Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers will be looking to snap out of the funk they’ve been in the last two weeks when they host Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
Ezekiel Elliott and the Dallas Cowboys will look to extend their winning ways and improve their playoff hopes when they host a Washington redskins team that will be without starting quarterback Alex Smith for the remainder of the season.
Last but not least, Carson Wentz and the struggling Philadelphia Eagles will look to take care of business when Eli Manning and the New York Giants visit the City of Brotherly Love for one of their annual NFC East divisional matchups.
If you’re an NFL betting enthusiast that is looking for underdog value this coming weekend, then let’s get to my Week trio of expert picks on three underdogs that are all offering a bunch of betting value in their respective Week 12 matchups.
Seattle Seahawks at Carolina Panthers
Game Information
What: Seattle Seahawks (5-5) at Carolina Panthers (6-4)
When: Sunday, November 25, 2018, 1:00 PM ET
Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
TV: FOX, DTV: 710
Weather Forecast
Chance Light Rain Showers: 13°C | 55°F
Humidity: 80%
Wind: SW
Stadium Type: Open Air
Seattle got past Green Bay 27-24 on Thursday night to snap a modest two-game skid and keep their playoff hopes alive. Russell Wilson passed for 225 yards and two touchdowns while running back Chris Carson added 83 rushing yards and one score on 17 carries. The Seahawks limited the Packers to just three points after the break to get the huge win.
Carolina ended up on the wrong end of a crushing 20-19 road loss against Detroit on Sunday while failing to cover the spread as a 3.5-point road favorite. Cam Newton passed for 357 yards and three touchdowns but tossed an incomplete pass on a 2-point conversion with 1:07 remaining in regulation in dropping their second straight game. Wide receiver D.J. Moore hauled in seven passes for 157 yards and one score in the loss.
Prediction
Maybe it’s me, but I just don’t trust Carolina very much, especially after watching them get embarrassed by Pittsburgh 52-21 and then watching them come up small when it mattered most against the Lions. Conversely, I like the way Seattle is playing in winning three of their last five games while looking a lot more like the power rushing, shut-down defense that were just a couple of seasons ago.
While the Panthers have a really slight, 1.4-point edge in scoring, Seattle has the bigger edge defensively and ranks eighth in points allowed (21.6 ppg). I know the Panthers are a robust 8-2 ATS in their last 10 home games and encouraging 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games in November, but Seattle is 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 games against their NFC counterparts, 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall and 7-3-2 ATS in their last 12 road games. I like Russell Wilson and the Seahawks for the big road upset in this huge Week 12 NFC clash.
Predicted Score: Seattle Seahawks 27 | Carolina Panthers 24
Thanksgiving Day Game: Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys
Game Information
What: Thanksgiving Day Game: Washington Redskins (6-4) at Dallas Cowboys (5-5)
When: Thursday, November 22, 2018, 4:30 PM ET
Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
TV: FOX
Weather Forecast
Mostly Sunny: 13°C | 55°F
Humidity: 64%
Wind: 6 MPH SE
Stadium Type: Retractable Roof
Washington ended up on the wrong end of a heartbreaking 23-21 loss against Houston on Sunday despite narrowly covering the chalk as a 3-point home dog. More importantly, the Redskins lost veteran quarterback Alex Smith for the remainder of the season to a gruesome broken leg. Smith tossed two interceptions including one that was returned 101 yards by Houston’s Justin Reid for a pick-six. Veteran backup Colt McCoy relieved Smith and completed 6 of 12 passes for 64 yards and a touchdown while running back Adrian Peterson rushed for 51 yards and two scores on 16 carries.
Dallas looked solid in recording their second straight win by taking down Atlanta 22-19 on Sunday to cover the spread as a 3.5-point road dog. The Cowboys were lifted to victory on Brett Maher’s game-winning 42-yard field goal on the game’s final play after blowing a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter. Star running back Ezekiel Elliott had his second straight big game with 122 rushing yards and one score on 23 carries while catching seven passes for 79 more yards.
Prediction
For this intriguing Week 12 NFC East divisional battle, I’m going to encourage you to back Washington to cover the spread as a slightly more than touchdown road dog. Just 1.4 points per game separates these two very evenly matched teams on both sides of the ball. Washington has gone a near-perfect 5-1 ATS in their last six games, while the road team in this NFC East rivalry has gone 7-2 ATS in their last 9 meetings. With the Redskins going a consistent 9-2 ATS in their last 11 road dates against Dallas, I say Washington covers the spread again as Colt McCoy plays just well enough to keep Washington in this contest. I like Dallas for the outright win because they are playing at home, but I’m going with Washington to cover the chalk with room to spare!
Predicted Score: Dallas Cowboys 24 | Washington Redskins 21
New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles
Game Information
What: New York Giants (3-7) at Philadelphia Eagles (4-6)
When: Sunday, November 25, 2018, 1:00 PM ET
Where: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
TV: FOX, DTV: 711
Weather Forecast
Chance Light Rain: 13°C | 55°F
Humidity: 80%
Wind: NE
Stadium Type: Open Air
The Giants have won two straight games and looked fantastic (at least on offense) in their 38-35 win over Tampa Bay this past weekend. Eli Manning passed for 231 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions while rookie running back Saquon Barkley rushed 27 times for 142 yards and two scores while adding two catches for 10 yards and another touchdown. Star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. had four catches for 74 yards and one score and New York’s defense picked off Ryan Fitzpatrick three times to get him benched.
Philadelphia has lost two straight and three of their last four games overall including their completely embarrassing 48-7 beatdown loss against Drew Brees and the incendiary New Orleans Saints on Sunday. Carson Wentz had his worst game of the season in completing just 19 of 33 passes for 156 yards with no touchdowns and three costly interceptions. Conversely, the Birds gave up 363 passing yards and four touchdowns to Saints superstar signal-caller Drew Brees in the numbing defeat.
Prediction
I know Philadelphia has won four straight in this longtime NFC East rivalry and eight of the last 10 meetings overall, but right now, there’s nothing about the defending Super Bowl champs that anyone can count on. While Philadelphia’s defense was solid until last week’s debacle against New Orleans, Philly’s offense has been held to 23 points or less in all six of their losses this season.
More importantly, New York has looked pretty good the last two weeks and they’ve got an unadulterated star in game-changing rookie running back Saquon Barkley that can both, take pressure off their passing attack and chew up time against their opponents. New York is 4-0 ATS in their last four road games. Philadelphia is 0-4 ATS in their last four home games. I’m thinking New York covers the spread and so should you!
Predicted Score: Philadelphia Eagles 27 | New York Giants 24
