The Patriots are a very popular football team. They also happen to be really the only great football team in the league. So it shouldn't be surprising that people are all over them this week against the Bills in a game where Buffalo is missing lots of players.
Since Tom Brady came back, New England's been crushing people pretty regularly, including the Browns, Bengals and Steelers. Next up is a divisional opponent that previously beat New England, which means they should come out angry. Also: they are hard to defend. That's probably why a ridiculous 88 percent of bets on this game are on New England.
Also receiving bets this week? The Raiders (77 percent), Bengals (72 percent), Jets (65 percent), Chiefs (64 percent) and Cowboys (64 percent). Let's look at the numbers and check out the rest of the odds from Week 8.
NFL Week 8 early odds
(All lines via VegasInsider.com)
Redskins vs. Bengals in London (Opening line: Bengals, -6 points)
Current line: Bengals, -3 points. Kirk Cousins is wearing sunglasses at night in order to prepare for the time change and the move to London, so you should probably take the Bengals.
Packers at Falcons (Opening line: Falcons, -3 points)
Current line: Falcons -3 points. Total shootout coming in this one and Vegas just doesn't know what's going to happen, because Vegas doesn't know whether to believe in the Packers offense or not. Hence the lack of line movement.
Lions at Texans (Opening line: Texans, -3 points)
Current line: Texans, -2.5 points. This line makes zero sense because the Lions looked great last week and the Texans were humiliated in Denver on Monday night. That Brock Osweiler performance cannot be unseen. And yet 57 percent of the bets are on Detroit and the line hasn't really moved. Hmmm.
Seahawks at Saints (Opening line: Seahawks, -3 points)
Current line: Seahawks, -2.5 points. If ever there were a way for Russell Wilson and the porous Seattle offensive line to get healthy, it's going against the Saints defense. New Orleans can't stop anyone, bless their hearts. Fifty-four percent of the bets are on the Seahawks and the line has shifted towards New Orleans.
Patriots at Bills (Opening line: Patriots, -4 points)
Current line: Patriots, -6 points. It's hard to go against the Pats in a revenge game from earlier this year (Buffalo shutout New England without Tom Brady), especially with Brady back and now 3-0 ATS since his return. A whopping 88 percent of the bets in this one are on New England.
Jets at Browns (Opening line: Jets, -2 points)
Current line: Jets, -3 points. No real movement in the most exciting game of the year.
Raiders at Buccaneers (Opening line: Buccaneers, -1 point)
Current line: Buccaneers, pick 'em. So this line was Tampa Bay favored, in a very similar fashion to the Raiders-Jaguars game from last week. Obviously everyone is all over Oakland -- 77 percent of the bets are coming in on Derek Carr and the Raiders. But this is back-to-back weeks playing East Coast games in Florida, and Oakland's defense isn't great. Tampa Bay is nice value here.
Chiefs at Colts (Opening line: Chiefs, -3 points)
Current line: Chiefs, -2.5 points. The Chiefs are what the Titans are: a team that can pound the ball and put pressure on a quarterback. But they're also what the Titans are not: well coached and smart. Sixty-four percent of the bets are on Kansas City.
Chargers at Broncos (Opening line: -6.5 points)
Current line: Broncos, -4.5 points. This line is plummeting and it's not surprising. Everyone is on the Chargers thanks to San Diego beating Denver last time these teams matched up (two weeks ago), despite Denver dominating against Houston this past week.
Cardinals at Panthers (Opening line: Pick'em)
Current line: Panthers, -3 points. Most of the bets (58 percent) are on the Cardinals in this one, probably because the Panthers are 1-5. Not a bad reason. But Arizona is coming off a very physical game against the Seahawks and traveling across the country on a short(er) week.
Eagles at Cowboys (Opening line: Cowboys, -4.5 points)
Current line: Cowboys, -4.5 points. No change here. Just a matchup of future Tom Brady versus future Peyton Manning. Sixty-four percent of the bets are on the Cowboys, because they are the Cowboys.
Vikings at Bears (Opening line: Vikings, -4.5 points)
Current line: Vikings, -4.5 points. No change here either, despite the addition of Jay Cutler. Which probably says something about Jay Cutler. Eighty-four percent (!) of the bets are on Minnesota, which is a very interesting number considering the lack of movement.
