Falcons among betting favorites in pivotal NFL Week 17 games

OddsSharkDec 28, 2017, 8:51 PM EST

The Atlanta Falcons and Matt Ryan, whose playoff hopes are dependent on Week 17 results, take a strong head-to-head trend into a game against the Carolina Panthers this weekend.

In the only matchup of a crowded NFL Week 17 slate that has playoff implications for both teams, the Falcons are four-point betting favorites against the Cam Newton-led Panthers with a 45-point total at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.

The Falcons, who essentially need a win or a Seattle Seahawks loss in order to earn an NFC wild card berth, are 7-2 against the spread in their last nine home games against the Panthers. However, the OddsShark NFL Database reveals that the Panthers have an identical 7-2 ATS mark over their last nine road games.

Speaking of Seattle, the Seahawks are 9.5-point favorites against the Arizona Cardinals with a 39-point total. The visiting team is 5-0-1 SU and ATS in its last six games in this matchup. The Seahawks, who deep-sixed the Dallas Cowboys’ playoff hopes during Week 16, are 7-2 ATS in their last nine games after winning as an underdog.

The Minnesota Vikings, who simply need to win to join the No. 1 seed Philadelphia Eagles as a bye team, are 11.5-point favorites against the Chicago Bears with a 39.5 total. The Bears are 0-5 SU and 1-4 ATS in their last five games on the road against the Vikings. The total has gone under in 11 of the Vikings’ last 13 divisional games.

The New Orleans Saints, who need a win or a Carolina loss to clinch the NFC South, are seven-point road favorites against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a 50.5 total. The Saints are 11-0 SU and 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games as a favorite. The Buccaneers are 7-20 ATS in their last 27 games at home in December.

The San Francisco 49ers are 3.5-point road favorites, with a 43.5 total, against the Los Angeles Rams, who will be either the NFC’s No. 3 or 4 seed. The 49ers are 3-1 SU and 4-0 ATS in their last four games against the Rams.

The moving parts in the AFC playoff picture involve the Nos. 1 and 2-seeded bye teams – the New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers – and the two wild cards.

The Patriots, who hold the tiebreaker over the Steelers, are 15.5-point favorites against the New York Jets with a 44 total. The Jets are 7-1-1 ATS in their last nine games against the Patriots. The total has gone over in 13 of the Patriots’ last 17 games at home in December.

The Steelers, who might take out starters if it appears wrestling home-field advantage from the Patriots is out of reach, are 10.5-point favorites against the Cleveland Browns with a 38 total. The total has gone over in 10 of the Browns’ last 14 road games. The Steelers, who had a Christmas Day blowout win against Houston in Week 16, are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games after an ATS win.

The Baltimore Ravens, who can lose and still get an AFC wild card spot, are 9.5-point favorites against the Cincinnati Bengals with a 40 total. The Bengals are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games. The total has gone over in six of the Ravens’ last eight games in December.

Among other AFC wild card hopefuls, the Tennessee Titans are 3.5-point favorites against the Jacksonville Jaguars with a 41.5 total. The total has gone over in the Jaguars’ last 10 games in the late afternoon. The Titans are 5-1 SU in their last six games at home.

The Los Angeles Chargers are eight-point favorites against the Oakland Raiders with a 42-point total. The Raiders are 7-1 ATS in their last eight road games against the Chargers. The Chargers are 2-7 ATS in their last nine games at home in December.

And the Buffalo Bills are 2.5-point favorites against the Miami Dolphins with a 42.5 total. The Bills are 2-8 SU and 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games in the late afternoon. The Dolphins are 5-14 ATS in their last 19 games in December.

For more info, picks and a breakdown of this week’s top sports betting news check out the new OddsShark podcast with Jon Campbell and Andrew Avery. Subscribe on iTunes, or check it out at OddsShark.libsyn.com.

Sunday Night Football odds: Eagles laying touchdown against Cowboys

OddsSharkNov 10, 2018, 12:51 AM EST

The fact that the Philadelphia Eagles are coming off a bye while the Dallas Cowboys had a short week to work on their road woes should tip off straight-up bettors, but the spread might be another story.

The Eagles, led by quarterback Carson Wentz, are 7-point favorites on the Sunday Night Football odds against the Cowboys with a 43.5-point total at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. Philadelphia is 16-3 straight-up and 12-6-1 against the spread in its last 19 games after having at least a full week off, while Dallas is 0-9 SU in its last nine games after playing the Monday prior.

Dallas carries a good head-to-head trend of being 5-1 SU and ATS in their last six road games at Philadelphia, according to the OddsShark NFL Database, and is also 6-3 ATS in its last nine road games as an underdog of 6.5 or more points.

The Cowboys are 3-5 both SU and ATS after a home loss against the Houston Texans on Monday. Dallas and quarterback Dak Prescott have habitually struggled to score points on the road, and a nicked-up offensive line faces a very strong Eagles defensive line led by tackle Fletcher Cox. For all the formidability of its front four, though, the Eagles are giving up 4.5 yards per rush and Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott should find some room to the outside as both a rusher and pass receiver.

Dallas will be without wide receiver Tavon Austin (groin) and will need more out of Amari Cooper in the passing phase as the ex-Oakland Raider enters his second game for the Cowboys.

The Eagles, who are 4-4 SU and 3-5 ATS and need the win to have any reasonable chance at defending their Super Bowl crown, are 7-1 SU and 6-2 ATS over their last eight games at night. Bettors’ confidence in the Eagles’ offensive capabilities might come down to the health of right tackle Lane Johnson (knee), who is expected to play and provide resistance to the Dallas pass rush.

Quarterback Carson Wentz now has wide receiver Golden Tate, recently acquired via trade, in his arsenal against a Cowboys pass defense that allows the sixth-worst opponents’ passer rating (101.1) in the NFL.

The ground game has generated middling results for the Eagles, who are still hoping either Corey Clement or Wendell Smallwood can take a lead role. Dallas also allows the second-least yards per rush in the NFL, which is a small reason to think the Cowboys will offer some resistance by forcing Wentz into obvious passing downs.

Wentz will likely face some long-yardage scenarios, though, as the Cowboys allow the second-least yards per carry.

There are pronounced UNDER trends in this matchup. The total has gone UNDER in the Cowboys’ last three games against the Eagles, with an average combined score of 30.67 points. The total has gone UNDER in the Cowboys’ last eight games on the road, with an average combined score of 31.25 points. And the total has gone UNDER in eight of the Eagles’ last nine games at home, with an average combined score of 31.89 points.

For more odds information, betting picks and a breakdown of this week’s top sports betting news check out the OddsShark podcast with Jon Campbell and Andrew Avery. Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify or listen to it at OddsShark.libsyn.com.

NFL Week 6 odds: Bengals, Eagles, Patriots are all betting favorites

OddsSharkOct 11, 2018, 8:43 AM EDT

The Cincinnati Bengals usually handle struggling teams, but it’s fair to wonder if that trend will be cancelled out by their long-running difficulties against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Bengals, led by quarterback Andy Dalton, are 2.5-point favorites against the Pittsburgh Steelers on the NFL Week 6 odds with a 53-point total at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.

According to the OddsShark NFL Database, it is only the sixth time in the last 14 seasons that the AFC North-leading Bengals are favored at home against the Steelers, but they are 14-4 straight-up in their last 18 home games against teams with losing records, and are also 6-1 SU and against the spread in their last seven games.

The Steelers, 2-2-1 SU on the season, have dominated the matchup with a 16-2 SU record in their last 18 road games against the Bengals, but they are also 1-6 ATS in their last seven games in the early afternoon.

The Philadelphia Eagles are 3-point road favorites against the New York Giants with a 43-point total for the Thursday Night Football matchup. The Eagles are 14-6 ATS in their last 20 games against the Giants. The total has gone OVER in the Eagles’ last five games against the Giants, with an average combined score of 54.6. The Giants are 2-8 SU and 3-7 ATS in their last 10 home games.

The Seattle Seahawks are 3-point favorites against the Oakland Raiders with a 48-point total in a matchup at Wembley Stadium in London. The Seahawks, who will be idle in Week 7, are 7-0 SU and 6-1 ATS in their last seven games before a bye. The Raiders are 2-5 SU and 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven games before a bye. The total has gone UNDER in 10 of the Raiders’ last 12 games, with an average combined score of 43.33.

The Chicago Bears are 3-point road favorites against the Miami Dolphins with a 42-point total. The Bears are 1-9 SU in their last 10 games on the road against teams with winning records. The total has gone UNDER in five of the Bears’ last seven games, with an average combined score of 37.43. The Dolphins are 0-7-1 ATS in their last eight games at home after consecutive road games.

The Washington Redskins are 1-point favorites against the Carolina Panthers with a 44.5-point total. The Panthers are 4-0 ATS in their last four games against the Redskins. The Redskins are 3-10 SU in their last 13 games in Week 6. The total has gone UNDER in four of the Redskins’ last five games in the early afternoon.

The Los Angeles Rams are 7-point road favorites against the Denver Broncos with a 52.5-point total. The Rams are 8-2 SU and 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games in the late afternoon. The total has gone OVER in eight of the Rams’ last 10 games on the road, with an average combined score of 54.5. The Broncos are 4-13 SU and 2-14-1 ATS in their last 17 games.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are 3-point road favorites against the Dallas Cowboys with a 40.5-point total. The Jaguars are 4-22 SU and 6-20 ATS in their last 26 games in the late afternoon. The Cowboys are 0-5 SU and ATS in their last five games in the late afternoon.

The New England Patriots are 3.5-point favorites against the Kansas City Chiefs with a 59.5-point total in the Sunday Night Football matchup. The Chiefs have covered in every game so far this season and are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games after consecutive ATS wins. The total has gone OVER in 10 of the Chiefs’ last 14 games at night. The Patriots are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games at night.

And the Green Bay Packers are 9.5-point road favorites against the San Francisco 49ers with a 46.5-point total for Monday night’s game. The 49ers are 0-14 SU and 5-9 ATS in their last 14 road games as an underdog of 7.5 or more points. The Packers are 8-2 SU and 6-4 ATS in their last 10 home games as a favorite of 7.5 or more points.