Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com
The NFL’s stretch run begins annually after the American Thanksgiving holiday weekend, and that’s where we are this Sunday in Week 14. With no bye weeks or multiple games on Thursday as last week, there are 14 games on Sunday, the most in weeks.
Will the Atlanta Falcons have superstar receiver Julio Jones for their game against the visiting Carolina Panthers? The Falcons didn’t have Jones last Thursday night in a loss to the New Orleans Saints and Matt Ryan certainly missed him. Jones was a game-time call so he seems more likely than not to play in this NFC South matchup.
Carolina has been eliminated from the division title race and fired coach Ron Rivera on Tuesday, the second head coach fired in the NFL this season. The Panthers were upset at home in Week 11 by the Falcons, 29-3. Jones had six catches for 91 yards, but the Atlanta defense was the story in intercepting Kyle Allen four times. This time, the Falcons are 3-point favorites. They are 0-4 ATS in their past four games as favorites.
It will be third-string quarterback and undrafted free-agent rookie David Blough under center again for the Detroit Lions when they visit the Minnesota Vikings. The Lions, 12.5-point underdogs for Sunday, are 3-8-1 and on a five-game losing streak but believe it or not have led at some point in every game this season. With starter Matthew Stafford possibly out for the season due to a back injury and backup Jeff Driskel recently landing on injured reserve, Blough got the start last Thursday in a 24-20 home loss to Chicago. Blough threw a 75-yard TD on his first regular-season NFL pass but slowed down after a fast start.
The Vikings were 37-30 losers in Seattle on Monday night in a game with huge playoff implications. Minnesota goes for the season sweep of the Lions, winning 42-30 in Detroit in Week 7 behind four touchdown passes from Kirk Cousins. Stafford was still healthy then and threw for four TDs as well. The Vikes have won and covered the past four in the series.
The Sunday night game features the Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Rams. These teams usually play close, down-to-the-wire games. Both were that way last year, with the Rams sweeping. The Seahawks beat Los Angeles 30-29 in Week 5 this season on a late Russell Wilson touchdown pass and thanks to a last-second field goal miss by Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein. Seattle is a small 1-point favorite and has covered six of its past seven road games. It is the only road team unbeaten straight up this year.
