Week 15 of the NFL season brings us a special holiday treat: three Saturday games!
I’ll be enjoying a long, leisurely weekend of football and postponing my holiday shopping just a few more days.
The action starts early on Saturday, and no games should overlap as in Week 14’s doubleheader (thank you). So settle in, and enjoy the NFL goodness!
And as long as you’re watching, you may as well get in on the action. We have a few best bets for you here (and Friday, we will be back with player props).
Here are the current lines as they stand at SI Sportsbook.
The Vikings have decided to start Nick Mullens this week as they head to Cincinnati to face Jake Browning and the Bengals. Cincinnati (7-6) will be looking to win its third in a row, while Minnesota (7-6), which squeaked by with a 3-0 win last weekin Las Vegas, will look to put up more offense with the change at quarterback.
The Bengals have been hot in two games with Browning under center, winning both games outright and covering the spread. Browning has looked calm and cool under pressure, and he should have all his weapons available for this contest — though Ja’Marr Chase did pop up on Tuesday’s injury report with an ankle issue, so keep your eye on that news. Joe Mixon and Chase Brown have combined for a strong run game, and the Bengals are now averaging 26 points per game across the last three contests, much higher than the 21.5 points they have averaged for the year.
The Vikings will try to find success with Mullens under center after being held to only a field goal in last week’s tilt vs. the Raiders. They will be hoping for the return of Justin Jefferson, but if he cannot go, look for T.J. Hockenson and Jordan Addison to be featured vs. a Bengals defense that has allowed the fourth-most passing yards across the last eight weeks.
Minnesota is 7-4-2 ATS this year, while Cincinnati is 6-6-1.
Best Bet: Vikings +3.5
We think the Bengals win this one, but we will avoid the hook.
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