Week 2 is nearly in the books – although our betting community is no doubt thrilled that one game, San Francisco versus New Orleans on Monday Night Football, still remains – so now’s as good a time as any to look at some of the more noteworthy betting trends from Sunday:
Manning Bowl: Given all the hype surrounding Peyton vs. Eli and the fact this was a nationally-televised Sunday night affair, it’s not surprising we saw a large handle on Giants vs. Colts. The Bodog online sportsbook had a few minor line moves prior to the contest but for the most part, the point spread hovered between 4.5 and 5.5 points which seemed to suit the betting public just fine.
The game itself was a definite letdown for New York backers. Coming in, many thought that the suspect Colts’ run defense would be exploited by the one-two running back tandem of Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs – but that never came to fruition. Bradshaw did finish with a respectable 89 yards on 17 carries, but most of that game with the game well out of reach as the Colts easily covered, winning 38-14.
Bears-Cowboys: One of the biggest surprises of the weekend came in Dallas where the underdog Bears stunned the now-reeling Cowboys, 27-20. This was Dallas’ home opener and many expected the ‘Boys to bounce back after a disappointing Week 1 loss in Washington – the Cowboys were favored by more than a touchdown coming in and the overall handle on this game was solid. Given the high public profile of both teams and the fact many saw Dallas as a potential Super Bowl finalist (the big game will be played in Cowboys Stadium this year), it was a big one for the betting public. Those who rolled with the Bears ended up very happy players – led by an outstanding effort by QB Jay Cutler, Chicago raced out to a 20-14 halftime lead and never looked back.
Chiefs, Buccaneers surprise: One of the most shocking betting trends to come from the first two weeks of the NFL season has to be the fact Kansas City and Tampa Bay are a combined 4-0 record-wise. Thanks in large part to outstanding defense and special teams, the Chiefs now find themselves atop the AFC West after underdog victories over the Chargers and Browns; the Buccaneers have also shocked the league by knocking off Cleveland in Week 1 and a huge 20-7 win on Sunday against NFC South rivals Carolina. These are definitely two teams that sharps will be keeping an eye on as things move forward – aside from being great underdog plays straight-up, the two are a combined 3-0-1 against the spread.
The NFL action has been great through two weeks and players really seem to be fired up about the prospects of another great season. If you’d like to get in on all the NFL football betting action this year, be sure to be a player and do it with the Bodog online sportsbook – your one-stop shop for all the latest odds, lines, point spreads and more!
