NFL Preseason Odds Preview: Packers, Falcons Week 2 Favorites

Week 2 of this NFL exhibition season kicks off Thursday night with a pair of games, with a half-dozen more to follow Friday.

A couple of playoff qualifiers from last season hook up Thursday as the Atlanta Falcons host the Cincinnati Bengals. The Falcons are trying to make it back to the playoffs for the third straight season, something that's never been done in franchise history.

The Bengals, meanwhile, will be trying to make it two straight playoff appearances with young Andy Dalton at QB. Neither Dalton nor Atlanta QB Matt Ryan is likely to see much action Thursday and the NFL preseason odds 'heavily' favor the Falcons (4.5 points qualifies as a big spread in exhibition games).

Also Thursday the Green Bay Packers and their slew of Aaron Rodgers back-ups host the Cleveland Browns and their rookie starting QB Brandon Weeden.

As of Thursday morning, most online sportsbooks were listing the Packers at -3 over the Browns, and the Falcons at -4.5 over the Bengals.

For Friday's NFL betting action the Buccaneers, under new head coach Greg Shiano, are two-point home favorites over the Titans; the Saints, after scoring six points vs. the Patriots last week, are 6.5-point home favorites over the Jaguars; the Vikings are two-point home faves over the Bills; the Panthers are four-point home chalk over the Dolphins; the Ravens are 2.5-point favorites at home over the Lions; and the Cardinals, as they try to sort out their quarterback situation, are five-point favorites at home over the Raiders.

Preseason Trends:

Browns 0-6 SU, 1-5 ATS past 6 regular season vs NFC North teams

Titans 6-1 SU past 7 regular season vs Tampa Bay

Jaguars 1-5 ATS lifetime in regular season vs Saints

Dolphins 4-0 SU & ATS lifetime in regular season vs Panthers

Today's MLB Odds Action:

Texas +116 at NY Yankees -121, Total 10 - Derek Holland (7-6) | Ivan Nova (11-6) | Matchup Report | SBNation MLB Odds
Trends: The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Texas's last 6 games
NY Yankees are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against Texas

LA Dodgers +118 at Pittsburgh -123, Total 7.5 - Joe Blanton (8-9) | AJ Burnett (14-4) | Matchup Report | SBNation MLB Odds
Trends: LA Dodgers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Pittsburgh's last 9 games

Boston -125 at Baltimore +120, Total 8.5 - Clay Buchholz (10-3) | Chris Tillman (5-2) | Matchup Report | SBNation MLB Odds
Trends: The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Boston's last 7 games on the road
Baltimore is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games

Chi White Sox -124 at Toronto +119, Total 8.5 - Francisco Liriano (3-10) | Aaron Laffey (3-3) | Matchup Report | SBNation MLB Odds
Trends: Chi White Sox are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games on the road
Toronto is 16-5 SU in their last 21 games when playing at home against Chi White Sox

NY Mets +139 at Cincinnati -144, Total 8.5 - Matt Harvey (1-3) | Homer Bailey (10-7) | Matchup Report | SBNation MLB Odds
Trends: The total has gone UNDER in 4 of NY Mets's last 5 games when playing Cincinnati
Cincinnati is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

San Diego +186 at Atlanta -194, Total 8 - Jason Marquis (8-10) | Kris Medlen (2-0) | Matchup Report | SBNation MLB Odds
Trends: The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Diego's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Atlanta's last 5 games at home

Philadelphia -114 at Milwaukee +109, Total 7.5 - Cliff Lee (2-7) | Marco Estrada (0-5) | Matchup Report | SBNation MLB Odds
Trends: Philadelphia is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 5 games

Oakland +112 at Kansas City -117, Total 8.5 - Daniel Straily (0-0) | Luke Hochevar (7-10) | Matchup Report | SBNation MLB Odds
Trends: The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Oakland's last 8 games when playing on the road against Kansas City
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Kansas City's last 8 games when playing at home against Oakland

Arizona +134 at St. Louis -139, Total 8 - Trevor Cahill (9-10) | Kyle Lohse (12-2) | Matchup Report | SBNation MLB Odds
Trends: The total has gone OVER in 7 of Arizona's last 8 games
St. Louis is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Arizona

Miami +119 at Colorado -124, Total 10.5 - Ricky Nolasco (9-11) | Alex White (2-6) | Matchup Report | SBNation MLB Odds
Trends: The total has gone OVER in 5 of Miami's last 5 games when playing Colorado
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Colorado's last 5 games

Tampa Bay -116 at LA Angels +111, Total 7.5 - David Price (15-4) | Dan Haren (8-9) | Matchup Report | SBNation MLB Odds
Trends: The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Tampa Bay's last 5 games when playing LA Angels
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of LA Angels's last 5 games when playing Tampa Bay