Why Are the Giants and Jets Still Considered Underdogs?
The Giants are 8 ½-point favorites against the Detroit Lions.
There’s good news for the New York Giants, on the field and off it.
Good news in any sport.
The bad news, it seems to me, is that despite their status as a divisional road dog and an NFC East team whose only playoff appearance in seven years doesn’t fit the traditional definition, the Giants are considered to be the underdogs in their next game, against the Detroit Lions, according to the betting lines.
New York is a 14 ½-point favorite at home and the same at home against the Indianapolis Colts.
The Giants are an overwhelming favorite against the Minnesota Vikings, a 6 ½-point underdog at home, and again a 6 ½-point favorite at home.
The Giants are a 13 ½-point favorite against the Buffalo Bills and a 6 ½-point favorite against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
New York is another 11 ½-point favorite against the Washington Redskins, a 6 ½-point underdog at home, and a 5 ½-point favorite at home against the Green Bay Packers.
The Giants are a 7 ½-point favorite against the Cleveland Browns, an 8 ½-point favorite against the Kansas City Chiefs, a 7 ½-point favorite against the Philadelphia Eagles, a 5 ½-point favorite against the Miami Dolphins and a 7 ½-point favorite against the Tennessee Titans.
As the last line of evidence, check this out:
The New York Giants are a 10 point favorite at home against the San Francisco 49ers. The Lions are a 24 point favorite at home, and the Giants are a 22 point favorite at home against the Detroit Lions.
How is it that the Giants are considered the underdogs in their next games when their next three opponents in the NFC East are all legitimate teams that can win — yes, “a lot” — the division?
I can think of three reasons:
1. Because