Carlo Campanella
Titans vs. Dolphins
Play: Titans -2½
We cashed on the Saints during their 20-0 victory over these Dolphins in London last Sunday. The main factor for this play was the fact that Miami had played back-to-back road games and now was heading across the ocean to England. Not only is that a lot of traveling for a team, but that is draining to QB Cutler. QB Cutler looked lazy, almost if the game didn't matter to him as they got shutout. After all this traveling for 3 straight weeks the Fish finally return home for their 1st home game of the season. Miami has been held to 0, 6 & 19 points this year! With all that travel, especially to England, doubt Miami is going to suddenly explode on offense. QB Cutler is only 3-10 ATS in his career as a home Dog and he won't keep pace with a Tennessee offense that's averaging 25 PPG this season.
Vic Duke
Chiefs vs. Texans
Play:Texans +1½
Chiefs/Texans 8:30: Chiefs overdue to take a fall and it should come here. Chiefs are coming off hard fought win last Monday but they're just 1-7 ATS after a Monday game. I'm not crazy about their defense without Eric Berry roaming center field; after all, the Chiefs are allowing 360 yards per game (26th). And now that Houston's QB Watson has emerged as a playmaker with a healthy cast of weapons at his disposal, the Chiefs' defense should be on its heels for the second week in a row. Houston's defense is starting to gel and we'll look for Houston to deliver for the second straight year.
Ben Burns
Packers vs. Cowboys
Play: Cowboys -2
I won with the Packers last week. They won 35-14. That wasn't quite as impressive as it sounds though. First off, the opponent was the Bears. Second, the Packers finished with only 260 total yards. In fact, Chicago actually outgained the Packers on both the ground and through the air. The Bears had more first downs and a greater time of possession, too. This week's opponent figures to be considerably more dangerous.
Perhaps looking ahead to this game, the Cowboys got upset by the Rams last week. The Packers, who knocked them out of the playoffs last season, will command their full attention and I expect home field to prove pivotal. If you can get the line at less than a field goal, consider the Cowboys.
Art Aronson
Chargers vs. Giants
Play: Over 45
Both teams feature pass heavy offenses with veterans Philip Rivers and Eli Manning going head to head. Each team is 0-4 and desperate for a victory, so we’re expecting them to open up the playbook this afternoon. It’s interesting to note that the Chargers have seen the total go OVER the number in seven of their last ten games played in the month of October, while the Giants have seen the total go OVER the number in six of their last eight after two or more consecutive SU losses. We think these teams break out offensively this week, consider the OVER.
Chip Chirimbes
Bills vs. Bengals
Play:Bengals -3
Very pleased with the Bills performance to date as we once again as 'we' posted a 'Heavy Hitter' winner with Buffalo over Atlanta and the week before had them as 'our' AFC Game of the Month winner against Denver. Therefore, I am very confident that this is the perfect 'go-against' spot. The Bills are 4-0 ATS while Cincinnati who dropped their first three games has two straight 'covers' losing the Green Bay late (blowing 4th Q) and dominating the Browns. During the season for the most part (there are exceptions) where clubs move to the center during the year. It's time for the bills to settle down.
TJ Pemberton
Panthers vs. Lions
Play: Panthers +3
The Detroit Lions are 3-1 after beating the Vikings on the road last week. Detroit is 1st in the NFC North and will host the Carolina Panthers on Sunday afternoon. The Lions are 1-1 at home after losing to the Falcons. Detroit last played the Panthers in 2014 and lost 24-7. The Lions are 2-1 against the spread this season and have covered just two of the last eight games against a team from the NFC. The Detroit Lions find ways to win even with a mediocre offense and defense. The Lions are ranked 24th in the NFL in yards per game and 10th in the league with an average of 24.8 points per game. Detroit is lead by QB Matthew Stafford who has seven touchdowns on the season and just one interception.
The Carolina Panthers are also 3-1 on the season and beat the Patriots 33-30 on the road this season. Carolina is 2-0 on the road this year and 1-2 against the spread this season. The Panthers have covered the spread in just one of their last six games against the Lions. Carolina is just 2-5 against the spread during Week 5 games. The Carolina Panthers average 318.5 yards per game which ranks 22nd in the NFL. The Panthers rank 20th in the league in points per game but their offense is the best team in the league on 3rd downs. QB Cam Newton has 882 passing yards heading into this game which five touchdowns and five interceptions. Grab the free points with Carolina on the road. The Panthers have proven that they can play on the road and leave it all on the field. Cam Newton is a dangerous QB to try to handle and this should be another close game for the Lions.
Mike Anthony
Tennessee vs. Miami
Play: Miami +3
Cameron Wake has proven to be able to handle the pressures of being the teams defensive leader - Miami can make their skilled players around Wake even better when they surround him with a better defensive unit. He has gotten them 2 of the teams 4 total sacks - and Miami has been getting better with their pass rush. Even with Miami and their low ended passing game it is still going to be very hard to stop - for a terribly ranked DB unit of Tennessee, which has already given up 11 TDs in the air. With a woeful secondary that gives up 274 YPG and 64% completion to opposing QBs - it seems to be literally one of the worst currently playing in the league. The men on the field from the Dolphins Dline will be waging an assault on Tennessee all game long. OC Jason Michael has not been able to start the Tennessee offense - in the last few weeks. Matt Cassel cannot lead them vs Miami, on the road. The injury to Mariota hurt them badly - I cannot see Cassel leading them here. Titans are 3-12-1 ATS in their last 16 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
Big Al
Tennessee vs. Miami
Pick: Miami +1
Both of these teams played awful games last week. Miami was shutout in London, 20-0, by New Orleans, while Tennessee was blasted, 57-14, by Houston. And it could get worse for Tennessee this weekend if its quarterback, Marcus Mariota, remains sidelined with a hamstring injury. Last week, in the 2nd half, backup Matt Cassel was completely ineffective, as he went 4-for-10 for just 21 yards and also committed a fumble and threw two interceptions. I look for Miami to pull a mild upset in this game, as Tennessee has really struggled vs. losing teams. Dating back to 2013, the Titans are 6-24 ATS, including 1-12 ATS if Tennessee wasn’t getting more than a point. Also, NFL teams are now 11-4 ATS in their next game following a loss in London, England.
Will Rogers
Jets vs. Browns
Pick: Under 40
The set-up: The Browns were just 1-15 last year and the Jets went 5-11. However, the Jets seemed to be holding a 'fire sale' in the off-season and heading into 2017, both were expected to be among the front-runners for nest year's No. 1 draft pick. The Jets and Browns meet Sunday in NFL Week 5 action at Cleveland's FirstEnergy Stadium. Not surprisingly, Cleveland checks in as one of four remaining win-less teams (along with the 49ers, Chargers and Giants) but the Jets have shocked most observers by beating the Dolphins and Jaguars after opening 0-2. These two non-division opponents meet for a third straight season with the Jets winning 31-10 at home in 2015 and 31-28 at Cleveland in 2016 (Jets have won four straight in the series)
NY Jets: Josh McCown gets to face the team he played for last season and would love to lead the Jets to a third straight (sounds strange, doesn't). McCown only has three TDs (also just three INTs) in the team's first four games, which is no surprise, as he has one TD pass or less in six of his last seven games. What is a surprise is that's he's completing 70.1 percent of his passes. The Jets rank just 26th in passing yards (192.2 YPG) but despite no big-name RBs, are averaging 130.8 YPG on the ground (7th-best). With Matt Forte sidelined with turf toe, Bilal Powell rushed for a career-high 163 yards last Sunday, plus ULL rookie Elijah McGuire added 93 yards on the ground. Defensively, New York is allowing 23.0 PPG on 338.5 YPG
Cleveland: The Browns need a victory here to avoid an 0-5 start for the second straight season. Head coach Hue Jackson is 1-19, with the Browns winning just one of their last 23 games and are 2-29 over their last 31, the worst stretch in NFL history. DeShone Kizer looks over-matched at the QB position, completing just 51.4 percent of his passes for 764 yards with three TDs, eight INTs and 11 sacks (50.9 QB rating). The ground game is a joke, averaging 76.5 YPG (27th). Overall, the offense is averaging 296.0 YPG (26th) and 15.8 PPG (28th). The defense is middle-of-the-pack in yards allowed (328.0 per to rank 16th) but is 29th in scoring D, allowing 26.8 PPG.
Brandon Shively
Chargers vs. Giants
Pick: Giants -3
New York has had some rough luck as of late.
Starting the season 0-4 was not in the agenda, but this is the perfect time to turn things around against the Chargers. The Giants are not as bad as this record indicates either.
New York has seen Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr. really pick their connection up over the last few weeks. That doesn't bode well for this Chargers defense that got torched last week against the Eagles pass game.
Along with that, the Giants have been a bounce back team ATS wise. Giants are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up loss.
New York isn't very far off here this season. Despite that 0-4 record, this is a chance against a weak Chargers team to step up and come out firing.
Harry Bondi
Arizona / Philadelphia Over 45
This number is simply too low. We have two offenses that prefer to pass the ball going up against defenses that struggle against the pass. So expect both Carson Palmer and Carson Wenz to be airing it out today and extending the game. In addition, the Cardinals have gone over the total in 15 of their last 19 road games and six of their last seven when listed as a dog. Go over!
Jim Feist
Chargers at Giants
Pick: Over
One of these teams will likely get their first win of the season here (barring an OT tie). Don't think many would have expected both Manning and River teams to be a combined 0-8 at this juncture of the season. Chargers averaging just 18 points per game this season. Rivers has six TD's and four INT's this year. Manning has similar numbers, 6 TD's and 4 INT's. Odell Beckham Jr has struggled with injuries all season and has an ankle injury he's nursing now. The Chargers usually are a good road OVER club, especially vs a losing team, going 13-6-1 O/U the last 20 games. These clubs have gone over in four of the last five meetings and while most think this is an under, I expect a high scoring game.
Rob Vinciletti
Panthers at Lions
Play: Lions
The Lions fit a perfect system that plays against Carolina and road teams off a road dog win at +7 or more while scoring 28 or more vs an opponent off a divisional road win, These road teams bounce big losing by over 14 points. The Lions are 3-0 as a home favorite of 3 or less. The Panther also fit a system that plays against teams on the road off a road win vs defending Super Bowl champs. The Panthers came up big last week. However they take on a rising Lions team that looks solid this season. With Carolina 0-4 ats in Dome games. We will lay it with the Lions.
Bob Balfe
Panthers +2.5
The Lions came into the season with a lot of guys suspended on the defensive line and a few guys out on the offensive line. This is a team that is beat up big time in the trenches, but the odds makers in Vegas still have them as favorites. The front 7 today for Detroit is really banged up and in my opinion just not of NFL quality. Carolina can run the ball and Cam Newton being a duel threat is going to make it very tough on Detroit to get this team off the football field. This is a perfect example of a game being won in the trenches.
Eric Schroeder
My free play for Sunday is the shoddy Cleveland Browns over the New York Jets. In a battle to prove which isn't the worst team in the league, I'll take the Browns in a rout.
I've been saying it since Week 1 - the Jets are the worst team in the league.
Sure, the Jets have won two straight, but quarterback Josh McCown - who once played for the Browns - has never won three consecutive starts in the NFL, because, well, he once played for the Browns.
With the No. 1 drafte pick in 2017, Myles Garrett, ready to make his debut after missing the team's first four games with an ankle injury. The defensive end will be breathing down McCown's neck all day, and will have the Dawg Pound howling.
The biggest intangible is Cleveland wanting a damn win. If there is one game the Browns should win, and get off the schneid with, it's this game. Take the home team at a pick, as this one comes in late.
3* BROWNS