NFL Picks Against The Spread 2016: Week 13 Games

Photo by: Jeff Fusco.

Before Week 13 of the 2016 NFL season schedule kicks off, let’s have some fun by taking a look at the spreads for this week’s round of games. (Click here for our NFL Week 13 straight up predictions.)

Here are suggestions when trying to beat the odds. You can find all of today’s NFL betting lines and more at Bovada. My record so far this season is 79-69-12 after going 4-8-1 last week. Let’s get to the picks.

Los Angeles Rams at New England Patriots (-13.5): Bill Belichick and Tom Brady versus Jeff Fisher and Jared Goff. Need I say more? Fisher doesn’t even know which players are on the Patriots’ roster. PICK: Patriots -13.5

Detroit Lions at New Orleans Saints (-5.5): The Lions have traveled in the fourth quarter of every game this year. They could reasonably be 0-11, yet here they are leading the NFC North at 7-4. Detroit’s offense has a real chance to put up points against the Saints’ weak defense. At the same time, the Saints can score a ton on the Lions’ defense and New Orleans has home field advantage. Sean Payton’s team hasn’t lost a home game since September and the feeling here is that won’t change this Sunday. PICK: Saints -5.5

Philadelphia Eagles at Cincinnati Bengals (-3): The Bengals just aren’t good enough to be standard three point home favorites. They have three wins this year. Two of those wins include the Browns and Jets. Cincinnati has struggled to score recently due to the absence of A.J. Green and Giovani Bernard. It’s not like the Eagles have been great; they’re 2-6 in their last eight games. But there’s reason to believe the Birds can bounce back against a Bengals offensive line that’s struggled this year. The Eagles will be desperate to get a win and keep their slim playoff hopes alive. Even if the Eagles don’t win, this will be a close, ugly game so they should at least cover. PICK: Eagles +3

Houston Texans at Green Bay Packers (-6.5): The Texans’ record make it seems like they’re a better team than they really are. Houston ranks seventh to last in point differential and 30th in DVOA. The Packers haven’t been very good this season but Aaron Rodgers looked very sharp against the Eagles on Monday. There’s plenty of reason to bet on him instead of Brock Osweiler. PICK: Packers -6.5

Kansas City Chiefs at Atlanta Falcons (-6): It sure doesn’t seem like the Chiefs are getting enough respect here, right? Kansas City is 8-3. Andy Reid is a very good coach. The Chiefs’ defense is only allowing an average of 17.4 points per game since their Week 5 bye. The Falcons’ top-ranked offense will sure test Bob Sutton’s defense. Atlanta might win this game since they’re at home, but I think the Chiefs can cover. PICK: Chiefs +6

Miami Dolphins at Baltimore Ravens (-3.5): The Ravens’ offense doesn’t score enough to cover a spread this big. That’s sort of a joke, but there’s some truth in jest. Miami is riding a six-game win streak. I don’t know if they’re going to make it seven, but I like them with the points in this situation. PICK: Dolphins +3.5

Denver Broncos (-3.5) at Jacksonville Jaguars: Gus Bradley is a bad coach and I don’t know how he still has a job. There’s just no way I can bet on his team, even though the Broncos are starting Paxton Lynch at quarterback. Denver will be desperate to win because if the season ended today they wouldn’t make the playoffs. PICK: Broncos -3.5

San Francisco 49ers (-2.5) at Chicago Bears: The 49ers have lost 10 games in a row. Not great! The Bears, meanwhile, are 2-9 and have a bunch of players on the injured reserve list. Also not great! Chicago is starting Matt Barkley, so the USC alumnus will get to face off against the coach who drafted him in Philadelphia: Chip Kelly. Barkley had some struggles last week but he surprisingly almost lead the Bears to a comeback victory. The Bears are at home and San Francisco’s defense is so bad that even Barkley might be able to have success. If the 49ers are smart, they’d tank this game to help make sure the Bears don’t pass them in the draft order. PICK: Bears +2.5

Buffalo Bills at Oakland Raiders (-3): The Bills haven’t won in Oakland in over 50 years. That’s probably not going to change this week. The Raiders are arguably the best team in the AFC. Derek Carr is playing great. PICK: Raiders -3

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at San Diego Chargers (-3.5): This is an interesting line. The Bucs are coming off consecutive wins over the Chiefs (IN Kansas City) and the Seahawks. Tampa Bay has looked better than anyone would have expected over the past two weeks. Are they a legitimately good team? Can they keep it going on the road? Maybe, but Vegas doesn’t seem to think so. The Bolts are favored here for a reason. San Diego is going to win and cover. PICK: Chargers -3.5

Washington Redskins at Arizona Cardinals (-2.5): Kirk Cousins is playing well and the Cardinals are not. It’s tempting to take Arizona here because they’re usually good at home, but that hasn’t really been the case this year. Two of the Cardinals’ three home wins this season have come over the Jets and 49ers. The Falcons didn’t struggle to move the ball and score on Arizona’s defense last week. Washington’s offense should have success as well. Take the points. PICK: Washington +2.5

New York Giants at Pittsburgh Steelers (-6): The Giants might be the least impressive 8-3 team ever. The odds-makers seem to agree, or else they wouldn’t have New York as six-point underdogs to a team that’s one game over .500. Look for Pittsburgh to expose the Giants for the frauds they are. PICK: Steelers -6

Carolina Panthers at Seattle Seahawks (-7): This seems like a tough one. The Panthers have obviously struggled this season, but the Seahawks have turned in a few clunkers this year as well. Seattle is coming off a loss to the Bucs where they only scored five points. Seattle plays really well at home, so it’s easy to feel good about them winning the game. Can they win by seven points, though? That’s the challenging part. For now I’ll trust Russell Wilson to bounce back at home. PICK: Seahawks -7

Indianapolis Colts (-1.5) at New York Jets: Andrew Luck passed through the NFL’s mandatory concussion protocol so he’ll play on Monday night. That’s good news for the Colts, who are still very much alive in the AFC South. Luck inspires a lot more confidence than turnover machine Ryan Fitzpatrick. Indianapolis isn’t a good team by any means but they’re not at bad at the Jets. PICK: Colts -1.5