Editor's note: Stephen Nover is on an 8-2 run in the NFL. He is fifth on VI in money (+885) during the 2007 NFL campaign.

It’s preseason all over again. Bookmakers must feel that way having to make quick, huge line adjustments on some of these NFL Week 17 games.

There have been three favorite changes and seven moves of more than a field goal – all before mid-Monday afternoon.

“It’s very much like preseason,” said Mike Seba, senior linesmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants, about the Week 17 opening numbers. “But whatever you’re seeing now, I wouldn’t get too in love with because the numbers are going to move again when coaches start coming out about how much they’re going to play their starters.”

Certainly Tony Dungy is going to have a lot of impact on the line. Some places opened Dungy’s Colts minus 3 at home against Tennessee in the Sunday night game. That was LVSC’s recommended opening number, too.

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Those wagering early believe Dungy is going to severely limit his starter’s minutes because the Titans have been steamed up to minus 6 ½. That number probably would come way down if Dungy crosses up the early gamblers by saying Peyton Manning is going to play most of the game, even though his team is locked into the AFC’s No. 2 playoff seed.

Similar circumstances have caused bizarre early numbers in several other games, too. Surprised to see Tampa Bay a home underdog to Carolina and Seattle getting points versus Atlanta? Seba sure is.

Seba and his fellow oddsmakers sent out Tampa Bay minus 4 against the Panthers. Early money has pushed the Panthers to three-point favorites, a swing of nine points at those books that opened the Buccaneers minus 6.

“We disagree with this line,” Seba said about the Panthers being the favorite. “I think it’s ridiculous to make Carolina the favorite. Vinny (Testaverde) probably isn’t going to play leaving Matt Moore the quarterback.

“If this game meant anything to Tampa, the line would be Bucs minus 11. They’re going to rest players, but they’re also coming off a loss at San Francisco. They probably don’t want to limp into the playoffs with two straight losses.

“I could possibly see the game as pick, but not (Carolina) three.”

The LVSC oddsmakers made the Seahawks minus three against Atlanta, believing they compensated plenty for Seattle having its playoff spot locked in.

“Seattle would be minus 9 or 10 if it meant something,” Seba said. “So how far are we suppose to move it down?”

Apparently enough to make the Falcons a favorite despite Atlanta losing six straight times. Atlanta was at minus 2 ½ on Monday afternoon with higher juice, indicating the Falcons could soon become 3-point favorites.

There’s a been a three-to-four point line move within the first 24 hours of betting activity on the San Francisco-Cleveland line. Some bookmakers opened the Browns as high as minus 13 ½ hosting the 49ers.

The line had come down to 9 ½ with the realization the Browns would make the playoffs – win or lose – if Tennessee falls to Indianapolis.

“I could see it coming down even more to seven or 7 ½,” Seba said.

Wade Phillips already has said his Cowboys are going for the win against Washington. But oddsmakers aren’t putting stock in that. The Redskins are seven-point home favorites because they’re in a must-win spot and the Cowboys already have sewn up home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Dallas also will be without Terrell Owens.

“If the Cowboys needed this game, they would have been three- or four-point favorites,” Seba said. “I could see it getting higher than seven. There’s not going to be any money on Dallas.”

Under normal circumstances, Houston would not be 6 ½-point home favorites against Jacksonville, which has covered seven in a row. But the Jaguars are in the playoffs.

The Packers are locked into the NFC’s No. 2 playoff seed. That’s why they’re only three-point favorites at home versus Detroit.

Seba and his fellow LVSC linemakers made the Packers minus six, believing the Packers aren’t going to rest their starters for the entire game because they have a first-round bye.

“You want to protect the home team a little bit,” Seba said. “These teams are on the road and they’re getting bet like they’re at home. We’re seeing a lot of extreme moves.”