NFL Line Watch Week 9
By:
Art Aronson |
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
NFL Line Watch Week 9
Each week during the pro football season, AAA Sports looks
at the NFL odds and tells you which spread to bet now, which one to bet later,
and which total to watch as the week plays out.
Game to bet on now
Cincinnati at Jacksonville (-4)
The Jags have quietly and efficiently built the best defense
in the league. Best vs. the pass. Most sacks. Fewest points allowed. Sixth-best
in total yards allowed. They do give up some yards on the ground, and that’s
where the 3-5 Bengals will have to attack in they want to hang in and remain
viable in the AFC North. Oddly, the Jags seem to be worse (1-2) at home than
they are on the road (3-1), but that doesn’t mean much considering the small
sample size. Jacksonville needs to keep pace with Tennessee, which has won two
straight and appears to be getting better. With the line opening at -2 in some
books and moving to -4 in others, there is already an opportunity to middle
this one.
Game to wait on
Oakland at Miami (+2.5)
The Dolphins have been outscored by an average of nearly
nine points a game but somehow have managed to stay afloat in an AFC East
division that isn’t all that bad this season. Much of that deficit is
attributable to that 40-0 turd of a loss at Baltimore, but Thursday games
almost shouldn’t count on a team’s record because so many struggle mid-week. At
any rate, Miami will benefit from a few extra days of rest and will be facing
Raiders team that has by many accounts underachieved this season and will be
making its second straight cross-country trip to the East Coast. The problem is
at quarterback, where Jay Cutler has been out with a rib injury. He’ll play if
he can, but if he can’t go, then Matt Moore (zero TDs, two INTs vs. the Ravens)
will be thrown to the wolves again. Might be a good idea to hang on a bit, as
this game might be a PK if there is good news on Cutler.
Total to watch
Los Angeles Rams at New York Giants (43.5)
Can it get any worse for the Giants? They were out of the
playoffs before September was over, their best offensive player (Odell Beckham)
is done for the year after ankle surgery and there is talk that it might be
time to sit down Eli Manning and get a look at a backup who might be competing
for the No. 1 job when training camp starts next summer. Yikes. The Giants are
one of six teams not averaging 300 total years a game, and appear to be
catching the Rams at a bad time – LA has allowed a total of only 33 points in
the last three and is coming off a shutout win over the Cardinals.
For more of Art Aronson click here.