NFL odds: 5 best lines this week

Which lines should you be looking at for potential bets? There are five that stand out above the rest as we gear up for the second month of the season.

5. Arizona Cardinals at Philadelphia Eagles (-6.5)

The Eagles are laying close to a full touchdown here, and yet they remain the right play for a boatload of reasons. For starters, the Cardinals are a bad football team. They’ve got a 2-2 record, but those wins both came in overtime against the Indianapolis Colts and San Francisco 49ers, a combined 1-7. Arizona also has to come all the way across the country and play this game in the early window. Good luck with that against a very good Philadelphia team.

4. Carolina Panthers at Detroit Lions (-2)

Again, I like the favorite here. The Lions are only laying two points, which seems ridiculous since they are both at home and the better team here. Don’t be fooled by the Panthers’ performance in Foxborough. Yes, it’s always impressive to beat the Patriots, but Cam Newton has been awful in three of four games this year. Look for him to regress back to his mean when he takes on a very stout Lions secondary. Meanwhile, Matthew Stafford should handle what is a very mediocre Carolina back end.

3. New England Patriots (-5.5) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Speaking of the Patriots, I’m betting against them here. New England is laying 5.5 points on the road against a good team in primetime, and on a short week no less. The Patriots have been a sieve defensively, ranking dead last in both points and yards allowed. There’s not a single reason to think the Buccaneers won’t hang 30 on them in the game. The Patriots might win, but they won’t cover with that defense.

2. Tennessee Titans (-3) at Miami Dolphins

The Titans are the better team, but there are signs that Marcus Mariota won’t be able to play with his balky hamstring. If that’s the case, and we’re looking at Matt Cassel, take the Dolphins all the way. Miami has been awful the past two weeks, combining to score six points against the New York Jets and New Orleans Saints. Still, Miami is a desperate team at home potentially getting a horrendous quarterback on the other side. This is easy money.

1. Baltimore Ravens at Oakland Raiders (O/U 40)

Typically, I’m not big on over/under bets, but this is too good to pass up. The Raiders will be starting EJ Manuel. The Ravens are starting Joe Flacco. There is not a single chance that these two teams combine for more than 39 points. Frankly, there’s a possibility that this game doesn’t go over 35 points. Take the under and don’t look back.