NFL Week 13 Over/Under Picks – 2016

As the calendar turns to December, the NFL playoff picture is starting to take shape. With five weeks remaining in the regular season, there are currently 24 teams either in or within two games of a playoff spot. Only one team, the Dallas Cowboys, can clinch a playoff spot this week. Here are three Week 13 games where I prefer the total over the spread in the NFL odds.

NFL Week 13 Over/Under Picks

Miami Dolphins at Baltimore Ravens (40.5)

This is the lowest NFL total on the board as neither offense is that great and both defenses are pretty good. The Dolphins, led by rookie head coach Adam Gase, have won six consecutive games, the longest current streak in the AFC. Last week, quarterback Ryan Tannehill passed for 285 yards and three touchdowns in Miami’s 31-24 victory over San Francisco. Dolphins LT Branden Albert has a “better than not” chance to play Week 13 against the Ravens. Albert has sat out the last two games after dislocating his wrist in Week 10. Gase said C Mike Pouncey (hip) is still “week to week.” The Ravens enter December tied with Pittsburgh for the top spot in the AFC North. In Week 12, Baltimore defeated Cincinnati 19-14 behind Justin Tucker’s four field goals. Tucker made three field goals of at least 50 yards in the first half and is the only player in league history to accomplish the feat. Go under this total

Philadelphia Eagles at Cincinnati Bengals (42.5)

Both these teams are in a free-fall, with the Eagles losing handily at home to Green Bay on Monday and Cincinnati losing to Baltimore. Behind rookie QB Carson Wentz, the second overall pick in this year’s draft, Philadelphia opened the season with three consecutive wins, including a 34-3 trouncing of Pittsburgh. The other two wins, however, were against Cleveland and Chicago, who are a combined 2-21. The Eagles have since dropped four of their last five and six of eight to lose control of their own playoff destiny. After not throwing an interception in his first three games and just one in his first five, Wentz has thrown five in the last four games. Andy Dalton completed 26-of- 48 passes for 283 yards and a touchdown in the Bengals’ Week 12 loss to the Ravens. He also fumbled four times, losing two. The Bengals will stick with K Mike Nugent for Week 13. Nugent missed his fourth extra point of the year on Sunday, and is just 18-of- 23 on field goals this season. Go under again here.

New York Giants at Pittsburgh Steelers (49)

It’s two quarterbacks from the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft and two guys who have won two Super Bowl rings in the Giants’ Eli Manning and Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger. The Giants have won six consecutive games and have the NFC’s second-best record at 8-3. Last week, the Giants knocked off the Browns 27-13 at Cleveland. Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul had a career-high three sacks, a forced fumble and a 43-yard fumble-return touchdown in the win. He is the first player with at least three sacks and a 40+ yard fumble-return touchdown in the same game since 1982, the first year individual sacks became an official statistic. The Steelers defeated Indianapolis 28-7 on Thanksgiving night as Big Ben threw three touchdown passes to wide receiver Antonio Brown. Brown leads the NFL with 82 receptions this season and is tied for the league lead with 10 touchdown catches. Two great QBs here and two of the NFL’s best receivers in Brown and the Giants' Odell Beckham Jr. As long as the weather is OK, go over.