Bill Belichick always said NFL football really begins after Thanksgiving. Well, here we are and, yes, there are some games that look like they will be playoff-type games.
The Saints and Buccaneers have a lot on the line on Monday night. Some teams are teetering on being eliminated, playing for their playoff lives – like the Packers and the Chargers. You are also looking at some games in which teams are playing for playoff seeding. The Chiefs and Bengals, Dolphins and Niners, Titans and Eagles. A good card for sure just one week removed from Thanksgiving.
Here are the games presented in official Nevada rotation order.
New York Jets at Minnesota Vikings (-3, 44.5)
We opened 3. We haven't moved it but the wise guys are definitely on the +3. I see other places at 3 with juice on the dog but, of course, we don't do that here. We're at 3 (-110). Besides taking the +3, they took +140 on the money line. I'm down to -150/+130. We opened the total 45.5, they bet me Under and I'm at 44.5.
Denver Broncos at Baltimore Ravens (-9.5, 39.5)
We opened this one 8.5. The public is on the favorite, for sure. I went to 9 and I wanted some teaser protection, too. They continued to lay the favorite and I went to 9.5 to be in line with most of the market. They bet me the money line, too, at -400 and I'm now up to -420. Some good play on the total. We opened 38.5, they bet me Over and I went to 39, they bet me Over that and I'm at 39.5.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Atlanta Falcons (pick-’em, 42.5)
I opened Falcons -1.5 before the Monday night game. Really had no play, but on Tuesday, I reopened it pick-’em and since then I've had good two-way action but have not moved it. We opened the total 42, they bet me Over, I went to 43. They bet me Under 43 and I'm at 42.5.
Tennessee Titans at Philadelphia Eagles (-4.5, 44.5)
I opened the Eagles -5.5. They took 5.5 and I went straight to 4.5, definitely some of my sharper players that took the 5.5. Pretty decent two-way action now at 4.5. We opened the total 44.5 and haven't moved it.
Jacksonville Jaguars (-1, 51.5) at Detroit Lions
I opened the Lions -1. They took the Jags +1, we went to pick-’em, they bet me the Jags at pick and now we're at Jaguars -1. It looks like the public is mostly on the Lions. We opened the total 52, they bet me Under and I'm at 51.5.
Washington Commanders (-2, 40.5) at New York Giants
We opened the Commanders -1.5. They laid it and I went to 2. They laid it again and I went to 2.5, then they took the 2.5 and I'm back to 2 with the game. We opened the total 40.5 and haven't moved it.
Cleveland Browns (-7, 46.5) at Houston Texans
We opened it 7 and have never moved it. Not very much action on this game. Some on the total but not that much on the side. The public is a little bit on the Browns, but nothing worth moving. Ugly game, ugly situation. I opened the total 47.5. They bet me Under 47.5, they bet me Under 47 and now I'm at 46.5.
Green Bay Packers (-3.5, 44.5) at Chicago Bears
We opened the Packers -4 and didn't have any significant money either way. With the news that Justin Fields was going to play, I went to 3.5. Not much of anything else, pretty lightly bet game. I think people were worried about Rodgers, Fields, etc. We are getting business on the total, though. We opened 43. They bet me Over 43, I went to 44, they bet me Over 44 and now I'm at 44.5.
Seattle Seahawks (-7, 40.5) at Los Angeles Rams
Okay, this is a weird one. We opened the Seahawks -5.5. Took a little bit of money on -5.5 but not much. Then the word came out that Matthew Stafford was out. It was not long after that we heard Aaron Donald was also out and we ended up going to 8. Then they took the 8, they took the 7.5, and I'm at 7 with the game. I opened the total 40.5. We went up to 41.5 with the Donald news and back down to 40.5 with the Stafford news – with action all along the way, too.
Miami Dolphins at San Francisco 49ers (-4, 46.5)
We opened the Niners -3.5. They laid the 3.5, I went to 4 and that's where I'm at right now. The wise guys laid the 3.5 more I believe with the notion of getting the best number, but there hasn't been a huge move either way. Great action on this game. Good two-way action on the 4. Nothing on the total, though. Opened 46.5, haven't moved it.
Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders (pick-’em, 49.5)
We opened the Chargers -2. They took the Raiders plus the 2, I went to 1, they took the 1 and I'm now at pick. We opened the total 50.5, they bet me Under and I'm at 49.5.
Kansas City Chiefs (-2, 52.5) at Cincinnati Bengals
We opened 2.5, have not moved it, but we've got a ton of action both ways on this one. Same with the total. We opened 52.5, have not moved it, but good action both ways. So far it is mostly the public playing this game, the wise guys haven't done much. As I write this, I've decided to go to Chiefs -2. I’m a little heavier on Bengals money and I think 2 is a better number.
Indianapolis Colts at Dallas Cowboys (-10.5, 44.5)
Before the Monday night game, we opened 9. I had no business at the 9. And then after the Monday night game, I reopened at 11. They took the dog, so we are now at 10.5. We opened the total 43.5, they bet me Over and I'm at 44.5.
New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-3.5, 40)
We opened the Bucs -4, they took the 4 and I'm at 3.5 right now. Nothing yet on the total. We opened 40 and haven't moved it.
Chris Andrews is the Sportsbook Director at South Point Hotel in Las Vegas, a member of the Sports Betting Hall of Fame, and has been a Nevada bookmaker for over 40 years.