Matthew Ross
As long as there’s another week of football betting it’s never too late to pick up some advice. Week 15 was all over the place, as we saw some teams return to form (Chiefs, Cowboys) and some teams blow it (Packers, Dolphins). Let’s examine it all, shall we?
2017 NFL Week 15 Betting Recap
-The Broncos have returned to form on defense and running the ball offensively. But it was Brock Osweiler stepping in and delivering which was intriguing. Have they had their 2018 starting QB on the roster all along? I trust him implicitly in the final two weeks, as far as NFL wagering is concerned. He has a lot to prove.
-Buffalo did what they had to do to stay alive. Imagine if they had never benched Tyrod Taylor – they’d be in the playoff driver’s seat! The Bills should play well down the stretch, but is it too late? As for Miami? I expect them to fold like a cheap suit.
-Wow, the Eagles almost blew a game to the Giants? Wasn’t it the offense that was supposed to struggle without Wentz? Instead, it was the defense. That’s not a good sign moving forward.
-The Rams are for real, folks. They are going to win a division and have a home playoff date, maybe more if this continues.
-As long as Jimmy is starting at QB for the Niners, they are a great bet against the spread. Remember all of those close games that this team lost earlier in the year? They would actually be in playoff contention had they made this trade prior to the season. As for the Titans, they’d been winning ugly all year. Now they’re losing ugly.
-Dallas has found some swagger. Good defense and smart QB play. A returning Zeke will mean that they are still alive for another week. Meanwhile, the Raiders are embarrassing. What a choke job the last two weeks have been.
-The Pats always find a way to get it done. Remember that. It’s amazing to think that there are still doubters out there. They’re not perfect, but they are clutch. Pittsburgh is still good, but they’ll inevitably lose at Foxboro against next month.
-To quote former Vikings head coach Dennis Green – Minnesota is who we thought they were. A dominant and predictable performance versus the Bengals. I now think they could be the favs in the NFC.
-The Ravens won a game that they were supposed to win. Can this defense continue to carry them? I don’t see why not.
-Both Washington and Arizona are not worth watching right now. What a waste of talent on both of these rosters.
-The Panthers made a statement in Week 15 that they are ready to re-assume the NFC crown. Meanwhile, Green Bay is done. What a shame for ARod, who worked so hard to come back.
-New Orleans is ready for the playoffs. It’s been a while, so I’m sure they’re anxious. But this win over the Jets tells me that they won’t have any letdown or trap games in the last two weeks.
-Wow, is Jacksonville for real, or what? They scored 45 points with Blake Bortles! Isn’t he the same QB that fans wanted gone? A strong defense and good running game translate well in the playoffs. Expect the Jags to be a tough out for any higher seed.
-KC is back to early season KC, and that means a lot of Kareem Hunt. They were too talented to slide down to .500. I don’t think they’ll upset anyone in the playoffs, but they are a strong team. San Diego has got to be dejected, but they should still be worth betting on in Week 16, since they’re still alive.
-The Falcons did what they had to do on the road in Tampa, and that means they live to fight another day. It wasn’t dominant for four quarters, but it was enough to set up a fun last couple of weeks.
Matthew Ross is a sports commentator and a radio host on TSN 690 Radio in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Follow him @MatthewWords.
