Merry Christmas! Snow, freezing temperatures and Santa Claus are all in the air — and footballs soon will be, too. With the holidays upon us, bettors looking for a quick bit of extra cash should tail these top NFL Week 16 betting predictions, including a Raiders-Steelers prediction and a Broncos-Rams prediction. Bettors can tail them or check out OddsShopper’s tools for other sharp plays.
Top NFL Week 16 Betting Predictions & Picks
Falcons-Ravens Prediction: Moneyline/Total Parlay Best Value
The Atlanta Falcons are still transitioning to life under rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder. Ridder played acceptably against the Pittsburgh Steelers last week, but Atlanta’s offense averaged only 4.6 yards per play against a defense that had been allowing 5.6. They’ll now face a stout Baltimore Ravens defense that allows only 5.4 yards per play and 3.8 yards per rush attempt. The books are correctly favoring the Ravens here, although expecting them to cover by nearly a touchdown feels a bit aggressive.
Run-heavy, slow-paced offensive schemes should keep scoring low in this one. Atlanta ranks 27th in seconds per play (30.2) while Baltimore ranks 29th (30.7). Likewise, Atlanta ranks second in rushing play percentage (56.1%) while Baltimore ranks fourth (49.9%).
With cold weather and strong winds in the forecast, bettors should parlay the Ravens to win and the game to stay under 40.5 points for +105 at DraftKings. Bettors who are new to DraftKings can even place a $5 moneyline wager and get $150 if their team wins!
Falcons-Ravens Top NFL Week 16 Betting Predictions: Ravens Moneyline/Under 40.5 (+105) at DraftKings
Raiders-Steelers Prediction: Raiders Excelling as Road Dogs
The Las Vegas Raiders scored a hilarious win over the New England Patriots last week on a botched lateral. They’ll look to carry that momentum into this weekend’s road trip to Pittsburgh. The forecast calls for cold weather and some wind, but that shouldn’t derail Vegas’ offense, which has gotten plenty of production from running back Josh Jacobs. The Raiders rank an impressive eighth in yards per play (5.8).
Quarterback Kenny Pickett is expected to return for Pittsburgh, and Las Vegas is a slight road underdog. It is 3-1 against the spread in such situations this year, only failing to cover against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 1. But with the Raiders outgaining the Steelers 358.1 to 317.9 on a per-game basis — and outscoring them 24.1 to 17.9 — it’s hard not to back Las Vegas here.
Sure, Pittsburgh’s defense can cause problems for opposing offenses, but losing boundary cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon to injured reserve has left Pittsburgh vulnerable to big-bodied receivers like Davante Adams on the perimeter. Bettors can find the best value at BetMGM, which is currently offering new users both a $25 free bet and a risk-free first bet.
Raiders-Steelers Top NFL Week 16 Betting Predictions: Raiders +2 (-110) at BetMGM
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Broncos-Rams Prediction: Broncos Ending the Season Strong
It can be unpleasant to bet on the Denver Broncos. Watching Russell Wilson struggle behind an injured offensive line hasn’t been fun. Neither has witnessing head coach Nathaniel Hackett’s perplexing fourth-down decisions and clock management. But through all of this, Denver’s defense has remained one of the NFL’s best. The unit ranks fourth in yards allowed per play this year (4.9).
Despite Denver’s elimination from the playoff hunt, the Broncos have covered the spread in their past three games. Sunday’s matchup against the Baker Mayfield-led Los Angeles Rams is a perfect spot for them to keep that streak alive.
The Rams won’t have stars Cooper Kupp, Matthew Stafford or Aaron Donald, leaving them with a low-quality roster that the Broncos should eat for breakfast. Hackett needs to justify his job somehow, after all.
Broncos-Rams Top NFL Week 16 Betting Predictions: Broncos -3 (-110) at BetMGM
