Betseeker’s expert NFL tipsters have you covered for the best tips and predictions for every game of the NFL season.
There are three NFL games to be played on Saturday – Sunday, Australian time – and all have enormous playoff implications.
Vikings @ Bengals
Bengals backup quarterback Jake Browning has well and truly exceeded expectations in the last fortnight, putting up more than 600 yards and two touchdowns on the way to guiding Cincinnati to back to back wins.
The Vikings, however, provide a much tougher test, with their defence being one of the best units in the league. Inexperienced and backup quarterbacks have particularly struggled against Brian Flores scheme, which blitzes at the highest rate in the league.
It’s hard to have much faith in the Viking offence though. They now turn to journeyman Nick Mullens, he of the 5-12 career head to head record.
The under looks a standout bet here. The under has hit in 10 of 13 Minnesota games this season, and four of seven when the Bengals have been favourites.
This bet leans into the strength of the Vikings run defence. The Bengals don’t like to run the ball anyway, but they will be hard pressed to against this unit ranked fourth in the league for yards per attempt.
Steelers @ Colts
Mike Tomlin coached teams find a way to win these kinds of games.
The Steelers are coming off back to back losses and at 7-6 – as are the Colts – this game is pivotal to their chances of playing playoff football this season.
The Colts defence is simply not a good unit, and even bad offences like the Patriots and Panthers have been able to move the ball on them,
They have conceded 111 or more rushing yards over the last seven weeks, and one thing that Tomlin likes to do is run the ball.
Indianapolis has not proved a challenging place for opposition teams this season, with the Colts being 2-4 at LucasOil Stadium.
Pittsburgh have been disappointing in the last fortnight but can get right here.
Expecting a run heavy gameplan for the Steelers but they split carries between their two lead backs fairly evenly which complicates them. Nonetheless, expecting Trubisky to be handing it off more than he is passing it, while Minshew has cleared this number in three straight games.
Broncos @ Lions
Denver have won seven of their last eight games and look capable of pushing Detroit all the way in this one.
Head coach Sean Payton hasn’t exactly rejuvenated Russell Wilson, but he has done a masterful job of designing an offence around his limitations.
The Broncos have done a great job running the football, and Wilson has chipped in with 31 first downs on 69 attempts.
Detroit’s run defence has dropped off since the bye, allowing at least 98 yards rushing to the opposition in the last five weeks.
Offensively, the Lions have been turning the ball over of late, with ten giveaways over the last four weeks.
That is a real worry with the Broncos the league leading defence when it comes to forcing turnovers.
This one looks primed for an upset, but the best bet looks the Broncos with the points.
Williams isn’t a particularly explosive runner but Sean Payton is happy to give him bulk carries which makes up for it. Wilson has exceeded this rushing number in four of his last six games, the only exceptions being the Vikings (elite run defence) and Chargers (blowout win).
