2016 NFL Week 7 Opening Line Report
Tragic news from Pittsburgh this weekend. Steelers franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger suffered a torn meniscus in Sunday’s loss to the Miami Dolphins. The veteran QB had arthroscopic surgery to repair his injured left knee on Monday, leaving him sidelined indefinitely. Coach Mike Tomlin stated that there is no timetable for Roethlisberger’s return, but announced that backup Landry Jones will start Sunday against the Patriots.
On a brighter note, two teams coming off a bye week might get key starters back. Tampa Bay running back Doug Martin (hamstring) and Minnesota wide receiver Stefon Diggs (groin) have missed time due to injury, but there is hope both players could return to the field after some much-needed rest. You can track the status of these players by visiting our free NFL injury page.
Below are all of the opening and current lines for Week 7 from Bookmaker compared to the lookahead lines that CG Technology posted back in April
| Matchup | Current Line (10/18) | Opening Line (10/16) | Look Ahead (4/21) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHI at GB | GB -9 | GB -9 | GB -9 |
| NYG vs. LA* | NYG -2.5 | NYG -3 | PK |
| MIN at PHI | MIN -2.5 | MIN -2.5 | MIN -1.5 |
| NO at KC | KC -7 | KC -6.5 | KC -8 |
| WAS at DET | DET -1 | DET -1 | DET -1 |
| CLE at CIN | CIN -9.5 | CIN -10 | CIN -11.5 |
| BUF at MIA | BUF -3 | BUF -3 | MIA -1 |
| OAK at JAX | JAX -1 | JAX -1 | PK |
| IND at TEN** | TEN -3 | TEN -2 | IND -3.5 |
| BAL at NYJ** | NYJ -1 | NYJ -1 | NYJ -4 |
| SD at ATL | ATL -6.5 | ATL -6 | ATL -3 |
| TB at SF | TB -1.5 | TB -2.5 | PK |
| NE at PIT** | NE -7 | NE -7 | N/A |
| SEA at ARI** | ARI -2 | ARI -2.5 | ARI -1 |
| HOU at DEN** | DEN -7.5 | DEN -6 | DEN -6.5 |
*Game will be played in London
**Game was initially off the board
Roethlisberger’s injury had a significant impact on the line and early public betting trends. Pittsburgh is currently receiving just 11% of spread bets—their lowest level of public support we have tracked since 2003—and are 7-point home underdogs against New England. The Steelers are 10-4 ATS (+5.46 u) under Mike Tomlin when a QB other than Big Ben is under center, so there is some reason for optimism.
Week 7 features the second of three games in London this season, and the first ever at Twickenham Stadium. This game was originally a pick ’em in the lookahead lines at CG Technology, but at the time of publication the Giants are 2.5-point favorites at Bookmaker.
The largest discrepancy is in the Colts-Titans game, where Indianapolis moved from -3.5 to +3. The Colts entered the season as favorites to win the AFC South, but could find themselves out of the playoff race if their lackluster play continues. Early action indicates that bettors are backing the Titans. Tennessee has received over half of early spread bets and spread dollars, which has moved the Titans from -2 to -3 at Bookmaker. While it is still early in the week, this is a trend that is worth monitoring.
There has also been some early action in the Seahawks-Cardinals, which has similarly impacted the line. Seattle opened as 2.5-point underdogs at Bookmaker, yet they have received over 75% of early spread bets and dollars. Not only are the Seahawks one of the most public teams in the league, but they are coming off an impressive 26-24 win over the Atlanta Falcons in a potential postseason preview. This one-sided action has caused the visiting Seahawks to move from +2.5 to +2.
These numbers are subject to change before kickoff, so bettors should be sure to visit our free NFL odds page for the latest lines, injuries, public betting trends and more.
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