There was plenty of drama for BetRivers.com and PlaySugarHouse.com bettors on Sunday thanks to a couple of furious second-half comebacks, underdog victories and another OT thriller.
4PM ET Games Recap
Colts 34, Packers 31: The Packers (+106 ML) looked well on their way to an easy victory, leading the Colts (-1.5, -120 ML) 18-14 at the half despite being underdogs for just the third time this season. But the second half was anything but easy, as the Colts scored 17 straight points to take a 31-28 lead with five minutes left in the game. But the Packers were able to get into FG range and force overtime on the leg of Mason Crosby with three seconds left.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling fumbled the ball on the opening possession of overtime, leading to a game-winning FG from Rodrigo Blakenship, giving the Colts a stunning come-from-behind victory (20% of ML handle) and their sixth win ATS (25% of spread handle). Over bettors dealt with much less stress, as Over 52.5 (81% of O/U handle) – the biggest game total of Week 11 – hit early in the fourth quarter.
Cowboys 31, VIkings 28: The Cowboys (+7, +255) held a nine-point halftime lead on the road against the Vikings (-305 ML) but allowed 13-straight points to enter the fourth quarter trailing 20-16. A 42-yard TD run from Tony Pollard (+750 anytime TD) gave Dallas the fourth quarter lead, only for Kirk Cousins to find Justin Jefferson 39 yards down field for the go-ahead TD with nine minutes remaining, hitting Over 50 (77% of O/U handle) in the process. But Andy Dalton had one final answer, driving the Cowboys 60 yards down the field and finding Dalton Schultz for the game-winning TD with just over a minute left. The victory ensured a win for Cowboys ML bettors (8% of ML handle) and Cowboys spread bettors (47% of spread handle).
Broncos 20, Dolphins 13: The underdog Broncos (+3.5, +165 ML) held a 3-point halftime lead over the Dolphins (-195 ML), a team looking for its sixth straight win. A third-quarter ankle injury to Tua Tagovailoa led to Ryan Fitzpatrick returning to the field, but there was no FitzMagic to be had. The Dolphins scored just three second-half points, and although they did have a last shot to tie the game, Fitzpatrick was intercepted by Justin Simmons in the end zone to give the Broncos a win for ML bettors (5% of ML handle) and spread bettors (16% of spread handle).
Chargers 34, Jets 28: For the seventh time in ten games, the Chargers (-9.5, -435 ML) entered halftime with the lead. But for just the third time this season, the Chargers exited the game with a win, beating the winless Jets (+360 ML) by six. The Chargers elected to take a safety with eight seconds left to prevent the Jets from getting a chance to block a punt out of the end zone, changing the score differential from eight to six. The Chargers were backed by 95% of the ML handle, and the Jets did their part, scoring 22 second half points, enough to ensure a win for Over 47.5 (69% of spread handle) with relative ease. The Jets have now covered in three of their last four games.
1PM ET Games Recap
Titans 30, Ravens 24 (OT): Despite dropping three of their previous four games, the Titans (+6, +230 ML), traveled to Baltimore and defeated the Ravens (-265 ML) in a rematch of their 2019 AFC Divisional playoff game thanks to an overtime TD run from Derrick Henry. Justin Tucker forced the extra session with a 29-yard FG at the end of regulation to give Over backers new life. The winning score from Henry hit Over 50.5 (75% of O/U handle), as well as Titans ML (41% of ML handle) and Titans spread (63% of spread handle).
Steelers 27, Jaguars 3: The Jaguars (+410 ML) put up a fight early on, but the Steelers (-10.5, -500 ML) scored 17 points in the second quarter and 10 in the fourth quarter to earn their tenth consecutive win, as well as cover a double-digit spread (78% of spread handle). No early Sunday game had more money wagered than Pittsburgh vs. Jacksonville, and no single game bet had more money wagered than Steelers ML, with 97% of the ML handle backing the undefeated Steelers.
Washington 20, Bengals 9: The Bengals (+106 ML) led Washington 9-7 early in the third quarter when Joe Burrow, the odds-on favorite to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award, suffered a gruesome knee injury that required the 2020 No. 1 overall pick to be removed from the field on a stretcher. Washington (-1.5, -121 ML) scored on the next possession to go ahead by five, a lead they would not relinquish, much to the joy of the bettors backing the Football Team with 18% of the ML handle and 16% of the spread handle.
Browns 22, Eagles 17: The first half of Eagles (+120 ML) vs. Browns (-2.5, -137 ML) finished without any offensive points, the first game to do so this season. It was the Browns defense that provided Cleveland with its biggest source of offense, with a first-half INT return for a TD (+2200 Any Other Browns TD), and a third-quarter safety (+1150). This was also the only game of Week 11 with the under backed by a majority of the public (68% of O/U handle), a winning bet that was never in much doubt.
Saints 24, Falcons 9: With Drew Brees sidelined, not much faith was put in the home favorite Saints (-3.5, -182 ML) to win their sixth straight game, with 36% of the ML handle and 22% of the spread handle backing New Orleans. But the Saints brought a healthy dose of defense and a balanced offense en route to a big win over the Falcons (+160 ML). Taysom Hill scored two rushing TDs in his first career start under center, netting a handful of bettors a win on Hill to score multiple TDs (+1000).
Texans 27, Patriots 20: The public was basically split on the matchup between two teams desperately needing a win to stay in playoff contention, with Texans (+2.5, +120 ML) being backed by 49% of the ML handle and 51% of spread handle against the Patriots (-136 ML). Houston and New England provided first-half fireworks, but a second half which featured just one TD and three FGs led to Under 49 hitting (45% of O/U handle).
Panthers 20, Lions 0: There was no Teddy Bridgewater or Christian McCaffery on Sunday, but there was no problem for the Panthers (+2.5, +115 ML) against the Lions (-130 ML). Bettors were all over the home underdogs, backing Carolina with 89% of ML handle and 76% of the spread handle. The Lions became the first team since the Jets in Week 6 to fail to score a single point.
