Odds barely move for Brown
Antonio Brown’s time with the Patriots was minimal, and so was his impact on New England’s odds at Las Vegas sportsbooks.
When the Patriots signed the embattled receiver only hours after the Oakland Raiders released him Sept. 7, they ascended from co-favorites with the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl to the lone favorites.
After New England cut Brown on Friday, it moved back to Super Bowl co-favorites with Kansas City.
“It was just some small changes,” Westgate sportsbook vice president of risk management Ed Salmons said. “We had the Patriots crazy low at 3-1 to win the Super Bowl. We raised them up to 4-1 and lowered the Chiefs to the same. Now we view those teams as equals.”
The line on Sunday’s Patriots-jets game also moved down a point. New England moved from a 22½-point favorite to 21½ at CG Technology and from 22 to 21 at MGM Resorts.
“It’s so funny. When that news came out, people think they’re getting a bargain at (plus) 22½,” CG Technology sportsbook director Tony Ditommaso said.
The Westgate moved the line from 22 to 21½.
“When people get information like that, they feel compelled to do something,” Salmons said. “It’s not like the Patriots don’t have people to replace him. They won the Super Bowl without Brown or Josh Gordon. The Patriots will be fine.”
Both Salmons and Ditommaso said they’d be surprised if Brown lands with another team this season.
“Maybe next year if he clears his name,” Salmons said. “It’s such a toxic thing with him now, I can’t imagine anyone would want to get him. If it couldn’t work out with the Patriots, it isn’t going to work out with anyone.”
Station Casinos posted alternate point spread props Friday on the Patriots-jets and Cowboys-dolphins games. New England and Dallas each opened as 30½-point favorites at plus 250 apiece. After Brown was released, the Patriots’ price improved to plus 270, meaning a $100 bet on New England minus 30½ would pay $270.
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.
Denver at Green Bay (-7, 43): The Broncos are 1-5 ATS since late 2018 and 9-19-1 ATS since early 2017. Denver games have gone under 11 times in a row. The under is 9-3 in the last 12 Packers games. Edge: Under and Packers.
Detroit at Philadelphia (-6, 45½): The Lions are 5-7 ATS since early 2018, though they have covered four of the last six as a road underdog. The under is 8-1 in the Lions’ last nine games. The Eagles are 2-7 as home favorites since last season. Edge: Under and slight to Lions.
The Ravens are 5-2-1 ATS since late 2018. Baltimore also covered its last four road games. Kansas City is 1-4 in its last five regularseason games as a home favorite. The over is 6-2 in the last eight regular-season Chiefs games. Edge: Ravens and slight to over.
Cincinnati at Buffalo (-6, 43½): Cincinnati is 8-2 last in its last 10 games as a road underdog, and is 5-1 ATS since late 2018. The Bills were 1-2 as home favorites last season. Edge: Bengals and under.
Atlanta at Indianapolis (-1½, 47): The Falcons are on a 3-12 skid ATS in their last 15 regular-season road games. The under is 8-3 in the Colts’ last 11 games. Edge: Colts and slight to under.
Oakland at Minnesota
(-9, 43½): The Raiders are 2-13-2 ATS in their last 17 road games. The under is 9-3-1 in Oakland’s last 13 road games. The under is 15-5-1 in regularseason Vikings games since late 2017. Under and Vikings.
The home team is 7-1-1 in the last nine games in the series. The last six games in the series have gone under. Patriots coach Bill Belichick is 18-7 ATS at home during the regular season since 2016. Edge: Patriots and under.
Miami at Dallas (-22½, 47½): Miami hasn’t covered its last five games, and is 2-11 ATS last in its last 13 on the road. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott is 6-2-1 in his last nine home games. Edge: Cowboys.
New York Giants at Tampa Bay (-6, 47½): The Giants were 6-1 as a road underdog last season. The over is 7-3 in the last 10 Giants games. The Buccaneers are 1-6 in their last seven games as home favorites, and the under is 7-1 in Tampa Bay’s last eight games. Edge: Giants and under.
Carolina at Arizona
(-2, 44½): The Panthers are
2-8 ATS in their last 10 road games. The under is 5-2 in Carolina games since late 2018.
Cardinals and under.
Before last week, New Orleans was 20-8-1 as an underdog since 2014. The under is 9-3 in the Saints’ last 12 road games. Edge: Under.
Houston at Los Angeles Chargers (-3, 48½): The Texans are on an 8-3-1 spread run in regular-season games. Houston’s last four road games have gone over. The Chargers are 2-7 ATS at home since last season. Edge: Texans and slight to over.
Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin is 2-7 ATS since late 2018. San Francisco is 2-0 straight up and ATS in 2019. Edge: 49ers.
Los Angeles Rams (-3, 47½) at Cleveland: The Rams are 10-6 ATS in their last 16 road games. The Browns were 3-1 as home underdogs last season. The under is 7-2 in the Rams’ last nine road games. Edge: Slight to under.
Monday
Chicago (-4, 41) at Washington: Washington was 5-1 as an underdog before QB injuries mounted in 2018. The Redskins are 1-1 as underdogs in 2019. The last nine Bears games have gone under. Edge: Redskins and under.
Las Vegas handicapper Bruce Marshall is editor of The Gold Sheet (Goldsheet. com). He provides the Review-journal with NFL tech notes and trends.