Month: September 2018

NFL Week 4: Sunday Games

Buffalo at Green Bay, 1:00 PM, CBS (Packers -9.5, O/U: 44)

Last week Josh Allen was determined to show that he has what it takes to play now and the kid put on his big boy jock on and took the Vikings defense to the woodshed.  Hurdling defenders, strip sacking, the Bills were on fire early and caught the Vikes off guard and the Vikes were left in shock for the remainder of the game.  The Big surprise not only was the offense but the defense stopped the Vikes offense hthat has a ton of weapons and a big time quarterback.

The Packers are coming off a tough loss to the Redskins in DC last week and having a strong first two weeks.  Rodgers was still effective on the rain soaked field but having Aaron Jones back was a great sight since the Packers struggled mightily in the running game for the first few weeks.

It’s tough to win on the road, especially in the house of one of the best teams in the NFL.  Asking a rookie to do it in back to back weeks is also a tough ask, but mind you, Shady McCoy is expected to play.  Take the Packers to cover in the win and in the over, Packers 30-17.

Cincinnati at Atlanta, 1:00 PM, CBS (Falcons -3.5, O/U: 53)

The Bengals got knocked off the undefeated list last week in Carolina.  It still ended up being fairly close despite the 4 turnovers (4 INT’s by Dalton) they committed which lead to 17 Panthers points.  They didn’t seem to miss Mixon all that much as Bernard stepped up nicely and contributed a rushing score.

The Falcons have had a hard time on defense holding offenses to under 450 yards.  Despite that, the offense is firing on all cylinders including new weapon, rookie Calvin Ridley.  As the Bengals are without their star running back, the Falcons’ Freeman is doubtful for this game as well but Coleman is capable.

Take the Bengals to cover in the loss and in the over, Falcons 31-28.

Detroit at Dallas, 1:00 PM, FOX (Cowboys -3, O/U: 44)

The Lions and Patricia, who looked absolutely abysmal in week one with their hat on backwards, have flipped the hat around to the front and have progressively gotten better each of the last two weeks.  Last week was a huge test as Patricia went up against mentor Belicheck.  They have been more and more effective on offense as they started to find their stride with a solid 1-2 punch in the backfield between Johnson and Blount.

The Cowboys offense has looked like it hit a brick wall and have been riding Elliott on each of his runs.  Dak has no big time receivers, no one who can make a play on the perimeter and being that he’s a B quarterback at best, he doesn’t do well when he has to try and make something happen with his arm if his receivers aren’t getting open or dropping balls.  The defense has been the strongest part of the team but that doesn’t help much when your offense can’t score.

Strange to see the Cowboys as three point favorites given that their offense can’t score.  Take the Lions to cover and win in the under, Lions 24-17.

Houston at Indianapolis, 1:00 PM, CBS (Colts -1, O/U: 47.5)

Watson has yet to flash any resemblance of his handful of games from last year.  The defense has been good but not productive enough with 3 takeaways but none in the last two games.  They’re stuck at 0-3 even with all of those weapons for Watson to throw to.

The Colts have yet to find any consistency in their ground game and after seeing Luck pulled for the hail marry, there’s cause for concern.  Luck has been strong however, despite not having much zip on the deeper throws.  He’s been able to orchestrate decent drives, and has 5-3 TD-INT ratio.  By the way, the Colts’ defense has been sneaky good!

The line opened up at -3 Colts and has worked itself down to -1.  I can only imagine that it’s due to people still holding on hope for Watson to return to his play from last year.  Not happening.  Take the Colts to win in the cover, also in the under, Colts 24-20.

Miami at New England, 1:00 PM, CBS (Patriots -7, O/U: 49)

Miami’s defense has been pretty good and Brady doesn’t have any weapons outside of Gronk in the passing game.  Take the Fins to cover in the loss and in the under, Patriots 24-21.

N.Y. Jets at Jacksonville, 1:00 PM, FOX (Jags -7.5, O/U: 39.5)

Great defenses usually tee off on rookie quarterbacks.  Darnold seems to hold on to the ball too long for fear of throwing a pick or making a bad decision with the ball.  Take the Jags to win and cover in the under, Jags 21-10.

Philadelphia at Tennessee, 1:00 PM, FOX (Titans +3.5, O/U: 41)

A beat up Mariota goes against a great defense and tough secondary.  Take the Eagles to cover in the win and in the over, Eagles 27-21.

Tampa Bay at Chicago, 1:00 PM, FOX (Bears -3, O/U: 46)

Trubisky is good during the scripted portion of the games (starts of the game and beginning of the 2nd half).  Other than that, Mitch-a-oploza isn’t effective.  Take the Buccs to beat Mitch-a-poloza, cover and in the over.  Buccs 27-23.

Cleveland at Oakland, 4:05 PM, FOX (Raiders -3, O/U: 45)

Raiders are the best winless teams out there and have to get off the snide.  Take the Raiders in a covering win, in the under, Raiders 21-17.

Seattle at Arizona, 4:05 PM, FOX (Cardinals +3.5, O/U: 40)

Take the Seahawks to cover and win, in the under, Seahawks 20-17.

New Orleans at N.Y. Giants, 4:25 PM, CBS (Giants +3.5, O/U: 52.5)

Saints score a ton and give up a ton, also are bad on the road with no pass rush.  Take the Giants to win and cover in the over, Giants 31-27.

San Francisco at L.A. Chargers, 4:25 PM, CBS (Chargers -10.5, O/U: 46)

No Garapolo, no McKinnon, the 49ers are toast.  Take the Chargers to win and cover convincingly in the over, Chargers 35-17.

Baltimore at Pittsburgh, 8:20 PM, NBC (Steelers -3, O/U: 51)

This might as well be a pickem, doesn’t matter the stadium and fans in the stands because these games are usually pretty close.  Steelers are the most penalized team so far through week 3 and are on pace to be the most penalized team ever.  Take the very disciplined Ravens to cover in the loss but in the under, Steelers 20-19.

#beatyourbookie

Colin Cowherd’s Blazing 5:

o    Houston at Indianapolis – Indianapolis (-1)

o    Seattle at Arizona – Arizona (+3)

o    Cleveland at Oakland – Oakland (-2.5)

o    New Orleans at NY Giants – NY Giants (+3.5)

o    Baltimore at Pittsburgh – Baltimore (+3)

Week 4: Thursday Night Football

Minnesota at L.A. Rams, 8:20p, NFLN (Rams -7, O/U: 49.5)

This past Sunday, The Vikes got absolutely embarrassed at home by rookie Josh Allen. I mean, he literally leapt over their best linebacker with ease. The Bills took the opening kickoff and then drove the field 75 yards to a touchdown. Kirk Cousins didn’t help his teams cause or confidence by having 2 sacks fumbles that lead to 10 more points and a Bills 17-0 lead after the first. A good team being embarrassed one week basically means that they get revenge the next however it will be very tough to do so when going on the road against one of the best defenses and one of the best offenses in the league.

The Rams are on fire this year, picking up right where they left off from last year. Granted, they started off with a few softballs with the Raiders and Cardinals but had a bit of a test against a team that’s been a better road team than a home team, in the Chargers. The Rams ultimately beat them and covered the spread. Goff and his numerous weapons have gelled well with McVay’s playbook and they don’t seem to show any signs of slowing down, averaging 34 points/game on offense and only 12/game on defense.

Short week, big spread to cover but the Bills defense isn’t nearly as good as the Vikings and you see how they played in Minnesota last week. Expect the Rams to learn from what they saw Sunday and pressure Cousins all night. Take the Rams to cover in the win, in the over, Rams 31-21.

Week 3: Monday Night Football

Pittsburgh at Tamp Bay, 8:15pm, ESPN, (Buccs -1.5, O/U: 55)

The Steelers are in somewhat of a tailspin at the moment.  Bell still holding out and now the Steelers announce this past weekend that they’re listening to trade inquiries and Brown staging a mini coup, are facing an 0-3 start.  They have looked good on offense, which you should expect with the young talent around Big Ben, but the one time strength of this team, their defense, has looked very mediocre.  Tying Cleveland and blew a two touchdown lead in the 4th quarter against the Chiefs and the Mighty Mahomes, they’re looking to bounce back and right the ship against a red hot Buccs team.

The Buccs obviously didn’t think their season would start 2-0 with Fitz-Noodle-Arm turning into Fitz-Magic, who’s looking to become the first quarterback in league history to start a season with over 400 yards in each of his first three games.  Desean Jackson is looking like the D-Jax of old and Mike Evans is actually getting decent balls thrown his way which has given him the ability to make plays like he did in college and early on in his career.

The difference maker in this one will be which defense holds up against the others offense.  The Buccs front eight have been like a bull in a china shop. Vita Vea will likely be making his rookie debut joining his teammates in battle, making them even more vicious.  This Buccs team look like the Eagles team from last year, running around, making huge plays, scoring a ton and just plain old having fun, man!  It’ll be close but take the Buccs to continue to elevate The Beard and continue Fitz-Magic’s McGregor like swagger, wining and covering in the over, Buccs 31-28.

Ride the Buccs, finishing the week on your way to #beatyourbookie.

Week 3: Sunday Games

Buffalo at Minnesota, 1:00 PM, CBS (Vikings -17, O/U: 41)

The Bills are now being regarded to as the worst team in the league and Sunday, and they will be playing one of the leagues best defenses in their house.  From the sounds of it, McCoy will likely be out with sa cracked rib and also might be missing their young star defensive end, Shaq Lawson with a hamstring injury.  Also missing in the lineup will be Vontae Davis, who at halftime last week, retired and left the stadium well before the game was over.

The Vikings are coming off a disappointing tie with their division rivals and if it weren’t for a rookie kicker missing a few field goals, they’d be 2-0.  The spread is absolutely massive at 17 and really isn’t seen this huge at this level.  I can’t imagine Allen fairing well on the road against this defense if McCoy is out.  Take the Vikings to pressure the rookie and cover in the win and the over, Vikings 34-14.

Cincinnati at Carolina, 1:00 PM, CBS (Panthers -3, O/U: 44)

The Bengals come in as an undefeated after a tough matchup against the Ravens.  Dalton has looked very good especially with Mixon elevating his game as their starting back.  One problem coming into this week, Mixon is our for a few weeks after some minor knee surgery.  Bernard is probable but he’s not an every down back.  So with Dalton having the offense all to himself, will he continue to fee Green touchdowns (3 last week to Green), or will they struggle as Dalton will have the ball in his hands more than normal?

The Panthers are starting to settle into a nice rhythm with the Norv Turner offense.  Cam is completing nearly 70% of his passes and that’s even after losing star tight end Olsen with more foot trouble.  McCaffrey looks beastier and is running harder than he ever has.  The Panthers look like they have the pieces and offensive consistency from their 13-3 super bowl run season.  The one question, which hasn’t really been a question in the past, is their defense.  They have one of the best defenses in the league on paper but haven’t been able to stop teams from scoring, and especially having some redzone trouble.  Either way, I like the Panthers to cover in the win, in the over, Panthers 28-21.

Denver at Baltimore, 1:00 PM, CBS (Ravens -5, O/U: 45.5)

The Broncos have seen a start unlike they’ve seen since Peyton was in town.  Keenum was held out of some practices this week with a banged up knee but has looked good enough this season but 4 picks to 3 touchdowns hurts this offense if that trend continues.  The surprise has been undrafted rookie back Phillip Lindsay.  Last week he became the first undrafted running back to hit 100+ yards from the line of scrimmage in his first two games.  Being 2-0 and with confidence, they have to head east for a 1pm game that will feel like an 11am game, which could be a disadvantage, especially for a banged up Keenum.

Flacco has been very consistent knowing that Lamar Jackson is being worked into plays and wants that starting role.  Flacco has thrown for over 600 yards with a 64% completion percentage.  All while not really having many standout stud receivers.  The backfield has been a platoon mostly consisting of a 1-2 punch of Javarious Allen and Alex Collins.  While Allen has the touchdowns, Collins has been the more consistent and productive back and should see his workload increase in the coming weeks.  With both defenses solid against the run game, go with the better experienced quarterback and coach in this one, who would be the home team.  Take the Ravens to cover and win in the under, Ravens 24-17.

Green Bay at Washington, 1:00 PM, FOX (Redskins +3, O/U: 45.5)

A bum legged Rodgers still was good enough to nearly beat the Vikings at home.  Rodgers is without a stellar line nor a semblance of a running game but was still able to move the ball from the pocket.

The Redskins ended their home sellout streak and could barely fill the joint.  They also ended up losing to the Colts in a poor effort in which they lost another running back in Rob Kelly.  The Redkins did add some receiver help with veterans Perriman and Floyd.  It won’t help though, Rodgers had an extra weeks worth of rest and treatment for his knee and has to face a less powerful defense.  Yes, I’m going homer pick, take the Packers to cover in the in and in the over, Packers 34-30.

Indianapolis at Philadelphia, 1:00 PM, FOX (Eagles -7, O/U: 46.5)

The Colts are coming off a big win on the road in Washington but came out banged up and possibly without some players.  It seems we can expect Hilton to be in the lineup but that may not be the case for Marlon Mack which could severely hurt their offense.  Luck has looked strong in both of his first starts in a few years and shockingly, has had time to move the ball.

The Eagles get their man back from his big knee injury and just in time too.  The Eagles have looked mediocre in their first couple of games.  Don’t expect Wentz to single handedly blow out the Colts but expect them to put some decent points up.  The Eagles win this one but the Colts cover in the over, Eagles 24-21.

New Orleans at Atlanta, 1:00 PM, FOX (Falcons -3, O/U: 53.5)

The Saints haven’t looked worse to start a season.  They haven’t gotten their ground game going in the absence of Ingram.  Kamara isn’t an every down and Sean Payton loves to use him in the passing game out of the backfield, so this has been a start that is an uncomfortable one for them.

The Falcons are still trying to find themselves in the redzone.  They finally scored some redzone touchdowns in last weeks game but it was Matty Ice’s legs that got 2 of them.  I still expect the Falcons to win and cover in the over, Falcons 34-28.

N.Y. Giants at Houston, 1:00 PM, FOX (Texans -6, O/U: 42.5)

The Giants looked like a dysfunctional family the last few week.  Saquan Barkley hasn’t had a whole lot of room to run in between the tackles and Manning has been pressured during most drop backs.  Manning still has weapons if his line can keep him upright.  Granted they were up against a tough Dallas defensive front.

Desaun Watson hasn’t looked like the Watson of last year.  Completing just under 60% of his passes, but had a much better week 2.  The Houston defense is where the lag has really been.  Watt and Clowney have had little impact in the first two weeks, they will have to wake up and take advantage of an offensive line of the Giants that has been taken advantage of in their first two weeks.  The Giants look like they have a long way to go to get the line working right and coach O’Brien will get Watson back to form and the Watt/Clowney duo will eat this line up but that spread is way too big at this point.  Take the Giants to cover in the loss, in the over, Texans 27-24.

Oakland at Miami, 1:00 PM, CBS (Dolphins -3, O/U: 44.5)

The Raiders have had a hard time getting going under new coach Gruden but improved on the road in Denver last week, which is tough to play on the road early in the season.  Carr went an unreal 29/32 for 288 yards.  He’s complete 80% of his throws this year while hitting an array of different receivers but hit his favorite target, Cook a bunch early on.  The defense has struggled to get pressure on the quarterback after getting rid of Mack but improved last week on points allowed however, allowed an undrafted rookie running back to gain over 100 yards rushing.

The Dolphins have gotten off to one of their best starts in the last few decades, leading the AFC East heading into this week.  Tannehill has also kept a high completion percentage through the first two weeks, at 72.5% while Drake and Gore have been a solid 1-2 punch from the backfield.  The defense will get its first decent test of the fresh season though.  Take the Raiders to come in and get their first win covering the spread and scoring in the under, Raiders 24-20.

San Francisco at Kansas City, 1:00 PM, FOX (Chiefs -7, O/U: 55.5)

The 49ers come into this expected shootout after coming out of one against of Detroit last week.  Garapolo however, like Watson, hasn’t really replicated the magic from last year, throwing 3 touchdowns but also 3 picks while just barely completing over 50% of his passes.  After losing McKinnon, Breida was next man up and has done very well, averaging 8.3 yards per carry.  The big question is, will Goodwin play?

Mahomes has had a huge start to the year, 10 touchdowns and 0 picks with nearly 600 yards passing.  The rushing game barely has time to get going due to the big bombs their quarterback throws to the speedy Tyreek Hill who has 12 grabs for 259 yards and 3 scores.  This offense is high powered but their defense can’t keep up, allowing 28 and 37 points in back to back weeks.  Don’t be too alarmed about the defense though, it usually pretty hard to keep teams from scoring when you’re put back on the field that many times and so quickly.  Expect another shootout but I think Garapolo, without as many weapons, gets out of the gate slower, and the Chiefs take advantage, covering in the win, in the over, Chiefs 34-28.

Tennessee at Jacksonville, 1:00 PM, CBS (Jaguars -10, O/U: 39.5)

Tennesse had to dig deep in the playbook to pull out a win last week as they didn’t have Mariota behind center, and lead by backup Gabbert.  A gutsy fake put pass was a huge difference maker for them, getting on the board early and first in a slow moving game.  This offense is nothing special, unfortunately and even more so with Mariota questionable today.

The Jaguars Came out firing last week in a redemption game against the Patriots and beat Bill and Tom in their house as home dogs!  Bortles was on fire and the real question is, can he keep it up with his young team of receivers.  No Fournette still but Yeldon looked good enough to get it done.  Obviously the defense will be out for blood with this lackluster offense.  Take the Jaguars to cover in the win, in the under, Jaguars 24-10.

L.A. Chargers at L.A. Rams, 4:05 PM, CBS (Rams -7, O/U: 48)

Dating back to last season, the Chargers have played batter on the road than at home and they proved that last week, beating up the bills so badly that at the half, one of their players on defense retired.  Rivers has been absolutely money, 57/78, 680 yards, 6 touchdowns and just 1 pick.  He’s had a ton of weapons to throw to and is really making the most of his time on the field.  Their defense, although young and inexperienced, has been hanging tough and will face another tough challenge this week.

The Rams started where they left off last year but with a tremendous new deep weapon in Cooks who has 12 grabs for 246 yards but has yet to score.  Gurley with his 3 rushing touchdowns, is helping this team average 33.5 points per game this year.  This is a tough call as it’s the first battle of the LA teams but take the Rams to cover in the win, in the over, Rams 28-21.

Chicago at Arizona, 4:25 PM, FOX (Cardinals +5.5, O/U: 38.5)

Trubisky has been ok this year however, you still get the sense that he is kind of held back in their playbook.  Regardless, Mack has been a beast for their defense and you can tell he really has elevated everyone else on every play and his stats show how good he really is.

The Cardinals are still at the starting gate.  With all of the rookies starting under center or making their ways into games, when do they pull the plug on Bradford and get Rosen in there?  After all, he was touted as being the most NFL ready quarterback in the draft but finds himself the last one to see any game action out of all of the first round quarterbacks.  6 points through two weeks is highly unacceptable.  The only way the Cards have a shot in this one is if Rosen comes in early.  The Bears go hunting on the road in this one, with a blowout win in the under, Bears 27-10.

Dallas at Seattle, 4:25 PM, FOX (Seahawks -1.5, O/U: 41)

Dallas picked up the slack they left after week one, in week two.  Dak hasn’t had a strong beginning of the season but Zeke has made up for the lack of passing.  Dallas’ defense though has been stellar with Lawrence and Charlton looking nasty up front and now look very dangerous if they can get their offense going.

The Seahawks are having issues galore.  Earl Thomas was having a sit in all week with the team, the offensive line not holding for Wilson.  They need to get something together soon. The only thing helping them is being back at home for their first home game.  Dallas puts together a good push on the road, take them to cover in a tough road win in the under, Cowboys 20-17.

New England at Detroit, 8:20 PM, NBC (Lions +7, O/U: 54)

Mentor versus mentoree.  The Patriots are back on the road after being road favorites in Jacksonville last week and losing a tough rematch against them.  Expect Brady and Belichick to put together a counter gameplan to Patricia’s defensive schemes.  Brady has been good as usual, using Gronk as much as possible but their running game hasn’t found their number one guy in the backfield yet.

Stafford has been all over the place.  He’s had huge throws and big plays but has been forcing a bunch of balls in where they shouldn’t be going.  He still has 3 really good threats that can scream downfield and be big deep threats but now also have rookie Kerryon Johnson in the backfield averaging over 4.5 yards per carry on his 13 rushes.  Look for Johnson to be more of a factor, controlling tempo of the game to try and keep this one close.  Brady and the Patriots get the better of the Lions however, covering in the under, Patriots 31-21.

Good luck, happy betting on the way to #beatyourbookie.

Colin Cowherd’s Blazing 5:

  • Cincinnati at Carolina – Cincinnati (+3)
  • NY Giants at Houston – NY Giants (+6)
  • Indianapolis at Philadelphia – Indianapolis (+6.5)
  • Green Bay at Washington – Washington (+3)
  • Dallas at Seattle – Seattle (-1.5)

Week 3: Thursday Night Football

Last week was horrible for yours truly.  One of my worst weeks since picking winners.  This week, we will right the ship.  We have a toughie to kick off this week so lets get to it.

New York at Cleveland, 8:20p, NFLN (Browns -3, O/U: 41)

New York comes into this matchup being brought back down to earth last week by the Dolphins, following their Rookie quarterbacks huge first win in his first game in Detroit in week one.  Sam Darnold looked more like a rookie last week but with more picks than touchdowns however he still had poise and threw for over 300 yards despite the turnovers and lack of running game.

The Browns are still looking for their first win and they can just taste it.  No, they’re not salivating at the thought of the beer lockers being slung open if they win, they literally tasted a victory.  The Browns entered the fourth quarter holding a 12-3 lead giving up 15 unanswered points before Tyrod Taylor launched the ball to the back of the end zone and Antonio Callaway making a huge grab to tie the game at 18, with a pending extra point.  The Browns, rarely in this position to take the lead late in the fourth quarter, ended up missing the extra point which would’ve given them a 19-18 lead.  They’re tired of losing, tired of coming up just short and a hungry in front of their fans, but keep in mind, it’s still the Browns.

The line is surprising given the Browns usually finding ways to lose games and they’re rarely favorites.  The moneyline scares me a bit with the Jets getting +150 and the Browns getting -170 but I’m still rolling with the safe bet, taking the Jets to cover and win in the under, Jets 21-17.

I feel for you Brownies, I want you to win (just not this week) but like a friend has perfectly put it, until you show me you can win, I will bet against you.  Happy Thursday football night, good betting and don’t forget to #beatyourbookie.

Week 2: Monday Night Football

Seattle at Chicago, 8:15 PM, ESPN, Chargers -3.5, O/U: 43)

West coast teams rarely to the east coast and do well, however, that only shows in 1pm games.  It’s Monday night football and these two teams are going to fight tooth and nail to not go 0-2 to start the season.  Wilson has done well on the road and traveling east as he’s thrown for at least two touchdowns in his last six road games.  He’s missing some weapons but was still productive last week after their departure and lack of protection from his line.

The Bears got off to a hot start against the Packers last week, forcing Rodgers out of the game midway through the second only to completely flutter in the second half after having a 20-0 lead going into the half.  Mack showed extremely productive early on and terrorized young quarterback, Kizer, who was filling in for Rodgers.  The Packer offensive line turned it around and Rodgers came out and torched the Bears defense for over 270+ yards.  Trubisky looked to be held back as he did most of last year and only ended up with just over 170 yards passing.

As the line stands now, Seahawks are getting +4.5.  You should absolutely take the Seahawks to cover and win (barely) in the under as both defenses will have the spotlight on them.  Seahawks 21-20.

Good luck and as always, #beatyourbookie

Week 2: Sunday Games

The Ravens got off to a rough start against the Bengals which put us in the hole to start the week. I still stand by that bet because on the stat sheet, the Ravens lead in a ton of categories however, it was the turnovers that killed them and that usually the motto on turnovers right? Anyways, look forward to some interesting picks this week and a few extra underdog picks than normal.

Carolina at Atlanta, 1:00 PM, FOX (Falcons -6, O/U: 44)

Atlanta Is back home after a long wait in between games however, it’s the same old redzone trouble ridden team. Atlanta is also without stars Neal and Freeman. Kuechly is a bit banged up but will start but Olsen is out for weeks yet again. Until the Falcons can prove that they can be more efficient in the redzone, I’m probably going to pick whoever is against them. Take the Panthers to win on the under, Panthers 23-20.

Cleveland at New Orleans, 1:00 PM, FOX (Saints -9.5, O/U: 49.5)

BRowns are without Gordon as they are trying to trade him due to messing up his hammy during a non-team approved photo shoot. It’s an unfortunate end to an era and a huge weapon gone form the offense that nearly pulled off their first win since Money Manziel’s days. The Saints are out for retribution from last week after their embarrassing loss against the Buccs. Look for the defense to step up and respond. Take the Saints in the under to cover in the win, Saints 31-14.

Houston at Tennessee, 1:00 PM, CBS (Titans +3, O/U: 43)

Mariota still can’t full feel his fingers yet from last weeks injury and Houston defense will be after him. Desean Watson didn’t look like he did last year before his injury however, he hadn’t played in nearly a year so maybe there was some rust being knocked off. Look for the Texans to cover with a win against a banged up Mariota in the under, Texans 21-17.

Indianapolis at Washington, 1:00 PM, CBS (Redskins -6, O/U: 48.5)

AP looked good in hi debut for the Redskins as did Alex Smith. Smith likes hitting his tight ends and shockingly, Jordan Reed is still active after an NFL game. Luck looked even better than anyone thought after having two years off with his shoulder. The difference maker was Luck’s offensive line, it looked improved and motivated to protect their franchise guy. After last week, I’m shocked Luck is getting that many points so take the Colts to keep it close and cover but in a loss in the over, Redskins 27-24.

Kansas City at Pittsburgh, 1:00 PM, CBS (Steelers -5, O/U: 53.5)

Mahones looked exceptional as I predicted he would in LA against the Chargers. Hill had an unreal game and surprisingly we saw a split in the workload between Hunt and a now healthy Ware, where they both had similar production. Mahomes has a rocketball that he can fit into almost any other hole but I still will hold back on being excited about him until I see more of a sample size. The Steelers are coming off a tie against the Browns where they had tons of turnovers and looked very undisciplined. Roethlisberger turned the ball over 5 times last week so it’s a miracle that they still came away with a tie. Bell or not, they have a rising star in Conner who played very well minus a fumble. The Steelers usually excel in games after a tough, sloppy game the week before. Look for the Steelers to cover in a win and in the over, Steelers 35-27.

L.A. Chargers at Buffalo, 1:00 PM, CBS (Bills+7.5, O/U: 43)

Take the Chargers to bounce back on the road to win in the over, Chargers 31-21.

Miami at N.Y. Jets, 1:00 PM, (Jets -3, O/U: 43)

Take the Jets to continue the legend of Sam Darnold to win in the over, Jets win in the under, Jets 21-17.

Minnesota at Green Bay, 1:00 PM, FOX (Packers +3, O/U: 45)

Rodgers is back and wants revenge. Packers home dogs? Packers upset the Vikes in the over, Packers 28-27.

Philadelphia at Tampa Bay, 1:00 PM, FOX (Buccs +3.5, O/U: 45)

Take the Eagles to win in the under, Eagles 27-10.

Arizona at L.A. Rams, 4:05 PM, FOX (Rams -13.5, O/U: 44.5)

Take the Rams to win in the over, Rams 38-17.

Detroit at San Francisco, 4:05 PM, FOX (49ers -6, O/U: 48.5)

Take the 49ers to cover in the win and take the under, 49ers 27-17.

Oakland at Denver, 4:25 PM, CBS (Broncos -6.5, O/U 46)

No one plays well in Denver early in the season. Take the Broncos to win in the under, Broncos 24-17.

New England at Jacksonville, 4:25 PM, CBS (Jags +1.5, O/U: 44)

Like Colin Cowherd said, this is the Jags super bowl. Typically you don’t want to bet against Belichick but the Jags D is hungry. Take the home dog Jags to win in the under, Jags 21-20.

N.Y. Giants at Dallas, 8:20 PM, NBC (Cowboys -3, O/U: 42.5)

Dallas is in disarray and Dak has no weapons to throw to. Take the Giants to cover in the win and score in the under, Giants 24-17.

That’s Sunday’s predictions. Bet a little extra this week on Rodgers and Luck, they’re extra motivated for their games and always, #beatyoubookie

Colin Cowherd’s Blazing 5:

  • Carolina at Atlanta – Atlanta (-5.5)
  • Kansas City at Pittsburgh – Pittsburgh (-4.5)
  • Indianapolis at Washington – Indianapolis (+6)
  • New England at Jacksonville – Jacksonville (+1)
  • Seattle at Chicago – Seattle (+3.5)

Week 2: Thursday Night Football

Week one is in the books! It is statistically the hardest week to predict anything when it comes to the NFL and we made it out alive with 60% winners!  That caught me by surprise since I was only hoping to get at least around 53%.  The one real shocker was Buccs at the Saints.  Who knew the bearded one would go for over 400 yards in a shootout against Brees?  I know a ton of people were knocked out of elimination pools over it and well, we were caught too, figuring that the Saints covering a 10 point spread was cake.  The other disappointment was the Packers, which I already expressed in a previous post that had Rodgers been healthy all game, I think they would’ve covered that spread.

It’s been a long two and a half days without football but boy, do we have a great matchup tonight…

Baltimore at Cincinnati, 8:20 PM, NFLN (Bengals +1, O/U: 45)

The Ravens absolutely unloaded on the Bills last week and actually forced out Peterman, who was touted as having improved and looked good in the pre-season, for rookie Josh Allen. Now there was a lot of speculation that the Ravens were going to have a great game, but not this great.  Flacco was predicted to have a solid game partly due to having rookie Lamar Jackson on his heels for the starting role.  Flacco finished 25/34 for 236 yards and 3 touchdowns.  The Ravens had questions at running back as to who would lead the team and that seemed to be Kenneth Dixon who had nearly as many carries as both Collins and Allen combined. Lastly, what can we say about the defense? I think it’s back to being great.

The Bengals looked pretty decent against the Colts. Dalton went 21/28 for 243 and 2 scores while throwing a solo pick.  Dixon ran hard in his 17 carries for 95 yards and a score; his biggest run came in at 27 yards.  He averaged 5.6 yards per carry and even without the 27 yard gain; he averaged 4.25 yards/carry.  He’s looking to have a breakout sophomore year.  People weren’t sure what they’d see out of AJ Green since he’s turned 30 and all.  Well, he didn’t disappoint either.  He went off for 6 grabs and 92 yards and even was nice enough to throw a score in there, so I think it’s safe to say that he’ll have another consistent 1,000 yard year.  The Colts lack of running game made the Bengals defense look a little better than it is so look for this one to be a close game.

The Ravens will be tested by the fairly balanced Bengals offense but Dalton folds under big pressure defenses which is exactly what the Ravens are. Take the Ravens to win and cover on the road in the under, Ravens 20-17.

Fast 8

You can’t ask for anything better for the start of the season.  60% winners is the overall that I was hoping to get to for the season and to have it week one is special. Look out for a new feature to the blog, my “Fast 8” picks.  Every week, I’ll choose 8 games that I feel are absolutely worthy of your money on the game.  Think of these games as the best bets of the week or the fastest way to cash/a wining week.  Count this game in with the Fast 8 this week.

It should be another fun dynamic of my blog and another tool for you to #beatyourbookie ……good luck everyone!

Week 1: Monday Night Football

It’s absolutely remarkable how Vegas can set these lines so close to the outcome of the games. Makes you wonder what the secret is, how much homework they do, what kind of insiders they have, or if there’s a formula or algorithm. I had two losses, 1 win and a push within zero to three points of the spread.  Four of the sixteen games could’ve gone either way with a late field goal.  I also had another five games where a touchdown either way could’ve changed the outcome for my bets.  That’s nine of sixteen games where one score (field goal or touchdown) could’ve swung my bets positive or negatively.  I’ve been following lines for  a few years now and I am still amazed by how close these lines are generated to the actual scores of games.  Let the conspiracy theorists converge!

As far as Sunday’s games, I’ve well documented my own 1pm games as mediocre and 2018 has started out no different there. 4-4 against the spread with two games very close from changing that in the 4th quarter of their games until late mistakes happened (Colts & Giants).  I called for a Browns win and they nearly pulled it off to give their fans free Bud Light on opening day no thanks to TJ Watt!  Still, it’s the first season since 2004 that the Browns haven’t lost the opener, so things are looking up in “The Land”.

I bounced back nicely in the 4pm games going 3-0-1. I called the Chargers struggle at home continuing from last season, AP looking good in DC and the Broncos starting the new chapter with Keenum (even though it was a push).

Sunday night was disappointing as far as covering the spread. Seven points is a lot to give up in any game, especially since you don’t know how the teams are going to do in full game action.  I also must admit that I underestimated the Khalil Mack factor.  He made his presence known in that first half, especially when Aaron Rodgers was knocked out before the half.  Still, if that line had performed like they did after the half, all game long, we probably would’ve seen a bigger win and possible cover for the Packers at home, so I’m sticking by my bet and it was just unfortunate to see the line play a poor first half and Rodgers missing nearly all of the second.

I finished Sunday with a 7-6-1 (54%) record, with the potential to pull out a 60% winner’s week in week 1 so I’m optimistic and anxious to watch these games. Now, on to Monday night’s picks…

N.Y. Jets at Detroit, 7:10 PM, ESPN (Lions -7, O/U: 45)

I know what you’re thinking, the Jets are starting rookie Same Darnold, the Lions will blow them out on the road. For that, I have to steal one from Lee Corso, not so fast my friend!  Darnold won that job outright from a guy who’s looked good in the pre-season after not playing for 2 years due to a horrific knee injury (Bridgewater) and a guy beyond his prime, which wasn’t that much of a prime to begin with (McCown).  Don’t mistake him for just some rookie either.  He was taken because he was good and seemed to be the most poised and prepared to start for a team right out of the gate.  The only question was how high would his ceiling be?

As for the rest of the team, they went out and signed Isaiah Crowell to help Powell in the backfield, Terrell Pryor and Andre Roberts to the receiving corps, and Spencer Long as starting center to help give Darnold protection and Weapons to use. The defensive side of the ball saw Trumaine Johnson and Morris Claiborne signed to help the secondary as well as Avery Williamson to start at middle linebacker.

The Lions pretty much go unchanged other than LeGarrette Blount being signed with rookie Kerryon Johnson to compete with Theo Riddick for carries to improve the ground game that Detroit has lacked in Reggie Bush (even he wasn’t a great rusher for them). Stafford has strung together nearly a decades worth of 4,000 plus yard seasons and doesn’t seem to stop that trend given Tate and Jones tearing it up on the outsides.  Jim Bob Cooter has drawn up a pretty exciting offense these last couple of seasons, let’s see what he can do with a fully functional offense.  Devon Kennard and Christian Jones where brought in to boost the linebacking crew and to improve the defense against the run, since they were near the bottom of the league in rushing allowed.  It’s not hard to do when you lose guys like Suh and Nata from your front.

Look for this to be close but don’t be surprised if the Jets keep it interesting. Take the Jets to cover getting 7 but lose to the Lions in the over, Lions 28-24.

L.A. Rams at Oakland, 10:20 PM, ESPN (Raiders +5, O/U: 47.5)

The Rams return for their second season under head coach Sean McVay who brought this team back to life after a dismal 4-12 first season in LA, with an 11-5 finish but a Wild Card loss to the Falcons. With Sammy Watkins leaving us fans thought that they’d still have an arsenal of guys to through to with then rookie Cooper Kupp looking pretty good in his first season but then we all were shocked when Brandin Cooks was picked up.  McVay wanted to make sure that Goff could replicate his 2017 success with having numerous guys to throw to on the outside.  The offense will continue to improve under McVay as he’s being compared to the likes of Kyle Shanahan, and having a genius like mind when it comes to the offensive game.  Veteran defensive pickups like Suh, Talib and Peters are sure to bolster a defense already feared from the likes of Donald.  Rams went all in on this team the last few years and their fans are being rewarded with the fantastic play and now early contenders for the NFC Championship predictions.

The Raiders made some offseason moves of their own, while one could’ve started a riot, some other veteran signings were poised to being back some of that offensive spark they had two seasons ago. Jordy Nelson and Doug Martin are seen as offering more to stabilize the offense and offer different options for John Gruden, who has not been on the sidelines as the head of a football club in a decade.  Justin Ellis and Tank Carradine were brought in to strengthen the defensive front while Tahir Whitehead and Emmanuel Lamur were to strengthen the outside of the box/front 8 of the defense.  Marcus Gilchrist and Leon Hall were brought in to help the secondary, adding to the overall presence of veteran leadership.

The one move that has been the buzz of the team, however, was the trading of Khalil Mack to the Bears for a few first round picks and more. Mack, who was looking for a new deal, seemingly was upset with how the Raiders were conducting their side of the negotiations and how little respect was given to Mack when contract negotiations were being discussed.  The Bears received immediate return after showing Mack some contract love in his first game as a Bear, and the Raiders were left looking like cheapskates and a laughing stock of the league for letting their best player go over a worthy contract negotiation, questioning Gruden and his philosophy.

The locker room has to be devastated and especially for the defensive side for the Raiders. The rams with all of the confidence in the world are going to Oakland as five point favorites.  Look for the Rams to win handedly and cover the five point spread in the over, Rams 38-17.

Don’t forget, Colin Cowherd had the Jets at +6.5 in his Blazinn 5 and while the Wise Men didn’t agree, I feel like it’s still a quality bet being given a whole touchdown. I’m also looking to get back above 50% on 7+ point picks.  Hope your Sunday was fruitful.  Pray to the football gods for Darnold that you can #beatyourbookie Monday night, and catapult me to 60% winners for the week.  Good luck to all!

#beatyourbookie

Week 1 Sunday Games

Well Thursday didn’t go as planned as the Falcons had plenty of head scratching moments and play calls.  The Eagles helped them keep in the game as well, so it was a solid bet until late.  Well, it is week one.  No more pre-season half speed, half of the playbook, these games mean something and teams will play at their hardest to get the ever coveted wins.  On to Sunday’s games to make up for Thursday….

Buffalo at Baltimore, 1:00p, CBS (Ravens -8, O/U: 40)
There isn’t much to say about this dud of a game that hasn’t been written about all off season long. The Bills were reluctant to start their 2018 #1 pick right out of the gate and backed up with that talk by signing AJ McCarron, then after trading him to Oakland, pegging Nate Peterman their starter. The big question is with another rookie 1st rounder Lamar Jackson on the heels of Joe Flacco, will he step up to his Super Bowl caliber play or show that he’s now just washed up? Ravens defense is stingy still given all of the changes through the years.  Peterman looked better in the pre-season than he did last year however, the Ravens eat up quarterbacks that are not really experienced.  I know it’s a lot of points to give for a team that historically doesn’t score a bunch but take the Ravens -8 in the under, Ravens 27-17.

Cincinnati at Indianapolis, 1:00p, CBS (Colts -2, O/U: 48)
Andrew Luck is FINALLY back! It’s been a year and a half and with a somewhat career scare with his shoulder and watching his team suffer a 4-12 season, Luck gives his team a huge confidence boost being in the lineup and since he had last played, he went from having just one decent receiver, and old work horse running back, 2 threatening tight ends and an offensive line that allowed the second most sacks (by 1) but then led the league with 52 the year after. This year they went out and signed Eric Ebron to replace Dwayne Allen, who left 2 seasons ago as well as using some early draft picks to revamp the offensive line to better protect Luck and offer some better blocking for the running game. Luck has only had 1 pre-season and some off-season workouts to knock off the rust, so it’ll be interesting to see how he starts off the season.

For Cincy, not much has changed……for years. Yeah they have Mixon in his 2nd year, AJ still prowling in the deep, and Eifert has given consistency at TE but they will forever be regular season hero’s and post season zeros.  Luck’s magic sparks a little fire in his team, take the Colts to cover in the under, Colts 24-20.

Houston at New England, 1:00p, CBS (Patriots -6.5, O/U: 50)
This should be one of the more interesting matchups of the week. Young vs Old, Promise vs Proven Greatness, Watson Vs Brady. We haven’t seen Watson since his string of a handful of games last year where people were throwing his name into the MVP race. Yeah, he played well……for 6 games. Those games included New England’s defense, which early in the season, are typically giving up tons of yards and points, mediocre defenses from both Tennessee, Seattle and Kansas City, and the bad news Browns defense, which wasn’t stellar last year either.

Patriots are not a great team early on in the season.  Go for the upset in Watson’s return, Texans to win in the under, Texans 24-21.

Jacksonville at N.Y. Giants, 1:00p, FOX (Giants +3, O/U: 42)
In Jacksonville, it looks like it will be another injury plagued season for their receiving corps. Marqis Lee Has suffered an apparent major knee injury. Last year they lost Robinson to a season long injury. If anyone needs the talented receiving corps on the field, it’s Blake Bortles.

It’s sure to be a battle of the star runners though in Fournette and Barkley. Barkley will see his first true test against one of the best defense in the league. Eli sure needs relief with a running game that has been non-existent in the last few seasons.

The Jags aren’t historically great on the road and with OBJ back in the lineup, Eli goes from a low 4 to a high 7.  Add Barkley and you have a completely different looking team.  Take the Giants to win and in the under, Giants 17-14.

Pittsburgh at Cleveland, 1:00p, CBS (Browns +4, O/U: 40.5)
No bell for real this time. Bell has decided to sit out for more money than to sign the franchise tag and play with his teammates. This means second year man and local boy, James Connor is up. The Steelers went out and drafted Washington adding to the outside threats.

The Browns with the first overall pick went with Baker Mayfield and later in the first, snagged Denzel Ward at corner. They also added some depth to the O-line, running backs and receivers in which they got a steal in my mind in the fourth round with Antonio Callaway, who will see significant time in the opener.

They say there’s a Hard Knocks effect where the team usually looks better than it really is but if you look at the roster improvements and the chip on the shoulder to win A GAME, there’s real motivation to knock off a your main rival.  You better screen shot this, take the Browns to win in upset fashion and in the under, Browns 20-17.

San Francisco at Minnesota, 1:00p, FOX (Vikings -7, O/U: 45.5)
The Jimmy G era in San Fran is upon it’s first full season. The weapons are there for him to be successful and one of those weapons is Shanahan’s offensive mind. They strengthened up the offensive line in the draft and added depth to the already deadly receivers. Garcon, Goodwin, Pettis, Celek and Kittle give Garapolo more than enough options given the unproven running game now turned upside down after losing Mckinnon to a bad knee injury.

Minnesota had an unbelievable run with Case Keenum last year but now will have a new thrower of the pigskin under center, Kirk Cousins. Cousins never had the weapons that the Vikes have and with his consistent play under center, it’ll be interesting to see what he can do with Diggs, Thielen, Treadwell, Rudolph and Cook out of the backfield. The offensive line was huge for then rookie, Dalvin Cook, who emerged as another running back surprise and shared some of the spotlight with the successes that two other rookies had in Hunt and Kamara, last year. Defense has virtually gone unchanged from last year and should be at the top of the league all season, which makes this a really good test for the Garapolo/Shanahan tag team coming into Minnesota.

Take the Vikings to win and cover in the over, Vikings 31-20.

Tampa Bay at New Orleans, 1:00p, FOX (Saints -10, O/U: 49.5)
Tampa can’t seem to get it right, every year. They have some holes and needs to fill on offense still, as most teams do, however, when you spend a first round pick on a quarterback, you expect results EVENTUALLY! The weapons for a quarterback to be successful are there but for some reason, Winston still hasn’t grown professionally and personally. I’m shocked that this incident wasn’t enough for Tampa to look at him and just say “no thanks…no more” and get rid of him. Now they have to use Fitzpatrick to fill in for the first three games of the season, who has his physical deficiencies in the throwing game but is accurate on short passes and knows his abilities.

New Orleans opened up last year deep at the running back spot with AP and Ingram looking to split time however, AP never got going and rookie Alvin Kamara chipped away time from AP who then was traded to the Cardinals after a few games. Kamara was a highlight reel in his rookie season while Ingram returned back to the hype that surrounded him when he was drafted, hitting double digits in rushing touchdowns.

Take the Saints to cover and win in the under, Saints 31-17.

Tennessee at Miami, 1:00p, FOX (Dolphins +1, O/U: 45)
I’m not a fan of these two teams. Mariota hasn’t been spectacular since being drafted and Tannehill hasn’t proven he’s worth his contract. Both guys have talent around them but can’t elevate and play stellar ball. Both guys also have injury issues most notably with Tannehill coming back for his first action since December 2016 from a torn ACL, which he had reinjured last summer to keep him out longer and brought Jay Cutler out of retirement for another horrible season.

This one will be more of a defensive struggle than anything and may be close as well.  Take the home dogs, Dolphins to win in the under, Dolphins 20-17.

Kansas City at L.A. Chargers, 4:05p, CBS (Chargers -3, O/U: 49)
The Chiefs were one of those teams that scored big in last years draft with a surprise star in the backfield , Kareem Hunt. Spencer Ware was slotted as the starter last year before being lost for the year before the season started which catapulted Hunt to starter and then, well, the rest was history, literally. Alex Smith was traded out and Sammy Watkins was brought in, Mahomes gets the nod and however much the defense needed some pieces added, they still caused 26 turnovers for the leagues 2nd best margin (-15).

The Chargers, even since their Marty Shottenheimer days, have always been a pretty good team that didn’t do anything. Again, another team that has weapons surrounding their quarterback but struggle to either get in to the playoffs or go deep in to the playoffs. Their defense needed some pieces in the secondary and I believe they addressed that from what I saw in the pre-season. Rivers bounced back from a career high 21 picks and then last year only throwing 10 with 4,515 yards and 28 TD’s. Gordon had his first 1,000 yard rushing year and Allen had his first full season in a few years, staying injury free for most of it,

This is a tough pick because I’m not high on Mahomes but The Chargers were not good at home last year (being as they were playing in a soccer stadium that held about 20 thousand people). Take the Chiefs to win and cover in the over, Chiefs 28-24.

Dallas at Carolina, 4:25p, FOX (Panthers -3, O/U: 42)
The Cowboys come in to the season with some notable players from the last decade plus, missing, Dez and Witten. Two key targets that Dak had used to get his career started. His backfield buddy Zeke will be there with him along with some returning outside guys in Beasley and Williams but every other receiver is relatively new (Hurns, Austin, Thompson and Gallup through the draft). The Witten successors aren’t as promising as Witten was but their serviceable and that O-Line virtually remains the same with the addition for Connor Williams at LG. Defensive squad virtually unchanged except for the return of Randy Gregory and a bunch of 2018 draftees to fill in some needed depth.

The Panthers return nearly every starter from last year while adding some more weapons to the outside of their offense in DJ Moore, and surprisingly did well without Kelvin Benjamin, trading him away to the Bills. Olsen is back, someone who Newton sorely missed. The thing that scares me about the Panthers is how consistently inconsistent they’ve been from year to year, including Cam Newton. They’ve snaked through losing and winning season each of the last 6 seasons.

Dallas won’t be able to keep up offensively but expect a close one.  Take the Panthers to cover and win in the under, Panthers 24-17.

Seattle at Denver, 4:25p, FOX (Broncos -3, O/U: 42)
Talk about a tale of two teams. These two have fallen far from their once prominent spot at the top of the football world with their super bowl wins, but now find themselves rebuilding. The Seahawks barely finished with a winning record at 9-7 while the Broncos hit near rock bottom at 5-11. So much talent on both sides but it was age that caught up to the Hawks and a bad quarterback situation that caught the Broncs and GM John Elway napping.

Broncos went out and fixed their QB situation by getting Case Keenum, although it may be a short-term pickup but they better figure out what they’re going to do going forward since Case is no guarantee and they sent Paxton packing. Both teams will have rookies in starting slot for the game, including the remarkable Shaq Griffin who had his left hand amputated as a young child.

Take the Broncos to win and cover in the under, Broncos 20-14.

Washington at Arizona, 4:25p, FOX (Cardinals -1.5, O/U: 43.5)
Out goes Cousins, in comes Smith. You can only franchise tag a guy so many times before he says no and hits the trade wire. Surprising to also see AP on this team, given that he was a free agent into week 3 of the pre-season before Derrius Guice Blew a wheel for the season. The Redskins used a ton of draft picks to fill gaps in their depth chart but also gained some solid players who could see some significant time in the season opener.

The Cardinals out and tried to get their future franchise QB in Josh Rosen. In my eyes, he’s going to be the best that comes out of their draft. If there’s a team that you should be excited for down the road it’s the Cardinals. David Johnson is still young, JJ Nelson is hitting his prime and Christian Kirk should turn into a nice replacement to Larry Fitzgerald once he decides to retire. The real question is how long with Sam Bradford last as the starter?

Take the Redskins to win and cover in the under, Redskins 24-17.

Chicago at Green Bay, 8:20p, MNBC (Packers -7, O/U: 47)
Battle of the two teams vying for the services of Khalil Mack. Well, that’s one thing the Bears can hold over the Packers head, other than this, however, they don’t have much to talk trash about. They’re inferior at almost every position. The one thing that is hard to do, is go into Green Bay and win with Aaron Rodgers playing. The Bears were so bad, they wouldn’t let Trubisky use the expanded version of the playbook for much of their season and still finished behind the Packers who were 7-9 mostly without the services of Rodgers.

The Bears are inferior to the Packers at every position. They spent the off season trying to improve the receiving corps that Trubisky has to throw to. My issue is with Trubisky, I just don’t think he’s the guy they need to take them to the next level. The guy didn’t even get to work with the full playbook. They’re hoping that bringing in Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel and Trey Burton will help elevate his game.

For the Packers, out goes Jordy Nelson and in comes Jimmy Graham. Rodgers is back and healthy and they have some new draft picks to add to the depth at receiver and corner, which was very much so needed. Not only did they get Jimmy G and draft themselves a bunch of help all over the roster, they ponied up on Rodgers’ contract and made him one of the richest players in the NFL. When Rodgers is in the lineup, this team has super bowl potential no matter the roster around him but it should be exciting to see him go up against Mack.

Take the Packers to win and cover in the over, Packers 31-21.

Colin Cowherd’s Blazin 5 Picks:

  • Buffalo at Baltimore – Baltimore (-7)
  • San Francisco at Minnesota – Minnesota (-6)
  • Houston at New England – Houston (+6.5)
  • Jacksonville at NY Giants – NY Giants (+6)
  • NY Jets at Detroit – NY Jets (+6.5)

There you have it.  My Sunday picks are locked in with a few shockers.  It certainly should be an entertaining week with plenty to look out for to set up week two picks.  Happy football day and good luck!

%d bloggers like this: