Unlike in previous years when teams such as the New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, and Pittsburgh Steelers pulled away from the rest of the pack in the AFC and made it hard for other teams to catch up, this year that trend has shifted over to the NFC. The defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers are undefeated and well out in front in the NFC North, while the San Francisco 49ers are closing in on clinching their division with nine wins through 11 games. Here is a quick look at three key NFC matchups for this betonline week.
St. Louis Rams @ San Francisco 49ers (-13)
Sunday, 1:00 PM ET
Unlike a year ago when the Seattle Seahawks were able to clinch their division with a 7-9 record, San Francisco won’t let the NFC West be the joke of the conference this season, as they look to finish with the second-best record at the least. It will be impossible for the 49ers to catch the Packers until they start losing games, but a division title and home field advantage won’t be that terrible of a consolation prize if they don’t catch up. San Francisco has succeeded by playing every game as though it were a playoff game, and with an extra couple of days of rest will approach this game with that same urgency. Running back Frank Gore leads the league’s seventh-ranked rushing attack while the 49ers’ defense leads the league in stopping the run, two key fundamentals to winning in the NFL.
NFL Betting Pick: San Francisco 49ers - 13
Dallas Cowboys (-4.5) @ Arizona Cardinals
Sunday, 4:15 PM ET
It seems as though even when the team is winning the Cowboys can’t seem to do it without giving their fans a rough time. Last week’s 20-19 win over the Miami Dolphins was the latest of four straight wins for the new NFC East leaders, and while the New York Giants continue to struggle, owner Jerry Jones won’t let his boys take anything for granted. Running back DeMarco Murray has been a revelation as the missing piece that the offense needed, so look for him to get a ton of pay head touches against the league’s 20th-ranked rush defense and help open things up for quarterback Tony Romo to go over the top.
NFL Betting Pick: Dallas Cowboys – 4.5
Green Bay Packers (-7) @ New York Giants
Sunday, 4:15 PM ET
The Giants may be going through more than a slump after suffering their third straight loss, as opponents finally seem to be catching up to what made New York so successful earlier in the year. New York’s rushing attack ranks dead last in the NFL even though defenses are now keying in on quarterback Eli Manning and focusing on defending the pass, so until they can find a way to move the ball on the ground they will struggle to win. That won’t change against the defending Super Bowl champions as Aaron Rodgers and company look to move one step closer to sports betting perfection, with the chance to show just how good they are on the biggest stage once again.
NFL Betting Picks : Green Bay Packers - 7
