Two pieces of great news for NFL bettors this week: No more byes in the league and there are three games on Thursday for the American Thanksgiving holiday.
Here’s a quick look at all the Week 13 matchups with Sports Interaction’s Week 13 odds. Games Sunday unless noted.
Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions, Thursday
Per usual, the Lions host the first game of Thanksgiving. About all that is at stake here is last place in the NFC North. The Bears go for the sweep as they beat the visiting Lions 20-13 in Week 10 behind three Mitch Trubisky TD passes. Detroit didn’t have starting QB Matthew Stafford due to injury and is not expected to here, either. His season is likely over. Chicago won in Motown last Thanksgiving when Trubisky was out injured.
Point spread: Bears -1
Pick ATS: Detroit
Buffalo Bills at Dallas Cowboys, Thursday
Per usual, the Cowboys host the second game of Thanksgiving. Bit of an upset the Bills were the chosen opponent for this marquee time slot as they aren’t exactly a glamour team and haven’t played on the holiday since 1994. Dallas coach Jason Garrett was put squarely on the hot seat by owner Jerry Jones following Sunday’s loss in New England.
Point spread: Cowboys -7
Pick ATS: Dallas
New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons, Thursday
The prime-time Thanksgiving game. The teams played in New Orleans in the same slot last year and the Saints won. Atlanta got payback in Week 10 this year by stunning the Saints 26-9 as 14-point underdogs. That remains the biggest upset of the 2019 season.
Point spread: Saints -7
Pick ATS: New Orleans
New York Jets at Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati remains the only winless team in football but nearly knocked off the Steelers on Sunday, falling 16-10. The Bengals only managed 244 yards. All of a sudden, the Jets are a juggernaut in scoring 34 points in three straight games and winning them all. Sam Darnold looks like a completely different quarterback than he did earlier this season.
Point spread: Jets -4
Pick ATS: Cincinnati
🚨On this week’s edition of Betting w/ Bastl, it’s US #Thanksgiving 🦃 with three games on the schedule, #NHL, #NBA and 2 🔥selections in our picks segment.
Check it out! pic.twitter.com/cmluWtkyxX
— Sports Interaction (@SIASport) November 28, 2019
Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts
The Colts were 20-17 losers at Houston last Thursday in an important AFC South matchup. Top running back Marlon Mack was out with a fractured hand. No. 1 receiver TY Hilton returned after missing three games due to injury but had two crucial drops on third down and took the blame for the loss. The Titans blasted Jacksonville 42-20 on Sunday. Indy goes for the season sweep as it beat Tennessee 19-17 in Nashville in Week 2. Jacoby Brissett hit Hilton on the winning 4-yard TD pass with under five minutes left. The teams combined for just 340 passing yards.
Point spread: Colts -2.5
Pick ATS: Indianapolis
Philadelphia Eagles at Miami Dolphins
The Philly offence is really struggling in a two-game losing streak and QB Carson Wentz hurt his hand in Sunday’s home loss to the Seahawks, although it’s not expected to sideline him. Miami was blown out Sunday in Cleveland. Two receivers, Albert Wilson and Jakeem Grant, left with injuries.
Point spread: Eagles -8.5
Pick ATS: Miami
Green Bay Packers at New York Giants
Green Bay came out of its bye and was surprisingly blown out Sunday night in San Francisco. Aaron Rodgers had perhaps the worst game of his Hall of Fame career, throwing for just 104 yards on 33 attempts. He was sacked five times and lost a fumble. The Giants appear to have quit on embattled coach Pat Shurmur as they lost a seventh in a row Sunday in Chicago.
Point spread: Packers -6
Pick ATS: Green Bay
Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers
Expect the NFL to issue pre-game warnings to both teams here as the Browns and Steelers got into an ugly brawl in the final seconds of Cleveland’s 21-7 home win over Pittsburgh in Week 11. Top Browns defensive end Myles Garrett was suspended for the season for smashing Steelers QB Mason Rudolph over the head with his own helmet. Rudolph was benched during Sunday’s ugly win over Cincinnati and Coach Mike Tomlin might stick with rookie Devlin Hodges this week.
Point spread: Browns -1
Pick ATS: Pittsburgh
Washington Redskins at Carolina Panthers
Washington likely wrecked its chances of getting the top overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft with Sunday’s 19-16 home upset win over Detroit. Dustin Hopkins hit the go-ahead field goal with 16 seconds left. Washington forced four Lions turnovers. Carolina lost its third in a row, 34-31 at New Orleans despite two more touchdowns from MVP candidate Christian McCaffrey.
Point spread: Panthers -10
Pick ATS: Washington
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Jacksonville Jaguars
Tampa Bay was a 35-22 winner in Atlanta behind 313 yards and three touchdown passes from Jameis Winston, although he was picked off two more times. Chris Godwin had seven catches for a career-best 184 yards, including a pair of touchdowns. He has been a breakout star this year. Jacksonville lost its third in a row, 42-20 at the Titans. Coach Doug Marrone almost surely won’t be back in 2020.
Point spread: Jaguars -1
Pick ATS: Jacksonville
San Francisco 49ers at Baltimore Ravens
Could be a Super Bowl preview. Baltimore at a bit of a disadvantage after playing at the Los Angeles Rams, another NFC West team, on Monday night. The Niners made a big-time statement with Sunday night’s home 37-8 blowout of a good Packers team. Pro Bowl Niners tight end George Kittle returned after missing a couple of games due to injury and caught six passes for 129 yards and a score.
Point spread: Ravens -4.5 (may change depending on Monday)
Pick ATS: Baltimore
Los Angeles Rams at Arizona Cardinals
Arizona comes out of its bye on a four-game losing streak, but the future is bright with rookie No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray showing signs of stardom at times. He’ll likely finish second in the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year race to Oakland tailback Josh Jacobs. Short week for the Rams, who hosted Baltimore on Monday.
Point spread: Rams -4 (may change depending on Monday)
Pick ATS: Arizona
Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos
The disappointing Chargers come out of their bye week with huge questions about the future of long-time starting quarterback Philip Rivers. They could have won both of their previous games but lost both in large part because Rivers threw three interceptions in one and four in the other. He’s still the starter but probably won’t be back in 2020 now. L.A. was stunned at home by Denver in Week 5, 20-13. The Broncos never trailed. Rivers wasn’t good then, either, with no TD passes and two interceptions.
Point spread: Chargers -2.5
Pick ATS: Los Angeles
Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs
Very big game in the AFC West with the Raiders shockingly pushing the Chiefs for the division title. Kansas City, which comes out of its bye week, would all but clinch the West with a victory because it also won in Oakland in Week 2, 28-10. All 28 Chiefs points came in the second quarter when Patrick Mahomes was playing out of his mind with 278 yards passing and four TDs in the quarter. All 10 Raiders points were in the first quarter.
Point spread: Chiefs -10
Pick ATS: Oakland
New England Patriots at Houston Texans
Sunday night game and a potential AFC playoff preview. Houston took over sole possession of first in the AFC South with a 20-17 victory last Thursday over the visiting Colts. Top Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins usually torches Indianapolis and did again with two touchdown catches. New England won a low-scoring home game in the rain Sunday over Dallas to set an NFL record with a 17th straight season of at least 10 victories.
Point spread: Patriots -3
Pick ATS: Houston
Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks, Monday
Crucial game in the NFC playoff race with both teams chasing division titles but perhaps having to settle for Wild-Card spots. Small advantage to the Vikings as they come off their bye week, but Seattle rarely loses prime-time games at home. The Seahawks beat the Vikings on a Monday night in the Pacific Northwest late last season, 21-7.
Point spread: Seahawks -3
Pick ATS: Seattle