NFL Betting: Week 14 Recap and Wagering News

Week 14 was all about the suspense-filled endings. Snowstorms throttled a number of stadiums but everyone kept warm thanks to a number of thrilling finishes that got the blood pumping.

Some of the Wildest Finishes You’ll Ever See

There were some crazy finishes on Sunday and hopefully you didn’t turn off your TV early. It’s an important lesson to bettors that in the NFL, it’s only over once the final whistle is blown.

The Miami Dolphins found that out the hard way as the Pittsburgh Steelers nearly pulled off a lateral throw-it-around-the-field miracle play. With one second remaining in the game and the Steelers down 34-28 on their own 20-yard line, they started throwing the ball around the field until Antonio Brown got loose, weaved through the Dolphins and appeared to have scored a touchdown. The Dolphins got lucky as his left foot barely – and we mean barely – touched out of bounds at the Dolphins 12-yard line. Otherwise, it would have been one of the most epic collapses in NFL history.

Speaking of calamitous collapses, enter the Cleveland Browns, who are known for this sort of thing. They held a 26-14 lead with 2:39 remaining – they can’t blow that, right? The Pats drove down the field quickly and scored their first touchdown with 1:01 remaining. Then the Browns made an egregious error on the onside kick and allowed the Patriots to recover. From there, the Pats scored the go-ahead touchdown with 31 seconds remaining. The Browns managed to get into field goal range one more time but Billy Cundiff’s 58-yard field goal fell just short.

As if those endings weren’t wild enough, NFL football betting fans saw one of the wildest finishes in history in the Baltimore-Minnesota game. It’s the kind of ending that causes heart problems for bettors and fans.

The Ravens trailed 12-7 most of the fourth quarter until they finally – on a fourth down – broke through with a touchdown to go ahead 15-12 (with the two-point conversion). With just 2:05 remaining, playing at home, in the snow, the game is over, right? Wrong. The Matt Cassel-led Vikings got into field goal range just one play after the kickoff and then Toby Gerhart broke free for a 41-yard touchdown run with 1:27 remaining. That put Minnesota up 19-15. So Baltimore is going to lose at home, right? The only problem is that on the ensuing kickoff, Ravens returner Jacoby Jones returned it 77-yards for a touchdown. So, 1:16 left and the Ravens are up 22-19, the game has got to be over. It would have been if the Ravens defense was able to tackle. However, they failed and Vikings receiver Cordarrelle Patterson took a routine five-yard pass and ran it 79 yards for a touchdown to put the Vikings ahead 26-22 with just 45 seconds remaining. Now it’s finally over…it’s got to be, right? Wrong again. There was still enough time for the Ravens to orchestrate one more touchdown drive. Joe Flacco found Marlon Brown for a nine-yard touchdown with nine seconds remaining. If you’re doing the math at home, that’s five touchdowns in the last 2:05 seconds of the game. Absolute craziness. There are no NFL betting tips that prepare you for that situation.

Hopefully you came out on the winning sides of these incredible finishes.

Totals Betting: Snow Can’t Stop Overs

Those betting on the NFL saw a number of stadiums littered with snow this weekend – including in Philadelphia, where it was nearly impossible to see the field – and normally, the initial sentiment is “under”. But that was far from the case as the overs were 10-4 heading into the Sunday nighter.

Significant Injuries to Note

Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots

Gronkowski took a helmet directly to his knee on Sunday and early reports is that he tore his ACL. He wasn’t able to move for a while and was writhing in pain. Those who bet on the NFL should expect him to be out a while – if not the season.

Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings

NFL online betting fans collectively held their breath when Peterson crumpled with what appeared to be another serious knee injury. He had to be carted off the field but early indications is that he escaped anything too serious as he’s been diagnosed with a foot sprain.

Stinging NFL Point Spread Loss of the Week…

The under in the Minnesota-Baltimore game. Coming into the game, the NFL betting odds at Bovada had the total anywhere from 41.5 to 43 this week. With two teams that have often-challenged offenses, you figure that the under is a sure lock. If you took the under with your NFL betting picks, you were mostly right for about 58 minutes. The game entered the fourth quarter with a score of 7-6 but the two teams combined for an incredible 36 points in the final 2:05. Hopefully you didn’t have the under.