NFL Betting Odds Offer Big Lines For Week Eight

Published on October 25, 2013 by Vincent Tapoglia III

Odds makers spent the first seven weeks of the season separating the contenders from the pretenders. Now, as week eight approaches, the sports books have continued a trend of heavy betting lines on some of the top teams in the league.

Of the 12 games that will be played in week eight, eight have underdogs getting more than a touchdown. That is close to a record at this point in the season, and shows that there has become a sharp competitive imbalance between the top and the bottom of the league.

"There is a big discrepancy between the good teams and the bad," said analyst Joel Shermack. "What we've seen is the good teams getting better from the start of the year, and the bad teams really starting to take form as inept. That is creating some lines that have never before been seen."

Two weeks ago, Denver was favored by nearly four touchdowns over the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Broncos have been one of the most prolific offensive teams in league history through the first half of the season, while Jacksonville has struggled to score 10 points a game. The Jags ended up covering the large spread.

This week's largest spread again involves the Jaguars. San Francisco, the defending NFC champs and a team that has hit their stride in recent weeks, is a 17 point favorite over Jacksonville. The game is being played in Jacksonville, and the total for the match up is 41.

Washington has been playing better of late, but that did not stop odds makers from installing the high flying Broncos as two touchdown favorites over the Redskins. Washington's defense has given up a ton of points so far. and many predict Peyton Manning and the Denver offense will have little problem picking apart the Washington defense.

Green Bay (-10), and Seattle (-11), are the only other two double digit favorites in week eight. The Packers will face a Minnesota team that is down to its fifth string quarterback, while Seattle will play Monday night against a St. Louis team that lost their starting quarterback, Sam Bradford, to injury two weeks ago.

Read More... [Source: Sports Gambling News]