NFL Week 14 Early Lines vs. Line Movement Predictions (2022)
The Houston Texans and Chicago Bears have officially been eliminated from playoff contention. While no one has wrapped up a playoff birth, there are plenty of clinching scenarios in effect this week. With the playoffs right around the corner and the offseason on the horizon for others, motivations are going to be all over the place over the next few weeks, which could lead to some very strange lines.
Here is a look at some early Week 14 lines and where you should expect them to move.
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Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Rams
Very quietly, the Raiders have won three games in a row, and they are now just two games out of the playoffs with five games remaining. It's been a different story for the Rams, who have lost six in a row to drop to 3-9 on the season.
With Matthew Stafford on injured reserve, the Rams will need John Wolford to have a big game to pull the upset. Last week, despite Wolford's two interceptions, the Rams still very nearly took down the Seattle Seahawks, losing on a last-second touchdown. Will bettors think that result was a fluke or a sign of things to come for the Rams?
The key number is in play, and the Raiders are hot. If you like Las Vegas, get in now.
Current Line: Raiders -6
Predicted Final Line: Raiders -7
New York Jets at Buffalo Bills
The Jets may have lost to the Minnesota Vikings, but they had plenty of opportunities to punch the ball in and pull off the upset. Meanwhile, the Bills were very impressive against the New England Patriots.
It seems that last week's final scores have led to a huge spread between these two teams. A line this big does not seem warranted. After all, the Jets did beat Buffalo 20-17 earlier this season.
The Bills opened as 9.5-point favorites and already the line has dropped to nine points. Expect this number to continue to drop throughout the week.
Current Line: Bills -9
Predicted Final Line: Bills -7.5
Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions
The Lions have won four out of five games, with their only loss during that span coming at the hands of the Bills. Their recent play has helped them to a 5-7 record and has suddenly put them in the playoff conversation.
For the Vikings, Week 13 featured another one-possession win, their ninth of the season. The Vikings opened as very small favorites, but the Lions have seen the line move in their favor since.
The Lions are currently favored by 1.5. The last time the Vikings were underdogs in a situation that seemed too good to be true, they lost 40-3. Will bettors remember that, or will they back the Lions?
Current Line: Lions -1.5
Predicted Final Line: Vikings -1.5
Carolina Panthers at Seattle Seahawks
The Panthers are 0-5 on the road this season, and they now have to travel to Seattle to take on the 7-5 Seahawks. Yet, this line is pretty small compared to what it could be.
These two teams don't seem evenly matched on paper, but the Panthers' defense has been playing really well of late. In their last three games, they have allowed a total of 38 points, and they are 2-1 during that span.
The Seahawks haven't looked comfortable over the last few weeks, going 1-2 in their last three, and needing a miracle in Los Angeles last week to escape with a win. With the Panthers coming off a bye, expect this line to remain.
Current Line: Seahawks -3.5
Predicted Final Line: Seahawks -3.5
Miami Dolphins at Los Angeles Chargers
The Dolphins are coming off an embarrassing loss to the San Francisco 49ers, in which they allowed Mr. Irrelevant, Brock Purdy, to throw for 210 yards and two touchdowns against them.
Meanwhile, the Chargers lost their third game in four tries, and they now face an absolute must-win for their playoff chances. Even though the Chargers are the home team, the Dolphins are the favorite despite their bad performance last week.
With this number right at the key number, it's hard to know exactly where it is going to move, but look for it to remain, with the home team getting love if it does move as kickoff approaches.
Current Line: Dolphins -2.5
Predicted Final Line: Dolphins -2.5
New England Patriots at Arizona Cardinals
The Patriots did not show up on Thursday night, so it is surprising to see them as road favorites against the Arizona Cardinals, who are coming off a bye.
The Cardinals are just 1-6 at home this season, but they did play tough against the Chargers their last time out. The Patriots, meanwhile, have lost two games in a row, and they are very much in danger of seeing their season slip away.
One might think the Patriots will make the right adjustments from last week, but they have struggled significantly against mobile quarterbacks this season. Kyler Murray could pose problems, so expect this line to move in favor of the home team.
Current Line: Patriots -1.5
Predicted Final Line: Pick'em
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Phil Wood is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Phil, check out his archive and follow him @Phil_Wood_Jr.