The best underdogs to bet in Week 12

There was no shortage of offense across the NFL in Week 11 with 10 teams scoring at least 27 points. The Cowboys and Lions both reached that threshold in their matchup despite the Lions playing without Matthew Stafford (back). Jeff Driskel recorded two touchdown passes in his place and also provided a rushing score. However, it wasn’t enough to defeat the Cowboys with Dak Prescott throwing for 444 yards and three touchdowns.

Another team that had no problems on offense was the Ravens, who hung 41 points on the Texans. Lamar Jackson continued to make his case to be the league’s MVP by throwing four more touchdown passes. The Ravens’ defense was also on top of their game, holding the Texans to only seven points. Deshaun Watson couldn’t get anything going, throwing for just 169 yards and a touchdown.

In one of the lower-scoring games of the week, the Browns defeated the Steelers on Thursday Night Football by a score of 21-7. Baker Mayfield led the charge for the Browns, throwing for two touchdowns and running in another. Meanwhile, Mason Rudolph was picked off four times and the Steelers only gained 58 yards on 16 rushing attempts.

As we turn our attention to Week 12, there are a few noteworthy matchups that could be a lot of fun, including the 49ers hosting the Packers and the Cowboys visiting the Patriots. In terms of underdogs to consider placing a wager on, here are three that warrant some consideration.

Seahawks (+1) at Eagles (O/U 48)

The Eagles couldn’t get much rolling on offense last week against the Patriots. They did carry a 10-9 lead into the half, but they didn’t put another point on the board. Carson Wentz really struggled, completing 20 of 40 passes for 214 yards and one touchdown. Meanwhile, the Patriots used a trick play to get a 15-yard touchdown pass from Julian Edelman to Phillip Dorsett in the fourth quarter. That was their only score of the second half, but it was enough to give them a 17-10 win.

The Seahawks might have caught a significant break with their bye coming last week. Their star wide receiver Tyler Lockett suffered a leg injury against the 49ers in Week 10, but the news is looking good for him to be able to play in this contest. His absence would be huge considering he has 62 catches for 793 yards and six touchdowns. A noteworthy stat to consider is that the Seahawks have won seven of their last eight games following their bye. They are playing much better than the Eagles right now, as it is, so I like them to emerge victorious here.

Giants (+6) at Bears (O/U 40)

Another team coming off of their bye is the Giants, although their injury outlook isn’t as rosy. They are still expected to be without tight end Evan Engram (foot), who hasn’t played since Week 9. They could be especially thin at the position with Rhett Ellison (concussion) also unlikely to play. If there is something to be excited about, it’s that Sterling Shepard (concussion) might be in line to make his return against the Bears.

The sad state of affairs that is the Bears’ offense continued last week when they scored just seven points against the Rams. Mitchell Trubisky attempted a whopping 43 passes, but only completed 24 of them for 190 yards, one touchdown and one interception. They couldn’t get anything going on the ground, either, turning 24 carries into 74 yards. If there was something to be happy about, it’s that their defense held the Rams to 17 points.

The Bears’ defense gives me some pause with taking the points here, especially with how turnover prone Daniel Jones has been for the Giants. However, the Bears have scored 20 points or fewer in four straight games. Jones can still be dangerous and the Giants do have the luxury of having had added time to prepare for this matchup. I don’t think they’ll win, but I think they will keep this close enough so that the Bears won’t cover.

Jets (+3) vs. Raiders (O/U 46.5)

The Jets haven’t had a lot of reasons to smile this season with their 3-7 record. However, they took advantage of a favorable matchup against the Redskins last week to get a decisive 34-17 win. The game wasn’t even really that close when you consider that the Jets had a 34-3 lead at one point in the fourth quarter. Sam Darnold was stellar with four touchdown passes and 293 passing yards. Tight end Ryan Griffin also played well, catching five passes for 109 yards and a score.

In one of the more unanticipated games of Week 11, the Raiders won their third straight by beating the Bengals, 17-10. Ryan Finley struggled mightily for the Bengals, completing 13 of 31 passes for 115 yards and an interception. Meanwhile, Josh Jacobs helped the Raiders control the game on the ground, rushing 23 times for 112 yards.

While the Raiders have won three in a row, they didn’t exactly face any juggernauts in the Bengals, Chargers and Lions. On top of that, all three of those games were at home. They have played only four road games this season, losing three of them. With the Jets finally starting to show some signs of life, it’s not crazy to think that they could win this one at home.