In Between the Lines: Chapter 6
Football is flying by, as the NFL is going into Week 10 and NCAA Football is going into Week 11. And don’t forget that you can get 10 percent cash back on all football losses this weekend and this weekend only. Receive up to $2,000 cash back, and all users are eligible. See the full website for details.
With a stacked sports schedule comes fervent sports bettors. “In Between the Lines” gives avid fans and sports bettors exactly what they want. Looking ahead to the upcoming week in sports, “In Between the Lines” offers inside analysis on line movements and key stats.
Here’s what you absolutely can’t miss this upcoming week in sports:
1. NFL – Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants (11/15/20 at 1pm)
It’s a little difficult to have faith in either of these teams this season. The Eagles are 3-4-1 and the Giants are 2-7. But it’s okay! You win some, you lose some (sometimes many). The Eagles are a 3.5-point favorite against the Giants. The over/under is set at 44.5.
The Eagles and Giants met earlier in the season in Philadelphia. The Eagles won 22-21. I know this seems like a stretch, but I think the Giants have it in them. Their last three losses have been lost by three points or less. They were able to only lose to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by two points. And even if they don’t win this game, I still think the Giants will cover the 3.5-point spread. The Giants are 5-0 against the spread in their last five games as an underdog.
While the Eagles haven’t been so good against the spread this season (3-6 in last nine games), they have been very successful overall against the Giants. They are 8-0 straight up in their last eight games against the Giants *tears rolling down face of a sad Giants fan*
So actually, I would maybe bet the Eagles on the moneyline at -180 (unless you are a Giants fan who will love the Giants no matter what even if it burns a hole through your wallet). However, based on the betting trends, I think the Giants against the spread could be a good bet.
2. NFL – Los Angeles Chargers at Miami Dolphins (11/15/20 at 4:05pm)
Two incredibly talented rookie quarterbacks will face off this weekend in Miami, as the Dolphins host the Chargers on Sunday afternoon. In case you don’t know, those two quarterbacks are Los Angeles’ and Miami’s Justin Herbert and Tua Tagovailoa, respectively.
Herbert and the Chargers almost (emphasis on ALMOST) won last Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Herbert’s last second touchdown pass attempt to tight end Donald Parham was reversed, which was one of last week’s bad beats.
On the other hand, Tagovailoa is on a roll, winning both of his first two starts for the Dolphins. The Dolphins are 5-3, winning their last two games 28-17 and 34-31 against the Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals, respectively. Tagovailoa performed exceptionally against Kyler Murray and the Cardinals, completing 20 of 28 passes for 248 yards.
The Dolphins have won two out of the past three games against the Chargers. The Dolphins are currently a 1.5-point favorite. They have covered the spread in four consecutive games and are 15-5 against the spread since their Week 5 bye last season, giving them the best mark in the NFL.
The over/under is currently set at 48.5. I would bet the over, as five straight Los Angeles games have gone over the total. In Justin Herbert starts, the over is 5-2. In order for the Chargers to win this game, Herbert needs to bring his A game. The Chargers need to take advantage of the Dolphins’ weaknesses on defense this weekend. Defensive tackle Christian Wilkins and linebacker Kyle Van Noy are two of three players on the reserve/COVID list this weekend.
3. NFL – Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Rams (11/15/20 at 4:25pm)
The NFC West is playing some solid football this season. The Seahawks and Rams are fighting for the division crown and an NFL playoff spot. Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson is still an MVP favorite, whereas Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald is a front-runner for Defensive Player of the Year.
Russell Wilson has been so influential for the Seahawks. Since he was drafted in 2012, Seattle is 23-10-2 against the spread as an underdog. Yeah, that’s right. The Seahawks are a 2.5-point underdog against the Rams.
In the past five games between these two teams, the Rams have won four out of the five. That one loss occurred last season in Week 5 due to a missed field goal by Greg Zuerlein. But, definitely don’t sleep on Russell Wilson and the Seahawks, who are 6-2 and 1st in the NFC West. The over/under is set at 54.5. The total has gone over in each of the past five Rams games. With that said, I think the over could be a good bet on this one.
4. College Football – No. 23 Northwestern at Purdue (11/14/20 at 5pm)
This is the only Big Ten game between two undefeated teams. Purdue is off to a hot start this season at 2-0. The Boilermakers have won their two games against Iowa and Illinois, respectively. Purdue’s wide receiver David Bell has contributed greatly to their success. The sophomore has had back-to-back 100-yard receiving games. This is no surprise though, as Bell finished last season with three straight 100-yard games. This makes Bell the only player in Big Ten and Purdue football history to record five games in a row with 100 or more yards receiving.
Purdue has not been this boiling hot since 2007 when they started their season at 5-0. If they defeat Northwestern, they have a chance to improve to 3-0 in their Big Ten campaign, which is something they have been unable to do since 2003.
On the other hand, the Northwestern Wildcats are also undefeated at 3-0 so far this season and have covered the spread in all three of those games. The offense is led by Indiana-transfer quarterback Peyton Ramsey. Dating back to their third season under head coach Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern is 7-2 outright against Purdue. This is an improvement from 1978-2007 when they were 6-22.
The Wildcats are currently a 2.5-point favorite and -140 on the moneyline. I am going to go out on a limb here pick Purdue to win and cover the 2.5-point spread. Why? Purdue has covered nine straight conference games as an underdog since head coach Jeff Brohm took over. This record is tied with Ohio State’s from 2009-2018 for the longest active streak in FBS.
