The Green Bay Packers were forced to accept just how terrible things have become this season following one of the worst losses anybody could remember for Aaron Rodgers and company in Week 13. Now they will try to turn the page to a new era following a surprising decision hours after that defeat. Meanwhile, the Carolina Panthers are trending in the wrong direction of late and suddenly a matchup that looked very favorable at the start of the season looks like it could be much more difficult than initially expected. Here is a look at the top five betting trends for NFL Week 14.
Aaron Rodgers is 15-1 in December home games. Packers are 9-1 SU in last 10 as a home favorite of 3.5-to-7 points.
The Packers hit rock bottom with their 20-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. While management might have wanted to wait to make a coaching change, their hands were tied following one of the worst losses of the Rodgers’ era. Now Green Bay will turn the page from Mike McCarthy to the Joe Philbin era, with the hope that a strong message was sent through the entire organization. While the Packers are out of playoff contention, that doesn’t mean there won’t be a sense of urgency when they host the Falcons this week. Rodgers is 15-1 all-time in December home games. Meanwhile, Atlanta is just 1-4 on the road this season. Green Bay should be able to bounce back with a statement win at Lambeau Field this Sunday.
Related: NFL Betting Guide | Week 14 Odds
Carolina is 1-5 ATS on the road this season. They have seven turnovers during their current four-game losing streak.
While the Packers had the spotlight to themselves following the McCarthy firing, Carolina deserves some attention after dropping its fourth in a row. The Panthers opened the year with six wins in their first eight games. However, they will limp into their Week 14 meeting with the Cleveland Browns with a 6-6 record as they grasp at an NFC Wild Card spot. Making matters worse is the fact that the Browns have actually been good at home this season with a 3-2-1 record. Meanwhile, Carolina is just 1-5 ATS on the road. The Panthers are currently listed as a one-point favorite for that contest. There is a good chance they lose to Cleveland straight up as their struggles continue this weekend.
Giants are 3-0-1 ATS since the start of November. They are also 5-1 ATS in road games this season.
Don’t look now, but the Giants are 3-0-1 against the spread since the start of November. New York is coming off an impressive win over the Chicago Bears. Now Eli Manning and company will visit Washington with a chance to really shake up the NFC East. The Redskins covered as one-point favorites in a 20-13 win the first time these teams met back in Week 8. That said, Washington lost Alex Smith to a season-ending injury and will turn to Colt McCoy in the rematch with an improved Giants side this week. The Redskins are only a 1.5-point favorite at home this week. Don’t be surprised if the Giants find a way to extend their hot streak with a win and a cover in Washington.
New England is 1-4 SU and ATS in its last five games in Miami. The Dolphins are 5-1 ATS at home this season.
The Patriots are coming off another big win over the Minnesota Vikings to improve to 6-0 at home. New England has been outstanding at Gillette Stadium. However, Tom Brady and company are just 3-3 on the road. Miami has been inconsistent at best this season, but Ryan Tannehill and company haves had the Patriots number over the past few seasons. The Dolphins are 4-1 straight up and against the spread in their last five home games against New England. Miami is getting eight points on the spread this weekend. Considering their recent history, the Dolphins should be able to at least cover the spread against the Patriots.
The Texans have won nice straight games. However, Houston is just 2-8 ATS in their last 10 December games and 5-11 SU in their last 16 meetings with the Colts in Houston.
Houston is the hottest team in the NFL with nine straight wins since starting 0-3. The Texans are 6-3 against the spread over that period. Now they will host the Indianapolis Colts as they continue their pursuit of the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Indianapolis is coming off a brutal 6-0 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. On top of that, Andrew Luck has lost four straight versus Houston. The Texans should be able to extend their amazing win streak at home this weekend. Listed at -4.5, nobody should be surprised if Houston covers the spread in Week 14.
