NFL Odds Week 12: Top Longshots to Bet Against the Spread
Week 11 featured a fair amount of twists, turns and surprises. It started with a costly Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals matchup that produced Joe Burrow's season-ending wrist injury and a potentially season-ending leg injury for tight end Mark Andrews. It finished with a thrilling Super Bowl LVII rematch between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.
There's plenty to process in the wake of Week 11, but Week 12 is already on the proverbial doorstep. The Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers will kick off a trio of Thanksgiving games on Thursday afternoon, and all 32 teams will be in action during the four-day slate.
This year brings the NFL's first Black Friday game.
The upcoming schedule is likely to bring more surprises, and probably, an upset or two. Here, we'll examine some of the Week 12 underdogs we like, based on the early-week lines.
Check the latest lines at DraftKings.
Texans +1.5 Versus Jaguars
1 of 3
The Houston Texans are home dogs against the rival Jacksonville Jaguars, but it's fair to wonder if they should be.
The Jaguars are coming off a big 34-14 win over the Tennessee Titans, and the Texans are still battling numerous injuries. However, Houston won the first meeting 37-17 and did it in Jacksonville.
The Texans have two things going for them—the sound coaching of DeMeco Ryans and the solid play of rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud. Ryans and Stroud are the early front-runners for Coach of the Year and Offensive Rookie of the Year, respectively.
Expect Ryans to have a game plan for Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars offense, while Stroud should take full advantage of Jacksonville's 29th-ranked pass defense. Houston may not have a lot of big names at receiver, but players like Tank Dell and Dalton Schultz are dependable.
As long as Stroud can avoid multiple turnovers—he had to overcome three interceptions against the Arizona Cardinals last week—the Texans have a real shot at sweeping the Jaguars.
Giants +3.5 Versus Patriots
2 of 3
Like the Texans, the New York Giants are home dogs in Week 12. However, they're facing a wildly inconsistent New England Patriots team instead of a well-known division rival.
The 2-8 Patriots aren't a playoff-caliber team, and their offensive struggles have been a constant theme this season. New England has lost top receiver Kendrick Bourne for the season, and coming out of the bye, it has been quiet about whether quarterback Mac Jones will continue to start.
"The other day at practice Mac took the first team reps. Bailey [Zappe] rotated in there, Will Grier rotated in there," offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien said, per Mike Kadlick of WEEI.
It's hard to see a quarterback change truly sparking New England's offense, given the lackluster supporting cast. While the Giants haven't been great defensively, they showed in Week 11 that they're willing to keep fighting for victories.
The Giants beat the rival Washington Commanders 31-19, and they might have found something in quarterback Tommy DeVito along the way. He finished 18-of-26 for 246 yards and three touchdowns. It might seem odd, but right now, it might be easier to trust DeVito than anyone the Patriots put under center.
Raiders +9 Versus Chiefs
3 of 3
After watching the Chiefs consistently drop passes and eventually drop the game against Philadelphia, this line feels entirely too large to trust Kansas City.
The Las Vegas Raiders might not be a great football team, but they're playing a respectable brand of ball under interim coach Antonio Pierce. They've figured out how to build a functional offense around Aidan O'Connell, and the defense has become a solid unit.
Last week, Las Vegas held the Miami Dolphins to just 20 points and might have pulled the outright upset if not for O'Connell's three interceptions.
O'Connell will have to limit his miscues this week, which is easier in theory than in practice against a wonderful Chiefs defense. If he can, however, the Raiders should keep it within one score, as they did against Miami in Week 11.
The Raiders will have home-field advantage, and while the Chiefs still have Patrick Mahomes, their lack of dependable pass-catchers looms large. Kansas City is the better team and should win, but it's hard to envision the Chiefs really running away from anyone at this point in the season.
Gambling problem? Call (877-8-HOPENY) or text HOPENY (467369).
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visiting ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), visiting OPGR.org (OR), or calling/texting TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) or 1-888-532-3500 (VA).
Odds and lines subject to change. 21+ (18+ NH/WY). AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
