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Week 17 NFL Betting Preview

Bodog previews the 2008 NFL Football Season week 17. Now that it’s the sixteenth week of the NFL season lets take a look at some of the key games…

NFL Week 17 Preview

The NFL playoffs are starting a little early this year. Our Top 3 NFL betting games for Week 17 feature six teams clawing for a spot in the postseason. There will be no tanking; handicappers won’t have to worry about whether the starters will actually play. Plus, it’ll be some of the best football we’ll see this year. For current lines, visit Bodog Sportsbook.  

Miami at N.Y. Jets

Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
Sunday, 4:15 p.m. ET, CBS
35% chance of rain, 45 degrees, 10-15 mph winds
Miami: 10-5 SU, 7-8 ATS, Under 9-6
New York: 9-6 SU, 7-8 ATS, Over 8-6-1

Miami is in the driver’s seat in the AFC East; a win Sunday over the Jets, and the Dolphins will swim into the playoffs after going 1-15 last season. New York’s situation is more complicated. If New England wins its early-afternoon start in Buffalo, the Jets will be playing for a Wild Card, but they still need the Ravens to lose to the Jaguars in Baltimore.

It looks good for the Jets so far – they’re 3-point favorites (+110) on the early line. Both teams are fairly healthy, although Dolphins LB Channing Crowder did miss the Week 16 win over Kansas City with a sore left knee. Miami’s defense gave up 492 yards to the Chiefs (+3.5) in a come-from-behind 38-31 victory. Crowder is second on the team with 104 tackles; he had told reporters he was “80 percent” for Week 16.

This is a rematch of their season opener in Miami, which the Jets took 20-14 as 3-point faves. The Fish shrugged it off and now take a four-game winning streak at 2-2 ATS into the Meadowlands. New York is 1-3 SU and 0-4 ATS in its last four outings.

Click here to check out the Week 17 NFL odds in the Bodog Sportsbook.

Dallas at Philadelphia

Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Sunday, 4:15 p.m. ET, FOX
30% chance of rain, 45 degrees, light winds
Dallas: 9-6 SU, 7-8 ATS, Over 8-7
Philadelphia: 8-6-1 SU, 9-6 ATS, Under 8-6-1

They’re talking like the sky is falling in Big D, but at the moment the Cowboys have the sixth seed in the NFC. All they need to do to secure a Wild Card is win on Sunday. The Eagles need a victory and for Tampa Bay to lose at home to Oakland and the Bears to lose in Houston – it can happen. But first things first: Dallas is a 1.5-point underdog (-115) at The Linc.

The Eagles have had the more productive season thus far judging by point differential. They’ve outscored opponents by 89 points compared to just 35 for Dallas. Then again, if Tony Romo hadn’t missed three games at QB, the Cowboys might not be in this mess. Romo was behind center at Texas Stadium in Week 2 for a 41-37 win over the Eagles (+6.5), but he might be without TE Jason Witten (ankle) in Week 17. Witten leads the Cowboys with 74 catches.

Denver at San Diego

Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego
Sunday, 8:15 p.m. ET, NBC
10% chance of rain, 60 degrees, light winds
Denver: 8-7 SU, 4-10-1 ATS, Under 7-7-1
San Diego: 7-8 SU, 6-8-1 ATS, Under 7-7-1

It’s almost criminal that one of these teams will make the playoffs. The Broncos are in first place in the AFC West, and they beat the Chargers 39-38 in Week 2 as 1-point home faves. But San Diego is 4-1 within the division and Denver is 3-2, so the Chargers have the tiebreaker. It’s winner-take-all on Sunday night.

The Chargers certainly appear to be the stronger candidate to win. They have a point differential of +61; Denver’s is minus-50. The Broncos are also coming off a pair of losses SU and ATS, while San Diego is on a three-game win streak at 2-1 ATS. And Denver has lost yet another two running backs – Selvin Young and P.J. Pope went on injured reserve Monday, making it seven Broncos RBs out for the season. Tatum Bell (36 carries for 163 yards this year) will be a very busy man Sunday.

San Diego’s defense isn’t nearly what it was before losing LB Shawne Merriman for the season, but new co-ordinator Ron Rivera has gotten marked improvement out of his squad since taking over from Ted Cottrell. They’ll be swarming all over Denver’s O-line as 9-point favorites.

Bet on NFL football in Bodog’s online sportsbook.

By Cappers Picks

Articles on CappersPicks.com are written by Q (the Head Honcho) at Cappers Picks or by our resident "in house" handicapper Razor Ray Monohan! Enjoy the free picks folks! "Pad that bankroll one day at a time!"