Chicago Bears @ Seattle Seahawks
Despite the Urlacher's big absence due to injury, Chicago still has an outstanding Defense and they prove it on their last game, being very agressive and they didn't allowed the Pittsburgh offense to do their work. QB Jay Cutler after a terrible season opener, managed to change his game and made a good performance on his last match, which is a good sign for the Chicago Offense, since their opponents' defense will now have to worry about him more than they thought before, thus opening the Bears' range of options, improving their Rushing Game with RB Matt Forte and benefiting also from the WR Devin Hester's speed.
The main factor that made me to side with Chicago, is the probable absence of Seahawks' Star QB Matt Hasselbeck, which is capable to miss this game, and in that case, things might be easier for the Bears. The Seattle's strong side is undoubtedly their Offense, but today the Seahawks will face one of the better and most agressive defenses in the NFL, and their Offense will have a lot of difficulties ahead in order to advance in the field. Seattle's D is very weak, mainly against the opponents' rushing game, they always suffer a lot of hardships, and knowing that Chicago has a good ground offense, the edge goes to the road favorite.
If QB Jay Cutler does an intelligent game like he did last week, and I believe he will do it again, the Bears will have good chances to win this game. I'm expecting to see good plays that will open extra holes on the Seahawks defense for RB Matt Forte to exploit and even some lab plays with WR Devin Hester, because these Seahawks are very feeble and the mismatches between them and the Bears gives the edge to the small favorite and I expect Chicago to win this match.
Pick: Chicago Bears -1 -120 (1,83) The Greek / CHI -1 -118 (1,847) Pinnacle
New Orleans Saints @ Buffalo Bills
What can I say about New Orleans that you already don't know...? Well, lets start to talk about their weakest side, their Defense, which has improved a lot, and has nothing to do with the Saints D from last season. It is true that New Orleans now suffers a lot of lost yards per game, but that is completely normal. What changed for the best, was the reliability of the defense, the players are surer and have more confidence in themselves and they don't give anymore the wide openings of old and they have made a lot of interceptions.
Now, let's talk about the Saints Offense. They have one of the best QB of the league, Drew Brees, and when a QB of this caliber has one Offense at his disposal like the Saints have, things can get quite ugly for the opponents' defense. New Orleans is outstanding on the passing game and if we take in consideration that this year, the Saints' rushing game has improved its quality, then you have to acknowledge that this Saints O is much more powerful than it was last season.
Buffalo has done very good games in this season's start, QB Trent Edwards has played very solid and has done his job. The great problem the Bills will face today is how these Saints can score points in the board with ease, and when that happens, the Bills will be forced to recover those points and score a few more than the Saints. And demanding that from QB Trent Edwards, forcing him to take greater risks when his team is trailing behind the Saints, might lead to interceptions and turnovers, which translates to more possession time for New Orleans and a certain "death" of the Bills during the game. On the defensive end, the team has been reasonable, and when I say reasonable, I remember that against the Patriots, the Bills Defense played like their were completely sleeping in the field.
For me, New Orleans is a team that can cause and deliver a lot of damages against any team thanks to their offensive power conducted by a great QB. These Saints have the tools to score early in the game and with that early lead, they put a lot of pressure on the opponent's QB, which will provoke errors on the opposition and for that I think New Orleans will win this game by one or more touchdowns.
Pick: New Orleans Saints -5,5 -110 (1,91) Legendz (5 Dimes) / NOS -6 +102 (2,02) Pinnacle
Indianapolis Colts @ Arizona Cardinals
We all know that the Indianapolis team has one of the finest QB of the league and a future inductee in the NFL Hall of Fame: Peyton Manning. Even when the Colts O is not performing as expected, you can always count on Manning to fix it, to find a solution that will win the game for the Indianapolis team. Indeed, Peyton Manning is a QB of an enormous quality. The Colts' rushing game this year has been very good actually, we all know that this team on the offensive end depends a lot of their passing game, but when it was needed, the ground offense has got the job done.
The major question for this game doesn't lie on the Colts offense, but on the Indianapolis defense: how are they going to stop Boldin and Fitzgerald? Truth is, they can stop one of them, but never both when they are on the field at the same time. And if take to account that the Cards have a good third option to penetrate deep in the Colts territory, the Indy D will have serious troubles to stop the Arizona O.
Arizona has a very good offense, with a superb QB, which has outstanding weapons for deep penetration at his disposal with the WRs of great quality, that can get things very difficult to any good defense on the NFL. If the Cardinals O is very strong and has been this season their best side, on the defensive end things have not gone well for Arizona and the defensive team can be thankful for having an Offense that has saved their rear end on the field in several occasions.
For me, the Cardinals have here a good chance to win this game, first thanks to a Colts' Short Week, and second, the edge on the Offense goes to the Cards team, since they have more firepower on their offensive arsenal than the Colts. Both defenses will suffer a lot against their opponent's Offense and we will see a offensive power game show, with lots of touchdowns scored by both teams, a Big Time Shoot Out match and a home win for the Arizona Cardinals.
Picks: Over 48 -110 (1,91) The Greek / -107 (1,935) Pinnacle;
Arizona Cardinals -2,5 -110 (1,91) Diamond (Bodog, Sportbet, BetUS) / ARI -2,5 -114 (1,877) Pinnacle
Below are the Week 3 results:
12 - Tennessee Titans @ New York Jets: Under 37 -110 (1,91) Bookmaker (LOSS)
13 - Jacksonville Jaguars @ Houston Texans: Houston Texans -3,5 -110 (1,91) Bookmaker (LOSS)
14 - New York Giants @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers: New York Giants -6 -110 (1,91) Bookmaker (Diamond) (WIN)
15 - San Francisco 49ers @ Minnesota Vikings: Minnesota Vikings -7 -105 (1,95) Legendz (LOSS)
16 - Chicago Bears @ Seattle Seahawks: Chicago Bears -1 -120 (1,83) The Greek Pinnacle (WIN)
17 - New Orleans Saints @ Buffalo Bills: New Orleans Saints -5,5 -110 (1,91) Legendz (5 Dimes) (WIN)
18 - Indianapolis Colts @ Arizona Cardinals: Over 48 -110 (1,91) The Greek (LOSS)
19 - Indianapolis Colts @ Arizona Cardinals: Arizona Cardinals -2,5 -110 (1,91) Diamond (Bodog, Sportbet, BetUS) (LOSS)
SIDES: 3-3; TOTALS 0-2. (Week 3: -2,35 units)
SIDES: 8-7; TOTALS 1-3. Overall: 9-10. Balance: -1,9 units
Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots: Baltimore Ravens +1,5 -110 (1,91) Bookmaker, Bet Jamaica, Bet365, Ladbrokes, Boyle Sports, Centrebet;
BAL +2 -107 (1,935) Pinnacle; BAL +2 -110 (1,91) WSEX, Bodog, Sportbet, Betonline, Partybets and Gamebookers; BAL +1,5 -108 (1,93) Canbet;
New York Giants @ Kansas City Chiefs: New York Giants -8,5 -110 (1,91) Bookmaker, Bet 365, Ladbrokes, WSEX, Boyle Sports, Centrebet, bwin;
NYG -8 -107 (1,935) Pinnacle; NYG -8,5 -108 (1,93) Canbet; NYG +8,5 -104 (1,96) 188bet;
Tennessee Titans @ Jacksonville: Tennessee Titans -3 +100 (2,00) Legends, Betonline, Ladbrokes, Stan James, bwin;
TEN -3 +105 (2,05) Expekt; TEN -3 -105 (1,95) The Greek, Bet Jamaica, 5Dimes, JustBet, Sportbet, Bet365, Canbet, Partybets and Gamebookers; TEN -3 -106 (1,943) Pinnacle; TEN -3 -106 (1,94) 188bet;
Seattle Seahawks @ Indianapolis: Indianapolis Colts -10 -110 (1,91) Bookmaker, Legends, Bet Jamaica, Betonline, Sportbet, BEtUS, Ladbrokes, Centrebet;
IND -10 -107 (1,935) Pinnacle; IND -10 -108 (1,93) Canbet; IND -10 -109 (1,92) 188bet;
Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland Browns: Cincinnati Bengals -6 -110 (1,91) Bookmaker, Legends, 5Dimes, The Greek, Bet Jamaica, Sportbet, BetUS, WSEX, Bet365, Ladbrokes, Boyle Sports, Centrebet, bwin;
CIN -5,5 -110 (1,91) BetOnline, JustBet, ; CIN -5,5 -102 (1,98) Expekt; CIN -6 -107 (1,935) Pinnacle; CIN -108 (1,93) Canbet;
Saints Louis Rams @ San Francisco 49ers: San Francisco 49ers -9 -110 (1,91) The Greek;
SFO -9,5 -104 (1,962) Pinnacle; SFO -9,5 -105 (1,95) Unibet; SFO -10 -104 (1,94) 188bet; SFO -108 (1,93) Canbet; SFO -110 (1,91) Bookmaker; Bet365, Ladbrokes, Boyle Sports, Centrebet;
Green Bay Packers @ Minnesota Vikings: Minnesota Vikings -3,5 -110 (1,91) Legends, Unibet;
MIN -3,5 -108 (1,93) Canbet; MIN -3,5 -109 (1,917) Pinnacle; MIN -3,5 -110 (1,91) Bookmaker, The Greek, Ladbrokes, Stan James, Centrebet;
Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots
Baltimore has never won against New England, but I think this time it will be different. The Ravens are playing very well in all the important sectors in the field. QB Joe Flacco has improved a lot, much more confident on his decisions during this year, thanks to the time his OL provides him to take the best calls and also because he has good offensive players to which he can deliver his passes.
This improvement on the Baltimore's Offense, playing very well both on the passing game and on the rushing game as well, offsets the lower performance of the Ravens D, by far their strongest spot. We could say that the Baltimore's Defence is weaker because they suffer a lot more points than on the previous season, but for me that is not the real reason: in fact, the Ravens D is attacking a lot more, taking more risks. And when they are called to win a game, like it happened on week 2, Ravens D was outstanding, earning a winner. Baltimore has one of the best defenses of the NFL, if not even the best of the league.
Curiously the Patriots have been very good on the Defense, but they are playing very poor on the Offense, which is the opposite of the Ravens performances. When in the early season everything pointed to some struggle on the defense and a show of force on the offense, we are getting the opposite. The reason why the Pats O is not doing well is due to lack of form of their QB Tom Brady, which hasn't returned to his good old self. Only when that happens, New England will become again a great offensive powerhouse, something that I believe will happen someday this season, but not on this match.
Wes Welker is missing due to injury, he is a very important player for Brady, we still don't know for sure if he will play in this game, the reports I've got say that he hasn't practiced, which is never a good sign. The Pats have played poorly on the passing game, but on the rushing game they are doing very well, but for this match, they will face the best ground defense team in the NFL and the Ravens will make things very hard for the Pats' rushers.
This is a game where Baltimore shows up at a superior level than New England, the Ravens have a great Defense and their Offense has delivered the goods with a lot of points scored, but for this game, life won't be easy for the Ravens, because the Patriots are defending very well, but the New England's offense is having a lot of troubles on the air and their winners were due to their rushing game, which will have a very difficult time against the best ground defense team in the league, and that is why I see a win on the road for the Baltimore Ravens.
Pick: Baltimore Ravens +1,5 -110 (1,91) Bookmaker
New York Giants @ Kansas City Chiefs
When everybody thought that the Giants would have a lot of issues on their Offense due to what happened to Plaxico Burress, the young receivers incorporated in the offensive team are taking care of the business. This Giants franchise is perhaps one of the best organized teams in all the field sectors, everybody knows their job and what to do and that translates in success in this season start. QB Eli Manning has been very good and secure, showing a good chemistry with his excellent young wide receivers and that is why they are scoring a lot of points in the offense. The Giants are also playing very well in their Defense, showing a lot of focus and they don't give their opposition many chances to progress down the field. Bottom line, this Giants' team is quite strong and complete.
Kansas City has a great problem to solve on their offense: QB Matt Cassel is a good plays, not bad at all, however he doesn't have the manpower to give continuity to his plays, like we saw on his last game where he did 14/18 for only 90 Yards, which is simply awful. Knowing that the Chiefs will face one of the best defenses in the NFL, things won't be pretty on this side of the game. If we look at the Chiefs D, they aren't playing good either, overall, and truth be told, Kansas City has not been well in this early season in any sector and it will be painful to watch them play against these Giants.
In conclusion, if New York is a very complete team, the Chiefs are the opposite, the Giants D will face a weak offense, and the Giants O has everything to make things harder for the Kansas City defense. For me, this Giants on the road have the upperhand and they will win this game by 2 or more touchdowns.
Pick: New York Giants -8,5 -110 (1,91) Bookmaker
Tennessee Titans @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Time is running out for Tennessee, they lost their first 3 games of the season which is very bad for the team and if they don't start winning this week, their season is over. So, we have the Titans in a do-or-die situation, this is a must win game for them and for me, they have enough quality to pull it off. They have a decent QB and an excellent rushing game with Chris Johnson, very physical and capable of winning games, but the great problem of these Titans this year is on their pass defense, conceding a lot of points, which is odd since they have on the paper an outstanding Defense and they shouldn't suffer so much points like they did, so I'm expecting the Titans D to rise up to the occasion, doing their job as expected, because they have the quality and the skills to do so.
Jacksonville has a nice QB too and like the Titans, they also have a good rushing game, but I think that Jones Drew has not the same quality as Chris Johnson. This season, the Jags O is having a lot of troubles, too many rookies and things are not going well for them. Their offensive game plan is very predictable, they always go for the rushing game and the Titans head coach knows that and will surely prep is team against it, since Tennessee has a good ground defense. The Jags D only did a good first game against the Colts, after that they conceded a lot of points, they aren't doing well and that is not a good thing.
Tennesse can't lose this one, even if it is on the road, and quite frankly, I'm not seeing this Titans team with all the skilled players they have ending 0-4 in the week 4, they have the best team, they usually do well against Jacksonville winning almost every game they had with the Jags, so I think Tennessee will win this game by one or more touchdowns.
Pick: Tennessee Titans -3 +100 (2,00) Legends
Seattle Seahawks @ Indianapolis Colts
Seattle is having a lot of problems with many important players injured, depleting their offensive and defensive of the needed quality to win games in this league. The Seahawks will visit a team that has a very good offense thanks to their franchise QB, one of the best in the NFL and on a field that is very hard to play and harder to win. The Seattle's offense is going to face a good opposition and to be honest, I'm not seeing them doing much damage to the Colts, it's the Seahawks D that will have the major troubles to stop Manning and Garçon.
Peyton Manning has been top-notch in this season start, thrilling with short and deep passes, and with the help of the second year WR Pierre Garçon, a lot of damage has been delivered on the opponents' defenses. The Colts D is playing very well this year, doing their job as expected. Indianapolis has a very close team, very complete in all the sectors of the field, which makes them very dangerous and they are also in top form.
I'm not seeing the Seattle defense putting a stop on the Manning / Garçon duo nor their offense to complicate matters to the Colts D, and therefore, with the edge of having the home field advantage, Indianapolis has everything to win this game by 2 or more touchdowns.
Pick: Indianapolis Colts -10 -110 (1,91) Bookmaker
Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland Browns
Cincinnati has a good QB and Carson Palmer has great offensive options, which makes his team a dangerous one on the passing game. The Bengals have also used Cedric Benson a lot on the rushing game and I think that he is a good choice and he has proved it in the early season. So, we have a Bengals O with good choices to play both by the air on the ground, which makes this offensive team very dangerous. Remarkably, Cincinnati has also done well on the defense, which is a nice surprise, and I believe that with all these qualities, they might qualify to the Playoffs.
Cleveland changed their starting QB, but that won't change, because both players for that role are very weak after all and this Browns O is having a lot of troubles to score points, only 1 touchdown scored in their last 9 games says it all. The Cleveland defense is not playing good either, the team gives up a lot of ground against the rushing game and they don't do much damage against the opponents' passing game. Truth be told, this Browns D doesn't have any organization whatsoever and that is the main reason why Cleveland suffers so many points per game.
I enjoy seeing these Bengals playing again with QB Carson Palmer and I'm positively surprised to see the agressiveness that the Cincinatti defense puts in their game, because the Bengals have excellent offensive weapons and their defense is doing a nice job, and they are visiting a team that is very weak on both sides of the game, offensive and defensive alike. If the Bengals want to reach their goals on this season and make to the Playoffs, they can't lose these easy games. Cincinati will prove their superiority on this game and win it by 1 or more touchdowns.
Pick: Cincinnati Bengals -6 -110 (1,91) Bookmaker
Saint Louis Rams @ San Francisco 49ers
I don't have much to say positively about Saint Louis, this is a weak team on all the sectors. Their QB is weak, their offense is weak (the exception being their rushing game), their defense is weak (miserable might be a better adjective). Then you have a lot of important players sidelined with injuries, which depletes a team that has already few quality players to contend against the other teams in the league. So things are not going quite well for the Rams and their coaching staff will have to come up with a lot of patchwork in order to play this game.
San Francisco had a heart-breaking defeat last week, thanks to Brett Favre and Greg Lewis, with the former throwing a last second pass to the later, but the 49ers head coach already told to the press that the way they lost in Minneapolis won't cause troubles to the team, it will be quite the opposite, San Francisco is now much more ready and motivated than before for this game. Their calling card is an agressive defense, with put a lot fo work against the passing game and the rushing game as well, as we saw them do against the Vikes, where they neutralized with some degree of success the best rusher of the league (Adrian Peterson only had 85 yards for 19 carries, scoring is lowest average in his first three games with only 4.5 yards). The 49ers O shows a decent QB with good options on the passing game thanks to their nice wide receivers.
With all the issues plaguing the Rams, knowing that the 49ers are the best team in all the field sectors, it is my belief that the 49ers will make the most of their home field advantage and win easily this game by 2 or more touchdowns.
Pick: San Francisco 49ers -9 -110 (1,91) The Greek
Green Bay Packers @ Minnesota Vikings
Green Bay has a very good QB, but Aaron Rodgers suffers a lot of sacks and if he plays in this game like he did in the previous games, Minnesota will "take good care" of him. The Vikings D is very strong against the passing game, but they are even better when facing the opponents' rushing game, showing a lot of agressiveness and unless the Packers offensive line does an outstanding game, we will see Aaron Rodgers suffering a lof of sacks instead of making more good plays. Packers D has been very weak lately, if we don't count with their season opening, and if their running defense doesn't dramatically improve, they won't be able to stop the best rusher in the league, RB Adrian Peterson, and they will have a lot of problems to stop the Vikes ground offense.
This is the QB Brett Favre game that everyone wants to see, both the supports and the players as well, and all the Minnesota roster has stated they are supporting Brett Favre on this game, so everyone is on the same page and hopes to see him shine big time. For the veteran QB, this will be one of the most important games of his long career, with an added revenge factor motivation for Favre to show to his former team, that the "Packers" shouldn't let him go like they did.
The Vikings have this year a good an experience QB, something they didn't had before, they have the best rusher in the league, the head coach is not binded to play only the rushing game anymore, since he has now someone who can deliver the ball to his receivers, even in a very dramatic way like we saw in their last game, which for any opponent facing this Vikings O, is a living nightmare.
I believe that Favre will do his best to win this game, the team will support him, so the usual rivalry between Vikings and Packers as an added motive, and the edge after comparing Green Bay and Minnesota goes for the Vikings, not only because they have the home field advantage, but also because they have the better team, both on the offensive plan, and on the defensive plan as well. Henceforth, I think the Minnesota Vikings are going to win this game by 1 or more touchdowns.
Pick: Minnesota Vikings -3,5 -110 (1,91) Bookmaker
Below are my Week 4 results recap:
20 - Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots: Baltimore Ravens +1,5 -110 (1,91) Bookmaker (LOSS)
21 - New York Giants @ Kansas City Chiefs: New York Giants -8,5 -110 (1,91) Bookmaker (WIN)
22 - Tennessee Titans @ Jacksonville Jaguars: Tennessee Titans -3 +100 (2,00) Legends (LOSS)
23 - Seattle Seahawks @ Indianapolis Colts: Indianapolis Colts -10 -110 (1,91) Bookmaker (WIN)
24 - Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland Browns: Cincinnati Bengals -6 -110 (1,91) Bookmaker(LOSS)
25 - Saint Louis Rams @ San Francisco 49ers: San Francisco 49ers -9 -110 (1,91) The Greek (WIN)
26 - Green Bay Packers @ Minnesota Vikings: Minnesota Vikings -3,5 -110 (1,91) Bookmaker (WIN)
SIDES: 4-3. (Week 4: +0,64 units)
NFL 2009 Season results - SIDES: 12-10; TOTALS 1-3. Overall: 13-13. Balance: -1,26 units
Another week, another round, 8 more picks to play:
Minnesota Vikings @ Saint Louis Rams: Minnesota Vikings -10 -110/1,91 Bookmaker
Dallas Cowboys @ Kansas City Chiefs: Kansas City Chiefs +9 -125/1,80 The Greek, KAN +9 -115/1,87 RebateWager
Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens: Baltimore Ravens -8,5 -110/1,91 Bookmaker
Atlanta Falcons @ San Francisco 49ers: Atlanta Falcons +2,5 +100/2,00 5Dimes, ATL +3 -115/1,87 Bodog
New England Patriots @ Denver Broncos: New England Patriots -3 -110/1,91 5Dimes
Houston Texans @ Arizona Cardinals: Arizona Cardinals -5,5 -110/1,91 Bookmaker
Indianapolis Colts @ Tennessee Titans: Indianapolis Colts -3,5 -105/1,95 5Dimes
New York Jets @ Miami Dolphins: New York Jets -1 -115/1,87 The Greek, NYJ -1 -110/1,91 Wagerstreet
Minnesota Vikings @ Saint Louis Rams
Minnesota has doing very well in this season start (4-0) thanks to their "new" weapon: if on the last season, their offense was predictable, using always the ground with Adrian Petersson, this time is the other way around, because the opponents' defenses can't just watch the best rusher in the league, but they also have to worry about the good passing game that the Vikings now have. Besides, they also have a nice defense, even if the stats say otherwise, truth is this season the Vikes aren't doing so well like last season, but you should not worry about it yet, at least, not in this game. They really have a good defensive unit, with 7 to 10 top-notch quality players, capable of stopping both the opponent's running game (10th in the season) and the passing game as well, showing also the ability to deliver pressure on the opponent's Quarterback and even getting a lot of sacks in the process (16 this season, 8 only in the last game against the Packers, 1st in the league).
Saint Louis are 0-4 this season, a complete misery, an authentic disaster, only 24 points scored in two games, 108 points conceded... I don't see Rams winning a lot of games this season, not this one for sure, their defense has been horrible, with a lot of key injured players, showing a very bad defensive organization, the team doesn't know what to do against the opponent's offense. If we look to their offense, the Rams are also dreadful in their passing game, and despite having a good rusher, the RB Steven Jackson, this poor fella will face one of the best ground defense units against the rush, and no matter how hard I look into this game, I simply can't see what the Rams can't really do to get a good result in this match.
The Vikings are doing fine, showing good form, they have been well organized, while the Rams are in terrible shape, ineffective as a team, and for me Minnesota will win BIG this game, at least by 2 or more touchdowns.
Pick: Minnesota Vikings -10 -110/1,91 Bookmaker