We have five weeks of football behind us, and the results at the sportsbook have been shocking. Some of the best bets from the 2016 season and among the worst – we’re looking at you Patriots – and some of the worst teams in the NFL are holding solid betting value.
Here’s a look at the nfl betting lines and the very best bets in the NFL so far, and why these teams are so profitable, as we head into Week 6:
Kansas City Chiefs (5-0 SU, 5-0 ATS)
The Chiefs remain the lone undefeated team in the NFL and that goes for their results against the spread as well. Now, part of that perfect 5-0 ATS record came from an improbable cover against Washington last Monday when Justin Houston scored a defensive touchdown for Kansas City as time expired to cover the spread in a game KC already had won. But a win is a win.
The Chiefs offense is powering these paydays, with the team averaging an NFL-best 32.8 points per game while totally 414.2 yards an outing. The defense, however, hasn’t kind of been bailed out by those big scores, allowing the 27th most yardage in the league. Sooner or later, that is going to catch up to Kansas City.
With every win – and cover – the spreads will begin to creep upwards to a point where the value is gone with the Chiefs. The next four games will be a challenge: vs. Pittsburgh, at Oakland, vs. Denver and at Dallas. Oddsmakers are making KC lay four points at home to the Steelers in Week 6.
Buffalo Bills (3-2 SU, 4-1 ATS)
The Bills are locked in a shocking three-way tie atop the AFC East with the Patriots (not so surprising) and the Jets (absolutely baffling). Buffalo is coming off its first loss against the spread this weekend, losing 20-16 to Cincinnati as 3-point road underdogs, and heads into a week off before two straight home games – versus Tampa Bay and Oakland – in Weeks 7 and 8.
Defense has been the strongest component of the Bills’ fast start, with the stop unit giving up just under 15 points per game in a bend-but-don’t-break defense that is allowing 322 average yards against. Takeaways have helped, with 10 for and only two against for a plus-8 give/take count. Buffalo has also had the benefit of the points, being tagged as the underdog in four of those five games.
Following the bye, Buffalo has a very good chance at staying in the hunt for the AFC East title as well as keeping those ATS wins coming. The two home stands, mentioned above, are followed by a road trip to play the Jets, a home game against the Saints, and a cross-country hike to face the Chargers.
Denver Broncos (3-1 SU, 2-1-1 ATS)
The Broncos had this past weekend off after starting the season strong with three wins in the first four games. Denver has, however, caught a couple breaks in the first quarter of the schedule, helping puff up this record.
The Broncos opened the year at home to the Chargers in a tighter-than-expected Monday nighter – one that you could have avoided the push with a -2.5 on the board late. Denver stayed home to play Dallas and a banged up secondary in Week 2, lost at Buffalo in a lookahead game, then took down the Raiders in Week 4 after Oakland QB Derek Carr left the game with a back injury.
So, what’s that say for Denver going forward? The defense is the backbone of this team, ranked tops in the NFL in yards allowed and budging for just 18.5 points per contest. And those stats should hold true with a broken 0-5 Giants team coming to Mile High with their Top 3 receivers on the shelf.
But that has books laying 11.5 points for the Broncos – a lofty spread for a team that has scored just 16 points in each of its last two games. After that, Denver should be a road favorite at the Chargers – another possible lookahead spot with the Chiefs up next in Week 8. That trip to Arrowhead is also the middle of three straight road games for the Broncos.
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