NFL Week 13 Picks: Predictions for Vegas Odds Before Thursday Night

The Washington Redskins had their hearts broken in NFL Week 11. They played one of their best games of the season and had a two-score lead with under three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. However, the New Orleans Saints came charging back to tie the score and win it in overtime.

The Redskins could not come close to matching that effort against the New York Giants in their most recent game, but they found a way to win. That victory should even out their emotions as they prepare to face the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium Thursday night.

The Cowboys have big troubles of their own. They have been hit hard in their last three games—all losses without star running back Ezekiel Elliott.

It's not simply a matter of the Cowboys missing their star. They do, but the team is playing poorly. Quarterback Dak Prescott has thrown five interceptions in his past two games, his receivers are not making plays for him and the defense has struggled as well.

Dallas has fallen to 5-6 and will have huge problems getting back into a playoff position. Head coach Jason Garrett can't worry about that. He has to get the ship righted and ensure his team plays 60 solid minutes of football.

The Cowboys have to concern themselves with Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins, who has thrown for 3,038 yards with 19 touchdowns and six interceptions. Jamison Crowder is a dangerous receiver who has the speed to punish the secondary, while tight end Vernon Davis knows how get open and make tough catches to keep drives going.

The Redskins are 1.5-point favorites on the road, according to OddsShark. They will play much better than they did against the Giants. The Cowboys are pressing and making mistakes. Take Washington to defeat its archrival and easily cover the short spread.

NFL Week 13 Schedule, Odds

Washington at Dallas (-1.5) | O/U 44.5

Denver (-1.5) at Miami | O/U 39.5

Detroit at Baltimore (-2.5) | O/U 43

Houston at Tennessee (-7) | O/U 43.5

Indianapolis at Jacksonville (-9.5) | O/U 40.5

Kansas City (-3) at N.Y. Jets | O/U 43.5

Minnesota at Atlanta (-3) | O/U 47

New England (-8.5) at Buffalo | O/U 48.5

San Francisco at Chicago (-3) | O/U 39

Tampa Bay (-1.5) at Green Bay  | O/U 44.5

Cleveland at L.A. Chargers (-13.5) | O/U 42.5

Carolina at New Orleans (-4.5) | O/U 48

L.A. Rams (-7) at Arizona | O/U 45.5

N.Y. Giants at Oakland (-9) | O/U 42

Philadelphia (-5.5) at Seattle | O/U 47

Pittsburgh (-5.5) at Cincinnati | O/U 43.5

San Francisco 49ers at Chicago Bears

There is excitement surrounding the San Francisco 49ers for the first time since they were a playoff team under former head coach Jim Harbaugh, who left in 2014.

The Niners are not exciting because they are winning football games. They have shown more fight than they did a year ago, when they went 2-14, but their record is no better at 1-10.

What the 49ers have going for them is a big-time quarterback prospect in Jimmy Garoppolo, who will be making his first start with the team. He was acquired from the New England Patriots at the trade deadline and has a strong reputation.

Garoppolo was drafted in 2014 from Eastern Illinois and played fairly well as a rookie when he got an opportunity to relieve Tom Brady in mop-up time. He didn't play much the following year, but he started the first two games of the 2016 season when Brady was serving his Deflategate suspension. He was impressive before injuries forced him to the sideline.

The 26-year-old appears to have the physical tools to be a solid quarterback, as he has a strong, accurate arm and also the intelligence to read defenses well and attack the soft spot.

If he can do that in this game, he has a chance to get a win in his first start against a Chicago Bears team that has been struggling lately. After a 3-5 start, the Bears have dropped three games in a row, and it seems like head coach John Fox could be in the final stages of his Bears tenure.

Rookie quarterback Mitchell Trubisky is still learning, and while he does a nice job outside the pocket, he is hesitant when passing from the pocket.

The Chicago defense was playing extremely well earlier in the season, but the unit has been hurt badly by injuries.

The Bears are the three-point favorites, but the 49ers will ride the excitement of Garoppolo's first start and come away with a rare victory.

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Kansas City Chiefs at New York Jets

The Kansas City Chiefs are still writing the story of their season, but if it keeps following the same pattern it has in the past six gameweeks, it will end up as a nightmare for Andy Reid's team.

The Chiefs looked like Super Bowl contenders in getting away to a 5-0 start, but they have since dropped five of six games. However, as their competitors in the AFC West have largely struggled, their 6-5 record is good enough to lead the division.

The Kansas City offense has slowed down dramatically, and quarterback Alex Smith has had a tough time completing passes downfield. The Chiefs have big-time playmakers in Tyreek Hill, Kareem Hunt and tight end Travis Kelce, but they can't find a way to make attacking plays on a regular basis.

The Jets are a 4-7 team and are not postseason contenders, but they have played far better than expected this season. Veteran quarterback Josh McCown has completed 67.3 percent of his passes and has a 17-8 TD-interception ratio.

Look for the Jets to play a competitive game at home as three-point underdogs. They should be able to cover the spread and add to the Chiefs' misery by winning the game.

Betting lines according to OddsShark.