NFL bettors have to feel great right now.No, this isn't referring to the mountain of turkey and gravy in their guts. Thanksgiving was about as straightforward as it gets, with the three favorites emerging victorious.There doesn't seem to be a ton of wiggle room for upsets in Week 12, which isn't such a bad thing. After all, bettors don't exactly get a bye week like teams do.As such, relax this week and play it safe before the homestretchthe schedule almost demands it. Here is a look at the updated odds and some risk-free picks.NFL Week 12 OddsOdds courtesy ofOdds Shark.Cincinnati at Baltimore (-4.5)The AFC North isn't what it used to be, and that's putting it lightly.A borderline .500 record hardly gets it done in the division right now, with the Cincinnati Bengalsa mainstay in the playoffs for yearssitting at 3-6-1.Cincinnati has tied and lost two in a row over its last three. Take out a win against the winless Cleveland Browns, and the Bengals haven't won since Week 4. Not only does A.J. Green have a hamstring injury, but the once proud defense ranks 28th in the league, allowing an average of 123.4 rushing yards per game. Green won't play Sunday, according to Jim Owczarski of Cincinnati.com.Things aren't nearly as dire for the 5-5 Baltimore Ravens. Their defense is ranked first against the run, allowing 76 yards per game. The unit also gives up just 18.7 points per game, compensating for the fact Joe Flacco has thrown 10 touchdowns to nine interceptions.At home, Baltimore can ride the improving duo of Terrance West and Kenneth Dixon against a struggling defense while leaning on its own.Without having to worry about Green, the Ravens can hit a business-as-usual approach, keying on Cincinnati tight end Tyler Eifert and daring the Bengals to send the ball elsewhere.Prediction: Ravens 27-17 San Diego (-1.5) at HoustonNeither the San Diego Chargers nor Houston Texans have shown much in the way of consistency this season.San Diego (4-6) has demonstrated plenty of inconsistency by beating Denver and Atlanta and losing to Kansas City. Ditto for Houston (6-4), which beat Kansas City but lost to Denver, New England and Oakland.Still, bettors shouldn't fall victim to recordsjust look at this note from Ben Higgins of 10 News:At the end of the day, Houston's defense is down J.J. Watt, and it shows, allowing an average of 111.6 rushing yards per game, good for 21st in the NFL. It's a bend-but-don't-break unit, which is a risky play against Philip Rivers and Melvin Gordon.Using Gordon, who has scored nine times already this year, San Diego can set up Rivers through the air. The hobbled Houston defense, which has just 19 sacks on the season, will have a hard time containing tight end Antonio Gates, who has scored in three consecutive games.The fact San Diego is a favorite on the road says a lot about this one. The Chargers have a huge advantage at quarterback and the proper balance to steal a win away from home.Prediction: Chargers 23-20 Carolina at Oakland (-3)The fact this line is so close is shocking.Bettors know the Oakland Raiders (8-2) as the first-place team in the brutal AFC West that is gunning for the postseason behind the arm of Derek Carr. He's sitting on 20 touchdowns to four interceptions with a running game that has rushed for 11 scores.The Carolina Panthers' The 4-6 squad beat San Francisco, Arizona, Los Angeles and New Orleansa meh win column if there ever was one.Little about the Panthers has looked right this year. Cam Newton has 11 touchdowns to seven interceptions. The ground game averages 3.8 yards per carry. Even the defense has disappointed, averaging 24.6 points allowed. To top it all off, star linebacker Luke Kuechly is on the shelf with an injury and won't play, according toBryan Stricklandof the team's official website.While Carolina tries to recover a lost identity, Oakland has embraced a new one."To know that we can win a football game either way," Carr said, according to Stats LLC (via ESPN.com). "We can run the football or throw the football. Either way, I'm all for it as long as we keep on winning."These Raiders should scare the rest of the NFL for their sheer confidence more than anything. Carr and one of the league's hottest teams will be too much for a Panthers team that boasts only one win away from home this year.Prediction: Raiders 27-20 Stats courtesy ofNFL.com. All advanced metrics courtesy ofPro Football Focus. Follow Chris Roling (@Chris_Roling) on Twitter.
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