SBR.tv’s Peter Loshak and industry vet Big Al McMordie continue their weekly betting previews in the NFL with Week 14, featuring some “contrarian” opinions from McMordie.
Indianapolis is a 7-point home fave over scrappy Denver, after the undefeated Colts burned backers last week who were sensing a possible first loss and likely non-cover. The Broncos play a similar style to San Francisco - who lost 18-14 at Indianapolis a few weeks ago - a game predicated on quality defense and a conservative run-oriented offense, which could serve to keep the game close and relatively low-scoring. McMordie, who faded the Colts last week, weighs in on both the side and the total of 44.
New England is a 13.5-point home fave over Carolina after two road losses in a row. Pats’ coach Bill Belichick is notorious for having his team play well after losses, which has resulted in an astoundingly good ATS record for his teams after losses in recent years. This years’ version of the Pats though is thought to be overrated by some, and Big Al agrees. In this spot however, he does like the Pats to get a cover due to numerous serious weaknesses of the Panthers.
The football world is abuzz this week with talk of Dallas’ notorious annual December collapses after their outright loss last week as a favorite to the Giants. And as bad as the Cowboys have been in December recently, San Diego has been just as good, having not lost a game in December since 2005. But Al sees all this chatter as skewing the line inappropriately in favor of the Chargers, and discusses this line of Dallas -3 in light of public perceptions and reactions to well-publicized short-term tendencies.
The betting public has had a very tough time with the Giants this year, tending to have backed them when they have lost and faded them when they have won. This week the Giants are a 1-point home fave over Philadelphia, which Al sees as a bit out of whack since they were installed as a 3-point road fave at Philly earlier in the year. The Eagles are coming off of their impressive road blowout over injury-ravaged Atlanta in Michael Vick’s return, but Al sees them as having not played particularly well since that last game this year against the Giants. Al, who has had a good read on NFC East teams in general in his previews with Loshak at SBR.tv, weighs in on this line with a decided opinion.