JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (2-8) at DETROIT LIONS (8-1)
LINE: Detroit by 14
Shouldn’t those numbers be inverted and the line set at 41? The Lions are back home after their worst game of the year – a 26-23 victory in Houston that saw Jared Goff throw five interceptions – and not only do the Jaguars have the 32nd-ranked defence in the league, but backup quarterback Mac Jones is taking the reigns from the injured Trevor Lawrence.
TAKING: DETROIT -14
Lions 41, Jaguars 14
BALTIMORE RAVENS (7-3) at PITTSBURGH STEELERS (7-2)
LINE: Baltimore by 3
The Ravens have the No. 1 offence in the NFL but they haven’t scored more than 16 points in their last five games against the Steelers – usually with Lamar Jackson inactive. The reigning MVP doesn’t do so well against Mike Tomlin’s defence either, with a 2-4 record that includes four TD passes and seven picks. Coming off a dramatic one-point win in Washington that marked the Steelers’ fourth W in a row, Russell Wilson will move the ball against a Ravens defence that has allowed sixth most total yards and most passing yards.
TAKING: PITTSBURGH +3
Steelers 24, Ravens 20
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (5-4) at SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (4-5)
LINE: San Francisco by 6.5
The Niners won by 12 in Seattle a month ago without Christian McCaffrey – imagine more, if not much. more of the same at home with the great CMC having a game under his belt. The Seahawks have lost five of their last six by an average of 12 points while the Niners have won the last six meetings between the teams, with the narrowest margin of victory being eight points. Over his career, Geno Smith is 0-4 against the Niners with two TD passes and four picks.
TAKING: SAN FRANCISCO -6.5
Niners 33, Seahawks 23
And the rest ….
LOS ANGELES RAMS (4-5) at NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (3-7)
LINE: Los Angeles by 4.5
The Patriots might have looked like world-beaters in last week’s 19-3 victory over the Bears, but seven days later they are not facing a team in disarray and missing four-fifths of its starting offensive line. This Sunday they get a Rams team that laid an egg offensively against the Dolphins on Monday night and is desperate to stay in the playoff race. The Rams have much more firepower than the Patriots – who Drake Maye has made better but still guides an offence that ranks dead last in the NFL – and under Sean McVay they are 3-1 ATS in the usually unenviable position of traveling to the East Coast on a short week.
TAKING: LOS ANGELES -4.5
Rams 24, Patriots 14
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (2-7) at MIAMI DOLPHINS (3-6)
LINE: Miami by 7.5
The Dolphins are coming off a short week to play the Raiders coming off a bye week and that, plus a line exceeding a converted touchdown, would normally lead us to back the dog in this case. But Miami’s window of making the playoffs is open only a crack, Tua Tagovailoa is facing a weak defence after going up against two tough ones off his return and the Raiders offence is under reconstruction after firing three coaches following their last game, a 41-24 loss to the Bengals that extended their losing streak to five.
TAKING: MIAMI -7.5
Dolphins 30, Raiders 20
tap here to see other videos from our team.
GREEN BAY PACKERS at CHICAGO BEARS
LINE: Green Bay by 5.5
The Bears did the right thing by firing offensive coordinator Shane Waldron but was there nobody better they could hand the play-calling duties to other than Thomas Brown? Like a Soldier Field usher? Brown was given similar responsibilities last year in Carolina, after the Panthers fired Frank Reich, and of the six games he called the plays the team scored fewer than 10 points four times and was shut out twice. With their injury situation and the fact Green Bay is coming off a bye and needs a win to keep pace with the pack, it should be another long day in the Windy City.
TAKING: GREEN BAY -5.5
Packers 31, Bears 17
CLEVELAND BROWNS (2-7) at NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (3-7)
LINE: New Orleans by 1.5
Jameis Winston should be inspired into a good performance against his old team, but the popular opinion is Cleveland will get Nick Chubb going, in his fourth game back, against a Saints defence that ranks 28th against the run. While the Browns are coming off a bye that gave them two weeks to think about their dismal display in a 27-10 home loss to the Chargers, the Saints upset the Falcons in the first game under interim coach Darren Rizzi. The boost they got from the coaching change will be gone, and the Saints can’t possibly get another 109-yard, two-TD game from Marquez Valdes-Scantling, their most established receiver with Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed injured.
TAKING: CLEVELAND +1.5
Browns 23, Saints 16
MINNESOTA VIKINGS (7-2) at TENNESSEE TITANS (2-7)
LINE: Minnesota by 6
Last week Sam Darnold threw three interceptions and the Vikings scored just 12 points in a victory over the Jaguars and their 32nd ranked defence, but this Sunday they should redeem themselves against the top-ranked defence in the league, partly because the Titans are likely to be without their two starting corners and partly because Minnesota just has too much firepower with a healthy T.J. Hockenson starting to get into a groove to compliment Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Also, nobody blitzes more than Vikings DC Brian Flores, and Will Levis has yet to prove he can handle a blitz.
TAKING: MINNESOTA -6
Vikings 25, Titans 12
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (4-6) at NEW YORK JETS (3-7)
LINE: New York by 4
Rather than use a quarterback almost Aaron Rodgers’ age, the Colts have once again turned to a QB almost half Rodgers’ age, but by replacing Joe Flacco with Anthony Richardson are they going to change the outcome? No, because as bad as they’ve been, the Jets will show some pride from the embarrassing 31-6 loss in Arizona that came on the heels of their bye week. But trust them to cover? When they’ve only won one of their last seven and exceed 20 points just twice over that stretch? Okay, yes, but only because the Colts defence has slipped to 30th against the run (hello Breece Hall) and 27th against the pass (have a nice day Devante Adams, Garrett Wilson).
TAKING: NEW YORK -4
Jets 24, Colts 19
ATLANTA FALCONS (6-4) at DENVER BRONCOS (5-5)
LINE: Denver by 2.5
The Broncos defence has silently become one of the best in the NFL and rookie QB Bo Nix continues to show growth, but how do they overcome last week’s result that saw them miss out on becoming the first team to put an ‘L’ on the defending champs because of a blocked field goal? Sean Payton is a great coach, but that hangover might linger for a week. Kirk Cousins and the Falcons high-powered attack get it done at Mile High.
TAKING: ATLANTA +2.5
Falcons 24, Broncos 20
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (9-0) at BUFFALO BILLS (8-2)
LINE: Buffalo by 2.5
Hey I get that everyone loves Josh Allen and the Bills. But the defending champs have won 15 in a row dating back to last Christmas, and they’re getting points? Did you know that Patrick Mahomes is 12-5 ATS as a dog? And that in the 11 games Mahomes and Andy Reid have been dogs as a visitor they are 10-0-1 ATS? And that the Bills are 2-2 ATS at home? It’s irresponsible, if not rude, to pass on the Chiefs in this spot.
TAKING: KANSAS CITY +2.5
CINCINNATI BENGALS (4-6) at LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (6-3)
LINE: Los Angeles by 1.5
The best team the Chargers have defeated is the Broncos when their rookie QB was making the fifth start of his career. They have a strong defence, and Cincinnati does not, but the Bengals are desperate and have had 10 days to stew since a 35-34 heart-breaking loss to Baltimore. And oh, Tee Higgins should be back and Joe Burrow is 18-7 ATS after a loss.
TAKING: CINCINNATI +1.5
Bengal 26, Chargers 24
HOUSTON TEXANS (6-4) at DALLAS COWBOYS (3-6)
LINE: Houston by 7.5
Cooper Rush will throw for more than 45 yards, which is something he couldn’t do in his first start of the season last week. But against a Top 3 defence like the Texans, and with such poor protection, don’t expect him to lead the Cowboys to the endzone very often. Houston couldn’t win even after intercepting Jared Goff five times, but it looks like Nico Collins returns to give them one of the league’s best receivers and, even though they’re comfortably atop football’s weakest division, they’ll be anxious to snap out of a two-game losing streak and reinforce their ownership of the Lone Star State.
TAKING: HOUSTON -7.5
Texans 30, Cowboys 10
Information in the above article is for entertainment purposes only and is not targeted to under 19 audiences. Using this information to contravene any law is prohibited. Visit the Responsible Gaming Council’s Safer Play to keep gambling safe and fun.