Betting tips and top picks for Week 13 in the NFL

Week 12 of the NFL season was a wild one. A number of favorites either lost or failed to cover the spread. And one team (Denver) was forced to use a wide receiver as its starting quarterback! 

Will Week 13 bring more of the same? It is possible, but there are a few wagers that bettors should consider.

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Jaguars @ Vikings (-9.5)

The Vikings have won four of their last five games. RB Dalvin Cook is second in the NFL in rushing (1,130 yards) and rookie WR Justin Jefferson (918 receiving yards, 6 TDs) is an emerging star.

Minnesota's opponent on Sunday, Jacksonville, is just a bad football team. The Jags are 1-10 and haven't tasted a victory since their season opener. The Jags will start Mike Glennon at quarterback for the second straight week. It won't make a difference.

Mike Zimmer-coached Vikings teams perform very well against the spread. The Vikings are 66-40-1 ATS under Zimmer and an even better 34-19-1 ATS when playing at home

With a philosophy of running the football, playing good defense, and limiting mistakes; Zimmer's teams have been profitable in this situation - as a favorite against a non-division opponent at home. In such games, Minnesota is 19-7-1 ATS.

We went 2-1 on our NFL Week 12 best bets . . . go check them out!

Raiders (-7.5) @ Jets

Yes, the Raiders have lost two straight. Yes, they got thrashed last week by what was considered a weaker opponent (Atlanta). Still, bettors should not be biased as the Raiders travel to New York to face what is the absolute worst team in the NFL - the Jets.

The Raiders had won three games in a row prior to this two-game skid. They had scored 30-plus points in three straight games and were a late-Patrick Mahomes touchdown drive away from beating Kansas City for the second time this season.

The Jets? They have lost every single game they have played this season - 0-11. The Jets have lost those games by an average of 15.5 points. New York is last in the league in scoring averaging less than two touchdowns per game (13.8 ppg). The Jets are dead last in a number of offensive categories and getting starting quarterback Sam Darnold back in the lineup didn’t make one bit of difference.

New York has lost seven of its 11 games by double digits. Two more losses have come by eight and nine points. Las Vegas will bounce back from its two-game losing streak in a big way.

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Saints @ Falcons (+3)

Atlanta lost to New Orleans in Week 11, a game in which the Falcons led 9-3 early, but then failed to score again. The two NFC South Division rivals meet again in Week 13, with the Saints a 3-point favorite at online sportsbooks.

This time, Drew Brees will not be at quarterback for the Saints. Taysom Hill, who has guided the team to two straight wins in Brees’ absence, will start again in hopes of adding to the Saints current eight-game winning streak.

Atlanta is coming off a rather impressive 43-6 win over the Raiders last week and the Falcons have won four of their last six games. The Atlanta defense, a liability in the team's first four games of the season, forced five turnovers last week.

Without Brees, this game is headed toward being a defensive battle. While a play on the Under might be a good bet, the best bet is on the Falcons to cover. Atlanta is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 games as an underdog.