NFL Betting: Week 14 Preview
It’s true: There’s no place like home for the holidays, and that includes the world of online football betting. Home teams went 10-6 SU and ATS during Week 13 of the NFL season, taking full advantage of banged-up, road-weary opponents. Home dogs were especially tasty at 5-5 SU and 7-3 ATS.
Even colder conditions are in store for the NFL this week, starting Thursday night in the Forest City.
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Let it Snow
Week 14 kicks off in Cleveland with an AFC North slobberknocker between the woeful Browns (1-11 SU, 6-6 ATS) and the stumbling Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6 SU, 4-8 ATS), losers of four straight. It’s going to be cold, folks. We’re looking at game-time temperatures dipping below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, with 25-mph winds and a 50 percent chance of snow. The early NFL odds have the Browns pegged at +10 (-105).
The defending Super Bowl champions could be headed to an icy grave. Safety Troy Polamalu (knee) won’t play, and wide receiver Hines Ward (hamstring) appears to be a game-time decision after missing Tuesday’s practice. Coach Mike Tomlin called Ward’s status “very questionable” on Monday. The Steelers are 1-3 ATS during this losing streak, while Cleveland has covered three in a row.
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The other frozen games on the Week 14 slate feature the Green Bay Packers at the Chicago Bears (23 degrees), the Buffalo Bills at the Kansas City Chiefs (29 degrees), and the Philadelphia Eagles at the New York Giants (31 degrees). Other games will see freezing rain and perhaps some snow along the way. Don’t forget to adjust for the weather; the UNDER was 11-5 last week.
The Flozell File
As we went to press, NFL officials were deliberating the fate of Dallas Cowboys left tackle Flozell Adams. He was flagged for a personal foul after shoving Giants defensive end Justin Tuck to the ground, from behind, at the end of the first half. Adams also injured Tuck in the Week 2 Cowboys-Giants matchup. However, according to Jason LaCanfora of the NFL Network, Adams will avoid suspension and be handed a $50,000 fine.
Dallas (8-4 SU, 6-6 ATS) has an important date at home on Sunday with the surging San Diego Chargers (9-3 SU, 6-6 ATS), who haven’t lost since October. The Cowboys are 3-point favorites. Had the 6-foot-7, 340-pound Adams been made unavailable, that would have robbed quarterback Tony Romo of his first line of protection, even if Adams is in decline at age 34 and has a tendency to grab and hold (and shove) to make up for his weaknesses.
A Tale of Two Shoulders
It looks like all systems go for Houston Texans QB Matt Schaub after he suffered a separated shoulder last week against Jacksonville. Although Schaub’s left shoulder was dislocated on the first play, he’s a right-handed thrower and was able to return to the game in the second quarter. A precautionary MRI for Schaub came up clean on Monday. Team officials aren’t so sure, however, what to make of running back Steve Slaton’s shoulder injury. He was due to see a specialist on Tuesday after missing Sunday’s contest with some form of impingement.
Things are pretty shaky on the Bayou these days after four straight losses knocked Houston down to 5-7 SU and 5-6-1 ATS. Conversely, the Seattle Seahawks (5-7 SU and ATS) aren’t giving up the fight after picking up a pair of wins over NFC West opponents. They’ll meet at Reliant Stadium with the Texans favored by six points.
Wide Right
Shaun Suisham hit 18 of his 21 field goal attempts this year for the Washington Redskins, but he’s looking for work after getting cut Tuesday. One of his three misses happened to be from 23 yards out with under two minutes to play in last week’s 33-30 overtime loss to the New Orleans Saints (-9). Former Florida State place-kicker Graham Gano has been signed to take Suisham’s place.
This is a tough move for Washington bettors to swallow. The ‘Skins have covered four games in a row; they have also lost three straight, but by a combined seven points against elite competition. Although Gano does have upside as the 2008 Lou Groza Award winner and the leading scorer in the UFL this year, he’s still an unproven commodity at this level heading into the Black Hole to face the Oakland Raiders (+1). The Raiders are 4-8 (6-6 ATS), but have won two of three since switching from JaMarcus Russell to Bruce Gradkowski as their starting QB.
