It was an afternoon to remember for underdogs in the early window, as they cashed against the spread at an incredible rate, with a record of 8-2.
The eight teams covering the first-half spread included the Vikings up 13-7 over the 49ers, the Browns 13-3 over the Jaguars, the Saints 35-16 over the Cowboys, the Packers 10-0 over the Colts, the Buccaneers 13-6 over the Lions, the Giants 12-9 over the Commanders, the Titans 10-7 over the Jets, and the Raiders trailing only 9-6 to the Ravens.
Just how impressive is that?
According to Action Network Director of Research Evan Abrams, it’s the best mark for first-half dogs ATS in the opening window since Week 11 of the 2022 season. Not only that, it’s also the most wins in the 1:00 p.m. window since Week 6 of the 2016 campaign.
The Saints' 35-16 lead was particularly noteworthy. New Orleans was only the second team since 1990 to score at least 35 first-half points as a six-point underdog. The only other team was the Jason Campbell-led Raiders back in 2010.
New Orleans also scored on each of their first-half possessions. Combined with last week’s win over the Panthers, they scored on their first 14 offensive drives of the season. Alvin Kamara was the star of the show, reaching the end zone three times over the first two quarters.
