We’re 11 weeks into the NFL season and some the division races are heating up, while others look like they’re already getting settled. The original NFL Betting Lines were set for this week back in May and needless to say, a few of these have moved since then. Such is the way of betting odds. It’s even worse for what should have been marquee match ups like Thursday Night’s Green Bay Packers at Seattle Seahawks game, which now looks like it would easily be flexed out of if it was a Sunday Nighter. The Packers opened up favored by one.
Sunday Night’s game is significantly more interesting with a rematch from last year’s AFC Divisional Round as the Pittsburgh Steelers face off against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The team from Steel City is a -1 favorite too.
Here’s where playing these international games blows up in the NFL’s face. While the schedule-makers struck gold with the Kansas City Chiefs vs Los Angeles Rams contest on Monday Night Football, the NFL’s international deal messes it up. The best game of the week and a possible Super Bowl preview is being played in Mexico City. Back in May, this was a Rams -4.5 game. It could very well be a pick-em by kickoff.
Thursday, Nov. 15
Green Bay Packers at Seattle Seahawks
Kickoff: 8:20 p.m. EST
Broadcast: FOX, NFL Network, Amazon Prime
Opening Line: Seahawks -2.5, Total 49.5
That one point for the Packers, barring injuries and such, could stretch up to three or four in spite of what appears to be a crumbling relationship between Mike McCarthy and his star quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers seems to have finally figured out he’s been carrying McCarthy for years and the head coach is not a small man.
The Seahawks emerged from the first month of the season at .500 and could very well be battling to finish that way all season. They’re in a soft rebuild and continue to lose pieces, even in the season thanks to Earl Thomas’ injury. CenturyLink field is a notoriously tough place to play, but the 12th Man will have to still be feeling something here to make it the game it deserves to be.
Sunday, Nov. 18, Early Games
Dallas Cowboys at Atlanta Falcons
Kickoff: 1 p.m. EST
Broadcast: FOX
Opening Line: Falcons -4.5
Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears
Kickoff: 1 p.m. EST
Broadcast: FOX
Opening Line: Bears -3, Total 45.4
Carolina Panthers at Detroit Lions
Kickoff: 1 p.m. EST
Broadcast: FOX
Opening Line: Panthers -3.5, Total 50.5
Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts
Kickoff: 1 p.m. EST
Broadcast: CBS
Opening Line: Colts -3, Total 48
Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans Saints
Kickoff: 1 p.m. EST
Broadcast: FOX
Opening Line: Saints -7
This is the first week the NFL can begin flexing games to the afternoon and prime time schedules, which is why no official 4:25 p.m. EST game showed up when the slate was first released. I’m guessing, but this game looks like your best bet to end up on Sunday afternoon as the defending Super Bowl Champions with Carzon Wentz back at quarterback travel to the bayou to take on the New Orleans Saints.
The Saints were a Super Bowl LIII contender on plenty of preseason lists and came out of September in decent shape, in spite of an underperforming defense. The Eagles stumbled into October with back-to-back losses and a losing record, but by the time this game rolls around, should be back in business.
While Patrick Mahomes and Jared Goff are the early MVP favorites, Drew Brees will definitely be in the mix. If he can get a stumbling Saints team into the playoffs and a division title, he’ll emphatically make sure he’s in the conversation. A loss for the Eagles here could very well cost them a first round playoff bye or worse.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New York Giants
Kickoff: 1 p.m. EST
Broadcast: FOX
Opening Line: Giants -1
Houston Texans at Washington Redskins
Kickoff: 1 p.m. EST
Broadcast: CBS
Opening Line: Texans -2.5, Total 43
Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens
Kickoff: 1 p.m. EST
Broadcast: CBS
No line
Sunday, Nov. 18, Late Games
Oakland Raiders at Arizona Cardinals
Kickoff: 4:05 p.m. EST
Broadcast: CBS
Opening Line: Cardinals -4, Total 41
Denver Broncos at Los Angeles Chargers
Kickoff: 4:05 p.m. EST
Broadcast: CBS
Opening Line: Chargers -7, Total 47
Sunday Night, Nov. 18
Pittsburgh Steelers at Jacksonville Jaguars
Kickoff: 8:20 p.m. EST
Broadcast: NBC
Opening Line: Steelers -4.5, Total 47.5
Blake Bortles has flashed this season and this is the perfect game to prove he not only deserved his new contract extension, but shut down any possible “draft a quarterback” talk. Bortles delivered against the New England Patriots earlier in the year, but has been his old streaky self since. The defense, on the other hand, has continued to be stellar.
The same can not be said about the defensive unit the Steelers have fielded. They’ve given up a ton of points and it’s only when the offense plays lights out that they seem to have a consistent chance to win. This game is strength-on-strength and how Bortles performs, along with running back Leonard Fournette’s health, will have a lot to do with the final result.
Monday Night, Nov. 19
Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Rams
Kickoff: 8:15 p.m. EST
Broadcast:
Opening Line: Rams -2.5, Total 63.5
The best regular season game of the week and maybe all of 2018 won’t even be played inside the borders of the United States. The Rams and Chiefs, each owners of their conference’s longest unbeaten streak, will test their top offenses at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
Goff and Mahomes ended the first month of the season as your Nos. 1 and 2 Most Valuable Player candidates and opened October the exact same way. Both teams are loaded with offensive weapons and as long as everybody’s healthy in this one, the over might not be high enough.
Los Angeles’ defense, after a strong three weeks, disappointed a little as October began. With teams struggling to shut down Kansas City’s attack, this could be a season defining defensive game from the Rams’ high-priced and star-filled unit.