Thursday Football Service Plays

Wunderdog

Baltimore at New England
Pick: Baltimore +5

It is going to be difficult psychologically for bettors to look at a New England game and resist them as just a mere 5 point favorite at home. What we must do however is keep this in perspective. This is an exhibition game! The logo on the helmets and regular season success and failure do not come into play here. But the oddsmakers are forced by the hand of the betting public to consider a few extra points. Even with that said over 60% have already pulled the trigger for the Pats in this one. The Pats opened the season in 2007 scoring 30+ points in their first eight regular-season games. A great start, right? Consider however they did not reach 30 in a single exhibition game. Brady threw seven passes in the opener last season. The result was 10 total points scored and a Patriot loss. Their's no doubt this offense will turn it on come September, but the preseason is a different animal all together. The Patriots have been an elite team for years,but over the last three exhibitionseasons they have been favored by 4 or more points three times and have not covered a single one. In contrast, we have the Baltimore Ravens with a first year coach in John Harbaugh. What does that mean? First year coaches are new for a reason - their teams were bad last season - bad enough to fire their head man. New coaches come in for one reason - to change things. They want to win from the start, more than entrenched coaches, and especially more than coaches of teams so good that have nothing to prove to anyone (i.e. the Pats). These first-year coaches want to change the culture of losing and as such, they put more of an emphasis on winning in the preseason. Does Harbaugh want to win here? Yes! Does Bellichick? He could really care less. The Patriots have dropped two of their last three ehibition home openers outright. We will back the more motivated Ravens here to keep this one close, or even steal one.

FAO Sports

Kansas City and Chicago,
Take Chicago

This is more of a play against K.C. then one for Chicago.Kansas City is 0-3 ATS and SU, the first game of the preseason. They have lost the first game of the preseason by an average of 8.33 PPG.Chicago is 1-1-1 in the first game of the preseason in the last 3 years.

Take Chicago

Paul Bovi

NO Saints and ARI Cardinals
Take Under

It will be Tyler Palko, Mark Brunell and Travis Lulay getting most of the snaps for the Saints while coach Whisenhunt looks for his inaugural preseason win after last years.5? 0-4, though several were close. The Saints are sitting the bulk of the offensive talent inclding Deuce, Devery and Marques and will pay more close attention to the defensive side here as that has been their Achilles heel. Zona in the desert gets it 16-13 Under

PlayByPlay Inc.

NY GIANTS +3

YOURWINNINGPICKS

CLEVELAND BROWNS (-3) VS. New York Jets: The Jets are the play here as the QB question surrounding Gang Green will force coach Eric Mangini to play both Chad Pennington and Kellen Clemens for an extended amount of time here. Cleveland will play Brady Quinn a bunch and this will represent his first extended action as his rookie season was spent holding the clipboard. Jets are also 15-5 ATS in their last 20 preseason openers. THE PICK: New York Jets (+3)

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (-5) VS. Baltimore Ravens: The Ravens will start Kyle Boller at QB which is never a good thing even in preseason. The Pats should come out fast as this is their first action since losing Super Bowl 42 in shocking fashion. Pats are also 32-19 ATS in their last 51 preseason openers when giving less than 5.5. THE PICK: New England Patriots (-5)

CHICAGO BEARS (-3) VS. Kansas City Chiefs: The Bears should beat up on the Chiefs here as KC breaks in a host of rookies on both sides of the ball and still have QB Brodie Croyle finding his way. Bears are looking for who will step up as QB and so Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton will look to open some eyes with their showing. THE PICK: Chicago Bears (-3)