This season in the NFL has separated the men from the boys in the betting world. You’ve had to adapt or die as everything we thought we knew about these teams has been tossed in the wastebasket like a Goodell suspension in a courtroom. We’re reaching the end of an age we will remember for its Elite QBs. These players have long been the toast of those looking to cover the spread as they stacked record breaking performances but who are either plagued by age or lack of weapons. Drew Bree’s shoulder is stiffer than your Grandma’s Tupperware, Matt Ryan is being carried by the Falcons instead of the other way around, and Peyton Manning can’t even feel the ball in his hands anymore. Then there’s Phillip Rivers who has turnstiles for O-lineman, Cutler who feels like he’s playing in a foreign country with all the fed up Bears fans, Luck who is finally starting to fold under the weight of carrying a talent strapped Colts team, and Aaron Rodgers who is still great but without Lacy and Jordy isn’t blowing teams out anymore. It’s pretty much been Tom Brady’s Patriots and everyone else, as a weak NFL has had no other team separate itself from the pack. So I can understand your frustration this season, but before you switch to throwing your money away at daily fantasy, let’s take a look at what week 8 has for us because there’s some tasty games we can right the ship with.
San Diego +3 at Baltimore Ravens Sun 1:00 pm.
This one’s just too easy. The Ravens can’t stop the pass and the Chargers are the league’s number 1 passing offense. Sure Philip River’s Offensive line is awful and they can’t run the football but they won’t need to against Baltimore. Ladarius Green and Keenan Allen are going to stake San Diego to an early lead and I expect more interceptions from Flacco as he tries to catch up by getting the ball to his weak receiving corps against a Chargers defense that is actually pretty stiff against the pass (9th in the league.) This is a bad matchup for the Ravens, the Chargers are just a better team overall AND they’re getting 3 points, Vegas is giving you a Halloween present, take it!
Minnesota Vikings -1 at Chicago Bears Sun 1:00 pm
If you managed to lock in this bet when it was still Vikings +1 mazel tov, but for the rest of us we’ve got to swallow a point as we see a Vikings team that is on the upswing travel to Chicago. The Viking’s defense sacked Matt Stafford 7 times last week (though about 3 of them were just lazy missed assignments by the Lions O-line) and have been playing well overall. The Vikings have been held back by a lack of a receiving threat until Stefon Diggs stepped in and took Teddy Bridgewater off life support. Minnesota is the better team and if the spread was any higher I’d be scared off but 1 point is palatable and if the Vikings are ever going to be the team we keep waiting for they have to take care of teams like the Bears.
Indianapolis Colts +7 vs Carolina Panthers Mon 8:30 pm
Yes, the Panthers are undefeated and just dispatched the Eagles with their ferocious defense. They still don’t have the offensive power to blow teams out and we are getting a touchdown vs a conservative run first team without receivers. Prior to running into Ingram and Blount the last two weeks the Colts run defense has been solid. David Perry and Henry Anderson have anchored their D line and were blowing plays up at the line, shedding blocks with ease. In the Patriots game the defense seemed deflated after the ridiculous fake punt play Pagano pulled and allowed Blount to rack up yards. I’m not allowing one game where they allowed Ingram (who’s quietly having an excellent year) run on them to lead me to believe they can no longer run block when I saw with my own eyes how they shut down Chris Ivory, who’s more talented than both Blount and Ingram. Luck will turn the ball over, he’ll throw some TD’s, and the Panthers will eventually win, but not by more than a touchdown.
Good luck out there our esteemed readers, I hope this helps, and go Jets and Eagles!