VEGAS BETTING REPORT: NFL Underdogs Turn Week 3 Upside Down as Backup QBs Deliver

Case Keenum’s performance for the Chicago Bears in their Monday Night Football win was another reminder that oddsmakers have mis-priced backup quarterbacks all season, Craig Mucklow, vice president of trading at Caesars Sportsbook, said. Case Keenum of the Chicago Bears celebrates after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles in the game at Soldier Field on Sept. 28 in Chicago. (Image: Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) “The Eagles drew heavy support in a perceived No. 1 versus No. 3 quarterback mismatch, but with backups now 7-3 straight up, the bigger mistake has been in the original numbers, not the betting that followed,” he said. The Bears, without starting quarterbacks Caleb William and Tyson Bagent, both out with injuries, turned to 38-year-old Keenum, who hadn’t started a game since 2024, when he was with the Houston Texans. Backup Quarterbacks Beat Expectations Keenum led the Bears to a 27-7 win over the Philadelphia Eagles Monday (Sept. 28), going 24-of-34 for 247 yards and two touchdowns. Chicago entered the game as 3.5-point underdogs. The Seattle Seahawks went 2-0 with Drew Lock at quarterback while Sam Darnold was injured. The New York Giants won with Jameis Winston at quarterback on Sunday (Sept. 27), but are 1-1 overall. The Atlanta Falcons, with Cooper Rush, were 0-2. The Minnesota Vikings, led by Carson Wentz, went 2-0. On Sunday, the Washington Commanders, led by Marcus Mariota at quarterback, upset defending champion Seattle 33-31. Then Monday night Chicago beat Philadelphia, with Keenum. Keenum Stuns Favoured Eagles “Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good,” said Mucklow. Week 3 was a rough week for several sizable favorites – Green Bay Packers (-4.5), Seattle Seahawks (-8.5), Cincinnati Bengals (-2.5), Carolina Panthers (-1.5) and the Eagles (-3.5) all lost outright. San Francisco won but failed to cover -7.5, while the Detroit Lions also failed to cover -7.5. “Today’s (Sept. 27) results were a mixed bag,” said Joey Feazel, head of football at Caesars Sportsbook. “The Lions and Bills’ big performances delivered for bettors, and we once again found ourselves cheering for Deshaun Watson and the Browns on a Sunday. Ultimately, the Browns came through for the book, and it will be interesting to see whether that result earns Cleveland any support from bettors when the Browns return to primetime on Thursday (Oct. 1) against a divisional rival (Pittsburgh Steelers). Big Favourites Fall Hard “Marcus Mariota and the Commanders holding on was another favourable key result for the book, as Seattle’s moneyline had become a popular addition to parlays throughout the week.” Underdogs also showed some real bite in Week 3. The Falcons (+4.5) pounded the Packers 35-14; the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Cincinnati Bengals, the Cleveland Browns defeated the Carolina Panthers, and the Commanders and Bears won. The Buffalo Bills’ 24-16 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, the Lions’ 31-24 win over the New York Jets, and the 49ers’ 36-30 win over the Arizona Cardinals were the biggest results for bettors. Late Overs Reward Bettors The Commanders’ win over Seattle and the Minnesota Vikings’ 23-16 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the biggest results for the book. “The later afternoon games turned into an Over bettor’s dream, with points piling up and Totals cashing across the board,” said Feazel. “The final field goal in the 49ers-Cardinals game added one last win for bettors by securing the Arizona cover. The quiet 3-0 Vikings provided some relief for the book, extending their winning streak and delivering another favorable result. Touchdown Parlays Deliver “Ravens-Cowboys action in Rio (34-31 Ravens’ win) was lighter than anticipated, which was surprising for a game in a window that normally attracts the week’s largest handle. The bettors who did show up largely backed the Over, and they were rewarded.” Feazel added that on the player prop front, nine of the ten most-backed players found the end zone, turning touchdown parlays into a steady stream of winning tickets. “It was a dream Sunday (Sept. 27) for player prop bettors,” he said. The post VEGAS BETTING REPORT: NFL Underdogs Turn Week 3 Upside Down as Backup QBs Deliver appeared first on Casino.org.