You may recall reading in this space that teams coming off a bye generally don't trigger movement in a lookahead line during the following week leading up to their next games. After all, without suiting up, teams cannot affect the spread with a strong or weak performance. Plus, unless a key player falls off a ladder while painting the walls of his home, the number cannot be impacted by injuries.

Well, we have just been reminded that things can happen to alter a spread.

The New York Giants spent their off week deciding to demote quarterback Daniel Jones in favor of Tommy DeVito. While Jones has been ineffective, the switch from a household name to a third-stringer can nudge the number northward for an underdog.

Last week, we snared the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at -3 against the Giants while mentioning that New York could pull a QB switcheroo. Sure enough, the spread has shifted to -5.5. We also noted that Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans was on track to return from an injury layoff. His prospects appear promising, which also could account for the larger line.

Our selection of Green Bay at +1.5 against San Francisco delivered an even better result. The Packers edged Chicago, courtesy of a game-ending blocked field goal try, while the 49ers dropped an equally narrow decision on an 11th-hour touchdown by Seattle. Toss an injury to 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy into the blender, leaving him day-to-day, and the result is a substantial 4-point fluctuation to the Packers at -2.5. Those of us who acted last week delight in having Green Bay as an underdog. 

Our third choice could have waited until this week. We went for Dallas +10 vs. Washington. Both teams lost over the weekend. Because the Cowboys played in the Monday night spotlight and got hammered by Houston, the spread now stands at +10.5.

With the lookaheads for Week 13, we are leaning on perhaps our favorite line (-2.5) for a pair of picks — and a third just a half-tick higher. We've passed on the Thanksgiving Day tripleheader so you can enjoy your holiday dining without swallowing Tums while agonizing over your plays.

Week 13 lookahead lines

(Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook)

Bears at Lions (-10.5), O/U 48.5
Giants at Cowboys (-2.5), O/U 39
Dolphins at Packers (-3.5), O/U 47
Raiders at Chiefs (-12.5), O/U 43.5
Seahawks at Jets (-1.5), O/U 44.5
Titans at Commanders (-7), O/U 44.5
Texans (-6.5) at Jaguars, O/U 42.5
Cardinals at Vikings (-4), O/U 47
Steelers at Bengals (-1.5), O/U 47
Chargers (-1.5) at Falcons, O/U 46.5
Colts (-2.5) at Patriots, O/U 43
Buccaneers (-6.5) at Panthers, O/U 44.5
Rams (-2.5) at Saints, O/U 46.5
Eagles at Ravens (-3), O/U 50
49ers at Bills (-3), O/U 47.5
Browns at Broncos (-7), O/U 40

Which Week 13 sides make for great plays before Week 12 kicks off? And which underdog offers a great betting opportunity? ... Join SportsLine right now to see Week 13 lookahead picks from NFL expert Mike Tierney!