It’s officially crunch time in the NFL season as Saturday play has begun in Week 15. Teams are jockeying for playoff positioning and, with both the AFC and NFC pretty tightly contested, there are more teams in contention than is usually the case at this point of December.
It also happens to be a good week of matchups, with multiple contending teams facing off in games that should have playoff implications. Specifically, games set up to hit the over are aplenty this weekend so there are a lot of good opportunities to make some money by rooting for points to be scored.
Let’s take a look at some of the most intriguing overs based on the NFL betting lines:
Second Runner-Up: New York Jets at Miami Dolphins
When: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
Total: 41 Points
This isn’t exactly the flashiest matchup but it’s a low point total and both teams have bad enough defenses that enough points should be scored. The Jets are 29th in scoring offense but 22nd in yards from scrimmage. Their impressive starting running back, rookie Michael Carter, is coming back from injury, which should really open things up for the New York offense.
For Miami, Tua Tagovailoa is finally starting to play like the high draft pick he was as the Dolphins have won five games in a row. Admittedly, most of the wins in that stretch have been against bad teams, but the Jets are 3-10 and Tagovailoa should be able to move the ball against the NFL’s worst scoring defense (and second-worst defense in terms of yards allowed).
When Miami beat the Jets a few weeks ago in New Jersey, the total wound up being an exact 41 points (24-17). If you’re betting online, look for the Dolphins — coming off a bye — and Jets — with their top back healthy — to eclipse that number and for the over to hit.
Pick: Over 41 Points
First Runner-Up: Tennessee Titans at Pittsburgh Steelers
When: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
Total: 43 Points
This game is another example of one that, on first glance, might not seem like a good matchup for the over. However, the Titans rely heavily on their running game — even with Derrick Henry injured — and the Steelers have given up the second-most rushing yards in the NFL and the highest yards per carry in the league. Tennessee doesn’t light up the scoreboard but it has a solid offensive line and running backs who should churn through Pittsburgh.
The Steelers struggle to run the ball themselves and also haven’t been as sharp through the air, but Ben Roethlisberger played pretty well in Pittsburgh’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings last weekend. Pittsburgh’s offense exploded for 28 points — the third-most it has scored this season — against Minnesota, which could be a sign that the Steelers are figuring things out on that side of the ball.
Also, the Titans’ defense is solid overall but its numbers are most impressive against the run, which isn’t a huge part of the Steelers’ game. Tennessee is pretty mediocre against the pass, and that plays right into Pittsburgh’s game plan.
If you’re making NFL predictions, look for the over here.
Pick: Over 43 Points
Over of the Week: New England Patriots at Indianapolis Colts
When: Saturday, 8:20 p.m. ET
Total: 45½ Points
The over for this highly anticipated game between two longtime non-division rivals is 45½ points on the BetUS sportsbook, which is probably too low for how well both teams’ offenses have been playing lately.
New England has won seven games in a row, mostly on the strength of what is one of the NFL’s best passing defenses (especially in terms of getting interceptions). But, the Patriots’ offense has been clicking too as rookie Mac Jones has gotten more and more comfortable in Josh McDaniels’ system and the team’s running backs have found their footing. The Patriots have scored at least 24 points in every game since Week 4 except for in their most recent victory over the Bills.
Indianapolis’ offense is all about MVP candidate Jonathan Taylor, who has helped power the Colts to the second-most rushing yards in the NFL and the highest yards per carry. Conversely, New England is just 18th in rushing defense so Taylor should have a field day. These defenses are solid overall but, based on the matchups, the offenses should reign supreme.
