NFL Opening Line Report: NFC North title on the line when Packers meet Lions
The 2016 NFL regular season comes to a close Sunday night in Detriot, with the NFC North title on the line.
Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions (OFF)
Green Bay is making a hard charge toward the NFC North crown, winning its last five games SU while going 4-1 ATS in that stretch. The Packers (9-6 SU, 8-6-1 ATS) rolled past Minnesota 38-25 Saturday as a 6-point home favorite.
Detroit (9-5 SU, 8-6 ATS) still has Week 16 work to do, playing in the Monday nighter at Dallas. The Lions had their own five-game winning streak going (4-1 ATS) before falling at the New York Giants 17-6 catching 4 points on Dec. 18.
With Detroit playing tonight, the line has not yet posted, though Kaminsky offered some speculation.
“I think Green Bay will be somewhere around -3. As I’m sitting here, I’m in a T-shirt, and the only thing written on it is ‘Relax,’” he said, alluding to Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ comment from a couple seasons ago when his team was struggling a bit but rebounded. Green Bay has done the same this year.
“I’m not an Aaron Rodgers fan as a person, but I would lean toward Green Bay to cover the spread,” Kaminsky said. “There’s something about Detroit, I’m just not enamored with the team. I think Rodgers has the ‘it’ factor, and Detroit has the ‘non-it’ factor.”
The winner of this game claims the division crown, while the loser will be fighting with Washington or Tampa Bay for the final NFC playoff berth.
New York Giants at Washington Redskins (-7.5)
New York is already assured of one of the two wild-card slots from the NFC, thanks to its 8-2 SU run over the last 10 games (7-3 ATS). The Giants (10-5 SU, 8-6-1 ATS) lost Saturday at Philadelphia, 24-19 getting 1.5 points, but have still punched their postseason ticket.
Washington, meanwhile, needs a victory this week and some help, for sure. The Redskins (8-6-1 SU, 10-5 ATS) have lost three of their last five SU, but drilled Chicago 41-21 Saturday as a 3-point road favorite.
“The Giants have nothing to play for, and the Redskins need to win,” Kaminsky said. “I’m not a fan of betting on a team because it needs to win, but it’s tricky in this game – how much time are the Giants’ starters going to get? Week 17 is my least favorite thing to book in sports, because of who’s playing and who’s not playing. I hate it. I’d take break-even right now.”
Kaminsky said a little early money came in on the Redskins, but the line and the price are still at the opener of -7 (-115). And he offered bettors a little advice: keep an eye on the quarter lines, in the event New York announces its starters are only going to play a quarter or perhaps the first half. Some value can come up if you catch the oddsmakers sleeping.
Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos (-2.5)
Oakland was dealt a huge blow in Saturday’s victory over the Indianapolis Colts. The Raiders (12-3 SU, 10-5 ATS) lost quarterback Derek Carr to a broken leg in the fourth quarter of a 33-25 win as a 3.5-point chalk, ending Carr’s season. The Raiders are still in contention for the AFC’s No. 1 seed – though a loss this week could drop them into a wild-card spot.
Defending Super Bowl champion Denver, meanwhile, will wrap up its season Sunday, with no trip to the playoffs. The Broncos (8-7 SU and ATS) lost three in a row and four of their last five, going from 7-3 and firmly in the postseason picture to 8-7 and completely out. On Sunday night at Kansas City, Denver had nothing in the tank and took a 33-10 loss as a 3.5-point pup.
“Denver’s so bad,” Kaminsky said, noting the line is where it is only because of Carr’s absence. “I’d have Oakland -3.5 if Carr’s playing – about a 6-point difference.”
Kansas City Chiefs at San Diego Chargers (+4)
Kansas City can still nab the AFC West title, and with it the No. 2 seed in the playoffs, if things fall right this week. The Chiefs (11-4 SU, 8-7 ATS) have gone 9-2 SU (7-4 ATS) in their last 11, capped by a 33-10 rout of Denver on Sunday night as a 3.5-point fave.
San Diego will have to settle for spoiler, with an opportunity to keep K.C. locked into the wild card. On Saturday, the Chargers (5-10 SU, 7-8 ATS) continued their habit of being on the short end of one-score games, while becoming Cleveland’s only victim all season in a 20-17 road loss laying 4.5 points.
TheGreek.com opened the Chiefs -4 (-120) and moved to 4.5 on Monday afternoon.
“San Diego pretty much played as well as it could with what it had this season,” Kaminsky said. “They had an abundance of injuries. I think Philip Rivers is really a good quarterback. I’d love to see him on a better team.
“And the Chiefs are just a solid team. They don’t do anything great, but they do everything well. Sunday night against Denver was a perfect example.”
The 2016 NFL regular season comes to a close Sunday night in Detriot, with the NFC North title on the line.
Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions (OFF)
Green Bay is making a hard charge toward the NFC North crown, winning its last five games SU while going 4-1 ATS in that stretch. The Packers (9-6 SU, 8-6-1 ATS) rolled past Minnesota 38-25 Saturday as a 6-point home favorite.
Detroit (9-5 SU, 8-6 ATS) still has Week 16 work to do, playing in the Monday nighter at Dallas. The Lions had their own five-game winning streak going (4-1 ATS) before falling at the New York Giants 17-6 catching 4 points on Dec. 18.
With Detroit playing tonight, the line has not yet posted, though Kaminsky offered some speculation.
“I think Green Bay will be somewhere around -3. As I’m sitting here, I’m in a T-shirt, and the only thing written on it is ‘Relax,’” he said, alluding to Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ comment from a couple seasons ago when his team was struggling a bit but rebounded. Green Bay has done the same this year.
“I’m not an Aaron Rodgers fan as a person, but I would lean toward Green Bay to cover the spread,” Kaminsky said. “There’s something about Detroit, I’m just not enamored with the team. I think Rodgers has the ‘it’ factor, and Detroit has the ‘non-it’ factor.”
The winner of this game claims the division crown, while the loser will be fighting with Washington or Tampa Bay for the final NFC playoff berth.
New York Giants at Washington Redskins (-7.5)
New York is already assured of one of the two wild-card slots from the NFC, thanks to its 8-2 SU run over the last 10 games (7-3 ATS). The Giants (10-5 SU, 8-6-1 ATS) lost Saturday at Philadelphia, 24-19 getting 1.5 points, but have still punched their postseason ticket.
Washington, meanwhile, needs a victory this week and some help, for sure. The Redskins (8-6-1 SU, 10-5 ATS) have lost three of their last five SU, but drilled Chicago 41-21 Saturday as a 3-point road favorite.
“The Giants have nothing to play for, and the Redskins need to win,” Kaminsky said. “I’m not a fan of betting on a team because it needs to win, but it’s tricky in this game – how much time are the Giants’ starters going to get? Week 17 is my least favorite thing to book in sports, because of who’s playing and who’s not playing. I hate it. I’d take break-even right now.”
Kaminsky said a little early money came in on the Redskins, but the line and the price are still at the opener of -7 (-115). And he offered bettors a little advice: keep an eye on the quarter lines, in the event New York announces its starters are only going to play a quarter or perhaps the first half. Some value can come up if you catch the oddsmakers sleeping.
Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos (-2.5)
Oakland was dealt a huge blow in Saturday’s victory over the Indianapolis Colts. The Raiders (12-3 SU, 10-5 ATS) lost quarterback Derek Carr to a broken leg in the fourth quarter of a 33-25 win as a 3.5-point chalk, ending Carr’s season. The Raiders are still in contention for the AFC’s No. 1 seed – though a loss this week could drop them into a wild-card spot.
Defending Super Bowl champion Denver, meanwhile, will wrap up its season Sunday, with no trip to the playoffs. The Broncos (8-7 SU and ATS) lost three in a row and four of their last five, going from 7-3 and firmly in the postseason picture to 8-7 and completely out. On Sunday night at Kansas City, Denver had nothing in the tank and took a 33-10 loss as a 3.5-point pup.
“Denver’s so bad,” Kaminsky said, noting the line is where it is only because of Carr’s absence. “I’d have Oakland -3.5 if Carr’s playing – about a 6-point difference.”
Kansas City Chiefs at San Diego Chargers (+4)
Kansas City can still nab the AFC West title, and with it the No. 2 seed in the playoffs, if things fall right this week. The Chiefs (11-4 SU, 8-7 ATS) have gone 9-2 SU (7-4 ATS) in their last 11, capped by a 33-10 rout of Denver on Sunday night as a 3.5-point fave.
San Diego will have to settle for spoiler, with an opportunity to keep K.C. locked into the wild card. On Saturday, the Chargers (5-10 SU, 7-8 ATS) continued their habit of being on the short end of one-score games, while becoming Cleveland’s only victim all season in a 20-17 road loss laying 4.5 points.
TheGreek.com opened the Chiefs -4 (-120) and moved to 4.5 on Monday afternoon.
“San Diego pretty much played as well as it could with what it had this season,” Kaminsky said. “They had an abundance of injuries. I think Philip Rivers is really a good quarterback. I’d love to see him on a better team.
“And the Chiefs are just a solid team. They don’t do anything great, but they do everything well. Sunday night against Denver was a perfect example.”
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