2011 NFL Week 15 Betting Lines
Carrie Stroup here with your 2011 NFL Week 15 betting lines and some great game previews. Remember to place your online bets at Sportsbook.com and receive up to $250 FREE CASH.
Dallas was a -9 point favorite vs. Tampa Bay.
Green Bay was a -13.5 road favorite coming into Kansas City. They were listed at -14 at some online sportsbooks.
Houston is a 6 point home favorite vs. Carolina.
The Bears are a 3.5 point home favorite against Seattle.
Minnesota is a 9 point home underdog vs. New Orleans.
Cincinnati is -7 on the road against St. Louis.
The Miami vs. Buffalo line is all over the map with the Bills a 1.5 underdog at some books and a -1.5 favorite elsewhere.
Indianapolis are -7 point favorites against Tennessee.
The Giants are -6.5 point favorites vs. Washington.
Detroit is a 1 point underdog on the road in Oakland at most books.
The game everyone is looking forward to, Denver is a 7.5 to 9 point underdog at home against New England.
Arizona is listed at -6.5 hosting the Browns.
Philadelphia is a -1 to -3 point favorite at home against the New York Jets.
San Diego is a +1 to +2.5 underdog hosting Baltimore.
San Francisco is a -1 home favorite against Pittsburgh in Monday night’s game but this one is off the board at some books.
DALLAS COWBOYS (7-6) at TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (4-9)
Sportsbook.com Line & Total: Dallas -7 & 47.5
Opening Line & Total: Cowboys -6.5 & 46
The Cowboys are desperate for a win and there is no better NFC team to be facing right now than the Buccaneers, who have lost seven straight games (1-6 ATS).
The struggling Bucs are once again trying to figure out how to win at home. They’ve lost three straight at Raymond James (SU and ATS), the last two in ugly fashion (outscored by a combined 75-28 by Houston and Carolina). They’re now 5-10 ATS at home over the past two seasons, and their porous run defense figures to have trouble stopping a Dallas running game that was still effective with RB Felix Jones replacing injured DeMarco Murray last week. Considering the new, conservative Tony Romo, that should play into the Cowboys’ hands.
The Cowboys must quickly forget about blowing a 12-point lead with under four minutes left in regulation to the division rival Giants. Tampa Bay should oblige, as Dallas has beaten the Bucs in the past three meetings (SU and ATS), including the last matchup in 2009. Romo threw for 353 yards and 3 TD in that game, leading the Cowboys to a 34-21 win. Romo is also coming off a 321-yard, four-touchdown performance against New York where he averaged more than 10 yards per attempt. He now has thrown for 26 TD and 9 INT on the year. After Murray went down with a fractured ankle, RB Felix Jones stepped in and rushed for 106 yards on 16 carries, while adding six catches for 31 yards. He’s in line for another productive night against a weak Bucs run defense (140 YPG, 28th in NFL), that has allowed 160 rushing YPG over the past three contests.
Tampa Bay actually had a 14-0 lead last Sunday before surrendering 41 unanswered points to a Jaguars team that had failed to surpass 20 points in any of their first dozen games. The Bucs turned the ball over seven times and now have 23 giveaways in the past seven weeks. QB Josh Freeman threw two interceptions on Sunday and now leads the NFL with 18 picks on the season. He could easily regain his confidence against a Cowboys pass defense that has surrendered 291 passing YPG in the past four games, which includes allowing Eli Manning to throw for 400 yards. The Dallas run defense has not been as kind, holding opponents to 91 rushing YPG on 3.4 YPC in the past four games. This does not bode well for inconsistent Bucs RB LeGarrette Blount who has three 100-yard rushing games and four games of less than 35 rushing yards.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (10-3) at DENVER BRONCOS (8-5)
Sportsbook.com Line & Total: New England -7.5 (-115) & 46
Opening Line & Total: Patriots -6 & 46.5
Two of the league’s hottest clubs duel in the thin air on Sunday when New England visits the Broncos.
The Patriots have always had some issues against Denver during the Tom Brady era. In his career, Brady is just 1-6 SU and ATS against the Broncos, including 0-3 as a favorite. And this year’s matchup will be especially interesting, not only because of the Tim Tebow factor, but because the Broncos’ defense has taken a big step up. Brady will have to deal with December weather in Denver, and with stud rookie LB Von Miller on the pass rush. The New England defense has struggled against opposing passing games, but Tebow has shown an improvement in throwing the football lately.
The Pats are riding a five-game win streak, scoring at least 30 points in each of these victories. Brady has been nearly perfect during the surge, throwing for 314 YPG, 13 TD and just one interception. TE Rob Gronkowski has caught nine of these TD passes, and now has 15 on the season, an NFL record for tight ends. Brady also has the league’s receiving leader, Wes Welker (1,339 yards), at his disposal. In terms of the ground game, the Pats have only 44 carries (152 yards, 3.5 YPC) in the past two weeks, but a lot of that has to do with possession times of 24:21 and 23:51 in the two games. Denver’s run-stop unit is below average (124 YPG, 21st in NFL), and has allowed 158 rushing YPG in the past three games, which could prompt the Patriots to establish the run. However, both OT Sebastian Vollmer (back) and OG Dan Connolly (groin) are questionable for Sunday’s game, which could affect the team’s ability to chew up yards on the ground.
Denver has strung together six straight wins (5-0-1 ATS), limiting four of these opponents to 13 points or less. Tebow has averaged a mere 146 passing yards during the win streak, but has an impressive 7 TD and 1 INT in this span. The Broncos now lead the NFL in rushing offense (161 YPG) and were encouraged to see Washington run for 170 yards against New England on Sunday. Although, before Sunday’s contest, the Pats had a streak of eight straight games of holding their opponent to fewer than 120 rushing yards.
Both teams have a couple of injury concerns on the defensive side of the ball. For New England, LB Brandon Spikes (knee) and S Patrick Chung (knee) are both listed as questionable. Denver DE Robert Ayers and FS Brian Dawkins are both questionable with undisclosed injuries.
BALTIMORE RAVENS (10-3) at SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (6-7)
Sportsbook.com Line & Total: Baltimore -2.5 & 44.5
Opening Line & Total: Ravens -1.5 & 44.5
The Ravens carry a four-game win streak into San Diego to square off with the surging Chargers on Sunday night.
San Diego is coming off two big wins over Jacksonville and Buffalo by a combined 75-24 score. But the Chargers are just 1-6 SU and ATS against teams that have winning records to this point, and that lone win was against the Broncos when Kyle Orton was still their starter. Baltimore is the best opponent that the Bolts have played in a while, especially defensively, as the Ravens rank third in the NFL in both scoring defense (15.5 PPG) and total defense (278 YPG). They are also 4-1 (SU and ATS) versus San Diego since 2000, which includes a 31-26 road win in 2009.
Baltimore has allowed just 26 total points to its past three opponents, but the team has been awfully shaky on the road this year (3-3 SU and ATS). It was dominated by Jacksonville and lost at Seattle along the way. If not for a late touchdown in Pittsburgh, its only road wins would be lowly St. Louis and Cleveland. But the Ravens have run the football exceptionally well in the past two weeks, piling up 436 yards. Ray Rice has 307 of these rushing yards (on 5.6 YPC) and should be able to run over a Chargers defense allowing 129 rushing YPG this season.
Baltimore hopes to get LB Ray Lewis back on the field after missing the past four games with a turf toe injury. CB Chris Carr (back) has missed three straight games and is listed as questionable to return to action Sunday night.
The Chargers are looking better, and after a disappointing start, QB Philip Rivers has completed 75.4% of his passes for 534 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions the past two weeks. Rivers also had a monster game against the Ravens in 2009, throwing for 436 yards, 2 TD and 2 INT in a losing effort. Vincent Jackson had six catches for 141 yards and a touchdown that day, and will create matchup problems for Baltimore with his 6-foot-5 frame. But for the Chargers to win the game, they’ll have to keep the running game cranking against the NFL’s No. 2 run defense (86 YPG). San Diego has rushed for 158 YPG in the past three contests with Ryan Mathews racking up 363 yards (110+ in each game) on 6.6 YPC in this span.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
