We don’t know what’s more surprising: that the Jets finished with -10 net yards passing, the fewest in franchise history, in Sunday’s 13-11 loss to the Broncos in London. Or that they covered as 7-point underdogs and still had a chance to win the game in the final minutes. So goes the NFL Week 6 betting recap.
New York, the league’s only winless team at 0-6, had the ball at the Denver 44 with 1:14 remaining. But rather than attempt a game-winning 61-yard field goal, Jets first-year coach Aaron Glenn went for it and, unsurprisingly, quarterback Justin Fields was sacked for the ninth time.
You’re My Favorite
The Giants kicked off our NFL Week 6 betting recap with a 31-24 upset of the Eagles as 7.5-point home underdogs on “Thursday Night Football.” But after the two New York teams covered as dogs to start the week, favorites went 7-4 against the spread in the next 11 games Sunday, a flip from the Week 5 spread results.
The Steelers covered as 6.5-point favorites over the Browns in a 23-9 home win. This matchup pitted a Pittsburgh team coming off a bye against a Cleveland team that played the previous week in London.
The Patriots followed up their upset win over the Bills with a 25-point victory over the Saints and covered as 3-point chalk.
The Rams (-7) rolled past the Ravens 17-3 as 7-point road favorites. Incredibly, Baltimore, which entered the season as one of the Super Bowl favorites, has been almost as bad as the Jets. The Ravens are 1-5 straight up and have the NFL’s worst record ATS at 1-5.
The Seahawks (-1) beat the Jaguars 20-12 to forge a three-way tie for first in the NFC West with the Rams and 49ers.
“The Seahawks were backed by both the public and the sharps this week despite traveling across the United States to play the Jaguars, who look like a candidate for one of the most-improved teams this season,” Caesars Sportsbook head of football Joey Feazel told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Shake and Baker
The Buccaneers (-3.5) beat the 49ers 30-19 behind another inspired performance by quarterback Baker Mayfield, who threw two touchdown passes and had a sensational run to lift Tampa Bay (5-1) to its second straight cover and over.
Mayfield, who previously led the Bucs (5-1) to four comeback wins in the final minute, scrambled on third-and-14, eluding a sack in the pocket before escaping more defenders and diving headfirst, stretching the ball out to get the first down. A few plays later, the fiery quarterback let out a roar after he fired a 45-yard touchdown pass to Tez Johnson to put Tampa Bay up 27-19.
The game was on pace to fly over the total of 47 at halftime, when the Bucs led 20-16. But over bettors still needed a field goal in the final minutes to cash their tickets. Tampa made them sweat when they lined up to go for it on fourth-and-4 at the San Francisco 27 with two minutes left. But after the Bucs failed to draw an offsides penalty, they called a timeout, and Chase McLaughlin kicked a 45-yard field goal to push the game over.
Is Joe Flacco Elite?
Bettors who wagered over 44.5 in the Packers-Bengals game at Lambeau Field probably tore up their tickets when there were only 10 points on the board late in the third quarter. But they had to piece them back together when the teams combined for 28 points in the fourth quarter to cash a miracle over.
Cincinnati, which covered as a 14-point underdog in a 27-18 loss to Green Bay after acquiring Joe Flacco last week, cut its deficit to 24-18 with 4:11 left after the 40-year-old quarterback threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Marr Chase on fourth-and-5, then hit Chase Brown for the 2-point conversion.
The Pack could’ve run out the clock, but Jordan Love threw an incompletion on third-and-2, and Lucas Havrisik kicked a 39-yard field goal with 1:52 left to push it over by a half point.
The final 9-point margin of victory was the worst-case scenario for the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas.
“Packers game really hurt us,” Westgate vice president of race and sports John Murray told ESPN. “That final score was about as bad as it could get for us between teasers to Packers, straight bets on Bengals, and the game somehow going over the total.”
Silver and Black Attack
The Raiders also dealt a blow to Vegas books as they beat the Titans 20-10 at Allegiant Stadium to snap a four-game losing streak straight up and ATS. Vegas closed as a 3.5-point favorite after sharp money on Tennessee caused the line to drop from 6.5. But that money turned out to be as sharp as a spoon. The masses were all over the Raiders, including a Caesars bettor who won a $275,000 straight bet on the Silver and Black -3.5.
The Raiders led 17-0 late in the third quarter and held on for the win and cover.
“This was a very good result for the customers,” Feazel told the Review-Journal.
NFL Week 6 favorites entered the “Monday Night Football” doubleheader 11-2 SU after the Chiefs (-2.5) beat the Lions 30-17 on “Sunday Night Football” for their third win and cover in their last four games.