Gone are the days when football betting primarily focussed on three types of bets: point spread, money line, and total (Over/Under). The landmark 2018 Supreme Court decision Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association brought proposition betting – prop bets – out of the sportsbooks of Las Vegas and the more sophisticated black market or offshore betting sites and into the pockets of fans across the country. With the NFL kicking off its fifth season since the ruling, the Tennessee Titans vs New York Giants matchup on September 11 offers bettors some tantalizing prop bets worth playing.
READ MORE: Giants Roster Moves
Giants at Titans: Five Prop Bets to Consider
Weather-Related Unders
Since 22 NFL franchises play in venues that aren’t domes or have retractable roofs, the weather is a critical factor that bettors can’t afford to ignore. There’s a 70% chance of rain – in the form of thunderstorms – throughout Sunday afternoon in Nashville. On the surface, that should keep the score low and the ground game vital. However, remember that the weather is usually baked into the line offered.
Giants wide receiver Kenny Golladay Under 2.5 Receptions (-101): The Giants never envisioned the low total with a discounted price of -101 when they inked Golladay to a 4-year, $72M contract in the 2021 offseason. But while it’s insulting to the player and embarrassing to the franchise, it’s probably one of the better Giants prop bets for the week.
Golladay’s Giants tenure has been disastrous from an output perspective. A devastating and season-ending Achilles injury to third-year wide receiver Collin Johnson may have saved Golladay from being benched – or even inactive. But you need to go back to 2021 Week 4 to find the last time Golladay hauled in four or more passes. He averaged 2.6 catches on 5.4 targets last season and sleepwalked through training camp and the preseason. He’s only on the roster because his contract makes him un-cuttable.
Take the Under.
Giants running back Saquon Barkley Under 26.5 Receiving Yards (-105): The former #2 overall pick out of Penn State has seen his gold-jacket career stall due to injuries. Reports from East Rutherford, NJ, are that he’s rejuvenated, however, heading into his contract year. But Barkley managed to top 27 yards only four times last season. He hasn’t shown evidence that he’s the all-purpose back many assume him to be. With the conditions on the ground and a Titans defense willing to make Giants quarterback Daniel Jones beat them, don’t expect Barkley to find much daylight in the flat.
Take the Under
Titans Offense offers Interesting Overs
Titans running back Derrick Henry Over 23.5 Carries (-115): Giants Defensive Coordinator Wink Martindale described Henry as “our modern-day Jim Brown.” It’s safe to assume the defensive game plan will focus heavily on stopping Henry. But wishing doesn’t make it so. Henry had his regular season cut short by injury in ’21 and struggled like the rest of the Titans in their AFC Divisional Round loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. However, he exceeded 23 carries in six of eight of his games last year. Look for him to take advantage of a wounded Giants front seven.
Take the Over
Games with 200+ rushing yards:
Derrick Henry: 5
Every other active NFL running back: 4 pic.twitter.com/QGbxiyqIXq— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) September 9, 2022
Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill Over 0.5 Interceptions (+131): Only five quarterbacks threw more interceptions than Tannehill last season, though his 14 picks were aided in part by a disastrous four-interception game against the Houston Texans last November. The Giants defense was middle of the pack with 15 team picks. The +131 price tag should be high enough to warrant a bettor’s attention.
Take the Over
Don’t Bail on Barkley Completely
Barkley Over 55.5 Yards Rushing (-112): Everything mentioned about Barkley above remains true. However, hitting 56 yards on the ground is not a monumental task (Insert joke about recent Giants output here). The fact remains that Barkley has looked healthy and impressive from the start of OTAs through training camp. A healthy and performing Barkley won’t see many totals this low in future Giants prop bets this season.
It’s worth the play.
