Wagering tips,
But trends point to close game between AFC North rivals
With three of last season’s playoff teams sporting losing records (Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals) as we approach the final three weeks of the 2016 season, we find no fewer than eight teams that missed out last year that now have winning records.
This group includes the Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders and Tennessee Titans in the AFC and the Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions, New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC.
Let’s see how Week 15 shapes up (ATS denotes against the spread; SU denotes straight up):
THURSDAY
Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks
The Rams are 1-5 ATS in their last six division games on Thursdays. ... The Seahawks are 6-0 ATS in their last six games on Thursdays. Key stat: Seattle is 10-1 SU/ ATS at home against sub-.500 division opponents. Who wins: Seahawks, 31-16
SATURDAY
Miami Dolphins at New York Jets
Miami is 1-15 ATS after a win vs. an opponent coming off a SU underdog win. … The Jets are 5-0-1 ATS in the last six games in this series. Key stat: Miami is 0-8 SU and 1-7 ATS away on Saturdays. Who wins: Jets, 24-20
SUNDAY
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Dallas Cowboys
The Buccaneers are 1-9 ATS after a game vs. the New Orleans Saints. … The Cowboys are 6-1 ATS in the first of consecutive home games.
Key stat: Tampa Bay is 1-14-1 ATS away during the final four games of the season against opponents coming off consecutive ATS losses.
Who wins: Cowboys, 31-20 Detroit Lions at New York Giants
Detroit coach Jim Caldwell is 13-3 SU during the final four games of the season in his NFL career. ... New York is 0-4 ATS in the last four games as a host in this series.
Key stat: The Giants are 0-6 ATS at home after a game vs. the Dallas Cowboys.
Who wins: Lions, 24-20 Philadelphia Eagles at Baltimore Ravens
The Eagles are 1-6 ATS away all time against AFC North opponents. ... The Ravens are 3-0 ATS in the last three games in this series.
Key stat: Baltimore is 15-2 ATS as a home favorite against non-division opponents coming off a loss during the final four games of the season.
Who wins: Ravens, 24-14 Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears
Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy is 12-5 ATS in division games
during December. ... Chicago is 1-5 ATS as a home underdog after an away game when playing an opponent coming off a home game.
Key stat: Green Bay is 14-4 SU and 15-3 ATS away in this series, including 6-0 SU/ATS in the last six games. Who wins: Packers, 27-17 Indianapolis Colts at Minnesota Vikings
The Colts are 5-1 ATS after a game vs. the Houston Texans. ... The Vikings are 5-1 ATS at home between away games.
Key stat: Minnesota is 8-2 SU and 9-1 ATS all time against .250or-greater AFC South opponents, including 5-0 SU/ATS at home.
Who wins: Vikings, 24-17 Cleveland Browns at Buffalo Bills
The Browns are 1-7 ATS as an underdog after a game vs. the Cincinnati Bengals. ... Buffalo is 5-1 ATS in its last six home games against AFC North opponents.
Key stat: Buffalo is 0-9 ATS as a favorite after a home game when playing an opponent coming off a home game.
Who wins: Bills, 27-20 Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs
Tennessee is 4-1 ATS in the last five away games in this series. ... Kansas City is 4-11 ATS at home all time against AFC South opponents, including 0-5 ATS in the last five games.
Key stat: Tennessee is 3-13 SU and 1-14-1 ATS against AFC West opponents coming off a win.
Who wins: Chiefs, 23-20 Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans
Jacksonville is 8-3-1 ATS in the last 11 games in this series. ... Houston is 5-0 ATS all time in its seventh home game of the season when playing division opponents.
Key stat: Jacksonville is 18-3 ATS away all time against .500-orgreater division opponents coming off a non-division game.
Who wins: Texans, 24-21 New Orleans Saints at Arizona Cardinals
The Saints are 0-7 ATS away coming off an away game. ... The Cardinals are 3-0 ATS in their last three games as a host in this series.
Key stat: Arizona is 0-4 SU/ ATS in its final home game the
last four seasons. Who wins: Cardinals, 31-30 San Francisco 49ers at Atlanta Falcons
The 49ers are 7-1 ATS in the first of consecutive away games after a non-division game. ... The Falcons are 2-13 ATS as favorites of eight or more points after a SU/ATS win.
Key stat: Atlanta is 1-10 ATS at home after a double-digit win in the season’s final home games.
Who wins: Falcons, 28-20 New England Patriots at Denver Broncos
The Patriots lost 20-18 to the Broncos in Denver in the championship round of the playoffs last season. ... Denver is 15-3 SU and 14-4 ATS as a host in this series.
Key stat: New England is 6-0 SU and 5-1 ATS away this season.
Who wins: Patriots, 28-27 Oakland Raiders at San Diego Chargers
The Raiders are 5-1 SU/ATS away this season. ... San Diego is 7-3 SU in its second-to-last home game of the season.
Key stat: San Diego is 0-8 ATS at home after an away game when playing an opponent coming off an away game.
Who wins: Raiders, 31-30 Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals
Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger is 21-3 SU in Ohio during his NFL career. ... The Bengals are 19-7-1 ATS after a game vs. the Cleveland Browns.
Key stat: Cincinnati is 6-0 ATS in its last six home games as an underdog.
Who wins: Steelers, 28-27
MONDAY
Carolina Panthers at Washington Redskins
The Panthers are 3-0 SU/ATS in the last three games in this series and 4-0 ATS away all time as an underdog in this series. ... Washington is 1-6 SU and 2-5 ATS in its last seven games after a game vs. the Philadelphia Eagles.
Key stat: Washington is 1-15 SU/ATS in its last 16 Monday night home games.
Who wins: Panthers, 28-24
Lawrence publishes the weekly Playbook Football Newsletter and the Playbook Football Preview Guide Preview magazine (Playbook.com). You can follow him on Twitter @MarcLawrence or on the Playbook Cube app.