How NFL Underdogs Became the Leaders of This Season
The NFL season is in full swing, and it has been a fascinating one so far. Teams expected to do well have stumbled, while underdogs have overtaken the league. What has caused this power shift? This blog post will look at why NFL underdogs are leading the pack this season. Betting on NFL underdogs proved lucrative last season; from the looks of it, they’re already off to a strong start this season too. With more and more states allowing online sportsbooks to offer their services, there are now better options than ever for US players who want to find the best NFL betting sites. If you’re looking for an underdog story, look no further.
In-Depth Look at NFL Underdog Records
Underdogs have been doing great this season, with 20 straight-up wins netting bettors multi-unit profits.
If you’ve been betting on NFL underdogs, you’ve probably had a good run this season. With upsets like the Jaguars beating the Colts in Week 2 and then the Colts beating the Chiefs in Week 3, riding the dogs has been great for NFL wagerers this year.
The big underdogs (+10 or more) have yet to have any success this year. So far, in 2022, ten-point dogs are 0-4. This Super Bowl is definitely looking to be an interesting one.
Underdogs scenarios
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Indianapolis Colts
Since the team acquired a 14-0 lead over the Eagles in Week 4, the Jaguars’ offence could have been more effective, with Trevor Lawrence struggling after
starting 2022 so well. Some observers might say that Lawrence has regressed to his 2021 form, throwing risky passes that appear misguided at the moment.
Why is this an underdog scenario?
The Colts defense has looked good this season, but their offense lags way behind. Indianapolis scored a combined total of 32 points in its two wins. It put 17 on the board in a Week 4 loss to Tennessee, managed 20 points in a season-opening tie with Houston, and, most importantly, got shut out by the Jaguars in Week 2. It’s going to be hard for the underdogs to pull off another win against a team that they’ve already beaten once.
In addition, The Jaguars need to figure things out eventually, and a game against the Colts could be just the thing Lawrence needs to regain the confidence he had in the first month of the season.
Rushing and passing ratings for Jacksonville place the team in the middle of the league, with 13th yards per game. The Jaguars will go up against the Colts, a team that holds eighth place in total defense and fourth place in run defense, which is their best chance if Doug Pederson’s team desires a victory with fewer points.
New England Patriots vs Cleveland Browns
The Patriots‘ fourth-round rookie quarterback, Bailey Zappe, and the team’s defense gave an unheard-of result: a shutout against Detroit–the league’s No. 1 offense going into Week 5.
The Browns’ defense needs to be more challenging, more reliable and, most importantly, have an identity they can be proud of. The Cleveland Browns have had a tough first few weeks of the season, giving up significant gains in the passing game, allowing Atlanta to run right through their defense in Week 4, and then failing to stop either element of offense in a Week 5 loss. On the defensive side, the Browns traded for Deion Jones (on the reserve/designated to return list) this week and signed his former Falcons teammate, defensive tackle Tyeler Davison, to the practice squad.
Despite Cleveland’s recent string of poor luck, there is one bright spot: Nick Chubb. So far this season, the NFL’s top rusher has been the Browns’ best
player, and he is primed for another great game against New England’s 22nd-ranked rushing defense.
Dallas Cowboys vs Philadelphia Eagles
Despite what Mike McCarthy said last week about his team not being anyone’s underdog, they proved it with a win over the defending champions. They have an even stricter opponent ahead of them this weekend, though.
Being undefeated, having a top-four offense and defense, and recently winning a tight game against the Cardinals puts the Eagles in a great position as they return home.
Dallas’ defense has been shutting down opposing offenses all season, with a ranking of third in scoring defense and seventh in yards allowed overall as well as passing yards allowed. Against the run, this defense ranks 19th. However, it has yet to matter much due to the Cowboys’ propensity for putting their opponents behind schedule.
Micah Parsons, who has 24 QB pressures– the most in the NFL — is leading the way for the Dallas Cowboys. They are only allowing 14.4 points per game on average, which Next Gen Stats says is their lowest score through Week 5 since 1994. That was when they had a 12-4 record and won. They’ll need to beat the Eagles if they want to win the division for a second time. Although their backup quarterback, Cooper Rush, is starting on Sunday, they have a plan to help them succeed.
Buffalo Bills vs Kansas City Chiefs
The top two AFC teams from last season’s Divisional Round will face off again, and both come in with a lot of good energy. They have identical 4-1 records and offenses that can score more points than any team in the NFL.
Considering the defense, Buffalo is likely to win. The team’s ranking – first in points allowed, second against the run and fourth against the pass- has been one of the league’s best, despite not being fully healthy yet. In contrast, Kansas City has had trouble defending against the pass, coming in at 24th place. Last week, Josh Jacobs ran for 154 yards and one touchdown on 21 carries.
The previous meeting between these two teams has impacted the psychological state, especially Buffalo. They dominated Kansas City in their regular-season matchup last year but failed to do as well in the postseason–a loss that undoubtedly still bothers them.
Josh Allen may be the MVP favorite, but we would trust Patrick Mahomes to win a game like this more than any other quarterback. The Chiefs have become an offense that spreads the wealth and reaps the benefits, and even against this defense, we can see them finding success.
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