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Essential Week 2 betting tidbits and odds for NFL Sunday
The Titans are just 7-19-1 in their last 27 road games.
The Oakland Raiders haven't been this big of a favorite heading into a weekend since Y2K was thing. The Scott Tolzien era is over in Indy and the Chargers are still looking for fans to fill their itty bitty football stadium. Those tidbits and more in the Week 2 of the NFL betting essentials.
Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens (-8, 39)
Is it just us or did the Cleveland Browns look respectable last week against the Steelers? They covered the spread and extended their ATS win streak to five games – if you include the preseason. The Browns fielded the youngest team in the NFL last week with the average player age of 24.17. Maybe they’re too just to know they’re supposed to be bad this year.
LINE HISTORY: The line opened with the home side giving 7.5 points but the spread is now as high as -9 at some shops. The total opened at 41 and was bet down to 39.
TRENDS:
*The Ravens are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games vs. AFC North opponents.
*The Browns are 1-10-1 ATS in their last 12 games against opponents with winning records.
*The Over is 6-1 in the Browns’ last seven road games.
Buffalo Bills at Carolina Panthers (-7, 43)
The Panthers would be wise to focus on stopping LeSean McCoy. The Bills are 9-2 straight up and 8-3 against the spread in games the tailback rushes for 100 or more yards dating back to 2015. Former Panthers defensive coordinator and current Bills head coach Sean McDermott makes his return to Carolina where Cam Newton and Crew are 5-1 ATS in their last six home openers.
LINE HISTORY: Oddsmakers opened with the Panthers as 8-point chalk but it appears sharp bettors are driving the line down. Sportsbooks are now dealing this game at -7.5 or -7. The total can be found between 42.5 and 43.
TRENDS:
*The Panthers are 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven games following an ATS win.
*The Bills are 1-4 in their last five games following an outright win.
*The Over is 10-3 in the Bills’ last 13 games overall.
Arizona Cardinals at Indianapolis Colts (+7, 44)
The Scott Tolzien era has ended in Indianapolis. Former Pats third stringer QB Jacoby Brissett will start under center for the Colts on Saturday. Brissett made two starts last season and the Pats went 1-1 straight up and against the spread in those games.
How much will the Cards miss running back David Johnson who’s out with a bum wrist? He accounted for 36 percent of Arizona’s offensive yards last year.
LINE HISTORY: This game opened with the home team getting as many as eight points and most shops are now down to the key number +7. The total can be found between 44.5 and 44.
TRENDS:
*The Over is 8-0 in the Cardinals’ last eight games overall.
*The Colts are 24-8 ATS vs. teams with losing records.
Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars (+1.5, 42)
Jags rookie running back tallied 100 yards on the ground last week with 61 of them coming after contact according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. The run game will be even more important to Jacksonville after top receiver Allen Robinson was lost for the year to injury.
Tennessee allowed the second fewest rushing yards in 2016 and gave up 109 to Marshawn Lynch and the Oakland Raiders last week.
LINE HISTORY: The Jags opened as 1-point home dogs and are now getting between 2 and 2.5 points. The total is at 42 – a point and a half lower than the opening number of 43.5.
TRENDS:
*The Titans are 7-19-1 in their last 27 road games.
*The Under is 6-1 in the last seven meetings between these two teams at Jacksonville.
Philadelphia Eagles at Kansas City Chiefs (-5.5, 47.5)
Andy Reid off a bye week is one of the few must bet spots of the NFL season. Reid’s teams are 16-2 straight up and 13-5 against the spread coming off an off week. The success doesn’t transfer coming off a playing a Thursday night game the week prior.
Reid is just 3-4 ATS the week after a Thursday game and 1-3 ATS in his last four times in this spot.
LINE HISTORY: The line has been bouncing around in no one’s land between -4 and -6. Most books have the Chiefs giving 5.5 points heading into the weekend. The total can be found at 47, 47.5 and 48.
TRENDS:
*The Over is 11-2 in the Eagles’ last 13 road games.
*The Chiefs are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games overall.
New England Patriots at New Orleans Saints (+6, 56)
It’s only Week 1 but injuries are becoming an issue for the defending Super Bowl champions. LB Don’t’a Hightower, super special teamer Matthew Slater and WR Danny Amendola are out this weekend. And of course go-to target Julian Edelman is out for the year with a wrecked knee. The loss in Week 1 brought the Pats’ record to 2-7-1 ATS in games without Edelman since 2013.
LINE HISTORY: Most books opened with the visiting Patriots giving 6 points but most books are at 6.5 or 7 now. The total opened up at 53 and has been bet up three points to 56.
TRENDS:
*The Saints are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games overall.
*The over is 10-3-1 in the Saints’ last 14 home games.
*The Pats are 8-1 ATS in their last nine road games.
Minnesota Vikings at Pittsburgh Steelers (-6, 44.5)
It would only be the most Sam Bradford thing ever if he was hurt now after that shining performance on Monday night. NFL insiders are reporting the Vikings QB had an MRI on his knee – the same knee that’s had two ACL surgeries – after it was sore and swollen following the Saints game.
He’s questionable to play and Case Keenum would most likely be the starter if Bradford is ruled out. Keenum started nine games for the Rams last season and the team went 3-5-1 ATS in those games.
LINE HISTORY: Many books opened with this game at Pitt -7 but the number came down as low as Minny +5. The action is now driving the line back up to the original number at -7 – although that could have to do with Bradford’s status.
TRENDS:
*The Vikings are 21-6 ATS in their last 27 games following an ATS win.
*The Under is 15-3 in the Vikings’ last seven games following a straight up win.
*The Under is 11-1 in the Steelers’ last 12 games in Week 2.
Chicago Bears at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-7, 43.5)
The Bucs are itching to play some football again after their Week 1 game was postponed because of Hurricane Irma. Talk is cheap, but this quote from Bucs defensive line Robert Ayers was too good to omit:
“I ain’t worried about about no rust,” he told Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times. “I’m worried about the first person I get to lay my hands on.”
LINE HISTORY: The Bucs opened as 5.5-point favorites but have been bet up to 7-point chalk. The total has remained steady around 42.5 and 43.
TRENDS:
*The Under is 5-1-1 in the Bucs’ last seven games overall.
*The Bears are 1-7 ATS in their last eight games in September.
Miami Dolphins at Los Angeles Chargers (-3.5, 45.5)
The Chargers never had much of a home-field advantage when they played at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. The team was always a bit light on supporters in the outdated field that sat over 70,000 spectators.
The Bolts were hoping their stay this season at the StubHub Center in Carson and its 27,000 seating would allow for a small but rowdy crowd cheering them on. Well, word on the street is that Sunday’s game, the team’s home opener, still isn’t sold out. Turns out no one cares about the Chargers no matter where they play.
LINE HISTORY: The Chargers opened as 2.5-point faves but have been bet up and over the key number to 3.5. The total has kept steady at 45.5.
TRENDS:
*The Chargers are 5-16 ATS in their last 21 home games.
*The Over is 6-1 in the Dolphins’ last seven games.
New York Jets at Oakland Raiders (-13.5, 43.5)
The Jets are getting almost 14 points and that is significant for the Silver and Black. The Raiders haven’t double-digit chalk since Week 2 in 2003. They haven’t been favored by this many points since Week 4 of the 2001 season.
LINE HISTORY: Oakland opened as a 13.5-favorite and remains there now. Doesn’t appear the sportsbooks are interested in moving the number to the two touchdown spread.
TRENDS:
*The Over is 20-6-2 in the Raiders’ last 28 homes games.
Dallas Cowboys at Denver Broncos (+2.5, 42)
This is only the third time since the start of the 2013 season the Broncos are getting points at home. The Pats (twice) and Packers have both been road chalk at Mile High Stadium and the Broncos went 2-1 ATS in those games.
LINE HISTORY: Most shops installed the Cowboys as 1.5-point faves for this contest. You can find some Denver +2.5 lines out there heading into the weekend.
TRENDS:
*The Cowboys are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games following an ATS win.
*The Broncos are 0-3-1 ATS in their last four games following a straight up win.
*The Under is 14-3 in the Cowboys’ last 17 away games.
Washington Redskins at Los Angeles Rams (+2.5, 46)
Defensive tackle Aaron Donald makes his return to the Rams this weekend. The All-Pro defensive lineman was a training camp holdout and he missed last week’s game against the 49ers. The Rams aren’t revealing how many snaps Donald will get on the field but his presence should be a big boost for St. Louis.
LINE HISTORY: This game opened at Rams +2.5 and that’s where it stands heading into the weekend too.
TRENDS:
*The Redskins are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 away dates.
*The Over is 10-1 in Washington’s last 11 games following an outright loss.
San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks (-14, 42)
Pro Bowl cornerback Richard Sherman missed practice this week but is expected to start against the Niners. Seattle will be looking to see improvement from its offensive line. Not sure if the Niners have a pass rush good enough to be much of a test.
LINE HISTORY: Oddsmakers opened with Seattle giving 13 points but bettors quickly ate up the Seahawks and moved the line up to 14 points. The total has been bet down a few points from 43.5 all the way to 41.
TRENDS:
*The Niners are 4-12 ATS in their last 16 games overall.
*The Seahawks are 5-1 ATS in their last six home games.
Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons (-3, 55.5)
The Falcons home opener this season is extra special because this is their first game in their shiny new home – the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It’s the same spot that hosted the neutral site game between Alabama and Florida State in Week 1 of the college football season.
Since 1987, NFL teams are just 13-10 SU and 10-12-1 ATS playing their first game in a new stadium.
LINE HISTORY: The Dirty Birds opened as 2.5-point chalk and have been bet up to field goal favorites. The total opened around 53.5 and now sits at 55.5 at many shops.
TRENDS:
*The Packers are 5-1 ATS in their last six games overall.
*The Over is 7-1 in the Packers last eight games overall.Comment
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NFL
Sunday, September 17
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Sunday Night Football Betting Preview: Packers at Falcons
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Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons (-3, 55.5)
The last visit to Atlanta is one the Green Bay Packers won't soon forget -- a beating at the hands of the Falcons in the NFC Championship Game in January. With the stakes much lower, the Packers get a chance to avenge that loss to Atlanta on Sunday night in what will mark the first regular-season game at the Falcons' new Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Green Bay entered last season's conference title game on an eight-game winning streak but was never in it against Atlanta, falling behind by 24 points at halftime in a 44-21 blowout. "If you're thinking about last year and talking about last year, you're just wasting time and energy," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "To get to the point where you're playing in January and the opportunity to play in the Super Bowl, you've got to focus on what's going on today. That's really what our guys are focused on." The Falcons will be looking to beat Green Bay for the third time in 11 months -- they squeezed out a 33-32 victory at home last October on a last-minute touchdown pass by Matt Ryan. The league's highest-scoring team in 2016 with an average of 33.8 points, Atlanta needed a late defensive stand to escape with a 23-17 victory at Chicago in Week 1.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC.
POWER RANKINGS: Packers (-4) - Falcons (-3.5) + home field (-3) = Falcons -2.5
LINE HISTORY: The Falcons opened as two-point home chalk and by Saturday night that number had been bet up to three. The total hit the betting board at 53.5 and has jumped up three points to 56.5.
WHAT SHARPS SAY: ‘The Packers will be looking to spoil the celebration of the new Mercedes Benz stadium in Atlanta when they tackle the Falcons Sunday night . Revenge from a pair of losses suffered last year in this series- including a 44-21 loss in the NFC title game - sets the table for Green Bay. But Atlanta counters with a sterling 8-1 SU and ATS mark in home opening games behind QB Matt Ryan. This game should be played with playoff intensity this evening.’ - Marc Lawrence
WHAT BOOKS SAY: ‘Only public money has showed up for this marquee matchup thus far. Not sure if the sharps will get involved on the side as this appears to be a pretty tight number. We've taken some smart money on the over, and of course the squares are hammering the over every day. Currently, we have 55 percent of the money on Green Bay, and 67 percent on the over.’ Scott Cooley of BookMaker.eu
INJURY REPORT:
Packers - OT Bryan Bulaga (Questionable, Ankle), S Kentrell Brice (Questionable, Quadricep), DT Mike Daniels (Questionable, Hip), OT David Bakhtiari (Questionable, Hamstring), DT Montravius Adams (Questionable, Foot), LB Ahmad Brooks (Questionable, Concussion), OT Jason Spriggs (Questionable, Hamstring), OT Don Barclay (Questionable Week 7, Foot), LB Vince Biegel (Questionable Week 7, Ankle).
Falcons - C Alex Mack (Probable, Back), OL Austin Pasztor (Probable, Chest), S Kemal Ishmael (Questionable, Hamstring), LB Duke Riley (Questionable, Knee), TE Eric Saubert (Questionable, Hamstring), RB Brian Hill (Questionable, Ankle), RB Terron Ward (Questionable, Hamstring).
WEATHER REPORT: Dome
ABOUT THE PACKERS (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS, 0-1 O/U): Aaron Rodgers, who threw for 311 yards with one touchdown and one interception in last week's 17-9 victory over Seattle, has a passer rating of 117.0 in seven matchups against Atlanta while throwing for 29 scoring passes against two picks. Running back Ty Montgomery had 93 total yards and a touchdown while wide receivers Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson combined for 16 receptions and a score last week. Green Bay could be in trouble along the offensive line Sunday with left tackle David Bakhtiari battling a hamstring issue and right tackle Bryan Bulaga dealing with illness and a sprained ankle. The Packers' defense limited the Seahawks to 225 total yards and 12 first downs.
ABOUT THE FALCONS (1-0 SU, 0-1 ATS, 0-1 O/U): Ryan connected on an 88-yard scoring strike to tight end Austin Hooper in the fourth quarter and finished with 321 yards passing in the season opener. The league's reigning MVP has put up huge numbers over the past three matchups against the Packers, passing for 1,055 yards with 11 touchdowns against one interception. Wideout Julio Jones, who had four catches for 66 yards last week, torched Green Bay in the NFC title game with nine catches for 180 yards and two scores, and had an 11-catch, 259-yard monster performance against the Packers in 2014. The backfield tandem of Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman combined for only 53 yards rushing on 20 carries in Week 1.
TRENDS:
* Falcons are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss.
* Over is 7-1 in Packers last 8 games overall.
* Over is 11-0 in Falcons last 11 home games.
* Over is 7-1 in Packers last 8 games overall.
* Road team is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings.
CONSENSUS: The public is siding with the road dog Packers at a rate of 60 percent and the Over is picking up 64 percent of the totals action.
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NFL action report: NFC Championship rematch drawing spit action at betting windows in Las Vegas
Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons – Open: -3; Move: None
Atlanta didn’t look much like the defending NFC champion in Week 1, but still managed to come away with a victory. The Falcons held off Chicago in the red zone late, nabbing a 23-17 victory as a 6.5-point road favorite.
Green Bay passed a stout Week 1 test in a battle of perennial playoff contenders. The Packers beat Seattle 17-9 as a 2.5-point home chalk, but now travel to face the team that ended their 2016-17 season. The Falcons rolled to a 44-21 victory in last season’s NFC final to advance to the Super Bowl.
“A very fun matchup here, obviously a rematch of that big game from last year,” Simbal said of this Sunday night clash at 8:30 p.m. ET. “We haven’t seen any line movement all week. It’s been pretty good action on both sides. A very public game. The public likes the Falcons -3, likes the Packers moneyline.”
Dallas Cowboys at Denver Broncos – Open: -2; Move: -2.5
Ezekiel Elliott and Dallas overcame a turbulent few weeks to nab a season-opening victory. Elliott, who got an injunction to put a hold on his six-game suspension, rushed for 104 yards, and the Cowboys’ defense put the clamps on the New York Giants in a 19-3 win as a 6-point home chalk.
Denver also got off on the right foot – barely. The Broncos let a 24-7 fourth-quarter lead evaporate, but blocked a field goal in the final seconds to secure a 24-21 win over San Diego to push as a 3-point home fave.
“Probably our biggest decision of the day is Cowboys at Broncos,” Shelton said of action at MGM Resorts books, while adding the modest half-point uptick in the line doesn’t tell the whole story. “We’re gonna get crushed if the Cowboys win and cover.”
Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars – Open: Pick; Move: +1; Move: +1.5; Move: +2; Move: +2.5; Move: +2; Move: +1.5
Tennessee got out of the gates slowly with a 26-16 home loss to Oakland as a 2.5-point fave in Week 1.
Quarterback Marcus Mariota, returning from a broken leg suffered in Week 16 last year, had a 10-yard run for the Titans’ only touchdown, midway through the first quarter.
Jacksonville, a team everyone expected to be a laughingstock, got to do some chuckling of its own after a Week 1 upset at Houston. The Jaguars led 19-0 at halftime en route to a 29-7 victory as a 5.5-point ‘dog. That hasn’t really swayed the bettors, though.
“On Monday afternoon, we got sharp play on Tennessee pick 'em, so we moved the game to Titans -1.5,” Jerome said, noting that’s where the total returned by Friday after ticking up to 2.5. “We also got sharp action on the total for this game, as the sharpies are keen on this going under 44. The total is 42 now. With Leonard Fournette looking so good in his debut, I can see the Jags feeding him the ball a lot, so I can see why wiseguy action is on the under in this contest.”
Chicago Bears at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Open: -6.5; Move: -7
Chicago had a respectable showing in Week 1 against defending NFC champion Atlanta, and nearly pulled the upset. The Bears were driving late and had a potential winning TD dropped, resulting in a 23-17 home setback, though they cashed as 6.5-point underdogs.
Tampa Bay is running a week behind everyone else, with its opening game against Miami postponed due to Hurricane Irma. But that’s not scaring off the wiseguys.
“Tampa coming off that unplanned bye week,” Simbal said. “That game opened 6.5, and the sharp guys bet that up to 7. So despite Chicago having a good performance last week, the sharp guys are not backing them here.”
Arizona Cardinals at Indianapolis Colts – Open: +7.5; Move: +7
Indianapolis had arguably one of the worst Week 1 performances, coming against one of the worst teams from last season. The Colts, minus Andrew Luck – who might not return from offseason shoulder surgery until October – got boatraced by the Los Angeles Rams 46-9 as a 3.5-point road underdog.
Meanwhile, Arizona gave up four touchdowns to turn a 17-9 third-quarter lead into a 35-17 fourth-quarter deficit on the way to a 35-23 loss at Detroit laying 2.5 points. That was enough to sway early action toward the Colts this week.
“We saw Indianapolis have that pretty horrible game last week, where they got destroyed by the Rams,” Simbal said. “Arizona opened as a 7.5-point favorite in this game, that’s down to 7. Sharp guys actually backing the Colts, believe it or not, after that first week.”Comment
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Armadillo: Monday's six-pack
6 most popular picks in the Westgate SuperContest in Las Vegas:
6) Los Angeles Rams -2.5, 594- L
5) Dallas Cowboys -2.5, 605- L
4) New England Patriots -6.5, 627- W
3) Green Bay Packers +3, 630- L
2) Pittsburgh Steelers -5.5, 662- W
1) Tennessee Titans -2.5, 704- W
Top six weekly picks for season: 3-9
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Armadillo: Monday's List of 13: Wrapping up an NFL Sunday…….
14) Broncos 42, Cowboys 17— Broncos scored TD’s on five of their first seven drives. Denver was 9-15 on 3rd down, had 26 first downs and ran ball for 178 yards, while holding Dallas to 40 rushing yards in a surprisingly easy win. Cowboys had ball in red zone twice in 4th quarter, but lost ball on downs once, had a 103-INT return for a TD against them on the other drive.
13) Chiefs 27, Eagles 20— Andy Reid is now 2-0 against his old team; Kelce caught 8 passes for 103 yards on only 10 targets as KC opens 2-0. Philly gained 406 yards, had 27 first downs, converted 8-15 on 3rd down, but Wentz was sacked six times and Philly turned over twice (-2)- they scored only 20 points on five red zone drives.
12) Patriots 36, Saints 20— Brady threw for 177 yards in the first quarter here; Buffalo gained 176 yards in their whole game. This game was 30-10 at the half, so Patriots took their foot off the pedal at halftime and coasted to an easy win. Total yardage was 555-429; NE was 6-12 on third down; seven of their 10 drives wound up in the New Orleans red zone.
11) Cardinals 16, Colts 13 OT— Brissett’s only INT in his second NFL start was on the first play of OT, which set the Cardinals up to kick a FG without getting a first down. Arizona was down 13-3 with 8:00 left, but tied game with 3:25 left in regulation- they had 389-266 edge in yardage, but scored only six points on three red zone drives.
10) Titans 37, Jaguars 16— Tennessee ran for 179 yards, held Leonard Fournette to 40 yards on 14 carries. Titans scored TD’s the last four times they had the ball, with three of those drives less than 50 yards. Jaguars now head to England for a game with the Ravens next week.
9) Ravens 24, Browns 10— Baltimore opens season with pair of divisional wins, allowing only one TD on 23 drives. Browns gained 386 yards, but turned ball over five times (-3) in rookie QB Kizer’s first NFL road start. Ravens had a 12-yard advantage in field position.
8) Steelers 26, Vikings 9— Sam Bradford (knee) was a late scratch; Case Keenum played QB for the Vikings, who were outgained 335-237 in this flagfest, where both teams had 10+ penalties. Steelers had a 14-3 halftime lead, then kicked four FG’s on five second half drives. Teams were a combined 8-28 on third down.
7) Panthers 9, Bills 3— Total yardage was 255-176 in this pitchers’ duel with zero turnovers in it. Buffalo had one first down in first half, never got inside the Carolina red zone. Panthers had 12 first downs in first half, had a 10-yard edge in field position; they kicked FG’s on all three red zone drives.
6) Buccaneers 29, Bears 7— Mike Glennon was Tampa Bay’s backup QB the last four years; the Bucs kicked his butt here, forcing four Tampa Bay turnovers (+3) in a game they led 26-0 at the half. Glennon did throw for 301 yards but also two picks. Both teams were 50%+ on 3rd down; teams combined to score 27 points on eight red zone drives, which killed the over bettors.
5) Dolphins 19, Chargers 17— Rookie kicker Koo missed 43 and 44-yard FG’s wide right in the last minute of each half, as Chargers lost their home opener in their temporary home, ironically a soccer stadium. Koo also missed the gem-tying FG Monday night in Denver.
Miami kicker Pankey was 4-4 on FG’s; Dolphins won despite kicking three FG’s on three red zone drives, not exactly an ideal performance. Teams combined to go only 7-21 on 3rd down.
4) Seahawks 12, 49ers 9— Seattle has offensive issues; they drove 82 yards on 10 plays for the game’s only TD with 7:06 left, Seattle’s only TD on 20 drives this season. Seahawks have scored one TD, kicked four FG’s on five red zone drives; they gave up 159 rushing yards to the 49ers, who still haven’t scored a TD this season (four FG’s on 21 drives).
3) Raiders 45, Jets 20— WR Crabtree caught three TD passes, as Oakland jogged to an easy win in their home opener, outgaining the Jets 410-271. Raiders scored four TD’s, kicked a FG on their last five drives; they had a 9-yard edge in field position, starting three of their last five drives in Jet territory. Oakland also ran the ball for 180 yards.
2) Redskins 27, Rams 20— Washington grabbed early 13-0 lead, Rams fought back to a 20-all tie, but Washington drove ball 70 yards in ten plays for GW score with 1:49 left. Thompson had a 61-yard TD run for the Redskins just before the half that made the Rams’ climb a little more uphill. Despite Aaron Donald’s presence, Redskins ran the ball for 229 yards. Both teams are now 1-1.
1) Falcons 34, Packers 23– Atlanta is now 2-0 as they head to Detroit next week; this was the regular season opener in their new stadium. Packers were without both their starting OT’s, which makes it harder to protect Aaron Rodgers, who threw an awful lateral that was run back for a Falcon touchdown.Comment
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NFL
Monday, September 19
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Monday Night Football Betting Preview and Odds: Lions at Giants
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Detroit Lions at New York Giants (-3, 42)
Odell Beckham Jr. is many things but he doesn't profess to be a doctor, so it should come as no surprise that the superstar wide receiver was all over the map with his diagnosis of his ailing ankle. Beckham initially revealed that he's dealing with a six-to-eight-week timeline before later shifting gears and declaring it could be a four-to-12-week issue heading into the New York Giants' home opener against the Detroit Lions on Monday.
Simple math suggests that the prime-time tilt will be exactly four weeks since Beckham initially sustained the injury in a preseason game against Cleveland on Aug. 21. The flashy wideout, who was limited in practice on Thursday and Friday, watched helplessly as New York's vanilla offense mustered just two first downs in the first half en route to a 19-3 setback versus Dallas last weekend. While Eli Manning was held out of the end zone, Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford overcame an early pick-six and threw for 292 yards and four touchdown passes in a 35-23 victory over Arizona last week. Signed to a five-year, $135 million contract extension, Stafford completed 70.7 percent of his passes last week - well above both the averages of last season (65.3) and his career (61.6).
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.
POWER RANKINGS: Lions (-2) - Giants (-1.5) + home field (-3) = Giants -2.5
LINE HISTORY: The Giants opened the week as five-point home favorites, however, the uncertainty around the status of Odell Beckham Jr. has pushed the line down to -3 as of Sunday. The total hit the betting board at 43.5 and has been bet down to 42.
INJURY REPORT:
Lions - WR Golden Tate (Probable, Finger), DE Ezekiel Ansah (Questionable, Knee), RB Zach Zenner (Questionable, Back), DE Armonty Bryant (Eligible Week 5, Suspension), DT Khyri Thornton (Eligible Week 8, Suspension), T Corey Robinson (Questionable Week 10, Foot), P Kasey Redfern (I-R, Knee), P Sam Martin (Questionable Week 8, Ankle).
Giants - WR Tavarres King (Probable, Ankle), CB Janoris Jenkins (Probable, Hand), G Bobby Hart (Probable, Ankle), WR Odell Beckham Jr. (Probable, Ankle), LB Keenan Robinson (Questionable, Concussion), CB Valentino Blake (Out Indefinitely, Personal), LB Mark Herzlich (I-R. Stinger), DT Josh Banks (I-R, Shoulder).
ABOUT THE LIONS (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS, 1-0 O/U): While Golden Tate reeled in team highs in catches (10) and receiving yards (107) last week, rookie Kenny Golladay made a favorable impression with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown grabs. Pass-catching specialist Theo Riddick also had six catches with a TD reception, but his rushing contribution, when added with those of Ameer Abdullah and Dwayne Washington, resulted in just 51 yards on 22 carries for a 2.3-yard average per attempt. "It needs work," Lions coach Jim Caldwell said of the sputtering rushing attack. "It needs work. We just got to keep working at it and (it's) not where we want it yet."
ABOUT THE GIANTS (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, 0-1 O/U): New York isn't thrilled with its ground game either, as Paul Perkins accounted for 16 of the team's 35 yards rushing in the season opener. Running back Shane Vereen did not record a carry but did provide Manning with a serviceable option out of the backfield by grabbing a team-high nine receptions. Second-year wideout Sterling Shepard, who had seven catches last week, joined Beckham in reeling in a touchdown reception in New York's 17-6 win over Detroit on Dec. 18. Veteran Brandon Marshall struggled to step up in Beckham's absence last week as he had just one catch for 10 yards in his debut with his new team.
TRENDS:
* Lions are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 vs. NFC.
* Giants are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Under is 7-0 in Lions last 7 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 8-2 in Giants last 10 games overall.
CONSENSUS: The public is siding with the road pup Lions at a rate of 59 percent and the Over is picking up 63 percent of the totals action.
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NFL Week 3 opening line report: Cowboys open as 3.5-point road favorites at Cardinals
Patrick Everson
“Dallas’ defense was certainly exposed at Denver, but it’s not as if Arizona has done anything to impress us early in this season.”
With the exception of a little “Monday Night Football” housekeeping tonight, we’re on our way to Week 3 of the NFL season. We check in on the opening lines for four noteworthy games, with insights from Scott Cooley, odds consultant for offshore sportsbook Bookmaker.eu.
Houston Texans at New England Patriots (-12)
New England got a lot of its offensive mojo back in Week 2, but also lost stud tight end Rob Gronkowski to a groin injury, though it’s not considered serious. The Patriots (1-1 SU and ATS) raced out to a 30-13 halftime lead and coasted past New Orleans 36-20 victory Sunday as a 5.5-point road favorite.
Houston (1-1 SU and ATS) also bounced back from a poor season opener, though it has managed just 20 total points over two games. The Texans traveled to Cincinnati for the Thursday nighter and nabbed a 13-9 upset as a 5-point underdog.
“We were forced to inflate this number some, as the public knows well the disparity in these offenses,” Cooley said. “But it will be interesting to see how the Pats handle a top-flight defense, because they didn’t exactly impress against a great Chiefs defense (with Eric Berry) in their opener. Of course on the flip side, Bill Belichick eats rookie quarterbacks for breakfast.”
Early action certainly points to that, as Bookmaker.eu’s opening line of Pats -12 was up to 13 by late Sunday night.
Oakland Raiders at Washington Redskins (+3.5)
Oakland is out of the gate 2-0 SU and ATS as it preps for its second long road trip in the first three weeks, this time for the Sunday night game. The Raiders, who opened with a win at Nashville, drubbed the New York Jets 45-20 Sunday as a healthy 14-point home chalk.
Washington bounced back from a season-opening home loss to Philadelphia by escaping Los Angeles with a 27-20 victory over the Rams as a 3-point road ‘dog.
“I think the Redskins were better represented this week than what they put forth in their opener. That said, this is a very good-looking Raiders squad,” Cooley said. “There’s a reason smart bettors were pouring money on this team to win the Super Bowl during the offseason. Action should lean toward Oakland.”
Dallas Cowboys at Arizona Cardinals (+3.5)
Dallas got an early-season reality check on its Sunday visit to the Mile High City. In a game delayed an hour during the first half due to lightning, the Cowboys (1-1 SU and ATS) had little thunder on offense or defense, losing to Denver 42-17 laying 2.5 points.
Arizona rebounded from a season-opening setback at Detroit, but just barely. The Cardinals (1-1 SU, 0-2 ATS) were again on the road and needed overtime to dispatch undermanned Indianapolis 16-13 giving 7 points.
“Dallas’ defense was certainly exposed at Denver, but it’s not as if Arizona has done anything to impress us early in this season,” Cooley said of the Week 3 Monday night contest. “We know the public is going to be all over the Cowboys to bounce back, so expect the line to trend that way.”
Atlanta Falcons at Detroit Lions (no line)
Defending NFC champion Atlanta (2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS) christened its new stadium in style in the Week 2 Sunday nighter. The Falcons jumped all over Green Bay early en route to a 34-23 victory as a 3-point home fave.
Detroit still has some Week 2 work to do, traveling to face the New York Giants tonight, Bookmaker.eu is holding off on posting the line for this Week 3 clash. The Lions opened the year with a 35-23 home win over Arizona as a 2.5-point pup.
“The creation of this line will somewhat be predicated on each team’s performance in Week 2,” Cooley said ahead of Atlanta’s Sunday night victory. “If there aren’t any major injuries on Sunday and Monday night, and nothing looks out of sorts, we’ll look to open the Lions as very small underdogs. And they’ll be live in the eyes of some bettors.”Last edited by Udog; 09-18-2017, 11:06 AM.Comment
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