Week 17 can be a very difficult time to make Picks considering we have to second guess so many Head Coaches while other teams are perhaps already looking forward to a new era with current Head Coaches expected to be fired.
Miami Dolphins @ Buffalo Bills Pick: A miracle play at the end of Week 14 will have given the Miami Dolphins (7-8) the belief they could challenge for a Play Off spot, but back to back losses have ended those hopes. It has been suggested this past week that Stephen Ross, the owner of the Dolphins, was absolutely livid with the performance in the home loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16 which ended Miami's interest in reaching the post-season.
The anger could lead to wholesale changes at Miami who have been struggling for almost twenty years to get the right ideas invested into the team. Adam Gase has had some success as Head Coach of the team, but he could be on the way out if reports are to be believed and I think Ryan Tannehill could be playing his last game as Quarter Back.
Tannehill himself has stated his desire to finish his career with the Miami Dolphins, but he is owed a lot of money in the 2019 season and Miami may be looking for the next Quarter Back to trust who could finally replace Dan Marino.
An injury is not helping Tannehill prove that he could be the man to invest in at Quarter Back beyond this season and a defeat to the Buffalo Bills (5-10) could end all hopes of that happening. Buffalo have lost three of their last four games, but they are playing with the motivation of revenge having been beaten in South Florida in a game the Bills will have felt they could have won.
Josh Allen has to develop his passing for the NFL, but the young Quarter Back has shown he can make big plays with his legs and should have success against the Dolphins Defensive Line which has struggled to stop the run. The last three games have seen Miami show improvement in clamping down on the run, but Buffalo should still have success against a team who may not be playing hard with the rumoured changes to come.
Allen has to beware of the Miami pass rush, but he can scramble from pressure and he should have some success throwing down the field. To be fair to the Quarter Back he has not really had the support in the skill positions that a rookie player would need if they are to make a big impact in the NFL, but even then I expect Allen to have success in this game.
I do think Miami should be able to move the ball too even though Frank Gore has been lost for the season with an injury. Kalen Ballage has come in to fill Gore's gap in the backfield and he has sparked a strong running game for the Dolphins who will be facing a Buffalo Defensive Line which has struggled in recent games when it comes to stopping the run.
Ballage is going to be a key to this game if the Dolphins are going to at least make it competitive as Tannehill is not expected to have much joy throwing the ball. He has not really been given the time to find Receivers downfield and the Buffalo Secondary have been playing well.
It is very difficult to believe in Miami though with the uncertainty surrounding the Head Coach and the Quarter Back and they have a very poor record in Buffalo anyway. Neither team has a good home/road record against the spread, but the Bills should be favoured in the conditions and with the other factors involved and I think they will win and cover as Miami reset once again.
New York Jets @ New England Patriots Pick: In recent years it has become familiar to have seen the New England Patriots (10-5) have nothing to play for in Week 17 of the regular season as they have usually wrapped up their Bye Week in the Play Offs. This season is a little different with a feeling that the Patriots dynasty with Tom Brady at Quarter Back is perhaps coming to an end, but New England can earn the Number 2 Seed at the very least with a home win on Sunday.
They host the New York Jets (4-11) who perhaps lost in the best way in Week 16- Sam Darnold showed why he was picked so high in the last NFL Draft, but the Jets did not win a game that may adversely affect the position in the 2019 Draft.
Don't tell the players that though as the Jets will head to Foxboro looking to play spoiler for New England and force their Divisional rivals to host a game on Wild Card Weekend next week. However injuries may make life that much more difficult for the Jets on the Offensive side of the ball, while Head Coach Todd Bowles is almost certainly going to be fired in the next couple of days meaning players are perhaps not willing to put it all on the line for him.
This is going to be the first time Sam Darnold faces a Bill Belichick led Defensive unit and I think the Patriots will look to force the rookie into some mistakes. Darnold has not been as good on the road as he has been at home and while there have been promising moments from him in 2018, there have also been the tough learning curve that rookie signal callers have to go through.
The Jets could see their running game at least offer Darnold more support than it has in recent games as they face the New England Defensive Line which has given up huge plays on the ground. However they were able to contain Buffalo to some extent in Week 16 and I think Belichick will want to force a young Quarter Back to throw to move the ball on the Patriots.
Throwing the ball has been something of a problem for New England in recent games with suggestions Tom Brady is not at 100%. Brady wasn't the issue last week, but Rob Gronkowski looks the shadow of the player that terrorised the NFL from the Tight End position while Josh Gordon's absence means the Patriots can't stretch the field as they would like.
I would still expect to see Julian Edelman making some big plays for the Patriots, but the focus could be back on the running game which pounded the Buffalo Bills down last week. The Bills are a stronger Defensive Line than the one the Jets have when it comes to stopping the run and I expect Sony Michel to pick up from where he left off in Week 16 while being complemented by James White and Rex Burkhead.
The Jets do get a lot of pressure up front which is the only chance they have of slowing down the New England Patriots, but if they are stuck trying to defend third and short spots I would expect the home team to make some big plays throughout the game.
It should mean the Patriots can secure a comfortable win on the day and only a late Buffalo Touchdown pass inside the last two minutes of the Week 16 game allowed the Bills to get within this number. Sam Darnold could potentially do the same, but I think New England will score more points than in Week 16 too and I do think they can cover here.
New York have been getting plenty of joy against the spread in recent games against New England, but they are just 1-5 against the spread in their last six against the AFC East. They are also 2-8 against the spread in their last ten against a team with a winning home record and New England tend to blow away those teams they are expected to beat and especially at home.
It is a big number, but New England can find a way to cover.
Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints Pick: There are always some situations which have been cleared up in the NFL regular season by the time we get to Week 17 and one of those is the reward of the Number 1 Seed in the NFC. The New Orleans Saints (13-2) wrapped that up over the last couple of weeks and they are going to be the favourites to reach the Super Bowl from this Conference as it can be very difficult to win a game in the SuperDome.
They will have a Bye through the Wild Card Round of the Play Offs next week, but Sean Payton will still give the likes of Drew Brees a chance to recharge the batteries, while other starters won't be expected to play for much more than one half of Football. It is Teddy Bridgewater who will get his first extended period of time on the field after a devastating injury suffered with the Minnesota Vikings which has been a huge setback in his career.
Bridgewater will lead the Saints into this Divisional game with the Carolina Panthers (6-9) who have dropped seven games in a row to miss out on the Play Offs. The players have played hard for Ron Rivera even when things spiralled out of control, but the Panthers may decide it is time to move on from the Head Coach while they have already shut down Cam Newton for the season at Quarter Back.
An injury to his backup in the loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 16 means Carolina will likely turn to Kyle Allen at Quarter Back and I do believe that is going to make it very difficult for the Panthers to move the chains. Allen may have a little more success than anticipated because the Saints could be resting key players on the Defensive Line and in the Secondary, but he didn't show a lot when coming in against the Falcons and will have needed a big week of practice to be competitive in this one.
The game plan will likely involve a lot of Christian McCaffrey which won't be a surprise to anyone reading this. He could have more success than anticipated because he could be playing the second string New Orleans Defensive Linemen, while McCaffrey has proved to be a huge weapon coming out of the backfield.
Kyle Allen may also have a little more success throwing the ball if the Saints are perhaps not as focused as they would like to be and that may at least see the Quarter Back help keep this close.
I liked Teddy Bridgewater at Minnesota, but it will be very difficult to come in and produce a big game against a Carolina team who may be looking for revenge for a home loss to the Saints in Week 15. It may be that Bridgewater is more effective running the ball than throwing it considering some of the struggles Carolina had on the ground last week in the defeat to Atlanta, but I expect the Panthers to play harder against the Saints with a revenge on their minds.
Carolina's Defensive unit can put in one more big performance and they have played the pass pretty well in recent games to think they can at least slow down the Saints in this one.
With this many points given to the road underdog, I do like backing Carolina here.
The underdog is 8-1 against the spread in the last nine in this series, while the Saints have an awful 5-16 record against the spread in their last twenty-one Week 17 games and will now be resting players. Sean Payton is a big part of that poor Week 17 record and the road team has a very strong record against the spread in this series that I do believe Carolina are worthy of a small interest with the points.
Dallas Cowboys @ New York Giants Pick: It doesn't feel that long ago when Jason Garrett looked to be on a very hot seat as far as it came to being the Dallas Cowboys (9-6) Head Coach. Wins in six of their last seven games not only got things turned around for the Cowboys, but it was good enough for Dallas to win the NFC East and lock in the Number 4 Seed in the NFC Play Offs.
While Dak Prescott may be pushing for a start against a Divisional rival who were disrespectful to him earlier in the season, Garrett has indicated that the preparations have begun for the Wild Card Play Off game and that means starters will be rested.
Prescott is one of those expected to sit as are the likes of Ezekiel Elliot, Amari Cooper and DeMarcus Lawrence with the Play Offs now the priority. It is a big reason the New York Giants (5-10) are favoured to win this game which could be the last of Eli Manning's career in Gotham.
Odell Beckham Jr is expected to end another season with multiple games missed through injury, but the Giants will be giving their big name players a chance to end the regular season in the right way. Things will have to change in the off-season for the Giants if they are going to get closer to a return to the top of the NFC and so the players involved should play hard to prove they can be kept onboard and help improve the future with the team.
The Giants would have a tough test against the Dallas Defense in a usual week, but the expected rest for the starters should make it a bit easier for them to move the chains. Dallas may look to clamp down on Saquon Barkley and force Manning to beat them through the air, but Barkley has proven he can have an impact on the game by catching the ball out of the backfield and New York should have the ability to move the ball.
The key to the spread is how much time the starters will get to play for Dallas, but even those players could have some problems moving the chains against an improved New York Defensive unit. The Giants have found a way to clamp down on the run, while the Secondary have made some big plays to stop teams being able to pass on them with comfort throughout games.
Interceptions have been the key for the Giants Secondary and that could be a real issue for the Cowboys with a backup Quarter Back in the game and I do like New York to cover in this one.
The Cowboys could easily be focused on preparing for next week instead of worrying about the close of the regular season with a Number 4 Seed already locked up. That lack of motivation involved in this Week 17 game and the expectation that a number of backups will be in the game for Dallas makes the New York Giants an appealing home favourite to back.
Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pick: There won't be too many great memories to take from the 2018 season for either of this NFC South teams who will finish off the regular season in a Week 17 game to be played in Florida. The Atlanta Falcons (6-9) have won two in a row and will be looking to keep the momentum going through one more game, although their goal back in August would have been to play in a home Super Bowl.
The season has been no less disappointing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-10) who have lost three in a row to confirm a season with double digit defeats. It is hard to envision Dirk Koetter being kept on as Head Coach and so I am not sure how hard the players will perform for a lame duck Head Coach when there is nothing much on the line for them.
Koetter has been in charge for three years and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been floundering and not shown the improvement the fans would have wanted. Jameis Winston did go into bat for the Head Coach, but the Quarter Back's future with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is uncertain and he could be looking for a new landing spot in the coming months.
Winston may not be the only big name departure from the Buccaneers with DeSean Jackson openly stating his unhappiness with the team. For now the Quarter Back has to try and show off some of the skills that made him the top Draft Pick for the Buccaneers as other teams perhaps begin evaluating whether it is worth potentially picking up Winston if he is available in the weeks ahead.
He should finally see some support from the running game despite the struggles Tampa Bay have had in establishing the run this season and that should at least make things a little easier for Winston. Without a running game in support, Tampa Bay are going to find it very difficult to throw the ball with any consistency against an Atlanta Secondary that have played well in recent weeks.
That success has been aided by the pass rush which has come alive in the last few games and the Falcons should certainly have the edge against the Tampa Bay Offensive Line which has struggled to protect whichever Quarter Back has lined up behind Center.
Moving the ball should be a lot more consistent for the Atlanta Falcons even if they are not as strong on the road as they are at home. The Offensive side of the ball has worked well for them for much of the season, but the Falcons have made critical mistakes at key times which have prevented them from winning games they arguably should have.
Over the last couple of games Atlanta have been much more consistent with their play with Matt Ryan being supported by a very strong rushing attack led by Tevin Coleman and Brian Hill who broke out for 100 yards on the ground last week. Even if Coleman can't go, Hill may be able to pick up from where he left off in Week 16. Being able to run the ball effectively opens up the passing lanes for Matt Ryan who has some very strong Receivers here and the Quarter Back has some decent numbers throughout 2018.
The Buccaneers can get some pressure up front when playing hard, but I am not sure the pass rushers will be at the top of their game. That may mean Ryan has a chance to expose the injuries in the Secondary and I like the Atlanta Falcons to have the more consistent success moving the chains and thus they look worth backing as the underdog.
Atlanta have won on three of their last four visits to Tampa Bay and can win this one too.
Cleveland Browns @ Baltimore Ravens Pick: There is no love lost between these teams and this may be the best chance for Cleveland to get some revenge over Baltimore for stealing their team over twenty years ago. The Cleveland Browns (7-7-1) might be out of the Play Offs, but don't worry about the motivation for a team who have long been in the doldrums of the NFL as they have a chance to end the 2018 season with four straight wins and the chance to play spoiler here is something that will be right up Baker Mayfield's street.
Things are also very clear for the Baltimore Ravens (9-6) who will secure the AFC North Division if they win or if the Pittsburgh Steelers lose. John Harbaugh will only be worrying about the things the Ravens can control and that is winning this game after being sparked by Lamar Jackson at Quarter Back.
Jackson is a work in progress as far as throwing the ball is concerned, but he has clearly got the support of the players to a greater extent than Joe Flacco ever has. It meant Harbaugh sticking with the hot hand of Jackson who has helped the Ravens become a very strong power running team that won't make mistakes and will then lean on a strong Defensive unit to make sure they are winning games.
The rookie Quarter Back has helped the Ravens get into a position to win the AFC North and he will be expected to keep the positive vibes going in this Week 17 game. A few weeks ago you would have thought the strong running game of the Ravens would be a real worry for the Cleveland Defensive Line, but in recent games the Browns have clamped down on the run and that makes this game more interesting.
Containing the Ravens won't be easy because of the athleticism of Jackson at Quarter Back which means he can make some huge runs of his own. The Browns will have to look to set the edge on the Defensive Line and try and force Baltimore into mistakes Offensively, but teams have found it quite difficult to stop the Ravens and Cleveland may be another.
The Browns do have the ability to get into the backfield and make plays, but they can't completely ignore what Jackson can do through the air. Having respect for the passing game, but effectively making sure they can control the trenches is the key for the Browns and recent games suggest they can find a formula to at least limit the amount of points scored by Baltimore.
There may not be a Play Off berth on the line for Cleveland, but I think Baker Mayfield will love this situation and I expect the Quarter Back to produce a big game with that in mind. Ruining the season for other teams is Mayfield's kind of thing and the whole Offensive unit has followed the lead of the Quarter Back.
A real key to this game for the Browns is how well Nick Chubb can do when it comes to running the ball. The Cleveland Offensive Line have managed to open some big holes for their Running Back, but they are up against one of the better Defensive Lines in the NFL and it is going to be very difficult to keep earning chunk yards on the ground as they have been.
It means it could be down to Mayfield and the passing game to give the Browns a chance to move the chains and I think the Quarter Back can have some success. He has been well protected in recent games and Cleveland have some decent playmakers in the passing game to support Mayfield and this has the feeling of being a close game with the pressure on the home team to secure the win and a Play Off berth.
The Browns do have a poor 1-5 record against the spread in their last six against the Baltimore Ravens, but it does feel this is a new era in Cleveland. They are 3-1-1 against the spread in their last five against a team with a winning record at home, and they are playing a Ravens team who are just 1-4 against the spread in their last five home games.
The pressure is on the Ravens and they will just want to get away with any kind of win so covering this number may be beyond them. I will look for the Browns with the points here.
Oakland Raiders @ Kansas City Chiefs Pick: When you have a record like the Kansas City Chiefs (11-4) you would hope that at least the Division title has been secured. However two losses in a row have actually opened the door for the Los Angeles Chargers to win the AFC West and also secure the Number 1 Seed so there is plenty of work for the Chiefs to do at Arrowhead.
They face a Divisional rival in the Oakland Raiders (4-11) who have won two of their las three games and look to play spoiler in Week 17. Jon Gruden is clearly making some big moves for the Raiders who are coming in off an emotional Monday Night win which could be the last game they play in Oakland with the 2019 home games up in the air ahead of a move to Las Vegas.
An emotional night and a short week could leave Oakland vulnerable in Week 17 as players begin to wonder what the future may hold for them. They are playing well enough Offensively to have some success in this game with the feeling this could be the last game played by Derek Carr at Quarter Back for Oakland.
Carr is the key for the Raiders as he closes in on a 4000 passing yard year for Oakland, but Gruden is clearly not sold on the Quarter Back while the team-mates have not been convinced about their leader either. He has not been supported by much of a running game, but Oakland could get on track in this one considering how badly the Chiefs have played the run.
You can't really count on that happening on a short week though and instead it will be up to Carr to have to throw the ball to make plays. It won't be easy to do that if Oakland are not able to at least put him in third and manageable spots because the Chiefs have the kind of pass rush which will disrupt the Oakland Offensive Line.
Carr has tried to negate that by throwing the ball much quicker than he would want to, but that means Oakland are checking down a lot and I think the Raiders may not have the consistent success they would need to keep up with Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs Offensive unit.
The decision to cut Kareem Hunt, which was the right one, has just knocked the Chiefs a little out of sync and they need to find someone who can consistently run the ball. Damien Williams has not played badly but he could have a difficult day against an improved Oakland Defensive Line, although Mahomes is capable of opening up running lanes with the success he has had throwing the ball.
Recent numbers against the pass have been improved from the Raiders too, but they have not faced a Quarter Back like Mahomes and I think they will struggle to stop the Chiefs moving the ball around the field for as long as they want. The motivation to lock up the Number 1 Seed should mean Andy Reid does not let up until the game is firmly in hand and the emotional effort put in a few days ago may have seen Oakland leave something out on the field.
This is a big number but Kansas City are 4-1 against the spread in their last five at home against the Raiders. Oakland are also 2-9-1 against the spread in their last twelve games against a team with a winning record at home, while they are 1-10 against the spread off a straight up win.
Despite the number, I think the Chiefs can find a cover and they are worth backing in one of the later slots in Week 17.
Cincinnati Bengals @ Pittsburgh Steelers Pick: JuJu Smith-Schuster is going to be a top Receiver in the NFL so it hurt to see him having the costly fumble which has not only cost the Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6-1) a chance to tie the game at New Orleans in Week 16, but also means their destiny in now out of their hands. The Steelers will be considered the best team that fails to make the Play Offs if they can't get things turned around in Week 17, but Mike Tomlin will be reminding his players they can only control what they do in this final game of the regular season.
Pittsburgh have to win and then either hope the Baltimore Ravens were to lose or the Indianapolis trip to the Tennessee Titans ends in a tie. To say it is very short odds on the Steelers missing the Play Offs will not be an understatement, but a chance exists and I would expect to see the Steelers to win this game and by a good margin too.
The Steelers should be able to establish the run even if James Connor is still not healthy enough to return and that should mean Ben Roethlisberger is going to find some big passing lanes to exploit. There are rumours that Antonio Brown is potentially going to miss out, but I would expect him to start and even without him the Steelers have some serious talent that should be able to exploit the banged up Cincinnati Secondary.
It would be a surprise if the Bengals rolled over for the Steelers considering the rivalry that exists between these Divisional rivals. However they are banged up on both sides of the ball and that will make it very difficult for them in this road game against a motivated opponent.
In recent games Cincinnati have been able to at least rely on Joe Mixon to make some plays on the ground and give Jeff Driskel a chance to make plays as he took over from Andy Dalton at Quarter Back. It is going to be much tougher for Mixon to have a big game running the ball against Pittsburgh considering how tough the Steelers Defensive Line has been in recent weeks and that means the pressure will be on the Quarter Back to produce.
Driskel does not have AJ Green to throw to and Tyler Boyd could be limited at best which means he will have to rely on checking down to the likes of Mixon. However the Bengals struggling to run the ball would mean having to make plays from third and long situations and Pittsburgh's pass rush could then have the big impact in the game.
Make no mistake this is a very big spread for the Steelers to cover and plays into the fact that they HAVE to win if they are going to make the Play Offs. The Bengals do have a very poor record against the spread against Pittsburgh though and the Steelers have been cashing in at the window at home.
Cincinnati haven't been blown out many times this season and covered as a 17 point dog at the Los Angeles Clippers earlier this month. However the players could have had enough of this season and I will look for a small interest in the Steelers being able to win and cover.
Arizona Cardinals @ Seattle Seahawks Pick: The Seattle Seahawks (9-6) were expected to be in a transition having moved away from the 'Legion of Boom' and investing in new Defensive players. However Bobby Wagner has helped gel the Defensive unit together better than expected and a power running team with Russell Wilson at Quarter Back have secured a Play Off spot.
Pete Carroll is not expected to call off the starters as he will want his Seattle team to keep the momentum behind them ahead of the Wild Card Play Off game to be played next weekend. That has been the way Carroll has always played these 'dead rubber' games in the past and there is also the motivation for the Seahawks to make sure they end with the Number 5 Seed and avoid a tough trip to the Chicago Bears in the Play Offs.
It would be a huge surprise if the Seahawks were not able to beat the Arizona Cardinals (3-12) who have been in uncompetitive in three straight losses. Head Coach Steve Wilks has almost been resigned to his fate of losing his job at the end of the regular season and the Cardinals players have not really been able to perform well enough to believe they want to keep him around.
Josh Rosen has really had a hard time in his rookie year at Quarter Back, but he has not exactly been helped by the turnstiles being used on the Offensive Line who have offered next to no protection. Rosen is expected to be put under pressure by the Seattle pass rush whenever he drops back to throw, while his own accuracy has not been where he would have wanted.
Teams have not really respected the pass when they have played the Cardinals and that has made it very difficult for David Johnson to have the kind of impact he would have liked. Johnson is clearly the best player on the Offensive unit and he could have some success against the Seahawks Defensive Line, although for the most part I expect to see drives stalled and perhaps some turnovers created.
Seattle should be a little more comfortable moving the ball as Chris Carson is expected to have another big game running the ball. The Cardinals Defensive Line has been worn down when it comes to stopping the run and Seattle have shown they will line up the Offensive Line to create power running lanes which then makes life that much easier for Russell Wilson at Quarter Back.
Wilson has been put under pressure behind an Offensive Line that doesn't protect him as well as they help the Running Backs run the ball. However Wilson can extend plays with his legs and he should be able to move the ball from third and short spots for much of this game.
The Seahawks did have a narrow win on the road over Arizona earlier this season and they have lost three home games in a row to the Cardinals, but they look much stronger than their visitors this time around.
Arizona are 1-5 against the spread in their last six games overall, while Seattle have a very good looking 35-16-1 record against the spread when facing a team with a losing record on the road. It is a big number, but Seattle should be very motivated here and can become the fourth team in a row to crush the Arizona Cardinals who probably can't wait to put an end to the 2018 season.
Indianapolis Colts @ Tennessee Titans Pick: No one was surprised to hear that this game was flexed into the Sunday Night Football slot in Week 17 as the winner will be making the Play Offs and the losing team will be ending their 2018 season. So much is on the line, but the news has not been good for the Tennessee Titans (9-6) who have ruled out Quarter Back Marcus Mariota which means Blaine Gabbert will get the start for them in this pivotal game.
The Titans have almost been in Play Off mode for a month as they have managed to stay alive in the race for the post-season with four straight wins. They have begun to dominate teams on the ground, but they are going to need to be at their best if they are going to beat the Indianapolis Colts (9-6).
Andrew Luck did not look completely like his old self earlier in the season, but he has grown in each passing week and has been very important to the revival of the Colts. The Colts started the season at 1-5, but they have won eight of their last nine games to give themselves an opportunity and this may be a team that not many of the other Play Off teams really want to see.
It hasn't been all about Luck as credit has to be given to the likes of Marlon Mack, TY Hilton and Eric Ebron although the latter will need to get through a late test to determine his availability for this game. Mack is the Running Back and he could have a hard day running the ball when you think of how well the Titans have clamped down on the Backs they have faced in recent games.
Tennessee have played some very good Backs in that time, but the threat of Luck could open up more running lanes as the Titans look to prevent the Quarter Back throwing the ball around the field. Luck has been well protected by his Offensive Line so will believe he can make some big plays in this one, but the Titans have to be respected for the Defensive performances in the last few weeks.
If Marcus Mariota was starting I would give the Titans more of a chance, but Blaine Gabbert is a pretty poor Quarter Back. He doesn't scramble as well as Mariota and that should mean the Colts can showcase how much they have improved Defensively.
The Defensive Line have been able to clamp down on the run for much of the season and I think Indianapolis will be focusing on stopping Derrick Henry and making Gabbert feel he has to throw the ball for successful drives to be put together. Stopping Henry entirely won't be easy, but I do think the Colts have the personnel to have success and that should give them every chance of winning this game.
Teams have had some success throwing the ball against the Colts Secondary, but I am not sure Gabbert is going to be able to replicate that. It makes it hard to believe in the home underdog in this big Sunday Night Football game and I think the Titans will be undone by the Colts power scoring.
The favourite is 4-0 against the spread in the last four in this series and I think that run can be extended thanks to the injury suffered by Mariota.
MY PICKS: Buffalo Bills - 5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)
New England Patriots - 13.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Carolina Panthers + 7.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet365 (1 Unit)
New York Giants - 7 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Atlanta Falcons - 2.5 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Cleveland Browns + 7 Points @ 1.86 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Kansas City Chiefs - 14 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)
Pittsburgh Steelers - 14 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)
Seattle Seahawks - 13 Points @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)
Indianapolis Colts - 4.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)
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