NFL betting picks: Eagles are the favorites again in Week 16, but are they worth picking?

The NFL’s MVP award essentially goes to the league’s best quarterback. No argument here. It’s the hardest position in sports, and any team without at least a capable quarterback is just asking for 10 losses. Right, Giants fans?

Aaron Rodgers (+125) recently supplanted Tom Brady (+200) as DraftKings’ favorite for NFL MVP. Sitting in third is Colts running back Jonathan Taylor at +750, a stunner given his preseason odds. Taylor, a Salem High product, leads the league with 1,518 rushing yards — 424 more than Joe Mixon — and has been a touchdown machine.

Quarterbacks have won the last eight MVPs and 13 of the last 14. The exception was Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, who ran for 2,097 yards in 2012. Ezekiel Elliott finished a distant third to Matt Ryan in 2016, Todd Gurley was a distant second to Tom Brady in 2017.

Taylor, who was at +8000 (or, 80-1) at the start of the year to win MVP, probably won’t win that award, but he’s in position to win the Offensive Player of the Year award. It’s a 1-2 race between him and Rams star wide receiver Cooper Kupp at -110 odds. Next is Deebo Samuel at +3500.

“Whereas in the MVP, that race is all quarterbacks,” said Johnny Avello, director of operation for DraftKings and a longtime Vegas oddsmaker. “Jonathan Taylor is in the mix, but he’s surrounded by seven quarterbacks.”

The Colts running back, in his second season out of Wisconsin, is one of five players with a rushing touchdown in 11 consecutive games. If he runs one in on Saturday at Arizona, he’d be one of three with a streak of 12. John Riggins (1983) and LaDainian Tomlinson (2004) are the others. No one has ever gotten to 13 in a single season.

“Taylor is having an extraordinary year,” Avello said, “and an extraordinary year if you’re betting him to score a touchdown every week.”

Odds via DraftKings, as of Wednesday afternoon:

MVP: Aaron Rodgers (+125), Tom Brady (+200), Jonathan Taylor (+750), Matthew Stafford (+1000), Patrick Mahomes (+1200).

OPOY: Jonathan Taylor (-110), Cooper Kupp (-110), Deebo Samuel (+3500).

DPOY: T.J. Watt (+175), Micah Parsons (+300), Myles Garrett (+400), Aaron Donald (+800), Trevon Diggs (+1000).

OROY: Mac Jones (-700), Ja’Marr Chase (+400), Jaylen Waddle (+6500).

DROY: Micah Parsons (-10000), Patrick Surtain II (+800), Odafe Oweh (+5000).

Comeback POY: Dak Prescott (-650), Joe Burrow (+750), Nick Bosa (+1000), Jimmy Garoppolo (+2000), Carson Wentz (+2500).

Coach of the year: Bill Belichick (+100), Matt Lafleur (+300), Sean McVay (+1200). Also, Nick Sirianni (+6500).

The Eagles opened -9 to the Giants this week, but that line had grown to -10.5 as of Wednesday. According to Pro-Football-Reference.com, it would be the first time since 2009 the Eagles are favored by 10 or more in consecutive games. That year, they took care of Tampa, 33-14, as 15.5-point favorites, but lost the following week outright to the Raiders, 13-9, as 14-point favorites.

The Eagles line against Washington closed at +10, which resulted in a push. But there was plenty of action as the line wildly swung leading up to Tuesday night’s game. Some got paid, others got beat.

“Moving a line in the NFL a half-point, that’s [usually] a lot of movement,” Avello said. “Moving the Eagles from -2.5 to -11 to -6.5 to -8.5, it’s definitely a challenge.”

Philadelphia is 7-8-1 as double-digit favorites against the spread since 2009, just 11-5 outright.

Oh, and Week 17′s line is out already. The Eagles opened as 3-point favorites at Washington.

» READ MORE: Eagles beat writers make their predictions for the Giants game in Week 16

The Eagles would do well to watch those borderline hits this week against the Giants quarterback.

Referee Land Clark is working Sunday’s game and, according to Rotowire.com, he has called the most roughing the passer penalties this season (14).

Clark’s crew had the Eagles’ Week 4 loss to Kansas City where the most notable call was Kenneth Gainwell being ruled down by contact before fumbling at the goal line. The Chiefs recovered, but Chiefs coach Andy Reid did not have enough evidence to ask for a replay. The Eagles hurried the next snap and scored a touchdown. It ultimately didn’t matter because Kansas City won, 42-30.

Clark has had some bad teams lately, including the Jets, Jags, and Lions twice. His last six games have been under the over/under total.

Clark was a field judge for two seasons before being promoted in 2020. In college, he refereed the 2018 national semifinal when Jalen Hurts and Alabama rolled Clemson, 24-6.

CBB: Monmouth was 12-0 against the spread entering Wednesday night’s game against Hofstra. They were favored by 5. The under (which was 150 on Wednesday) had come out in seven of their last eight.

CBB: William & Mary is now 0-11 against the spread after getting drilled by Valparaiso, 88-66, on Wednesday. Valpo was laying 15.5. William & Mary’s next game, oddly enough, is at home against Hofstra on Dec. 29.

NFL: VSIN’s Ben Fawkes noted that a bettor at BetMGM last week lost $300,000 on the Giants (+11.5, vs. Cowboys) and $500,000 on the Falcons (+9, at 49ers). As one responder so perfectly put it, “don’t ask bad teams to do good things.”

CFB: Texas A&M will not play in the Dec. 31 Gator Bowl because of a COVID-19 outbreak. The Aggies were 3-point favorites to Wake Forest.

» READ MORE: NFL Draft 2022: Who the analysts think the Eagles will be watching

That 25-leg parlay last week was the 112th to hit at Caesars/William Hill, but by far the most lucrative.

Kevin LaRose, from Carteret, N.J., cashed for $237,553.11 when all 25 of his selections came through on Saturday. LaRose had 10 point-spread plays which inflated his odds. The previous high payout was $3,400, which included massive money-line selections decreasing the odds.

LaRose celebrated with his wife, Ann Marie.

“It was awesome,” he said in a post at Caesars. “I popped open a bottle of wine and we stayed up until like 4:30 in the morning.”

» READ MORE: Kevin Patullo, the possible Eagles head coach against the Giants, shares many similarities with Nick Sirianni

Saturday

Cleveland (45.5) at Green Bay (-7.5), 4:30 p.m. — It’s going to be cold (duh, it’s December), but not windy. That’s the key. The over/under prop on Rodgers’ passing yards was at 259.5. As if Cleveland’s secondary wasn’t hurting enough, Pro Bowler Denzel Ward was limited during the week with a groin injury. The pick: Over Rodgers’ passing yards, and the Packers in a teaser.

Indianapolis (48.5) at Arizona (-1), 8:15 p.m. — The Colts have been strong on the road, and have forced 10 turnovers in their last four games. The pick: Arizona is hunting around for the No. 1 seed despite having lost its last three at home. Close that Packers’ teaser with Indy.

Sunday

Buffalo (43.5) at New England (-2.5), 1 p.m. — A win here puts Buffalo back in first place in the AFC East. This Josh Allen-Mac Jones rivalry could be some fun over the next few years. The pick: Allen throws three TDs. Bills win. Over 43.5 happens.

N.Y. Giants (40.5) at Eagles (-9.5), 1 p.m. — The Giants have lost three in a row since beating the Eagles, and they’re on their third quarterback (Jake Fromm) in a month. The pick: The Eagles are a .500 team despite having an offensive line that could move highway construction barriers. Don’t love 9.5 for a divisional game, so this is a pass.

Pittsburgh (46) at Kansas City (-10), 4:25 p.m. — Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill landing on the COVID-19 list after monster Week 15s has fantasy owners questioning whether Santa Claus is real. The pick: KC still has Mahomes, and the Steelers’ 7-6-1 record is a mirage. KC laying 10.

Week 15: 3-1. Season, not including Thursday (Tennessee +3.5): 9-2.