One lingering question connected to last season is: “How would the NFC Championship (and therefore the Super Bowl) have unfolded had Brock Purdy not been injured in the opening quarter?”
The Philadelphia Eagles got the better of the San Francisco 49ers in that game and these well-rounded teams are once again at the top of the NFC as they head into their anticipated Week 13 rematch of a January playoff contest that was tainted by Purdy sustaining an elbow injury that ended his night and season early.
If you were able to withstand the absolute ref show that was Thursday night’s lone contest – Seattle was flagged 10 times for 130 yards and Dallas nine times for 127 yards – you would’ve noticed Dak Prescott’s Cowboys are playing some solid ball and the 9-3 team is still a threat to the Eagles in the NFC East and a threat to win the NFC’s No. 1 seed and earn a first-round bye in the playoffs.
The Eagles will maintain the top spot in the standings, win or lose, but a loss would bring the Cowboys within one game heading into a Week 14 divisional showdown. In addition to impacting the standings, how this Eagles-49ers matchup unfolds could also better inform football fans as to what to expect if these teams end up meeting again in the post-season.
The second-tier NFC contender Detroit Lions are coming off a Thanksgiving loss to the Packers and can also improve to 9-3 with a win, which would keep things interesting at the top from a seeding and home-field advantage in the playoffs perspective. A plethora of injuries have severely impacted the AFC playoff picture this season but thankfully the NFC’s top rosters have had slightly better luck this year.
Baltimore, Buffalo and Las Vegas are the AFC teams on bye this week; Minnesota, Chicago, and the Giants are also off.
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SPREADS & TOTALS
– DEN (+3.5) at HOU (3.5) | O/U: 47.5 (1:00 p.m. ET)
– DET (-4.5) at NO (+4.5) | O/U: 46.5 (1:00 p.m. ET)
– ATL (-1.5) at NYJ (+1.5) | O/U: 33.5 (1:00 p.m. ET)
– IND (-1.5) at TEN (+1.5) | O/U: 42.5 (1:00 p.m. ET)
– ARI (+5.5) at PIT (-5.5) | O/U: 41.5 (1:00 p.m. ET)
– MIA (-9.5) at WAS (+9.5) | O/U: 49.5 (1:00 p.m. ET)
– LAC (-5.5) at NE (+5.5) | O/U: 40.5 (1:00 p.m. ET)
– CAR (+5.5) at TB (5.5) | O/U: 36.5 (4:05 p.m. ET)
– CLE (+3.5) at LAR (-3.5) | O/U: 40.5 (4:25 p.m. ET)
– SF (-2.5) at PHI (+2.5) | O/U: 47.5 (4:25 p.m. ET)
– KC (-6.0) at GB (-2.5) | O/U: 44.5 (8:20 p.m. ET)
– CIN (+8.5) at JAX (-8.5) | O/U: 38.5 (8:15 p.m. ET*Monday)
The 49ers are one of seven road favourites this week. San Francisco is 3-3 against the spread (ATS) in those circumstances, while Philly hasn’t been a home underdog yet this season. The Eagles are 7-2-2 ATS overall. Another road favourite to keep an eye on are the Lions who are 3-0 ATS when favoured away from home and they face a banged-up Saints team.
PROP WATCH: CAN JOHNSON MAKE UP FOR BAD EFFORT?
There were plenty of positives to take away from the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first game after firing offensive coordinator Matt Canada. For one, the team generated more than 400 yards of offence for the first in 59 games and Kenny Pickett utilized the middle of the field with huge props to tight end Pat Freiermuth.
An ugly aspect of last week’s win though was Diontae Johnson’s effort, or lack thereof, on a first-quarter fumble shortly after he was frustrated when a perceived touchdown reception of his was called back.
His teammates didn’t appreciate that one and Johnson, who finished with four catches for 50 yards, owned up to it this week when speaking with reporters.
“I addressed the situation to my teammates,” Johnson said. “They know how I feel and how I should go about the situation the next time it occurs. I own up to it. I’m not perfect. All I can do is move forward and keep playing football.”
Johnson’s prop lines vs. Cardinals via Bet365:
Total receiving yards: Over 48.5 (-110) | Under 48.5 (-110)
Total receptions: Over 4.5 (+120) | Under 4.5 (-150)
Longest reception: Over 19.5 (-115) | Under 19.5 (-115)
Anytime touchdown +200 | two or more TDs +1600
MORE WEEK 13 STORYLINES TO FOLLOW
Under-the-radar game of the week: Although it’s primarily the NFC in the spotlight this week, there are four all-AFC matchups and none more captivating than the Texans hosting the Broncos in a game that earlier this season most fans likely wouldn’t’ve guessed would have important playoff implications. Denver has won five in a row during which the defence has been tough on opposing quarterbacks, including Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. Now they face the outstanding rookie C.J. Stroud who ranks second in the NFL with 3,266 passing yards and boasts a 100.8 passer rating.
Across the Flacco-verse: Joe Flacco is starting for the Cleveland Browns this week. What world are we living in? If you had Flacco starting a game for a Ravens rival on your 2023 NFL Bingo card then hats off to you. Believe it or not, Baltimore’s former longtime starting QB and Super Bowl XLVII MVP is getting the nod for the Browns against the Rams this week with Dorian Thompson-Robinson still in concussion protocol. Flacco’s most recent start was an ugly Week 18 outing last season with the Jets. The 38-year-old has only made 26 total starts since the 2017 season, but the Browns are 7-4 and still have something to play for despite all their bad injury luck this season. If Flacco can galvanize Cleveland and lead them to a win this week it’ll be added to the list of 2023 feel-good football stories.
Colts without Johnathan Taylor: Indianapolis can stay ahead of the winner of Houston vs. Denver in the standings and potentially pull even with Cleveland this weekend but they’ll have to do so by beating Tennessee without running back Jonathan Taylor who’s out with a thumb injury. The Titans allow 110.8 rushing yards per game, which means Zack Moss could be counted on frequently. Moss’s best two games of the season so far have been during his heaviest workloads.
(Betting odds and trends above via Covers, player prop odds via Bet365 as of Friday and subject to change)
