Posted on
12/26/2007 4:24:12 PM
NFL Football Betting - Week 17 Trends
By Robby Maddux
The Washington Redskins and Tennessee Titans will be playing for their playoff lives and the New England Patriots will be going for perfection as a few of the headliners in the final week of the regular season.
The nation's capital will be rocking and the NFL betting enthusiasts will be rolling when the Cowboys ride into town to face the Redskins, who must win to reach the playoffs.
The Washington Redskins (-9½) have come out of nowhere to take control of their own playoff destiny with one week remaining, as they take on the Dallas Cowboys (+9½) in the regular season finale in efforts of punching their postseason ticket.
With one more win, 36-year-old journeyman quarterback Todd Collins will guide his club into the playoffs - something that might have seem impossible when Washington was 5-7.
Be it insult, injury or even the death of one of their own, Washington has faced just about every hardship imaginable this year. A win over Dallas on Sunday would be another testament to the Redskins trying campaign.
Washington and Dallas met earlier this year with the Cowboys posting a 28-23 home victory. Dallas failed to cover the spread as 11-point favorites and are 1-4 ATS (against the spread) in the last five meetings against the Redskins. However, the Cowboys are 7-2 ATS in their last nine games played in Washington.
As quarterback Tony Romo's backup, Brad Johnson has been limited to handoffs and kneel-downs in a few games this season. But with the Cowboys having clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC, there's little reason for Romo to play every down or to throw every pass in this one.
NFL odds list Washington the 9½-point favorites with a game total of 39½ and the underdog is a stout 17-4 ATS in the last 21 contests between the two.
Can Washington find postseason and take the cash as the chalk? Or will the Cowboys send them packing as the puppies? Find out Sunday beginning at 4:15pm EST. There will be live wagering offered throughout this great game.
The Titans (-6½) are also one victory away from their first playoff berth since 2003. A win over the hosting Indianapolis Colts (+6½) will clinch the final AFC wild-card spot based on common-games tiebreaker over the Cleveland Browns.
A Tennessee loss sends the Browns to the playoffs for the first time since 2002. Cleveland (-9½) doesn't even have to win to make it as they take on the San Francisco 49ers (-9½) in front of the home folks.
The Colts have already clinched the AFC South title and first-round bye, so they won't be playing for much on Sunday versus Tennessee which has forced oddsmakers to peg them the underdogs.
As of now, head coach Tony Dungy plans to suit up quarterback Peyton Manning for the first have before handing the ball to backup Jim Sorgi to play at least one half, perhaps longer if perennial Pro Bowl receiver Marvin Harrison returns to the lineup after missing nine games. If Harrison doesn't play, Manning could leave even earlier, which would draw cheers from Cleveland.
The Colts are a money-shredding 0-5 ATS in their last five games in Week 17. As well, they are just 3-8 ATS in their last eleven contests played in December.
When Indianapolis and Tennessee square off, the under has prevailed in the last five games. Also, the under is 5-1 in the last six meetings in Indianapolis.
When the Titans and Colts collide fans in Tennessee and Cleveland will experience an intensity level so high it'll be off the charts making for excellent football wagering excitement. This matchup kicks off at 8:15pm EST as the final regular season game of the year, so don't miss it. There will also be live wagering offered throughout this awesome game.
Adding even more excitement to Week 17, the Patriots (-14½) will be looking to complete a perfect season when they close the campaign against the New York Giants (+14½) on Saturday evening beginning at 8:15pm.
At 15-0, no team has ever reeled off an unblemished 16-0 regular season. Not only can New England make history, they can also become the highest scoring team in Football Odds history. The Patriots need six points to break Minnesota's single-season record of 556 points set in 1998.
As well, quarterback Tom Brady is one touchdown pass shy of Peyton Manning's NFL record of 49 set in 2004. Also, receiver Randy Moss needs only one touchdown reception to tie Jerry Rice's mark of 22 set in 12 games in 1987, a strike year.
With everything wrapped up heading into postseason, and with records, history and perfection on the line, the million dollar question becomes: How long will head coach Bill Belichick play his starters?
Oddsmakers think they'll strap it up long enough to cover a 14½-point spread on the road versus the Giants, who are also in the playoffs and will most likely rest its starters.
The Patriots are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games in Week 17 and they're 12-3 ATS in their last 15 games as a road favorite. New England has covered the spread in ten of their games, meanwhile, the Giants are 9-6 ATS.
Catch what may become history and experience live wagering offered throughout the game. This will be a very interesting contest and a good way to start the Football betting week off by building your bankroll.
Note: This year's playoffs start Jan. 5-6 with the wild-card teams getting it on in hopes of advancing to the divisional playoffs which begin on Jan. 12-13. The conference championships kickoff Jan. 20 followed by the Super Bowl on Feb. 3. It will be an exciting ride and we're honored to have you aboard throughout all the postseason action.
> > Check Week 17 Odds Here
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