Week 13 Thanksgiving and Black Friday NFL Best Bets
Our NFL Best Bets for all of the holiday games this week.
It's time for Thanksgiving football!
Last week our hot streak ended, however, it was much in part due to the fact that we didn't know there was going to be a blizzard in Cleveland when the article was written. This week, we have triple the opportunity to bounce back on Thanksgiving and another opportunity on Black Friday.
Our Thursday will kick off with the Chicago Bears heading on the road to take on the Detroit Lions, followed by the Dallas Cowboys hosting the New York Giants. Our night game this year will be the Miami Dolphins braving the weather and traveling north to face off with the Green Bay Packers.
Then on Friday, the Kansas City Chiefs will be home to beat up on the Las Vegas Raiders in a get-right game.
NFL Best Bets
Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions
Thursday, 12:30 p.m. EST on CBS
The Bears have fallen far from where it looked like they might end up early in the season but have at least been playing better of late after a brutal stretch of games midseason. Unfortunately, the Lions have been the best team in the NFL this season and are just beating down opponents on a weekly basis. It's hard to imagine them blowing this game.
Detroit is superior in all three phases of the game and should dominate. Their offense is streets ahead of what Chicago is putting out there and their defense is superior as well. Even the special teams are better for the home team.
Caleb Williams will do his best to conquer their defense and keep up with Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Amon-Ra St. Brown, but it already feels like a lost cause. The Lions have something to prove and they are going to send a message to the league loud and clear with the whole country watching.
The Picks
Spread: Detroit Lions -9.5 (-108)
Over/Under: Over 48 (-110)
Moneyline: Detroit Lions (-470)
New York Giants @ Dallas Cowboys
Thursday, 430 p.m. EST on FOX
This is a battle of two broken franchises. The once-great Giants have been a shell of their former selves for over a decade now, while the Cowboys haven't been able to get over the hump since their mid-90s glory. You can make a strong case that both teams have hit a low this season as we are forced to watch two bottom-dwelling teams led by Tommy Devito, or Drew Lock, and Cooper Rush face off while we try to enjoy our holiday.
The Cowboys are a bigger disappointment, however, the Giants are worse. Both offenses are putrid, but the Cowboys' defense has gotten some pieces back from injury and has looked a lot better than anything the Giants have put out on the field lately.
The Cowboys also seem to be putting forth more effort and not completely throwing up the white flag. The Cowboys should come out the winners in this game, but the real losers are everyone that is forced to watch this game after their Thanksgiving dinner.
The Picks
Spread: Dallas Cowboys -3.5 (-105)
Over/Under: Under 37.5 (-112)
Moneyline: Dallas Cowboys (-170)
Miami Dolphins @ Green Bay Packers
Thursday, 8:20 p.m. EST on NBC Peacock
In our night game, we will see Miami trying to prove that they have what it takes to take on the elements and win a big game. This is easily the best game of the holidays as the surging Dolphins battle with an equally matched Green Bay squad coming off a blowout victory over the 49ers. This should be a fun game with plenty of points as long as the weather isn't a disaster.
On paper, Miami is definitely better on offense and probably better on defense as well. There isn't much that the Packers do better. However, the Dolphins have been haunted by cold weather for decades and now have to travel to frigid Wisconsin on a short week. That may not bode well for them. This is the type of game that will enforce or change narratives.
The Picks
Spread: Miami Dolphins +3 (-102)
Over/Under: Over 48 (-108)
Moneyline: Green Bay Packers (-175)
Las Vegas Raiders @ Kansas City Chiefs
Friday, 3:00 p.m EST on Amazon Prime Video
On Black Friday, we get what should be a mid-day laugher. However, just about every team has played the Chiefs tight this year. They just barely squeaked by the lowly Carolina Panthers in Week 12.
With that said, the Aidan O'Connell-led Raiders are the worst team in the NFL and we expect Patrick Mahomes as well as a strong Chiefs' defense to dismantle them in this one as their late-season Super Bowl push begins.
The Picks
Spread: Kansas City Chiefs -13 (-108)
Over/Under: Over 42.5 (-110)
Moneyline: Kansas City Chiefs (-700)
