(Photo by Daniel Gluskoter/Icon Sportswire)
The uncertainty and intrigue surrounding the Seahawks-Packers tilt, and the Cardinals looking to improve their league-best record highlight the NFL Week 10’s late Sunday afternoon slate, which features four games in all. Here’s a preview and pick for each contest with all lines current as of mid-day Friday.
Seahawks (3-5, 5-3 ATS) at Packers (7-2, 8-1 ATS)
Time: 4:25 p.m. EST
Line: Packers by 3.5 (49.5) — The line has fluctuated, from an opening 5.5 in favor of the Packers to the 3 to 3.5 depending on the latest news regarding the playing status of Seattle QB Russell Wilson and Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers.
Update: Rodgers has been cleared to play. Market consensus is about GB -3.5 (even) as of Saturday afternoon.
The skinny: Two perennial playoff teams, who have met four times in the postseason since 2003, enter this game not knowing for sure if their No. 1 QB will be in the lineup. Both, though, are listed as probable.
Facts: In Seattle, QB Russell Wilson says he’s 90% recovered from surgery on the middle finger of his passing hand suffered five weeks ago. In his stead, backup Geno Smith went 1-2, but was 3-0 ATS. In Green Bay, the unvaccinated Rodgers sat out last week’s 13-7 loss at KC after testing positive for Covid-19 on Nov. 3. He won’t know until (at the earliest) Saturday if he’ll be cleared to play. If he can’t go, it’s Jordan Love making his second start in a row.
Despite their loss last week, the Packers have the biggest division lead in the league, by 3.5 games over Minnesota. Seattle, meanwhile, is 4.5 games off the pace set by Arizona in the NFC West.
Analysis: The feeling here is that Wilson has a greater chance to start than Rodgers, and even if the Packers QB is allowed to play, he said at midweek he didn’t know how he’d feel physically. But, for what it’s worth, he added he has been doing yoga. Also, there’s a chance Seahawks RB Chris Carson, who has missed the past four games (neck), could return.
Pick: Seahawks 27, Packers 23
SEA Seahawks vs GB Packers Odds
NFL Odds
NFL · Sun (11/14) @ 4:25pm ET
| SEA Seahawks | at | GB Packers |
| Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin | ||
Panthers (4-5, 4-5 ATS) at Cardinals (8-1, 7-2 ATS)
Time: 4:05 EST
BetMGM Line: Cardinals by 10 (44.5) — The line opened at 9.5 and has moved upward to 10 or 10.5 in recent days.
The skinny: The status of Arizona QB Kyler Murray remains murky as the Cardinals, with the best record in the league, prepare to face a Carolina team with QB issues of its own.
Facts: Murray (questionable, ankle), who sat out last week’s 31-17 win over San Francisco, remains iffy for Sunday considering he hasn’t participated in drills this week. And neither has star receiver DeAndre Hopkins (hamstring) nor RB Chase Edmonds (high ankle sprain), whose norm is 5.7 yards a carry. If Murray can’t go, 11-year-veteran Colt McCoy will make his second straight start. Carolina starting QB Sam Darnold, off his second three INT game of the season (no one else has done that), is expected to miss about a month with a shoulder injury and it’s highly likely P.J. Walker will fill in Sunday. That’s, of course, provided just-signed Cam Newton doesn’t get up to speed in the coming hours.
Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey returned to the lineup last week after an absence of five games and had 106 yards from scrimmage last week in the 24-6 loss at New England. And he’s not on the injury report this week.
Analysis: The Panthers were plain awful offensively last week, with a long drive of only 12 yards on its their first seven possessions. And Walker probably isn’t the answer to turn their fortunes around. Over his last three appearances, dating to last year, he’s 8-for-29 passing with three interceptions. Sure, this is a lot of points for the Cardinals to be giving against a team that has the league’s second-ranked defense, but Carolina’s QB play makes it worth the gamble no matter who’s under center for Arizona.
Pick: Cardinals 23, Panthers 9
Vikings (3-5, 4-4 ATS) at Chargers (5-3, 5-3 ATS)
Time: 4:05 EST
BetRivers Line: Chargers by 3.5 (53)
The skinny: The Vikings, coming off yet another last-play defeat, take on a Chargers team that’s returning from its 27-24 win at Philly three time zones away.
Facts: The Chargers are yielding a league-worst 161.3 rushing yards per game. FYI: The Vikings are third worst in yielding 136.6 a game. The status for star Vikings RB Dalvin Cook hasn’t changed after being accused earlier this week of assault by a former girlfriend. He’s third in the league with 92.3 rushing yards per game. Vikings QB Kirk Cousins is averaging 7.1 yards (7.086) a throw, 20th on the chart and his lowest norm the past eight seasons. But he’s thrown only two INTS, the fewest among QBs who haven’t msised a start, and the Vikings have given up a league-low 10 sacks, quite an improvement over last year’s total of 39.
Analysis: It’s widely known Minnesota’s five losses were by a total of 18 points — and all against teams with winning records. And last week’s 34-31 overtime loss at Baltimore was typical with a defeat on a last-play field goal. The Chargers were 34-6 losers to the Ravens in the same building only three weeks earlier. It’s time for the Vikings to catch a break. After all, they could easily be 5-3 had they not blown two leads of 13-plus points.
Pick: Vikings 28, Chargers 21
MIN Vikings vs LA Chargers Odds
NFL Odds
NFL · Sun (11/14) @ 4:05pm ET
| MIN Vikings | at | LA Chargers |
| SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California | ||
Eagles (3-6, 4-5 ATS) at Broncos (5-4, 5-4 ATS)
Time: 4:25 p.m. EST
DraftKings Line: Broncos by 3 (45.5)
The skinny: The Broncos will look to make a clean sweep of the NFC East when they take on the Eagles, who are making their first visit to Mile High in eight years.
Facts: The Broncos, fresh off their 30-16 beatdown of Dallas as a 10-point dog, are last in the AFC West (by tiebreaker), yet have a plus-34 point differential. The division-leading Chargers are at minus-2. Denver QB Teddy Bridgewater is completing a career-best 70.2% of his passes, third best in the league. The Eagles meanwhile are allowing foes to connect on a preposterous 75.5% of throws, which is on pace to break the league futility record. Last week, the Chargers’ Justin Herbert went 32-for-38 against them (84.2%).
Analysis: The Eagles have totaled 412 rushing yards the past two weeks, but that came against the winless Lions and last week vs. the Chargers, who have the league’s worst rush defense. Now they’ll be facing the league’s sixth stingiest run defense and sixth best overall. Good luck Green and White.
Pick: Broncos 27, Eagles 14
Last week: 5-9 ATS, 8-6 SU
Season total: 67-66-3 (.504) ATS; 85-51 (.625) SU
PHI Eagles vs DEN Broncos Odds
NFL Odds
NFL · Sun (11/14) @ 4:25pm ET
| PHI Eagles | at | DEN Broncos |
| Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado | ||
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