Week 13 of the 2016 NFL season kicks off with an exciting Thursday Night Football game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Minnesota Vikings. There seems to be many "must win" games this week which should make for some exciting viewing.
NFL Week 13 Betting Tips
Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings (Friday 2nd December 12:25pm)
The Minnesota Vikings are slumping and the Dallas Cowboys are surging. The Cowboys will attempt to win their 11th straight game and with that they have a chance to clinch a playoff berth. The Vikings are just trying to survive. They have lost five out of the last six games but there is still hope. A win this week would keep them right in the wild card race.
It’s finally clear to everyone that the Dallas Cowboys are the real deal. Even the sportsbooks are finally on board as the Cowboys are strong favourites to represent the NFC in the Superbowl. However, going on the road and getting a win is never automatic in the NFL.
The U.S Bank Stadium in Minneapolis will be a cold and hostile environment.
The Vikings have done a good job of protecting home field this season (4-1 record) but they’re facing a Cowboys team that is built for the road. This Cowboys team should thrive in the colder month of December. We all know how good they are Offensively but the defense should be getting more respect. They are allowing just 19.4 points per game (ranked 5th).
The Cowboys will get the early lead and control time of possession, making it a very long night for the Vikings.
Prediction: Dallas 24 Minnesota 17
Tip: Cowboys to win & Under 43.5 points - $2.88 at Sportsbet
New York Giants at Pittsburgh Steelers (Monday 5th December 8:25am)
The New York Giants are on a six-game winning streak but they will now face their toughest test, a road game in December at Heinz Field. The Pittsburgh Steelers are looking at going on their own winning streak. After making light work of the Indianapolis Colts the Steelers are building momentum.
Ben Roethlisberger threw three touchdowns to Antonio Brown, LeVeon Bell rushed for 120 yards and one touchdown as the Steelers cruised to a 28-7 road victory over the Colts. In the Colts defense, they didn’t have Andrew Luck, but Andrew Luck doesn’t play defense, does he!
The only thing the Steelers struggled with was discipline. They gave away seven penalties for 67 yards, something they can’t do against the better teams. Hopefully Mike Tomlin addresses this throughout the week.
The Giants might be on a six-game winning streak but I’m still not convinced. Look at who they have beaten. Teams such as the Bears, Bengals, Browns and Rams. The next three weeks will tell us everything we need to know about the Giants. They will face the Steelers, Cowboys and Lions. Don’t be surprised with an 0-3 record over those weeks.
Prediction: New York 21 Pittsburgh 28
Tip: Pittsburgh Steelers to win by 1-13 points - $2.00 at Sportsbet
Carolina Panthers at Seattle Seahawks (Monday 5th December 12:30pm)
The Seattle Seahawks will host the Carolina Panthers for Sunday Night Football. The Seahawks will be looking to bounce back after suffering an unexpected loss to Tampa Bay in week 12. Russell Wilson really struggled in Florida, passing for only 151 yards with two interceptions. The Seahawks offense were 1-11 on 3rd down. Basically, they just didn’t show up.
The Carolina Panthers had a chance to beat Oakland but eventually lost 32-35. They now slip to 4-7 for the season and it looks like they will miss the playoffs. The game against Oakland felt like a must win for the Panthers and it looked like they spent a lot of energy. This feels like a tough spot for the Panthers.
Look for the Seahawks to bounce back and take advantage of a “down in the dumps” Panthers team.
The total has gone over in 9 of the Panthers last 10 games as a road underdog.
Prediction: Carolina 17 Seattle 31
Tip: Total Game Score Over 44.5 - $1.92
Indianapolis Colts at New York Jets (Tuesday 6th December 12:30pm)
This is an interesting Monday Night Football matchup. The Indianapolis Colts have just five wins this season but they’re just one win behind AFC South leaders the Houston Texans. The New York Jets will be trying to spoil the party in front of a home crowd at MetLife Stadium.
Andrew Luck participated in practice on Wednesday and it looks as though he will play. The Colts Offense is obviously better when he’s in but the defense has big problems. The Colts are allowing over 270 yards passing (30th) and over 116 yards rushing (23rd). Teams are averaging 27.4 points against the Colts (ranked 28th).
Will history repeat itself. Last year these two teams played in a Monday Night Football game. The Jets forced five turnovers and won the game 20-7.
The Jets have played well against Andrew Luck. In the Jets two wins against Luck they have sacked him four times and forced five interceptions, giving Luck a low passer rating of 52.0.
Prediction: Indianapolis 24 New York 25
Tip: New York Jets to win - $2.10 at Sportsbet
Take note: Any of the tips in this article are simply the author’s opinion, so bet at your own risk and always gamble responsibly. Also be sure to check out the Before You Bet Twitter Page for all our thoughts in the lead up to bets! Happy punting!
