As with every other week of the NFL season, injury news can impact Super Bowl odds. Both the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals hope the two-week hiatus since conference championship weekend is enough to cure their ills.
Most notably, the starting tight ends for both teams — Tyler Higbee for the Rams and C.J. Uzomah for the Bengals — are dealing with knee sprains.
Props.com’s Super Bowl Odds and Ends serves as a one-stop-shop for injury details and Pros vs. Joes action. Check back throughout the week for injury updates and notable contrasts between Super Bowl sharp bets and public money.
Super Bowl Injuries
Los Angeles Rams: Higbee was listed as questionable early in the week, but on Friday was ruled out. He suffered a knee injury in the first quarter of the Rams’ NFC Championship Game win over San Francisco. The injury (MCL sprain) wasn’t as bad as initially feared, but Higbee couldn’t practice the past two weeks, leading to Friday’s decision.
Running back Cam Akers (shouler), who returned in the postseason after tearing his Achilles last summer, was questionable early in the week. However, by Friday, Akers carried no injury designation and he will start. Further, running back Darrell Henderson returned from injured reserve.
Wideout Van Jefferson (knee), left tackle Andrew Whitworth (knee), and cornerback Jalen Ramsey (shoulder) also no longer had injury designations Friday. So all are cleared to go.
The SuperBook opened the Rams at -3.5 back on Jan. 30 and quickly moved to -4. On Jan. 31, the line advanced to L.A. -4.5, where it remained until dipping to -4 Thursday. On Saturday night, the Rams were at -4 (-105). The total also was active early, dropping from 51 to 48.5 within the first day. That number stuck until Saturday morning, when it rose to 49 for a few hours before returning to 48.5.
Cincinnati Bengals: Cincy has a much shorter injury list, at least among starters. And again, Uzomah is the key questionable player. Like the Rams’ Higbee, Uzomah has a sprained MCL, which limited him to just nine plays in the Bengals’ AFC Championship win over Kansas City.
Based on his Monday comments, Uzomah is certainly determined to play Sunday. “I’m not missing the biggest game of my life.” He’s still listed as questionable entering game day.
Right guard Jackson Carman (back) was questionable earlier in the week, but had no designation Friday. The Bengals opened as 3.5-point underdogs at The SuperBook, sat at -4.5 from Jan. 31 until Thursday, then went to +4. On Saturday night, Cincy was at +4 (-105). The total dropped from 51 to 48.5 within a day last week and stayed there until Saturday morning, when it rose to 49. But it returned to 48.5 within a few hours.
Super Bowl Pros Vs Joes
Super Bowl Total: In the standard Super Bowl betting of spread/total/moneyline, TwinSpires trading analyst Zachary Lucas said the total is pitting the wiseguys against the public. Sharp bets help nudge the total from 49 to 48.5. On Tuesday of game week, though, 69 percent of tickets are on the Over, while 63 percent of money is on the Under.