Nothing beats this for Thursday night football as we break down an exciting matchup featuring the Patriots and Steelers. We’ll also provide an NFL betting analysis for a few of this week's games that might have a big impact on the playoffs. Finally, we’ll go over NFL Week 14 point spreads, odds, player props, and projections for both expert and beginner bettors.
Let’s discuss Thursday night football in Week 14 and get right into the fray while also providing you with the finest NFL betting advice.
NFL Thursday Night Football's best bits
The Patriots and Steelers scores combined for 39 points, which was impressive for a contest that wasn’t supposed to include much scoring. Still, the final score ended with the Patriots being victorious, 21-18. Most of the scoring deluge began in the first half of this NFL Thursday night game in Week 14, and it was New England that came out of the gates firing with a convincing 21-10 advantage.
QB Bailey Zappe (starting his second game in a row with Mac Jones on the bench) looked great on the field with three passing touchdowns that swung the game. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that the Patriots managed to make 75 yards for an opening-drive TD for only the first occasion this season. That set off a 21-3 outburst highlighted by a pair of touchdowns from tight end Hunter Henry on receptions.
With quarterback Mitch Trubisky starting as the replacement for the injured Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh had trouble fighting back against the seemingly unstoppable Patriots’ offense. What’s more, the Steelers began the game 0/5 on third downs.
A true game of two halves; the New England offense sputtered in the second half, which meant Pittsburgh slowly came back and was down by just three points in the final minutes of the 4th quarter. A massive blocked punt was one of the main reasons that the Steelers had a chance here. The Steelers were able to pick up a quick 8 points when at the Patriots’ 26-yard line, thanks to Trubisky’s goal line TD and then a tidy two-point conversion to Freiermuth.
Still, it just wasn’t enough, as Trubisky’s desperate attempt to throw a long pass to Diontae Johnson was incomplete. This resulted in a turnover, and the Patriots could simply win by running out the clock.
At the end of the evening, Zappe completed 19 of 28 passes for 240 yards, as well as one interception and three TDs. Running back Ezekiel Elliott was Zappe’s primary target and was epic when catching seven passes for 72 yards and one touchdown. He also chipped in with 68 rushing yards.
NFL Week 14 predictions & bets
A few games stick out from the rest when examining the NFL spreads for Week 14. This week, there are a few NFL betting options that we believe provide the most value, and we'll discuss the most important matchups and player props that could return some great rewards.
Game of the Week: Los Angeles Rams at Baltimore Ravens – Spread (-7.5)
The bright side for the Ravens is that they are 9-3 and equal for the top record in the AFC, which puts them in a solid position after coming off their bye week. The downside is that the remainder of their schedule is one of the hardest in the NFL.
L.A. defeated the Browns last week thanks to a strong performance. They can be deadly when they are sound offensively, as we have often witnessed this season. Nevertheless, the Rams are in a difficult situation. When QB Lamar Jackson has started for the Ravens against NFC opponents, they are 18-1. The Ravens won both of their home games against the Lions and Seahawks this season, and there's good momentum within this squad.
Ravens' kicker Justin Tucker will be crucial here while the Rams are still trying to find a suitable kicker to fix their problems. Baltimore can overcome errors quickly and succeed in a variety of methods, while the Rams are not quite trustworthy. Pick the Ravens to win.
Lock of the Week: Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers – Spread (-10.5)
The NFL Week 14 predictions keep going, with the 49ers taking on the Seahawks. The Seahawks’ offense has had its moments of late, particularly against Dallas last week, but the defense continues to let the team down. The 49ers are riding high after a victory over the Eagles last week and were huge with six straight touchdowns. The 49ers have the advantage over the Seahawks lately, as they are 4-0 and have a 16-point average victory margin in those four matchups.
The Seahawks are going to find it difficult to contain the mammoth 49ers’ offense, especially with Purdy looking better than ever. This should be a very safe bet to pick the 49ers in this game.
Must-know player prop bets
We’ll talk about a couple more Week 14 NFL predictions with some prop bets on certain players. You’ll be able to wager on specific player outcomes regardless of the bet you made on the points spread for the win.
Keaton Mitchell longest rush Over 14.5 yards (-115)
Over the past month, Mitchell has emerged as a major player for the Baltimore Ravens. In Week 14, he demands to be seen.
Mitchell is making the most from his time on the field, as he’s getting 9.3 yards per carry, which puts him in the upper echelon of all rushers. He's also picking up roughly one 20-yard rush during all of his last four matchups.
Mitchell should have a big role to play in this game against the Rams, especially as L.A. has looked a bit shaky on defense lately. Explosive running backs like Mitchell will be able to carve up the defense here, and we like choosing the over bet.
To optimize your profits this season, make sure to go over all of our official NFL betting suggestions. It’s also not a bad idea to learn more about NFL prop betting to further enhance your knowledge of the sport and make solid money.
