NFL Betting Week 5 Preview: Hot bets and moving odds

We’re a quarter of the way through the NFL regular season already and what do we know? Well, if you haven’t already, you can throw the running game out the window because this is undeniably a passing league. Peyton Manning is a cyborg. The Patriots keep winning despite a long list of injuries. The Browns aren’t quite dead yet and the Giants, Steelers, and Buccaneers are in a three-way race for the most disappointing team in the league. The Jags don’t even count at this point. That’s what we know.

All odds current as of noon ET, Oct. 3

Best bets through four weeks

Marshawn Lynch and Seattle Seahawks stand alone at 4-0 straight up and against the spread. Seattle has allowed just 47 points through four games, but gets a tough test as a 3-point favorite at Indianapolis this week. Denver checks in next at 4-0 outright and 3-0-1 against the spread, while the 2-2 Chargers are also 3-0-1 against the number and the 3-1 Tennessee Titans are 3-0-1 ATS as well.

Mile high numbers

Word is the Broncos could be pegged as high as 27-point favorites next week against Jacksonville, but they have to deal with the Cowboys in Dallas first. That line opened with Dallas set as a 6.5-point underdog, but a flood of Denver action already has the line up to Dallas +8.5. It could easily go higher than this too. The Broncos were 11-point favorites at home to the Eagles last week and covered easily. That’s what happens when you have a quarterback who has thrown for 16 touchdowns and zero interceptions through four weeks. Everybody wants a piece of the Broncos and it’s going to be hard for oddsmakers to set lines high enough at this point.

Rock bottom

Just when you though the Steelers, Giants and Buccaneers couldn’t get any worse, they did. The Steelers dropped to 0-4 in London, New York is 0-4 and has allowed a league-high 146 points, and the winless Buccaneers are airing Josh Freeman’s dirty laundry while trying to trade him at the same time. Out of the winless group, Jacksonville might have the most upside with Justin Blackmon returning from suspension – and that’s saying a lot. Not much you can do with any of these teams until they show you something.

On the move

Oddsmakers actually gave the Giants a little respect by making them 2.5-point favorites at home to Philadelphia at the open. That line dropped to Giants -1.5, moved back up to -2 and then down to -1.5 again. Expect this one to flutter around.

Bettors are expecting a lot of fireworks when the Lions visit Green Bay. The opening total of 51.5 points is already up to 53, the second-highest total on the board next to Denver-Dallas’  56.

The Chargers head to Oakland in what has the makings of a tricky matchup. Oakland opened as 6-point underdogs, dropped to +4, then jumped to +5 before dipping to +4.5. Many still have questions about San Diego and Oakland has injury issues, so more line moves could be on the way.

Hot and not

Even as 8.5-point favorites on the road, the public can’t get enough of the Broncos. About 94 percent of Sports Interaction’s handle is coming in on the visiting team as Denver travels to Dallas.

Want to know why 92 percent of bettors are backing the Kansas City Chiefs as 3-point favorites at Tennessee? The Chiefs have allowed just 41 points through four games.

The Bills host the Browns on Thursday Night Football and 68 percent of the action is on Buffalo as a 3.5-point underdog.

Imagine how good the Patriots might be if they can ever get healthy. So far 89 percent of bettors are siding with the Patriots as 1-point underdogs at Cincinnati.