NFL betting preview: Week 15 lines, totals
After digging up some tips and giving our five best plays for the weekend, let's go over some of the line and total moves for Sunday's morning and afternoon slates.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Baltimore Ravens
Opening odds: BAL -7.5 / 47.5
Current odds: BAL -8.5 / 46.5
It's been a tale of two defenses for the Buccaneers this season, who are allowing 39.2 points per game on the road compared to 20.6 at home. The initial market move on the total was "under" money, which ticked the number down to 46.5 for the majority of the week. Under center for the Ravens will be rookie Lamar Jackson, who is 3-1 both straight up and to the team total over as a starter, helping the Ravens average 27 points per game. The weather might play a role as there is a 78 percent chance of rain in the forecast at kickoff.
Detroit Lions at Buffalo Bills
Open: PK / 38
Current: BUF -2.5 / 40
There weren't many bettors who wanted any part of the Lions, who are 2-5 and averaging 16 points per contest in their last seven. Early money went the other way in a game featuring two teams headed opposite directions. Despite losing last weekend to the New York Jets, the Bills are gaining a bit of traction under rookie quarterback Josh Allen, who's helped the No. 31 scoring offense in the league put up 23 points or more in three of the previous four.
Oakland Raiders at Cincinnati Bengals
Open: CIN -3.5 / 46.5
Current: CIN -3 / 46
It's unlikely the common football fan will make an effort to watch the Raiders and Bengals square off. Bettors, on the other hand, were all over this one, bumping the hook down on Cincinnati, which has sat at -3 for a majority of the week. Despite a matchup between the league's two worst defenses, the total saw an initial drop down to 45.5 before climbing back up to 46.
Dallas Cowboys at Indianapolis Colts
Open: IND -3 / 47
Current: IND -3 / 47
One of the most intriguing games of the weekend hasn't seen too much movement. The Colts stayed three-point favorites over the Cowboys for the entire week as shops chose to move the juice and avoid bumping the line either way off of -3. Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton is a game-time decision.
Arizona Cardinals at Atlanta Falcons
Open: ATL -9 / 44
Current: ATL -9.5 / 44
Despite dropping five straight and owning only one more win than the lowly Cardinals, the Falcons attracted some money that pushed them up to 10-point favorites late in the week, before coming off double digits to -9.5 early Sunday morning. The Falcons haven't covered a single spread over the five-game skid.
Miami Dolphins at Minnesota Vikings
Open: MIN -8 / 44
Current: MIN -7.5 / 45
The Vikings desperately need a win to keep their playoff hopes alive when they host the Dolphins, who are coming off a historic last-second win over the New England Patriots. Bettors aren't fazed by the firing of former Vikings offensive coordinator John DeFilippo, moving the total up from 44 to as high as 45.5 during the week. Miami might be without star defensive back Xavien Howard, whose absence was crucial in the Patriots' 33-point showing last weekend.
Tennessee Titans at New York Giants
Open: NYG -2.5 / 43.5
Current: TEN -1 / 43
Originally opening as 2.5-point favorites, the Giants are now home underdogs, likely due to a reported sharp group hitting the Titans earlier in the week as well as the injury to Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr., which will keep him out for the second straight week.
Washington Redskins at Jacksonville Jaguars
Open: JAX -7.5 / 36
Current: JAX -7.5 / 36.5
Bettors on either side will likely have an unnerving feeling all afternoon when two backup quarterbacks take the stage between the Redskins and Jaguars. Washington opted for Josh Johnson to replace Mark Sanchez during last week's beatdown at the hands of the Giants, while Cody Kessler operates under center for Jacksonville. The line and total both haven't seen too much movement as there are unknowns aplenty in this one. For those who feel like they have an edge, more power to you.
Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears
Open: CHI -5 / 46.5
Current: CHI -5 / 47
The Bears will be laying points to the Packers for the first time in what feels like an eternity when the two NFC North rivals square off at Soldier Field. Though the line has been stagnant, the big move late in the week came on the total, which shot up from 45 to 47 with lopsided action on the over.
Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers
Open: SEA -5.5 / 44.5
Current: SEA -3.5 / 44.5
The Seahawks-49ers game will likely be a Pros versus Joes type of matchup. Seattle, which throttled the Niners by 27 two weeks ago, was getting seven times more bets than San Francisco at MGM, but has seen the line dip all the way down from -5.5 to -3.5 in some shops.
New England Patriots at Pittsburgh Steelers
Open: NE -2.5 / 52
Current: NE -2.5 / 54
Not even bettors from the city of Pittsburgh want much to do with the Steelers as they ride a three-game losing streak into Sunday's pivotal contest against the Patriots - the first bet placed at Rivers Pittsburgh sportsbook over the week was an $11,000 wager on New England -2.5. That's been the theme all week, as MGM resorts saw five times as many tickets on the Patriots than on the Steelers as of Saturday night. New England did hit -3 in some shops late in the week but was almost immediately moved back down.
Alex Kolodziej is theScore's betting writer. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 11 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AlexKoIodziej.