Yahoo Sports NFL Betting Week 13: Why are the Giants underdogs?
Yahoo fantasy football analyst Scott Pianowski reveals his weekly NFL betting ticket in his Throwing Darts column. Check out where he's putting his jelly beans for Week 13. All lines courtesy of our friends at BetMGM.
It's not the buzziest thing in the world, a 3-2 week, but no one ever went broke making money. Nonetheless, we keep our heads down, we keep grinding. This game humbles everyone sooner or later. Here's my Week 13 card. Record-keeping and full-season pick logs are available at the bottom.
Giants +2.5 vs. Commanders
I see two similar teams, good coaching and misleading win-loss records that don't match the secondary metrics. In short, they've been lucky. But given how down both franchises have been lately, they should feel great about the season. I'd favor the Giants in this spot, if slightly. Happy to grab the points. And while the Washington skill talent is better, New York probably has a better quarterback.
Broncos/Ravens Under 39.5
It almost feels like a bit at this point: Take the Under in the Denver game until the Broncos show the ability to actually score. And the Ravens have a scoring problem, too. Lamar Jackson had 12 combined touchdowns in his first three games; he has eight since.
Texans +7 vs. Browns
Sometimes it's about holding your nose and taking the ugly side. Yes, the Texans are the worst team in football, no debate needed. But Deshaun Watson hasn't played a game in almost two years. He has a wide range of outcomes. And given how messy the Watson-Texans divorce is, I think the Texans at least will be up for this game. Cleveland is also down David Njoku, a big hit for the passing game.
Colts +10.5 at Cowboys
Dallas backers suffered a horrible beat on Thanksgiving, a good ticket gone bad by a funky endgame. But it's interesting that the Cowboys have been a losing Thanksgiving Day bet for years. Maybe some of that carries over to this island game, too — although Dallas is still one of the three primary contenders in the NFC, and one helluva fun fantasy team, I don't trust them to spot double-digits against a non-patsy opponent.
This is a punching-bag line, but the Colts — however they might stumble at times — are not a punching bag.
Saints +3.5 vs. Buccaneers
Watching the Saints offense makes my eyes bleed, and backing them in this column makes my stomach queasy. But the Saints have consistently been Tom Brady's kryptonite since he landed in Tampa Bay.
Last Week: 3-2
Season: 37-20-3
Pianow's historical Throwing Darts record (only two losing seasons in 13 years) and 2022 weekly results are listed here.
