3 Teams on Upset Alert in NFL Week 14

David Kaestle
Dak Prescott passing against New England Patriots
Dak Prescott passing against New England Patriots / Adam Glanzman/Getty Images
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The Week 14 NFL slate is packed with a variety of tight matchups, featuring only two games with double-digit spreads, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. First, we have the Minnesota Vikings as 13.5-point home favorites over the Detroit Lions, then the Green Bay Packers as 13-point home favorites against the Washington Redskins.

With 16 chances for underdogs to come away with wins, starting with "Thursday Night Football," let's take a look at three NFL teams that need to be on upset alert in Week 14.

1. Dallas Cowboys (-2.5) at Chicago Bears, Thursday, 8:20 p.m. EST

Dak Prescott prepares to throw a pass against the Buffalo Bills in a Week 13 game.
Dak Prescott prepares to throw a pass against the Buffalo Bills in a Week 13 game. / Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

The Dallas Cowboys have had an up-and-down season in 2019, having already endured both a three-game losing streak and enjoyed a three-game winning streak. Although, one thing has been apparent with the Cowboys this season, when they play a good defense, they tend to struggle. In fact, five of their six losses have come against top-15 scoring defenses. The two times Dallas has played a top-5 defense this season, it has only mustered a combined 24 points. The Cowboys get the Chicago Bears on the road this week, who are surrendering the fourth-fewest points per game (PPG) in the league at 17.3 PPG. If this trend continues for Dallas, they could struggle to put enough points on the board to win the game.

2. Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots (-3), Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST

Tom Brady tosses pass against Houston Texans in Week 13.
Tom Brady tosses pass against Houston Texans in Week 13. / Tim Warner/Getty Images

For the first time all year, the New England Patriots look mortal, losing two of their last four games after starting the season 8-0. The Patriots' offense has averaged only 18.0 PPG in those last four contests after averaging 31.25 PPG through the first eight games of the year. While a Kansas City Chiefs scoring defense that's allowing 22.1 PPG (No. 16 in the NFL) might not be the most unstoppable unit, the Patriots' offense is clearly struggling as of late. If the Chiefs and their No. 3 scoring offense in the league (29.0 PPG) can find a way to overcome New England's league-leading defense, then the Patriots might not have enough firepower to keep up.

3. San Francisco 49ers at New Orleans Saints (-3), Sunday, 1 p.m. EST

Drew Brees celebrates during a Thanksgiving Day game against the Atlanta Falcons.
Drew Brees celebrates during a Thanksgiving Day game against the Atlanta Falcons. / Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

Similar to the Patriots, the San Francisco 49ers have also dropped two of their last four games after an 8-0 start. However, both of San Francisco's two losses have come by a single field goal to potential Super Bowl contenders in the Seattle Seahawks and Baltimore Ravens. With a spread of exactly three points separating the 49ers from another potential Super Bowl candidate on the opposite side of the field in the New Orleans Saints, the Niners' No. 2 scoring defense (15.2 PPG) could be what finally gets them over the hump this time around come Sunday.


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David Kaestle is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, David also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username davekaestle. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.

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