NFL Week 9 Opening Odds
(The Spread) – The opening odds are out for Week 9 in the NFL, including the point spreads for a couple of big divisional tilts.
NFC SOUTH SPECIAL
Fresh off their embarrassing loss to the St. Louis Rams in Week 8, the New Orleans Saints will return home with their tail tucked between their legs this Sunday. But there’s no time to sulk with their NFC South Division rivals the Tampa Bay Buccaneers coming to town this week. The Saints have opened as 9-point favorites against the Bucs, who are coming off a bye. It’ll be interesting to see if the betting public hops off the high-powered Saints in exchange for 9 points with a Bucs team that’s fresh and beat New Orleans in Tampa Bay a few weeks ago.
AFC EAST BATTLE ROYALE
If the playoffs were to start tomorrow, the Buffalo Bills would win the AFC East by virtue of their come-from-behind win against the Patriots earlier this season. But the playoffs don’t start tomorrow, which means the Bills need to keep churning out wins if they want to reach the postseason in 2011. They’ll host divisional rivals the New York Jets on Sunday and oddsmakers have installed Buffalo as a 1-point home favorite. The Jets have momentum after beating the Chargers two weeks ago and they should be fresh coming off their bye. That said, the Bills have been unbeatable at home this season at 4-0 (which includes their victory last Sunday against the Redskins in Toronto).
View Latest NFL Week 9 Point Spreads
BEST NON-CONFERENCE TILT
No team wants to face the New England Patriots coming off their bye. Following their loss to the Steelers in Week 8, the Pats will return home to host a New York Giants team that has needed several fourth-quarter rallies over the last couple of weeks to reach 5-2 on the season. The Patriots have opened as 9-point favorites so it’ll be interesting to see if the betting public wants to pay the high price assuming that Bill Belichick and Co. won’t lose back-to-back games. Keep in mind that Eli Manning and the G-Men ruined the Patriots’ perfect season in 2007 and nearly beat them in Week 17 of the regular season that year.
SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL IN THE AFC NORTH
Want hard-hitting, physical action? It doesn’t get any better than Pittsburgh–Baltimore on Sunday Night Football, especially after the way the Ravens harassed the Steelers in Week 1 of the season. It’s payback time for Pittsburgh, which has opened as a 3.5-point favorite over Baltimore at home.
For a complete list of opening odds and totals for Week 9 in the NFL, see below.
2011 NFL Week 9 Opening Odds & Totals
405 Atlanta Falcons –9 (44.5)
406 Indianapolis Colts +9
407 Tampa Bay Buccaneers +9 (51)
408 New Orleans Saints –9
409 Cleveland Browns +10.5 (40.5)
410 Houston Texans –10.5
411 New York Jets +1 (43.5)
412 Buffalo Bills –1
413 Miami Dolphins +5 (39.5)
414 Kansas City Chiefs -5
415 San Francisco 49ers –4.5 (38.5)
416 Washington Redskins +4.5
417 Seattle Seahawks +12 (43.5)
418 Dallas Cowboys -12
419 Denver Broncos +9 (43.5)
420 Oakland Raiders -9
421 Cincinnati Bengals +3 (40.5)
422 Tennessee Titans –3
423 St. Louis Rams +4 (44.5)
424 Arizona Cardinals -4
425 New York Giants +9 (52.5)
426 New England Patriots –9
427 Green Bay Packers -6 (52)
428 San Diego Chargers +6 (52)
429 Baltimore Ravens +3.5 (43)
430 Pittsburgh Steelers –3.5
431 Chicago Bears +8 (41.5)
432 Philadelphia Eagles -8
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