Contenders, pretenders becoming more evident

For anyone who suspected the New York Jets would be just another patsy this season, with rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez and first-year coach Rex Ryan imitating Gilligan and the Skipper, it's time to admit the mistake.

There are plenty of clumsy NFL teams producing comic misadventures. The Jets are not one of them, and neither are the New Orleans Saints.

"The Jets are a pretty popular team," MGM Mirage sports book director Jay Rood said. "New Orleans looks like the best team in the league right now."

The league's best and worst are becoming more clearly defined, and, for the first time in a long time, the Detroit Lions are not included with the laughingstocks.

The joke is now on Cleveland, Kansas City, St. Louis and Tampa Bay. Those shipwrecked teams are a combined 0-12, and they were outscored 128-34 in four lopsided losses Sunday.

Veteran handicappers who succeed with the NFL normally shy away from road favorites laying a touchdown or more, and double-digit favorites are all but off limits.

But the public smelled some skunks Sunday, and the bettors knew exactly what teams to go against -- the Browns, Chiefs, Rams and Buccaneers.

"There are some really terrible teams out there," Vegas Insider handicapper Barry Holthaus said. "Some of these teams are so far behind. I think you have to re-examine your philosophy about road favorites, as far as laying significant points on the road, and double-digit favorites.

"The question is, how much do the oddsmakers adjust for Cleveland and these bad teams?"

The Browns are a lost cause, and most bettors had that figured out before Baltimore's 34-3 victory over Cleveland on Sunday. As coach Eric Mangini, formerly known as a genius, benched Brady Quinn and tried Derek Anderson at quarterback, all three were left looking like stooges. The Ravens covered as 131/2-point favorites, and it's not supposed to be that easy.

The New York Giants, 61/2-point road favorites, skunked the Buccaneers, 24-0. The Green Bay Packers, also 61/2-point road favorites, pounded the Rams, 36-17. The Philadelphia Eagles, 71/2-point home favorites, coasted past the Chiefs, 34-14.

Chicago, Denver, New England, New Orleans, San Diego and the Jets also covered to make favorites 10-4 going into the night game, in which Arizona was a 3-point favorite over Indianapolis.

With so many favorites cashing in the morning games, Rood said, "The parlays kicked in and made the late games ugly."

The books needed the Colts to survive what was turning into a losing day. Of course, Peyton Manning did it again, passing for four touchdowns as the Colts hammered the Cardinals, 31-10.

The NFL can serve up a lot of agitation with your betting action. I was on the Cardinals, foolishly, and it capped off one of those days that makes you want to smash your new Erik Estrada sunglasses.

I also bet against Chicago and Cincinnati. The Bears, 21/2-point favorites at Seattle, won 25-19 on Jay Cutler's 36-yard touchdown pass to Devin Hester with 1:52 remaining.

The Steelers, favored by 31/2 points at Cincinnati, took a 20-9 lead into the fourth quarter and lost 23-20 on Carson Palmer's 4-yard touchdown pass with 14 seconds to go.

Only Brett Favre was able to top that comeback.

The Lions, 6-point home underdogs, stopped their 19-game losing streak by beating Washington, 19-14. Detroit was plus-220 on the money line to win outright -- a bet that rarely pays off.

The Oakland Raiders are every bit as bad as predicted. Oakland opened a small favorite over Denver, but bettors rode the Broncos, who closed as 21/2-point favorites and won, 23-3.

"At some point, if you keep clicking off wins, you're for real," Rood said of the unbeaten Broncos.

The Jets, who beat Tennessee, and Saints, who ran over Buffalo, are also 3-0 straight up and against the spread. The Jets visit New Orleans in Week 4, and the Saints opened as 6-point favorites. It's time to count both teams as serious contenders.

The Browns, Chiefs, Rams and Buccaneers, on the other hand, are 0-3 and six feet under.

Contact Las Vegas Review-Journal sports betting columnist Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907.