Upset of the Week: Trend Continues

There are also some games featuring two teams that are both out of contention and are only playing for pride. Those are intriguing games to consider when betting on an underdog because of all the variability involved, like whether starters will be rested or slightly banged-up players will just be held out of the game completely.

Let’s take a look at some of the more promising upset picks based on the NFL betting odds before crowning our Upset of the Week:

Upset of the Week

Honorable Mention #1: Washington Football Team at New York Giants (+250)

Neither of these teams are still in playoff contention after disappointing seasons, so the fact that the Giants are such big underdogs on the BetUS Sportsbook is a sign that there’s some value in their moneyline. New York will probably have to start rookie quarterback Jake Fromm — whose NFL debut as a starter was a disaster — but he can’t really be much worse than Mike Glennon. The Giants managed minus-6 passing yards last Sunday against the Chicago Bears with Glennon running the show.

Fromm is raw and inexperienced but, against a Washington team that fell apart down the stretch and could be missing some starters, he has a good chance to bounce back. There’s no getting around how bad the Giants’ offense has been this season — 31st in both points and yardage — yet Washington isn’t much better in either regard.

New York’s five-game losing streak has gotten a lot of attention in part because of how poorly head coach Joe Judge has come across in post-loss press conferences, which has allowed Washington’s four-game skid — featuring on-the-sidelines infighting between members of the defense — to slide under the radar. Washington shouldn’t be such a big favorite against any opponent right now.

Honorable Mention #2: Cincinnati Bengals (+220) at Cleveland Browns

The Browns have already been eliminated from playoff contention while the Bengals just clinched the AFC North. However, Cleveland is favored in this game because Cincinnati is resting Joe Burrow (and likely a bunch of other key players), even though a hurt Baker Mayfield will also sit. Regardless of who actually plays for the Bengals, this is a meaningful game for Cincinnati in terms of AFC playoff seeding.

So, if you’re making NFL predictions, consider taking the Bengals straight-up. Cleveland has limped to the finish line, dropping three games in a row and turning a once-promising season into yet another dud. The opposite has been true for Cincinnati, a young team filled with high-end talent that has gotten better as the season has gone on. The Bengals have won three games in a row and have dropped 41 points and 34 points in back-to-back weeks against the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs, respectively.

Even if Burrow, Joe Mixon and Ja’Marr Chase all sit out, Cincinnati still has a bunch of playmakers and could outscore an undermanned Browns team that might even want to keep Nick Chubb out of action. The Bengals are a really good value at +220 as a team that would really benefit from a win.

Upset of the Week: San Francisco 49ers (+180) at Los Angeles Rams

This is maybe the most interesting matchup of the week, as the 49ers and Rams face off with both teams needing a win. San Francisco would earn a Wild Card berth with a win while Los Angeles would clinch the NFC West and the No. 2 seed in the NFC.

On paper, the Rams look like the better team and, being at home, seem like an unlikely favorite to lose such an important game. But, if you’re betting online, it’s important to note that Kyle Shanahan and his 49ers have won their last five games against Sean McVay’s Rams, including a 31-10 blowout win in Week 10. There’s clearly some kind of edge Shanahan has over his former co-worker with the Washington Football Team that has allowed San Francisco to own LA lately.

Also, rookie Trey Lance could get his second straight start for the 49ers after he was pretty good in San Francisco’s win over the Houston Texans last week. His mobility and athleticism gives the 49ers another dimension to add to their offense that just isn’t present when Jimmy Garoppolo starts.