If you want to win money betting NFL games then you need to be willing to take teams no one else wants to bet. We refer to these teams as ugly dogs and you really have to hold your nose sometimes when you bet on them, but history has shown that going against the public works. We went 2-4 with the picks in Week 16 and that takes the season record to 39-36-2. We have five plays to look at as we end the season. Let’s take a look at the Week 17 Ugly Dog picks.
NFL Week 17 Ugly Dog Picks
Jacksonville Jaguars +14 at Indianapolis Colts
I said last week that I didn’t see any way that Jacksonville could cover against the Bears because the Jaguars simply couldn’t afford to get a win and lose the top NFL Draft pick. That is no longer the case, as Jacksonville has now locked up the top pick. They could actually play well this week and make things interesting for the Colts. Jacksonville is still a bad team and the Colts need to win this game to have any chance of making the playoffs, so it is still ugly, but at least the Jaguars might get a backdoor cover this week.
Houston Texans +7.5 vs. Tennessee Titans
The Titans need a win to make the playoffs and clinch the AFC South. It may not be easy for Tennessee, as Houston will be treating this like their playoff game. The Texans have been awful for most of this season but J.J. Watt recently called out his team and they may decide to show some heart this week. We know that Tennessee’s defense is terrible and the Texans can put some points on the board with Deshaun Watson, so this game might be close. We’ll take the Texans as an ugly dog.
Carolina Panthers +6.5 vs. New Orleans Saints
The Panthers have not quit under head coach Matt Rhule and he has already said that his team would like nothing better than to deny the Saints a chance at the top seed in the NFC. Carolina is still facing an uphill battle against a tough defense and against an offense led by Alvin Kamara who had six touchdowns last week. The question is whether or not the Carolina defense can hold down the New Orleans offense. It helps their cause that Michael Thomas is still out, but the Saints still have enough offense to win this one. We’ll take the Panthers plus the points as an ugly dog.
Cincinnati Bengals +11.5 vs. Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens need to win this week to make the playoffs and that seems like a virtual certainty. The Ravens have all of the looks of a dangerous team come playoff time and they are not going to let down this week against the Bengals. Cincinnati is still playing hard, but are they really good enough to finish the season on a three-game winning streak and beat the Ravens? This one is ugly, but we take the Bengals plus the points.
San Francisco 49ers +5.5 vs. Seattle Seahawks
Another really ugly dog this week is San Francisco. The 49ers have been the most banged up team in the NFL this season and it is not any better in Week 17. San Francisco has so many injuries that it is tough to keep track. San Francisco got their big win last week, as they upset Arizona, so like the previous game, they don’t have a ton of incentive. The Seahawks still have a chance for the top seed in the NFC, so they figure to play all of their starters. Seattle does need to win this game and for the Packers and Saints to lose to get the top seed, but that incentive makes them a solid favorite in this game. We take the 49ers plus the points as an ugly dog.
Check out the latest NFL Week 17 Odds at BookMaker Sportsbook!
