Week 12 of the NFL season gets underway on Friday with a massive AFC South divisional rivalry meeting between the Colts and Texans in Houston starting from 12.20pm! As usual, we have a full preview and tips for some of the key games across the Week 12 slate below.
NFL Week 12 Betting Tips
Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans (Friday 12.20pm AEDT)
Indianapolis (6-4) ended a 2 game skid with a comfortable 33-13 win over the Jaguars and as a result, they now sit atop the AFC South. Despite injuries to key players, the Colts have a real shot at winning the division and that starts with this crucial divisional matchup. It will be tougher without starting RB Marlon Mack after his injury but Johathan Williams carried for 100+ yards last week. Ultimately, the Colts should have plenty of success on offence as the Texans secondary continues to struggle against the pass (29th in the NFL).
Houston (6-4) ran into the Baltimore juggernaut last week and came away with a crushing 41-7 defeat. They’ll need to find a way of keeping Watson upright after he took 6 sacks in the loss and their offence just couldn’t get going all game. Similarly to the Colts, injuries have impacted their confidence, especially defensively without the pressure of J.J. Watt. But on the positive side, they do continue to run the ball well with the one-two punch of Hyde/Johnson.
Historically, the Colts have owned the Texans with a 28-8 SU record, 5-1 ATS record and they’ve won 6 of the last 7 meetings in Houston. But with both teams dealing with injuries and playing on a short turnaround, we have to like the Under. It has saluted in 4 of the Colts last 6 road games. Houston is also 7-1 against the Under at home and 5-2 when they host the Colts.
Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers (Monday 12.20pm AEDT)
The 8-2 Packers are back from the bye and rebounded from a poor showing on the West Coast with a 24-16 home win over the Panthers. Davante Adams finally returned from injury with 7 catches and 118 yards. While in the running game, Aaron Jones had another field day with 3 scores. However, this will be a tough matchup against the dynamic 49ers and the Packers defence will need to step up. They’re 25th in the NFL for rushing yards allowed and will need to find a way of stopping the 49ers strong running game.
San Francisco lead the NFC West with a 9-1 record but they are showing signs of slowing down. They started slowly against the Cardinals last week before a 19 point 4th quarter sealed a 36-26 victory. Previously, they went down to the Seahawks on their home turf 27-24 as well. Unusually, the 49ers rushed for just 34 yards last week but they’ll get a favourable matchup against the Packers run D that has struggled for most of the season. In terms of injury, TE George Kittle could return but RB Matt Breida is out.
With two of the best teams in the NFC in action, this should be a fun matchup to watch and we’ll be looking for plenty of points. The Packers have a great Overs record in road games (17-7) and it’s also 7-2 when they play the 49ers. Meanwhile, San Francisco has a 4-0 Overs record in their last 4 games at any venue.
Baltimore Ravens at Los Angeles Rams (Tuesday 12.15pm AEDT)
Baltimore will aim for a 7th straight win in this impressive run of mid-season results. Lamar Jackson continues to be a defensive nightmare and comes off 4 touchdown passes against the Texans as the Ravens dominated in the 41-7 result. Their defence has been great as well with just 20 points allowed in their last 2 and they made the undefeated Patriots look second rate. With an 8-2 record, they’re in the box seat to get a week off in the playoffs and take out the AFC North division.
The Rams got back on track with a 17-7 win over the Bears last Monday. With a 6-4 record, their chances of winning the NFC West are probably over so their best chance of reaching the playoffs will be a wildcard spot. While they allowed just 7 points against the Bears, the Ravens possess a lot more attacking weapons and the Rams D will be the key in this matchup. They have been good against the run this season (5th in the NFL for rushing yards) so stopping the influence of Jackson will be a high priority.
It’s difficult to back against the Ravens at the moment. They’re the complete package with Jackson running rampant on offence and the Ravens D has been dangerous. Not to mention, former Rams CB Marcus Peters will be out for revenge against his former team. While the Ravens could be due for a letdown on the road to Los Angeles, they have covered in 6 of their last 8 road games and should be able to outscore a struggling Rams unit.
