Week 16 was kind to Under bettors and, by proxy, benevolent with us in our quest to finish the 2017 NFL season on a high note. Of course, the train could leave the rails at any time but, with just one jam-packed week of action remaining, optimism reigns. We will be sticking with the principles that got us here and, at this point, it should go without saying that we are fading the public by openly rooting for punts and field goals. Still, we must check in on the full-season record before uncorking the last quintet of selections.
- Last Week: 4-1
- Season: 45-34-1
Come get these winners.
Texans and Colts UNDER 40.5 points
Somehow, Chuck Pagano’s team is riding a streak of seven consecutive Unders and thus, in short, we have to take them here. Throw in the Texans going 4-1 in their last five and some definitive sharp action… yeah, we have to do this.
Bears and Vikings UNDER 39.5 points
Chicago’s offense is not very good and Minnesota has cooled just a bit on that side of the ball. From a trends perspective, the Bears are 4-0-1 on the Under in the last five with the Vikings sitting at 3-1 in the last four and this has the feel of a good, old-fashioned NFC North rock fight. Minnesota is going to win but it won’t be pretty.
Saints and Buccaneers UNDER 25 points in the first half
This is the highest full-game total of the week by a wide margin and it is easy to see why. The Saints boast a top-three offense in the NFL to this point and, well, the Bucs do not put up much resistance defensively. Still, New Orleans could be poised to establish the running game in the early going and that would help us quite a bit. I wouldn’t necessarily endorse a full-game play unless the number creeps up a bit but, in its stead, let’s focus on the first 30 minutes of action.
Panthers and Falcons UNDER 23 points in the first half
The Falcons have produced four consecutive Unders and their defense has flashed competency at times in the recent past. From a full-game perspective, this is a scary number given that has fallen between key numbers with some Under love from sharps but the first half remains valuable to us and we’ll take advantage. Look for something of a slug-fest early and we’ll try to get to the window.
Raiders and Chargers UNDER 42.5 points
This may feel low to you and I understand why. Oakland’s defense isn’t exactly known for its stinginess in an overall sense but, recently, the Raiders have been feisty on that side of the ball and we all know what the Chargers can do. In fact, both teams are riding at least five-game “winning” streaks when it comes to the Under and we can’t stay away here. The line already fell from the key opener of 44 but that just means we are on the right train.
