The NFL regular season is winding down, and the playoffs are getting close. It’s an exciting time for players and fans, and ramps up the intensity of play. Some teams are out of the hunt right now, others have it pretty much made for them, and others are right on the bubble. The bubble teams are the ones you need to look out for as they will be willing to take risks to get where they want to be. Expect a few surprises this weekend because of this.
Baltimore Ravens at Miami Dolphins
No one expected the Dolphins to be good this season, let alone in the hunt for a playoff spot. Yet, here they are, with four games left in the season, tied for second in their Division. Beating the Ravens would be a huge step toward getting to the postseason, and they even find themselves as 3 point favorites here. However, the teams are evenly matched and the 3 points has been given to them just because they are the home team. Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill is having an impressive season, and is currently playing at his best. The Ravens will be missing a star piece of their defense this game, too, with Haloti Ngata being suspended. Still, Joe Flacco is a slightly better QB than Tannehill and has posted better numbers. Also, the Ravens are right in the hunt for a playoff berth too, and cannot be counted out yet. This is a game that could go either way, and for the Dolphins to have to win by 3 points to take it here, the edge when betting the spread goes to the Ravens.
Indianapolis Colts at Cleveland Browns
The Colts are the favorites here by 3.5 points. This is to be expected, even though they are away here. This means that on a neutral setting, they would be 6.5 point favorites. The Browns are strong this year, but the Colts are far stronger. Andrew Luck is having a stellar season, ranking at number 4 in the NFL with a QB Rating of 103.0. The Browns’ Brian Hoyer is only at 79.9. The 3.5 points should be easy for the Colts to overcome, and they seem like an easy bet here with only 3.5 points to overcome. The X factor is, of course, whether or not Johnny Manziel comes in to play at all this game. The Browns have already said Hoyer will get the start, so Manziel’s playing is not the primary influence here. Advantage goes to the Colts.
Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos
This game isn’t interesting based upon the teams themselves; the Broncos should win with ease. It’s a game to watch because of the spread. The Broncos are 10 point favorites, which is a big number considering the relative success that the Bills have had this season. However, with a strong and consistent QB, homefield advantage, and a better overall offense, the Broncos actually have a good chance of overcoming those 10 points. Peyton Manning is the #3 QB in the NFL right now, and the Bills have had a lot of issues here. Kyle Orton is playing well with a 92.0 rating, but that’s not much compared to Manning’s 107.8 The Broncos should win this, and they will probably do it with more than a 10 point lead if they play close to their potential capability.