NFL Week 16: Packers-Vikings in Big MNF Matchup
There’s never a dull moment in the NFL – not in December at least. As usual, we won’t know the identity of all 12 NFL playoff teams by the time Week 16 wraps up, as there will still be something to play for in Week 17. But with eight of the 12 teams already packing their bags, the spotlight on this week’s NFL lines will be on the games that will help decide the remaining four. Here’s what’s on tap at Bovada Sportsbook as we go to press:
2019 NFL Week 16 Best Odds and Matchups
1. Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings (Monday, 8:15 PM ET, ESPN)
The stakes couldn’t be much higher for the Vikings (10-4 SU, 8-6 ATS). Depending on what happens over the weekend, a win or even a tie here as 4.5-point home favorites on Monday Night Football could be enough for Minnesota to clinch a playoff berth. However, Minnesota definitely needs to beat the Packers (11-3 SU, 9-5 ATS) if they want to prevent Green Bay from clinching the NFC North.
2. Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles (Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)
It’s hard to believe either of these teams will make the playoffs, but someone has to win the NFC East, and the Cowboys (7-7 SU, 8-6 ATS) are still in first place – for the moment. The NFL betting odds are in their favor, pegging the Eagles (7-7 SU, 5-9 ATS) as 3-point home dogs; Dallas will clinch the division with a win on what’s expected to be a cold, but snow-free day at the Linc.
3. Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots (Saturday, 4:30 PM ET, NFL)
Both of these teams have already punched their tickets for the postseason, but the Patriots (11-3 SU, 8-6 ATS) need a win as 6.5-point home favorites to lock down the AFC East. The Bills (10-4 SU, 9-4-1 ATS) have to beat New England, and hope things go well in Week 17, in order to break New England’s streak of 10 straight division titles.
4. Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers (Saturday, 8:15 PM ET, NFL)
The finale of Saturday’s triple-header on the NFL Network will have a considerable impact on Monday night’s game. If the Rams (8-6 SU, 9-5 ATS) don’t pull off the upset as 6.5-point road dogs on the NFL betting board, that’s it – they’re out of the playoffs after reaching the Super Bowl last year. The Niners (11-3 SU, 8-5-1 ATS) are already in, and they’re looking ahead to Week 17 versus the Seattle Seahawks for their opportunity to win the NFC West – but a loss to the Rams could damage their playoff seeding.
5. New Orleans Saints at Tennessee Titans (Sunday, 1 PM ET, FOX)
Seeding is all there is at stake for New Orleans (11-3 SU, 9-5 ATS), who have already won the NFC South. The Titans (8-6 SU, 7-6-1 ATS) can’t clinch anything here as 3-point home dogs, but if they lose, the only way they’ll make the playoffs is with a Wild Card.
6. Houston Texans at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Saturday, 1 PM ET, NFL)
That’s because the Texans (9-5 SU, 7-7 ATS) will win the NFC South if the Titans lose on Sunday – or if both Houston and Tennessee tie. Too bad you can’t bet on the tie when you bet on the NFL. The Texans are only 3-point road favorites against the Buccaneers (7-7 SU, 5-8-1 ATS), so it could happen, even if the Bucs have already been eliminated.
7. Pittsburgh Steelers at New York Jets (Sunday, 1 PM ET, FOX)
Likewise, this isn’t a clinching scenario for the Steelers (8-6 SU, 9-5 ATS), but their Wild Card chances will improve with a win over the Jets (5-9 SU and ATS) as 3-point road favorites.
8. Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns (Sunday, 1 PM ET, CBS)
All the Ravens (12-2 SU, 8-6 ATS) need to clinch home-field advantage through the AFC playoffs is a win over the Browns (6-8 SU, 5-8-1 ATS), who are still mathematically alive in the Wild Card hunt – although they’re also the biggest underdogs on the Week 16 NFL odds board at +10.5.
9. Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks (Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)
They’ve overtaken San Francisco for the NFC West lead, but again, the Seahawks (11-3 SU, 7-6-1 ATS) have to wait until Week 17 to win the division. They have the second-shortest odds on NFL Sunday at –9.5 against the plucky Cardinals (4-9-1 SU, 8-5-1 ATS).
10. Oakland Raiders at Los Angeles Chargers (Sunday, 4:05 PM ET, CBS)
It’s win-or-go-home for the Raiders (6-8 SU and ATS), except their home will be Las Vegas next year. They’re 7-point road dogs versus the Chargers (5-9 SU, 4-8-2 ATS) for their last game in Carson before joining the Rams at SoFi Stadium in 2020.