7 Key Facts to Know for Betting on the NFL Week 12

Week 12 of the NFL brings more great games and juicy storylines. Here are just a few:

The NFL action is reaching fever pitch as the road to the playoffs starts to grow short. Week 12 brings a full slate of pulse-pounding games for both fans and serious bettors. If you’re not sure who to put your hard-earned cash on, our team of expert handicappers has you covered. Here’s what you need to know:

#1: The Texans are favorites to beat the Bengals

Things move quickly in the NFL. The Bengals entered the season as fringe Super Bowl contenders, while the Houston Texans finished last season as the worst team in the league and weren’t expected to do a whole lot better this season.

11 games into the season the Bengals are still leading the AFC North, but the Texans are the Cinderella story of the season. Online sportsbook in the UK Bet365 is picking them to pull this game off, with a slight -1 advantage.

Recommendation: This game is a push. If in doubt, take the long odds and go with the Bengals.

#2: Mark Sanchez is leading the Eagles against the Titans

The Eagles are 11-point favorites this week against the hapless Tennessee Titans. Bear in mind, however, that Mark Sanchez will be filling in at quarterback for the injured Nick Foles. The same Mark Sanchez who ran himself out of New York after several rocky seasons.

• The Seahawks are heavy underdogs against the Chiefs
• Look for the Lions to beat the spread against the Patriots
• Texans vs Bengals looks like a toss-up

To be fair, Sanchez isn’t a terrible quarterback, but we don’t think that any team starting him will cover an 11-point spread. The Eagles will win, but not by that much.

Recommendation: Put your money on the Titans to beat the spread

#3: The Chargers haven’t covered the spread in the past five games

The San Diego Chargers opened the season with a bang, going 5-0 against the spread. They followed that up in prime fashion with a 0-5 run. This week they’re -6 favorites against the Saint Louis Rams, one of the NFL’s worst teams.

The game will be played in San Diego, and fortune always favors the home team. The Chargers are on a cold streak, but we expect six times to be a charm.

Recommendation: Expect the Chargers to cover the spread as long as it stays under 8

#4: The Seahawks are +6.5 underdogs

The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Last week’s loss to the Chiefs made gambling news in America, as it was the first time this season that the defending Super Bowl champions went into a game as an underdog. This week bookies are expecting them to get shredded by the 9-1 Arizona Cardinals.

The Hawks seem to be flying with broken wings, but they’re at home and desperate to save their season. They’ll be out for blood this week, and won’t except a blowout.

Recommendation: Pick the Seahawks to beat the spread unless it dips under 4 points

#5: The Patriots are -7 favorites over the Lions

The Lions are making their first serious run as Super Bowl contenders since…ever. They’re currently in a neck-and-neck race with the Green Bay Packers for the NFC North division title, and this week will be facing the New England Patriots, a football dynasty looking for its fourth Super Bowl win.

The internet and mobile betting gurus at Bet365 have the Pats at -7, which looks a bit too generous. We expect this line to move downward over the next few days, but regardless of where it ends up, the Lions have a decent chance at taking this game.

Recommendation: Go for the Lions to beat the spread. Don’t even hesitate!

#6: The Chiefs have won five straight games

Last week the Kansas City Chiefs made a big statement by taking down the Seahawks for their fifth consecutive victory. Strong on both sides of the ball, they’ll try to make it six in a row on the road against their arch-enemy the Oakland Raiders.

The Raiders are winless, and the line currently sits at Kansas City -7. While some are predicting a let-down from the Chiefs, we don’t think it will come this week.

Recommendation: Look for the Chiefs to cover the spread, even if it inches upward.

#7: The Bears are -5.5 favorites against the Buccaneers

How quickly the tables can turn. Going into last week the Bears were the laughingstock of the NFL, a team that seemed on the verge of firing their coach and quarterback and starting from scratch. Then what happened? They beat a very mediocre Minnesota Vikings squad by a touchdown at home, and oddsmakers are giddy over them again.

At home for the second straight game, the Bears are -5.5 favorites against the Bucs, a team which sits with a 2-8 record but appears to be on the verge of making some noise. We think that the Bears will win, but not by a wide margin.

Recommendation: Bet on the Bucs to beat the spread if the line doesn’t move upward