NFL divisional playoff opening point spreads and early line moves – Rematches ...
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Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers get another shot at the Panthers Sunday in an NFC divisional playoff game.
After a thrilling weekend of wild-card games, the NFL playoff field has been narrowed to eight. Handicappers have an important tool to use in three of next weekend's four divisional playoff games: Saints-Seahawks, 49ers-Panthers and Chargers-Broncos are all rematches of games played earlier this season. AFC West rivals San Diego and Denver, of course, have already played each other twice.
Here are the opening point spreads for the divisional round posted at the LVH SuperBook, along with some notes on early line moves and the numbers hung at other sports books around Las Vegas.
Saints at Seahawks (-7.5, 48), Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET, Fox
New Orleans, as a 6.5-point dog, was throttled in its trip to Seattle on Monday night of Week 13. The Saints were outgained 429-188 and were never in the 34-7 route.
Since then, though, the Seahawks' aura of invincibility at home has been dinged, as the Cardinals went into CenturyLink Field in Week 16 and emerged with a 17-10 win. Also, the Saints, after covering just one road game all season, won their first road playoff game in franchise history Saturday night in Philadelphia.
Seattle opened -7.5 for next week's contest after the Saints' win over the Eagles set up the matchup, the LVH's Jeff Sherman noted on Twitter. Since then, the spread was bet as high as 9. On Monday morning, it sat at 8 at the LVH, 8.5 at most books and as high as -9 even at Cantor.
Colts at Patriots (-9. 53.5), Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET, CBS
Indianapolis money showed up immediately at this number, and the LVH was down to New England -7.5 within a few hours. The total was bet UNDER, down to 53.
The Pats are 8-0 straight up and 6-2 against the spread at home this season. Over the previous two seasons, they rolled as home favorites of over a touchdown in this round of the playoffs - last season, they beat Houston, 41-28, as 9.5-point favorites; the year before was a 45-10 romp over Denver when laying two touchdowns.
The Colts fought back from a big deficit at home Saturday against the Chiefs to earn a 45-44 win. They were thoroughly beaten on the road in last season's playoffs, 24-9 in Baltimore.
While this matchup will certainly bring back memories of classic Colts-Pats games of the Peyton Manning era in Indy, these teams last met on Dec. 18, 2012, with New England cruising to a 59-24 win.
49ers at Panthers (pick 'em, 42), Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Fox
Action on San Francisco made the Niners a 1-point favorite shortly after the game opened a pick 'em. By Monday morning, the line had moved to San Fran -2.5 at the LVH, and sat at -2 at other bet shops. The total was pushed to 42.5
Carolina's 10-9 win in San Francisco in Week 9 was its fifth of an eventual eight-game win streak and the one that got many league observers thinking the Panthers were for real. The Niners were 6-point favorites in that game.
San Fran lost in New Orleans the following week, but has not lost since then.
The Panthers, though, have not lost at home since Week 1, to the Seahawks, and are 6-1-1 ATS in Charlotte this season.
Chargers at Broncos (-10.5, 56), Sunday, 4:30 p.m. ET, CBS
Dog and UNDER money came in at these prices, and the numbers were adjusted to Denver -9.5 and 55.5.
The spread and total are in line with the Week 14 matchup between these teams in Denver, when the Broncos were a 10-point favorite and the total was 56.5. San Diego, of course, won the game outight, 27-20, dispelling any kind of notion that the Broncos were somehow unbeatable at home.
As if such a notion existed. The Broncos, remember, as 9.5-point faves, were dealt a 38-35 loss by Baltimore in the divisional round of last season's playoffs.
Updated betting lines: Check our live odds board
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