
Right with you riding with your boy. First game you
got Tampa Bay minus two and a half at Carolina
or versus Carolina.

Speaker 1 (12:29):
Sorry, Baker, just can't go out like this. They just
can't go there is. Carolina has been better. Tampa's been
one of the worst teams in football for two months.
But they're at home. They're laying less than a field goal.
To have any chance of making the playoffs, they obviously
have to win, and then they have to root for

(12:50):
the Saints the next day. I just don't think Tampa's
gonna go out this sad. I'll lay the two and
a half with Tampa next.

Speaker 2 (13:01):
Seattle minus won at San Francisco.

Speaker 1 (13:04):
I don't think the Niners defense, and it's thirty second
in the league in sacks, it's gonna be able to
impact Darnald the way the Rams have been able to
get to him at times this year, the way we've
seen him when he has struggled. He didn't play well
against Carolina, by the way, I think Seattle's better. I

(13:25):
think it makes more sense for Seattle to be the
one seed. Seattle they played early in the year, and
Seattle had the ball in Week one, had the ball
inside the red zone with a chance to seal at
the end, Darnald fumbled. I think they get back. I
think Seattle gets the one seed. I think Seattle will

(13:45):
lay the point. I think they went next next.

Speaker 2 (13:48):
You got Vegas plus five and a half versus Kansas
City pad against them every week. Well, guy's going.

Speaker 1 (13:57):
On, You just you just can't. I didn't bet against
them last week. I teased against them and they pushing.
But the Chiefs offense right now just can't be five
and a half point favorites against anybody. And I'm not
saying this is how the Chiefs will operate, But what
I am saying is this, the Chief's ability to cost

(14:21):
the Raiders the number one overall pick to prevent the
Raiders from being able to fix their quarterback problem is
legitimately valuable. So it's less about the Chiefs improving their
draft status and more about the Chiefs being able to
screw the Raiders where the Raiders with a loss get
the number one pick. And even if I just don't

(14:43):
think the Chiefs right now can beat anyone by a touchdown.
They can't run the ball, they can't pass the ball,
they can't move the football, and they're on the road.
They're not gonna have the juice of Arrowhead from last week.
I'll take the Raiders plus five and a half.

Speaker 2 (14:55):
Next, Miami plus twelve at New England. Baby, it's just.

Speaker 1 (15:01):
A lot of points. Mike McDaniel's trying to save his job.
Uh And there's usually one Week eighteen, big favorite that
needs the game that all of a sudden it's tied
in the fourth quarter. It feels like it might be
this one. I know Mike McDaniel has all these awful

(15:24):
cold weather stats, but are those Mike McDaniel's stats or
are those TUA stats. I'm getting twelve points. I'll take
Miami plus twelve and last We're gonna go out on
our shield on this one. Even though I'm so mad
at Aaron Rodgers.

Speaker 2 (15:40):
Next, Pittsburgh plus three and a half versus Baltimore.

Speaker 1 (15:45):
I don't really care who's playing quarterback for Baltimore in
this game, to be honest, a banged up Lamar or
Huntley that we saw last week. I'm just like Pittsburgh
getting the points. This game is going someone's winning this
game by three. I don't know who I'm getting three
and a half points, So I'll take Pittsburgh plus three

(16:05):
and a half. We know all the Tomlin getting Tomlin
getting points at home divisional games. I mean, I don't
know if he's ever lost. So my five picks this
week are Tampa minus two and a half against Carolina,
Seattle minus one against the Niners, the Raiders getting five
and a half against Kansas City, Miami getting twelve in

(16:28):
New England, Pittsburgh getting three and a half at home
against Baltimore. You ever notice how everything keeps going up?
Rints going up, streaming services going up, favorite burrito spots
charging you extra for salza. But with boost Mobile, you
and your phone bill don't have to play the will
this go up soon? Game? Why? Because boost Mobile has

(16:49):
a unlimited talk, text, and data plan at a price
that will never go up. In fact, it's the same
price you'll pay for life. So switch now for unlimited
wireless at a price that will never go up. Only
at boost Mobile. After thirty gigs, customers may experience lower speeds.
Customers will pay twenty five dollars per month as long
as they remain active on the Boost Unlimited Plan. Demond's

(17:10):
a another's week, another winner. I think you started off
the year like one in four and since then you're
eight and three on teasers.

Speaker 2 (17:21):
Whatever it is, it's got started off nice and then
kind of lost like three four games in a row.

Speaker 1 (17:28):
Whatever it is. I think you've only lost one since
Mila's been born. You've been red hot talk us through
last week's.

Speaker 2 (17:35):
Last week's was a three team eight point teaser a
plus one hundred. We had Philly up to plus ten
and a half, they won the game. We had Jacksonville
up to plus one and a half, they won the
they won the game, and then we had Chicago up
to plus eleven. They lost, but they still covered.

Speaker 1 (17:51):
It and a game it today.

Speaker 2 (17:53):
It was a great teaser, Thank you, sir. And this
week is a three team eight point teaser at you
guessed it, plus one hundred, Carolina's up till plus ten
and a half, Pittsburgh go to plus eleven and a half,
and then Buffalo basically a pick him at plus half point.
But yeah, yeah, I'm feeling so.

Speaker 1 (18:13):
I love the first two legs. I'm wondering if there's
a third leg I would like more.

Speaker 2 (18:20):
I don't the Bills need to win the game. It's
the Jets or are they They're stuck in theirn No.

Speaker 1 (18:26):
I know the Bills the Bills. Here's the thing, the
Bills need to win assuming the Bills want to move
up from seven to six. Now, they can move up
from seven to five if Houston and the Chargers lose.
But here's the scenario I'd be worried about. But again,

(18:49):
they're playing the Jets, so you probably chet is Houston
is rolling, and so they know they can't get up
to the five. The Bills rather be the seven and
play New England or be the six and play Jacksonville.
That's the only that's the only question is do you

(19:12):
know would they rather? They certainly want to be the five,
But if they know they can't be the five, do
they pull Josh Allen and say we're fine being the
seven with a rubber match against New England.

Speaker 2 (19:24):
It's not the question is that the Jets are really bad,
and I think even if the Bills were trying to
give them the game, the Bills could still end up
winning it.

Speaker 1 (19:32):
Yeah, I think I think that's probably correct. All right,
I'm going to do a touchdown Genie this week.

Speaker 2 (19:39):
Demons, you were going, who are who AFC NFC Mike
Evans touchdown? Yeah, Mike Evans.

Speaker 1 (19:52):
Plus one sixty five anytime touchdown.

Speaker 2 (19:55):
I think he just needs like a five hundred yard
game to continue the one case.

Speaker 1 (20:00):
Oh yeah, that's all. It needs. Five hundred yard game.
So that's gonna end. But I will do a Mike
Evans anytime touchdown. I failed you guys on the offer
last week. I am not doing an offer this week,
and we are Listen, we need to go at least
three and two, just clear at least so we can
be five hundred or better. Five of the six years

(20:22):
we've done this, only one actual bad year, and then
in the playoffs staring at like an eleven and three
playoff run against the spread. That's the plan, that's the hope.
Good everyone, Happy New Year. Be safe. Even if you're sober,
half the other drivers on the road are not, so

(20:44):
be careful. Have a wonderful Week eighteen. Reminder, if you
could to like, rate, subscribe, review to the show, and
I thank you as always to Volume Blue Duck and
our great sponsor at hard Ark bet Boost Mobile and Zen.
We will talk to you all in twenty twenty six
X what rate
Advertise With Us

Hosts And Creators

Colin Cowherd

Colin Cowherd

Jason McIntyre

Jason McIntyre

Popular Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know

Stuff You Should Know

If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

The Bobby Bones Show

The Bobby Bones Show

Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2026 iHeartMedia, Inc.