LAS VEGAS – Kyle Orton could be the Chicago Bears' most valuable player this season.
But linesmakers still don’t seem to have much respect for the fourth-year quarterback, who is unlikely to play against Tennessee at home on Sunday because of an ankle injury.
The opening number on the Tennessee Titans-Bears game around Las Vegas Monday morning was Titans -3.
Mike Seba, a senior oddsmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants, said he only would make an adjustment of one-half point between Orton and backup Rex Grossman.
LVSC’s send-out to their various Nevada hotel clients on the Titans-Bears was Tennessee -3. Seba said his company’s oddsmakers were closer to sending out 2 ½ than 3 ½.
“Orton has played well, but as far as an odds perspective his loss doesn’t make that much of a difference,” Seba said.
That statement may be debatable. The Bears seem to possess a swagger and confidence with Orton. They’ve won 12 of Orton’s last 14 starts at Solider Field. Before he got hurt Sunday against Detroit, Orton had thrown 10 touchdown passes in his last five games.
Grossman lacks Orton’s passing efficiency. He doesn’t protect the ball and is about as popular with the Chicago fans as Steve Bartman.
All Tennessee does is win. The Titans are the lone unbeaten team in the NFL. They also had covered in every game until winning by three in overtime against Green Bay this past Sunday as five-point favorites.
Yet the Titans are just favored by a field goal.
“It’s more the situation Tennessee is in,” Seba said about why the spread is three despite the Titans being unbeaten and Grossman most likely starting. “The Titans have been winning a lot of close games.
“Their games are usually low-scoring. It would be hard to make 3 ½. At some point it’s going to catch up to Tennessee. It could catch up to the Titans here in a non-conference road game.”
If the Titans aren’t the best team in football than the New York Giants certainly are. But the Giants don’t seem to be getting the proper respect either. They are three-point road underdogs to division rival Philadelphia.
Seba made the Giants a 1 ½-point favorite, but admits his line was wrong. LVSC’s recommendation was Eagles -1 ½.
The Giants are off satisfying hard-played victories against Pittsburgh on the road and hated rival Dallas at home. The Eagles are healthy at wide receiver and Donovan McNabb is on pace to throw for a career-best 4,356 yards.
The Eagles are two games behind the Giants in the NFC East, making this a crucial matchup for them.
“I think three is too high, but Philadelphia has to be the favorite,” Seba said.
Detroit, Cincinnati, Kansas City and Oakland are the worst teams in the NFL. Right near them, though, is Seattle. The Seahawks haven’t been competitive without starting quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, who probably isn’t going to play again this week against Miami because of a lingering back injury.
The Seahawks also could be missing two of their best defensive players for a second consecutive week, pass rushing star Patrick Kerney and middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu.
Miami opened nine-point chalk versus Seattle. The Seahawks are making their third West Coast to East Coast trip for a day game. They’ve been outscored in their first two against Buffalo and the Giants, by a combined margin of 78-16.
“That game probably will close 10,” Seba said. “There is no way anyone is going to bet on Seattle.”
Some offshores opened Arizona a whooping 11-point home favorite against San Francisco in the Monday night game. The line had come down to Cardinals -9 ½ by late Monday morning.
The Cardinals were 10-point favorites against San Francisco and Atlanta last year, failing to cover in each of those contests. Those have been the only instances where Arizona has been favored by more than nine points this decade.
This is San Francisco’s lone scheduled national television appearance. The 49ers have a new coach, fiery Mike Singletary, and new starting quarterback, Shaun Hill.
“I think San Francisco will be more competitive with a new coach and quarterback,” Seba said. “The 49ers are off a bye. I think 10 is the right number, but you have to be real careful with double-digit favorites.”