A big shift in MVP odds also highlight the betting storylines before the season finale.
The NFL got a bit lucky in Week 17. There was a scenario in which the league wasn’t going to have enough good matchups in Week 18 to fill the key broadcast slots for the final week. It was possible there was very little intrigue at all with the playoff picture.
Instead, there are three huge divisional games on tap.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Carolina Panthers game isn’t a winner-take-all showdown (the Bucs need a win on Saturday and a Saints victory over the Falcons on Sunday), but the Seahawks-49ers and Ravens-Steelers games will determine the division champs. Not bad.
Here are the top betting storylines going into Week 18 of the NFL season, with all odds from BetMGM:
Bucs favored despite slump
How weird is the NFC South? The Buccaneers have lost seven of eight games and are still favored to beat the team in first place of the division. Tampa Bay is a 2.5-point favorite over the Panthers.
The Panthers come to Tampa Bay on Saturday knowing that if they win, they take the NFC South title. The Buccaneers aren’t as lucky. Due to the Falcons’ upset win over the Rams Monday night as a 7.5-point underdog, the Buccaneers need a win on Saturday against the Panthers and also a Falcons loss to the Saints on Sunday to win the division. The Falcons are an early 3-point favorite in that game.
Seahawks start as road favorites
The San Francisco 49ers are an offensive juggernaut with a questionable defense. The defense is a reason they’re not favored in a massive NFC West game on Saturday night.
The Seahawks and 49ers meet with the NFC West title and the NFC’s No. 1 seed on the line, and Seattle is favored. The Seahawks are -1.5. It’s a fantastic matchup that will shape the entire playoff picture.
Ravens getting plenty of respect
The Ravens have been mediocre over the season but oddsmakers have still treated Baltimore like one of the NFL’s best teams. Even though the Steelers beat the Ravens in Week 14 and the rematch on Sunday night is in Pittsburgh, the Ravens are favored by more than a field goal. Baltimore is a 3.5-point road favorite over the Steelers with the AFC North title on the line.
There has been no word if Lamar Jackson will play after missing Week 17 with a back injury, or how healthy he will be. His status could change the line, though it seems from the line like oddsmakers anticipate him playing.
Other lines that matter
There are other games that have some playoff implications in Week 18. Many aren’t that interesting though.
The Jaguars can clinch the AFC South title with a win over the Titans, and they’re 13-point favorites. The Texans have a shot at the AFC South title if the Jaguars lose, or the No. 5 seed (and a matchup against the AFC North champ in wild-card weekend) with a win, and they’re 10.5-point favorites against the Colts.
The Broncos will be the No. 1 seed in the AFC with a win, and when the Chargers said that Justin Herbert would be resting, the line went from Broncos -7..5 to -12.5. The Patriots have to play to win, with a chance at the No. 1 seed if the Broncos win, and they’re 12-point favorites against the Dolphins.
There is some intrigue left, but not a lot of great matchups in Week 18. At least there are three intriguing games.
Matthew Stafford falls back in MVP race
BetMGM keeps the NFL MVP odds up during games, and they were moving during Monday night’s Rams loss.
Matthew Stafford went from a small favorite to win MVP to start Week 17 to a big underdog by the time the Rams had lost to the Falcons. The line kept moving toward Maye as the Rams fell behind and Stafford threw three interceptions. When the game was done, Maye moved to a -750 favorite to win the award with Stafford at +450. That moved back to Maye at -500 on Tuesday morning, with Stafford coming back to +325. It’s a two-man race according to the odds, as everyone else is 250-to-1 or longer.
Category: General Sports
