NFL Week 13 parlay: Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, NYJ/CIN over
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The Detroit Lions unforgivably lost to the Washington Redskins to cost us our Week 12 parlay.
There aren't many big favorites that stand out this week, and laying -500 on the moneyline seems rather pointless, so let's go for broke here in Week 13.
Steelers ML +120 (vs. Browns)
There's no doubt about it, the Steelers' offense is a disaster. However, the defense can carry them to the playoffs on their own. Pittsburgh has been dominating opposing offenses of late, allowing an average of 16.33 points per game over its last six contests. The defense has also managed 16 takeaways, 19 sacks, and three touchdowns over that span.
There's no doubt Baker Mayfield has been playing much better over the last few weeks, but he's also spent the last three games in the friendly confines of FirstEnergy Stadium. His road numbers pale in comparison, especially against pass defenses that rank in the top five for DVOA. In his two away games against top-five secondaries, he's thrown a combined 294 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions, while being sacked nine times. The Browns' offense scored 16 points in those games.
The Steelers are banged up on offense but Jaylen Samuels has been effective in the absence of James Conner, and Devlin Hodges is an upgrade over Mason Rudolph. This is also a prime revenge spot for the Steelers stemming from the brawl that took place at the end of their meeting in Cleveland. Mike Tomlin might be the best motivational coach in the NFL and he won't let Pittsburgh lose this game.
Bengals ML +155 (vs. Jets) and over 41
The Ryan Finley experiment was a mess. Full credit to Bengals coach Zac Taylor for realizing it, admitting his mistake, and going back to Andy Dalton at quarterback. The Bengals don't want to finish this season 0-16. Who does?
In three games under center, Finley never managed more than 192 yards. Dalton threw for at least 235 yards in seven of his eight starts, topping 300 three times and 400 once. The offense will receive a big boost just in time to host a Jets team that gives up points in bunches on the road. New York has averaged 27.2 points against away from MetLife Stadium this season, including 26 against the lowly Miami Dolphins.
Dalton has been given a second chance and will be motivated to prove himself Sunday. Meanwhile, Sam Darnold has taken a massive step forward and should have continued success against a Bengals pass defense that ranks 31st in DVOA. Points won't be nearly as scarce in this game as the total suggests.
There's also great value in backing the Bengals in this spot with the Jets significantly overpriced coming off three straight wins. Two of those were at home and the other came against the worst starting quarterback the NFL has seen this season, Dwayne Haskins.
The Bengals' defensive front has improved significantly over the last few weeks and should make life uncomfortable for Darnold. They can limit the Jets' offense just enough, allowing Dalton to get Cincinnati into the win column for the first time this season.
Full parlay: Steelers ML, Bengals ML, NYJ/CIN over 41 ($100 to win $930)
Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.