As we get ready to enter the home stretch of the 2023 season, the word came down that the Jets have opened a 21-day practice window for Aaron Rodgers. Not sure why, as the Jets are 4-7 and likely need to win their last 6 games to make the playoffs, which they will not do, with or without Rodgers. In other aging quarterback news, the Browns have elevated 38-year-old Joe Flacco to #2 on their qb depth chart, which means there’s a strong likelihood that he will play sometime this season, if not this week.
The biggest game is the Niners/Eagles in Philly, where the Niners are favored. That line surprises me, but the oddsmakers know a helluva lot more than I. I’m also a little surprised that the Rams are favored over the Browns, given the power of Cleveland’s defense. And Patrick Mahomes will make his Lambeau debut Sunday night, as the Chiefs look to reclaim the #1 seed in the AFC.
So will Flacco take the field to lead the Browns? Can Philly pull out another close win at home over a contender? Can Denver extend their winning streak in Houston? Will anybody show up to watch the Bucs host the Panthers?
I was a fan of Joe Flacco on the Jets, figuring any old veteran would plug in with the defense and do well. And then he got on the field and all that went away. Dude was just done. Fair warning to Cleveland fans to not get your hopes up.
That surprises me too. Sure, SF is a good team, but the Eagles are good too and they are playing in Philadelphia. But I don’t know much about sports gambling (nor do I ever do it) so my opinion should be ignored.
Denver is hot, both sides of the ball. Going against another rookie QB, Wilson is rolling, I would think the points are backwards. Denver should be giving the 3.5 points.
Philly - 49ers. Both teams are deep with stars on offense and defense. I’m going with the home crowd. Raiders could never win on the East coast. I don’t know if the 49ers have a similar bugaboo.
Falcons - Jets shaping up to be another pitiful display of football. It would be more exciting to have the teams play cornhole for the three hours.
Packers cover against the Chiefs but lose. Game time weather has a high of 37 and rain/snow showers.DO NOT MENTION “FROZEN TUNDRA”. The damn field has been heated for decades.
Monday night. Might have been a good game but without Burrow, Jags win at home.
Steelers continue to roll but the offensive is still lousy (400+ yards and 16 points???). Don’t know if they can score enough to cover.
An arrest warrant has been issued for Bills linebacker Von Miller for assaulting his pregnant girlfriend. He was previously investigated for domestic violence in 2021 but wasn’t charged.
I’m guessing he’s played his last snap in the NFL.
I wonder what lawyer is representing him. When I lived in Denver, I worked for an attorney who represented NFL players. He would have gotten a call. In fact, he often did out of state cases.
I think the 49ers being favored is from the extra three days of rest combined with the nature of both teams last few games. 49ers have coasted while the Eagles have had two knock-down drag-out brawls with late comebacks.
At least one 49ers podcast host is predicting something like a 10 point win for the 49ers, mainly for the above reasons and the Eagles don’t really “need” this game. I just can’t get there personally. I’m thinking a narrow Niners win featuring a failed late comeback or something.
It’s playoff simulator time, as my ever-present optimism looks back at the last few weeks. Green Bay is probably going to lose this weekend. They might put up a fight, and the Thanksgiving game against Detroit shows the team definitely has the ability to step up, but let’s be honest. Taking down the reigning world champions is a tall order for this team.
If the Packers win out, even with that loss, they stand a very good chance of making the playoffs. To keep them out, Seattle has to win out (with games against Dallas, San Francisco, and Philly, good luck), New Orleans to win out, and Atlanta to win out (except the Week 18 matchup against New Orleans). They don’t entirely control their destiny, but I’d put money on that bet if they did.
First time ever. A Monday Night football game has been flexed, as this year is the first time it’s been allowed. It will happen during Week 15, when the Patriots were scheduled to host the Chiefs on MNF. But because the Pats are so bad, not even the ratings machine of Patrick Mahomes is enough to warrant keeping the game on Monday night. Instead, the Chiefs and Pats will play on Sunday afternoon, while the Eagles will visit Seattle on Monday night.
Man, Im tired of my birds being prime-timed. I like a 1 o’clock game. Downside of being good.
Re the point spread, remember the spread is designed to even the bettors 50/50 on their selected winner, not to PREDICT the winner. Were the Eagles favored by 3 points, 95% of the money would be on them and the book could lose some big $.
Correct. But it should be noted that the favorite wins the game about 67% of the time. (Not necessarily covering the spread but winning the game outright.) So, the spread is a fairly accurate predictor of the winner.
I’m not sure I’m following your logic here. Are you saying that 95% of the bettors think the Eagles would cover being a 3-point favorite? If so, then even a higher percentage will bet them being a 3 point underdog, no?
Right now the bookmakers are hoping that half of the bettors think the Niners are 3 points better than the Eagles. If that spread would suddenly switch, those people that were going to bet the Niners at -3 will certainly bet the Niners at +3, along with a whole bunch of other folks.
I think your justification is probably right, but I think making them a +2.5 favorite is a step too far. A pick 'em would have made some sense, I’ll be curious to see if this line moves a bunch before kickoff. Blindly guessing the line I’d have guessed either Eagles -3 or -2.5, but I still don’t think I’d take the Eagles and the points. I think your podcaster might be chugging the Kool-aid a bit, but I think I lean towards the Niners a bit.
I personally view it as a total pick’em toss-up. The line must be that way because of actual betting.
Still, there are things like advanced stat stuff like the Eagles defense is bad at defending two things that are the basis of the 49ers offense: outside zone runs and deep-middle passes. To me that’s just a way the Niners stay in the game, not why they would be favored to win.
My best friend is an Eagles fan, both of us in Seahawks country. We’re both terrified.
