Best NFL Football Games to Bet in Week 13
Getting older has made it harder for fans to believe Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers when he encourages them to R-E-L-A-X.
Green Bay’s defense got shredded in an embarrassing loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football last week. Rodgers’ also added an oblique injury to his already ailing wrist injury.
Green Bay’s matchup with the Bears is one worth keeping an eye on, though it is highly likely neither team will make the playoffs. Here’s a look at that game and others worth betting on in Week 13.
Green Bay Packers (-4) at Chicago Bears
The Bears’ offense came back down to Earth against the Jets last week. Playing without Justin Fields made life difficult for Chicago in a 31-10 loss. Bears coach Matt Eberflues said Fields is still day-to-day, and Chicago may have to start Trevor Siemian again.
Chicago, which leads the league by averaging 192 yards per game on the ground, is on a five-game losing streak. The Bears only put up 127 rushing yards against the Jets, averaging 4.4 yards per game. Green Bay hasn’t been good away from Lambeau this season.
The Packers are 1-5 on the road and 4-8 overall this season. Even though Green Bay, which is 4-8 against the spread this season, has battled a lot of turmoil this season, the Packers still have a more capable passing game than Chicago.
Rodgers is expected to play, and Green Bay has been putting up 223.4 yards per game, which ranks 14th in the league, with Rodgers under center. While neither team is playing well, the Bears aren’t trustworthy without Fields. Even with him, they would have difficulty beating their division rival.
Pittsburgh Steelers (-1) at Atlanta Falcons
The Steelers, who are 4-7 this season, have seen their offensive output on the uptick over the past several weeks. Pittsburgh beat Indianapolis 24-17 on the road last week to improve to 4-7. The Steelers have now scored 54 points over their last two games despite only averaging 17.6 points per game this season.
Pittsburgh is still a flawed team. The offense isn’t consistent, and the defense has a lot of holes, but the Falcons may not be the team to make them pay. Atlanta is 2-14-1 all-time against the Steelers and hasn’t beaten Pittsburgh since 2006.
The current Falcons may not carry the weight of history, but the Falcons’ offense has struggled to find their way, and that will be an issue with Pittsburgh’s defense. The Steelers rank fourth in the league against the run, which is what Atlanta’s offense excels at. Pittsburgh’s defense will carry them to a narrow win to grab a second straight win.
Tennessee Titans (+5.5) at Philadelphia Eagles
The Titans have run the ball well, and when Philadelphia has struggled, it has been because their opponents could push them around. While the Eagles got good news this week, with rookie defensive tackle Jordan Davis cleared off the injured list, there is no guarantee he will be at 100 percent to try and stack up Derrick Henry.
The Titans, who are 7-4 overall this season, have been excellent against the spread, compiling an 8-3 mark. Tennessee also has a strong defense, ranking eighth in the league by limiting opponents to 18.6 points per game. The Titans have the tools to slow down Philadelphia, which has the league’s third-best scoring offense.
The Eagles may still win, but the Titans will keep it close and cover the spread.
Kansas City Chiefs (-2) at Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals didn’t have any favors done for them on the NFL schedule. A week after having to hold off the Titans, a team Cincinnati eliminated from the postseason last year, Cincinnati will have to get geared up for a similar matchup. The Bengals will welcome Kansas City, who Cincinnati beat to win the AFC Championship, to town.
What will help Cincinnati is that star receiver Ja’Marr Chase is set to return. The Bengals have been excellent against the spread this season, piling up an 8-3 record.
At home, Cincinnati is 3-1 straight up. However, the Chiefs’ offense machine brings a different level of danger. Kansas City ranks first in the league in points scored per game at 29.6 and first in total yards and passing yards per game.
While the Chiefs’ running game has been mediocre, Kansas City will want to exercise some demons and bring home a win on the road. The Chiefs will find a way to get revenge. Cincinnati’s offense may need some time to develop chemistry with some players coming back into the lineup.
Derek Hudson
Derek is a long time sports bettor who grew up in Providence, RI. Derek is data driven and believes the key to betting the sportsbooks is finding an edge in analytics. Derek is happily married and has two young boys. Derek will bet on anything if you let him.
