NFL Betting News and Notes Week 15

Betting Recap - Week 14
By Daniel Dobish
VegasInsider.com

National Football League Week 14 Results

Straight Up 10-5
Against the Spread 9-6
Home-Away
Straight Up 8-7
Against the Spread 7-8
Totals (O/U)
Over-Under 6-9

The largest underdogs to win straight up

Texans (+6.5, ML +245) at Colts, 22-17
Giants (+3.5, ML +170) vs. Cowboys, 10-7
Packers (+3, ML +130) vs. Seahawks, 38-10

The largest favorite to cover

Falcons (-5) at Rams, 42-14
Bengals (-4.5) at Browns, 23-10
Vikings (-3.5) at Jaguars, 25-16

D.C. Fab

The Washington Redskins picked up an impressive 27-22 road win against the Philadelphia Eagles to cover for the fifth time in six games, and 10th time in the past 12 outings. The 'Skins have been popular at the betting window as far as totals are concerned, too, as the 'over' has connected in each of their past six games dating back to Week 7. The 'over' is now 11-2 in 13 games this season, and they were playing their third consecutive game away from home. Over the past 12 seasons the 'over' is 40-20-1 (66.7%) for teams playing in the third game of three straight outings on the road.

Bearing Down

The Chicago Bears did not win against the Detroit Lions, but they were able to cover for the fourth consecutive game. The Bears slipped to 3-10 SU, but they're 5-1 ATS over their past six games after opening the season 1-6 ATS. The combination of RB Jordan Howard and backup QB Matt Barkley have given the team a youthful injection and they're playing hard down the stretch despite the fact they've been eliminated from the playoffs for quite some time. The 'under' is also 3-1 in the past four for Chicago, and 6-2 in the past eight outings.

Total Recall

The 'under' dominated with a 9-6 mark, and a few games the 'over' was never threatened. The Sunday Night Football battle between the Dallas Cowboys-New York Giants (47) ended up 10-7 in favor of the G-Men, as a slight glistening of snow on the field kept totals down. Really, it was more due to defensive pressure and turnovers in key situations, though. In three AFC games the 'under' dominated at 4-1 with one pending Monday. In six NFC games the 'over/under' split 3-3, and there was a split in the four AFC vs. NFC battles, too.

In three games with a total of 48.5 or higher, the 'under' hit in two of the three, while bettors needed late-game heroics for the 'over' to hit in Washington-Philadelphia (48.5). Vegas was expecting a track meet in Tampa, but slick conditions and surprisingly effective defense made the New Orleans-Atlanta (51.5) a low-scoring affair with 27 total points.

The Minnesota-Jackosnville (38) was on track for an 'under' result, but a late touchdown with 2:13 left not only helped the Vikings cover, but also switched the total result to an 'over'. The second-lowest total on the board also was an easy 'under', as Cincinnati-Cleveland (41.5) had just 13 total points in the second half with double digits scored by one team in just one quarter. 'Over' bettors (42.5) started out in a hole in Chicago-Detroit, with just three total points in the opening quarter, and 13 total points at halftime. The Lions took the lead with 3:17 to go, and the Bears had a chance to force overtime and a possible 'over', but it never came into fruition.

The 'under' went 2-0 in the first two primetime games with Monday's game between the defensive-minded Ravens and Patriots (45) still left to be decided. Officially, the 'over' is 20-22 (47.6%) through 42 games under the lights. In 2015, the over finished 20-28-1 (41.7%) in 49 primetime games. In 2014, the over went 33-17 (66%) in primetime games, and the over was 28-22 (56%) in 2013.

Injury Report

Chargers RB Melvin Gordon (hip) was carted off in the first quarter of Sunday's game at Carolina due to a hip injury and he was unable to return.

Colts WR Donte Moncrief (hamstring) suffered a hamstring injury in Sunday's key AFC South battle against Houston and he was unable to return.

Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill (knee) was knocked out of Sunday's game against the Cardinals due to what the team fears is a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

Eagles RBs Darren Sproles (head) and Wendell Smallwood (knee) were forced out of Sunday's game against the Redskins and were unable to return.

49ers TE Vance McDonald (shoulder) and WR Torrey Smith (concussion) left the overtime loss against the Jets early and were unable to return.

Jets RB Matt Forte (knee) was forced out of Sunday's game in San Francisco due to a knee injury and he was unable to return.

Lions QB Matthew Stafford (finger) dislocated his thumb and suffered ligament damage in Sunday's win against the Bears. He returned with a glove on his hand and he is expected to play through the injury down the stretch.

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers (hamstring, calf) injured his calf in the win against Seattle, adding to his lower-body injuries. He was able to stay in and finish the game, however.

Looking Ahead

The Seahawks host the Rams at CenturyLink Field Thursday night in Seattle. The Rams have won three straight in this series, including an ugly 9-3 win at home in Week 2. However, L.A. has looked anything like a team about to slay a playoff contender, dropping four in a row while going 0-4 ATS. Of course, Seattle didn't exactly light the world afire in Green Bay Sunday, falling 38-10. Seattle has failed to cover in back-to-back games for the first time this season.

The Dolphins head to the Meadowlands Saturday night to battle the Jets in primetime, and they're expected to have backup QB Matt Moore under center against QB Bryce Petty in a potentially low-scoring game. New York lost 27-23 in Miami in Week 9 with the Dolphins covering and the 'over' coming through. The Jets have won three of the past four games, and the favorite is 3-0 ATS in the past three meetings.

The Packers and Bears hook up in Chicago in an early game next Sunday. As mentioned, the Bears are 4-0 ATS in their past four, but they fell 26-10 in Green Bay in a Thursday game back in mid-October with the favored Packers covering. The 'over' is 4-2 in the past six meetings in this series.

The first-place Texans host the Jaguars next Sunday. The two sides met in Jacksonville Nov. 13, and Houston came away with a 24-21 road win to cover as three-point underdogs. The 'over' result was the third in the past four meetings in this series.

Opening Line Report - Week 15
By Marcus DiNitto
VegasInsider.com

Here are the opening point spreads for Week 15 of the 2016 NFL season, with insight from two Las Vegas oddsmakers – the South Point’s Chris Andrews and the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook’s Ed Salmons.

Numbers listed are the Vegas consensus as of about 11:30 p.m. ET on Sunday night. Early line moves and differences among sports books are also noted.

Thursday, Dec. 15

Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks (-13.5)

Seattle -12.5, the first number posted in Las Vegas (Westgate), wasn’t big enough for bettors’ tastes, as it was pushed to -13.5 within the first hour of wagering. The betting market apparently is fading the Rams’ embarrassing showing Sunday, a 42-14 home loss to the Falcons, more than the Seahawks’ forgettable performance, a 38-10 loss at Green Bay.

Sunday was the first time since 2011, the year before Russell Wilson came into the league, that the Seahawks lost by more than 10 points. But they also lost at Tampa Bay two weeks ago by nine, 14-5.

“I don’t want to jump conclusions because they are really good, but they have had holes in their game all year,” Andrews said of Seattle. “Their offensive line is not that good, they haven’t run the ball consistently in a lot of games...At some point, you’ve got to quit ignoring those danger signs, because we’ve been looking for them all year, but they haven’t really come to fruition until these last couple of weeks.”

Salmons added, “Usually Pete Carroll’s team play great in December, so it’s really hard to justify (Sunday’s) performance. It was just awful, especially defensively. Earl Thomas (safety, out for the season) is probably their best defensive player, but Green Bay has been so bad all year, and they looked good today, and it was more Seattle than them.”

All that said, Seattle is 6-0 at home and lays the biggest number on the Week 15 card.

Saturday, Dec. 17

Miami Dolphins (-3 even) at New York Jets

Miami remains in the thick of the playoff race but will have to go the rest of the way without starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who suffered a torn ACL in Sunday’s win over Arizona. Matt Moore, who’s been in the league nine seasons but hasn’t gotten a lot of reps over the past five years, takes over.

The dropoff from Tannehill to Moore is worth about 2 points to the betting line, Andrews estimated.

“I’m not the biggest Tannehill fan, but he is their quarterback and they’ve built everything around him the past couple years, so it’s gotta be worth at least a couple of points,” Andrews said.

Sunday, Dec. 18

Tampa Bay Bucs at Dallas Cowboys (-8.5)

CG posted Dallas -8 and the Westgate hung -8.5 before the Cowboys lost at the Giants on Sunday night. The Cowboys have failed to cover the spread in three straight games, and bookmakers continue to make bettors lay big numbers to back them.

Meanwhile, both oddsmakers we spoke to are impressed with Tampa’s D, which held the Saints and Seahawks without a touchdown over the last three weeks.

Detroit Lions at New York Giants (-4.5)

Detroit has won five in row and eight of their last nine, but Salmons isn’t sold.

“I don’t know how they have the record they have,” Salmons said. “They really could have lost that game at home (to the Bears on Sunday). They’re an average team.”

The Lions, though, did have some takers for next week’s game at the Giants at the Westgate’s original number.

“We put that line up 5.5 and they bet us down to 4.5, which we knew they would,” Salmons said. “We just wanted to see how high we could go.”

Matthew Stafford’s status bears watching. He tore ligaments in the middle finger of his throwing hand Sunday and continued to play but with a glove on his hand.

Philadelphia Eagles at Baltimore Ravens (-6)

CG Technology opened Baltimore -5.5 but soon joined the rest of the market at -6.

Green Bay Packers (-5) at Chicago Bears

Left for dead a few weeks ago, the Packers have won three straight games.

Green Bay was bet from -4.5 to -5 Sunday night at the Westgate for next week’s trip to Chicago. The Packers have owned the Bears in recent seasons, winning 13 of the last 16 meetings and covering the spread in 14 of the last 18.

Indianapolis Colts at Minnesota Vikings (-4)

The Westgate bounced between Minnesota -4 and -3.5 Sunday night for this inter-conference battle of mediocrity.

Cleveland Browns at Buffalo Bills (-10)

Cleveland has covered only two spreads all season but catches double digits against a Bills team that figures to be motivationally challenged next week.

Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs (-5.5)

The Westgate and William Hill opened Kansas City -6 but moved to -5.5 during Sunday night action. Both of those numbers were available in Las Vegas of this writing.

Andrews was impressed that the Titans beat Denver on Sunday despite an anemic offensive performance, but he doubts they’re ready to compete with the AFC’s best.

“If they can win without (Marcus Mariota) playing great football, that’s a pretty good plus for them,” Andrews said. “I’m not sure they can make a lot of noise in the playoffs, but they’re a good, young, coming team.”

Andrews, though, puts Kansas City near the top of the conference: “I really like Kansas City a lot. I’ve been talking about them since the beginning of the year. I think they’re a real Super Bowl contender.”

Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans (-5.5)

The Westgate opened Houston -5, William Hill went -6, and the two books met in the middle at -5.5.

New Orleans Saints at Arizona Cardinals (-2.5)

William Hill opened Arizona -3 and moved to -2.5, while CG Technology went from 2.5 to -3 (-105) on Sunday night for this matchup of what have become NFC also-rans.

San Francisco 49ers at Atlanta Falcons (-12.5)

CG and the Westgate both moved from 11.5 to 12.5, while multiple other books were dealing 13 on Sunday night.

New England Patriots (-3/-120) at Denver Broncos

This AFC showdown may shape up as the classic sharps vs. public at the bet window. In games of the year and advanced wagering at the Westgate, there’s been more wiseguy money on Denver than on New England, but Salmons said, “We know next week we’re gonna need Denver big. The public will bet New England.”

Andrews is concerned about the Broncos, who have lost three of five.

“I think Denver’s got some real problems,” Andrews said. “(Trevor) Siemian didn’t look very good (in Sunday’s loss at Tennessee), and they haven’t been able to run the ball all year. Suddenly, they’re a very desperate team.”

But, he added, “New England’s another team that may not be at their peak all of a sudden.”

Oakland Raiders (-3 even) at San Diego Chargers

As an indication of the way these AFC West rivals are trending, the Raiders were 3.5-point favorites when they beat San Diego in Oakland on October 9. Oakland won 34-31, but failed to cover the spread.

Said Andrews, “Oakland is probably due to come to earth a little bit. They’ve been playing really well, but they’re still a young team that has a few holes. They’ve become a public darling and I’m not sure they’re quite that good yet.”

CG Tech was dealing Oakland -2.5 Sunday night.

Pittsburgh Steelers (-3/-120) at Cincinnati Bengals

Similar to the situation discussed just above, Pitt goes from a field-goal favorite at home against Cincy in Week 2 to a field-goal favorite on the road against the division rival. In fact, William Hill was dealing Pitt -3.5 on Sunday.

Monday, Dec. 19

Carolina Panthers at Washington Redskins (-4)

The Washington -3.5 that CG hung Sunday lasted less than 20 minutes, and the book moved to -4. There was mix of 4s and 4.5s Sunday night for the Week 15 Monday nighter.

NFL Week 15

Lions (9-4) @ Giants (9-4) — Giants are 0-4-1 vs spread the week after their last five wins over Dallas. Third and final outdoor game for Detroit this season, first since Week 4 in Chicago. Lions are 9-4 despite trailing in 4th quarter in 12 of 13 games; they’re 3-3 on road (0-2 outdoors), 4-1 as road underdog. Stafford has injured middle finger on throwing hand; he played whole game LW, but his throwing has to be hampered. New York won seven of last eight games, is 6-1 at home, 2-2 as a home favorite. Giants won three of last four series games; Detroit won three of last four visits here, with last one in 2010. NFC North road underdogs are 7-6 against the spread; NFC East home favorites are 7-3. Last seven Detroit games stayed under the total, as have last five Giant games.

Eagles (5-8 ) @ Ravens (7-6) — Last four games, Philly allowed 8.7/8.0/10.7/10.8 yards/pass attempt; not good. Eagles lost eight of last ten games after a 3-0 start; they’re 1-6 on road with only win at Chicago in Week 2- they lost last four games overall (0-4 vs spread) with losses by 11-14-18-5 points. Philly also has a new long snapper this week. Ravens are on short week after 30-23 loss in Foxboro; Baltimore won/covered its last four home games, they’re 4-2 as home favorites. Home side is 3-0-1 in last four series games; three of those games were decided by 5 or less points. Eagles lost 36-7 in last visit here, in ’08. NFC East road underdogs are 4-6 vs spread; AFC North home favorites are 7-5. Over is 5-1-1 in Eagle road games, 1-5 in Baltimore home games.

Packers (7-6) @ Bears (3-10) — Green Bay defense allowed 36 points in last three games (all wins), after allowing 153 (153!!!) in previous four games. Packers are 2-4 on road, with wins at Jaguars (27-23), Eagles (27-13); they’re 0-3 as road favorites. Pack is 7-1 when they allow less than 30 points. Chicago is 1-4 since its bye; they’re 3-3 at home, 3-1 as home underdogs- their last three losses were all by 6 or less points. Green Bay (-7.5) won first meeting 26-10 in Week 7, outgunning Bears 406-189; only Chicago TD was scored by defense in game that was 6-3 at half. Packers won last six visits here, five by 7+ points. Over is 5-2 in Packers’ last seven games, 2-6 in Bears’ last eight. NFL-wide, divisional home underdogs are 13-7 vs spread. Packers had 12 takeaways in 12 games before they had six in 38-10 win over Seattle.

Colts (6-7) @ Vikings (7-6) — Minnesota is 2-6 in its last eight games but only game out of Wild Card; Vikings are 4-2 at home, 3-1 as home favorites- they struggled in red zone LW, scoring 16 points on five red zone drives vs Jaguars. Minnesota is 11-37 on 3rd down the last three weeks. Colts won last three road games, are 3-1-1 as road underdogs, losing true road games by 3 in Houston, 14 in Denver. Indy is 20-40 on 3rd down last three games, but they turned ball over six times (-2)- Colts are 5-0 vs spread in game following their last five losses. Indy won last four series games, last three all by three points; home side won 10 of last 11 series games. AFC South non-divisional underdogs are 7-14, 5-7 on road. NFC North home favorites are 7-6. Under is 9-4 in Viking games, 3-1 in last four Indy games.

Browns (0-13) @ Bills (6-7) — Cleveland is 2-11 vs spread; 0-16 Lions were 7-9 vs spread in ‘08. Browns are 2-4 as road underdogs, losing away games by 19-6-11-2-14-21 points- this is their first road game since Week 10. In last three games, Cleveland was outscored 48-6 in first half. Buffalo is 6-1 if they allow 21 or less points, 0-6 if they allow more. Browns scored 9.8 pts/game their last five games. Bills lost last two games, dropped out of contention; they are 3-3 at home, 1-2 as home favorite, with wins by 15-29-7 at home. Buffalo won three of last four series games; Browns lost 13-6/26-10 in last two visits here. AFC North non-divisional underdogs are 2-10, 2-6 on road. AFC East home favorites are 4-5. Last five Cleveland games stayed under total; over is 10-2 in Bills’ last 12 games.

Titans (7-6) @ Chiefs (10-3) — Tennessee won three of last four games; they’re 3-3 on road, 2-3 as road underdogs. Titans were just 6-21/73 passing LW but beat Denver and are tied for first in AFC South. Chiefs won eight of last nine games, won/covered last three; they had three extra days to prep since beating Oakland last Thursday. KC is 5-1 at home, 2-4 vs spread as a home favorite, with three home wins by 6 or less points- they averaged 10.6.9.9 yds/pass attempt last two games. Home side lost five of last six series games; Titans won three of last four visits here- they’re 4-3 overall in last seven series games. AFC South non-divisional underdogs are 7-14, 5-7 on road. AFC West home favorites are 6-9. Over is 8-2 in last ten Tennessee games, 3-9 in Chiefs’ last 12 games.

Jaguars (2-11) @ Texans (7-6) — Houston’s win at Indy LW snapped 3-game skid, kept them tied for first in AFC South; Texans are 5-1 at home, 3-0-1 as a home favorite- they’ve been outscored in second half in each of their last seven games. Jaguars lost last eight games (2-6 vs spread); they’re 1-5 on road, 3-3 as road underdogs, losing away games by 24-14-5-7-7 points- their only road win was 17-16 at Chicago, when they were down 13-0 in 4th quarter. Houston (+2) won first meeting 24-21 in Jacksonville in Week 10, throwing for only 92 yards but scoring a defensive TD. Texans are 10-2 in last 12 series games, winning last five in row. Jaguars lost five of last six visits here, losing 23-17/30-6 the last two years. AFC divisional home favorites are 14-7 vs spread this season.

Saints (5-8 ) @ Cardinals (5-7-1) — New Orleans lost by 15-5 points last two games, with one TD, five FGA, six turnovers on 20 drives; Saints are 2-4 on road, 4-1 as road underdogs, with road losses by 3-6-3-5 points- five of their six road games were decided by 6 or less points. Arizona lost three of its last four games, is 4-2-1 at home, 3-4 as home favorites; they lost to Rams/Patriots, tied Seattle. Redbirds allowed 27.8 pts/game their last six games, giving up 16 TD’s on opponents’ last 62 drives. Home side won last six series games; Saints lost last three visits here, by 24-10-12 points. NFC South non-divisional road underdogs are 9-2 vs spread. NFC West home favorites are 7-10 vs spread, 5-5 at home. Under is 6-2 in Saints’ last eight games, 0-4 in Arizona’s last four.

49ers (1-12) @ Falcons (8-5) — Niners blew 17-3 halftime lead LW in losing 12th game in row; SF is 2-4 as road underdog, losing away games by 19-19-29-3-7-20 points. SF allowed 37-45 in its two games on artificial turf this year, losses by 19-29. Bad sign: Niners were outscored 39-0 in second half of last two games, vs Bears/Jets. Atlanta’s two best WRs sat out LW’s game in LA; Falcons are 3-3 at home, 1-4 as home favorites, with wins by 15-1-19 points. 49ers won last three series games, by 4-1-10 points; they’ve lost two of last three visits here, winning 28-24 in last visit here, a 2012 playoff game. NFC West non-divisional road underdogs are 4-8 vs spread; NFC South home favorites are 5-9. Four of last five 49er game stayed under total; over is 11-2 in Falcon games this year.

Patriots (10-2) @ Broncos (8-5) — Long travel on short week for New England, which is 1-6 in last seven games in Denver, losing last three by 10-6-2 points. Patriots are 8-1 with Brady under center this year, 5-0 on road, 4-1 as road favorites, 3-0 on grass. Denver is 2-3 in its last five games, 4-2 at home, losing to Falcons by 7, Chiefs by 3. Broncos are 3-2 as an underdog this year. Denver is tied with Miami for last Wild Card slot; this game means more to them than to Patriots, who have game lead for #1 seed in AFC. Home side won last seven games in series; Patriots lost three of last four games with Denver, with wins in playoff games the last two years. AFC East non-divisional favorites are 8-5 vs spread, 4-0 on road. AFC West underdogs are 9-4, 1-0 at home. Under is 7-3 in last ten Denver games, 3-1 in last four Patriot games.

Raiders (10-3) @ Chargers (5-8 ) — Oakland had three extra days to prep after loss in Kansas City snapped its 6-game win streak. Raiders are 5-1 in true road games, with wins by 1-7-1-17-6 points- they’re 3-3 as a favorite this year, +6 in turnovers their last four games. San Diego lost three of last four games; they’re 3-3 at home, losing last two games here 31-24/28-21 to Dolphins/Bucs. Chargers are 4-3 as an underdog this year. Raiders (-4) won first meeting 34-31 in Week 5; Raiders had four takeaways (+3) while San Diego averaged 11.0 yards/pass attempt. Raiders won last three series games, by 8-3-3 points, but lost three of last four visits here. Favorites are 5-3 vs spread in AFC West divisional games this season. Over is 10-3 in Oakland games, 0-2-1 in last three Charger games.

Steelers (8-5) @ Bengals (5-7-1) — Steelers won/covered last four games, with three of those wins on road; Pitt is 4-2 at home, 4-1 as home favorite, with wins by 8-29-18-10 points- their home losses were to Pats/Cowboys. Bengals won last two games after a 1-5-1 skid; they’re 3-2 at home, losing to Broncos/Bills; they’re 0-3 as an underdog. Pitt (-3.5) won first meeting 24-16 in Week 2, in a game where Bengals outgained them 412-374. Steelers won six of last seven series games; they are 6-1 in last seven visits here, winning 33-20/18-16 in last two visits to Queen City. Favorites are 7-1 vs spread in AFC North divisional games this season. Bengals cut K Nugget this week, signed former Steeler K Bullock. Under is 9-3 in last 12 Steeler games, 4-1 in last five Bengal games.

Buccaneers (8-5) @ Cowboys (11-2) — Dallas is 2-24 on third down in its last two games; if they lose this game. there will be a QB controversy. Tampa Bay gets thrust into national spotlight here after five straight wins/covers; Bucs allowed only five TDs on last 38 drives over last four games- they’re 5-1 on road with four SU upsets (4-1 vs spread as road dog this year). Cowboys are 0-2 vs Giants, 11-0 vs everyone else; they’re 3-2 as home favorites, with home wins by 14-14-6-10-5 points. Dallas won five of last six series games; Bucs are 1-9 in Dallas, with only win a 10-6 game in 2001. NFC South non-divisional road underdogs are 9-2 vs spread. NFC East home favorites are 7-3. Under is 3-0-1 in Bucs’ last four games, 7-3 in Cowboys’ last ten. This is Bucs’ first game on artificial turf since 31-24 win in Week 1 at Atlanta.

Panthers (5-8 ) @ Redskins (7-5-1) — Washington enters week half-game behind Bucs in Wild Card race; Redskins won/covered last four home games, scoring 31.5 pts/game- they’re 3-1 as home favorites. Panthers are 1-5 on road, with only win 13-10 at LA; they were favored in four of six road games, are 1-1 as a road underdog. Washington scored 23+ points in its last six games; they’re 6-1 allowing less than 27 points. Carolina held Redskins to nine first downs in 44-16 win LY; Panthers won last four series games after losing seven of previous eight- Carolina lost five of six games here. NFC South non-divisional road underdogs are 9-2 vs spread. NFC East home favorites are 7-3. Last six Redskin games went over total; under is 4-2 in last six Carolina games. Hopefully Cam Newton wore a tie on the team flight.

Armadillosports.com

NFL's Biggest Betting Mismatches: Week 15
By Monty Andrews
Covers.com

Cleveland Browns at Buffalo Bills (-10, 41.5)

Browns' defensive breakdowns vs. Bills' red-zone wrecking crew

There is more than pride on the line for the Cleveland Browns this weekend in Buffalo - there's also the little matter of not joining the 0-16 club. But the Browns will be in tough to earn that elusive first victory against a stout Bills defense that is expected to overwhelm the Cleveland offensive line all game long. Yet, that isn't even the biggest mismatch of the day - that honor is bestowed upon the Bills' red-zone proficiency, which should make short work of Cleveland's abysmal defense.

Led by dynamic quarterback Tyrod Taylor, the Bills have been sensational once inside the opponent's 20-yard line. Buffalo ranks second in the NFL in red-zone touchdown rate (67.5 percent), behind only the Tennessee Titans. The Bills are especially dangerous at home, boasting the league's best red-zone TD success rate at a whopping 81.3 percent. Once Taylor and the rest of the offense gets deep into opposition territory, it's seven points more often than not.

Don't expect the Browns to offer much resistance in that department. Teams have scored touchdowns on better than 67 percent of their visits inside the Cleveland 20, the third-worst rate in the league. Cleveland has actually been slightly better in this regard on the road (66.7) than at home (68), but frankly, both rates are terrible. Taylor should have no trouble marching downfield against the winless Browns - and once Buffalo is close to the end zone, it'll find a way to get in.

Daily fantasy watch: RB Mike Gillislee

New England Patriots at Denver Broncos (+3, 44)

Patriots' increased rushing reliance vs. Broncos' run D struggles

You won't find many teams that give New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady fits - but the Denver Broncos certainly fit the bill. The Broncos are the only team against whom Brady has a losing record in his career (6-9), and he'll be in tough to improve on that mark as he faces his nemeses in chilly Denver. But while Brady faces an uphill battle through the air, the Patriots have a distinct advantage on the ground - and they won't hesitate to use it.

New England has been a much more run-focused team than in years past, even despite Brady's dominance since returning from a season-opening four-game suspension. The Patriots run the ball on 44 percent of their offensive plays, the fifth-highest rate in the league. That balanced attack has reaped significant rewards for running back LeGarrette Blount, who leads the league with 14 rushing scores - a figure that contributes greatly to the Patriots scoring 36.6 percent of their TDs on the ground.

If there's one area of the Denver defense that is exploitable, it's the run prevention unit. The Broncos have surrendered the fourth-most rushing yards in the league as opponents look to avoid Denver's elite pass defense. The result: Half of the offensive TDs allowed by the Broncos have come on the ground, behind only the Bills. New England is going to run it a ton, and Denver's odds of winning come down to whether it can do anything about it.

Daily fantasy watch: RB LeGarrette Blount

Oakland Raiders at San Diego Chargers (+3, 49.5)

Raiders' dominant defensive ends vs. Chargers' suspect O-line

Playoff fever has returned to Oakland, as the Raiders remain in the hunt for the division title despite last week's loss to the rival Kansas City Chiefs. The Oakland offense has been able to keep its team in the majority of games, but the defense - or at least certain elements of it - have been just as impressive. And as the Chargers are about to find out this weekend, two members of the Oakland D in particular have been menaces for opposing quarterbacks.

Any discussion of the vastly improved Raiders defense begins and ends with LE Khalil Mack, whose Pro Football Focus grade of 92.9 is the best at his position despite being lower than his scores the previous two years. He represents a matchup nightmare for just about anyone he matches up against - and he has help on the right side in RE Bruce Irvin, who boasts a PFF grade of 82.7. The two have combined for 16 sacks through the first 13 games.

The message to the San Diego offensive line: Good luck. Seriously. Four of the Chargers' five starting O-lineman boast grades south of 54, with only C Matt Slauson (81.7) considered anywhere near average. Mack will likely line up against RT Joe Barksdale (42.7), while Irwin will see LT King Dunlap (53.5). That considerable advantage in Oakland's favor could mean serious trouble for San Diego QB Philip Rivers, and by extension, the entire Chargers' offense.

Daily fantasy fade: QB Philip Rivers

Pick Six - Week 15
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com

Week 14 Record: 4-2 SU, 4-2 ATS
Overall Record: 38-42 SU, 36-45-1 ATS

Lions at Giants (-4, 41)

Detroit
Record: 9-4 SU, 8-5 ATS, 9-4 UNDER
Super Bowl Odds: 30/1

The Lions keep continuing to show they are not a fluke, coming off their fifth consecutive victory last Sunday against the Bears, 20-17. Although Detroit didn’t cover as 7½-point home favorites, quarterback Matthew Stafford overcame a finger injury to score the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter as the Lions cashed the UNDER for the seventh straight game. Detroit’s defense has been fantastic during this stretch, giving up 20 points or less in each of the past seen contests, while seeking its third consecutive road win after starting the season with 1-3 record overall.

New York
Record: 9-4 SU, 7-5-1 ATS, 10-3 UNDER
Super Bowl Odds: 22/1

The Giants are the only team in the league to beat the Cowboys and New York accomplished that feat for the second time this season in last Sunday’s 10-7 triumph. New York didn’t compile many yards from an offensive standpoint (260 yards), but the Giants took the lead for good thanks to an Eli Manning 61-yard touchdown connection with Odell Beckham, Jr. late in the third quarter. The Giants improved to 6-1 at Met Life Stadium, while riding a five-game streak to the UNDER overall. New York is facing Detroit for the first time since the 2014 season opener when the Lions blasted the Giants, 35-14 at Ford Field.

Best Bet: New York -4

Colts at Vikings (-4, 45½)

Indianapolis
Record: 6-7 SU, 6-6-1 ATS, 8-5 OVER
Super Bowl Odds: 125/1

The Colts were dealt a huge blow in their chances to win the AFC South title following last Sunday’s 22-17 home defeat to the Texans as 6½-point favorites. Indianapolis has not lost consecutive games since the first two weeks of the season as the Colts are 5-0 SU/ATS in their last five contests off a defeat. The Colts have performed well on the highway recently by winning three straight road games, while scoring at least 31 points in each of those victories.

Minnesota
Record: 7-6 SU, 8-5 ATS, 8-5 UNDER
Super Bowl Odds: 85/1

The Vikings haven’t had much luck this season as both quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and running back Adrian Peterson were injured early on. Bridgewater won’t return this season, but Peterson will come back following an 11-game absence due to a right knee injury. Peterson is a welcome sign for a Minnesota team that has won only twice in the last eight games since a 5-0 start. The Vikings knocked off the Jaguars last Sunday, 25-16 as three-point road favorites as Sam Bradford threw for 292 yards and a touchdown. Minnesota has been a solid team to back at U.S. Bank Stadium this season by going 4-2 SU and 5-1 ATS.

Best Bet: Indianapolis +4

Titans at Chiefs (-4½, 42½)

Tennessee
Record: 7-6 SU, 5-8 ATS, 9-4 OVER
Super Bowl Odds: 85/1

The Titans are right in the mix of the AFC South race as Tennessee faces Houston in Week 17 at home. However, Tennessee needs to take care of business in Kansas City on Sunday on the heels off a huge victory over another AFC West foe, Denver last week. The Titans knocked off the Broncos, 13-10, while limiting Denver to 18 yards rushing on nine carries. Tennessee has held its own away from Nissan Stadium with a 3-3 road record, including outright underdog triumphs at Detroit and Miami.

Kansas City
Record: 10-3 SU, 7-6 ATS, 9-4 UNDER
Super Bowl Odds: 17/2

The Chiefs braved the frigid temperatures at Arrowhead Stadium last Thursday night to pull off the season sweep of the rival Raiders, 21-13 to cash as 3½-point favorites. Kansas City holds the tiebreaker advantage over Oakland atop the AFC West as each team enters Sunday’s action at 10-3. The Chiefs improved to 5-1 at Arrowhead with the win, but Kansas City has cashed only twice in the role of a home favorite this season. Kansas City looks to avenge a 26-10 setback to Tennessee suffered in the 2014 season opener as the Titans outgained the Chiefs, 405-245.

Best Bet: Tennessee +4½

Steelers (-3, 45) at Bengals

Pittsburgh
Record: 8-5 SU, 8-5 ATS, 9-4 UNDER
Super Bowl Odds: 8/1

The Steelers knocked the Bengals out of the playoffs last season in the Wild Card round, as Pittsburgh seeks its third straight postseason appearance. Mike Tomlin’s squad has won four consecutive games, including each of the past three away from Heinz Field. The Steelers cashed in each of those victories, as Pittsburgh is fresh off a 27-20 triumph at Buffalo as running back Le’Veon Bell rushed for a career-high 236 yards and three touchdowns. Pittsburgh has won six of the past seven matchups with Cincinnati, including a 24-16 victory at Heinz Field in Week 2 as three-point favorites.

Cincinnati
Record: 5-7-1 SU, 5-8 ATS, 7-6 UNDER
Super Bowl Odds: OFF

It may be too little, too late for the defending AFC North champion Bengals to qualify for the playoffs. However, Cincinnati is looking to finish strong, coming off back-to-back wins over Philadelphia and Cleveland the last two weeks. The Bengals’ defense is stepping up of late by allowing 19 points or less in each of the past four games, while Cincinnati is currently on a 4-1 run to the UNDER. Cincinnati is listed as a home underdog with Andy Dalton starting at quarterback for the first time since Week 16 of the 2014 season in a 37-28 victory over Denver.

Best Bet: Cincinnati +3

Patriots (-3, 44) at Broncos

New England
Record: 11-2 SU, 10-3 ATS, 8-5 UNDER
Super Bowl Odds: 13/5

The Patriots are eyeing the top seed in the AFC after finishing with the second seed last season. New England fell short of consecutive Super Bowl appearances after losing at Denver in the AFC Championship, 20-18 as three-point favorites. The Pats have dropped their past three visits to Sports Authority Field as they put their 6-0 road record on the line on Sunday. Bill Belichick’s club has covered in five of six away contests this season, while facing their third different Denver quarterback since last October (Trevor Siemian, Peyton Manning, Brock Osweiler).

Denver
Record: 8-5 SU, 8-5 ATS, 7-6 UNDER
Super Bowl Odds: 60/1

The Broncos are back at home in a must-win spot as the defending champions face a treacherous three-game stretch to close the season. Following New England, Denver takes on division rival Kansas City on the road before hosting Oakland in the season finale. The Broncos are coming off a three-point loss at Tennessee last week, but Denver has dropped back-to-back games only once this season. Since Gary Kubiak took over as head coach last season, the Broncos have produced a 9-2 ATS mark in the underdog role, including a 3-0 SU/ATS ledger as a home ‘dog.

Best Bet: Denver +3

Raiders (-3, 49) at Chargers

Oakland
Record: 10-3 SU, 8-5 ATS, 10-3 OVER
Super Bowl Odds: 20/1

The Raiders are 10-1 this season against any team not from Kansas City as Oakland suffered its second loss to its division rivals last Thursday. Oakland is back on the road with a trip to San Diego, going for the sweep of the Chargers. The last time these teams met up at the Black Hole in early October, the Raiders rallied for a 34-31 triumph as both Derek Carr and Philip Rivers eclipsed the 320-yard mark. Oakland is listed as a road favorite for only the second time this season, as the Raiders are 4-3 ATS this season when laying points.

San Diego
Record: 5-8 SU, 7-6 ATS, 8-4-1 OVER
Super Bowl Odds: OFF

The Chargers have played to plenty of exciting finishes this season, but are running out steam down the stretch following interconference losses to the Buccaneers and Panthers. San Diego has fallen apart in each of its last two home defeats to Tampa Bay and Miami by allowing 45 second half points in those setbacks. The Chargers have lost three straight meetings with the Raiders, but the underdog has cashed in nine of the past 10 matchups, including San Diego’s cover as 3½-point ‘dogs in Week 5 at Oakland.

Best Bet: Oakland -3

Total Talk - Week 15
By Chris David
VegasInsider.com

Week 14 Recap

The ‘under’ produced a 9-7 mark last weekend as only three teams were able to post 30 or more points up on the scoreboard. Perhaps the biggest surprise from last weekend is that a couple games dealing with the elements went ‘over’ while both indoor games leaned to the low side. Through 14 weeks, the ‘over’ holds a slight edge (104-102-1) on the season.

Be on the Lookout!

Including the Rams-Seahawks matchup this past Thursday, we’ve seen 10 totals this season close in the thirties. The ‘under’ has gone 8-2 in those games and as of Friday afternoon, it looks like there will be three more contests nearing that territory.

Ironically, the Browns have seen the ‘under’ cash in five straight games yet none of their totals have ever been in the thirties.

The Vikings are staring at their highest total of the season (45½) as the Colts visit on Sunday. Minnesota has scored 25, 31 and 25 in its first three matchups against the AFC South this season, all ‘over’ winners. Meanwhile, Indy has seen the ‘over’ cash in all three games versus the NFC North. Not sure what will come of it but running back Adrian Peterson is expected

High total in the desert (50) this Sunday between the Cardinals and Saints. Be aware that Arizona is 6-1 to the ‘under’ at home and New Orleans is 4-2 to the ‘under’ on the road.

New England visits Denver in Week 15 and it’s been held to 18, 24 and 16 points in its last three trips to Mile High.

Two of the best ‘under’ teams meet in New York this weekend as the Giants (10-3) and Lions (9-4) square off.

Divisional Matchups

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati: The ‘under’ has cashed in four of the last five meetings, which includes the Steelers 24-16 over the Bengals in Week 2 at home. That total was 48½ and the rematch is set for 44. Despite being known for its offense, Pittsburgh has been a great ‘under’ bet (9-4) and the defense has picked up the pace the last four games (12.5 PPG) albeit against much weaker foes. Cincinnati’s defense (16.6 PPG) has been much better at home and it’s ranked second in interceptions (15) and sixth in sacks (36).

Green Bay at Chicago: This total opened 42½ and has dropped to 39½ as of Friday with super-low temperatures expected in “The Windy City” on Sunday. The first meeting between the pair went ‘under’ (46½) the number as Green Bay earned a 26-10 win at home. The Packers defense has finally got on track and only allowed 36 points the last three weeks. Chicago, despite playing with backups, has been competitive under head coach John Fox and tight divisional games usually lean to ‘under’ tickets.

Jacksonville at Houston: The ‘over’ is on a 3-1 run in this series and the first meeting between the pair on Nov. 13 barely went to the high side (42) as Houston dropped Jacksonville 24-21 on the road. The Texans and Jaguars sort of mirror one another. They both have sound defensive units and quarterbacks that look terrible more often than not. Houston (-7) and Jacksonville (-17) are two of the worst turnover-prone teams and that could be both good and bad for either the ‘over’ or the ‘under.’ The Texans defense (17.2 PPG) at home has been tough for all opponents and that’s helped the ‘under’ go 4-2 at NRG Stadium.

Oakland at San Diego: These teams played to a shootout on Oct. 9 in Oakland as the Raiders captured a 34-31 win over the Chargers and the ‘over’ (50½) connected. Round two has a lower number (49½) but I expect the public to push it back up come Sunday afternoon. The Raiders (10-3) and Chargers (8-4-1) have both been great ‘over’ bets this season and they’re style dictates high-scoring games. A couple factors that could make me hesitant backing the ‘over’ is the health of Raiders QB Derrick Carr (finger) and his top two wide receivers (Cooper, Crabtree) have been limited in practice this week. For San Diego, it’s not expected to have running back Melvin Gordon (hip) and the back-and-forth travel has taken a serious toll on the offense (19.3 PPG) the last three weeks.

Coast to Coast

Bettors saw this popular total trend go 1-1 last week and these results could’ve gone 2-0 to the high or low sides. The Arizona-Miami ‘over’ connected with the help of a late touchdown and two-point conversion while the Carolina-San Diego matchup ran out of gas in the second-half and stayed ‘under’ the number.

Through 18 games, the ‘over’ holds a 14-4 (78%) record when teams from the West Coast are playing in the Eastern Time Zone. If you track back to the 2015 campaign, the ‘over’ is 25-9 (74%) the last two seasons.

Week 15 has one situation on tap and to no surprise, the oddsmakers are expecting a shootout.

San Francisco at Atlanta: The Falcons are tied for the best ‘over’ record (11-2) this season and that includes an impressive 6-0 mark at home. Atlanta’s scoring offense (32.9 PPG) is ranked first in the league and the numbers (33.5 PPG) have been a touch better at the Georgia Dome. That unit will be facing the worst scoring defense in San Francisco (30.2 PPG) and its numbers have been worse on the road (34.7 PPG). Even though the 49ers attack isn’t spectacular, the Falcons defense (376.3 YPG) is ranked 28th in total yards and they don’t have a bunch of takeaways (18). San Francisco does enter this game on a strong ‘under’ run (4-1 last 5) but it has seen the ‘over’ cash in its first three games on the East Coast this season and it allowed 46, 45 and 31 points in those games.

The last game featuring a West Coast team playing in the Eastern Time Zone takes place next Saturday when San Diego visits Cleveland.

Under the Lights

The ‘under’ went 2-1 in the primetime matchups last week and it could’ve been 3-0 if the Baltimore-New England result on Monday didn’t close with a late surge. Through 14 weeks and this past Thursday’s outcome between Seattle and Los Angeles, the ‘under’ has gone 23-20-1 in night games this season. We only have one Thursday night matchup left and bettors will be starting at a six-game ‘under’ run In Week 16 when the Giants and Eagles meet.

Tampa Bay at Dallas: The Buccaneers, winners in five straight, have been lights out defensively (12.8 PPG) during their current win streak. The once potent Dallas offense has only managed to score 24 points the last two weeks but that came against quality defensive units in the Vikings and Giants. Are the Bucs on that level? They certainly belong in the conversation and it’s hard to make to ignore the fact that tied for the most takeaways (25) in the league. Since losing its home opener, Dallas is averaging 29.2 PPG in its last five and that’s led to a 3-2 ‘over’ mark.

Carolina at Washington: Weather permitting, this game has all the makings for a classic Monday Night Football shootout. This total (50½) is high but Washington has posted the same ‘over’ numbers as Atlanta, 11-2 overall and 6-0 at home. The Redskins have a knack for moving the chains and the defense (24.4 PPG) hasn’t been able to play consistently for 60 minutes. Carolina’s defense (25.9 PPG) has been worse and it’s been embarrassed (32.5 PPG) on the road, which has helped the ‘over’ go 5-1 in its away games. Carolina is a longshot to make the playoffs but from a total perspective, this quote from QB Cam Newton after last week's win makes you believe they'll finish strong. He said, "Offensively, not to rain on the win, we have to put up points - points as in getting touchdowns."

Fearless Predictions

Back on the winning track ($190) and could’ve been a sweep if the offensive unit of the Rams showed up a tad earlier. The deficit is down 2½ bucks ($260) with three weeks left in the regular season. As always, Press, Pass or Fade but in the end – Good Luck!

Best Over: Indianapolis-Minnesota 45½

Best Under: Green Bay-Chicago 39½

Best Team Total: Under 23½ Kansas City

Three-Team Total Teaser (9-Point, +100)
Green Bay-Chicago Under 48½
San Francisco-Atlanta Over 41½
Carolina-Washington Over 41½

SNF - Bucs at Cowboys
By Micah Roberts
VegasInsider.com

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-5 straight up, 8-5 against the spread) come into Sunday night's game at AT&T Stadium riding a five game win and cover streak, while the Cowboys lost last week for the first time since Week 1 -- both losses against the Giants -- and have failed to cover their last three after reeling off nine straight covers. Dallas (11-2 SU, 9-3-1 ATS)) comes in as a seven-point favorite, but the number has dropped from its opener.

"We've also seen more action on Tampa Bay taking +8 and +7.5 (early), and they also like the Bucs money-line," CG Technology VP of risk management Jason Simbal said on Friday.

CG books currently has Dallas -7 (-105) and the total has dropped from 47 to 46. The money-line has dropped from -350/+285 down to -300/+250

HAS THE DALLAS POWER RATING PEAKED?

During the Cowboys 9-0 ATS run, their power rating had climbed to the heights as the elite NFC team, but the betting patterns by wise guys so far suggest they believe that rating has peaked and reached its ceiling. Defenses around the league have seen enough film on the Cowboys to get a better feel how to slow its amazing running game while daring rookie quarterback Dak Prescott to throw deep, which he rarely does.

"I was reading this article the other day that said of all the QBs to start at least 10 games, his passes in the air have traveled the least amount of yards," Simbal said.

PRESCOTT HITTING ROOKIE WALL?

After two consecutive wins against the Steelers and Ravens (2-0 ATS) where Prescott threw for 300 or more yards, he's failed to throw over 200 yards in each of the last three games where Dallas went 0-3 ATS. And in the Cowboys 10-7 road loss to the Giants last week he had his first two-interception game after tossing just two in his first 12 games.

Maybe the wears of Prescott's first NFL season is something to think about. He never played more than 13 games in any of his four seasons at Mississippi State. He's also got the pressure of a healthy Tony Romo holding a clip-board on the sidelines, and although owner Jerry Jones has said there's no chance of a QB change, it's got to be a burden Prescott has weighing on his mind.

Still, the main attribute that Prescott brings to the Cowboys that keeps them winning is his conservative nature. While he doesn't have the big play capabilities that Romo brings, and WR Dez Bryant loves, his offense doesn't turn the ball over -- just 12 on the season. Prescott's running ability also adds an element the Dallas offense never had.

Legendary football coach Woody Hayes used to say three things can happen when you pass and two of them are bad. Dallas has used that philosophy this season better than anyone in recent NFL history. No matter how you slice it, the Cowboys are 11-2 looking at home field throughout the playoffs. It's that ball control offense that masks what is essentially a mediocre Dallas defense.

BUCS RATING RISING WEEKLY

On the other side, the Buccaneers rating is still climbing and it's no coincidence that their five-game winning streak started when running back Doug Martin was inserted into the lineup after missing the previous six games with a hamstring injury. Martin has given the Bucs some stability and opened the field up more for QB Jameis Winston to find an open target.

Perhaps the biggest boost for Tampa Bay lately has been its defense that has allowed an average of 12.8 points per game in the last five games while creating 14 turnovers. Their 25 turnovers created this season is tied for most in the NFL.

Sunday's match-up will be a great barometer to see how good the Bucs really are, as if beating the Chiefs, Seahawks, Chargers and Saints in the last four weeks wasn't enough evidence. They're currently tied atop the NFC South with Atlanta and the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook has the Falcons 5/13 favorites to win the division with the Bucs at 9/5 odds.

SUPER BOWL ODDS

Should Tampa Bay add a win over Dallas to its impressive resume, you have to start thinking Championship possibilities and they're currently 15/1 to win the NFC and 40/1 to win the Super Bowl. Dallas is 8/5 in the NFC and a 4/1 choice for the Super Bowl.

ROBERTS' RATING

I have the Cowboys rated as the top NFC team, but haven't adjusted them more than few percentage points in the past three weeks. I have them 3.5-points better than Tampa Bay on a neutral field and give AT&T Stadium a 2.5-point home edge which makes my true number on the game -- with no other considerations such as public popularity -- Dallas -6.

TRENDS

Tampa Bay is 4-0 ATS in last four road games.
Tampa Bay Under 3-0-1 in last four games.
Tampa Bay Under 8-3-1 last 12 road games against winning home teams.

Dallas is 3-8-1 ATS in last 12 games against winning teams.
Dallas is 0-4-1 ATS in last five December games.
Dallas Under in last six December games.

Tampa Bay and Dallas Under 4-1 in last five meetings.

NEXT WEEK

The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook posted early week 16 spreads on Tuesday and the Bucs are getting +3 (-120) at New Orleans on Christmas Eve. Dallas is a seven-points home favorite against the Lions.

NFL: Streaks, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com

Green Bay at Chicago

Green Bay ridding a three game win streak including an impressive win over Seattle sportsbooks have Packers 5.5 to 6.0 point favorite depending on locale. Division game are always a challenge. Spotting road points within the division can be an even bigger challenge. However, in this case Packers are up to the challenge as they're on a 5-0 ATS streak in Chicago, 10-1 ATS last eleven trips into Chicago handing Bears 7 or less points.

Tampa Bay at Dallas

After five straight wins straight up and against the spread, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-5 SU and ATS) suddenly find themselves in the thick of the playoff hunt. A tough test awaits the surging team Sunday night in Arlington, Texas, where they’ll face the Dallas Cowboys (11-2 SU, 9-4 ATS). The Cowboys are 7-point favorites at press time with a total of 46.5.

The Cowboys have already clinched a playoff spot, but after last week’s 10-7 loss to the New York Giants (+4.5 away), the NFC East is still up for grabs. There’s talk about Tony Romo perhaps replacing Dak Prescott at quarterback, although Prescott is expected to start against Tampa Bay after the Giants held him to 165 yards passing with two picks.

The Bucs, meanwhile, have to be pleased with the performance of sophomore quarterback Jameis Winston. He’s on the verge of becoming a Top-10 quarterback in the NFL, his teammates respect him, and he’s has thrown just three interceptions during Tampa’s five-game winning streak. The rushing attack, on the other hand, is one of the worst in the league at just 3.5 yards per carry. The Cowboys are second overall at 4.8 yards.