Eagles bettors who tore up their tickets had to do some dumpster diving Sunday after a miracle cover; Rams bettors had to do some soul searching after suffering a bad beat of epic proportions.
The NFL Week 3 Betting Recap may be the wildest anyone has seen in ages.
Bettors Burdened By Bad-Beat Blocks
In other words, it was another roller-coaster ride of wagering on the NFL in Week 3, when four (4!) blocked field goals minutes apart in three early games Sunday reversed the fortunes of countless bettors.
The Rams led the Eagles for most of their marquee matchup as 3.5-point underdogs before blowing a 26-7 fourth-quarter lead. Los Angeles trailed 27-26 with three seconds left, but still seemed like a lock to cover the spread as it lined up for a potential 44-yard game-winning field goal by Joshua Karty.
But Philadelphia’s massive defensive tackle Jordan Davis, who stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 336 pounds, blocked the kick on the final play of the game, scooped the ball and scored on a 61-yard touchdown return to carry the Eagles to a 33-26 victory and improbable cover, while handing Rams bettors a historically painful loss.
“That could be the worst NFL beat that I’ve ever seen,” Westgate SuperBook vice president John Murray told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Philadelphia defensive tackle Jalen Carter also blocked a 33-yard field goal try by Karty early in the fourth quarter.
Jets’ Moneyline Backers Apoplectic
Shortly after the Eagles’ incredible ending, the Jets came close to pulling off an upset of the Buccaneers as 6.5-point underdogs after they erased a 23-6 fourth-quarter deficit.
New York defensive end Will McDonald blocked a 43-yard field goal attempt by Tampa Bay kicker Chase McLaughlin and returned it for a touchdown to give the Jets a 27-26 lead with 1:49 remaining.
But quarterback Baker Mayfield bailed out the Buccaneers with a late game-winning drive for the third straight week to start the season. The seven-play, 48-yard drive capped by a 36-yard field goal by McLaughlin lifted Tampa to a 29-27 triumph and cash money-line bets and teasers.
Browns, Panthers Defy Hefty Underdog Odds
The Browns not only rallied for a cover as 7.5-point home underdogs to the Packers, but they pulled off the biggest outright upset of the season after erasing a 10-0 deficit in the final 3:38. With the game tied at 10 with 21 seconds left, Cleveland defensive tackle Shelby Harris blocked a 43-yard field goal try by Green Bay kicker Brandon McManus. Browns kicker Andre Szymyt then won it with a 55-yard field goal as time expired, as Cleveland ended an eight-game losing streak dating to last season.
While the Eagles were good for the betting public, the Browns, Jets, Falcons, and Bears were not.
The Panthers pitched a 30-0 shutout of the Falcons as 4.5-point home underdogs in what was the biggest outright upset of the season until the Browns beat the Pack.
Chicago (+1) was the third underdog of the week to win outright when it whipped the Cowboys 31-14. The Bears delivered a double whammy to the masses when the game somehow stayed under the total (50) after the teams combined for 38 points in the first half. Chicago compiled a 19-play, 76-yard touchdown drive in the third quarter that burned 9:54 off the clock, and neither team scored the rest of the way. Cowboys quarterbacks Dak Prescott and Joe Milton each threw an interception in the end zone in the fourth quarter to squander scoring chances.
Betting Public Has Had Better Weeks
Week 3 favorites were 12-3 straight up entering the Lions-Ravens “Monday Night Football” matchup to improve to 34-11 SU this season (with two pick’ems). Favorites continued their trend from Week 2, going 9-6 ATS to run their spread record to 25-20. Unders went 8-7 to improve to 26-21 this season.
The betting public cashed tickets on the Chiefs (-6, beat Giants 22-9), Colts (-6, beat Titans 41-20), Chargers (-2.5, beat Broncos 23-20), Vikings (-3, beat Bengals 48-10), and Steelers (-1, beat Patriots 21-14).
New England helped Pittsburgh with five turnovers, losing four fumbles to go along with an interception thrown by Drake Maye.
The Chargers erased a 20-13 deficit with 10 points in the final 2:44 to improve to 3-0. Justin Herbert hit Keenan Allen with a tying 20-yard touchdown pass, then put Los Angeles into position for Cameron Dicker’s game-winning 43-yard field goal.
The Seahawks (-7) smoked the Saints 44-13, and the Commanders (-3) crushed the Raiders 41-24, with backup quarterback Marcus Mariota starting in place of Jayden Daniels.