Back in May, Cantor Gaming released point spreads for every NFL game this season. The numbers, as usual, were more of an attention-grabber than anything, with only a small amount of money bet and very little line movement over the rest of the offseason.
But last week, the LVH SuperBook released look-ahead lines for this week’s games. Using both those point spreads and comparing them to the numbers currently being offered at the LVH, we can try to come up with an answer to the question, “Which NFL teams made the biggest impressions in Week 3?”
GOING UP
- Dallas Cowboys. We see it every year. America’s Team looks great in a blowout victory, and everyone jumps in line to bet them the next week at an inflated price. The Cowboys were 1.5-point underdogs at San Diego in the look-ahead lines, and now they’re 2-point favorites.
- Indianapolis Colts. If you win by 20 points on the road at San Francisco, your stock will undoubtedly go up. Especially if you’re facing the worst team in the league the following week. The Colts are now 7.5-point favorites at Jacksonville, up from -7 (last week) and -3.5 (preseason).
- New York Jets. Who would’ve thought we’d see this team on this list so early in the season? Geno Smith is doing what most rookie quarterbacks have done in the past two or three seasons: exceed expectations. He looks competent, and the Jets moved from +5.5 at Tennessee (look-ahead) to +3.5.
GOING DOWN
- San Francisco 49ers. Let’s look at three things here: 1) The Niners get blown out by the Colts at home; 2) The Rams get blown out at Dallas; 3) The line shifts 1.5 points towards St. Louis (from +4.5 last week to +3 currently) on Thursday Night Football. Seems to be a bit of an overreaction, no? Everyone is down enough on the Niners to move them down 1.5 points against a team coming off a 24-point loss.
- New York Giants. Back in May, the Giants were 1.5-point road favorites for their Week 4 trip to Kansas City. Now? That line is Chiefs -4, the biggest shift since the preseason of any game on this week’s card. And the Giants are usually at their best when no one believes in them.
- Minnesota Vikings. The offense lacks punch, the defense has given up at least 31 points in every game, and now the Vikings have moved from a pick ’em (last week) to +2.5 in London against the Steelers, an 0-3 team coming off a 17-point beating at home.
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49ERS AT RAMS
Early line: San Francisco -4
Look-ahead line: San Francisco -4.5
Current line: San Francisco -3 (-120)
STEELERS VS. VIKINGS (LONDON)
Early line: Pittsburgh -1.5
Look-ahead line: Pick ’em
Current line: Pittsburgh -2.5
RAVENS AT BILLS
Early line: Baltimore -4
Look-ahead line: Baltimore -3 (even)
Current line: Baltimore -3 (-120)
BENGALS AT BROWNS
Early line: Cincinnati -3
Look-ahead line: OFF (due to Cleveland’s uncertain QB situation last week)
Current line: Cincinnati -4
COLTS AT JAGUARS
Early line: Indianapolis -3.5
Look-ahead line: Indianapolis -7
Current line: Indianapolis -7.5
SEAHAWKS AT TEXANS
Early line: Seattle -1
Look-ahead line: Seattle -2.5
Current line: Seattle -2.5
CARDINALS AT BUCCANEERS
Early line: Tampa Bay -4.5
Look-ahead line: Tampa Bay -3 (-120)
Current line: Tampa Bay -2.5
BEARS AT LIONS
Early line: Detroit -1
Look-ahead line: Detroit -3
Current line: Detroit -3
GIANTS AT CHIEFS
Early line: New York -1.5
Look-ahead line: Kansas City -3
Current line: Kansas City -4
JETS AT TITANS
Early line: New York -1
Look-ahead line: Tennessee -5.5
Current line: Tennessee -3.5
COWBOYS AT CHARGERS
Early line: San Diego -1
Look-ahead line: San Diego -1.5
Current line: Dallas -2
REDSKINS AT RAIDERS
Early line: Washington -4
Look-ahead line: Washington -2.5
Current line: Washington -3 (-120)
EAGLES AT BRONCOS
Early line: Denver -7.5
Look-ahead line: Denver -9.5
Current line: Denver -10.5
PATRIOTS AT FALCONS
Early line: Pick ’em
Look-ahead line: Atlanta -1.5
Current line: Atlanta -2
DOLPHINS AT SAINTS
Early line: New Orleans -4.5
Look-ahead line: New Orleans -6
Current line: New Orleans -6.5