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NFL Week 18 Line Movement – Updated Odds, Spreads, and Betting Lines

Robert Duff

by Robert Duff in NFL Football

Updated Jan 7, 2022 · 6:49 AM PST

NFL Week 18
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) talks with Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr after the Chargers defeated the Raiders 28-14 in an NFL football game Monday, Oct. 4, 2021, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
  • Week 18 of the NFL season gets underway on Saturday, January 8 with two games on tap
  • Which betting line has moved the most since opening? What’s the smallest spread of the week?
  • All of the wagering information on every NFL game is listed below

It’s the last week of the NFL regular season and in Week 18, there are a lot of balls in play. Several of the 16 games on the docket will either determine playoff participants, or at the very least, playoff positioning. This includes a win and they’re in game between the Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers.

In fact, only two of the Week 18 games – the Washington Football Team at the New York Giants and the Chicago Bears at the Minnesota Vikings – feature no teams that still hold at the minimum the potential to be postseason players.

Which games are looking to be the biggest movers and shakers in NFL Week 18 line movement? Let’s look at that. First, though, check out how the NFL odds are moving for Week 18.

NFL Week 18 Odds

Matchup Opening Spread Current Spread Opening Total Current Total
Chiefs vs Broncos KC-9.5 KC-11.5 44.5 45.5
Cowboys vs Eagles DAL-2 DAL-4.5 41 43.5
Packers vs Lions OFF GB-3.5 OFF 44.5
Bears vs Vikings MIN -3.5 MIN-5.5 44.5 43.5
Patriots vs Dolphins NE-5.5 NE-6 40 40
Colts vs Jaguars IND-14.5 IND-15.5 44 44
Jets vs Bills BUF-17 BUF-16.5 45.5 41.5
Panthers vs Buccaneers TB-9.5 TB-8 42.5 41.5
Titans vs Texans TEN -11.5 TEN -10 OFF 43
Washington vs Giants WAS-6.5 WAS-7 38.5 38
Saints vs Falcons NO-4.5 NO-3.5 41 40
Steelers vs Ravens BAL-4.5 BAL-4.5 42 41.5
Bengals vs Browns CLE-3 CLE-6 44 38
Seahawks vs Cardinals ARI-6.5 ARI-6.5 48 48
49ers vs Rams LAR-5.5 LAR-4 44.5 44.5
Chargers vs Raiders LAC -1.5 LAC -3 47.5 49.5

Odds as of January 7th at FanDuel

Bengals Suffering from Browns Out

A lot of starters figure to get at least some time to rest during NFL Week 18 as playoff scenarios turn into reality. To date, no game is seeing more certainty when it comes to key players sitting out than the AFC North clash between Ohio rivals the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals.

With the AFC North title clinched, the Bengals plan to be resting quarterback Joe Burrow. He’s nursing both a sore knee and a damaged pinkie finger. As well, running back Joe Mixon (COVID-19) is definitely out. Cincinnati might also opt to give a sitdown to starting offensive linemen Trey Hopkins and Quinton Spain, as well as defensive end Trey Hendrickson and safety Vonn Bell. All are nursing injuries.

Out of the playoffs, the Browns will sit out QB Baker Mayfield. He’ll be requiring offseason surgery on a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder. That puts backup Case Keenum under center.

Regardless, oddsmakers are throwing their lot with the Browns. Cleveland opened as the 3-point home chalk. With the disruption in the Cincinnati lineup, the spread has grown to Browns -6. That’s the largest spread move of Week 18.

Reverse Total Movement

When it comes to the biggest total move of Week 18, the movement is remaining in the state of Ohio. The over/under on the Bengals-Browns game opened at 44 points.

With all of the roster upheaval on both sides of the line of scrimmage, it’s causing a seismic shift in the wrong direction for the total on this game. It’s now been lowered to 38 points, a six-point reduction.

Paying the Bills

The Buffalo Bills and massive point spreads go together like . . . well, Buffalo and snowstorms. Sunday, as the Bills seek a win to wrap up the AFC East title for the second successive season, they will do so as 16.5-point home favorites over the New York Jets. It’s actually lowered a tick from the opening line of Buffalo -17 but it remains the largest point spread of Week 18.

This will be the seventh game this season that the Bills are the double-digit chalk. So far, Buffalo is 3-1-2 against the spread in this scenario. Each of the Bills’ last 17 wins were fashioned by margins of 10+ points. That’s the longest stretch of such victories by an NFL team since 1950.

See Which Teams Are Resting Starters in Week 18 and Other Injuries Before Making Bets
Read More

Low-Scoring Games Are Anticipated

Oddsmakers clearly are expecting that the defenses will rule the day on the majority of fields during NFL Week 18. For the first time all season, no total is crossing the 50-point barrier.

Only one game is managing to get beyond 45.5 points. That’s the massive playoff showdown slated for Las Vegas between the hometown Raiders and the visiting Chargers.

These long-time AFC West rivals have played many a major game in the past and the total for this one is set in the belief that opposing QBs Justin Herbert of the Chargers and Derek Carr of the Raiders are going to light up the scorebaord.

The total on this game opened as the highest number at 47.5 points. It’s since grown to 49.5 points. Between them this season, the Chargers have gone over nine times. The over has won the total battle in seven Raiders games.

Big Total, Small Number

While NFL betting sites are looking for the Raiders-Chargers game to pile up points, let’s be clear about another facet of this game: the expectation is that both teams will be scoring.

The total may be big for this game but the point spread is tight. The Chargers opened as the 1.5-point favorites. At that point, it was the smallest spread of Week 18.

Even though the line has grown to Chargers -3, it’s still holding forth and clinging to that honor.

The Raiders and Chargers are accustomed to playing close games. Four of their past five games were decided by margins of a touchdown or less.

Two Tie for Tiny Total

There’s a deadlock in Week 18 for the tiniest total. As mentioned earlier, the battle of backup QBs between Cleveland and Cincinnati is checking in with a total of 38 points.

Joining them with a 38-point total is the NFC East game between Washington and the New York Giants. Both the Giants (Jake Fromm) and Washington (Taylor Heinicke) are also going with backups under center.

It’s the second week in a row that the Giaints game is featuring a total of less than 40 points.

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