Week 13 NFL Picks: Spread Advice, Best Odds and Full Game Predictions

The Green Bay Packers are used to competing in the playoffs, but they have a long way to go if they are going to earn a spot in the postseason this year.

The Packers are two games behind the Detroit Lions in the NFC North heading into Week 13 with just five games left in the season, and they are going to have to raise their level of play if they are going to make the playoffs for an eighth consecutive season.

The big issue for the Packers has been a soft and generous defense. The Packers gave up 89 points in back-to-back games in Weeks 10 and 11, and that came on the heels of allowing 64 points in Weeks 8 and 9.

There were some signs of life in Week 12 as Green Bay figured a few things out in a 27-13 Monday night road win at Philadelphia. The offense held onto the football (35:23-24:37 time of possession advantage) and kept the defense off the field.

Matchup	Spread	O/U	ATS and O/U Pick
Dallas at Minnesota (TNF)	DAL -3	44	DAL/U
Miami at Baltimore	BAL -3	40.5	MIA/O
San Francisco at Chicago	CHI -1	43.5	SF/O
Houston at Green Bay	GB -6.5	45	GB/O
Kansas City at Atlanta	ATL -3.5	49	KC/U
L.A. Rams at New England	NE -13.5	44.5	NE/O
Detroit at New Orleans	NO -5.5	53.5	DET/O
Philadelphia at Cincinnati	PHI -1	41.5	PHI/U
Denver at Jacksonville	DEN -4	40.5	DEN/O
Buffalo at Oakland	OAK -3	48	BUF/U
Tampa Bay at San Diego	SD -3.5	47.5	TB/O
Washington at Arizona	ARI -2.5	49.5	WAS/O
N.Y. Giants at Pittsburgh	PIT -6	48	PIT/U
Carolina at Seattle	SEA -6.5	44.5	SEA/U
Indianapolis at N.Y. Jets (MNF)	IND -2	49	IND/U

There's no doubt that head coach Mike McCarthy would like to see Aaron Rodgers, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Davante Adams follow that same scenario this week when the Packers host the Houston Texans.

The Packers may find an opponent who is willing to cooperate with that scenario.

The Texans are coming off back-to-back losses to the Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers, and this team often has issues playing well in road games against challenging opponents.

The combination of head coach Bill O'Brien and quarterback Brock Osweiler is not working out well, even though the Texans have a 6-5 record and are in first place in the division. They have dropped four of their five road games, and their only road win came against a disappointing Jacksonville Jaguars team.

The Packers are 6.5-point favorites in this game, according to Odds Shark. 

While the Packers have flaws, Rodgers and his receivers should round into form and put pressure on the Texans throughout the game. Osweiler will have a difficult time getting the ball to wideout DeAndre Hopkins, who has caught just 55 passes for 610 yards and three touchdowns.

The Packers will use the same formula they used against Philadelphia and pull away from the Texans in the second half. Green Bay will get the win and cover the spread. 

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Los Angeles at New England

Can the Los Angeles Rams pick up the pieces after giving up 49 points to the New Orleans Saints in Week 12?

They might have a better chance if they weren't flying across the country and playing the New England Patriots.

The Rams have fallen and are having a hard time getting up. They have dropped six of their last seven games after winning three of their first four. Drew Brees eviscerated the Los Angeles defense (310 passing yards and four touchdowns), and that's supposed to be the strength of the team.

Rookie quarterback Jared Goff will get his third start against a defense that dictates the pace and provides pressure on a consistent basis.

This game has blowout written all over it, and the oddsmakers agree. The Patriots have been installed as 13.5-point favorites.

The Patriots have four tough games to close the season against AFC opponents, so it would be in their best interests to go into the final quarter of the season with an easy win.

The running game has been a huge bonus for the Patriots this season, as they rank seventh in rushing yards this season. LeGarrette Blount has gained 869 yards and scored 12 touchdowns, and he takes quite a bit of pressure off Tom Brady.

The running game is one of the reasons Brady is completing 68.4 percent of his passes and has 18 touchdowns to just one interception. He may not have Rob Gronkowski for this game since the superstar tight end did not practice Wednesday, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, so the powerful ground game is a big bonus.

Additionally, Julian Edelman, Martellus Bennett, Chris Hogan and Malcolm Mitchell are all capable of making plays in the passing game.

The Rams have scored 10 points or fewer in four of their last five games and don't have the weapons to cause problems for defensive coordinator Matt Patricia's defense.

The Pats roll to an easy victory and get the cover.

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Tampa Bay at San Diego

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers might be one of the most dangerous teams in the NFL.

That was not the case three weeks ago when they were bumping along with a 3-5 record. However, since that time they have beaten the Chicago Bears (ho-hum), the Kansas City Chiefs (at Arrowhead) and the Seattle Seahawks in consecutive games.

Any time a team can get the best of the Chiefs and Seahawks in back-to-back contests, it deserves some credit.

The Bucs are playing with confidence and would like to keep their winning streak intact so they have a chance to run down the Atlanta Falcons (7-4) in the NFC South.

Much of the credit has to go to second-year quarterback Jameis Winston, who has overcome a dull start and is playing winning football. He has 22 touchdowns to 11 interceptions and has developed a great rapport with wideout Mike Evans.

The 6'5", 231-pound receiver has caught 73 passes for 1,020 yards and 10 touchdowns, and he is using his size and strength to make key plays against smaller defensive backs.

The Chargers are playing solid football and have won four of their last six games. If they had been able to hold onto fourth-quarter leads earlier in the year, they might be in playoff contention.

The Chargers are 3.5-point home favorites, and we are going to take the points and go with the improving Bucs. They may well win this game, and even if they don't, the difference will be no more than three points.