Michael Cannon
Seattle at MINNESOTA -10'
I’m 30-19-1 with my last 50 overall free plays.
Take the Vikings as the home chalk over the Seahawks.
Bad matchup for Seattle. The Seahawks have had offensive line problems all season long due to injury and they have to hit the road to play one of the best defensive fronts in the entire league.
Minnesota will pressure Matt Hasselbeck all day long and Seattle doesn’t run it very well, so they’re going to start the game one-dimensional.
That’s not a good way to go into a game against the Vikings defensive line.
On the other side of the ball, the Vikings check in averaging 30.1 ppg, which is second in the league to the Saints.
The Seahawks haven’t fared well on the road this year and are still searching for their first win away from Seattle this year. They have been held to 20 points or less in six of their last eight games, losing those six games SU and ATS.
Take the Vikings minus the points as they grab the home win and cover.
3♦ MINNESOTA
Sports Gambling Hotline
Seattle +11 at MINNESOTA
Seattle hasn't exactly been tearing it up away from home, as they have failed to cover in all 4 road games to date. Still, the Seahawks are getting back to health, and they are getting a bunch of points from a Minnesota team the linesmakers continue to overvalue.
The Vikings are 8-1 straight up this season, but against the spread the Norsemen are on 1-2-1 slide their last 4 games, and at the Metrodome Minnesota is just 9-11-1 against the spread their last 21 tries when favored.
Yes, this could be a Minnesota rout, but we get the feeling that with a big division home game against the Chicago Bears up next, the Vikes will leave the back door wide open in this one, allowing a late Seattle score to get them inside the number.
As long as the public, and the linemakers over-inflate the price on Favre and his mates, we will have to go against them.
Play on the Seahawks.
1♦ SEATTLE
Karl Garrett
Seattle at MINNESOTA
G-Man has a feeling the offense is going to be cranking on both sides of the ball this Sunday afternoon in Minnesota.
Seattle has played OVER the total in all 3 games since their bye-week, and they are on a 5-1 OVER clip their last 6 games away from Qwest Field.
Minnesota comes into this one having scored 30-points or more in 5 of their 8 games this season, and they have tallied 27-points or more in 8 of their 9 games overall this year!
Even if these teams wanted to, the G-Man feels they could not play a low-scoring contest today in the Dome.
Seattle's defense is allowing a whopping 29-points per game over their last 4 contests, while the "vaunted" Minny defense has been gashed for 23 points or more in 5 of their last 7 outings.
G-Man going HIGH in Seattle-Minnesota this Sunday.
3♦ OVER
Jeff Benton
NY Jets at NEW ENGLAND -10'
For Sunday’s free play in the NFL, I’ll take the Patriots and lay the points against the Jets.
How angry do you think the entire New England football team – from Bill Belichick on down – are after giving that game away at Indianapolis last Sunday? I’ll tell you: the Patriots are beyond pissed! Well, one thing we’ve learned over the years during the Brady/Belichick era is that when this team comes into a game with a chip on its shoulder, it’s never good news for the opponent. And when that opponent is a hated divisional rival … that is coming into New England’s house … and upset the Patriots early in the season … well, this could get REAL ugly for New York.
As it is, the Jets come into this game having lost five of six both SU and ATS, with the only win being a 38-0 rout of the JaMarcus Russell-led Raiders a month ago. Rex Ryan’s defense is springing leaks (24 points or more allowed in four of the five losses), and rookie QB Mark Sanchez is clearly regressing. And while Sanchez had success in New York’s 16-9 win over New England back in Week 2, that was in the Meadowlands. This one is on New England’s turf … and against an irate Patriots defense eager to regain the respective of their defensive-minded coach.
Finally, nobody in the NFL rebounds from defeat like Belichick. To wit: His team is 20-5-1 ATS in its last 26 games after a SU defeat, including 2-0 ATS this year – both of them double-digit home wins. In fact, the last time New England came off a loss – that 20-17 overtime setback at Denver in Week 5 – the Patriots came home the next week … and murdered the slumping Titans 59-0 in a blizzard. It was the ultimate F-U beatdown we’ve come to expect from Belichick. And given his hatred for the Jets (and given this revenge situation), I have little doubt the Hoodie will pour it on today.
5♦ NEW ENGLAND
Chris Jordan
N.Y. Jets at NEW ENGLAND
I'm going to play this game under the posted number, as I believe the Patriots will have to be strategic for this win and cover today, while their defense should be able to contain rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez.
New York has a decent enough secondary to matchup with the Pats' talented receiving corps. And if Darrelle Revis can back up his talk and man-up against Randy Moss, we're going to see Wes Welker double-teamed most of the day.
Tom Brady will get his, we know this, but it wont' come easy. And it'll be time consuming. Thus, I wouldn't look for a first-half explosion.
On the other side of the ball, the Jets beat the Patriots in Week 2 of the regular season, and revenge has to be on the mind of coach Bill Belichick, who also comes in after being second-guessed all week with the now infamous 4th Down call.
Look for this one to stay low, based on a pair of staunch defensive efforts.
3♦ PATRIOTS/JETS UNDER
Dominic Fazzini
San Diego -4' at DENVER
Ran my record on complimentary selections to 11-2 over the past 13 days as underdog Kansas State covered the spread against Nebraska on Saturday. And you better believe I'm going to win again today!
The Chargers have gotten their act together earlier in the season than they have in the past few seasons, winning four straight to pull into a first-place tie atop the AFC West with the Broncos, who have lost three straight following their 6-0 start.
Denver's defense was leading the way for the team during its amazing start, but that unit has taken a step back during the losing streak. After giving up just 79.7 yards rushing per game during the 6-0 start, opponents have averaged 157.3 yards on the ground the past three games. And the offensively-challenged Redskins scored 27 points against the Broncos last week after not having scored more than 17 in a game all season.
Denver's offense is hurting also, especially if Chris Simms starts at quarterback today. After taking over last week for the injured Kyle Orton, who is questionable today with an ankle sprain and didn't practice all week, Simms went 3 of 13 for 13 yards with an interception as the Broncos managed just 36 yards of offense in the second half.
San Diego QB Philip Rivers is one of the best in the business, and has a trio of big, sure-handed targets to throw to in Vincent Jackson, Malcom Floyd and Antonio Gates. And LaDaianian Tomlinson looked like his old self again last week against Philadelphia, and if the Chargers are able to run the ball effectively today, it's going to be a very long day for the Broncos.
San Diego is 2-0-3 ATS in its last five games in Denver, 5-1-1 ATS in its last seven games overall against the Broncos and the favorite is 4-1-1 in the teams' last six meetings. Take the Chargers to cover the points today as they win on the road.
4♦ SAN DIEGO
Scott Delaney
Cleveland at Detroit
Does it get any uglier than this?
Last week I thought I was making my first "gamble" in releasing the dreaded Chiefs-Raiders game. I paid the price for counting on the Silver and Black.
This week I'll be smarter and play the battle of the worst as a complimentary selection, and I'm siding with the home team.
Fact is, the Lions have a much better ball club, and appear to be a team set on improving itself as the season progreses. The Browns - they're an absolute mess, from top to bottom. They are a joke - the Pittsburgh Pirates, if you will, of the NFL.
Last week the Lions went into Minnesota last week and held the highly volatile Vikings to a minimal output in a 27-10 loss. The Browns, meanwhile, are in on a short week after getting shutout by the Ravens, 16-0, on Monday night (which, incidentally, was my fifth-straight 10-Dime Monday night winner this season).
In that Monday night affair, Browns quarterback Brady Quinn looked awful, completing just 13-of-31 passes for 99 yards and a 23.5 rating. And since Lions coach Jim Schwartz loves to blitz, I suspect the Notre Dame grad will be running for his life the entire game.
On offense, look for Calvin Johnson to have a big game (start him fantasy owners), as the Browns' defense have given up 39 plays of 20-plus yards in nine games. Last week he Johnson caught a season-high eight passes for 84 yards, and with the chance to ignite the home crowd against a rather weak secondary, this wil be his day to shine.
Lions win this one by a score of 28-10 ... or something in that neighborhood!
5♦ DETROIT LIONS
Tony Weston
Utah takes care of business yesterday and delivers an easy Comp Play winner.
I’m handing you another winner today as I’m taking the San Diego Chargers on the road at the Denver Broncos.
When the Broncos started the season 6-0 SU and ATS, it was widely unexpected for a lot of reasons. But over the last three weeks Denver has gone 0-3 SU and ATS and is playing just like everyone expected, losing by an average of 17 points per game in that stretch.
With Chris Simms likely to start today in place of the injured Kyle Orton, things won’t get any better.
The Chargers come into this game riding a perfect 4-0 SU win streak, where they’ve gone 3-1 ATS. Over that 4-game stretch San Diego has beaten its opponents by an average of 11.7 points per game.
San Diego will continue its hot streak and add to the fading Broncos’ woes. Take the Chargers on the road in this one.
3♦ CHARGERS
Craig Davis
For Sunday's selection, I'm looking for the Baltimore Ravens to hand the Indianapolis Colts their first loss of the season.
Shoot, how can we expect the Colts to get up for yet another game like this? They're coming in off an 18-14 grueling win over San Francisco, a lucky 20-17 win over Houston, and a 35-34 miracle win over the Patriots. Can't really blame them for coming into Baltimore a little flat today.
The Ravens obviously play much better at home than they do on the road, and the last time they played a meaningful home game, the unbeaten Denver Broncos came to town and left battered and bruised following a 30-7 defeat.
Indy has used every last bit of energy they had in the last three weeks, opened up the play book as deep as it's ever been opened this year to come back and defeat the Patriots last week, and has suffered some injuries along the way. Meanwhile, the Ravens played a big ole possum Monday night in Cleveland, playing the most vanilla offense they possibly could in a 16-0 win over the stumbling Browns. If you think that offense is the offense the Ravens will bring to the table today, you're sadly mistaken. Baltimore will run through, around and over this Colts defense, keeping Manning on the sidelines while not giving him the chance to beat them.
It absolutely amazes me this line is so low with a 9-0 team visiting a 5-4 team, but that's where the "trick" comes in. I believe this is another Vegas gift, as everyone in the world will be jumping off a cliff to get Indy minus the point or point and a half. Trust me, Vegas isn't that stupid to release a line that looks too good to be true without knowing exactly what type of game it's going to be. My money is on the Ravens at home in a near pick em.
5♦ BALTIMORE