If there is anything I know, it’s the NFL is anything but predictable. However, it’s the most-fun investment going today (assuming, of course, you do so in a locale that allows gaming). With that in mind, and the standard warning that if you wager money based on what you see here you are fully responsible for any losses, taxes on winnings, broken bones or legal ramifications, here are my nose-picks for the week (31-28-1 going in) using the Saturday afternoon line from Yahoo as some of these games have gone off the board at various Vegas sports books:
New England @ Atlanta (-2.5) – Too much running for the Pats to handle.
Miami (+3) @ Buffalo – As Jimmy “Masterlock” Duggans would say had he thought about this game, you may like the points, you may want the points, by law in Nevada, Trinidad, Barbados, and other off-shore gambling havens, you will get the points — but you’re not gonna need them. Losman is lost, the rolling distraction known as Ricky Williams isn’t back for the Dolphins yet, and it isn’t December in New York yet.
Carolina (-3) @ Arizona – Josh McCown isn’t Brett Favre.
Chicago @ Cleveland (-3) – Take the under (35) in the Game of the Weak Part I
Washington @ Denver (-7) – The Redskins’ luck has just run out of oxygen.
Baltimore (+1.5) @ Detroit – If the OldBrowns can’t get things going against Detroit, who are they going to get them going against?
New Orleans (+3) @ Green Bay – Game of the Weak, Part II. If the Pack is going to go 0-16, you may as well make some money off it to help with the pain.
Tennessee @ Houston (-3) – Game of the Weak, Part III. The coin came up in the Texans’ favor.
Indianapolis (-15) @ San Francisco – I’m not quite crazy enough to take the Colts -46, but only because I’m taking the under and counting on Jay Sorgi coming in for significant mop-up duty.
Cincinnati (+3) @ Jacksonville – Hell continues to freeze over.
Philadelphia (-3) @ Dallas – The Tuna has lost this team.
Seattle (+3) @ St. Louis – Mike Martz isn’t well; he should’ve stayed back at the hotel.
Tampa Bay @ NY Jets (+3) – While the J-E-T-S S*CK! SU*K! SUC*!, the blown tire on the Cadillac is more than the Bucs can overcome.
Pittsburgh (+3) @ San Diego – I just have to go with the better defense.
