Tag: Dolphins

Patriots and Raiders battling it out for AFC top spot

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The final chapter in the regular NFL season begins on New Year’s Day and fans can look forward to an action-packed schedule full of intrigue. In the AFC the New England Patriots and the Oakland Raiders are locked in a fierce battle to emerge as number one seed and enjoy the home-field advantage that comes with it. If New England beat the Miami Dolphins, they will clinch that valuable status, but it will be easier said than done. The Raiders travel to the Denver Broncos, knowing they could end up as number one seed or fall to number five, so that is another crucial game.

New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins

The Pats are on a six-game winning streak and have the best record in the league, leading the bookmakers to install them as favourites for the Super Bowl. William Hill has the best price, 15/8, with the Cowboys back on 4/1. New England is huge favourites to win the AFC, odds-on with all bookmakers, with 8/11 about the best price you can find with the likes of Bet365, William Hill and Ladbrokes. But the path to the Super Bowl will be made a lot easier for them if they earn top seed spot. Last season they blew number one spot with back-to-back losses in their last two games, against the Jets and Dolphins. The result was a tricky playoff schedule that saw them crash out to eventual Super Bowl champions the Denver Broncos.

They will be desperate to not make the same mistake this season and they know that a win over the Dolphins in their final game will clinch it. The Dolphins laboured badly against the Buffalo Bills in their last game but won it in overtime to secure a playoff berth. They are currently sixth seeds and will face the most difficult schedule, but if they win and the Chiefs lose, they move up to fifth and will avoid the Steelers in the playoffs, securing an easier tie against the Texans. They will be well up for this game, and it should prove to be a thriller. Many expect it to be close, but Dolphins’ quarterback Matt Moore is likely to struggle against the Pats’ outstanding defence, and New England can cover a -7 spread at 8/13 with Sky Bet after easily covering a record spread against the Jets last week.

Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos

The Raiders are in the postseason for the first time since 2002 and went 12-3 with a 33-25 win over the Colts in week 16, but it came at a huge cost. Derek Carr’s broken fibula is a brutal blow for Oakland fans, who have waited so long for a return to the playoffs and rightly had Super Bowl dreams with Carr leading the charge. Now they have to make do with fourth-year pro Matt McGloin as his replacement and the odds on them winning the Super Bowl went out sharply. They are now as long as 28/1 to win it with Ladbrokes and nobody is giving them much of a chance. But a win at the already eliminated Broncos, whose Super Bowl defence went out with a whimper with a 33-10 defeat in Kansas City, would give McGloin confidence, and it is essential for the Raiders to get the win as the Chiefs are still in with a great chance of pipping them to the AFC West. William Hill has 4/5 on them covering a -3 spread and that looks a good bet as the Broncos are on a three-game losing streak and playing poorly.

New England Patriots can cover largest point spread in history

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

With just two games to go, it is still all to play for in the AFC as just two of the six playoff places are currently filled, so there is plenty to look forward to in week 16. The Steelers and the Ravens are fighting it out in the AFC North, while the Texans and the Titans are neck and neck in the AFC South. The Patriots have run away with the AFC East, but the Dolphins are in with a great shout of earning a wildcard. The Oakland Raiders have qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2002 after beating the Chargers last weekend, but they are still not guaranteed to win their division as the Chiefs are still breathing down their necks. It promises to be another spectacular weekend, full of twists and turns as these teams go for broke.

Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills

Miami is 9-5 and hoping for a wildcard spot, but face a tough challenge when they travel to Buffalo, who are 7-7 and have only the slimmest chance of making the playoffs. Still, the Bills are better at rushing, point scoring and red zone performance than the Dolphins and are likely to derail their wildcard bid this weekend. They are odds-on favourites to win this but you can get evens with Sky Bet on them covering a -3.5 spread.

New York Jets at New England Patriots

The Pats are on a five-game winning streak, have the best record in the league and have been installed as 11/5 favourites to win the Super Bowl with 888 Sport. They host a Jets team that is down and out, with a 4-10 record leaving them bottom of the division. It should prove a complete mismatch, and as such, the best price you can get on the Patriots is 1/14 with Ladbrokes. Bookmakers are offering the largest point spread in history on the Pats, -16.5, and you can get 10/11 on that with Bet365, William Hill and various others. They have been outscoring the Jets by nine points on average this season, so there is a gap to make up, but their offence and defence are on fire at the moment, and the Jets are expected to roll over, so that actually looks a good bet.

Indianapolis Colts at Oakland Raiders

The Raiders are going to the playoffs, but they still need to keep winning to ensure a favourable schedule. The Colts are 7-7 and have a tiny chance of making it, but the Raiders should crush those hopes in front of their jubilant home fans. Back the Raiders to cover a -3.5 spread at 10/11 with William Hill, Bet Victor and Bet365.

Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs

This is a huge game for both teams. The Chiefs have a chance of beating Oakland as division winners so will be going all out while reigning Super Bowl champions the Broncos will be out of the playoff picture if they lose. The Chiefs have been the better team this season, however, and should cover a -3.5 spread at evens with Bet365.

Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers can clinch the NFC North by beating Baltimore in the big Christmas Day game. The Steelers have been better at passing and rushing than the Ravens over the course of the season and come into this match on a five-game winning streak that has seen them emerge as dark horses for the conference. They should make it six in a row here, and the 10/11 Boylesports has on them covering a -4.5 spread looks good.

Seattle Seahawks Set for Crunch Game Against the Rams

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The Seattle Seahawks will lock down their division and qualify for the playoffs if they beat the Rams in the first NFL game of week 15. The Seahawks are second favourites for the NFC, behind the Dallas Cowboys, who missed the chance to clinch the NFC East when they lost to the Cowboys last weekend. The Cowboys have already made the playoffs but need to rack up a couple more wins to secure home advantage, and can take a great stride towards that goal by beating Tampa Bay.

LA Rams at Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks were crushed by the Packers as a snowstorm engulfed Green Bay last weekend, leaving them 8-4-1 at the top of the NFC West. But if they beat the Rams in front of their home fans in the early game they will wrap up the division, and they are overwhelming favourites to do so. The best odds you can get are just 1/10 with Sky Bet, but all the action is still going on them. The Rams are on a four-game losing streak and, unlike the Packers, cannot hope to qualify for the playoffs. You get the impression they will now try to keep their record down to secure a better draft pick and the Seahawks, who have everything to play for and are 6-0 at home, will destroy them. Different bookmakers are offering a range of spreads, and the 4/6 Bet365 has on the Seahawks -13 looks good.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Dallas Cowboys

Dallas’ remarkable 11-game winning run came to an end as they fell to a 10-7 defeat against the Giants. They are already in the playoffs so perhaps they took a foot off the pedal, but that opens the door for the Giants to usurp them in the division. Dallas are now at 11-2 and the Giants are 9-4, so with three games to go, the Cowboys still need more wins on the board if they are to win the division and secure a better deal for themselves heading into the playoffs. Tampa Bay are neck and neck with the Falcons in the NFC South and have it all to play for, so it should make for a cracking game. But the Cowboys are still the best team in the NFC and are second favourites to win the Super Bowl, and they should be able to end Tampa Bay’s five-game winning streak. A lot depends on rookie quarterback Dak Prescott, who has Tony Romo breathing down his neck, and he will be determined to put a quiet game against the Giants – where he threw two interceptions and just 165 yards from 37 attempts – behind him and respond emphatically. The Cowboys are 20/23 with William Hill, Ladbrokes and Bet365 to cover a -7 spread and that also looks good.

Miami Dolphins at New York Jets

Another early game sees Miami travel to New York for a clash between AFC East rivals. The Patriots are running away with the division, but the Dolphins are very much still in the wildcard hunt. At 8-5 they are currently level with the Denver Broncos for the final AFC wildcard playoff spot, so they need a win badly. The Broncos lost their last game, while Miami won, so they will want to keep the momentum going. The Jets are dead and buried and already thinking of next season, so back the Dolphins at 4/5 with Coral to win this.