Thanks you sir....
Monday Night Football doubleheader preview: Eagles at Falcons, Vikings at 49ers by covers
Philadelphia Eagles at Atlanta Falcons (+2.5, 55)
The new Sam Bradford Era kicks off in earnest on Monday night when the oft-injured quarterback leads the Philadelphia Eagles into Atlanta to face the Falcons in the season opener. Acquired from St. Louis for fellow QB Sam Foles in the offseason, Bradford isn't the only highly publicized new face on Chip Kelly's team, as reigning Offensive Player of the Year DeMarco Murray (1,845 yards, 13 touchdowns) has shuffled over from NFC East rival Dallas to take the place of the departed LeSean McCoy.
Philadelphia allowed free-agent wide receiver Jeremy Maclin to head to Kansas City, believing that second-year Jordan Matthews can thrive on the inside while rookie Nelson Agholor can make hay on the outside. Speaking of wide receivers, two-time Pro Bowler Julio Jones reeled in 104 receptions for a franchise-record 1,593 yards last season en route to securing a five-year deal worth $71.25 million in the summer. "We think Julio is an elite receiver in this league, obviously," Kelly said. "He presents a lot of problems because of his combination of size and speed. Usually guys that are 6-foot-2-plus, 6-3, 220 (pounds) don't run as fast as Julio." Matt Ryan (4,694 yards, 28 TDs) will likely look for Jones on many occasions, but his rebuilt offensive line may have a say in whether he has enough time to find him.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Eagles -3. O/U: 55
LINE HISTORY:After opening the Giants as 6-point home favorites, sportsbooks have since moved them to -5. The total opened at 49.5 but has risen to 52 as of this writing.
INJURY REPORT: Philadelphia - L. Johnson (probable), K. Alonso (probable), Z. Ertz (questionable), M. Smith (questionable), J. Shepherd (IR). Atlanta - J. Tamme (probable), J. Matthews (probable), R. White (probable), D. Hester (out), B. Reed (IR), J. Asamoah (IR), T. Howard (IR), C. Mooney (IR), L. Holmes (eligible Week 7).
ABOUT THE EAGLES (2014: 10-6, 2nd, NFC EAST): Philadelphia's defense also features several new faces as linebacker Kiko Alonso was acquired from Buffalo for McCoy and cornerback Byron Maxwell came over from Seattle. At 6-1, 207 pounds, Maxwell may be the best candidate to press Jones at the line, but he'll need help over the top to keep the speedy wideout in check. Also new to Philadelphia is Ryan Mathews, who is expected to spell Murray while also platooning with pass-catching Darren Sproles in the backfield.
ABOUT THE FALCONS (2014: 6-10, 3rd, NFC SOUTH): New offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan will attempt to figure out a backfield in flux as rookie Tevin Coleman has been promoted to starter with Devonta Freeman nursing a nagging hamstring injury. Veteran Roddy White is dealing with a balky knee following a pair of injury-plagued campaigns while Leonard Hankerson replaces the departed Harry Douglas (Tennessee) as the team's third wideout in a pass-happy offense. Atlanta finished last season second in completions (418), third in attempts (632) and fifth in passing yards (4,553) while its 372 rushing attempts were sixth worst in the league.
TRENDS:
*Under is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings in Atlanta.
*Falcons are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 vs. NFC.
*Eagles are 3-10-1 ATS in their last 14 games in September.
*Eagles are 9-4-1 ATS in their last 14 meetings.
COVERS CONSENSUS: According to Covers Consensus, 64 percent of wagers are on the Eagles.
Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers (+2.5, 41.5)
Star running back Adrian Peterson is back in the lineup and that alone is reason for optimism for the Minnesota Vikings, who kick off their season with a visit to the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night. Peterson was limited to only one game last season after charges of child abuse were leveled against him and wound up on the Commissioner's exempt list.
“You hear the name Adrian Peterson, what do you think? The best running back in the league,” Vikings wide receiver Charles Johnson said. “He’s going to draw a lot of attention." Perhaps the only positive to come out of Peterson's absence was the development of rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who lived up to his first-round status over the final month of the season. The 49ers, meanwhile, entered last season as one of the favorites to reach the Super Bowl, but they are loaded with uncertainty after switching head coaches and undergoing massive personnel changes. Jim Tomsula takes over for Jim Harbaugh, who returned to his alma mater Michigan, and faces the unenviable task of overhauling a defense that lost four players to retirement to go with the release of star pass rusher Aldon Smith.
TV: 10:20 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Vikings -2.5. O/U: 41.5
LINE HISTORY: The pointspread has been on a wild ride in this one, as books are currently dealing San Fran +2.5 after opening them as 4-point faves.
WEATHER: The forecast is calling for partly cloudy skies with temperatures in the 69 degree Fahrenheit ballpark at game time.
INJURY REPORT: Minnesota - M. Pruitt (probable), J. Robinson (out indefinitely), J. Price (eligible Week 3), J. Sullivan (IR), P. Loadholt (IR), C. Matthews (IR). San Francisco - A. Brooks (probable), T. Smith (probable), J. Simpson (eligible Week 7), K. Hunter (IR), D. Anderson (IR), D. Kilgore (IR), D. Smelter (IR).
ABOUT THE VIKINGS (2014: 7-9, 3rd NFC NORTH): Peterson had scored at least 10 touchdowns in each of his first seven seasons and rushed for at least 1,266 yards in six of his first seven campaigns, so he'll provide Bridgewater with a major weapon. Bridgewater, who completed 72.1 percent of his passes and threw for eight touchdowns versus five interceptions over the final five games, has another deep threat in wideout Mike Wallace and a big red-zone target in tight end Kyle Rudolph, who has missed nearly half his games over the past two seasons. Minnesota's defense improved as the season went on, holding six of its last 11 opponents to 17 points or fewer.
ABOUT THE 49ERS (2014: 8-8, 3rd NFC WEST): Quarterback Colin Kaepernick finished with 19 touchdown passes versus 10 interceptions while reaching career highs in passing (3,369) and rushing yards (639), but he'll be without veteran running back Frank Gore. Carlos Hyde is expected to take over in the backfield while Torrey Smith provides blazing speed at wide receiver, but the 49ers could use a return to form by tight end Vernon Davis, who managed only 26 receptions and a career-worst two touchdown catches. The linebacking corps took a hit with the retirements of Patrick Willis and Chris Borland while the losses of Aldon Smith and the retired Justin Smith weaken the pass rush.
COVERS CONSENSUS: Fifty-seven percent of bets are on the Vikes, per Covers Consensus.
Philadelphia Eagles at Atlanta Falcons (+2.5, 55)
The new Sam Bradford Era kicks off in earnest on Monday night when the oft-injured quarterback leads the Philadelphia Eagles into Atlanta to face the Falcons in the season opener. Acquired from St. Louis for fellow QB Sam Foles in the offseason, Bradford isn't the only highly publicized new face on Chip Kelly's team, as reigning Offensive Player of the Year DeMarco Murray (1,845 yards, 13 touchdowns) has shuffled over from NFC East rival Dallas to take the place of the departed LeSean McCoy.
Philadelphia allowed free-agent wide receiver Jeremy Maclin to head to Kansas City, believing that second-year Jordan Matthews can thrive on the inside while rookie Nelson Agholor can make hay on the outside. Speaking of wide receivers, two-time Pro Bowler Julio Jones reeled in 104 receptions for a franchise-record 1,593 yards last season en route to securing a five-year deal worth $71.25 million in the summer. "We think Julio is an elite receiver in this league, obviously," Kelly said. "He presents a lot of problems because of his combination of size and speed. Usually guys that are 6-foot-2-plus, 6-3, 220 (pounds) don't run as fast as Julio." Matt Ryan (4,694 yards, 28 TDs) will likely look for Jones on many occasions, but his rebuilt offensive line may have a say in whether he has enough time to find him.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Eagles -3. O/U: 55
LINE HISTORY:After opening the Giants as 6-point home favorites, sportsbooks have since moved them to -5. The total opened at 49.5 but has risen to 52 as of this writing.
INJURY REPORT: Philadelphia - L. Johnson (probable), K. Alonso (probable), Z. Ertz (questionable), M. Smith (questionable), J. Shepherd (IR). Atlanta - J. Tamme (probable), J. Matthews (probable), R. White (probable), D. Hester (out), B. Reed (IR), J. Asamoah (IR), T. Howard (IR), C. Mooney (IR), L. Holmes (eligible Week 7).
ABOUT THE EAGLES (2014: 10-6, 2nd, NFC EAST): Philadelphia's defense also features several new faces as linebacker Kiko Alonso was acquired from Buffalo for McCoy and cornerback Byron Maxwell came over from Seattle. At 6-1, 207 pounds, Maxwell may be the best candidate to press Jones at the line, but he'll need help over the top to keep the speedy wideout in check. Also new to Philadelphia is Ryan Mathews, who is expected to spell Murray while also platooning with pass-catching Darren Sproles in the backfield.
ABOUT THE FALCONS (2014: 6-10, 3rd, NFC SOUTH): New offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan will attempt to figure out a backfield in flux as rookie Tevin Coleman has been promoted to starter with Devonta Freeman nursing a nagging hamstring injury. Veteran Roddy White is dealing with a balky knee following a pair of injury-plagued campaigns while Leonard Hankerson replaces the departed Harry Douglas (Tennessee) as the team's third wideout in a pass-happy offense. Atlanta finished last season second in completions (418), third in attempts (632) and fifth in passing yards (4,553) while its 372 rushing attempts were sixth worst in the league.
TRENDS:
*Under is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings in Atlanta.
*Falcons are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 vs. NFC.
*Eagles are 3-10-1 ATS in their last 14 games in September.
*Eagles are 9-4-1 ATS in their last 14 meetings.
COVERS CONSENSUS: According to Covers Consensus, 64 percent of wagers are on the Eagles.
Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers (+2.5, 41.5)
Star running back Adrian Peterson is back in the lineup and that alone is reason for optimism for the Minnesota Vikings, who kick off their season with a visit to the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night. Peterson was limited to only one game last season after charges of child abuse were leveled against him and wound up on the Commissioner's exempt list.
“You hear the name Adrian Peterson, what do you think? The best running back in the league,” Vikings wide receiver Charles Johnson said. “He’s going to draw a lot of attention." Perhaps the only positive to come out of Peterson's absence was the development of rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who lived up to his first-round status over the final month of the season. The 49ers, meanwhile, entered last season as one of the favorites to reach the Super Bowl, but they are loaded with uncertainty after switching head coaches and undergoing massive personnel changes. Jim Tomsula takes over for Jim Harbaugh, who returned to his alma mater Michigan, and faces the unenviable task of overhauling a defense that lost four players to retirement to go with the release of star pass rusher Aldon Smith.
TV: 10:20 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Vikings -2.5. O/U: 41.5
LINE HISTORY: The pointspread has been on a wild ride in this one, as books are currently dealing San Fran +2.5 after opening them as 4-point faves.
WEATHER: The forecast is calling for partly cloudy skies with temperatures in the 69 degree Fahrenheit ballpark at game time.
INJURY REPORT: Minnesota - M. Pruitt (probable), J. Robinson (out indefinitely), J. Price (eligible Week 3), J. Sullivan (IR), P. Loadholt (IR), C. Matthews (IR). San Francisco - A. Brooks (probable), T. Smith (probable), J. Simpson (eligible Week 7), K. Hunter (IR), D. Anderson (IR), D. Kilgore (IR), D. Smelter (IR).
ABOUT THE VIKINGS (2014: 7-9, 3rd NFC NORTH): Peterson had scored at least 10 touchdowns in each of his first seven seasons and rushed for at least 1,266 yards in six of his first seven campaigns, so he'll provide Bridgewater with a major weapon. Bridgewater, who completed 72.1 percent of his passes and threw for eight touchdowns versus five interceptions over the final five games, has another deep threat in wideout Mike Wallace and a big red-zone target in tight end Kyle Rudolph, who has missed nearly half his games over the past two seasons. Minnesota's defense improved as the season went on, holding six of its last 11 opponents to 17 points or fewer.
ABOUT THE 49ERS (2014: 8-8, 3rd NFC WEST): Quarterback Colin Kaepernick finished with 19 touchdown passes versus 10 interceptions while reaching career highs in passing (3,369) and rushing yards (639), but he'll be without veteran running back Frank Gore. Carlos Hyde is expected to take over in the backfield while Torrey Smith provides blazing speed at wide receiver, but the 49ers could use a return to form by tight end Vernon Davis, who managed only 26 receptions and a career-worst two touchdown catches. The linebacking corps took a hit with the retirements of Patrick Willis and Chris Borland while the losses of Aldon Smith and the retired Justin Smith weaken the pass rush.
COVERS CONSENSUS: Fifty-seven percent of bets are on the Vikes, per Covers Consensus.
| [h=1]NFL Football Consensus: Public Picks[/h] | |||||||
| Time | Teams | ATS | Moneyline | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (ET) | Picks | Percentage | Picks | Percentage | Picks | Percentage | |
| Monday, September 14, 2015 | |||||||
| 7:10pm odds | (489) Philadelphia Eagles (490) Atlanta Falcons | 38643 15268 |
| 10416 6636 |
| O20411 U7141 |
|
| 10:20pm odds | (491) Minnesota Vikings (492) San Francisco 49ers | 27701 12036 |
| 6666 5173 |
| O12679 U6888 |
|
SUNDAY RESULTS (2-2) / STAR PLAYS (2-0) / NFL RECORD (9-2) 81%
Just missed the over in the Atlanta game as the Eagles pick off a would be Falcons td...... two easy SU Winners and two total losses..... great first week of the NFL 16 more weeks to go my friends!!!
Atlanta Over 55 -105 (Lost 50 Points)
San Francisco Over 41.5 -105 (Lost 23 Points)
Atlanta +3 +105 (Su Winner 26-24)
San Francisco +2.5 +105 (Su Super Blowout Winner 20-3)
XS
Just missed the over in the Atlanta game as the Eagles pick off a would be Falcons td...... two easy SU Winners and two total losses..... great first week of the NFL 16 more weeks to go my friends!!!
Atlanta Over 55 -105 (Lost 50 Points)
San Francisco Over 41.5 -105 (Lost 23 Points)
Atlanta +3 +105 (Su Winner 26-24)
San Francisco +2.5 +105 (Su Super Blowout Winner 20-3)
XS
NFL Line Watch: Window closing on Chiefs' Thursday night spread by covers
Spread to bet now: Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs (-3)
It wasn’t exactly Willie Mays falling down in the outfield during his final season, but Bronco bettors have to be a little concerned about what they saw out of Peyton Manning in the opener – 24 for 40, no TDs, 1 INT. At home.
Eerily similar to the numbers PM put up in Denver’s playoff loss to the Colts last season. And now Manning is getting only a few days of rest before a road game against the pumped-up Chiefs.
Does KC actually have a QB advantage in this one? This one opened at KC -2.5 and is now at 3. If you like K.C., it might be a good idea to jump now before oddsmakers pile on another half-point.
Spread to wait on: New York Jets at Indianapolis Colts (-7)
Repeat after me: Week 1 is only one week.
The Jets looked dominant against a crummy Browns team, and the Colts drew the tough assignment of playing in Buffalo last Sunday. This same game played just about at any point last season would carry a line in the vicinity of 13-14 points. Two factors are keeping this spread as tight as it is – the way each team played last week, and NY money on the Jets.
Suggestion here is to hang tight and wait to see if heavier money either way moves the line either way just before kickoff.
Total to watch: Houston Texans at Carolina Panthers (40.5)
Bill O’Brien has the unenviable task of trying to win NFL games without a top-level quarterback, and even with a good defense that’s like spending all week pushing a boulder up a hill only to see it come crashing down in 15 minutes on Sunday afternoon.
Now O’Brien says he won’t even reveal which former Patriot backup (Brian Hoyer or Ryan Mallet) will start in Carolina.
Until Houston can get its offense untracked, Texan bettors can expect to see low totals all season – even against a weak schedule and in a soft AFC South.
Spread to bet now: Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs (-3)
It wasn’t exactly Willie Mays falling down in the outfield during his final season, but Bronco bettors have to be a little concerned about what they saw out of Peyton Manning in the opener – 24 for 40, no TDs, 1 INT. At home.
Eerily similar to the numbers PM put up in Denver’s playoff loss to the Colts last season. And now Manning is getting only a few days of rest before a road game against the pumped-up Chiefs.
Does KC actually have a QB advantage in this one? This one opened at KC -2.5 and is now at 3. If you like K.C., it might be a good idea to jump now before oddsmakers pile on another half-point.
Spread to wait on: New York Jets at Indianapolis Colts (-7)
Repeat after me: Week 1 is only one week.
The Jets looked dominant against a crummy Browns team, and the Colts drew the tough assignment of playing in Buffalo last Sunday. This same game played just about at any point last season would carry a line in the vicinity of 13-14 points. Two factors are keeping this spread as tight as it is – the way each team played last week, and NY money on the Jets.
Suggestion here is to hang tight and wait to see if heavier money either way moves the line either way just before kickoff.
Total to watch: Houston Texans at Carolina Panthers (40.5)
Bill O’Brien has the unenviable task of trying to win NFL games without a top-level quarterback, and even with a good defense that’s like spending all week pushing a boulder up a hill only to see it come crashing down in 15 minutes on Sunday afternoon.
Now O’Brien says he won’t even reveal which former Patriot backup (Brian Hoyer or Ryan Mallet) will start in Carolina.
Until Houston can get its offense untracked, Texan bettors can expect to see low totals all season – even against a weak schedule and in a soft AFC South.
Where the action is: Biggest midweek NFL Week 2 line moves by covers
We talk to Mick Sloan, lines manager for GTBets, and Michael Stewart of online shop CarbonSports about the biggest line adjustments to the Week 10 odds and where those spread and totals could end up come kickoff:
Tennessee Titans at Cleveland Browns - Open: -2.5, Move: +1
It was a fantastic debut from rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota and the Titans who crushed fellow rookie Jameis Winston and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 42-14 and covered the spread by a whopping 31 points in Week 1. Now, Mariota and the Titans travel to Cleveland where Titans money has flipped this line from one side of a Pick to the other.
"Despite the line flipping from Titans +2.5 on Monday all the way to them being a 1-point favorite, the action on the Titans has not slowed," Sloan tells Covers. "Bets are still 7-1 on Tennessee, and the money action is 4-1 on them as well. Some of the sharps were lucky enough to grab Tennessee at 2 and 2.5, so the value bets seem to be gone at this point. We would expect this line to possibly move another half point to 1.5, but not much more than that."
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints - Open: -10.5, Move: -10
Speaking of Winston, it wasn't the opener that he and the Bucs envisioned, but surely there's nowhere to go but up from the shellacking in Week 1. Considering the Saints closed out 2014 with an 0-5 record both straight up and against the spread in their last five home games, perhaps New Orleans is the place where Winston and the Bucs can right the ship.
"We opened this matchup Saints -10.5, moving Saints -10 on Monday with 57 percent of the action coming in on the Saints to cover," Stewart tells Covers. "I can see us moving to Saints -9.5 come the weekend as I think the sharps will back the Bucs to cover, with the poor defense of the Saints allowing Tampa to put points on the board."
Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers - Open: -3, Move: -3.5
In what could be a forecast of a playoff matchup come January, the Packers host the Seahawks in one of the marquee matchups on the Week 2 docket. The Seahawks have traditionally not fared well in their visits to Wisconsin and the betting patterns on this game reflect that with a bit of faith in the home team.
"We don’t anticipate this line from moving off of GB -3.5," Sloan says. "The house is going to need Seattle plus the 3.5 for our lunch money come Sunday, but we’re fine with that. Currently, the bets are at 2-1 on GB, and the money is at 4-1, however the sharps have yet to pile in to show us who they like. With a steady line, there isn’t much need for them to act in advance."
New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills - Open: +1.5, Move: Pick, Move: +1.5
Thanks to a 27-14 win over the Indianapolis Colts as 1-point home dogs, Rex Ryan's Bills were a big Week1 highlight, but they'll face a stern test from a familiar foe in the New England Patriots.
The Pats have owned the Bills in upstate New York, posting a record of 9-2 ATS in the previous 11 meetings in Buffalo and, according to Stewart, bettors like the majority of action is on the Pats to keep that trend alive Sunday.
"This is a matchup I really like Belichick and the Patriots offense vs Ryan and the Bills defense," Stewart says. "We opened the Patriots as 1.5-point faves on the road and getting as low as a pick’em before moving back up to the Patriots -1.5 with 78 percent of the action to cover. I like the bills in this spot at home and I think the sharps will back the Bills as we get closer to game time."
We talk to Mick Sloan, lines manager for GTBets, and Michael Stewart of online shop CarbonSports about the biggest line adjustments to the Week 10 odds and where those spread and totals could end up come kickoff:
Tennessee Titans at Cleveland Browns - Open: -2.5, Move: +1
It was a fantastic debut from rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota and the Titans who crushed fellow rookie Jameis Winston and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 42-14 and covered the spread by a whopping 31 points in Week 1. Now, Mariota and the Titans travel to Cleveland where Titans money has flipped this line from one side of a Pick to the other.
"Despite the line flipping from Titans +2.5 on Monday all the way to them being a 1-point favorite, the action on the Titans has not slowed," Sloan tells Covers. "Bets are still 7-1 on Tennessee, and the money action is 4-1 on them as well. Some of the sharps were lucky enough to grab Tennessee at 2 and 2.5, so the value bets seem to be gone at this point. We would expect this line to possibly move another half point to 1.5, but not much more than that."
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints - Open: -10.5, Move: -10
Speaking of Winston, it wasn't the opener that he and the Bucs envisioned, but surely there's nowhere to go but up from the shellacking in Week 1. Considering the Saints closed out 2014 with an 0-5 record both straight up and against the spread in their last five home games, perhaps New Orleans is the place where Winston and the Bucs can right the ship.
"We opened this matchup Saints -10.5, moving Saints -10 on Monday with 57 percent of the action coming in on the Saints to cover," Stewart tells Covers. "I can see us moving to Saints -9.5 come the weekend as I think the sharps will back the Bucs to cover, with the poor defense of the Saints allowing Tampa to put points on the board."
Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers - Open: -3, Move: -3.5
In what could be a forecast of a playoff matchup come January, the Packers host the Seahawks in one of the marquee matchups on the Week 2 docket. The Seahawks have traditionally not fared well in their visits to Wisconsin and the betting patterns on this game reflect that with a bit of faith in the home team.
"We don’t anticipate this line from moving off of GB -3.5," Sloan says. "The house is going to need Seattle plus the 3.5 for our lunch money come Sunday, but we’re fine with that. Currently, the bets are at 2-1 on GB, and the money is at 4-1, however the sharps have yet to pile in to show us who they like. With a steady line, there isn’t much need for them to act in advance."
New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills - Open: +1.5, Move: Pick, Move: +1.5
Thanks to a 27-14 win over the Indianapolis Colts as 1-point home dogs, Rex Ryan's Bills were a big Week1 highlight, but they'll face a stern test from a familiar foe in the New England Patriots.
The Pats have owned the Bills in upstate New York, posting a record of 9-2 ATS in the previous 11 meetings in Buffalo and, according to Stewart, bettors like the majority of action is on the Pats to keep that trend alive Sunday.
"This is a matchup I really like Belichick and the Patriots offense vs Ryan and the Bills defense," Stewart says. "We opened the Patriots as 1.5-point faves on the road and getting as low as a pick’em before moving back up to the Patriots -1.5 with 78 percent of the action to cover. I like the bills in this spot at home and I think the sharps will back the Bills as we get closer to game time."
Thursday Night Football Betting Preview: Broncos at Chiefs by covers
Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs (-3, 41.5)
The Denver Broncos have won four consecutive AFC West titles but they'll face an early-season showdown for division supremacy when they visit the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night. The Broncos failed to score an offensive touchdown in a 19-13 victory over visiting Baltimore while Kansas City eased to a 27-20 win at Houston that was not as close as the final score indicated.
Denver quarterback Peyton Manning attempted to allay concerns over the lack of productivity from the offense as the team adopts more of a ball-control offense under new coach Gary Kubiak. "Everybody is looking for these summaries of our offense and our team after Week 1 and I just don't think we're going to be able to do that," Manning said. "It's Week 1. We're a work in progress. ... We're trying to get better every single week." Meanwhile, the Chiefs shot out to a 27-9 halftime lead over the Texans behind three scoring passes from Alex Smith, but they face a nemesis in Manning and the Broncos. Denver has won six consecutive meetings in the series, including its last four visits to Kansas City.
TV: 8:25 p.m. ET, CBS, NFL Network.
LINE HISTORY: Books opened the Chiefs as 2.5-point home faves but that is now up to -3. The total is down to 41.5 from the opening 43.
INJURY REPORT: Broncos - QB Peyton Manning (Probable, back), LB Lerentee McCray (Probable, groin), S David Bruton Jr. (Probable, ankle), WR Demaryius Thomas (Probable, hand), S Darian Stewart (Questionable, groin), DE Malik Jackson (Questionable, concussion), RB C.J. Anderson (Questionable, toe), S Omar Bolden (Doubtful, foot), DE Kenny Anunike (Out, knee). Chiefs - LB Tamba Hali (Probable, neck), DB Sean Smith (Eligible Week 4, suspension).
WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the low-80s with a 15 percent chance of rain. Wind will blow toward the north at around 14 miles per hour.
COVERS POWER RANKINGS: Broncos (-4) + Chiefs (-2.5) + home field (-3) = Chiefs -1
WHAT CAPPERS SAY: "Denver showed on Sunday that they are capable of winning games against solid foes even when Peyton Manning looks like the 39-year-old QB that he is. Alex Smith still didn't throw a touchdown pass to a wide receiver, but he did throw three TD?s to TE Travis Kelce and RB Jamaal Charles." Covers Expert Teddy Covers.
WHAT BOOKS SAY: "We opened the Chiefs as 2.5 point faves at home and after the struggles of the Denver offense on Sunday we went to Chiefs -3 where we currently sit adjusting the juice as the week has moved on. The Chiefs are seeing 58 percent of the action to cover the spread as of writing this." Michael Stewart, CarbonSports.ag.
ABOUT THE BRONCOS (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS, 0-1 O/U): Manning's arm strength, or lack thereof, has been a hot-button topic throughout the preseason and he finished with only 175 yards without a scoring pass in the opener, but he has thrown for 1,736 yards with 16 TDs versus three interceptions in six meetings against the Chiefs since joining Denver. C.J. Anderson was limited to 29 yards on 12 carries while dealing with a sprained toe, but he was at practice Tuesday night along with star wideout Demaryius Thomas, who suffered a hand injury versus Baltimore. The Broncos' defense, which produced the lone touchdown in Week 1 on Aqib Talib's interception return, limited the Ravens to only 173 total yards.
ABOUT THE CHIEFS (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS, 1-0 O/U): Smith has been typecast as a game manager but he got a vote of confidence - “Alex was on the money all day” - from tight end Travis Kelce, who had a huge opening game with six catches for 106 yards and a pair of scores. Running back Jamaal Charles had a relative quiet season debut with 57 yards rushing while matching newcomer Jeremy Maclin with five catches, but he has scored 15 touchdowns in his last 14 games overall. Kansas City yielded an AFC-low 281 points last season and received a boost with the return of linebacker Derrick Johnson, who registered a team-high eight tackles in his first game back after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon.
TRENDS:
* Under is 7-1-1 in the last nine meetings.
* Broncos are 5-1 ATS in their last six meetings in Kansas City.
* Broncos are 5-0 ATS in their last five vs. AFC West.
* Chiefs are 6-1 ATS in their last seven home games.
COVERS CONSENSUS: Fifty-nine percent of Covers users are the Chiefs.
Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs (-3, 41.5)
The Denver Broncos have won four consecutive AFC West titles but they'll face an early-season showdown for division supremacy when they visit the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night. The Broncos failed to score an offensive touchdown in a 19-13 victory over visiting Baltimore while Kansas City eased to a 27-20 win at Houston that was not as close as the final score indicated.
Denver quarterback Peyton Manning attempted to allay concerns over the lack of productivity from the offense as the team adopts more of a ball-control offense under new coach Gary Kubiak. "Everybody is looking for these summaries of our offense and our team after Week 1 and I just don't think we're going to be able to do that," Manning said. "It's Week 1. We're a work in progress. ... We're trying to get better every single week." Meanwhile, the Chiefs shot out to a 27-9 halftime lead over the Texans behind three scoring passes from Alex Smith, but they face a nemesis in Manning and the Broncos. Denver has won six consecutive meetings in the series, including its last four visits to Kansas City.
TV: 8:25 p.m. ET, CBS, NFL Network.
LINE HISTORY: Books opened the Chiefs as 2.5-point home faves but that is now up to -3. The total is down to 41.5 from the opening 43.
INJURY REPORT: Broncos - QB Peyton Manning (Probable, back), LB Lerentee McCray (Probable, groin), S David Bruton Jr. (Probable, ankle), WR Demaryius Thomas (Probable, hand), S Darian Stewart (Questionable, groin), DE Malik Jackson (Questionable, concussion), RB C.J. Anderson (Questionable, toe), S Omar Bolden (Doubtful, foot), DE Kenny Anunike (Out, knee). Chiefs - LB Tamba Hali (Probable, neck), DB Sean Smith (Eligible Week 4, suspension).
WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the low-80s with a 15 percent chance of rain. Wind will blow toward the north at around 14 miles per hour.
COVERS POWER RANKINGS: Broncos (-4) + Chiefs (-2.5) + home field (-3) = Chiefs -1
WHAT CAPPERS SAY: "Denver showed on Sunday that they are capable of winning games against solid foes even when Peyton Manning looks like the 39-year-old QB that he is. Alex Smith still didn't throw a touchdown pass to a wide receiver, but he did throw three TD?s to TE Travis Kelce and RB Jamaal Charles." Covers Expert Teddy Covers.
WHAT BOOKS SAY: "We opened the Chiefs as 2.5 point faves at home and after the struggles of the Denver offense on Sunday we went to Chiefs -3 where we currently sit adjusting the juice as the week has moved on. The Chiefs are seeing 58 percent of the action to cover the spread as of writing this." Michael Stewart, CarbonSports.ag.
ABOUT THE BRONCOS (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS, 0-1 O/U): Manning's arm strength, or lack thereof, has been a hot-button topic throughout the preseason and he finished with only 175 yards without a scoring pass in the opener, but he has thrown for 1,736 yards with 16 TDs versus three interceptions in six meetings against the Chiefs since joining Denver. C.J. Anderson was limited to 29 yards on 12 carries while dealing with a sprained toe, but he was at practice Tuesday night along with star wideout Demaryius Thomas, who suffered a hand injury versus Baltimore. The Broncos' defense, which produced the lone touchdown in Week 1 on Aqib Talib's interception return, limited the Ravens to only 173 total yards.
ABOUT THE CHIEFS (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS, 1-0 O/U): Smith has been typecast as a game manager but he got a vote of confidence - “Alex was on the money all day” - from tight end Travis Kelce, who had a huge opening game with six catches for 106 yards and a pair of scores. Running back Jamaal Charles had a relative quiet season debut with 57 yards rushing while matching newcomer Jeremy Maclin with five catches, but he has scored 15 touchdowns in his last 14 games overall. Kansas City yielded an AFC-low 281 points last season and received a boost with the return of linebacker Derrick Johnson, who registered a team-high eight tackles in his first game back after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon.
TRENDS:
* Under is 7-1-1 in the last nine meetings.
* Broncos are 5-1 ATS in their last six meetings in Kansas City.
* Broncos are 5-0 ATS in their last five vs. AFC West.
* Chiefs are 6-1 ATS in their last seven home games.
COVERS CONSENSUS: Fifty-nine percent of Covers users are the Chiefs.
Thanks and good luck to you as well my friend!!!
| [h=1]NFL Football Consensus: Public Picks[/h] | |||||||
| Time | Teams | ATS | Moneyline | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (ET) | Picks | Percentage | Picks | Percentage | Picks | Percentage | |
| Thursday, September 17, 2015 | |||||||
| 8:25pm odds | (101) Denver Broncos (102) Kansas City Chiefs | 13068 14260 |
| 5301 3159 |
| O9461 U4387 |
|
Top Play (Star Plays 2-0) my friend...... good luck tonight!!!
| [h=1]NFL Football Consensus: Public Picks[/h] | |||||||
| Time | Teams | ATS | Moneyline | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (ET) | Picks | Percentage | Picks | Percentage | Picks | Percentage | |
| Sunday, September 20, 2015 | |||||||
| 1:00pm odds | (261) Houston Texans (262) Carolina Panthers | 4769 3875 |
| 1311 785 |
| O1711 U2497 |
|
| 1:00pm odds | (263) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (264) New Orleans Saints | 2542 6264 |
| 722 1652 |
| O2957 U1362 |
|
| 1:00pm odds | (265) San Francisco 49ers (266) Pittsburgh Steelers | 3466 4666 |
| 1323 641 |
| O2354 U1403 |
|
| 1:00pm odds | (267) Detroit Lions (268) Minnesota Vikings | 4749 1944 |
| 1291 327 |
| O2214 U1173 |
|
| 1:00pm odds | (269) New England Patriots (270) Buffalo Bills | 9357 4951 |
| 2836 1181 |
| O4017 U2937 |
|
| 1:00pm odds | (271) Arizona Cardinals (272) Chicago Bears | 7263 2096 |
| 1486 727 |
| O2757 U1650 |
|
| 1:00pm odds | (273) Tennessee Titans (274) Cleveland Browns | 8053 1824 |
| 1933 607 |
| O2873 U1970 |
|
| 1:00pm odds | (275) San Diego Chargers (276) Cincinnati Bengals | 2693 2938 |
| 685 516 |
| O2226 U719 |
|
| 1:00pm odds | (277) St. Louis Rams (278) Washington Redskins | 8046 1730 |
| 1916 709 |
| O2494 U2278 |
|
| 1:00pm odds | (279) Atlanta Falcons (280) New York Giants | 2587 2824 |
| 786 409 |
| O1673 U1170 |
|
| 4:05pm odds | (281) Baltimore Ravens (282) Oakland Raiders | 5043 1115 |
| 1197 381 |
| O1042 U1899 |
|
| 4:05pm odds | (283) Miami Dolphins (284) Jacksonville Jaguars | 6980 1186 |
| 1504 564 |
| O1483 U2416 |
|
| 4:25pm odds | (285) Dallas Cowboys (286) Philadelphia Eagles | 4329 5683 |
| 1498 978 |
| O2062 U2642 |
|
| 8:30pm odds | (287) Seattle Seahawks (288) Green Bay Packers | 3841 5519 |
| 1263 1065 |
| O2955 U1693 |
|
