Media by Associated Press – Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) looks downfield during an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Monday, Nov. 28, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Zach Bolinger)
Week 13 of the NFL season is upon us. This week’s games include the return from suspension of Deshaun Watson and a handful of desperate teams who need to get wins to stay in the playoff race. Let’s take a look at a three-team NFL Parlay for this weekend.
Pittsburgh +1
With T.J. Watt back, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense goes to another dimension. With him back in the lineup, they have seven sacks and six turnovers forced in the last three games. They allowed just 10 points to the Saints and 17 to the Colts in their last two wins, and Atlanta’s offense is comparable to both of those teams.
Atlanta hasn’t scored more than 17 points in three of their last four games. The only time they did was against the Bears, who rank near the bottom of the league in defense. Quarterback Marcus Mariota has gone over 190 yards just once in the last seven games, and he had a crucial interception in the red zone last week against Washington.
Atlanta’s defense ranks 28th in the NFL in yards allowed and 28th in points allowed per drive. They do have a knack of finding the ball on defense, ranking seventh in takeaways, but they allow 256 passing yards and 128 rushing yards per game.
The Steelers have been better rushing the ball the last couple of weeks. They ran for 172 yards and two scores against the Colts, with Benny Snell as the leading rusher. Najee Harris had 90 yards, and two scores against the Bengals and 99 yards against the Saints as the team ran for 217.
The Steelers got a good road win on Monday against the Colts. Now they go after a second one with their defense leading the way. Look for the Steelers to steal a win in Atlanta.
Cleveland -7
All eyes are on Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson who not only returns from suspension to make his Browns debut but does it back in Houston. He comes back with his team at 4-7, three games out of the AFC playoff picture.
The Texans are awful. They haven’t scored more than 20 points since October 2, and they have allowed 24 or more points in four straight games. Houston ranks last in the league against the run, allowing 169 yards and 1.5 touchdowns per game on the ground. That’s not a good stat against the Browns, who average 155 rush yards per game, and now add in a QB who can run as well.
Watson hasn’t played since January 3, 2021, and his last win as a starting QB was on Thanksgiving Day, 2020. No one is too sure what to expect from him on Sunday, and the fan reaction in Houston is likely to be intense. But Cleveland can focus on running the ball and racking up points as they cover the -7 against a 1-win Houston team.
New York Jets +3
Mike White sure made a difference for the Jets, replacing Zach Wilson and tossing three touchdown passes with 315 yards against the Bears last week. The Minnesota defense is better than the Bears, but not by much. The Vikings have allowed 96 points in the last three weeks to Buffalo, Dallas, and New England.
The Vikings’ entire offense revolves around Justin Jefferson, who has 81 catches for 1,232 yards and five touchdowns on the season. He has at least 115 yards in three of the last four games and hauled in nine catches on 11 targets on Thanksgiving against the Patriots.
The Jets will attack him with Rookie of the Year favorite Sauce Gardner, who has already more than held his own against Tyreek Hill, Stefon Diggs, and Ja’Marr Chase this season with only one score allowed all year.
The Jets can help Gardner and their secondary by getting pressure on Kirk Cousins and slowing down Dalvin Cook. The Vikings rank 32nd against the pass, and White should have some chances to find his wideouts and tight ends, as long as his line keeps him upright against Za’Darius Smith and Danielle Hunter.
This game should be a shootout. The Jets are 4-1 on the road this season and have the better kicker, so look for the road team cover on Sunday.
Parlay Preview
- Pittsburgh Steelers +1 (-110)
- Cleveland Browns -7 (-110)
- New York Jets +3 (-115)
Total: +581
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