Well, we made it. Welcome to the best weekend of the NFL season.

These are the games we remember with plays immortalized. The Immaculate Reception. The Hail Mary. The Tuck Rule. Heroes like Ed Podolak, Dave Casper and Freddie Mitchell emerge from the rank and file.

For some, it’s the first step to greater glory. Others carry the losses like scars on their psyche. For every Minnesota Miracle, there’s a Red Right 88 that lives in infamy. For every Kellen Winslow who leaves the field a hero, there’s a Dez Bryant tied to controversial defeat.

There’s no guarantee we will have anything legendary happen this round. Each game, however, brings its own history to each matchup. We’ll touch on that as well in this article.

Divisional Round Betting Lines

(Odds updated 1/11/19)

	DraftKings	BetStars	FanDuel	888sport	SugarHouse
Indianapolis Kansas City	56.5 -5.5	57 -5	57 -5	56.5 -5.5	56.5 -5.5
Dallas LA Rams	50 -7	49 -7	49.5 -7.5	50 -7	50 -7
LA Chargers New England	47.5 -4	47 -4	47 -4	47.5 -4	47.5 -4
Philadelphia New Orleans	51.5 -8	50.5 -8	51 -8	51.5 -8	51.5 -8

Indianapolis Colts at Kansas City Chiefs (-5.5)

Two gunslingers with high-powered offenses kick off the weekend at Arrowhead Stadium. Indy has won 10 of its last 11 games this season, including an upset on the road against Houston to advance in the postseason. Kansas City played like the class of the AFC all year, led by MVP frontrunner Patrick Mahomes.

Andrew Luck enters 2-0 at KC in his career and won the only postseason matchup. The Chiefs haven’t done well in the playoffs at home recently: their last win at Arrowhead in the postseason was in 1994, the previous year they also won in this round. The franchise enters 2-8 in this round historically, dating back to the AFL days.

At the sportsbooks in New Jersey, there was some agreement on pricing but also some value on Monday morning. William Hill and BetStars had a half-point extra value on the Chiefs. Caesars and PlayMGM had that and a half-point extra value on the over, which is by far the biggest total of the weekend.

Playoff memories: The only time these two teams met was the Wild Card weekend in 2014. KC built up a 38-10 lead early in the third quarter. Luck brought the Colts back with three TD passes, capped by a 64-yard bomb to T.Y. Hilton to finish a 45-44 shootout in Indy.

Dallas Cowboys at LA Rams (-7)

This matchup might be the game of the weekend. The teams match up well at each position group. Each has stars and has played really well down the stretch.

LA won the last matchup in 2017, winning 35-30 at Jerryworld. Dallas looks awfully different this season, notably with Amari Cooper taking the lead receiver role vacated by Dez Bryant.

The Cowboys haven’t been able to win a divisional round game since their Super Bowl runs. QB Dak Prescott lost his playoff debut in this round two years ago to the Packers. Dallas has lost the last seven postseason road games, dating back to 1993.

Most of the books had early agreement on prices for this game. William Hill and Caesars put a half-point extra value on the under, while PlayMGM gave a half-point to the home favorites.

Playoff memories: This was a fierce postseason rivalry in the ’70s. They met six times between 1973 and 1980, with Dallas winning four. Both Rams’ wins came in the divisional round, including a 21-19 win at Texas Stadium in 1979, where Vince Ferragamo found Billy Waddy for a 50-yard strike to win it in the fourth quarter.

LA Chargers at New England Patriots (-4)

Despite having the same 12-4 record as their division rivals, LA goes cross country for the second straight week of the postseason. This time, it’s to Foxboro to face Tom Brady and the AFC East stalwarts.

New England has won the last four regular-season meetings, including a 21-13 decision last year in October. Overall, the Pats have been excellent in this round, with a franchise record of 15-6. Their recent loss at home at this stage? Go back to 1979 against the Luv Ya Blue Oilers.

Philip Rivers has struggled in this round, going 1-4 overall. He did win that one game on the road, defeating the Colts in 2008.

There was some betting value to be found in this matchup on Monday. FanDuel Sportsbook, William Hill, PlayMGM and BetStars all put a half-point extra value on the over. Only Caesars had a half-point value on the line, which they give the Pats.

Playoff memories: Marty Schottenheimer seemed to always find himself on the short end of many playoff sticks. In 2007, he led the 14-2 Chargers to the top seed of the AFC and hosted the Pats in San Diego. LT scored to make it 21-13 midway through the fourth. Tom Brady would not be denied, leading two late scoring drives, including a field goal in the final two minutes, to steal a 24-21 decision and get his team to another AFC Championship.

Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans Saints (-8)

Yep, Nick Foles pulled another miracle out of his sack in Chicago. The defending champs live to fight another weekend, which means a trip to the Superdome.

New Orleans manhandled Philly earlier this year, dropping the Birds to 4-6 and looking unfit for the postseason. The NFC’s top seed hasn’t looked as sharp since that game but has managed to win their division and lean on their defense.

The Saints have done well at home recently against the Eagles. While games have been infrequent, they won the last two, dating back to 2012. When Drew Brees is on his game, he can pick apart virtually any defense. Philly’s ragtag secondary could be susceptible to the MVP candidate.

Can Nick Foles do better than the one touchdown Carson Wentz scored in the Week 11 matchup? This is the only team who’s managed to solve him in the playoffs, but that Saints team in 2014 had Darren Sproles on their side. Now he’s with the Eagles, as is Big Mo following the comeback in Chi-town.

This game is for value hunters. There was virtually no agreement on pricing on Monday. FanDuel, William Hill and BetStars all offered a half-point extra value on the under. Caesars offered a full point on the under. The line dropped from Saints -9 overnight and will most likely move further during the week. Both teams have been big draws for bettors over the season, so this could be the biggest handle game to date.

Playoff memories: The Saints are 2-1 all-time against the Eagles in the playoffs. Their first divisional round win came in 2007 against Philly, in a 27-24 win. Saints fans remember the two Deuce McAllister touchdowns that sealed the third-quarter comeback. Eagles fans remember the vicious open-field tackle Sheldon Brown unleashed on Reggie Bush early in the game. Good times.

Congratulations! We made it to the end of 2018. Contrary to what league commissioners told Congress in the past, we haven’t seen the world end or the fabric of society torn asunder because sports betting has expanded.

For those who follow our family of sites and made legal wagers in New Jersey and elsewhere, thank you. Handle for the four months of the NFL season will easily eclipse a billion dollars in the Garden State and grow as the calendar turns to January.

Now we get to the fun part: 12 teams, 11 games over four weekends, and one shiny Tiffany silver trophy for the Super Bowl champ. We begin with Wild Card Weekend, four games which all look competitive.

(Odds updated 12/31/18)

	DraftKings	BetStars	FanDuel	888sport	SugarHouse
Indianapolis Houston	48.5 -1	48 -1	48 -1	48.5 -1	48.5 -1
Seattle Dallas	43 -2	43 -2	42.5 -2.5	43 -2	43 -2
LA Chargers Baltimore	42 -2.5	41.5 -3	42 -3	42 -2.5	42 -2.5
Philadelphia Chicago	41 -6.5	41.5 -6.5	41.5 -6.5	41 -6.5	41 -6.5

Colts at Texans (-2.5)

This will be the rubber match between two division rivals. Both road teams won exciting games this season.

Colts QB Andrew Luck enters 2-1 in the Wild Card round but lost his only road start to Baltimore in 2013. DeShaun Watson will make his playoff debut for the Texans, who have won three of four Wild Card games in franchise history, all at home.

There was some value discrepancy on this total at NJ sportsbooks when the lines were released.early value at DraftKings, 888Sport, and PlaySugarHouse all offer a half-point extra value to the under.

Seahawks at Cowboys (-2.5)

Seattle defeated Dallas earlier this year at home, winning 24-13 and covering the short spread. The game switches to Texas and the hosts are favored.

Russell Wilson has won all three of his Wild Card starts for Seattle, including two on the road, beating Washington and Minnesota. Dak Prescott lost his only playoff start in the 2016 Divisional Round to Aaron Rodgers and the Packers.

This is a very balanced offense Dallas has put together over the past two months, going against a defense that is a shade of the former Legion of Boom.

Bettors can find value with the totals early in the week. William Hill and PlayMGM offered a half-point extra value to the over on Monday, while BetStars gave that half-point to the under. Caesars gave the under a full point extra value.

Chargers at Ravens (-2.5)

Baltimore hosts this game largely due to their win in SoCal two weeks ago. The Ravens upset the favored Chargers 22-10 and gets the early kickoff despite LA’s superior record.

Philip Rivers enters 3-0 in the Wild Card round, including a 2014 win at Cincinnati. Rookie Lamar Jackson has replaced Super Bowl champion Joe Flacco under center in Baltimore and will make his postseason debut.

Like the other two games, there was some early value on the total. William Hill and BetStars offered a half-point extra value to the over.

Eagles at Bears (-6)

The only game that isn’t a rematch from the regular season pits the defending Super Bowl champs against the NFC North winners. Philly has won each of the last two seasons handily over Chicago, including last year where the defense stymied the Bears.

Nick Foles lost his lone Wild Card start against the Saints in 2014. Mitchell Trubisky makes his postseason debut for Chicago.

This game has seen early line movement for Chicago, which suggests some recency bias against the Eagles and the first real test this year of the local fans’ resolve. While Philly looks like they’ve found the magic from last January in winning three straight to qualify for the postseason, Chicago’s defense has been stout and defeated top offenses, including stymying Minnesota to keep them out of the playoffs in Week 17.

We’ve come to the end of the 2018 NFL regular season. As Santa wraps his journey across the world, the folks at the NFL offices in NYC are celebrating because they got what they wanted before they have to unwrap gifts: many relevant games on the last Sunday.

The league scheduling geniuses changed their structuring a few years ago to make this a division-rivals only week, hoping to make the matchups enticing to viewers whose teams might be out of the race. This year, they nailed it.

Here’s a look at the NFL Week 17 betting spreads and totals for the full slate of Sunday games at New Jersey sportsbooks.

(Odds updated 12/26/18)

	DraftKings	BetStars	FanDuel	888sport	SugarHouse
Atlanta Tampa Bay	52 -1.5	51.5 PK	52 -1	52 -1.5	52 -1.5
Carolina New Orleans			N/A -9
Dallas NY Giants	41.5 -6		42 -6	41.5 -6	41.5 -6
Detroit Green Bay	45.5 -8	45 -8	45 -7.5	45.5 -8	45.5 -8
Jacksonville Houston	40.5 -7	40.5 -7.5	40.5 -7.5	40.5 -7	40.5 -7
Miami Buffalo	38.5 -3.5	38.5 -3.5	38.5 -3.5	38.5 -3.5	38.5 -3.5
NY Jets New England	45.5 -13.5	45.5 -13.5	46 -13.5	45.5 -13.5	45.5 -13.5
Arizona Seattle			N/A -13.5
Chicago Minnesota	40.5 -5	40.5 -5	41 -5	40.5 -5	40.5 -5
Cincinnati Pittsburgh	45.5 -14.5	45.5 -14.5	45.5 -14.5	45.5 -14.5	45.5 -14.5
Cleveland Baltimore	40.5 -6.5	41 -6	41 -6.5	40.5 -6.5	40.5 -6.5
LA Chargers Denver	-6.5 41.5		-6.5 41.5	-6.5 41.5	-6.5 41.5
Oakland Kansas City	53.5 -13.5		54 -13.5	53.5 -13.5	53.5 -13.5
Philadelphia Washington	-6.5 42	-6.5 42	-6.5 41.5	-6.5 42	-6.5 42
San Francisco LA Rams	49.5 -9.5		50 -10	49.5 -9.5	49.5 -9.5
Indianapolis Tennessee	-3 N/A		-3 N/A	-3 N/A	-3 N/A

Week 17 betting breakdown

Falcons at Buccaneers (-1.5): This will be an interesting line to watch as the week goes. Could this be Jameis Winston’s last game in Tampa? He’s lost the last three to Atlanta, including the last two at home. Books are offering value in this one so shop around for the best prices for your position.

Panthers at Saints: New Orleans clinched home field throughout the playoffs with their win against the Steelers. The Saints have won the last two meetings at the Superdome, including last year’s Wild Card win. Carolina won’t participate in this year’s playoffs. Books might be waiting on who’ll play to set prices.

Lions at Packers (-7.5): Both teams conclude disappointing years out of the playoff hunt. Detroit could make it four wins in a row over Green Bay for the first time since the season sweeps in 1982 and ‘83. The oddsmakers were in virtual agreement on the spread and total as of Wednesday morning.

Jaguars at Texans (-7): Houston needs a win to clinch the AFC South, which has been the case for a few weeks now. They can also move to a bye week if things go right in other games. They enter 6-2 against Jacksonville at home in the last eight meetings.

Dolphins at Bills (-3.5): Miami lost its playoff eligibility at home to Jacksonville. Now the Dolphins must finish the season in cold Buffalo. Ouch.

Patriots (-13.5) at Jets: New England can clinch the #2 seed with a win and potentially snatch home field advantage. A loss might mean they host Wild Card Weekend. The Jets haven’t beaten their division rivals since 2015.

Cowboys at Giants (-6.5): Dallas has locked up its second division in three years for the first time since their dominance in the 90s. Will the Giants rally behind Eli in a meaningless home finale?

Browns at Ravens (-6): Lamar Jackson has put Baltimore into a win-and-in game to lock up the AFC North. Mind you, this didn’t work last year against the Bengals. They’ll face an improved Cleveland team to clinch the 4 seed.

Bengals at Steelers (-15): Pittsburgh needs a win and a Ravens loss to stay AFC North champs. Otherwise, they’ll miss the playoffs unless they win and the Titans and Colts tie on Sunday night. The Steelers are 4-1 in the last five at home against Cincinnati.

Raiders at Chiefs (-13.5): KC still hasn’t clinched the AFC West or a specific seed. A win means the Chiefs take home field advantage for the AFC bracket. The Raiders’ win on Christmas Eve (their final game in Oakland?) cost them their shot at the #1 overall draft pick. Andy Reid has won all five games at home against the team’s most historic rival.

Chargers at Broncos (-6.5): Los Angeles can either stay in the wild card or, with a win and Chiefs loss, put the path to the Super Bowl through their cozy stadium in Carson. To do so, they’ll have to win in Denver for the first time since 2013. Not many books have offered totals on this game yet so keep an eye out for value.

Bears at Vikings (-5): Chicago has won the NFC North and could leapfrog the Rams for the #2 seed with a win and LA loss. Minnesota can clinch the last wild card spot with a win. They haven’t lost hosting Chicago since 2012.

Eagles (-6.5) at Redskins: Two wins from St. Nick (Foles) has Philly talking repeat, while Washington saw its playoffs dashed with last week’s loss to Tennessee. Should the Eagles win and Vikings lose, Philadelphia gets the last wild card spot. Foles won two starts in his first stint with the Eagles against their division rivals but hasn’t won at FedEx Field.

49ers at Rams: Los Angeles just needs a win to lock up the #2 seed and a bye week for the playoffs. San Fran has won both matchups since the Rams moved to SoCal.

Cardinals at Seahawks: The win against KC last week qualified Seattle for the wild card. However, this game still has massive implications: Should Arizona lose, they’ll secure the #1 pick in the 2019 draft. The Seahawks haven’t beaten the Cards in Seattle since 2014.

Colts (-3) at Titans: This is a win-or-go-home game for both teams. The Texans result will determine if they’ll play for the division or final wild card spot. Indy has won five of the last six in Nashville. Look for more prices once it’s confirmed who’s starting under center for Tennessee.

The last weekend before Christmas usually means chaos at malls and shops. Gifts in short supply, crowded parking lots, kids crying in Santa’s lap, that stuff is usually the last weekend of the shopping season.

This year, we have chaos in the NFL! Playoff spots are up for grabs that may come down to the final Sunday. Yeah, we got to the fun part of the season.

Interconference games will carry massive implications on both sides of the playoff brackets. Get your chores and shopping done early because we’ve got big games to watch! Here are the NFL Week 16 spreads and totals across the online sportsbooks in New Jersey.

(Odds updated 12/19/18)

	DraftKings	BetStars	FanDuel	888sport	SugarHouse
Washington Tennessee	37 -10	37 -10	37 -10.5	37 -10	37 -10
Baltimore LA Chargers	44 -4.5	44 -4.5	44 -4.5	44 -4.5	44 -4.5
Atlanta Carolina	-3.5 43.5	-3.5 43.5	-3.5 43.5	-3.5 43.5	-3.5 43.5
Buffalo New England	44.5 -12.5	44.5 -13	45 -13	44.5 -12.5	44.5 -12.5
Cincinnati Cleveland	45 -8.5	44.5 -8.5	45 -8.5	45 -8.5	45 -8.5
Green Bay NY Jets	44 PK	44 PK	43.5 PK	44 PK	44 PK
Houston Philadelphia	45.5 -2.5	45.5 -2.5	45 -2.5	45.5 -2.5	45.5 -2.5
Jacksonville Miami	39.5 -4	38.5 -4	40 -4.5	39.5 -4	39.5 -4
Minnesota Detroit	-5.5 43.5	-5.5 43.5	-5.5 43.5	-5.5 43.5	-5.5 43.5
NY Giants Indianapolis	46.5 -9	47 -9	47 -10	46.5 -9	46.5 -9
Tampa Bay Dallas	46.5 -7	47 -7	47 -7.5	46.5 -7	46.5 -7
Chicago San Francisco	-4 42.5	-4 43	-4 42.5	-4 42.5	-4 42.5
LA Rams Arizona	-13.5 46.5	-13.5 45	-14 45.5	-13.5 46.5	-13.5 46.5
Pittsburgh New Orleans	53.5 -5.5	53.5 -5.5	53.5 -5.5	53.5 -5.5	53.5 -5.5
Kansas City Seattle	-2.5 53.5	-2.5 53.5	-2.5 53	-2.5 53.5	-2.5 53.5
Denver Oakland	-2.5 44.5	-2.5 44	-2.5 44.5	-2.5 44.5	-2.5 44.5

Week 16 betting breakdown

Redskins at Titans (-10): Both teams are sitting on the outside of the wild cards spots. This is effectively a playoff eliminator. If you think Josh Johnson can win back to back road games, you’ll certainly find some value on Washington this week.

Ravens at Chargers (-4.5): The win in Kansas City gave Los Angeles a playoff berth, while Baltimore holds on to the last spot in the AFC. Philip Rivers enters 3-4 against the Ravens all-time and 1-4 in Saturday games.

Bengals at Browns (-8.5): Cleveland is looking for its first win at home against the cross-state rivals since 2014 and the first season sweep since 2002. The Week 1 tie with Pittsburgh leaves the Browns teetering on playoff viability, while the Bengals are out.

Bills at Patriots (-13.5): New England can clinch the AFC East with a win, while the Bills will end their season next week. The Patriots have won 13 of the last 15 against their division rivals.

Falcons at Panthers (-2.5): The Panthers might be on the brink of elimination should they lose to the Saints on Monday Night Football. The Falcons’ season is over already. The teams have split the last eight games in Charlotte.

Packers at Jets (PK): Both teams are out of the playoffs. There was a lot of discrepancy on this line across the industry on Monday so value shoppers might want to get in early.

Jaguars at Dolphins (-4): Miami enters needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive, while Jacksonville is out. Ryan Tannenhill is 2-1 in his career against the Sunshine State rivals.

Vikings (-5.5) at Lions: Minnesota needs to win to keep its playoff hopes alive, while Detroit is out again. The teams have split the last six at Ford Field. BetStars gives the road team a half-point extra value, while William Hill offers a full point.

Giants at Colts (-9): Should the Ravens slip in LA, the Colts would be the team to replace them in the wild card slot with a win. The Giants are out, which means all those “ceremonial bets” on them winning the Super Bowl when the books opened in NJ can go in scrapbooks. There’s some value for this game: William Hill and 888Sport offer a half-point extra value on Indy, while Fanduel gives that point to Big Blue.

Buccaneers at Cowboys (-7): Dallas wins the NFC East with a win and Washington loss. Tampa is playing to see if Jameis Winston deserves a new contract. The Cowboys have won four of the last five in the series.

Texans (-1) at Eagles: Nick Foles will get the start again for the Eagles, coming off the shocking win at the Rams as 13.5-point dogs. Houston has never won an NFL game in Philadelphia, going back to the Oilers. Foles steps under center against the team that injured him in 2014, so expect a LOUD stadium.

Bears (-4) at 49ers: Chicago wrapped up the NFC North last week and could work their way into a bye week if they keep winning. San Fran is out. This will be the fifth straight year these teams have met but the first in Santa Clara since 2014, which the Bears won.

Steelers at Saints (-5.5): Both teams lead their divisions, which New Orleans has clinched. Wins against Carolina and Pittsburgh would give them home field throughout, while Pittsburgh could tie up the AFC North with a win and Ravens loss. Expect a high total once we get Big Ben cleared for this thriller.

Rams (-14) at Cardinals: Two Sunday Night losses have the Rams scrambling. They can keep the bye in the playoffs if they win out, but the top seed seems unlikely now. FanDuel posted a big number as the Rams have won four of the last five in this division rivalry.

Chiefs (-2.5) at Seahawks: Both teams were upset by division foes in Week 15, amplifying this game even more. KC can clinch home field advantage with a win and Chargers loss, while Seattle locks up a wild card with a win and teams behind them losing.

Broncos (-2.5) at Raiders: Both teams are out of the playoffs so this is mostly for pride in the old AFL rivalry. Oakland has won the last two at home against Denver. This could also be the last time the Raiders play in the original Black Hole of the Coliseum, considering Oakland is now suing the team (ahhh, just like the old days with Al).

Where to bet on the NFL in NJ

We’re into the last month of the season and the stakes increase exponentially with each week. With three weeks to go, only six teams have been mathematically eliminated from the 2018 NFL playoffs.

In this article, we take a look at the NFL Week 15  slate and the betting odds at legal New Jersey sportsbooks.

(Odds updated 12/16/18)

	DraftKings	BetStars	FanDuel	888sport	SugarHouse
LA Chargers Kansas City	56 -3.5	53 -3.5	52.5 -3	56 -3.5	56 -3.5
Houston NY Jets	-6 41.5	-6.5 41.5	-6.5 41	-6 41.5	-6 41.5
Cleveland Denver	45.5 -3	45.5 -3	45 -3	45.5 -3	45.5 -3
Arizona Atlanta	43.5 -8	43.5 -9.5	43.5 -10	43.5 -8	43.5 -8
Dallas Indianapolis	46 -3.5	46.5 -3	46.5 -3	46 -3.5	46 -3.5
Detroit Buffalo	40 -3	39.5 -2.5	39.5 -2.5	40 -3	40 -3
Green Bay Chicago	47 -5.5	46.5 -5.5	46.5 -5	47 -5.5	47 -5.5
Miami Minnesota	44.5 -7.5	45 -7.5	45 -7.5	44.5 -7.5	44.5 -7.5
Oakland Cincinnati	45.5 -3	46 -3	46 -3	45.5 -3	45.5 -3
Tampa Bay Baltimore	45.5 -8	45 -8.5	45 -8.5	45.5 -8	45.5 -8
Tennessee NY Giants	-1.5 43	-1.5 42.5	-1.5 42.5	-1.5 43	-1.5 43
Washington Jacksonville	36.5 -7.5	36.5 -7.5	36.5 -7.5	36.5 -7.5	36.5 -7.5
Seattle San Francisco	-3.5 44.5	-3.5 43.5	-3.5 44.5	-3.5 44.5	-3.5 44.5
New England Pittsburgh	-2.5 55	-2.5 54.5	-2.5 54	-2.5 55	-2.5 55
Philadelphia LA Rams	52 -12	52 -12.5	52 -13	52 -12	52 -12
New Orleans Carolina	-6 50.5	-6 49.5	-6 50	-6 50.5	-6 50.5

Week 15 betting breakdown

Chargers at Chiefs (-3): Both teams can clinch something with a win. The Chiefs, the only team guaranteed an AFC playoff spot as of now, will take the division with a victory. LA will lock up at least a wild card berth. Currently, the Chiefs are on a nine-game winning streak against the Chargers, the longest in the rivalry’s history.

Texans (-6.5) at Jets: Yep, it’s that time of year. When the NFL gets to take over another weekend day and give fans reasons to shirk responsibilities and watch games. After whiffing on the chance to clinch the AFC South last week, Houston needs this win and a Colts loss to shore up the division crown. They enter having won the last two against the Jets, who are still technically alive for a playoff spot.

Browns at Broncos (-3.5): Both teams are still in the playoff hunt (barely) so this becomes an eliminator game. The Broncos have won every meeting since Cleveland returned to play in ‘99. But this is a new Cleveland team that has won three of five games since Gregg Williams took over for Hue Jackson.

Raiders at Bengals (-3): Despite the late upset of the Steelers in Week 14, Oakland is out of the hunt, while losing Andy Dalton has all but sealed Cincy’s fate. The Bengals have won three of the last four against the Raiders.

Titans at Giants (-2.5): Considerable regional bias, given the Titans are part of the four-team pack chasing the last AFC Wild Card spot and the Giants are, well, chasing ghosts. Tennessee has won four of the last five meetings, including the last two in North Jersey.

Buccaneers at Ravens (-8): The Ravens still hold the final wild card spot in the AFC, tenuously, while the Bucs tenuously hold on to hope. Baltimore has won the last three over Tampa.

Lions at Bills (-2.5): The Bills’ late loss to the Jets eliminated them, while the Lions are close to the chopping block as well. Matthew Stafford enters 0-2 against Buffalo and 3-7 against the AFC East in his career.

Cowboys at Colts (-3): Recency bias doesn’t work for Dallas, which can clinch the NFC East with a win or Philly and Washington loss. The Colts need to win to stay in the AFC Wild Card hunt. Dallas has won the last three meetings.

Redskins at Jaguars (-7): Yep, this is a 36 total for an NFL game in the same season two teams covered 63 and then some. The Redskins, who needs this to maintain any wild card viability, have won the last three meetings. No idea who will start under center as of Monday.

Dolphins at Vikings (-8): Both teams will need wins to stay alive in wild card hunts. Not a lot of books had this on their boards Monday ahead of the MNF game between Minnesota and Seattle. Miami has won the last three in this series.

Packers at Bears: No prices on this game as of Monday morning. Chicago can clinch the division with a win if Minnesota loses Monday night at Seattle or against Miami in Week 15. Green Bay has won nine of the last 10 in this rivalry.

Cardinals at Falcons (-8.5): Atlanta has won the last eight at home against Arizona, going back to 1994. No variation in pricing at the NJ sportsbooks to open the week.

Seahawks (-5.5) at 49ers: Look for more prices and perhaps a jump in the spread based on Monday night’s result. Seattle looks to make it 10 in a row against their division rivals.

Patriots at Steelers: No prices were set for this game on Monday as we await an update on Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger. Pittsburgh blew a big chance to inch closer to a higher seed in Week 14, as did New England. The Pats have won the last four regular season meetings.

Eagles at Rams: A lot of the sizzle in this big rematch was lost when the Eagles lost in Dallas. Philly can still make a wild card berth if they win out and get help, while LA has clinched the NFC West but still wants homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. The Eagles have won the last five meetings, dating back to 2005.

Saints (-6.5) at Panthers: The Saints have wrapped up the NFC South and can win out to clinch homefield advantage. Carolina needs a win to stay in the Wild Card hunt. The division rivals have split the last six regular season games at the Superdome, with New Orleans winning the last two and the Wild Card round game last year.

Where to bet on the NFL in NJ

Tired of all that Christmas music (this early)? Well this week, put on an album celebrating 35 years of killer licks and sweet lyrics. I’m talking about ZZ Top’s hit machine Eliminator.

Week 14 in the NFL has some matchups that certainly evoke that title. Like the big tracks on that album, the rivalries stand the test of time and get better with age. So bust out your hi-fi or 8-track and let’s turn up the volume. Here are the lines for the slate of games at New Jersey sportsbooks.

(Odds updated 12/9/18)

	DraftKings	BetStars	FanDuel	888sport	SugarHouse
Jacksonville Tennessee	38 -4	37.5 -4.5	37.5 -4	38 -4	38 -4
Atlanta Green Bay	50 -3.5	50 -3.5	50 -3.5	50 -3.5	50 -3.5
Baltimore Kansas City	50.5 -6.5	50 -6.5	50 -6.5	50.5 -6.5	50.5 -6.5
Carolina Cleveland	47 PK	47.5 PK	-1 47.5	47 PK	47 PK
Indianapolis Houston	49.5 -4	48.5 -4.5	49.5 -4	49.5 -4	49.5 -4
New England Miami	-8.5 48	-9 48.5	-9.5 48.5	-8.5 48	-8.5 48
New Orleans Tampa Bay	-9.5 54.5	-10 54.5	-10 55	-9.5 54.5	-9.5 54.5
NY Giants Washington	-3 40.5	-3 40.5	-3 40.5	-3 40.5	-3 40.5
NY Jets Buffalo	37.5 -4.5	37.5 -4.5	37 -4.5	37.5 -4.5	37.5 -4.5
Cincinnati LA Chargers	48 -15	48 -15	48 -15	48.5 -15	48.5 -15
Denver San Francisco	-3 45	-3.5 44.5	-3 45	-3 45	-3 45
Detroit Arizona	-2.5 40.5	-2.5 40.5	-2.5 40.5	-2.5 40.5	-2.5 40.5
Philadelphia Dallas	45.5 -3.5	45.5 -3.5	45.5 -3.5	45.5 -3.5	45.5 -3.5
Pittsburgh Oakland	-9.5 50.5	-10 51	-10.5 51	-9.5 50.5	-9.5 50.5
LA Rams Chicago	-3 51	-3 51	-3 51.5	-3 51	-3 51
Minnesota Seattle	45.5 -3.5	45.5 -3	45.5 -3	45.5 -3.5	45.5 -3.5

Where to bet on the NFL in NJ

Week 14 betting breakdown

Jaguars at Titans (-4.5): Tennessee, which needs a win to stay in the AFC wild card hunt, gets the edge from the books here having won three straight and five of the last six against its division rivals. The low total (38 at open) harkens back to the 9-6 barnburner earlier this year in Jacksonville.

Falcons at Packers (-3.5): Interestingly, this is the third straight meeting between the teams at Lambeau that happens on Week 14. Both teams are coming off embarassing home losses in Week 13. This opened at Packers -6 early in the week and then dropped to -3.5 at most books as of Sunday morning.

Ravens at Chiefs (-6.5): Baltimore has won the last three in KC, although the teams haven’t met at Arrowhead since Andy Reid took over in 2013. This line didn’t move much during the week and will likely close short of a full touchdown despite most of the public money coming in on the Chiefs.

Panthers (-1) at Browns: “Sharp Dressed Man” Cam Newton leads Carolina into this must-win game on the road for their playoff chances. The Panthers opened as two point favorotes but it was a pick at a few NJ books on Sunday.

Colts at Texans (-4): Houston, on a nine-game winning streak, has only won one of the last five times hosting Indy, but this current version of the Texans has ripped off nine straight wins.

Patriots (-9) at Dolphins: New England can clinch the AFC East with a win. Miami has won three of the last five hosting the Pats. This line held at Pats -7.5 for much of the week but there was some steam on New England during the weekend.

Saints (-10) at Buccaneers: Again, New Orleans can clinch the NFC South with a win against Tampa, which has won the last two meetings at home. Tampa also won the first meeting between these two teams in Week 1 of this season.

Giants (-3) at Redskins: The Mark Sanchez experience continues in Washington, leaving the Redskins as home dogs against the Giants. Odell Beckham was ruled out on Saturday but the line only moved half a point.

Jets at Bills (-4.5): The Bills get the recency bias after thumping the Jets at the Meadowlands last month. This opened at Bills -3.5 and slowly moved to -4.5 over the course of the week.

Broncos (-3.5) at 49ers: Denver can stay in the playoff hunt with a win over the eliminated Niners. Case Keenum has lost both appearances against San Fran in his career.

Bengals at Chargers (-15): Philip Rivers enters 2-4 against the Bengals but has yet to face them since moving to LA. The FanDuel look-ahead line last week was LAC -13, but Cincinnati once again failed to cover at home against Denver and the Chargers looked impressive in a comeback win at Pittsburgh.

Lions (-2.5) at Cardinals: The Lions need a win to keep their fading playoff hopes alive. Arizona is flying high after beating Aaron Rodgers at Lambeau.

Eagles at Cowboys (-3.5): Philly has won four of the last five at Jerruhworld, but stock on Dallas is high after a win over the Saints. These numbers will move if the Birds defend home turf against Washington on Monday night and show their drive to repeat still has legs.

Steelers (-10.5) at Raiders: Oakland has won all three meetings between the two historic rivals since moving back from LA. Two losses to the Raiders’ AFC West rivals (Chargers, Broncos) may have Tomlin and Big Ben humming “Under Pressure.”

Rams (-3) at Bears: LA enters with the best record in football and the NFC West clinched. Chicago is fighting for a division title and gets the return of Mitchell Trubisky at QB.

Vikings at Seahawks (-3): Big game to establish order in the NFC wild card race, where Seattle has a good grip on the top slot. Minnesota benefits the most from the NFC East maelstrom but hasn’t won in Seattle since 2006.

We start the first of five December weekends of NFL action here in Week 13. That’s right, only five weeks remain in the regular season!

As of now, nothing has been decided. Around 20 teams are still fighting for the 12 playoff spots. Let’s take an early look at the Week 13 lines at New Jersey sportsbooks.

(Odds updated 11/30/18)

	DraftKings	BetStars	FanDuel	888sport	SugarHouse
New Orleans Dallas	-7.5 53	-7.5 53	-7 52.5	-7.5 53	-7.5 53
Arizona Green Bay	44.5 -13.5	44.5 -14	44.5 -14	44.5 -13.5	44.5 -13.5
Baltimore Atlanta	48.5 -1.5	48.5 -1.5	49 -1	48.5 -1.5	48.5 -1.5
Buffalo Miami	40 -3.5	40 -3.5	40 -3.5	40 -3.5	40 -3.5
Carolina Tampa Bay	-3.5 55.5	-3.5 55	-3.5 55	-3.5 55.5	-3.5 55.5
Chicago NY Giants	-4.5 N/A	-3.5 44.5	-3.5 44.5	-4.5 N/A	-4.5 N/A
Cleveland Houston	48 -6	47.5 -5.5	48 -5.5	48 -6	48 -6
Denver Cincinnati	-4.5 43.5	-5 44	-4.5 44	-4.5 43.5	-4.5 43.5
Indianapolis Jacksonville	-4.5 47.5	-4 47	-4 47.5	-4.5 47.5	-4.5 47.5
LA Rams Detroit	-9.5 54.5	-10 54.5	-10 54.5	-9.5 54.5	-9.5 54.5
Kansas City Oakland	-14.5 55.5	-15 55	-15.5 55.5	-14.5 55.5	-14.5 55.5
NY Jets Tennessee	40.5 -7.5	40.5 -8.5	40.5 -8	40.5 -7.5	40.5 -7.5
Minnesota New England	48.5 -5	49.5 -5	48.5 -5.5	48.5 -5	48.5 -5
San Francisco Seattle	46 -9.5	46 -10	45.5 -10	46 -9.5	46 -9.5
LA Chargers Pittsburgh	51.5 -3.5	51.5 -3.5	52 -3.5	51.5 -3.5	51.5 -3.5
Washington Philadelphia	45 -6	45 -6.5	45 -6	45 -6	45 -6

Where to bet on the NFL in NJ

Week 13 betting breakdown

Saints (-7) at Cowboys: Drew Brees enters 5-3 against Dallas. He can clinch the NFC South with a win and Panthers loss this week. Bettors could find some early value on the Cowboys at FanDuel, while BetStars give a half-point to the under on Monday.

Cardinals at Packers (-14): FanDuel was the only book with a line on this game as of Monday morning. When was the last time the Cardinals won in Wisconsin? It was 1949 when the franchise was in Chicago.

Ravens (-2.5)  at Falcons: Baltimore has managed to keep its neck in front of the crowded race for the last AFC Wild Card slot. The teams have split the previous four games in the rivalry. Initially, only FanDuel had this game on the board Monday as we await the status of Joe Flacco. DraftKings opened the game at BAL -2.5.

Bills at Dolphins (-6): Buffalo swept the two December matchups last season, defeating Jay Cutler. The last three seasons have seen sweeps in this rivalry, with the Bills taking both in 2015 as well.

Panthers (-3.5) at Buccaneers: Carolina has won three straight and nine of 11 in against their division rivals. Keep an eye on this one all week as it could potentially move on and off that key number at different books.

Browns at Texans (-6): Houston has won the last four against Cleveland. This could be a value game between two hot teams after the Monday night game. There’s some disparity at the NJ operators early in the week.

Broncos at Bengals (-1.5): Two big upsets have put Denver in the 5-6 bunch chasing the last playoff spot. FanDuel was the only book offering this game on Monday as Andy Dalton’s status remained unknown.

Colts (-3.5) at Jaguars: Indy has won the last three in Jacksonville. DraftKings, PlaySugarHouse and 888Sport offered some value to the under at open.

Rams (-9.5) at Lions: To clinch the NFC West, the Rams need to win in Detroit for the first time since 2009. FanDuel offered some value on the home team at open.

Chiefs (-15) at Raiders: The Chiefs, coming off a bye, are 6-1 in the last seven against their rivals. There was some value to grab on Monday: DraftKings and PlaySugarHouse gave a half-point to the Chiefs, while FanDuel gives a half-point to Oakland.

Jets at Titans (-7): The Jets have won two straight in this series, but Tennessee has won two of the last three at home. The lines could jump in this game one they’re posted: William Hill was the only book to list this on Monday at TEN -9.5.

Vikings at Patriots (-4.5): Minnesota’s win over Green Bay slots them back in the Wild Card, while New England sits second in the AFC. Tom Brady won the only match-up against Kirk Cousins in 2015 when Cousins played in Washington.

49ers at Seahawks (-10): Seattle is the first team currently on the outside of the NFC Wild Card race, but they’ve got time to sort through the chaos. The Hawks have won the last eight against San Francisco.

Chargers at Steelers (-3.5): Pittsburgh has won eight of the last 10 regular season games against San Diego. This meeting is a big one for two playoff contenders.

Redskins at Eagles (-6.5): This feels like an eliminator for the NFC East title. Philly swept last year, while Washington took both in 2016. Watch this line as the injury reports come out during the week.

Happy Thanksgiving! This might be one of the best weeks of the year — three days of work, one day of gluttony, then a weekend full of sports to help resist these societal impulses to buy frivolously.

The NFL races are starting to take form and each game increases in magnitude. Let’s take a look at the spreads and totals at the New Jersey sportsbooks for Week 12.

(Odds updated 11/25/18)

	DraftKings	BetStars	FanDuel	888sport	SugarHouse
Chicago Detroit	-2.5 44	-3 44	-2.5 44	-2.5 44	-2.5 44
Washington Dallas	40.5 -7	40.5 -7	40.5 -7	40.5 -7	40.5 -7
Atlanta New Orleans	59.5 -12.5	60 -13	59.5 -13	59.5 -12.5	59.5 -12.5
Cleveland Cincinnati	46 -1	46.5 -1	46 -1.5	46 -1	46 -1
Jacksonville Buffalo	-3 37	-3 37	-3 37	-3 37	-3 37
New England NY Jets	-11 46	-12.5 46.5	-13 46.5	-11 46	-11 46
NY Giants Philadelphia	49.5 -4	49 -4	49 -5	49.5 -4	49.5 -4
Oakland Baltimore	42 -12	42 -12.5	42.5 -12	42 -12	42 -12
San Francisco Tampa Bay	54.5 -2	54.5 -2	54.5 -2	54.5 -2	54.5 -2
Seattle Carolina	46.5 -3	46.5 -3	46.5 -3	46.5 -3	46.5 -3
Arizona LA Chargers	43.5 -13.5	43 -14	43 -14	43.5 -13.5	43.5 -13.5
Miami Indianapolis	52 -9	51 -8	51.5 -9	52 -9	52 -9
Pittsburgh Denver	-3 47	-3 47.5	-3 47.5	-3 47	-3 47
Green Bay Minnesota	47.5 -3	47.5 -	47.5 -3.5	47.5 -3.5	47.5 -3.5
Titans Texans	41.5 -4	41.5 -4	41.5 -3.5	41.5 -4	41.5 -4

Where to bet on the NFL in NJ

Week 12 betting breakdown

Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 22)

Bears (-2.5) at Lions: Good test for the mettle of this Bears’ team on a short week against a team they beat two weeks ago. However, this time they might have to do with without Mitch Trubisky. Most of the early money at BetStars is coming in on the Lions: 66% on the moneyline and 90% on the spread as of Wednesday.

Redskins at Cowboys (-7): Alex Smith’s injury puts Washington behind the eight ball in this one. We’re assuming Colt McCoy will start at QB after he fell just short of completing a comeback against Houston on Sunday. Dallas was getting 99% of the bets on the moneyline and 89% of spread bets at BetStars as of Wednesday morning.

Falcons at Saints (-13): The Saints haven’t lost since they got upset in the opener by Tampa. Bettors at BetStars are wagering heavy on the Saints moneyline (90%), Falcons spread (86%) and the over (80%) as of Wednesday.

Thursday through Sunday only! Get a FREE $50 BET at BetStars NJ when you sign up for an account

Sunday (Nov. 25)

Browns at Bengals (-1): Feeling dangerous about backing the Browns on the road? Their last win in the series was in Cincinnati in 2014. Andy Dalton enters a career 11-3 against the Browns. But this is a new regime in Cleveland.

Jaguars (-3) at Bills: This was a playoff game last year, remember? The Bills are coming off a bye and the Jags nearly upset Pittsburgh at home. The low total is worth keeping an eye on if you want to bet an over/under this week.

Patriots (-11) at Jets: Give Belichick and Brady two weeks to stew over an embarrassing loss at Tennessee and unleash them against a rookie QB? Reminder: Brady is 25-7 all-time against the Jets. Might be why FanDuel moved this all the way to -13 as of Sunday morning.

Giants at Eagles (-4): Two teams on opposite trajectories in a division that’s completely up for grabs. This opened at Philly -5 and moved to -6 as of Wednesday, then back to -4 as the weekend approached.

Raiders at Ravens (-12): The Ravens looked pretty good running the ball without Joe Flacco last week. The Raiders look like a literal mutiny, even after beating Arizona on the road. As of Monday, Oakland was getting a full point extra value at FanDuel. But watch for the line to move if Flacco is cleared to play.

49ers at Buccaneers (-2): Jameis Winston won his 2016 start in San Fran with three touchdown passes. Good chance to earn that contract extension here.

Seahawks at Panthers (-3.5): Carolina has been a much better team at home than on the road, facing a team coming cross country but with extra rest. Seattle has won five of the last six in this rivalry.

Cardinals at Chargers (-14): Two teams coming off close, late losses last week. Books were consistent with the spread and total across the board on Monday. The line moved from 11.5 to 13 as of Wednesday.

Dolphins at Colts (-9): These two teams are part of a 5-5 logjam for the last AFC wild card spot. Andrew Luck has split two starts against Miami, although he hasn’t faced them since 2013.

Steelers (-3) at Broncos: Big Ben enters 1-2 in the regular season against Denver. DraftKings, PlaySugarHouse, and 888Sport gave the hook to the Broncos at open.

Packers at Vikings (-3.5): Rematch of the September tie between these two division rivals. Both teams are coming off losses.

Titans at Texans (OFF): Tennessee has struggled with consistency while Houston gets the heavy recency bias from their win streak. The game was listed on a few boards Monday and then removed on Tuesday.