NFL Week 16 Picks: 5 Teams Sure to Win to Include in Your Parlays

When you make your parlay bets for Week 16 of the NFL season, which teams are locks to win?

Parlay bets are risky because you need every single team in your group to win. Finishing 4-1 during the week is no better than going 0-5.

When it's this late in the season there aren't many locks in the NFL. Some teams are resting their starters for the playoffs, while other teams are auditioning their players and coaches for jobs next season.

Here's five teams you should feel safe including in your parlays this weekend.

Pittsburgh over St. Louis

The Pittsburgh Steelers are fresh off of an embarrassing loss to the 49ers in San Francisco.

In case you didn't hear, Ben Roethlisberger was playing on a gimpy ankle. He even called himself the 49ers' best player after the game on Monday night.

Safety Ryan Clark even said that the transformer blowing out was all part of the 49ers' master plan.

Needless to say, the loss to the 49ers left a sour taste in the Steelers' mouths. And they'll be out for revenge against the poor St. Louis Rams.

First of all, St. Louis will be traveling to Pittsburgh. The Rams also have the worst run defense in the NFL.

With Big Ben hurt and the Steelers always looking to establish the run, it's going to be a long day for the Rams' front seven on defense.

Houston over Indianapolis

The improbable happened last week. The Indianapolis Colts got their first win of the year against the Tennessee Titans and barely avoided an 0-16 season.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, the Colts won't get their second win of the season next week against the Houston Texans.

Houston is still in the hunt for the No. 1 seed in the AFC, so it can't afford any lapses to inferior teams.

The two defenses in this matchup are on opposite sides of the spectrum. The Texans rank second in the NFL in total yardage, but the Colts rank 28th. And we all know who has the better offense, despite having T.J. Yates at quarterback.

To top it off with it being a home game for the Texans, they shouldn't have a problem pulling this one off.

Carolina over Tampa Bay

The Carolina Panthers are a better team than their record indicates. They currently sit at 5-9 and are in third place in the NFC South.

However, they have won three out of their last four games, including an impressive 28-13 win in Houston last week. They have one of the most explosive offenses in the league, led by quarterback Cam Newton. A rushing attack centered around DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, and a Steve Smith lining up out wide, prevents defenses from focusing on one aspect of Carolina's offense.

While the Panthers are on the way up, the Buccaneers are currently on the way down. They have lost eight games in a row dating back to late October. Tampa Bay's offense isn't anything to write home about, but their defense is a huge reason for its struggles this season.

Even though the game will take place in Tampa Bay, expect the Panthers to roll over the Buccaneers this weekend.

Arizona over Cincinnati

The Arizona Cardinals are one of the hottest teams in the NFL that no one is talking about. Most of this hot streak has taken place without starting quarterback Kevin Kolb under center.

They have won four straight games and six out of their last seven. Three of those wins came against the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers.

One reason for their recent success has been their improved defense, specifically with the play of their front seven. With Larry Fitzgerald and Patrick Peterson being a threat to score every time they touch the ball, the Cardinals are a scary team to face all of a sudden.

The Cincinnati Bengals are currently on the outside looking in, so they'll need to win this week in order to keep their playoff hopes alive.

A.J. Green was banged up last week and he's questionable for the game on Saturday. The Bengals will need Green on the field if they want to score off of the new and improved Cardinals defense.

Either way, a hot team in the NFL is a scary team no matter the record. Don't hesitate to pick the Cardinals this week in Cincinnati.

New England over Miami

The New England Tom Bradys have been rolling as of late. They are fresh off of their victory against the Denver Tim Tebows, and will be looking to hold onto the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

Their next opponent? The Miami Dolphins, who all of a sudden have a record of 5-9. They have won five out of their last seven, but don't expect their recent trend of success to continue next week.

They'll have to travel to Foxborough where the Patriots have only lost once this season. Tom Brady is familiar with these type of "must-win" situations, so expect him to have another typical Brady day against the Dolphins' 25th-ranked pass defense.

Rule of thumb: Never bet against Tom Brady when it comes to football.