AFC Betting Report: The 2022 Midseason Awards

Nine Weeks In, What’s Up With The AFC?

Halfway through the season and the American Football Conference (AFC) is shaping out a little bit differently than the NFL preseason odds had it. Nearly half the conference is either overachieving or crapping the proverbial bed. And what’s crazy is, the season may just get more chaotic with the final half. With nine weeks in, we hand out or Midseason NFL Awards. This is the 2022 Midseason AFC Betting Report.

The Money Train Award

For Constantly Beating the Betting Odds

Let us spell it out for ya: J-E-T-S. The New York Jets are killing it this season and have already matched their preseason win total with six wins in nine games (6-3). Those who bet on the Jets are guaranteed to get their money back and those who bet the ‘over’ need just one more win to cash. The Jets are also 5-3 as an underdog and backers would be up $923 had they bet $100 each time they were one. Should they keep it up, the NFL midseason odds may start to get shorter on them.

And down south, the Tennessee Titans have overcome an 0-2 start to stay strong atop the AFC South. Many wrote them off. But nine weeks in, the Titans have the best cover rate in the AFC at 75 percent (6-2-0) and are also 3-1 as an underdog with their only loss coming against the Bills. These Titans appear headed to another division-winning season as of this 2022 midseason AFC betting report.

The Eggsmaker Award

For Constantly Laying Eggs

Opposite to the Jets are not one but two teams and they both belong to the AFC West: the Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders. These NFL teams made big splashes in the preseason but have nothing to show for it thus far. Both teams are 3-5 against the spread (ATS) and are a combined 1-7 ATS when lined as favorites.

They are also way behind their regular-season win totals. Denver would need to win eight of their remaining nine games to cash on the ‘over’ and seven to push. The Raiders would need to win seven of nine to cash. Both Nathaniel Hackett and Josh McDaniels may be one-and-done as head coaches for their respective teams while Russell Wilson has become more of a meme than an elite quarterback as a Bronco.

The Saturday Night Fever Award

For Jeff Saturday’s Team

While the Indianapolis Colts are still in playoff contention, it may just challenge Wilson and the Broncos as the most-memed team in the AFC.

The team fired Frank Reich and appointed former center Jeff Saturday as the coach. With all due respect to Saturday, but his best-case scenario here is to make the Colts “loveable losers” like Dan Campbell with the Lions.

The Colts are already deep in a hole on the NFL betting lines. Indianapolis is 3-6-0 ATS and is not close to beating its 9.5-win projection. It will have to win seven of their last eight games to cash.

The Flamethrower Award

For a Red-Hot Player En Route to A Monster Season

Putting the spotlight on some players, we can’t overlook what Nick Chubb is doing with the Cleveland Browns. The running back has already tied his projected rushing touchdowns with 10 for the season and he’s set to smash his expected rushing yards of 1,200.5. The fifth-year pro is on pace to rush for 1,787 yards.

At his current pace, he needs only four more games to cash the over on the ticket.

And despite getting injured, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa can still beat his preseason NFL player totals. The third-year pro is on pace to finish with 4,244 passing yards and 32 touchdowns.

Miami is also 6-1 with Tagovailoa with that one loss being a game where he got injured early.

That will beat his 3,900.5 and 24.5 totals, respectively. Miami is also 6-1 with Tagovailoa with that one loss being a game where he got injured early. If we had an MVP Award in this AFC betting report, it goes to this Hawaiian.

The “Dangerwich” Award

Named After a Player Synonymous for Sucking

Most of the players we’re giving this award to can still turn it around and finish with a more respectable season. But at this point, any backers should already be counting it as a loss.

The “award” first goes to Wilson for obvious reasons. Denver’s $245-million-dollar man is on pace to finish with his worst season in 11 years. Wilson is unlikely to hit his preseason totals of 4,050.5 passing yards and 32 touchdowns.

If he maintains his current pace, he’ll finish with 3,872 yards and 14 touchdowns. He did miss a game and is dealing with an football injury. But excuses or not, the results are pessimistic.

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