NFL Picks Week 13: Over-Under Vegas Lines, Expert Predictions and Odds

There have been plenty of surprising performances so far in the 2016 NFL season, evoking feelings ranging from pleasant surprise to outright anger depending on which team you hold closest to your heart.

The Oakland Raiders are 9-2, fighting for home-field advantage in the playoffs and quickly putting a decade-plus run of futility behind them under the stewardship of a young quarterback in Derek Carr. 

The Dallas Cowboys own the best record in the league at 10-1 with a rookie backfield of quarterback Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott; the latter is the league’s leading rusher and a legitimate MVP candidate.

On the flip side, several of last year’s stalwarts—including the Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals and Carolina Panthers—are flailing and look like long shots to reach the postseason.

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All of this is to say is that making predictions early in the season meant plenty of misses based on misconceptions, quick evaluation and adoption of the emerging trends. 

Now that it’s Week 13 and most franchises are known commodities at this point, the job is a little easier, and yet surprises will come each and every week. 

If you’re in need of guidance for the first games of the crucial month of December, here’s a look at the latest lines, spreads and expert predictions for Week 13. Expert picks are straight up, not against the spread.

Hobbled Patriots (-13.5) Still a Good Bet To Cover Against Rams

While the league has been filled with surprising upstarts and falls from grace this season, the New England Patriots have remained bastions of dependability by once again putting together a fine, playoff-worthy season.

The Pats picked up their ninth win of the season in Week 12 against the New York Jets, despite playing well below their normal capabilities. A knee injury hampered Tom Brady, and Rob Gronkowski had to leave the game with a back injury in the second quarter. 

Per CBS Boston, both players missed practice Wednesday, as did wide receiver Julian Edelman.

Brady will likely fight on and play Sunday. Edelman’s situation is less clear, as he was absent “for reasons yet to be explained.”

As for Gronkowski, the Boston Herald’s Karen Guregian believes the “Patriots will probably play it safe and not rush him back against the Rams.” 

A Gronk-less offense would be a welcome development for a Rams defense that is coming off a desultory display in a 49-21 loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 12, but it won’t be enough for this team to flip the script and pull off a win.

Martellus Bennett has filled in admirably for the oft-injured Gronkowski at tight end this season, reeling in 42 catches for 540 yards and four scores. He too is nursing injuries but managed three catches for 22 yards against the Jets. The Patriots have also received a boost from rookie wideout Malcolm Mitchell, who has scored three times in the past two weeks.

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