NFL Week 15 Bad Beats

betus.com.pa

20 December 2022

Bad Calls, Moves and Defeats

NFL Week 15 was littered with bad calls, moves and beats. In this column, we highlight the worst of the bunch that determined the outcomes of games and, in turn, betting tickets.

By the stats: The favorites had a stellar outing behind a 13-2-0 straight-up (SU) record but they went only 7-8-0 against the spread (ATS). Home favorites went 7-8-0 SU and just 4-11-0 ATS while the over went 8-7-0 in total betting through the first 15 games (this includes Thursday Night Football).

Below, we dive into the week’s action. In the main, we’re spotlighting the bad beats and backdoor covers that shaped key outcomes at the sportsbook betting exchange. Basically, the good, the bad and the ugly of Week 15 NFL picks against the spread, straight up and in totals.

Let’s check the latest NFL picks, stats, injury reports, and NFL predictions. We’ve plenty of NFL expert picks for you to consider.

Week 15 NFL Betting Highlights

The Houston Texans (+14) were the biggest home underdogs to cover in a 30-24 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs
The Jacksonville Jaguars (+5) were the biggest home underdogs to win and cover in a 40-34 upset over the Dallas Cowboys
The New York Giants (+4½) were the biggest road underdogs to win and cover in a 20-12 win over the Washington Commanders
The Cincinnati Bengals (-3½) were the biggest road favorites to win and cover in a 34-23 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Colts on the Wrong Side Of History

The Minnesota Vikings (-3½) orchestrated one of the most memorable comebacks in the history of the NFL, climbing out of a 33-0 first-half hole for a stunning 39-36 win over the Indianapolis Colts.

It marked the biggest come-from-behind win in the game, a spectacular collapse that will follow the Colts’ organization forever more. Ironically, it also marked the second time Matt Ryan found himself on the wrong side of history. The first time was Super Bowl LI, when the New England Patriots stormed back from a 28-3 hole, erasing the 25-point deficit to win 34-28.

The Minnesota Vikings completed THE BIGGEST comeback victory in THE HISTORY of the NFL! Here’s how they did it… #kfanvikes #vikings pic.twitter.com/dpuJ4wrLRG
— KFAN1003 (@KFAN1003) December 18, 2022

Indianapolis’ backers were two quarters away from cashing big, especially on the moneyline with the Colts closing as the +180 bet to win outright. Historical trends pointed to an almost certain win until Kirk Cousins and Co. made history.

Cousin’s heroics, an inspired offensive effort, and dogged defending from the Vikings turned the tables on the Colts in spectacular fashion. When all was said and done, Minnesota Moneyline bettors were rewarded while Indianapolis side bettors emerged winners in the narrow defeat.

Raiders’ Wild Win

What happened at the end of the New England Patriots vs Las Vegas Raiders game will go down in history as one of the wildest, wackiest endings in the history of the NFL. And, potentially, one of the worst bad beats of the season.

The Raiders were up 17-3 by halftime before the Patriots got back into it. Well, getting back into is an understatement as they allowed New England to put up 21 answered points to take the 24-17 lead.

The Patriots (+2½) were about to close on the win but a dubious Raiders touchdown saw them tie the game with less than a minute on the clock. The game delicately poised on a 24-24 tie with 32 seconds left on the clock, Patriots’ bettors still had a reasonable hope of rescuing the game in overtime– until they didn’t.

New England called a draw play that went horribly wrong. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson lateraled to receiver Jakobi Meyers along the right sideline. Meyers badly underthrew a pass intended for Mac Jones, delivering it instead into Chandler Jones’ expectant clutches and the Raider’s defensive end ran it back for 48 yards for the game-winning touchdown. Thus, stunning the Patriots and their backers across the board.

Still trying to recover from the ending of that Patriots vs Raiders game ��@KennyAlbert and Jonathan Vilma offer their thoughts on how things went down! pic.twitter.com/uQtEJK4mpN
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 19, 2022

Jags Stun Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys (-5) looked to be in the driver’s seat as they went up 21-7 and then 27-10 over the Jacksonville Jaguars early on. But then they gave up three quick touchdowns to let the Jaguars back into the game and take the 31-27 lead in the fourth quarter.

The Cowboys responded with a touchdown to move back in front (34-31) in the final three minutes. On Jacksonville’s ensuing drive, Trevor Lawrence fumbled the ball with 90 seconds left, giving Dallas possession and the chance to ice the game.

Instead, the Cowboys inexplicably went three-and-out to give the ball back to the Jaguars with plenty of time to move down the field and set up for a game-tying field goal that would send the game into overtime,

With the win on the line, Dak Prescott threw a pick-six, gift-wrapping the DUB for the Jaguars to the delight of their fans. It goes without saying, Dallas’ backers were left wanting.

WALKOFF. PICK 6.
JAGUARS TAKE DOWN THE COWBOYS IN OT. ��
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 18, 2022

Divine Intervention Helps Lift Buffalo to Victory

The forecast called for snow in Saturday Night Football between the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills. It took its time to arrive, but when it did, it proved to be the difference-maker that tipped this game in favor of the hosts.

Miami (+7) was up 29-21 early in the fourth quarter before the flakes started to cascade down onto Bills Stadium. On Buffalo’s ensuing possession, Josh Allen marched the Bills methodically down the field for the game-tying score. Along the way, the Bills got lucky when they recovered Allen’s fumble to keep the drive alive. Then, they were further lucky when a roughing penalty moved them closer to the goal line, and two plays later, a touchdown pass to Dawson Knox and a successful two-point conversion saw the Bills tie the game 29-29.

Miami clearly struggled in the snowy conditions as its next possession went nowhere, thus giving the ball back to the Bills for one last final drive. Buffalo didn’t waste it. Allen and Co. bled whatever time was left on the clock as they marched down the field and then set up for a game-winning field goal.

Bass called game. ��#MIAvsBUF | #BillsMafia
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) December 19, 2022

All told, Miami moneyline bettors were left wanting as the win slipped through their fingers. But side bettors came through with the cover, small consolation though it was.

Washington Steps Out of Line

Washington was robbed by bad calls and poor reffing, so say Commanders’ backers following a controversial 20-12 loss to the New York Giants on Sunday Night Football.

Washington bettors were on tenterhooks as the game came down to the final drive. With the Commanders literally on the cusp of the goal line, facing a third-and-goal on the 1-yard line, Taylor Heinicke fed rookie running back Brian Robinson the ball, who punched it into the end zone. But the refs called an illegal formation penalty on wideout Terry McLaurin, which effectively negated the touchdown and moved the Commanders five yards back.

If that wasn’t bad enough, on the next play, Heinicke’s pass to Curtis Samuel in the end zone went incomplete, but upon closer inspection, it looked like the refs missed an obvious defensive pass-interference penalty that would have given Washington another crack at it.

For Washington’s backers, that was the ultimate bad beat in a divisional game with far-reaching playoff implications.