Though coronavirus concerns continue to rip through the NFL, the league has decided the show must go on. And so, with that in mind, we've provided you with the best NFL Week 13 picks around.
Before we get to our selections, take a look at the latest odds, courtesy of Bovada:
| Week 13 Favorite |  | | Week 13 Underdog |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami Dolphins | -620 | +410 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| Tennessee Titans | -260 | +215 | Cleveland Browns |
| Chicago Bears | -165 | +145 | Detroit Lions |
| Indianapolis Colts | -180 | +160 | Houston Texans |
| Minnesota Vikings | -470 | +335 | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| Las Vegas Raiders | -380 | +290 | New York Jets |
| New Orleans Saints | -150 | +130 | Atlanta Falcons |
| Los Angeles Rams | -155 | +135 | Arizona Cardinals |
| New England Patriots | -115 | -105 | Los Angeles Chargers |
| Green Bay Packers | -380 | +290 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| Kansas City Chiefs | -1100 | +650 | Denver Broncos |
| Buffalo Bills | -145 | +125 | San Francisco 49ers |
NFL Week 13 Picks
Green Bay Packers (-380) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (+290)
Make yourself some easy money with this game. The Packers are heavy favorites for a reason.
Despite having a relatively lackluster offensive core around him, quarterback Aaron Rodgers is turning in an MVP-caliber season. His 68.5 completion percentage is the second-highest of his career, and he's posting a watermark total quarterback rating. Green Bay's offense leads the entire league in points scored per game as a result.
Pitting the Eagles against the Packers is almost unfair. Philadelphia is struggling to remain afloat in the sorry NFC East. Starting quarterback Carson Wentz is playing so poorly that many expect the team to start rookie Jalen Hurts under center before long. He might even be the first-string QB for Week 13. Either way, the Eagles should end up being catnip for the Packers.
OSB Prediction: Green Bay Packers (-380)
Tennessee Titans (-260) vs. Cleveland Browns (+215)
The rule of thumb in the NFL is that quarterbacks will always be the strongest MVP candidates. But Titans running back Derrick Henry would like a word.
Tennessee's man in the backfield is the engine for the team's top-six offense. He's racked up 1,257 yards on the ground across 256 carries entering Week 13—volume he pairs with a whopping 12 touchdowns.
That spells fairly bad news for the Browns. Their offense continues to underachieve as they labor through injuries, most notably the season-ending setback suffered by Odell Beckham Jr. They don't have the consistent firepower to go toe-to-toe with a top offense.
On the bright side for Cleveland, they've proven to hold up fairly well against opposing run attacks. They are a rock-solid 11th in yards allowed per attempt. But that's far from elite, and it's hardly good enough to slow down the human tank that is Henry.
OSB Prediction: Tennessee Titans (-260)
Los Angeles Rams (-155) vs. Arizona Cardinals (+135)
Forgive anyone who is distancing themselves from the Rams. Los Angeles deserves it.
The Rams just recently lost to the San Francisco 49ers for a second time this season. That is bonkers. San Francisco is missing a ton of players due to injury, fields a crummy offense and sits at the bottom of the NFC West division. The Rams, meanwhile, are supposed to be a billboard for defensive sturdiness and a fringe Super Bowl contender.
So much for that. We're personally out on the Rams. Quarterback Jason Goff is playing like he's the 2019 Jameis Winston of Tim Tebows. Think about that for a minute. It's not good.
Mostly, though, we trust the Cardinals' offense under the stewardship of quarterback Kyle Murray. Arizona is in the top seven of points scored per game and has completed more first downs through the air than any other team. We're investing in the slight upset.
OSB Prediction: Arizona Cardinals (+135)
Minnesota Vikings (-470) vs. Houston Texans (+335)
While -470 for the Vikings doesn't seem like a great value, it's actually better than you think.
The Texans will be without star wideout Will Fuller after he was suspended for the rest of the season following a violation of the league's PED policy. That leaves Deshaun Watson to rely on Brandin Cooks as his primary passing option. That's...not great.
Houston is 17th in points scored per game as it stands. The passing attack has been much better than that, but taking away Watson's top receiver is going to make the Texans ultra-predictable to a Vikings defense that is perking up as of late and is backed up by an offense that ranks first in net yards per passing attempt itself.
OSB Prediction: Minnesota Vikings (-470)
Parlay Pick of the Week
As you can see, we're feeling great about a lot of the heavy favorites entering Week 13. That tends to happen later in the season. As such, we're electing to parlay a handful of those minor swings with the predicted Cardinals upset in hopes of drumming up potential returns.
Here's our moneyline bet slip:
- Packers (-380)
- Titans (-260)
- Vikings (-470)
- Chiefs (-1100)
- Dolphins (-620)
- Cardinals (+135)
Six-bet parlays are always risky, but this card includes what we'd consider five locks. And by sprinkling in the Cardinals at +135, we inflate our prospective payout north of 6-to-1. For every $100 you put on the line, you're looking at a total return of just over $633—which amounts to more than $533 in pure profit.
If you're not confident in Arizona, you can roll with the five favorites alone. That moneyline-only parlay still pays out roughly 2.7-to-1. But if you can talk yourselves into the Cardinals, try out this specific parlay.
Check out this list of the best online sportsbooks so you can decide which one to use for all your NFL wagers:
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