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NFL betting preview: Week 14 lines, totals

Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images Sport / Getty

After uncovering some betting tips and releasing our five best plays for the weekend, let's dig into the line and total moves for Sunday's slate.

New York Giants at Washington Redskins

Opening odds: WAS -1 / 42.5

Current odds: NYG -3 / 40

The Redskins quickly went from betting favorites to 3.5-point underdogs against the Giants after Mark Sanchez was named the starter over an injured Colt McCoy. The market moved the line down to -3 following the news on Saturday that New York ruled out wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. with a quad injury.

Atlanta Falcons at Green Bay Packers

Open: GB -4 / 47.5

Current: GB -4.5 / 51

Weather was a factor last weekend at Lambeau Field, but the conditions should be more favorable Sunday when the Falcons travel to take on the Packers. Though Atlanta has gone under the total in the previous four and Green Bay in five of the last six, the number shot all the way up to 51.5 during the week before settling in at 51 on Sunday morning.

New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Open: NO -7.5 / 58

Current: NO -9.5 / 54.5

There should be some rain in the forecast when the Saints meet the Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium for the second matchup of their respective regular seasons. That's likely the reason this total has experienced one of the biggest dips of the slate, down 3.5 points from the opener. Expect the 'books to be rooting for the Bucs, as four times more bets came in on New Orleans at MGM resorts as of late Saturday night.

Baltimore Ravens at Kansas City Chiefs

Open: KC -8.5 / 52.5

Current: KC -6.5/7 / 51.

Quarterback Lamar Jackson will look to make it 4-0 as a starter when he and the Ravens hit the road to play the Chiefs. This spread has hovered between -6.5 and -7.5 all week, crossed through -7 on multiple occasions, and bettors could find both 6.5 and 7 available as recently as Sunday morning. The total topped out at 53 but saw a significant bump back down to 51 on Friday.

Carolina Panthers at Cleveland Browns

Open: CAR -2.5 / 46.5

Current: PK / 47.5

The Panthers were one-point favorites over the Browns for a majority of the week before shops hung a variety of prices - numbers ranged anywhere from Carolina -1.5 to Cleveland -1 on Saturday night. The stagnant total finally saw a slight jump from 47 to 47.5 late in the week. Both teams are down key players as Panthers kicker Graham Gano and Browns cornerback Denzel Ward were ruled out with respective injuries.

Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans

Open: HOU -4 / 49.5

Current: HOU -4.5 / 50

The Texans own the league's longest winning streak at nine games and will welcome a Colts offense that was blanked last weekend against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Colts come in banged-up, with 13 players on injured reserve and four more out for Sunday. Wide receiver T.Y. Hilton is a game-time decision.

New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins

Open: NE -7.5 / 47.5

Current: NE -8 / 48.5

As is the case in the Saints-Buccaneers game, weather could be a factor in Miami when the Dolphins play host to the Patriots. Hard Rock Stadium is expected to be dry but winds could swirl up to 16 mph during game time. The total dropped to 47 during the week but shot back up to 48.5 over the weekend, and New England hit -8 early Sunday morning.

New York Jets at Buffalo Bills

Open: BUF -3.5 / 38

Current: BUF -4 / 37.5

Perhaps the stalest game on the docket for Sunday has also been one of the least active movers in terms of numbers. The Bills stuck as 3.5-point favorites until early Saturday morning when some shops moved them to -4. That night, it was reported Buffalo was getting four times as many bets on the spread than the Jets were.

Denver Broncos at San Francisco 49ers

Open: DEN -3.5 / 44

Current: DEN -3.5 / 45

A close game between the Broncos and 49ers could come down to which number bettors scooped up over the week. The Broncos opened as 3.5-point favorites and were bet all the way up to -6 before slowly falling back down during the week. Denver is a huge side for the public for the second straight week, with four times as many bets on the Broncos than the Niners as of Saturday evening.

Cincinnati Bengals at Los Angeles Chargers

Open: LAC -14 / 47

Current: LAC -14.5 / 48

Most sportsbooks kept the Chargers as 14-point favorites over the struggling and depleted Bengals before finally moving L.A. up to 14.5 and even 15 in some outlets. Cincinnati will give Jeff Driskel his second start of the season.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Oakland Raiders

Open: PIT -11 / 51.5

Current: PIT -10 / 51.5

Very rarely does the betting market trust the two-win Raiders, but perhaps last week's narrow loss to the Chiefs inspired some confidence. Oakland was bet down from 11-point underdogs to +10 earlier in the week as it welcomes the Steelers, who will be without running back James Conner.

Detroit Lions at Arizona Cardinals

Open: DET -2 / 40.5

Current: DET -3 / 40.5

This one will feature a Lions club that has dropped five of the last six, going up against an injury-riddled Cardinals team coming off the biggest win of its season at Green Bay. Detroit hit -3, went down to -2.5, and hopped back to a three-point favorite Saturday afternoon. Lions running back Kerryon Johnson didn't practice all week and is slated to miss his third straight game.

Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys

Open: DAL -3.5 / 43

Current: DAL -3 / 45

As the market shapes one of the biggest games of the slate, the Cowboys are giving the standard three points at home when they host the Eagles for a high-stakes NFC East divisional clash. Dallas hit as high as -4.5 in some places before settling back as a three-point favorite over the weekend. The total has also seen some "over" money, rising from 43 to 45.5 before coming down to 45.

Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears

Open: LAR -4 / 54

Current: LAR -3 / 51

Two NFC contenders meet on prime time as the Rams take on the Bears and Soldier Field's below-freezing temperatures on Sunday night. Chicago has scored points in bunches at home this season and might have to trade punches with an L.A. offense that ranks No. 2 in the NFL in scoring. The home team will get back Mitch Trubisky under center, though bettors who assumed the incumbent would be back likely grabbed a better number earlier when the Bears were getting four points.

Alex Kolodziej is theScore's betting writer. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 11 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AlexKoIodziej.

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