The Week 16 NFL schedule brings a pair of thrilling matchups on Saturday, with both games looming large for playoff seeding in the AFC. Kansas City (13-1) hosts Houston (9-5) in the first game of the doubleheader, while Baltimore (9-5) hosts Pittsburgh (10-4) later in the day. The Chiefs, who have quarterback Patrick Mahomes (ankle) available, are riding a four-game winning streak and can take another step toward clinching the top seed in the AFC if they take care of business as 3.5-point favorites in the Week 16 NFL odds.
They have already clinched the AFC West title, while the Texans have locked up the AFC South with three wins in their last four games. Both teams have top-five defenses, making the Under (42.5) an intriguing NFL bet. That game kicks off at 1 p.m. ET from Arrowhead Stadium.
The second game of the day is crucial in the AFC North, as the Steelers can clinch the division title with a win over the Ravens. Pittsburgh has won eight of the last nine meetings in the rivalry, but its last division title came in 2020. Baltimore had already clinched the top seed in the AFC when it rested quarterback Lamar Jackson in a Week 18 loss to Pittsburgh last season. The Ravens are 7-point favorites in the Ravens vs. Steelers odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 44.5. That AFC North battle is set to begin at 4:30 p.m. ET at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.
People who find one side of these spreads attractive, would like to try betting on the NFL, and do not already have a DraftKings account can take advantage of a welcome bonus for new users. The DraftKings Sportsbook promo, which does not require a promo code, offers new users $150 in bonus bets if they win their first bet of at least $5.
The DraftKings Sportsbook promo is one of several sportsbook promotions being offered for NFL’s Week 16 slate.
The DraftKings welcome bonus gives users the opportunity to bet a little and win a lot. However the bonus is not unique in the industry; other online sportsbooks offer similar welcome promotions, and not all are tied to winning the initial bet in order to receive the bonus.
Texans at Chiefs (Saturday)
- Kickoff time 1 p.m. ET
- Point spread Chiefs -3.5
- Money line Texans -186, Chiefs +156
- Total 42.5
Picks and more to know
The most famous right ankle in the world right now belongs to Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The three-time Super Bowl MVP suffered a high ankle sprain in last week’s 21-7 victory over the Browns. He was a full participant in practice this week, and carries no injury designation, clearing him to start on Saturday, though it is possible he could have some mobility limitations.
Houston, meanwhile, already has clinched the AFC South title and is playing for seeding position. The Texans have a big-play defense that ranks second in the league in sacks (45) and takeaways (28) and fourth in total defense (302.4 yards per game allowed). Their plethora of pass rushers will certainly have their sights set on an immobile Mahomes, if he plays.
SportsLine expert Jason La Canfora is on one side of the total in this matchup, and the SportsLine Projection Model says one team covers in almost 60% of simulations.
Eagles at Commanders (Sunday)
- Kickoff time 1 p.m. ET
- Point spread Eagles -3.5
- Money line Eagles -174, Commanders +146
- Total 45.5
Picks and more to know
The top two teams in the NFC East collide when the Commanders host the Eagles. Five weeks ago, this matchup looked destined to be a showdown for the division title. But Washington (9-5) has lost three of its last five, and Philadelphia (12-2) has won a franchise-record 10 in a row to take a stranglehold of the division. The Eagles can clinch the NFC East title with a win or a tie.
Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley is having a MVP-caliber season. Barkley, who joined the Eagles as a free agent in the offseason, leads the league in both rushing yards (a franchise-record 1,688) and scrimmage yards (1,964). In Philadelphia’s Week 11 win against the Commanders, he had 198 scrimmage yards and two rushing touchdowns. In 10 career games against Washington, he is averaging 136.2 scrimmage yards per game, which is the third-most by a player against a single opponent (minimum 10 games) in NFL history.
Meanwhile the Commanders are fighting for their playoff lives. They enter Week 16 holding the third and final wild card berth in the NFC, but they’re only one game ahead of the Seahawks (8-6).
Washington is coming off a razor-thin, 20-19 win at New Orleans. In that game, Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels passed for 226 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions and added 66 rushing yards. He is the fourth rookie quarterback in NFL history with at least 3,000 passing yards and 500 rushing yards in a season.
The SportsLine Projection Model says one team covers in well over 50% of simulations in this matchup,
Saints at Packers (Monday)
- Kickoff time 8:15 p.m. ET
- Point spread Packers -14
- Money line Packers -971, Saints +638
- Total 42.5
Picks and more to know
Monday Night Football will feature one team preparing for the postseason and another preparing for the offseason. The Packers (10-4) currently own the second wild card spot and can clinch a playoff berth with a win on Monday (or a combination of other teams losing). Meanwhile the Saints (5-9) are on the verge of being eliminated from the postseason.
Green Bay has been effective all season at running the ball. Behind running back Josh Jacobs, the Packers are tied for fourth in the league in rushing offense (144.4 yards per game). They are also fourth in the NFL in total offense (375.9 yards per game).
In addition, Green Bay has been getting clean play from quarterback Jordan Love recently. After throwing 11 interceptions over his first eight games of the season, Love has has zero interceptions over his last four games. The Packers are 3-1 during that stretch.
The Saints’ quarterback situation is not as favorable. According to reports, starter Derek Carr, who has an injured left throwing hand, is unlikely to return this week. That would leave the job to either Jake Haener, who started last week against the Commanders, or Spencer Rattler, who nearly rallied New Orleans to a win over Washington.
Adding to the Saints’ issues is the health of running back Alvin Kamara. The multipurpose weapon, who has 1,493 yards and eight TDs from scrimmage this season, is dealing with a groin injury that forced him out of last week’s game. On Monday New Orleans interim coach Darren Rizzi declined to discuss the extent of the injury.
The SportsLine Projection Model says one team covers in well over 50% of simulations in this matchup.
DraftKings Sportsbook promo
The DraftKings welcome promo comes with a few terms and conditions. First, you must be a new DraftKings customer who has never signed up for the platform anywhere. For example, if you previously signed up in Michigan, you wouldn’t be eligible to sign up for a new account and claim the welcome bonus in Pennsylvania or any other state. You also must be at least 21 years old to sign up and claim the DraftKings promo.
In addition, the $150 in bonus bets will be credited in the form of six $25 bonus bet tokens. All of the bonus bet tokens will expire seven days after reaching your account.
Lastly, bonus bets are not included in any returns or winnings, nor are they redeemable for cash, transferable or refundable.
How to sign up for the DraftKings Sportsbook promo
New DraftKings users who are interested in claiming the sportsbook’s latest welcome offer can do so by following these steps:
- Claim the DraftKings promo via this link.
- Click on the orange SIGN UP button.
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- Along the rest of the registration process, new sign-ups will be ask to provide the last four digits of their social security number and have their location confirmed to ensure they are in an area in which DraftKings operates.
- Agree to the terms and conditions of DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Make a first deposit of at least $5.
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If the first bet wins, the new user will earn $150 in the form of six $25 bonus bet tokens.
Responsible gambling
DraftKings is dedicated to promoting responsible gambling. The sportsbook offers a Responsible Gaming Center where users can find resources and tools to help them avoid problem gambling. Those include deposit limits, time limits, wagering limits, personalized stats to track wins and losses and the ability to take a break from DraftKings from three days to five years.
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