NFL week 5 is already amongst us, as a quarter of the NFL season has now been run and won we can really start to engage with some confidence as a stellar weekend of Football awaits.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS VS SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Great matchup against two struggling sides, but it is the Indianapolis Colts that will start this clash as narrow favourites. The Colts were no match for the Seattle Seahawks last weekend and continue to struggle without Andrew Luck, but this is obviously an easier assignment.
Indianapolis have won four of their past five games as home favourites and they are 3-2 against the line in this scenario.
The San Francisco 49ers are still chasing their first win of the season following their third straight heart-breaking loss at the hands of a divisional rival.
San Francisco have won only one of their past seven games as away underdogs, but they are 5-2 against the line in this scenario.
The torture should continue for San Francisco this season and Indianapolis can return to winning form.
BEST BET – Colts Win @ $1.83
CLEVELAND BROWNS VS NEW YORK JETS
Much to the surprise of NFL fans the New York Jets have recorded two wins on the trot, but it is the Cleveland Browns that will start this clash as narrow favourites. Cleveland are yet to win a game this season, but they have still shown some improvement in 2017.
This is the first game that they will start as favourites for over 12 months and for obvious reasons they are a very difficult side to trust from a betting standpoint.
There was plenty of speculation before the season that the Jets would fail to win a single game this season, but following their overtime win over the Jacksonville Jaguars they found themselves with the same record as the Patriots until Thursday night. Winning away from home has been an issue for the Jets – they have won only one of their past seven games as away underdogs and their record against the line is no better.
Both these teams are impossible to trust, but the one market that does appeal in this game is the Under in Total Points betting markets.
The Under has saluted in eight of the past nine home games played by the Browns and has also been a profitable betting play in Jets games over the past 12 months.
BEST BET – Under 39.5 Points $1.91
PITTSBURGH STEELERS VS JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a 3-1 record without being overly impressive and they will start this clash with the Jacksonville Jaguars as clear favourites.
Pittsburgh have been excellent at home over the past 12 months and they have won six of their past seven games as home favourites, while they are 4-3 against the line in this scenario.
Jacksonville were nothing short of outstanding against the Baltimore Ravens a fortnight ago, but they were unable to build on that performance and they went down to the New York Jets last weekend.
The Jaguars have won only two of their past eight games as away underdogs, but they are 6-2 against the line in this scenario.
Pittsburgh deserve to start this clash as clear favourites, but their is no value at their current quote and the line of eight points is just about right.
No Bet – Steelers Win
NEW YORK GIANTS VS LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
The New York Giants and the Los Angeles Chargers have both had tough starts to the NFL season. New York are yet to win a game, but they will still start this clash as favourites and this is position in which they have done well over the past 12 months – they have won four of their past five games as home favourites and have been a profitable betting play against the line. Los Angeles have lost three games by three points or less and they suffered another heart-breaking defeat at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles last weekend.
The Chargers have won only one of their past five games as away underdogs for a loss and they have been a losing play against the line in this scenario.
New York desperately need to win this clash and they can cover the line in the process.
BEST BET – New York To Beat The Line (-3.5 Points) $1.95
CINCINNATI BENGALS VS BUFFALO BILLS
There has been no bigger surprise package in the NFL this season than the Buffalo Bills, but it is the Cincinnati Bengals that will start this clash as favourites.
The Bengals finally recorded their first win of the season with a comprehensive victory over the Cleveland Browns, but they remain a tough team to trust, they have won only two of their past six games as home favourites for a clear loss.
Buffalo scored their second big upset in as many weeks with a win over Atlanta and their defence looks set to be one of the best in the entire NFL this season.
The Bills have now won two of their past five games as away underdogs and they are a profitable betting play against the line in this scenario.
This Buffalo defence will give Andy Dalton and the Bengals offence plenty of issues and they are great value to record another upset win.
BEST BET – Buffalo Win $2.40
DETROIT LIONS VS CAROLINA PANTHERS
The Detroit Lions have flown under the radar somewhat, but they go into this clash with the Carolina Panthers with a 3-1 record and they will start as favourites.
Ford Field has been a happy hunting ground for Detroit over the past 12 months and they have won their past four games as home favourites, while they are 3-2 against the line in this scenario.
Carolina bounced back from their surprise loss at the hands of the New Orleans Saints to beat the New England Patriots and they can build on that momentum.
The Panthers have won two of their past five games as away underdogs and they are 4-4 against the line in this scenario.
This will be one of the most interesting games of the weekend, I think Detroit and Matthew Stafford are the real deal and they get the Win.
BEST BET – Detroit Win $1.75
MIAMI DOLPHINS VS TENNESSEE TITANS
Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota goes into this clash under an injury cloud and that makes it tough to analyse this game.
The Titans are yet to officially rule Mariota out due to a hamstring injury, but at this stage he looks unlikely to take his place.
Mariota’s availability will completely change this betting market and we will not go into any great depth about this clash until we know more about his status.
No Bet
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES VS ARIZONA CARDINALS
The Philadelphia Eagles currently sit on top of the NFC East and they will start this clash with the Arizona Cardinals as dominant favourites.
Philadelphia have held their composure to record two narrow wins on the trot and this will be a good test about just how good they actually are.
The Eagles have won four of their past five games as home favourites and they are 3-2 against the line in this scenario.
Arizona claimed their second overtime win of the season when they beat San Francisco last weekend, but this is obviously a much tougher test.
The Cardinals have won only one of their past four games as away underdogs and their record against the line is no better.
I am convinced that Philadelphia are a legitimate contender this season.
BEST BET – Philadelphia To Beat The Line (-6.5 Points)
OAKLAND RAIDERS VS BALTIMORE RAVENS
The Oakland Raiders have now lost two games on the trot and they desperately need to win this game to get their season back on track.
This is a contest that they will start as favourites and the Raiders have been able to make the O.co Coliseum into a genuine fortress over the past 12 months – they have won their past six games as home favourites and they are 4-2 against the line in this scenario.
Baltimore also go into this clash on the back of a pair of defeats and they were no match for the Jacksonville Jaguars or the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Winning away from home has been an issue for Baltimore and they have won only one of their past six games as away underdogs, while they are 2-4 against the line in this scenario.
This is a game that Oakland simply must win. QB Derek Carr is sidelined for 2-6 weeks and they have a 3 game stretch at home, this is a must win and I look for them to rely heavy on the running game.
BEST BET – Raiders Win $1.70
LOS ANGELES RAMS VS SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
This is a big games for both these teams.
The Los Angeles Rams are now 3-1 and if they can beat the Seattle Seahawks they will cement themselves as genuine NFL Playoffs contenders.
Los Angeles have actually won three of the past four games played between these two sides, but they have won only one of their past four games as home favourites.
Seattle produced their best performance of the season to date to beat the Indianapolis Colts last weekend and they can go to the top of the NFC West with a win in this game.
The Seahawks have won only one of their past six games as away underdogs and they are 2-4 against the line in this scenario. A big key to the Rams this season has been RB Todd Gurley, I think the Seahawks can close him down and put Goff under pressure in the passing game.
Recent games between these two sides have been low-scoring affairs, but that can change this weekend. The Over has saluted in 10 of the past 16 games played by the Rams and has also been a profitable betting play in Seahawks fixtures.
BEST BET – Over 47.5 Points Seahawks Win
DALLAS COWBOYS VS GREEN BAY PACKERS
This is one of the games of the weekend and is a replay of the NFC Divisional Playoff clash between these two sides at the end of last season.
Dallas somehow managed to find a way to lose their most recent clash against the Los Angeles Rams, but they will still go into this clash as clear favourites.
The Cowboys have won six of their past eight games as home favourites for a clear profit, but they are only 4-4 against the line in this scenario.
The Green Bay Packers produced their most complete performance of the season to date to account for the Chicago Bears last weekend and they have won six of their past seven games against Dallas.
Green Bay have won only two of their past six games as away underdogs for a small loss and they are a middling 3-3 against the line in this scenario.
The Dallas defense has been less than stellar this season and I think Aaron Rodgers has a day out in this one.
BEST BET – Over 53 Points Packers Win
HOUSTON TEXANS VS KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
The Kansas City Chiefs are the only team left unbeaten in the NFL this season and they will start this clash as favourites.
Kansas City are often thought to play their best football in front of their home fans at Arrowhead Stadium, but they are just as good on the road and they have won their past eight games away from the home.
Even more impressively, they have covered the line in each of these games and they are a team that continue to be underrated by the market.
Houston’s offence was nothing short of exceptional against the Tennessee Titans and if that is the sign of things to come this franchise will be genuine Super Bowl contenders.
This will be a much stiffer challenge and while they have won six of their past eight games at home, their record against the line in front of their home fans is poor.
Kansas City can continue on their winning ways and cover the line in the process.
BEST BET – Kansas City To Beat The Line (-1 Point) $1.95
