Last Updated on October 3, 2010 11:45 am by Anthony Rome
NFL Week 4 Public Betting Report
Which side is the public on in the big Ravens-Steelers matchup in Week 4? What about the Redskins-Eagles showdown in Philly? Read on to check out our public betting report.
Tail or fade? Some bettors have made a habit of fading the public, which is why we’ve made things simple and have compiled the public’s top 5 favorites for Week 4 in the NFL. (For updated public betting information, check out our NFL Public Betting Information Page.)
The Public’s Top 5:
1) Houston Texans –3 84% (28,081 wagers)
2) Indianapolis Colts –7 83% (30,396 wagers)
3) New York Jets –6 81% (29,473 wagers)
4) San Diego Chargers –9 81% (25,108 wagers)
5) Cincinnati Bengals –3 76% (30,597)
Analysis
It’s no surprise that once again, the public is on the favorites. Oddsmakers from online sports book BroburySports.com have made the Texans 3-point favorites over the Raiders and the public must love how low the line is for that contest. That said, Andre Johnson is hurt and may not play, so keep that in mind. Houston also has the second-to-worst defense in the league and Bruce Gradkowski has actually given Oakland a spark. Be careful with road teams laying points – especially given how banged up the Texans are.
The Colts are in Jacksonville to take on the struggling Jaguars, but this is another game to be weary of. This will be the second straight week Indy will hit the road and for some reason, the Jags usually give them trouble. Obviously the Colts have the superior team, but laying a touchdown on the road is risky business – even if you do have Peyton Manning on your side.
The Jets are yet another road favorite that the public loves this week, as they’ll take on their AFC East rivals, the Bills. But again, be cautious of the trap. The Jets are on the road for the second straight week and could be due for a letdown. Buffalo has struggled mightily thus far, but it did hang with the Patriots last week and covered as a double-digit road underdog.
The Chargers take on the worst 2-1 team in the league this week when they host the Cardinals. San Diego has been awfully inconsistent to date, but the Bolts did wax the Jaguars in their only other home game of the year. Look for San Diego to bounce back against a dreadful Arizona team.
The Bengals are the fourth team out of the public’s top five that will lay points on the road this week. At 0-3, the Browns aren’t anything to write home about but they’ve been due. Carson Palmer looks like he’s in the decline and if Cleveland can generate some offense against a suddenly stingy Cincinnati defense, it could win outright.