CAROLINA AT NY GIANTS: Not much passion about this one. Sharps took Carolina +7 when it was available. If the line goes back up to +7 on game day because of public action on the Giants, they'd probably step in again. I'm seeing mostly +6 and +6½ right now. No interest in the total.
MIAMI AT BUFFALO: Miami was bet up from -2 to -3, as most sharps are pretty skeptical about the Bills this year. An opening total of 38 is up to 39. Early season weather is usually pretty nice in Buffalo, so the totals guru's aren't afraid to take Overs.
ATLANTA AT PITTSBURGH: Atlanta opened at pick-em. You're seeing anywhere from -1½ to -2 as we go to press. Some sharps think Dennis Dixon will be fine at QB for the Steelers. Others are trusting him in two-team teasers at +7½ or +8 points, but not at the regular game spread. The totals guys have hit the Under hard. An opener of 41 is way down to 37½.
DETROIT AT CHICAGO: Support for Detroit and Over here based on the Preseason. The Lions started showing signs of life, so they inspired sharps to take +7 (it's +6½ now in most places). The total has moved up from 42½ to 44 on the assessment that Mike Martz will add points to Chicago games...and that Matthew Stafford is getting better for the Lions.
CINCINNATI AT NEW ENGLAND: Cincinnati +6 was a popular sharp play. We're now seeing +4½ everywhere. The Bengals did make the playoffs last year, and did add Terrell Owens in the offseason. Some sharps experimented with Under bets a few weeks ago, but bought off them once it was clear in Preseason games that both offenses had potential to move the ball very effectively.
CLEVELAND AT TAMPA BAY: Tampa Bay has been bet from -1 up to -3. Some of that is support for the hosts...and some of that is sportsbooks keeping the line at three to discourage teaser bets on Cleveland at +2½. I'm not currently getting the sense that sharps are enthusiastic about either team in the immediate future, though that could change with this result.
DENVER AT JACKSONVILLE: Here's another game where sportsbooks are deciding whether or not they want the teaser action. If they don't, Jacksonville is -3. If they do, Jacksonville is -2½. Please se my article earlier this week for a deeper explanation about how "basic strategy" teaser betting has influenced the regular lines. Support on the Under here, with an opener of 42 coming down to 40.
INDIANAPOLIS AT HOUSTON: Houston was +3 awhile back, but is now +2. Sharps took some spankings going against Peyton Manning in recent years. They know Jeff Saturday is out at center though...and that the Colts are less effective when that's the case. Houston is a popular teaser bet for sure, and sharps who got +3 are happy about it. If the public comes in on Manning Sunday morning to drive the line back to a field goal, sharps will back Houston again.
OAKLAND AT TENNESSEE: Oakland's been getting some good press out here in Nevada as a team that could improve this season. They were +7 at first, but the line is down to +6. I've told you in the past that Reno and Las Vegas are like "home" cities for Raiders fans in terms of support in local sportsbooks. Square money may start influencing Raiders lines this year if they do start to play better ball.
GREEN BAY AT PHILADELPHIA: Green Bay was one of the more popular of the sharp bets through the summer. The opener of pick-em is now up to Green Bay -3, with little buy back on the underdog at +3. That tells you the sharps really like what they're seeing so far with the Packers. The total has jumped from 46 to 47½, and it's rare to see Over bets this early in the season from sharps. You saw how hard they bet the Under in Minnesota/New Orleans the other night.
SAN FRANCISCO AT SEATTLE: Another big move here from the summer openers. San Francisco has gone from +1 up to -3. Sharps were skeptical initially about the hiring of Pete Carroll from USC. The more they watched of Preseason, the more skeptical they got. Also note that there hasn't been any buyback here on the dog yet.
ARIZONA AT ST. LOUIS: The total has come down here from 42 to 39½. Sharps aren't optimistic about Derek Anderson thriving right away for Arizona, or Sam Bradford hitting the ground running as a rookie QB for St. Louis. That sentiment showed up as totals action rather than team side action.
DALLAS AT WASHINGTON: Dallas is the sharp side at -3, but we're seeing a line above a field goal in most places. The total has dropped from 43½ down to 40 (and lower in some spots). Donovan McNabb is going to play hurt, which suggested to sharps that this wasn't going to be a high scoring shootout.
BALTIMORE AT NY JETS: Sharps don't think much of the Jets offense. That hasn't changed from last season. The opener was Jets -3, with a total of 37½. We're now seeing Jets by just 2½ and a total of 35½. Baltimore is a popular teaser choice too because every point you move the line is more valuable in a low scoring game. It will be interesting to see what the public does on game day Monday, with the Jets appearing on HBO's "Hard Knocks" all summer.
SAN DIEGO AT KANSAS CITY: Support on Kansas City has brought the line down from San Diego -5½ to San Diego -4½. I mentioned during my summer divisional write-ups that many sharps are skeptical about San Diego this year, and looking for value with Oakland and Kansas City in the AFC West. That showed up here as KC money.
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