West Virginia NFL sports betting fans, this is magic.
Before they visit the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday as a lopsided favorite, the Pittsburgh Steelers sport magic credentials.
They are 9-0 for the first time in their 87-year history. Their methodical passing offense resembles the machine-like efficiency of the 1972 Miami Dolphins, pro football’s only unbeaten season-long team, including the Super Bowl.
While Miami was a run-first offense, Pittsburgh highlights a methodical aerial attack. The talented receiving corps of rookie Chase Claypool, James Washington, Diontae Johnson, and JuJu Smith-Schuster give quarterback Ben Roethlisberger a wealth of targets.
All are threats as anytime scorers on the prop line.
Pittsburgh also is 7-2 against the spread, tied with the Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals for the best marks in the league.
The Steelers are aware of this game’s trap potential against the one-win Jags. The Baltimore Ravens loom around the corner, on Thanksgiving Day, and it would be possible for Pittsburgh to look past Jacksonville.
The last time they had to cover a large spread, the Steelers could not.
They were -14.5 against the Dallas Cowboys two weeks ago at DraftKings Sportsbook WV and triumphed 24-19, needing to rally from 10 points down in the fourth quarter.
Laying double-digit points on the road is a tough task.
Jacksonville has displayed more purpose lately behind new quarterback Jake Luton and running back James Robinson. The Jags achieved a back-door cover against the Houston Texans and nearly beat the vaunted Green Bay Packers outright at Lambeau Field, causing three turnovers. They easily covered the line of +13.
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Baltimore Ravens — redemption or revenge?
The Baltimore Ravens have two reasons to be fired up against the Tennessee Titans this week at home.
One, they lost to the host New England Patriots at -7 in a torrential rainstorm Sunday night. Lamar Jackson and company will be primed for a bounce-back game after failing to get untracked.
Second, the Titans ended the Ravens’ Cinderella 14-2 season last year by defeating Baltimore 28-12 in the playoffs, on Baltimore’s home field.
Tennessee is scuffling lately and absorbed a 34-17 nightmare loss last week against the Indianapolis Colts, yielding two touchdowns in one minute, after a short punt led to one score and a blocked punt was returned for a touchdown. The Titans went from a 17-13 lead to a 27-17 deficit and they were done.
There has been a special teams TD in each of the Titans’ last two games.
Derrick Henry and A.J. Brown are potent weapons for the Titans.
Baltimore wide receivers would be considered viable as anytime scoring possibilities in this game. Tennessee has an awful pass rush, and its performance on third downs is the worst in the league.
Cleveland Browns: Check the forecast
The Cleveland Browns, who host the Philadelphia Eagles as a slight favorite, have authored the league’s most distinctive offensive roller-coaster ride.
They scored 30 points for four straight weeks, including a 49-point outburst against the Dallas Cowboys.
But the last two weeks? They lost 16-6 to the Las Vegas Raiders and outlasted the Houston Texans 10-7.
What happened? Heavy winds, with gusts up to 50 mph and 30 mph in the last two weeks, negated the passing game. With Odell Beckham Jr. out for the year and the passing combo of Baker Mayfield to Jarvis Landry nullified, the Browns suffer more than most teams in bad conditions.
Check the weather before wagering heavily on this game through your mobile betting app. Rain is expected, but wind gusts are projected for the low teens, a break for the over bettors.
If the running games are highlighted, it’s edge Cleveland. The Browns got Nick Chubb back last week, and he was prominent, scoring a touchdown and unleashing a 59-yard burst that put the game away. Cleveland also received more than 100 rushing yards from Kareem Hunt, and has the best backfield in football.
WV sports betting fans fumed when Chubb stepped out of bounds rather than score to provide the cover in the waning seconds against Houston. Cleveland backers will watch this line carefully, trying to place the wager at -3 or 2.5 rather than giving more than a field goal.
Both of these teams have struggled recently against the spread. The Eagles are 1-2, and the Browns have failed to cover in four straight. Two of them were “bad beats” — including a missed extra point late against the Cincinnati Bengals
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Washington Football Team — so close
Washington nearly fought to the edge of first place last week against the Detroit Lions, rallying from a 24-3 second-half deficit before losing on a 59-yard Matt Prater field goal as time expired. A critical roughing-the-passer penalty on first-round pick Chase Young enabled the game-winner.
But here comes a winnable game against the Cincinnati Bengals, who, like Washington, have two victories. Can Washington build from its second-half momentum?
The Football Team is still relevant in the NFC Least. Two weeks ago, DraftKings boosted Washington to +450 to win the division. And betting Washington was the hot ticket. Now Washington is +800, with no need for promotion.
Washington needs this game badly.
Famous Jameis?
Jameis Winston is the logical selection to start at quarterback for the New Orleans Saints against the Atlanta Falcons, although Saints coach Sean Payton was coy about naming his starter early in the week.
Saints quarterback Drew Brees suffered multiple rib fractures and a collapsed lung during New Orleans’ 27-13 triumph against the San Francisco 49ers.
Brees will miss several weeks, and it’s time for New Orleans to find out what it obtained with its offseason acquisition of Winston, who is no slouch. His 5,109 passing yards last season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the eighth-most of all time. Many of his numbers rival those of Brees.
What forced him out of Tampa Bay was an NFL first of 33 touchdowns and 30 interceptions. Winston’s untimely picks kept the Bucs out of the playoffs.
In a controlled system, he can thrive.
Taysom Hill, an aggressive runner, will see some plays at quarterback.
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Around the league at WV sportsbooks
The Arizona Cardinals, fresh off a miracle Hail Mary touchdown victory over the Buffalo Bills, are slight dogs when opening the Week 11 slate Thursday night against the host Seattle Seahawks.
Andy Dalton has been cleared from the COVID-19 list and is expected to start for the Dallas Cowboys against the host Minnesota Vikings, but Dallas looked better with fourth-stringer Garrett Gilbert in its last game against Pittsburgh. They may both see action here.
The Packers are a slight road favorite against the Indianapolis Colts.
The Kansas City Chiefs visit the Las Vegas Raiders, the only team to defeat them.
Tampa Bay, normally high scoring, hosts the defense-oriented Los Angeles Rams in a good Monday Night Football matchup.
