[h=1]Chalk points: Week 4 betting nuggets you should know[/h]Evan Abrams, ESPN Chalk
[h=2]A look back[/h]At Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, Pittsburgh opened up as a 3.5-point favorite over Baltimore. After Ben Roethlisberger was hurt against St. Louis last week, Baltimore reopened and ended up closing as a 2.5-point favorite. Baltimore won the game 23-20.
A bit of a coincidence -- Roethlisberger missed Week 11 of the 2012 season at home against Baltimore as well. The early line came out a week before the Baltimore game back then, with Roethlisberger healthy, and Pittsburgh as a 3.5-point favorite. The line ended up closing after Roethlisberger's injury with Baltimore as a 3.5-point favorite. Pittsburgh won the game 23-20.
Michael Vick has played Baltimore four times in his career; he is 2-2 straight up but 0-4 against the spread.
[h=2]Oakland: The favorite[/h]Oakland is currently a 3.5-point road favorite against Chicago. If Oakland closes as the favorite, it will break two impressive streaks:
1. Twenty-seven consecutive games listed as an underdog (last favored: Nov. 3, 2013 vs. Philadelphia; L, 49-20)
The last time both Alabama was a point spread underdog and Oakland was a point spread favorite in the same week? October 20-21, 2007:
Russell Wilson is 10-2 straight up and ATS in his career in prime time (Thursday night, Sunday night and Monday night football). Wilson is 4-1 straight up and ATS over the past two seasons.
Matthew Stafford has struggled mightily as a large underdog:
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<caption style="box-sizing: border-box; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-style: solid; color: rgb(39, 39, 39); font-weight: 600; height: 44px; line-height: 2.8; position: relative; text-align: left; text-transform: capitalize; z-index: 1000020; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Matthew Stafford Largest Underdog Career</caption><thead style="box-sizing: border-box;">
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</tbody></aside>[h=2]Quick hitters[/h]
[h=2]A look back[/h]At Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, Pittsburgh opened up as a 3.5-point favorite over Baltimore. After Ben Roethlisberger was hurt against St. Louis last week, Baltimore reopened and ended up closing as a 2.5-point favorite. Baltimore won the game 23-20.
A bit of a coincidence -- Roethlisberger missed Week 11 of the 2012 season at home against Baltimore as well. The early line came out a week before the Baltimore game back then, with Roethlisberger healthy, and Pittsburgh as a 3.5-point favorite. The line ended up closing after Roethlisberger's injury with Baltimore as a 3.5-point favorite. Pittsburgh won the game 23-20.
Michael Vick has played Baltimore four times in his career; he is 2-2 straight up but 0-4 against the spread.
[h=2]Oakland: The favorite[/h]Oakland is currently a 3.5-point road favorite against Chicago. If Oakland closes as the favorite, it will break two impressive streaks:
1. Twenty-seven consecutive games listed as an underdog (last favored: Nov. 3, 2013 vs. Philadelphia; L, 49-20)
- QB Terrelle Pryor started this game for Oakland
- RB Rashad Jennings had a monster game for Oakland: 102 rushing yards, 1 TD, 7 receptions, 74 yards receiving
- QB Carson Palmer started this game for Oakland
- RB Reggie Bush had a monster game for Miami: 26 rushes, 172 yards, 2 TDs, 3 receptions, 25 yards receiving
The last time both Alabama was a point spread underdog and Oakland was a point spread favorite in the same week? October 20-21, 2007:
- Oct 20: Alabama was a 1-point underdog at home vs Tennessee (Alabama won 41-17)
- Oct 21: Oakland is a 2.5-point favorite at home vs. Kansas City (Oakland lost 12-10)
- Favorites in London games are 9-2 straight up and 7-4 ATS
- Last underdog to win: Minnesota in 2013
- Over is 6-5 in 11 games (5-1 since 2012)
- This is the first divisional matchup in London
- This is Miami's third game in London (2-0 ATS)
Russell Wilson is 10-2 straight up and ATS in his career in prime time (Thursday night, Sunday night and Monday night football). Wilson is 4-1 straight up and ATS over the past two seasons.
Matthew Stafford has struggled mightily as a large underdog:
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| YEAR | SPREAD | OPP | RESULT | COVER? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | +17 | Minnesota | L, 27-10 | Push |
| 2009 | +13.5 | Cincinnati | L, 23-13 | Yes |
| 2009 | +13.5 | New Orleans | L, 45-27 | No |
| 2011 | +11 | New Orleans | L, 45-28 | No |
| 2009 | +11 | Green Bay | L, 34-12 | No |
| 2009 | +10 | Minnesota | L, 27-13 | No |
| 2009 | +10 | Chicago | L, 48-24 | No |
| 2009 | +10 | Seattle | L, 32-20 | No |
| 2013 | +9 | Green Bay | L, 22-9 | No |
| 2011 | +9 | New Orleans | L, 31-17 | No |
| 2014 | +7.5 | Green Bay | L, 30-20 | No |
| 2014 | +7 | New England | L, 34-9 | No |
| 2012 | +7 | San Francisco | L, 27-19 | No |
<caption style="box-sizing: border-box; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-style: solid; color: rgb(39, 39, 39); font-weight: 600; height: 44px; line-height: 2.8; position: relative; text-align: left; text-transform: capitalize; z-index: 1000020; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Matthew Stafford Largest Underdog Career</caption><thead style="box-sizing: border-box;">
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- Cam Newton is 7-0 straight up and 4-3 ATS as a favorite vs. divisional opponents since the start of the 2013 season.
- Bruce Arians is 19-2 straight up and 16-5 ATS as a favorite as head coach of Arizona and Indianapolis.
- San Francisco has been a home underdog of more than 8 points only twice since 2006: December 2007 vs. Minnesota (+8.5) and October 2006 vs. San Diego (+9.5).
- Home favorites who are 3-0: Atlanta, Cincinnati, Arizona and Denver.
In the past 10 seasons, 3-0 teams that were home favorites in their fourth game are 15-3 straight up and 13-5 ATS.
