Did you know: Detroit, Tampa Bay, and Cleveland have never been 14-point favorites in any game since 1978? In December 1995, facing the expansion Jaguars quarterbacked by backup Steve Beuerlein, the Lions were 13-point favorites. That is the largest points spread the team has had since ’78, and the playoff-bound Lions won 44-0.
In 2005, in a game against the Katrina Saints with backup Todd Bouman, the Bucs were 13-point favorites. This was the last game of the regular season, and the host Bucs scored a late defensive touchdown to cover, 27-13. Tampa Bay would finish the year 11-5.
And finally, we have the Browns. In 1995, against those same expansion Jaguars, the old Browns were 13.5 point favorites coming off of a bye. But for the first time, a Bill Belichick-led favorite was shocked by a Tom Coughlin-led underdog, as the Jaguars won 23-15. From a points spread perspective, this was actually a bigger upset than the 2007 Super Bowl! The largest points spread for the new Browns came in the final game of the 2007 season, where Cleveland beat San Francisco 20-7 as 11.5-point favorites.
The table below shows the largest points spread for each team in a game since 1978.
| Team | Year | Opp | Spread | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DET | 1995 | JAX | -13 | W 44-0 |
| TAM | 2005 | NOR | -13 | W 27-13 |
| CLE | 1995 | JAX | -13.5 | L 23-15 |
| CAR | 2008 | DET | -14 | W 31-22 |
| ATL | 2010 | CAR | -14.5 | W 31-10 |
| NYG | 2009 | OAK | -15 | W 44-7 |
| WAS | 1983 | NYG | -15.5 | W 31-22 |
| HOU | 2012 | JAX | -15.5 | W 43-37 |
| ARI | 2009 | LAR | -16 | W 31-10 |
| NYJ | 1986 | IND | -16 | W 31-16 |
| CIN | 1990 | CLE | -16 | W 21-14 |
| PIT | 2007 | MIA | -16 | W 3-0 |
| BAL | 2011 | IND | -16.5 | W 24-10 |
| NOR | 2017 | NYJ | -16.5 | W 31-19 |
| KAN | 1992 | NWE | -16.5 | W 27-20 |
| MIN | 2009 | DET | -17 | W 27-10 |
| TEN | 1992 | CIN | -17 | W 26-10 |
| LAC | 2018 | CIN | -17 | W 26-21 |
| MIA | 1985 | BUF | -17.5 | W 28-0 |
| JAX | 1999 | CLE | -17.5 | W 24-7 |
| GNB | 1998 | PHI | -18 | W 24-16 |
| OAK | 2001 | DAL | -18 | W 28-21 |
| IND | 1968 | NYJ | -18 | L 16-7 |
| LAR | 1999 | CLE | -18.5 | W 34-3 |
| PHI | 2002 | HOU | -19 | W 35-17 |
| CHI | 1985 | IND | -19.5 | W 17-10 |
| BUF | 1991 | IND | -20 | W 42-6 |
| SEA | 2013 | JAX | -20 | W 45-17 |
| DAL | 1987 | PHI | -21.5 | W 41-22 |
| SFO | 1993 | CIN | -24 | W 21-8 |
| NWE | 2007 | PHI | -24.5 | W 31-28 |
| DEN | 2013 | JAX | -26.5 | W 35-19 |
What stands out to you?