Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com
While the bye weeks are complete for the 2019 NFL season, this Sunday is still a bit light in terms of games played because there were three matchups on the American Thanksgiving holiday per usual.
Expect the league office to issue some pre-game warnings to both teams when the Cleveland Browns visit the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday; the officials also likely will be told to keep things from getting out of hand in this one. That’s because in Week 11 on a Thursday night in Cleveland, a nasty brawl at the end of the Browns’ 21-7 win against the Steelers overshadowed everything. Star Browns defensive end Myles Garrett hit Steelers QB Mason Rudolph over the head with his own helmet, which would be assault anywhere else.
Garrett was suspended indefinitely and that stands following his unsuccessful appeal last week. Steelers Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey was suspended three games for retaliating on Garrett, but that was lowered to two – no way the NFL was going to allow Pouncey to play against Cleveland again. Rudolph has been benched for rookie Devlin Hodges. It’s an important game in the Wild-Card chase and Cleveland is a 2.5-point favorite despite having lost its past 15 games in the Steel City.
The Los Angeles Chargers have been one of the NFL’s most disappointing teams as they come out of their bye week at 4-7 and out of the playoff chase. The Chargers could have won their past two games, but QB Philip Rivers threw three interceptions in one and four in the other. He remains the team’s starter but these could be his final weeks as the Chargers’ quarterback. Los Angeles visits the AFC West last-place Denver Broncos, who are +3. Denver was an upset winner in Los Angeles in Week 5, 20-13, when Rivers threw two interceptions. The Broncos, though, are 0-5 ATS in their past five AFC West home games.
Could be a trap game for the Green Bay Packers when they visit the struggling New York Giants. The Packers played a game with huge NFC playoff seeding implications last Sunday night at the San Francisco 49ers and were demolished. The Giants, meanwhile, lost their seventh straight game in Week 12, 19-14 in Chicago. Green Bay is -7 and 6-0 ATS in its past six games after a loss.
Not much at stake when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit the Jacksonville Jaguars other than in-state bragging rights in the first meeting between the clubs since 2015. The Jags are 1-point underdogs and 2-6 SU and ATS in their past eight as favorites.
