Sunday, September 30, 2018

Week 4 Picks

Italicized for win
Bolded for spread

NY Jets(+7.5) @ Jacksonville Jaguars  - Is the Jets team that beat the Lions all gone?  Maybe the Lions were taking a cat nap in a 9-6 loss to the Titans after a big win against the Patriots.  The Jets fatigue did seem to contribute to them falling apart in the 2nd half against the Brown.  Overall, the Jaguars will probably win if Fournette returns but could struggle a bit like they did against the Titans a few weeks ago, assuming Darnold does not implode.

Miami Dolphins (+7) @ New England Patriots - I think it was a bit concerning that the Dolphins fell behind before finally taking care of business against a sub-par Oakland team.  Then again, it is better than falling behind and not coming back at all like New England did against the Lions although to be fair, the Patriots were on the road.  If the Patriots lose, then it could spell trouble for them winning the division.  I view this as a must win for New England and losing it could significantly reduce their odds of winning the division and making the playoffs.  Usually the Patriots come ahead in do or die situations and the Dolphins could have a chance to redeem themselves against the Patriots later on at home this season.  That being said, I expect the Dolphins to keep it close. 

Philadelphia Eagles (-3) @ Tennessee Titans - Surprisingly the Titans are 2-1.  After barely taking care of the Colts at home, the Eagles should be favored to come out a win but could face a tough battle.

Houston @ Indianapolis(-1)(LOCK) -  Luck still is not 100% but  the Texans have looked sloppy.  I think this game could be relatively close if DeShaun Watson shows something.  Then again he has not really over the first 3 weeks of the season.  I think the Colts have this one considering they are coming off a loss assuming of course the Colts performance against the Redskins represents what they can do on the defensive end. 

Buffalo Bills (+10) @ Green Bay Packers - The Packers are 1-2 against the spread, but are 1-0 in weeks after they failed to cover.   I wonder if this is a game where the Packers recover nicely all because the weather is not rainy that prevents Randall Cobb from dropping passes and fumbling the ball.  That being said, the Bills blew out the Vikings which was the very same team that the Packers managed to tie in week 2.   Aaron Rodgers usually is not turnover prone but his mobility is concerning as well as Clay Matthews inabilty to avoid roughing the passer penalties.  The Packers are likely to come away with a win, although the Bills could do enough to keep it close if their performance against the Vikings means anything. 

Detroit Lions(+3)(LOCK) @ Dallas Cowboys- The Cowboys just lost to a team it was supposed to lose in Seattle who have a great homefield advantage.  Elliot fumbling the ball is concerning although one assumes he will bounce back.  Cornerback Darrius Slay seems to make the Lions defense elite which at least was the case against the Patriots.  The Cowboys lack of receivers and poor offensive line is concerning.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3) @ Chicago Bears - The Bucs have stated they are undecided at quarterback with Winston coming back but I think they go back and give Fitzpatrick another start especially since he threw for over 400 yards in each of his first 3 starts.  Howard gives the bears a reliable running game but its tough to rely on Mitchell Trubisky who is still inconsistent as a second year player. 

Cincinatti Bengals @ Atlanta Falcons (-3.5) - The Bengals face another NFC South team who is coming off a loss.  Remember the Falcons did take care of business at home against the Panthers who easily dismantled the Bengals the previous week.  While the margin may not be as big given the Bengals ability to bounce back, it is concerning that Mixon and AJ Green are banged although both could play.  The Falcons defense was too banged up to contain the Saints.  Then again I would not put Andy Dalton as a similar QB as Drew Brees.

Seattle Seahawks (-4) @ Arizona Cardinals- Seattle did look pretty frisky against the Cowboys at home.  The question of course remains if they can produce on the road.  The Cardinals did get a jolt when Josh Rosen was inserted into the game although it ultimately led to a couple empty possessions including an interception to close the game.  One has to wonder if Seattle's offense can take over here.  The Cardinals' defense has presented problems in the past.  Overall the Cardinals under Bruce Arians seemed better than their current head coach Steven Wilks.

Cleveland Browns (+2.5) @ Oakland Raiders - Strangely enough the Browns are not that far off from being in the driver's seat.  The outcome of this game could vault them tied at the top of the division but could also be dead last with a loss.  Oakland appears to be a first half team that is not that far from winning games but something is missing.  It kind of reminds me of Joe Gibbs 2.0 with Gruden returning after 10 plus years.  Perhaps his lack of analytics in game planning is hurting him here.  One promising factor for the Raiders is that rookie quarterbacks like Mayfield typically struggle on the road.  If the Raiders start 0-4 and lose to the Browns, one has to wonder how long Gruden lasts in his 10 year contract.

New Orleans Saints (-4) @ New York Giants - The Saints performance is impressive although I do not think the Saints can keep living on Brees running for two TDs.  The Giants defense is much better than the banged up Falcons.  Manning finally had a solid game against the Texans.  Saquon Barkley can match Kamara for explosive plays although may not be the workhouse as a pass catching back in the backfield.  Sean Payton makes his return to the Giants where he started and probably gives the Saints the edge with his play calling.   Evan Engram being out hurts the Giants here unless another guy aside from Beckham can step up

Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers (-3) - I am not in love with either team at this point.  The Ravens really struggled on the road against the Bengals although granted it was on a short week on the road.  The Steelers in the meantime did beat the Bucs although a lot of it came from Fitzparick throwing some picks that were careless.  Overall I give the Steelers a small edge given their homefield advantage.

San Francisco (+11) @ LA Chargers - While the 49ers do not have Jimmy G, CJ Beathard is not a terrible quarterback. There is a good chance that the 49ers fan invade the Chargers stadium which may be enough to keep this game relatively close in single digits.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Denver Broncos (+6) - This is actually a serious test for the Chiefs even if the Broncos defense is not as strong in the past.  It is an actual road game against a division rival that may be the toughest defense the Chiefs have played all year with altitude in Denver.  At some point the Chiefs have to hit a bump in the road with a young Chiefs quarterback but it is hard to be sure of it given that he has thrown 11 touchdowns and 0 interceptions whose team is pretty stacked. 

Week 4 Against the Spread: 0-0-1
Week 3 Straight up: 1-0

2018 Season against the Spread- 23-22-3
2018 Season Straight Up- 28-19-2
2018 Locks- 5-4-1

2017-18 Against the Spread- 221-225-7
2017-18 Season Straight Up - 167-92

2016-17 Against the Spread - 141-115-7
2016-17 Straight Up - 101-41

2015-16 Against the Spread - 140-10  

Thursday, September 27, 2018

Week 4 Thursday Night Pick

Italicized for win
Bolded for spread

Minnesota Vikings @ LA Rams (-7) - Right now it could be easy to overreact that the Rams will own the Vikings simply because of their loss to the Buffalo Bills.  Then again maybe there is a world where starting running back Dalvin Cook returning makes all the difference. Plus the Rams combined opponents' schedule is 1-8 whereas the Vikings combined opponents' record is 4-3-1.

Theoretically there is an argument that the Vikings could keep it close as the Rams are without two of their top cornerbacks and did manage to beat the Rams last season.  Even Kirk Cousins beat the Rams last season with the Redskins as he faced off against his former offensive coordinator.  I do think the Rams are better team offensively since that week 2 matchup and I expect Sean McVay to counter his former student. 

The last 13 teams that traveled two time zones and traveled 1500 or more miles are 1-12 against the spread.  Wade Phillips may devise a game plan to slow down the Vikings offense.

Week 3 Against the Spread: 8-7-1
Week 3 Straight up: 9-7
Week 3 Locks: 3-2-1

2018 Season against the Spread- 23-22-2
2018 Season Straight Up- 27-19-2
2018 Locks- 5-4-1

2017-18 Against the Spread- 221-225-7
2017-18 Season Straight Up - 167-92

2016-17 Against the Spread - 141-115-7
2016-17 Straight Up - 101-41

2015-16 Against the Spread - 140-10  

Sunday, September 23, 2018

Week 3 Picks

Italicized for win
Bolded for spread

New Orleans Saints @ Atlanta Falcons (-2)(LOCK)-  Atlanta appears to be a better team at home especially against division rivals.  The Saints did find away to keep the Browns game in their favor but overall the Falcons appear to be clicking on the right cylinders after a nice win against the Panthers and look to continue that trend against the Falcons.  I don't think the Saints can exploit the Falcons' weakness in the redzone like the Eagles did a few weeks ago. 

Green Bay Packers @ Washington Redskins (+3) - This week Washington will get a better idea of what team it has on its hands.  Redskins fans are universally disappointed by a loss to the Colts who may not be that terrible.  Either way that continues the trend of Redskins fans overreacting- many fans called Washington a playoff team after week 1 and many called the Redskins terrible after week 2.  The Packers have already begun the season 0-2 against the spread and a few plays here or there and they could easily be 0-2.  The rainy weather probably works more in the Redskins advantage given Rodger's injured leg.  One has to assume the Redskins offense will be significantly better against an average Packers' defense.  Otherwise, Jae Gruden may have to think about updating his resume after the season whose teams usually bounce back after poor performances.

Indianapolis Colts (+7) @ Philadelphia Eagles - The Colts try to get their second consecutive win against a NFC East team in consecutive weeks.     As they held Washington's offense to only 9 points. Carson Wentz returns which should be enough to propel the Eagles to win but still do not have Alshon Jeffrey and their two top running backs Ajayi and Sproles may miss this game. 

Buffalo Bills @ Minnesota Vikings (-15.5)(LOCK) - Nathan Peterman is pretty bad.  Kirk Cousins threw four touchdowns and things could even messier considering the Bills secondary is banged up.  The Vikings home crowd compounds even more issues. 

Oakland Raiders @ Miami Dolphins (-3)(LOCK) - Right now Miami is slipping under the radar while the Raiders could fall into an 0-3 hole.

Denver Broncos (+7) @ Baltimore Ravens- The Ravens have had more time to prepare after a bad loss to the Bengals.  Right now, I do think Case Keenum is playing better than Flacco.  While the Ravens play better at home, I do not think it is enough for them to cover. 

Cincinnati Bengals @ Carolina Panthers (-3) - No Joe Mixon for the Bengals, while they have an adequate replacement in Bernard probably gives the Panthers the small edge in this game. 

New York Giants(+6) @ Houston Texans - Neither team has much confidence at 0-2.  I suppose one has to take the home team even though the Giants are playing the 2nd consecutive game in Texas may be enough to keep it close. 

Tennessee Titans (+10) @ Jacksonville Jaguars - The Jaguars are looking to put a stranglehold on the division and the Titans appear to be heading underwater without Delanie Walker.  That being said, the Titans could do enough to keep it close against a division especially after coming away with a win against the Texans last week.  The Jaguars could have a let down after beating a team like the Pats. 

San Francisco 49ers @ Kansas City Chiefs (-6.5)(LOCK) - Most experts are touting this as a high scoring game. I think the Chiefs should cover assuming they get a boost from their homefield which they have yet to play a game and are already 2-0 on the road with double digit wins against two teams that one could argue are better than the 49ers.

Los Angeles Chargers(+7)  @ Los Angeles Rams - The Rams are playing like Super Bowl contenders although their opponents have been pretty bad.  That being said, the Chargers can do enough to keep it close.

Dallas Cowboys @ Seattle Seahawks (-1.5)(LOCK) - Seattle gets to try to play a game at home.  Perhaps the Cowboys ended their season. Perhaps but beating Seattle with its 12th man may prove to be difficult. 

Chicago Bears(-2)(LOCK) @ Arizona Cardinals - Chicago attempts to take a 2-1 lead.  Their QB play under Mitchell Trubisky is not great but the Bears defense is certainly capable of shutting down the Cardinals much like the Redskins did in week 1. 

New England Patriots(-6) @ Detroit Lions - Look for the Patriots to bounce back against their former defensive coordinator Mike Patricia in a primetime game.  It could be high scoring but I assume Tom Brady bounces back after a below average performance against the Jaguars. 

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Tampa Bay Bucaneers (+1) - The Steelers are more than capable of coming away with a win especially if Fitzpatrick regresses to the mean.  However, the Steelers defense appears to be below average and the Bucs are at home, so for now the Bucs are the slight favorites to come away with a win especially given how the first two weeks have unfolded.

Week 3 Against the Spread: 0-1
Week 3 Straight up: 0-1

2018 Season against the Spread- 15-16-2
2018 Season Straight Up- 18-12-2
2018 Locks- 2-2


2017-18 Against the Spread- 221-225-7
2017-18 Season Straight Up - 167-92

2016-17 Against the Spread - 141-115-7
2016-17 Straight Up - 101-41

2015-16 Against the Spread - 140-10  

Thursday, September 20, 2018

Week 3 Thursday Night Pick

According to ESPN, Darnold has been preparing for
"Star Wars Blitzes".  I wonder what he thought of Solo: A Star Wars Story


Italicized for win
Bolded for spread

New York Jets (+3) @ Cleveland Browns - This is a somewhat compelling game between the two hapless franchises that have shown flashes of hope early in the season.  The Browns started the season with a dramatic tie against the Steelers and made last Sunday's game closer than most thought by holding the Saints offense to only 21 points.  The Jets took the Lions by surprise and in typical Jets fashion had a letdown at home against the Dolphins. 

Cleveland is a favorite in a football game for the first time since 2015.  The Browns defense theoretically is better than the Lions defense, who under Mike Patricia, could not contain the Jets.  Granted, the Jets' defense is probably the best defense the Browns have played this season. The Jets have won their last 3 games against the Brown and their last two games by three points each. 

This is clearly a game that could go either way but for now I am leaning on the Jets given that their loss came against a Dolphins team that has been playing well, while the Browns' opponents have yet to come up with a win against a non-Browns opponent. 

Week 2 Against the Spread: 6-10
Week 2 Straight Up- 7-8-1
Week 2 Locks - 1-1

2018 Season against the Spread- 15-5-2
2018 Season Straight Up- 18-12-2
2018 Locks- 2-2


2017-18 Against the Spread- 221-225-7
2017-18 Season Straight Up - 167-92

2016-17 Against the Spread - 141-115-7
2016-17 Straight Up - 101-41

2015-16 Against the Spread - 140-10

Sunday, September 16, 2018

Week 2 Picks

Italicized for win
Bolded for spread

Indianapolis @ Washington Redskins (-6) -  The Colts almost came away with a win against a playoff contender in the Bengals until Jack Doyle fumbled the ball which lead to a TD return that put the game out of reach at the end of the 4th quarter.  The Redskins theoretically will be tested more by Andrew Luck and TY Hilton than they were by the Cardinals' offense.  The Colts 1-7 record is concerning and even with Luck back at the helm, it will be his first start on the road in a couple of years.

Things could get very ugly for the Colts defense if Adrian Peterson is back to form.  The Colts were unable to contain Joe Mixon who had 5.6 yards per carry.  Overall Washington can be very explosive offensively especially if the Colts are unable to get pressure on Alex Smith. 

Carolina @ Atlanta Falcons (-6) - Both teams are banged up in what will be a game of attrition.  The Falcons will be without their star running back Devontae Freeman while the Panthers will be without their pro bowl tight end Greg Olsen and top passing target.  The Falcons red zone woes are worrisome, granted perhaps they will operate better on that end when returning back to Atlanta and do not have to play against the Eagles.  The Falcons have won their last three meetings at home against Carolina by at least a touchdown and they have had extra time prepare coming off a Thursday night game.

Minnesota Vikings @ Green Bay (+2.5) - Aaron Rodgers is banged up but he should still be a tougher test for the Vikings than Jimmy G.  Plus Rodgers appeared to have found his groove in the 4th quarter where the Packers mustered up 21 points of offense even if he is playing with a hobbled leg.  The Vikings offense in the meantime seemed a bit underwhelming especially in the 2nd half against a 49ers defense that was not very good last season.  In this division rivalry game, I am taking the home team.

LA Chargers (-7.5) @ Buffalo Bills - Nathan Peterman has been awful in his first two starts in his NFL career.  The Chargers do seem to better on the road than at home.  The weather in Buffalo will be warm which will favor the Chargers.

Houston (-2) @ Tennessee - Delanie Walker is out for the Titans.  I also expect Watson to overcome a lot of rust against the Titans.

Miami @ New York Jets (-3) - Both teams are coming off unexpected wins.  The Jets win against the Lions seems like a bigger deal since it was on the road and the rookie Sam Darnold completed 76% of his passes.

Philadelphia (-3.5) @ Tampa Bay - The Eagles defense will face a different challenge of facing a Bucs offense that has more multitude of passing targets than the Atlanta Falcons.  However, the Eagles defense is much better than the Saints.  I expect Foles to find a better rhythm against the Bucs.  Ryan Fitzpatrick has been very up and down in his career.

Kansas City (+6) @ Pittsburgh Steelers - Eric Berry is out which could make it a high scoring game.  Still, Leveon Bell is still out, while Big Ben has looked shaky, granted he usually bounces back from poor performances. The Chiefs could get more out of Kelce and Hunt if the Steelers defense focuses more attention on Tyreek Hill.

Cleveland @ New Orleans (-9.5) [LOCK]- This is a must win for the Saints.  Their offense put up 40 points against the Bucs.  Cleveland could struggle immensely on the road especially with Josh Gordon out.

Arizona @ LA Rams (-12.5)[LOCK] - The Rams looked like the best team in the NFL last week in the 2nd half against the Chargers.  The Cardinals may be putting in a good run for being the worst team in the NFL, if only the Buffalo Bills did not have Nathan Peterman.  The Rams have won 7 of their 17 games last week by 16 points or more since Sean McVay has become the head coach; 3 of those came against the Cardinals.

Detroit @ San Francisco (-6) - Jimmy G should perform better after a rough performance against the Vikings. The Lions' defense under Matt Patricia seems like a mess.

New England Patriots (-1.5) @ Jacksonville Jaguars- The Patriots look like the better team especially with Fournette out of the lineup. 

Oakland Raiders @ Denver Broncos (-6.5) - The Broncos offense looked pretty dominant against the Seahawks.  Gruden does not seem like a terrible coach but I don't think he can overcome average performances by Derek Carr and Amari Cooper on the road against a division rival.

New York Giants (+3) @ Dallas Cowboys - While Eli Manning is declining and Dak Presscot is a solid quarterback, I think the Giants have more weapons offensively including top end wide receiver in Beckham, a good tight end in Engram, and a better offensive line.  Barkley also looked solid against a very good Jaguars defense.

Seattle Seahawks (+3.5) @ Chicago Bears - Seattle did relatively well in what appears to be a possible playoff contender in the Denver Broncos.  Chicago looked great in the first half against Green Bay but really struggled in the 4th quarter.  I do not see Chicago's offense as being capable of generating big plays which ultimately cost the Seahawks the game against the Broncos.  Despite Doug Baldwin's inability to play in this one, I still think Seattle with Russell Wilson at the helm could be a enough to overcome Seattle's poor offensive line play.

Week 2 Against the Spread: 1-0
Week 2 Straight Up- 1-0

2018 Season against the Spread- 10-6-1
2018 Season Straight Up- 12-4-1
2018 Locks- 1-1


2017-18 Against the Spread- 221-225-7
2017-18 Season Straight Up - 167-92

2016-17 Against the Spread - 141-115-7
2016-17 Straight Up - 101-41

2015-16 Against the Spread - 140-10

Thursday, September 13, 2018

Week 2 Thursday Night Pick

Italicized for win

Bolded for spread

Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals (+1)

The Ravens had an impressive week one. Receivers like Michael Crabtree, John Brown, and Willie Snead looked fairly reliable as both caught TD passes. Three different Ravens running backs also ran for TDs. That being said, Nathan Peterman may have put the Bills as the worst team in the league. Cincinnati in the meantime is 7-2 against the spread in their last nine meetings against Baltimore. Cincinnati also has decent receivers including AJ Green and John Ross. Anything can happen in this rivalry but taking Cincinnati at home is where I am leaning especially on a short week.

2018 Week 1 Against the Spread- 9-6-1
2018 Week 1 Straight Up- 11-4-1

2017-18 Against the Spread- 221-225-7
2017-18 Season Straight Up - 167-92

2016-17 Against the Spread - 141-115-7
2016-17 Straight Up - 101-41

2015-16 Against the Spread - 140-10

Sunday, September 9, 2018

Week 1 Picks

Italicized for win

Bolded for spread


Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cleveland Browns (+4) - The Steelers are without Le'Veon Bell and rainy conditions could make this game a toss up.

San Francisco 49ers (+6.5) @ Minnesota Vikings - The Vikings have suffered a few injuries on their offensive line.  Jimmy G is 5-0 in his 49ers tenure and could do enough to keep it close. 

Cincinnati Bengals (+3) @ Indianapolis Colts  - Andrew Luck returns. However, the Colts' homefield advantage is pretty weak given that they have not had a winning record at home since 2014. 

Buffalo Bills (+7.5) @ Baltimore Ravens - Nathan Peterman has looked shaky so far but at the end of the day the Bills were still a playoff team that has a solid defense that could keep it close against the Ravens.  This of course assumes that Peterman can avoid turnovers, as the Bills will attempt to get the ball to LeSean McCoy.

Jacksonville Jaguars (-3) @ NY Giants - The Giants look interesting with some new combination of weapons including a healthy Beckham, a rookie running back Saquon Barkley, and a nice tight end in Evan Engram.  While the Jaguars lost Allen Hurns to the Cowboys, they were still a couple of plays of making it to the Super Bowl.  Leonard Fournette could be the difference in these rainy conditions assuming the Jaguars defense holds up against Barkley.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ New Orleans Saints (-9.5) LOCK - New Orleans usually takes care of business at home.   The Bucs start Ryan Fitzpatrick which could mean more turnovers for the Saints defense.

Houston Texans @ New England Patriots (-6.5) - Houston and DeShaun Watson really pushed New England to the limit last season in a regular season matchup. However, Watson is coming off a knee injury and could be a bit rusty while the Patriots look to atone for last season's Super Bowl loss against the Eagles.

Tennessee Titans @ Miami Dolphins (+1.5) - Ryan Tanehill looks to continue the Dolphins' success in home openers as they have won 4 of their past 5.  The Titans are 9-21 against the spread in their last 30 road games. 

Kansas City Chiefs (+3.5) @ LA Chargers - The Chiefs are 8-0 against the Chargers in their last 8 games.  There might be more Chiefs fans in this game. 

Seattle Seahawks (+3) @ Denver Broncos - Denver upgrades its offense with Keenum at QB who may finally be able to connect with their reliable receivers including Thomas and Sanders.  Seattle's defense has lost a few players and Seattle's offense can be anemic at times.  Still Russell Wilson's mobility in the pocket could be enough to get the Seahawks with a win on the road. 

Dallas Cowboys @ Carolina Panthers (-3) LOCK - Dallas's offensive weapons other than Elliot do not seem to be reliable and the Panthers boasted the third best rushing defense last season. 

Washington Redskins (+1) @ Arizona Cardinals - The Redskins appear to have a reliable offensive line and defensive line.  While the Cardinals could present problems in forcing Alex Smith into difficult decisions, the Redskins will look to get the running game with Adrian Peterson.  David Johnson could present problems although Washington also gets another good pass catching option with Chris Thompson.  Former Pro Bowl Tight end Jordan Reed is also healthy. 

Chicago Bears @ Green Bay Packers (-7.5) - The Bears look interesting but typically struggle on the road and their offense may not be able to keep pace if they are playing from behind. 

New York Jets  @ Detroit Lions (-6.5) - The Jets' defense could do enough to keep it close. However, Darnold has a lot of hype but he's still a rookie quarterback.  The Lions were only 4-4 at home last season but their losses came against playoff teams including the Falcons, Steelers, Panthers, and Vikings. 

LA Rams (-4) @ Oakland Raiders - The Rams look very explosive on offense and look to take advantage of the absence of Khalil Mack. 

2018 Week 1 Against the Spread- 0-1
2018 Week 1 Straight Up- 0-1
2017-18 Against the Spread- 221-225-7
2017-18 Season Straight Up - 167-92
2016-17 Against the Spread - 141-115-7
2016-17 Straight Up - 101-41
2015-16 Against the Spread - 140-107

Thursday, September 6, 2018

Thursday Night Football Week 1: Atlanta @ Philadelphia


Wentz is out and Foles is in


Atlanta Falcons (-1) @ Philadelphia Eagles -  For the second straight season the Falcons will try to avenge their loss against the defending Super Bowl Champions in the regular season.  The last time did not work out so well against the Patriots in the 2017 regular season where the Falcons were blown out 23-7.

In their last playoff matchup against Philadelphia, Atlanta ended up containing the Eagles read pass option offense to only five field goals but their offense could not get out of their way by only scoring 10 points.   That being said, perhaps Julio Jones’s hands are a bit warmer in this non-cold weather game.  Devontae Freeman is also healthy in this matchup, whereas in the last game he only rushed 7 yards.   The Falcons will also look to expand their passing game with the young wideout Calvin Ridley which may prevent Julio Jones from seeing double coverage.

For now, I think Foles could fall back to earth a bit without Alshon Jeffrey in the lineup.  Even in their playoff win, the Eagles failed to score a touchdown and could find it even harder to score in the redzone without LeGarratte Blount, who signed with the Lions.    

2017-18 Against the Spread- 221-225-7
2017-18 Season Straight Up - 167-92
2016-17 Against the Spread - 141-115-7
2016-17 Straight Up - 101-41
2015-16 Against the Spread - 140-107