LAS VEGAS — What appeared implausible after Week 1, when Aaron Rodgers and the Packers opened with an embarrassing 35-point loss, has develop into actuality heading into Week 18. For the second yr in a row, the street to the Tremendous Bowl within the NFC will undergo Inexperienced Bay.
So why would Rodgers trouble to play in Detroit? Rodgers has the choice to sit down out of the Packers’ finale on Sunday, however the MVP front-runner has mentioned he plans to play anyway.
The ultimate week of the NFL common season is all the time a singular problem for bettors and bookmakers. Most video games will function some type of playoff implications, although a couple of corresponding to Packers-Lions might have a preseason really feel.
“There are such a lot of of those video games which might be principally playoff video games,” Westgate SuperBook vice chairman Jay Kornegay mentioned. “A lot of the video games are significant, however there are some video games that imply completely nothing.”
Previous to Week 17, when Inexperienced Bay received to clinch the NFC’s No. 1 seed, the SuperBook posted a lookahead line with the Packers favored by 11 factors in opposition to the Lions. The road reopened Monday with Detroit as a 2-point favourite.
“What’s the inducement for Inexperienced Bay?” mentioned Vinny Magliulo, VSiN oddsmaker and Gaughan Gaming sportsbook director. “Do you see Rodgers on Sunday? Most likely, however for a way lengthy? Rodgers is the No. 1 participant within the league by way of impacting the quantity. And it’s not simply Rodgers. Who else will not be going to play?”
With a final alternative to tighten his grip on the MVP award, Rodgers may need to play simply the primary quarter, first half or extra. The Packers additionally should take into account the thought of staying sharp for the playoffs with a bye week on deck.
Magliulo mentioned there will likely be “a number of line motion” on the NFL board this week as bookmakers react to info made accessible by coaches pertaining to starters and taking part in time. It’s simply as vital to learn between the strains to search out the motivation for every workforce.
The Chiefs are 9.5-point favorites at Denver in Saturday’s first sport. The motivation is clear for Kansas Metropolis, which might clinch the AFC’s No. 1 seed with a win and a Tennessee loss on Sunday. The Titans are 10.5-point favorites at Houston.
The Cowboys-Eagles sport on Saturday night time falls right into a grey space as a result of it means barely extra for Dallas, which is a 5-point street favourite and will get the NFC’s No. 2 seed with a win. Philadelphia has clinched a playoff spot and is more likely to face Tampa Bay within the postseason, win or lose Saturday.
There are two Sunday video games — 49ers-Rams and Chargers-Raiders — with vital playoff implications for all groups concerned.
The Rams are 5.5-point house favorites in opposition to the 49ers, who must win to clinch a postseason spot. San Francisco nonetheless might lose and sneak into the sphere with some assist. The Rams clinch the NFC West with a win or an Arizona loss to Seattle.
Las Vegas would be the setting for Sunday’s prime-time showdown that quantities to an all-or-nothing guess for the Chargers and Raiders. The winner clinches a playoff berth within the AFC and the loser primarily goes house. The Raiders might lose and nonetheless get in however they would wish the Colts to fall as 15.5-point favorites at Jacksonville.
The Chargers are favored by 3 factors in what Magliulo mentioned “would be the most-bet sport of the week.”
Derek Carr led the Raiders to their third consecutive win, 23-20 win at Indianapolis in Week 17, to maintain their playoff hopes alive. Las Vegas has a 4-4 house file, together with an Oct. 10 loss to the Bears in what was Jon Gruden’s closing sport as coach earlier than his gorgeous resignation. The Chargers beat the Raiders 28-14 on Oct. 4.
“There’s going to be a number of Raiders’ cash, particularly with the sport being in Las Vegas,” Magliulo mentioned. “I'd make the Chargers -1.5 to -2.”
Minor playoff implications exist in a couple of different AFC matchups. The Payments are 16.5-point favorites in opposition to the Jets, with Buffalo clinching the AFC East with a win. The Jets almost pulled off a serious upset in Week 17 earlier than Tom Brady’s last-minute landing cross lifted the Buccaneers to a 28-24 victory as 14-point favorites.
“That might have been one in all our largest wins of the yr if the Jets might have pulled that off,” Kornegay mentioned.
The Patriots, who're 6-point favorites at Miami, might clinch the division with a win and Buffalo loss.
New England and Cincinnati every have long-shot hopes on the AFC’s prime seed, however the Bengals have clinched the AFC North and are realistically taking part in for nothing on Sunday as 3-point underdogs at Cleveland.
The brief checklist of meaningless video games consists of Bears-Vikings and Washington-Giants, however some bettors will likely be looking for angles in these video games too.
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