The end of the regular season is on the horizon. There are just two weeks left in the regular season, and it’s been an interesting year to say the least. Joe Flacco is shredding secondaries, the Patriots are one of the worst teams in football, and a former Mr. Irrelevant is an MVP candidate. But before we start handing out superlatives, let’s dive into my favorite parlay from the Week 17 slate.
Dolphins ML (+148)
Rams alternate spread -9.5 (+162)
Chargers ML (+156)
Parlay odds: +1563
Miami Dolphins ML (+148) over Baltimore Ravens
Did the Ravens just beat the best team in the NFL? Yes. Did the Ravens look as dominant as the score shows? No. Brock Purdy had the worst game of his professional career and the Ravens had a lot more possessions than they deserved. Many analysts are now calling the Ravens the best team in the AFC, but I’m not buying into that yet. Baltimore is in the midst of the toughest part of their schedule since the Dolphins are up next, and this could be a letdown spot for the Ravens. Miami has won 5 of its last 6 games (it would be 6 straight if not for Will Levis) and is finally looking healthier heading into Week 17. Last week, Tyreek Hill, Raheem Mostert, Jaylen Waddle, and most of the offensive line were banged up and not at 100%. This week, only Waddle will be out.
The strength of the Baltimore team has been their defense this season. However, this won’t be the first time the Dolphins have faced an elite defense this season. In the last few weeks, Miami has faced the Cowboys, Jets, and Patriots, and the Fins have scored at least 22 points in each game. As long as the Dolphins have a clean game, they have an excellent chance to ruin Baltimore’s momentum.
Check out our Miami Dolphins vs Baltimore Ravens predictions
Los Angeles Rams -9.5 (+162) over New York Giants
The Rams’ offense has slowly become elite. Between Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, and Kyren Williams, the Rams have become a team that you don’t want to face in the playoffs. In the last 5 weeks, they average 32.4 points and 433.8 total yards per game. Nacua and Kupp are shredding secondaries and Stafford doesn’t seem to have a favorite between the two which makes it even more difficult on the defenses. Plus, Williams has been a star in the backfield this season. He has at least 100 rushing yards in 6 of the last 8 games and has been as dependable as they come.
The Rams are firing on all cylinders right now, and as long as their defense can have a mediocre performance, the offense can carry the team to a win. Fortunately for the Rams, they have a favorable matchup in Week 17. The Giants have named Tyrod Taylor the starting quarterback and Tommy DeVito has moved to the bench, but I’m not expecting that change to keep the Giants within one score on Sunday. If the Rams score 30 or more points, I’m very confident in a double-digit win.
Los Angeles Chargers ML (+156) over Denver Broncos
What the heck is happening in Denver? The Broncos announced that Russell Wilson has been benched for the remainder of the season despite having an excellent bounce-back year. However, the move is not due to Wilson’s performance – it’s purely financial. If Wilson gets injured in the last few games, the Broncos could be forced into paying him a large sum of money as a result. So to avoid that, Denver has benched Wilson for Jarrett Stidham. The 27-year-old backup quarterback has appeared for the Patriots and Raiders in his short career before landing in Denver this offseason. Stidham isn’t a bad quarterback, but it seems hard to expect him to keep up with Austin Ekeler and Keenan Allen on the other sideline.
The Chargers’ season effectively ended when Justin Herbert got hurt. It’s now Easton Stick’s turn under center, and the Chargers have lost both games with him as the starter. However, last week seemed to be the start of a new era in Los Angeles. In their first game without Brandon Staley as head coach, the Chargers nearly upset the Bills in Buffalo. Stick looked much better and Ekeler provided a consistent run game for the Chargers. And since the Broncos possess one of the league’s worst defenses against the run, I’m expecting Ekeler to find more success than he has been lately. At this good of a price, it’s worth fading Stidham and the Broncos.
Check out our Los Angeles Chargers vs Denver Broncos predictions
