Behind the Counter: NFL Week 14 betting results and action report, Chargers cap off big week for sportsbooks

Nick Musial

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Behind the Counter: NFL Week 14 betting results and action report, Chargers cap off big week for sportsbooks image

After the betting public had one of its better weeks with favorites posting a profitable ATS mark, could they build on it with another strong week?

Each Monday, we'll discuss the weekend that was with Phill Gray, head of trading for Sports Interaction, breaking down the most notable results and whether they went in favor of the house or the bettors.

Week 14 NFL Betting Action Report

Unfortunately, Week 14 was a forgetful one for the betting public, as Sports Interaction racked up their highest hold of the season, profiting in every game.

Mayfield leads late comeback on Thursday Night Football 

Despite the Raiders (-6) being in control for the majority of the contest and holding a 13-point fourth-quarter lead, Las Vegas' inability to put away Los Angeles resulted in a crushing 17-16 loss on Thursday Night Football. According to Gray, "75 percent of the action on Las Vegas moneyline set the tone for the week."

The Rams' latest acquisition, Baker Mayfield, got his first action with his new team in the first half after John Wolford got the start. Considering Mayfield was with the team for less than two days, his second-half comeback gives the Rams a glimmer of hope regarding their competitiveness in the coming weeks. 

Lions' notch their fifth win in six games

Sports Interaction's biggest liability of the early slate was on the Vikings (+2). Minnesota opened as -3 point road favorites, but sharp money throughout the week flipped them from favorites to 'dogs.

The Lions proved they deserved to be home favorites over the then-10-2 Vikings, controlling the game throughout and notching a 34-23 victory to keep their playoff hopes alive. Like Gray and many oddsmakers believed, "the Vikings are who we thought they were."

A lot of one-score game luck resulted in the Vikings getting to 10-2, and while they're still a solid team who can make a run in the playoffs, their recent results weren't exactly indicative of how they played in those contests. Detroit meanwhile, has started to play its best football when it matters most.

Panthers take down Seahawks in impressive fashion

The Panthers closed as +4 point road underdogs after opening at +7 and took a good deal of public action at closing. Carolina had its way throughout, leading by as many as 17 points in the first half.

Seattle's starting to fade as the regular season comes to a close, while interim coach Steve Wilks has led Carolina to a 4-4 record following a 1-4 start under Matt Rhule. According to Gray, "the dollar hold on this one was the second biggest of the day."

Jaguars have their way with Titans

Jacksonville rebounded after its blowout loss in Week 13, as Trevor Lawrence led the Jaguars (+3) to a 36-22 road win over the Titans. Jacksonville was bet down to +3 after opening at +4, but the betting public wanted nothing to do with them. The Titans were yet another public side to post a dud, showcasing the lack of an elite team in the AFC South.

Herbert outduels Tua on Sunday Night Football 

To round out Sunday's slate, bettors were hoping to recoup their early losses with a winning ticket on the Miami Dolphins (-3) against the Chargers. Miami didn't have much success on offense, as Tua Tagovailoa's struggles continued for a second straight week.

Tagovailoa got outplayed by Justin Herbert, as Herbert had one of his best games as a pro. Herbert threw for 367 yards on 39-of-51 passing as the Chargers were just the better team on Sunday night.

Los Angeles' 23-17 home win ended a huge week for Sports Interaction, as it was the most heavily bet game of the day, garnering two times as much action as any other game.

Nick Musial

Nick Musial Photo

Nick Musial is a Content Producer at The Sporting News. He recently joined the team after studying sport management and journalism at the University of Kansas. Nick’s an avid sports bettor who’s always looking for value.