NFL's biggest betting mismatches: Week 10
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Each week, Monty Andrews breaks down some of the underlying betting mismatches on the National Football League slate, giving you an inside edge when handicapping the schedule and setting your daily fantasy lineup.
Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals (+5.5, 41.5)
Seahawks' lack of discipine vs. Cardinals' ability to draw flags
The Seattle Seahawks are no longer the best team in the NFC West - shockingly, that monicker now belongs to the Los Angeles Rams. But the Seahawks can begin the climb back to the peak with a victory Thursday against the division-rival Arizona Cardinals. Seattle is favored by nearly a touchdown in this one, but the Cardinals have been far more disciplined this season than the Seahawks - and that might be the kind of advantage that could prove to be an equalizer.
Seattle has gotten in its own way more than any other team in the league this season, racking up a mind-boggling 82 accepted penalties through its first nine games - nine more than the second-place New York Jets. The Seahawks' 673 accepted penalty yards also pace the NFL, and they're a distant 32nd in penalty flag margin (minus-31) and penalty yards differential (minus-232). Seattle picked up a whopping 16 penalties for 138 yards in last weekend's 17-14 home loss to the Washington Redskins.
Winning the penalty flag battle could prove difficult against a Cardinals team that has had an advantage in that area for the majority of the season. While Arizona ranks in the middle of the pack with 55 accepted penalties, the Cardinals have drawn 68 flags - tied with Miami for the most in the league - for 566 yards, fifth-most overall. Arizona's plus-13 flag differential ranks third in the NFL - and a similar edge this weekend could put the Cardinals in position for an upset win.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Indianapolis Colts (+10, 44)
Steelers' potent pass rush vs. Colts' poor QB protection
The Pittsburgh Steelers are well-rested and ready to get back to their Super Bowl quest - and this week looks like a tasty matchup, as they're giving away double-digit points to the Colts in Indianapolis. Pittsburgh reeled off three consecutive victories heading into its Week 9 bye, and rolls into Indiana facing a Colts team that just learned it will be without franchise quarterback Andrew Luck for the remainder of the season. Look for Pittsburgh's pass rush to capitalize on an Indy O-line that ranks among the league's worst.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and the rest of pittsburgh's offense has been up-and-down through the first half of the season, but the defense has been one of the league's most consistently elite units in football. The Steelers come into Week 10 with 26 sacks; only Jacksonville, Carolina and Dallas have more. Pittsburgh has eight sacks during its three-game run, while the Steelers' offensive line has surrendered just one sack over that same span.
Heaven help the Colts, who will send Jacoby Brissett back under center this weekend. Indianapolis quarterbacks have been sacked 36 times so far this season, the highest total in the league; the Colts allowed just 44 sacks all of last season, and even that total was fifth-highest in the NFL. Brissett was taken down three times in last week's stunning win over the Houston Texans - and the Colts won't be so lucky if they can't protect their quarterback against one of the NFL's fiercest pass rushes.
Los Angeles Chargers at Jacksonville Jaguars (-4, 41)
Chargers' leaky run D vs. Jaguars' elite ground game
The Jacksonville Jaguars suddenly have division title aspirations as they look to remain atop the AFC South standings with a victory this weekend against the visiting Los Angeles Chargers. Normalcy should return to the Jaguars' locker room after rookie running back Leonard Fournette was benched in Week 9 for a series of team violations. The Jaguars will need Fournette in the fold to take full advantage of the Chargers' questionable run defense.
The Chargers have limited opponents to just 19 points per game so far, but they should consider themselves fortunate in that regard given how much they have struggled against opposing rushers. Los Angeles ranks 28th out of 32 teams in yards per carry (4.6), 29th in rushing first downs allowed per game (7.0) and 31st in rushing yards against per contest (135.1). The Chargers have only given up five rushing scores, but that will change if they don't tighten up against the run.
This might not be the week the Chargers get right. The Jaguars boast the league's most potent rush attack, ranked first in yards per game on the ground (166.5) and second in yards per carry (4.8). And Jacksonville knows where its proverbial bread is buttered; it ranks first in the NFL in rush play percentage (52.9) and first in total rushes per game (34.8). It's no secret what the Jaguars' game plan will be - and the Chargers might not be equipped to do much about it.
Dallas Cowboys at Atlanta Falcons (-3, 50.5)
Cowboys' interception avoidance vs. Falcons' flailing secondary
Dak Prescott and Matt Ryan were two of the top quarterbacks in the NFL last season. But, while Prescott has picked up right where he has left off, Ryan is scrambling to regain his 2017 form as he and the Falcons welcome Prescott and the Cowboys on Sunday. While there's still a possibility that the Cowboys will lose running back Ezekiel Elliott to suspension at some point, Prescott's play has put bettors' minds at ease - and should continue to do so against a subpar Atlanta secondary.
The Cowboys registered the third-fewest interceptions in the NFL last season with six - and while they're on pace to surpass that total in 2017, it won't be by much. Prescott has had just four passes picked off through his first eight games of the season; only four teams have fewer interceptions. Prescott's consistency has been remarkable; he has completed between 63.5 and 64 percent of his passes in each of the past three games, without throwing an interception in any of them.
Don't expect Prescott's INT total to climb against the Falcons, who come into Week 10 with a paltry two interceptions - ranking 31st out of 32 NFL teams. Atlanta's one interception return yard - that's right, one - is also 31st in the league. The Falcons also rank in the bottom half of the league in passes defended (33), while Prescott has had just 27 passes defended - tied for seventh-fewest in the NFL. It should be a low-pressure kind of day for Prescott, which could give the Cowboys a pivotal edge.
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