NFL Week 16 Betting Preview

With two weeks to go to the end of the regular season and the start of the month long play-offs the issues surrounding which teams will make it to post-season are gradually becoming resolved.

Firstly in the NFC the Chicago Bears have secured home field advantage for as long as they are in the play offs and the Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints and the Seattle Seahawks are in the play offs too. Teams like the Eagles, Giants and the Falcons are battling for wild card places, although the Eagles still have a chance to win their division

In the AFC the Colts, Chargers, Patriots and Ravens are virtually home and hosed to win their divisions but a whole gaggle of teams are vying for the two wild card spots. These include the Broncos, Chiefs, Bengals , Jets and the in form Titans.

In Week 16 the game between Denver and Cincinnati will go along way to resolving the wild card issues in the AFC, in a game that is too close to call. In the NFC, on Christmas day, the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles meet in a game that should decide the NFC East winner. The Cowboys are a game ahead but the Eagles win the tie breaker and go to the top of the division if they win the game. Dallas are favourites for the game, but inconsistent and no value at a best priced 1/3 to win this match up. Betting wise, this week three teams with all to play for, both in reaching the play-offs and in securing as high a seeding as possible, visit teams with worse records yet are priced at odds against to win. All are attractive propositions.

Firstly the Baltimore Ravens visit the Pittsburgh Steelers in what is likely to be a low scoring, defense dominated game but two teams that run hard but lack offensive flair. This is an even money game, in part because the Steelers have shown signs of improvement, in recent weeks so it is interesting to see the Ravens priced at 1.7/1 to triumph. With the number two defense in the league this is too high a price.

Secondly the New Orleans Saints visit the Meadowlands home of the New York Giants. The Saints will always give backers 100% and have offensive weapons everywhere. The Giants are injury hit, with dissension in the team and they choked last weekend against the Eagles. At 11/8 the Saints are good value, needing to win to tie up the NFC Number two seed for the play offs…a loss would potentially let Dallas in.

Finally the increasingly impressive New York Jets travel to Miami to take on the Dolphins. The Jets need to win to get that wild card place, the Dolphins are out of it. I like the Jets a lot in this, and could be a real contender next year. 6/5 is the price on offer.

Selections:

Baltimore Ravens to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers at 17/10 (Pinnacle)
New Orleans Saints to beat the New York Giants at 11/8 (Pinnacle)
New York Jets to beat the Miami Dolphins at 6/5 (BetDirect.)

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