Each week, we’ll tell you what games you should put your money on and which you should avoid. This is a feature we’ve been doing for a while now, but we wanted to make sure we did it for the most popular sport in the US: the National Football League (NFL).
NFL football is arguably the most exciting sport in the world. People travel from all over the globe to attend games and catch them on TV. Sadly, betting on the NFL is one of the most difficult sportsbooks to make sense of. The game is intense and a lot of fun to watch, but the unpredictability of the outcome makes it almost impossible to handicap.
That’s why we’ve gone above and beyond the call of duty to analyze the matchups and determine the games you can safely bet on and which ones you should avoid. Let’s take a look, beginning with the games you should put your money on.
Chargers vs Broncos
The match-up of the week is between the San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos. These are two of the best teams in the NFL, so you know it will be a good game. Unfortunately, bettors will not have it easy this week. The Broncos are 8-0 against the spread and the Chargers are 5-1-2 ATS. Those numbers don’t exactly instill confidence in either team’s ability to cover the spread.
On paper, it doesn’t look like much of a contest. The Broncos are the favorite in the Mile High City, as they usually are, and the Chargers haven’t lost by more than 10 points, so it will be a close one. There’s no reason to expect anything less than a competitive game between these two great teams. Nevertheless, with the spread going the other way, it’s hard to justify taking an opposing view.
Falcons vs Saints
One of the most anticipated games of the upcoming NFL season is the Atlanta Falcons vs the New Orleans Saints. These are two of the best teams in the league, so it should be a good game. Unfortunately, a lot of money is on the line, as the betting public seems to think so, too. The Saints are 7-1 against the spread, while the Falcons are 5-2-1 ATS. Those numbers again don’t really give you much confidence in either team’s ability to cover the spread. But you know what they say – absence makes the heart grow fonder.
The Falcons haven’t been playing well of late, which makes this game even more appetizing for the Faithful. The team is 1-4 ATS over the last five weeks and it will be interesting to see how they react to the addition of one of the best quarterbacks in the league. Atlanta is a solid team, but they don’t quite have what it takes to pull off the upset this time around. It’s close, but the Saints are favored in this one.
Jets vs Dolphins
The match-up of the week is between the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins. These are two of the best teams in the NFL, so you know it will be a good game. What makes this game so appealing is the fact that there’s no clear-cut favorite in New York. The Jets are 5-2 ATS while the Dolphins are 4-3. Those numbers alone make it impossible to know which team will come out on top. It could go either way.
The oddsmakers have taken the “underdog” role in this one, as evidenced by the fact that they’ve installed the Jets as 4.5-point underdogs. Despite the odds being against them, the faith-filled in New York will have no trouble believing that they can pull off the upset this time around.
Texans vs Bears
Finally, we reach one of the most anticipated games of the week, between the Houston Texans and Chicago Bears. These are two of the best teams in the league, so it should be a good game. But it’s been a while since the Bears were genuinely terrifying, so a lot of people are saying that this game will lack a certain something. The Houston Texans are 7-1 against the spread and the Bears are 6-2 ATS. Those numbers again don’t really give you much confidence in either team’s ability to cover the spread. Nevertheless, you know what they say – it’s always the most anticipated game of the week, regardless of who’s playing.
The Texans haven’t lost a game by more than two points in four weeks and the general consensus in Houston is that the offense will score at least 24 points. The Bears have the 4th-best defense in the league, so it will be fascinating to see how the vaunted Houston offense performs. This game doesn’t have the same cachet as some of the other contests going down this week, but it’s still a game that many people will be watching. Whether you’re a fan of one of the participating teams or not, you’ll likely find something about this game that interests you.
Chiefs vs Raiders
One of the most anticipated games of the week is the matchup of the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders. These are two of the best teams in the NFL, so you know it will be a good game. The Raiders are 7-1 against the spread while the Chiefs are 5-2-1 ATS. Those numbers again don’t really give you much confidence in either team’s ability to cover the spread. Nevertheless, you know what they say – revenge is a dish best served cold. The Raiders are coming off a huge upset victory over the Patriots and will be looking for payback against the Chiefs. Who will come out on top? We’ll find out on Thursday night.