College Football Week 10 Picks 2024 (Saturday 2nd November)

With the calendar ticking over to November, the College Football regular season enters the final furlong towards the new Playoff.

The top teams in the Power 4 Conferences will be targeting the Championship Game first and foremost and Week 10 is another where a number of big games are set that will begin to separate the pretenders from the contenders.

After the Week 9 bounce back, three of the last four College Football Weeks have returned a profit. However, there is still some way to go to get this season back in the black and it is important to build on the 4-2 run last time out.

Ohio State Buckeyes @ Penn State Nittany Lions Pick: The expanded College Football Playoff does offer a room in the final twelve for a team that has not won a Conference Championship, especially if that team is playing in a solid Conference like the Big Ten.

With teams already holding plenty of losses throughout the SEC, there is an opportunity here for the likes of the Penn State Nittany Lions (7-0) and Ohio State Buckeyes (6-1) ahead of this huge game in Week 10 of the College Football season.

Both will still have major ambitions of winning the Big Ten Conference, although Oregon and Indiana will have something to say about that, and this is a big opportunity to put a statement win on the board that will impress the Committee when the final Playoff selections are made.

You have to feel there is a bit more pressure on the Buckeyes who have already suffered a very close loss at the Oregon Ducks- losing twice in a Conference where we could have two unbeaten teams competing for the Championship would make it that much tougher for Ohio State to make their claim.

In saying that, the unbeaten Nittany Lions will not want to lose any momentum by being beaten by the Buckeyes again with seven straight losses against this rival having played in the same Division within the Big Ten in previous years. The Nittany Lions are 5-2 against the spread in that seven game losing run, which underlines the fact they are a competitive outfit that tends to do better than expected and Head Coach James Franklin will be hoping that means winning outright in 2024.

There are concerns about the Penn State Quarter Back position after Drew Allar had to sit out the second half in the win over the Wisconsin Badgers. It sounds like he will be a game time decision with the Nittany Lions preparing Beau Pribula to take the snaps after he came in and had 98 second half passing yards with a Touchdown in the win over the Badgers.

Of course facing the Buckeyes Defensive unit is a much different challenge, even if the Quarter Back will be playing behind an Offensive Line that has found a way to give them time in the pocket. This will be important to try and find the few holes that have been in the Buckeyes Secondary in recent games, but it will be a test for either Drew Allar or Beau Pribula and the bigger impact they could have on the game is not turning the ball over.

The latter showed off his ability to move the ball on the ground last week in his second half appearance and that will also be important to just keep Penn State in front of the down and distance. The battle at the Line of Scrimmage is going to be a tough one all day, but it feels like the Nittany Lions will persist and that could just help in what could be a field battle kind of day.

Ohio State were not very convincing out of their Bye Week following the loss to the Ducks, but they did hold on to beat the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Improvements will be needed if the Buckeyes are going to avoid a second, potentially devastating loss when it comes to the season ambitions, and injuries to the Offensive Line have come at a bad time.

It may mean the Buckeyes are not able to run the ball as effectively as they would like and that will put some pressure on Will Howard at Quarter Back. We have not seen the Nittany Lions generate a massive pass rush of late, but playing a third string Left Tackle is a big advantage and it may just mean they can disrupt things a little more at the Line of Scrimmage, which is so important when it comes to stalling drives.

Once again, the Buckeyes, like the Nittany Lions, will look to avoid the turnovers that can swing what is a potentially tight game. The home team will be motivated by being set as the underdog against Ohio State again and this has the makings of a game that may come down to the wire, which could make the points in hand the telling difference when it comes to the window.

Indiana Hoosiers @ Michigan State Spartans Pick: Fans will be keeping an eye on the early kick off slot on Saturday in Week 10 of the College Football season, but the Indiana Hoosiers (8-0) Coaching staff and players have to focus on their own job. It is a real surprise to see Indiana as one of three teams with an unbeaten record at the top of the Big Ten Conference, but the Hoosiers do not want the run to end now and there is a big ambition to not only make the Conference Championship Game, but to earn a spot in the twelve team College Football Playoffs.

The next three games will be key for the Hoosiers as they prepare to face Michigan Wolverines and Ohio State Buckeyes either side of a Bye Week.

First up is the Michigan State Spartans (4-4) who were disappointingly beaten by rivals Michigan in Week 9 and who still have work to do when it comes to earning Bowl eligibility. This is a rivalry game for both the Spartans and Hoosiers so motivation will not be hard to find, while the road team has won four in a row in the head to head series.

The last was a win for the Spartans twelve months ago as they upset the Hoosiers as the underdog.

It won't have been forgotten by the Indiana players as they prepare to travel into hostile territory and the major question remains the status of Quarter Back Kurtis Rourke. He has been announced as the starter having missed the Week 9 win over the Washington Huskies, but Rourke will just have to show he has overcome any mental demons that can be formed after injury.

The return of Kurtis Rourke will give the passing game a jolt, but the main focus for the Hoosiers is to get behind this Offensive Line and bully teams on the ground. Tayven Jackson may not have offered the same passing threat to prevent teams from trying to load the box, but that is not the case with Rourke back and Michigan State have really not been able to clamp down on the run with any authority.

This is important to help the returning Quarter Back to ease into the game and Kurtis Rourke is expected to have time in the pocket when he does step back to throw into this Spartans Secondary.

Michigan State's challenge will be keeping up with the Indiana Offensive unit that will be feeling confident with their starting Quarter Back in the lineup. Four losses in five games has just seen the strong start to the season disappear, while the seasonal average of 21 points per game is not going to cut it.

However, even getting to that average mark against this Indiana Defense is going to be a huge test for the hosts and may be the reason the Hoosiers are not only unbeaten at the final whistle, but covering the spread set for the seventh time in a row.

A bit more consistency from Quarter Back Aidan Chiles has helped, but the Spartans Offensive Line have not really been able to create running lanes to ensure their signal caller is playing from manageable down and distance. Trying to run the ball against Indiana has been even more of an issue and so it feels like this is a game that is going to come down to the arm of Aidan Chiles.

There is a bit of room in the Indiana Secondary that could be exploited, although teams might have had more success by being forced to throw fifty times a game to keep up on the scoreboard. However, Aidan Chiles will be hoping the Offensive Line can stand up to the pass rush pressure and then also have to be very much aware of the turnover creating nature of the Hoosiers Defensive Backs.

A backdoor cover cannot be ruled out with the spread set as it is, but double digit wins have been the norm for Indiana this season and they did win by 24 points and 8 points in their last two visits to Michigan State. Doing the same again is entirely possible and that would mean a cover of this mark as the Hoosiers very much keep the Cinderella run going.

Kansas State Wildcats @ Houston Cougars Pick: It was not nearly as 'easy' as the Kansas State Wildcats (7-1) were expected to make it, but a win in a rivalry game will still have boosted the confidence. The Big 12 has not been the most impressive of Conferences this season and there is every chance that the Wildcats could compete for a Championship, which would mean they are heading into the College Football Playoff.

An upcoming Bye Week will allow the Wildcats to really focus on the last run, but it would not be nearly as meaningful if they were to lose in Week 10. In fact any loss before the final regular season game at the Iowa State Cyclones may mean missing out on the Big 12 Championship Game and so there is a pressure on Kansas State to remain focused.

Next up is the Houston Cougars (3-5) who have won two of their last three games and may still feel they have a strong enough ending to the season to earn a Bowl Game. It has been something of a feast or famine event at the recent Houston games with their five Conference losses either ending in a blowout loss or an outright win.

They are at home in Week 10 and Houston may still have a big impact on the final standings in the Big 12 with two of their remaining four games being against Kansas State and BYU.

Houston perhaps do not match up as well with the Kansas State Wildcats as they would like and that could make things challenging when they have the ball. The Cougars much prefer to run the ball than throw it, but that plays into the strengths of this Wildcats unit and may mean the Cougars are a touch inconsistent through the Four Quarters.

The Cougars are not likely to lose faith in the run, but it could be a real struggle and that will mean leaving Zeon Chriss in third and long spots. Rather than being a dual-threat Quarter Back, Chriss is someone that will run first and pass second, but that may mean he is not able to exploit the issues that Kansas State have in the Secondary.

Donovan Smith was not involved in the win over the Utah Utes last week, but his status is unclear. Even if he was available, the Houston Offensive Line could have problems keeping the Wildcats out of the backfield when the Quarter Back drops back to throw and it could lead to the extra possessions to help Kansas State ease clear in this one.

The Line of Scrimmage is always important and the Kansas State Wildcats look to have an edge on both sides of the ball- while they have shown they can clamp down on the run, the Wildcats Offensive Line have thrived up front and this Houston team is not expected to have the same stopping abilities as their visitors.

Avery Johnson will benefit from being in third and manageable spots, while also employing play-action to attack this Cougars Secondary down the field. It should give the Wildcats a chance to move the ball with more consistency and they should be ending drives by punching the ball into the End Zone rather than settling for Field Goals.

Last season, the Wildcats blew out Houston at home.

This one will be closer, but a two Touchdown win looks likely for the road team as they remain on track for a spot in the Big 12 Conference Championship Game. The scare last week should help keep the team focused and Houston have taken a number of big losses in the Big 12 already, with this game more likely to trend that way rather than in an upset for the Cougars.

Kentucky Wildcats @ Tennessee Volunteers Pick: Beating the Alabama Crimson Tide ahead of their last Bye Week will feel like a big win for the Tennessee Volunteers (6-1), but there is work to do. Having already suffered a defeat, the win over the Crimson Tide was very important for Tennessee and it is important for the Volunteers to keep the positive run going before they play the Georgia Bulldogs in Week 11.

They face the Kentucky Wildcats (3-5) in a rivalry game out of the Bye and it has been a tough year for the Wildcats in the SEC where they have a 1-5 record. The competitive defeat to Georgia stands out, but the Wildcats have not been nearly as competitive in losses to South Carolina and Florida.

One of the major talking points ahead of this SEC game is going to surround the Kentucky Offensive unit and whether they can score enough points. They average 19 points per game on the season, but it has been much more a struggle when stepping up to the SEC level and this Volunteers Defensive unit deserves plenty of respect.

In reality the Wildcats do not match up well with Tennessee and it all begins right on the Line of Scrimmage as Kentucky would love to establish the run. Unfortunately they are facing a Volunteers Defensive Line that have clamped down on the run all season and the impressive numbers being produced in the SEC suggests they can force Kentucky to try and convert third and long spots on the field.

There is also an uncertainty about the Kentucky Quarter Back position which saw the team take out their starter in a bid to spark the Offense last time out. It didn't work to say the least and it is unlikely that either Brock Vandagriff or Gavin Wimsatt are going to have the confidence to make enough plays against this Secondary, even if the Volunteers have allowed some teams to have passing successes.

Interceptions have been a major problem for Kentucky and now they have to avoid giving up those extra possessions against a Defensive unit that will thrive on picking passes off and shortening the field for their own team.

Covering this kind of spread might be possible if the Tennessee Offensive unit can play up to the level that the Defense have been capable of reaching, but there has been some issues with a freshman Quarter Back. They will give Nick Iamaleava all of the snaps, knowing he will benefit in 2025, but the key for Tennessee is easing any pressure on the young man.

After recent performances from the Kentucky Defensive Line, the Volunteers should be able to give the ball to Dylan Sampson and expect the Running Back to punch through some big holes. Earlier in the season the Wildcats had shown an excitement to stop the run, but that has not been the case in recent games and this Tennessee Offensive Line can open the lanes for Sampson.

Ensuring the team are playing from third and manageable spots is huge for Tennessee and Nick Iamaleava, who will be asked not to take too many risks against the Wildcats Secondary.

It feels like Tennessee could come out of the Bye Week to really punish Kentucky on the ground, especially if the Wildcats are looking to get into their own Bye to just freshen up. The long season without a break can be tough for any team to deal with and that may have contributed to the recent Kentucky struggles to stop the run.

Covering this spread will be tough, especially as Tennessee are just 2-8 against the spread in the last ten against Kentucky. Two of the last three Volunteers wins have been by fewer than 7 points, but the middle of those wins was an absolute blowout and Tennessee could run right through Kentucky with a couple of turnovers helping them pull clear of the mark.

MY PICKS: Penn State Nittany Lions + 3.5 Points @ 1.72 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Indiana Hoosiers - 7.5 Points @ 1.95 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Kansas State Wildcats - 13 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Tennessee Volunteers - 17.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Arkansas Razorbacks + 7.5 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Oklahoma State Cowboys + 4.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

USC Trojans - 2 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Week 9: 4-2, + 1.82 Units (6 Units Staked, + 30.33% Yield)

Week 8: 2-4, - 2.23 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37.17% Yield)

Week 7: 6-3, + 2.55 Units (9 Units Staked, + 28.33% Yield)

Week 6: 3-2, + 0.82 Units (5 Units Staked, + 16.4% Yield)

Week 5: 0-5, - 5 Units (5 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

Week 4: 3-2, + 0.73 Units (5 Units Staked, + 14.60% Yield)

Week 3: 3-5, - 2.35 Units (8 Units Staked, - 29.38% Yield)

Week 2: 2-4, - 2.26 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37.67% Yield)

Week 1: 4-2, + 1.64 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.33% Yield)

NFL Week 9 Picks 2024 (Thursday 31st October-Monday 4th November)

Week 9 is on the board and that means we are halfway through the regular season and teams are beginning to be 'who we think they are'.

The trade deadline is fast approaching and so we are at a time in the season when teams have to decide whether they genuinely believe they can reach the Playoffs or not. Some will be thinking to next season and others will still feel that a positive run can move them into a position to play Football deep into January, although the internal thoughts of each team will become clearer at the trade deadline.

The 1972 Miami Dolphins are still waiting to crack the champagne for being the only unbeaten team in NFL history with the Kansas City Chiefs at 7-0, but surprisingly there are only six others teams in the AFC that have a winning record.

On the flip-side, only five teams in the NFC have a losing record as we move into the halfway mark of the season and so there is still a feeling that all is to play for as we approach November.

Eight weeks are in the books and seven of those have returned a profit after the 4-2 mark last week.

I had fortune- the Chicago Bears must still be wondering how they are were beaten by the Washington Commanders after one of the most ridiculous of Hail Mary's was completed. That ensured a 4-2 record for the Week 8 Picks rather than a 3-3 mark, but it is very unlikely that we are going to have that kind of luck every week.

Jordan Love's injury prevented Green Bay from covering when in a strong position against the Jacksonville Jaguars so maybe that bit of fortune was deserved. However, it will be all the better if selections made can produce winning marks without having to go through another Hail Mary play and keeping the winning mark going is the only ambition for these pages.

Thursday Night Football looks an interesting one in Week 9 before some big games to be played over the weekend as the clock turns to November. Picks will be added to this thread in the coming days, but there is a selection from the first game of Week 9 and that will open up this thread.

Houston Texans @ New York Jets Pick: Fans of the New York Jets (2-6) were expecting vast improvements now they finally could look at their Quarter Back with a much higher degree of success than some of the others that have tried to make that position their own. Last season could be excused after Aaron Rodgers play just four snaps, but even the most pessimistic of Jets fans could not have anticipated that the first half of the 2024 season will have gone as poorly as it has.

Even a Head Coaching change has not prevented the Jets from losing for a fifth time in a row and there is plenty of criticism to go around.

Some of the wounds have been self-inflicted- the Jets lost by a point to the Denver Broncos, missed multiple Field Goals in a 3 point loss to the Buffalo Bills and gave up a late Touchdown to lose to the New England Patriots in Week 8. That doesn't mean that things are going to turn around quickly, but the Jets will feel their record could look a lot stronger than it does currently.

On a short week, the Jets host the Houston Texans (6-2) who have taken a big grip of the AFC South having beaten the Indianapolis Colts for a second time this season.

That is the positive news, but the negative is that Stefon Diggs suffered a season-ending injury in that win and Houston will also be without Nico Collins for this game. CJ Stroud looks like one of the best young Quarter Backs making his way through the NFL, but it is no surprise that his passing numbers are down with the absences in the Receiver position.

It may be more of the same for Stroud in Week 9 against this New York Jets team that have a Secondary capable of making some big plays. They can perhaps chase CJ Stroud out of the pocket and force mistakes in the passing game, especially from lesser experienced Receivers, although it may make the game plan a little easier for the Houston Texans.

Joe Mixon has played well since arriving in Houston and he should be able to get something going on the ground against the Jets Defensive Line. That could be important in what may be a game that is about field position more than Touchdowns and will give Houston a chance.

However, the short week and the fact that Houston have taken complete control of their own Division may also be a factor to consider. This Texans team may be thinking about how they are going to replace Stefon Diggs rather than worrying about the struggling New York Jets and that could give Aaron Rodgers and company an opportunity.

Allan Lazard is missing for the Jets, but the overall Receiving corps look in decent shape, although there is a real pressure on Aaron Rodgers.

Much like the Texans, New York could lean on the Offensive Line and look to establish the run to put Rodgers in a good position to keep the chains moving. It will also be key to just slow down the Houston pass rush, which can be a highly disruptive force, and that may just give the Jets Quarter Back an opportunity to begin turning this season around.

Passing against this Secondary has not been easy and partly down the pass rush pressure that the Texans have put together, but that could be different for the Jets if they are running the ball well.

Even then, it is not easy to trust a New York team finding ways to lose games.

The spot looks a decent one for them and the injuries suffered by Houston may mean they may struggle on a short week and especially after taking control of their own Division. Aaron Rodgers is clearly not the player he once was, but he may be able to lean on the run and make enough plays to the likes of Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson to help the Jets come away with a victory on Thursday Night Football and keep post-season hopes alive.

Washington Commanders @ New York Giants Pick: Backing the Washington Commanders (6-2) in Week 8 proved to be hugely fortunate as they converted a Hail Mary with time ticking off the clock to beat the Chicago Bears. In reality the Bears blew the assignment, but the Commanders will not care one bit as they continue to lead the NFC East.

They have recorded one win over the New York Giants (2-6) in 2024 and the sweep will keep some momentum behind the Commanders before heading into a tough stretch of games. The likes of Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Dallas are on deck so it is very important to avoid dropping a game to a struggling Divisional rival playing on a short week.

New York did not play badly on Monday Night Football and it was a competitive loss, which is an improvement on the previous two blowouts. Despite that, it was a loss and this is a team that is spiralling again and likely going to be making big changes once the 2024 season comes to a close.

Motivation can be found in trying to play spoiler for teams within the Division so the players should be ready, even on the short week.

It helps the struggling Giants Offensive unit that they are facing a Washington team besieged by injury on the Defensive side of the ball. Problems along the Defensive Line have been evident all season and the Commanders have not really gotten a grip with slowing down the run, which is hugely important for Daniel Jones and the Giants.

The Quarter Back has the ability to tuck the ball and make plays with his legs and the Giants have been able to find some solid gains on the ground even without Saquon Barkley. However, the problem has been when games get out of hand and they have to become a little one-dimensional with their play-calling, which has left Daniel Jones in a tough position to make plays down the field.

His Receiving options are back at full strength, but Jones has been constantly harassed when he has stepped back to allow routes to develop. In recent games, the Commanders have found a decent pass rush, which in turn has helped elevate the play of the Secondary and also forced turnovers that could be critical to the outcome of the game.

Having a dual-threat Quarter Back of their own has really propelled this Washington Offensive unit and Jayden Daniels will be bouncing after the fortune of last week. He is grounded enough to know the whole team will need to be better if they are going to achieve something special this season, but Daniels can lead the way on the ground to make things easier for himself in the passing game.

After what we have seen in recent games, the Giants Defensive Line may not be able to deal with Jayden Daniels, Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler and it should mean Washington are playing in third and manageable spots for much of the afternoon. Jayden Daniels has shown his qualities as a passer too, but the reliance will be on the ground game to just ease the powerful New York pass rush and open things up against a Secondary that have actually played pretty well at times.

The big play will open up if Washington are pounding the rock as expected and it may lead to a solid win for the Commanders on the road.

Prior to the meeting in Week 2, Washington had not won any of four games against the Giants and has lost three in a row. They has over 100 more Offensive yards in the first meeting between the teams and the Commanders can back that up with a wider margin of victory than they achieved at home, while pushing the Giants that much further towards the top of the next Draft order.

Denver Broncos @ Baltimore Ravens Pick: Two AFC teams with the same record meet in Week 9 of the NFL season when the Baltimore Ravens (5-3) host the Denver Broncos (5-3). The Broncos have won two in a row, while the Baltimore Ravens had won five in a row before losing in Week 8 to the Cleveland Browns, although the Ravens are huge favourites to win this one.

For the second game in a row, the Ravens will be facing a tough Defensive unit and arguably one that is stronger than the Cleveland Browns unit they faced last time out.

Everything begins with the running game as far as Baltimore go Offensively, and there is no doubting the ability of both Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry when it comes to pounding the rock. They have continued to pile up the yards on the ground, although they did surprisingly move away from those plays in the loss to the Cleveland Browns even when the game was competitive.

Moving the ball on the ground against the Denver Defensive Line is a different challenge and the battle on the Line of Scrimmage is going to be huge. In recent games, the Broncos have held opponents to less than 100 yards per game on the ground, although it has to be pointed out that Denver have faced nothing like the tandem that will be in front of them in Week 9.

It is important for Baltimore to run the ball if only to make sure Jackson is playing Quarter Back from third and manageable and to make sure the Denver pass rush is not breaking things up.

If he is given time, Lamar Jackson could make a few big plays into the Denver Secondary, but this Broncos team have to be confident in at least keeping things close on this side of the ball. This has been the game plan for Sean Payton and his team in compiling their winning record and they will not want rookie Bo Nix to have to have a huge day in a tough road environment.

Instead the key will be making sure Bo Nix knows he does not have to push the boat out in order to give his team the best chance to win. Keeping the scoreboard manageable is important to that end, especially as Denver may not be able to rely on their Offensive Line as much as they have in recent games.

Running the ball against the Baltimore Ravens is a huge challenge for any team and so Bo Nix may be forced to have to make a few big plays in the passing game to keep this one competitive. The Secondary is struggling with injuries so there is a chance that Nix can have some success, although the Quarter Back will have to be careful when it comes to turnovers.

If he can avoid those, Denver can keep this one closer than expected and avoid the blowout loss.

Opposing Baltimore proved to be a rough situation a couple of weeks ago when they crushed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the Broncos Defensive unit perhaps have a better chance of stalling some drives. This should at least give Sean Payton a chance to create some Offensive plans to help his rookie Quarter Back make enough plays through the air to help the Broncos remain competitive throughout.

Dallas Cowboys @ Atlanta Falcons Pick: The loss out of the Bye Week at the San Francisco 49ers has dropped the Dallas Cowboys (3-5) behind the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders in the NFC East and a couple of games below 0.500 for the season. There is still time to turn things around, but the Cowboys need to change their fortunes pretty quickly and some of the players are showing their frustration to the media.

They will head to the Atlanta Falcons (5-3) who have taken control of the NFC South after sweeping the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Kirk Cousins has played well at times, but the Falcons will know that the veteran Quarter Back may need to improve if they are going to reach the post-season and then have a big impact in the Playoffs.

This should be a game in which the whole Falcons Offensive unit can find a very strong balance with their play-calling and that should keep drives moving forward. The Offensive Line should help establish the run against this struggling Cowboys Defensive Line and that should mean Kirk Cousins is able to drop back and make his plays to his big time Receivers.

Running the ball should also mean Cousins is playing from third and manageable spots, while keeping the pocket cleaner by needing less time for routes to develop. The Dallas Cowboys Secondary have had their own problems and Atlanta should be able to keep the chains moving and put up plenty of points.

However, there is every chance that Dallas can at least keep up for a while.

In previous seasons, Dallas might have dominated behind the Offensive Line, but running the ball has been much more challenging in 2024 and that has perhaps been a bigger reason the record is where it stands. Becoming one-dimensional Offensively is never a good thing and Dallas have perhaps been too reliant on the Dak Prescott arm.

The Cowboys could have a few more running lanes against this Falcons team, but they are not easy to trust to take advantage considering the issues. Ezekiel Elliot has been ruled out, which does not help, and so it will be up to Prescott to do what he can from the Quarter Back position.

Dak Prescott may benefit from throwing out of a cleaner pocket than he has been used to in recent starts, especially against this Falcons Secondary that has not made enough plays. Over the course of the season there has been better signs from the Atlanta Secondary, but this could become a shoot out and Dallas can certainly play their part.

Teams have been able to throw against Atlanta, but they have not been having it all of their own way- the Falcons have been capable of turning the ball over and Interceptions have been an issue for Dak Prescott, which is where this game could be won or lost.

If the Falcons can turn the ball over, those extra possessions may be key to determining this spread and Atlanta can do enough to cover. They are not that easy to trust with inconsistent performances through eight games, while Atlanta are just 2-3 at home.

However, this looks a good opportunity for the Falcons to just use their Offensive balance to eventually get the better of the Cowboys with a late Interception perhaps the difference on the day.

Miami Dolphins @ Buffalo Bills Pick: We are almost halfway through the season, but it is already feeling pretty comfortable to use a marker, rather than a pencil, when placing the Buffalo Bills (6-2) in the NFL Playoffs. The nearest rivals in the Division have just three wins and the Bills can keep their foot down on the other three teams by beating the Miami Dolphins (2-5) for the second time this season.

The first game will be remembered for the big concussion suffered by Tua Tagovailoa, one that had some thinking that the Quarter Back should think about retirement. Instead he returned last week after several weeks in recovery, but Tagovailoa was not able to inspire the Miami Dolphins as they were down by a Field Goal in the dying embers of the Fourth Quarter.

Time is running out already for the Miami Dolphins as far as the 2024 season is concerned, and that could lead to big changes in the off-season. One win could quickly turn things around, and that could be even bigger if the Dolphins can get the better of the Buffalo Bills, who have dominated this series in recent seasons.

Buffalo have won three in a row overall and they have beaten Miami five times in a row, even when the Dolphins looked on course to win the AFC East last year.

Josh Allen is an impressive Quarter Back and he should have an impact on this game with both his legs and arm, while the dominance of the Dolphins since arriving in Buffalo is very hard to ignore. He should be able to lean on this Offensive Line and Allen and James Cook are expected to pound the ball with plenty of success through the course of this game.

Time in the pocket will make things that much more comfortable for Josh Allen and he has a new weapon in Amari Cooper that could open things up for the other collection of Receivers in Buffalo. The Bills have looked strong in their three game winning run as they have beaten up on bad teams, and that may feel the case again in Week 9 even with Tua Tagovailoa back behind Center for Miami.

Having the Quarter Back that they started the season will help Miami, but they will have a test in finding the right balance in this one against a team that has regularly gotten the better of them. The Dolphins Offensive Line have been helping to establish the run in recent games, although this time they are up against a Buffalo team that have looked much more effective at clamping down on the run of late.

Winning at the Line of Scrimmage is huge for the Miami Dolphins if only to keep Tua Tagovailoa ahead of the chains and see if that the run can open up the passing lanes. The likes of Jayden Waddle and Tyreek Hill are capable of breaking open any possession, and there have been times where the Buffalo Secondary have just made a mistake or two.

This should give Miami an opportunity, but they will just have to be aware of the Buffalo pass rush and especially with the concerns around Tua Tagovailoa.

It does feel like a game in which Miami will have some success, but they have not enjoyed playing in Buffalo in recent times and this is going to be cold. The Dolphins will not appreciate the conditions and the last three games against Buffalo have ended in blowout losses to the Bills.

A backdoor cover is a danger with the Miami Offensive unit being led by a Quarter Back with another week of recovery and practice behind him. However, Tua Tagovailoa has not matched up well against Buffalo at his best, and Josh Allen has enjoyed playing Miami and has regularly helped his team pull clear against them.

This is a considerable spread considering the Offensive firepower the visitors bring, but the Bills are capable of securing a win and cover.

MY PICKS: New York Jets - 2 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Washington Commanders - 3.5 Points @ 1.91 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Denver Broncos + 9.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Atlanta Falcons - 3 Points @ 1.91 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Buffalo Bills - 6.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Week 8: 4-2, + 1.72 Units (6 Units Staked, + 28.67% Yield)

Week 7: 4-3, + 0.73 Units (7 Units Staked, + 10.43% Yield)

Week 6: 4-2, + 1.67 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.83% Yield)

Week 5: 4-2, + 1.64 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.33% Yield)

Week 4: 6-2, + 3.45 Units (8 Units Staked, + 43.13% Yield)

Week 3: 3-3, - 0.23 Units (6 Units Staked, - 3.83% Yield)

Week 2: 4-2, + 1.62 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27% Yield)

Week 1: 5-2, + 2.67 Units (7 Units Staked, + 38.14% Yield)

College Football Week 9 Picks 2024 (Saturday 26th October)

Has the expanded College Football Playoff contributed to some of the surprising results we have seen in the regular season?

It is a legitimate question now teams are not expected to go through the regular season unbeaten to earn a spot in the final four. These days it is going to be a twelve team Playoff and that means teams can take on tougher games and accept that even a single defeat will not spell the end of their chances of being crowed National Champions.

Two losses may be a different deal though and so there are some big games with real Playoff implications coming up.

There may not be a host of unbeaten teams, but there are a few around who will be looking to remain on track in Week 9 as we conclude the October schedule before the run to the Championship Games begin to take shape.

Washington Huskies @ Indiana Hoosiers Pick: There is an excitement building around the Indiana Hoosiers (7-0) who are one of three Big Ten teams that are still unbeaten as we approach the end of October. The run in and around the Bye Week sees Indiana face some of the top names in the Conference, although the likes of Michigan State and Michigan have not really played to any level that should worry an unbeaten team in the form the Hoosiers have displayed.

Even new Big Ten members Washington Huskies (4-3) are not looking like a team that could push for the Playoff places later in the year and the 2-2 record within the Conference leaves them under pressure.

Two weeks ago, the Huskies were crushed by the Iowa Hawkeyes, but they have had a Bye Week to try and get things worked out. The plan would have been about stopping Kurtis Rourke who has had almost 2000 passing yards with 15 Touchdowns and 3 Interceptions, but the Indiana Quarter Back has been ruled out with a thumb injury and may not be ready to return until the big game against the Ohio State Buckeyes next month.

Tayven Jackson came in as the backup Quarter Back against the Nebraska Cornhuskers and he had almost 100 passing yards while showing an efficiency completing his passes. Last year was a little tough for Jackson having started five games for the Hoosiers and finishing with a 2-3 record, but the team are confident that he can come in and do a job.

He had 2 Touchdown passes in the win over the Cornhuskers and Tayven Jackson may just be needed to remind the Washington Huskies that he can have an efficient day as a passer. If he can do that, Indiana can rely on their strong Offensive Line and rushing attack to keep the team moving forward and making sure the Quarter Back is ahead of the chains.

Stopping the run has not been easy for the Huskies as the competition has ramped up and even the Bye Week might not have been enough time to slow down a team that has played to the level that Indiana have. As long as Tayven Jackson can play up to the standard of Week 8, the Hoosiers have every chance to moving the ball and into a position to cover this mark, while also maintaining an unbeaten record.

This is not going to be an easy game for the Indiana Hoosiers, especially as the Huskies run out a strong passing attack of their own.

Will Rogers has done what he has needed to do at Quarter Back and he has largely been able to look after the ball when he has dropped back to make his passes down the field. The passing numbers are there and this Hoosiers Secondary have allowed teams to have success throwing against them, even if the Defensive Backs have then stepped up to the plate to pick up a turnover or two.

However, the bigger challenge for Rogers and the Huskies may be trying to keep things going from behind the chains and they may struggle to establish the run in this game. Making Washington look a little one-dimensional would be a huge boost for Indiana and it would also allow them to generate a pass rush that could force mistakes from a veteran Quarter Back.

Turnovers are likely going to play a big part in the final outcome and you have to believe this Indiana Defensive unit will want to show up and make sure they are putting their team in a position to win without their starting Quarter Back. The Hoosiers will need a bit more from Tayven Jackson just to keep the Huskies honest Defensively, but a week of preparation should help and Indiana can keep the unbeaten run moving through another game.

Nebraska Cornhuskers @ Ohio State Buckeyes Pick: Several years of underachievement means the Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-2) have work to do if they are going to get back amongst the elite of the Big Ten Conference. One more win this season would mean Nebraska have put together their most wins in a single season since 2016, which underlines the slip around this school compared with the consistent winning seasons they were putting together.

Head Coach Matt Rhule oversaw five wins in his first season as Head Coach of the Cornhuskers and he has matched that in 2024, while his previous successes leading the Baylor Bears makes it feel he is well suited to College Football following a tough time as Head Coach of the Carolina Panthers.

There are plenty of positives from this season, but the Cornhuskers were just given a really harsh reminder about what the Big Ten is about when getting crushed by the Indiana Hoosiers in Week 8. It drops the Cornhuskers to 2-2 within the Conference and they now have to travel to face an angry Ohio State Buckeyes (5-1) who are coming out of their Bye Week.

A single point loss to the Oregon Ducks ended the unbeaten start to the season two weeks ago and it has meant the Buckeyes have been stewing on the defeat. The Bye Week is a chance to just remind the players of what can still be achieved this season, and the Buckeyes will want to put a solid win on the board before a huge game at the Penn State Nittany Lions to take place in Week 10.

The Buckeyes will have spent the Bye Week making sure they are going to bounce back in Week 9 and they do have a balance Offensively that could make it very difficult for Nebraska to do the same after being crushed at Indiana.

Establishing the run against the Cornhuskers Defensive Line is always going to be a test, but this Buckeyes Offensive Line have been strong up front and they have continued to open up some big running lanes even as the Big Ten play has gotten underway. Ohio State will be pounding the rock, which can open the pass game, and Will Howard is a veteran College Football Quarter Back who has 14 Touchdown passes to go with 3 Interceptions.

It helps that Will Howard is standing behind an Offensive Line that has been just as convincing in pass protection as they have in run blocking. Being back at home should also help after the narrow loss on the road at the Oregon Ducks, and Nebraska's Defensive unit may have a few issues when trying to bounce back from the defeat to the Hoosiers.

The Line of Scrimmage is going to be important when the Nebraska Cornhuskers have the ball and it looks like a much more challenging task for the underdog to establish the run. And unlike the Ohio State Offensive Line, the Nebraska unit has not been as strong when it comes to protecting the Quarter Back and that is going to see Dylan Raiola under some real pressure.

That will only be furthered by a home crowd that is going to want to remind Dylan Raiola that he made a poor decision in opting out of his commitment to the Buckeyes and to eventually end up in Nebraska.

Early form displayed by Dylan Raiola was very encouraging, but the Big Ten Conference opponents have proven to be tougher to handle for the youngster. Despite their loss to Oregon, the Buckeyes Defensive unit may still be the best in the Conference and they can eventually show that off by dominating the second half and pulling clear of this spread set.

Texas Longhorns @ Vanderbilt Commodores Pick: There is a fear that the SEC might be 'eating itself' when it comes to the number of teams they can send to the College Football Playoff. Only two teams remain unbeaten within Conference play, but none of the teams involved have a perfect record overall.

The last of those records to slip was the one held by the Texas Longhorns (6-1) when they were beaten by the Georgia Bulldogs and the Ranking has dropped down to Number 5.

Time is still on their side to turn things around, but the Longhorns have to make sure they fully respect a Vanderbilt Commodores (5-2) team that have a 2-1 record in the SEC and who have already upset the Alabama Crimson Tide. That victory is perhaps not looking as strong as it did when Vanderbilt beat the Crimson Tide the week after the latter had knocked off the Georgia Bulldogs, but it is still a strong win for the Commodores and the fans will bring an intense atmosphere.

Vanderbilt have been set as the underdog four times this season and they have covered in each of those games.

There is no doubting the ability of the Texas Longhorns to bounce back, but this is a big spread and Diego Pavia and the Commodores Offensive unit will use the home crowd energy to push them forward. A narrower than expected win over the Ball State Cardinals will not be a big concern with Vanderbilt likely keeping some key plays under their hat ahead of a big game.

Putting together a strong Offensive game-plan against this Longhorns Defensive unit will be challenging, but Vanderbilt have to believe Texas could be a little short emotionally. The Longhorns will be going into their Bye Week in a bid to reset after this game and so there is very chance that this Defense is not as focused as they may have been with an unbeaten record to protect.

Texas should be able to move the chains with some confidence when they have the ball and they are likely going to lean on the Offensive Line to ensure a strong running game is produced. This will make things easier for the Quarter Back, whether that is Quinn Ewers or Archie Manning, although it should be noted that this Vanderbilt Secondary have played pretty well over their last few games.

There is a chance that Vanderbilt can generate a solid pass rush, which will help the Secondary make big plays, and the Commodores may be able to create a turnover or two which can keep this game close.

Vanderbilt have plenty of experience to help them in tough spots and they have shown they can be a very competitive underdog.

The Longhorns had been dominant before the upset loss to the Georgia Bulldogs and some may feel that this team is not fully focused with a Bye Week coming up. The fact that Alabama lost here will just serve as a reminder for Texas about what can happen against any team, but this is a big spread and it may be too wide for a team that has to still believe they can reach the SEC Championship Game and then have a big impact in the College Football Playoffs.

Florida State Seminoles @ Miami Hurricanes Pick: This may have been a game that had been circled by fans in the ACC as being one that could determine at least one of the Championship Game representatives.

Things have simply not gone that way for the Florida State Seminoles (1-6) whose unbeaten season in 2023 has been firmly left in the rearview mirror.

Too much reliance on the transfer portal has been criticised this season, even if it was key to the successes of last season, and the Seminoles have very little to play for.

One motivation will be to play spoiler for the Miami Hurricanes (7-0) who come through a couple of really tight games to remain unbeaten and who look on course to face the Clemson Tigers for the ACC Championship. Looking too far ahead would be a mistake for the Hurricanes considering how close some of their recent wins have been and the fans will try and keep Miami focused on the here and now.

Offensively the Hurricanes should be able to do what they want thanks to the Offensive Line opening up some big running lanes. They will be favourites to hit the Seminoles hard on the ground and that should open things up for Cam Ward at Quarter Back, who continues to play like one of the top players in the position.

Scoring points has not been the problem, but the Miami Hurricanes know the Defensive unit have to be significantly improved if they are going to reach the College Football Playoff and then have a deep run. This is a week in which they are facing a Florida State Offensive unit that has just lacked consistency Offensively and so you do have to wonder if the Seminoles are going to be able to score enough points to keep up with their rivals.

The Seminoles Offensive Line have not opened up too many big running lanes and that has allowed teams to bring a solid pass rush, which has just underlined other issues at the Line of Scrimmage.

Miami are not easy to trust with a line like this one after some of their recent wins, but the Hurricanes have been much better than Florida State and they can underline that gap with a much more convincing win in Week 9.

MY PICKS: Indiana Hoosiers - 5.5 Points @ 1.95 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Ohio State Buckeyes - 25.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Vanderbilt Commodores + 17.5 Points @ 2.05 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Miami Hurricanes - 21 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Penn State Nittany Lions - 6.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Kansas State Wildcats - 9.5 Points @ 1.85 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Week 8: 2-4, - 2.23 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37.17% Yield)

Week 7: 6-3, + 2.55 Units (9 Units Staked, + 28.33% Yield)

Week 6: 3-2, + 0.82 Units (5 Units Staked, + 16.4% Yield)

Week 5: 0-5, - 5 Units (5 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

Week 4: 3-2, + 0.73 Units (5 Units Staked, + 14.60% Yield)

Week 3: 3-5, - 2.35 Units (8 Units Staked, - 29.38% Yield)

Week 2: 2-4, - 2.26 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37.67% Yield)

Week 1: 4-2, + 1.64 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.33% Yield)

NFL Week 8 Picks 2024 (Thursday 24th October-Monday 28th October)

As we reach the end of October, the NFL regular season has very much begun to take shape with teams almost halfway through the schedule.

Barring significant injuries, the likes of Kansas City, Buffalo, Baltimore and Detroit look to be managing the expectations that would have been around those teams in the build to the 2024 season. All four look capable Super Bowl Champions and it would take significant injuries to Quarter Backs to prevent those teams making the Playoffs at the very least.

Strong trades have been made by a couple of those teams to further their ambitions for the season, and more moves are expected ahead of the deadline which will have the fans of those four teams planning a trip to New Orleans in February.

Others like the Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans and Philadelphia Eagles may be comfortable with their current positions, while surprises develop every year in the NFL.

Despite their loss to the Lions, the Minnesota Vikings remain on a good path and you can only be excited by what Russell Wilson brought to the Pittsburgh Steelers in their blowout win over the New York Jets. If they are able to bring in Cooper Kuup in a trade from the Los Angeles Rams, the Steelers will be all in for the season and the League is shaping up nicely.

Some teams have reached the level expected, but there are some, like my Miami Dolphins, that have a lot of work to do- Tua Tagovailoa looks set to return this weekend, but there will be concerns about the Quarter Back who cannot afford too many more big blows to the head. Mike McDaniels tenure as Head Coach looks to be linked with how well Tagovailoa can recover from his latest concussion, although the team have shown excitement about having their Quarter Back return and there is still time for Miami to turn things around.

That will also be the hope for teams like San Francisco, New York Jets and Cincinnati who have underachieved early on, but who have time to just turn things around. The Bengals at least have some momentum, and that is what the Dolphins, Jets and 49ers will be hoping as we move into Week 8 of the regular season.

Week 7 continued the really strong start to the 2024 season, although some meat was left on the bone.

The Cleveland Browns should have really turned things over to Jameis Winston instead of Dorian Thompson-Robinson when Deshaun Watson went down with an injury that will rule him out for the remainder of 2024. If they had done that, they would have covered, while the injury to Tyler Huntley meant the Miami Dolphins were unable to cover.

In reality, there is no way I would have picked the Dolphins if I had known that Tim Boyle was going to be needed at Quarter Back.

Denver, Jacksonville and Philadelphia covered easily and a late Field Goal helped Arizona beat the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football to keep the positive momentum going.

Seven weeks are in the books and six of those have returned with a plus number, which really cannot be seen as anything but a good start to the year.

The first selections from Week 8 will be from the Sunday games- with trade rumours around the Los Angeles Rams, I did consider backing the Minnesota Vikings. However, teams that have a long winning run snapped can struggle to pick themselves up and the short week will make it more difficult for the Vikings, who have been rumoured to make a move for Matthew Stafford if the Rams are in selling mode.

Ultimately there are too many uncertainties about Thursday Night Football and better picks can be made later in this week.

This thread will have those selections added to it and hopefully it will be another week of more winners than losers to keep the strong opening to 2024 going.

Arizona Cardinals @ Miami Dolphins Pick: After watching some of the Quarter Back play produced over the four games, you can understand why there is so much excitement within the Miami Dolphins (2-4) locker room that Tua Tagovailoa has been cleared from concussion protocol. Keeping Tagovailoa healthy was something that Miami managed to do in 2023, but questions remain about the long-term health of a player that has had far too many concussions already.

The Quarter Back will need to spark things for the Miami Dolphins who have lost four of their last five games and been a mess Offensively.

You cannot be that surprised about that when Tim Boyle is taking snaps for your team, but Miami want to be careful about asking too much of a player that is only just returning after a concussion. For most players that is challenging, but there is extra caution around Tua Tagovailoa because of his history and you can only hope that he can stay healthy, even if it eventually means retirement is better for his long-term well-being.

This may be a decent opponent to face on his return when the Arizona Cardinals (3-4) make the long trip east after playing on Monday Night Football and also in the early Eastern Time slot. A late win over the Los Angeles Chargers has just given the Cardinals momentum within the NFC West with just a game between the Cardinals and Divisional leaders Seattle Seahawks, but this is a tough scheduling spot.

Defensively there have been issues for the Arizona Cardinals and facing this Miami Dolphins team is going to be a lot different with Tua Tagovailoa at Quarter Back rather than those that have been starting of late.

It is important for the Offensive Line to continue opening up the running lanes to ease some of the pressure on Tua Tagovailoa, who will be playing with serious expectations after the way the season has been developing for Miami without him. The Dolphins should be able to hand the ball off to De'Von Achane to pick up some big yards on the ground and playing from third and manageable would make Miami very dangerous.

And it is not as if the Cardinals Secondary have played so well that they can sell out to try and stop the run and see if that can slow down the Offensive units being played. Instead the pass rush has been struggling to get going and the last few weeks has seen Quarter Backs pile up the numbers against the Arizona Cardinals, which can only be good news for Tyreek Hill and Jayden Waddle with a competent Quarter Back returning to take the snaps.

Miami's Defensive unit have kept the team competitive without their Quarter Back, although they have not been facing too many top Offensive teams. Much like Arizona, Miami have struggled to stop the run and James Connor is expected to have a big outing for the Cardinals and give the team an opportunity.

It also feels like a game in which Kyler Murray can have an impact as a runner out of the Quarter Back position, although Arizona will want his arm to do some of the heavy lifting too. Like Arizona, Miami have struggled to generate much of a pass rush of late and this Cardinals Offensive Line have offered protection when Murray has stepped back to throw, although the Miami Secondary have been able to deal with the limited passing threat offered by the likes of Will Levis, Mason Rudolph and Jacoby Brissett.

Kyler Murray will offer more and he does have some solid Receiving options as Arizona look to get Marvin Harrison Jr going. Everything depends on the run game though and Arizona should have their successes in this one too, which should make it a fun watch.

However, the schedule spot looks tough for Arizona and the Dolphins may have the balance Offensively that has been missing of late.

Backing a Quarter Back on his return from concussion is never idea, but the Miami Dolphins just need someone competent to play the position and Tua Tagovailoa might just make enough plays to see them to a win by around a Touchdown mark.

Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pick: At the beginning of October, the Atlanta Falcons (4-3) were able to get the better of a shootout with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-3).

They meet again in another NFC South Divisional game before the end of the month and this is a big opportunity for the Falcons to secure a tie-breaker, which could be crucial in what is expected to be a tight Divisional race. The injuries that the Buccaneers have suffered on Monday Night Football are going to have a big impact on the next few weeks and it may be tough for Tampa Bay to keep up if this develops into another high-scoring battle.

Both Chris Godwin and Mike Evans have picked up serious injuries- Evans may return around Week 11/12, but Godwin is expected to miss the rest of the season and so the Buccaneers passing game is going to need new faces to step up. There is some talent here, but those players can show up in spots when Defensive Backs are focusing on the big name Receivers.

Without them it will be tougher for Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers, although they may be able to lean on Rachaad White and Bucky Irving to move the ball on the ground. That may be the game plan to keep the Atlanta Falcons Offensive unit on the sidelines, while the weakness of the Falcons Defensive unit has been stopping the run rather than the pass.

It has been possible to have success throwing the ball against the Falcons, but finding consistency through the air against them has not been so easy. This would have been a challenge even with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin in the lineup, especially when adding the fact that Tampa Bay had less than 175 passing yards in the first game against the Falcons with those two Receivers available.

Baker Mayfield will have time to attack the Falcons and the running game will help, but this could be another tough match up against Atlanta unless the Defensive unit can pick up their level.

The Falcons put up 550 Offensive yards in the win over the Buccaneers and Tampa Bay just allowed the Baltimore Ravens to score 41 points.

The majority of the yards in the first game came courtesy of Kirk Cousins, but this should be a game in which Bijan Robinson can have a bigger impact than in the first meeting. Atlanta's Offensive Line have played well and we just saw the Baltimore Ravens run all over the Buccaneers, which should be music to the ears of Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, while also making sure Cousins is able to have a bit of pressure eased from his shoulders.

Atlanta were battered by the Seattle Seahawks last week and so this is a big bounce back spot for them.

Kirk Cousins threw two Interceptions in that defeat, but had four Touchdown passes and a single Interception in the win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Running the ball should mean the Falcons are playing in front of the chains, which will open up the passing game for the Quarter Back, and Kirk Cousins should have a performance that is similar to the one he did earlier this month.

You do have to expect the Buccaneers to try and step up and cover for the absence of their two top Receivers, but this may not be a good match up for them.

Both teams should be able to run the ball, but Kirk Cousins might outplay Baker Mayfield and another win for the Falcons over the Buccaneers would mean taking command of the NFC South, even at this early stage of the season.

Atlanta have found a bit of form, even accounting for the loss to Seattle, and the short week for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers may see them come up a little short at home against their main rival within this Division.

Green Bay Packers @ Jacksonville Jaguars Pick: There was a fear that the return from playing two games in London would have been at a time when a new Head Coach would be needed, but the Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5) were able to get the better of the New England Patriots in Week 7. That was important for Head Coach Doug Pederson just seven days after a pretty poor showing against the Chicago Bears, but the Jaguars have plenty of work to do if they are going to get back into contention in the AFC South.

It really does not help that the Jaguars are about to embark on a really tough portion of their regular season schedule.

Losing to one NFC North team in London will just underline the challenges that the Jacksonville Jaguars are going to be facing over the coming weeks with the other three teams from that Division coming up. They also play the Philadelphia Eagles and it will take something special for the Jaguars to go 2-2 across their next four games, never mind putting a winning record on the board in their bid to close on the Houston Texans.

First up is the Green Bay Packers (5-2) who are a part of the NFC North and join the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings with five wins secured. They have won three in a row and Jordan Love is playing like one of the better Quarter Backs in the NFL, although he will be the first to admit that he needs to clean up some of the turnovers that have been down to Love's mistakes.

This looks a very good chance for Jordan Love to have another strong game at Quarter Back and the Green Bay Packers have a team that should be balanced on this side of the ball.

Josh Jacobs has come in to replace and Aaron Jones and the Running Back has shown his qualities, but with an added crease of catching the ball out of the backfield. Behind this Green Bay Offensive Line, Josh Jacobs has been able to rip off some solid gains on the ground and he should be able to keep the Packers in third and manageable spots.

It should lead to spaces to open up in the passing game and Jordan Love will be able to expose this Jaguars team as long as he can avoid the Interceptions that have been too much of a feature of the recent performances. The Jaguars have struggled to stop passer that are a level below the standard that Jordan Love has been able to set and so there is a strong chance the Green Bay Packers can keep this scoreboard ticking over efficiently.

Doug Pederson and the Jacksonville Jaguars will know they will have to call and execute a really strong game plan if they are going to win this one. Trevor Lawrence has flashed his talent at times, but the consistency has been lacking and this Green Bay Defensive unit is still under-rated.

You can run the ball against the Packers and that has to be the Offensive approach- if the Jaguars can do this effectively, they can shorten the game and make sure they are keeping the Packers on the sideline to warm up in the Florida sun. As long as this game is competitive, the Jaguars can lean on the run, but the problem will be if they are having to chase points.

Trevor Lawrence has not lived up to the contract extension numbers, but this is a Quarter Back with plenty of talent. However, challenging this Packers Secondary through the air has been tough for Quarter Backs all season and Lawrence will have to be aware of the ball-hawking nature of the Defensive Backs.

Pressure up front has really helped the Packers and they have helped Jordan Love overcome the turnovers by largely containing the threats against them through the air.

This is likely going to be the case in Week 8 of the regular season and the Green Bay Packers can make it four wins in succession.

Backing a road favourite is not always ideal, but the Green Bay Packers look the stronger team on both sides of the ball and they should be motivated to retain momentum before a big game with the Detroit Lions to be played next week. Returning to the United States after two weeks in London is not an ideal situation for the Jaguars and the NFC North team can underline their talent edge with a win and cover here.

MY PICKS: Miami Dolphins - 4.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Atlanta Falcons - 2.5 Points @ 1.91 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Green Bay Packers - 3.5 Points @ 1.91 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Philadelphia Eagles + 2.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Washington Commanders + 2.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Denver Broncos - 10.5 Points @ 1.91 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Week 7: 4-3, + 0.73 Units (7 Units Staked, + 10.43% Yield)

Week 6: 4-2, + 1.67 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.83% Yield)

Week 5: 4-2, + 1.64 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.33% Yield)

Week 4: 6-2, + 3.45 Units (8 Units Staked, + 43.13% Yield)

Week 3: 3-3, - 0.23 Units (6 Units Staked, - 3.83% Yield)

Week 2: 4-2, + 1.62 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27% Yield)

Week 1: 5-2, + 2.67 Units (7 Units Staked, + 38.14% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2024- Adam Azim vs Ohara Davies (Saturday 19th October)

Another fantastic Undisputed fight was produced last week and Artur Beterbiev stands on top of the Light Heavyweight mountain, although Dmitry Bivol is going to want to right that wrong in 2025.

Boxing never seems to be that far from controversy and Bivol fans were certainly pushing the 'robbery' narrative.

Like any term, using it too loosely means you lose the impact of the word and that would certainly be the case if 'robbery' is thrown around every time your favourite fighter loses. It is no surprise that Dmitry Bivol's promoter will feel that way, while the commentating was pretty biased on the night and might have influenced some, but to suggest Dmitry Bivol had won easily seems far from the case.

Cards on the table, I actually scored the fight 116-112 to Artur Beterbiev.

It was close going into the Championship Rounds and in reality that is where the fight was going to be won or lost on my personal scorecard, but Artur Beterbiev seemed to go through the gears and Dmitry Bivol wilted a little bit.

If you think 115-113 is not a bad score, just remember 116-112 means one more Round going in favour of the victor. Those who say they could have seen 115-113 either way or even a draw means they accept there were some swing Rounds and the feeling that Bivol had been 'robbed' seems to be mainly from those in the UK rather than the States and the commentating has to have influenced that.

Boxing scorecards can be poor- in the United Kingdom there have been some shocking scores turned in over recent years, but a Majority Decision in favour of Artur Beterbiev is far from the case. You might have felt Bivol had done enough, which is fair enough, but to completely dismiss the fact that Beterbiev could have one more Round than a 'good' 115-113 scorecard is just mind-boggling.

The fight was a good one and I do think both Boxers will feel they can do better in a rematch, which makes that a natural target for the teams and the promoters. It would not be a surprise if we are to see that in the first half of 2025 and that should allow the contenders the time to line up behind Beterbiev and Bivol.

If reports are correct, David Benavidez and David Morrell are going to face each other in what should be a brilliant fight early in the next year.

And the hope if that Joshua Buatsi and Anthony Yarde can finally meet in what is a monster UK fight, but one that would also have the WBO Interim World Title on the line. The latter is returning this week to shake off the ring rust on a Boxxer run card and that brings the Buatsi fight that much closer to fruition, one that would sell the O2 Arena in London without any issues.

Adam Azim being back in action is also a positive with a big year predicted for the young fighter in 2025 and beyond, while I am looking forward to the return of Tim Tsyzu who is chasing some of the biggest names in the next year.

The main event ended in favour of Artur Beterbiev, but not in the fashion picked on these pages, although it was still a positive night for the Boxing Picks to get the numbers moving back in a positive direction.

With a little over two months left in this calendar year, there is still work to do to secure a profitable year, but it was a positive week and hopefully another one to come.

Adam Azim vs Ohara Davies

The face off with Harlem Eubank was supposed to see Adam Azim return to the ring a couple of months ago, but the contract did not quite make it over the line and instead the step up comes against Ohara Davies.

Big things are expected of Adam Azim and his team are refusing to allow him to be pushed ahead too quickly.

It was the main reason they decided to give up the European Light Welterweight Title rather than face Dalton Smith, although that fight is likely to come sooner than later. We should have Dalton Smith in the Arena for this bout, but Boxxer and Adam Azim will be not be told what to do and the focus is on the career of what looks to be a special talent.

Ultimately the question of how special will be answered as the step up in level is made and he is facing an opponent who has fought previous World Champions.

Ohara Davies was blitzed in the defeat to Ismael Barroso back in January, but his three defeats have been against solid competition. The first was a Stoppage loss to Josh Taylor, the second a Points defeat to Jack Catterall and the most recent was against Barroso, who had Rolly Romero in a lot of trouble before a controversial referee Stoppage.

He is a puncher and will be very familiar with Adam Azim- they are friends outside of the ring, although Davies has taken some offence to being selected as the next fight for the rising star.

It should give him some motivation, but it can be said that Ohara Davies has not really beaten anyone of note for a long time now. The win over Lewis Ritson put him in a position to fight Ismael Barroso, but Adam Azim is far better than Ritson and this is a significant test for Davies to show how much he has left.

You have to wonder if Ohara Davies has lost some of the punch resistance having been hurt so early against Ismael Barroso, especially as Adam Azim is pretty sharp and accurate.

The friendship should not be a major factor in the bout and Adam Azim will be looking to show he is ready to take the next step in his career. He has shown he can move through the gears pretty quickly once in the ring and the price on a first half Stoppage looks worth taking in this one.

The feeling is that Ohara Davies may want to push the pace early to try and rattle the youngster, but that could see him move onto something big and Azim can perhaps beat Josh Taylor's mark to the Stoppage against this opponent.

The undercard features some big names, but it is really an opportunity for the likes of Anthony Yarde and a couple of the female fighters to get active.

The standout looks to be involving other Light Heavyweights not named Anthony Yarde and that is the one featuring Lewis Edmondson and Dan Azeez with the vacant British Title on the line.

We know things can change very quickly in Boxing and it feels a long time ago that Dan Azeez was fighting Joshua Buatsi.

It was a bout that took place in early February, but Azeez came up short and was not at his best when returning in June and perhaps being fortunate to escape with a Draw.

He is facing an unbeaten opponent and they will be familiar with one another having faced off in the amateurs when Lewis Edmondson was able to win a Split Decision against Dan Azeez.

Lewis Edmondson is unbeaten, but he has only been involved in a single fight that has moved past the Sixth Round and this is a considerable step in terms of level.

You know someone like Dan Azeez will look to push the tempo and keep the pressure on and the veteran may have the experience to just break down Lewis Edmondson as this fight moves into the second half of the fight.

All in all, it is suprising to see Dan Azeez as the underdog in this bout and he has to be worth a small interest to come out and pressurise Lewis Edmondson for long enough to break him down. It was Dan Azeez who held this British Light Heavyweight Title before the loss to Joshua Buatsi and he can pick up the Belt again against his unbeaten opponent.

The return of Tim Tszyu is going to be very welcomed, even if he has fallen out of favour with Turki Alalshikh having failed to recover from a gruesome cut in time to take on Vergil Ortiz Jr.

The fact that Tszyu signed up to fight Ortiz Jr after the cut suffered against Sebastian Fundora tells me everything about the character of the Australian, a very likeable fighter.

Even taking on Fundora on short notice should be given a lot of respect and Tim Tsyzu could have easily asked the referee to stop the fight after suffering a cut that bled profusely almost immediately. Instead, the Champion decided to do all he can to avoid losing his unbeaten record and he deserves the chance to bring a World Title back Down Under.

It is the IBF World Title on the line and the hope is that Tim Tsyzu can get back to winning ways before targeting big names in a loaded Light Middleweight Division. Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr have joined the Division, while the rematch with Sebastian Fundora will be something that Tsyzu will target.

However, it is very important to not overlook the current IBF Champion, even if Bakhram Murtazaliev has perhaps not fought anyone of this level before. He is unbeaten and anyone who has watched him fight should be aware of the potential of the Champion.

Sixteen Stoppages in twenty-two wins has to be respected and there is every chance that this is going to be fan-friendly contest.

It may end up being a battle of wills and the bout should be highly competitive, although the edge has to be with Tim Tsyzu who may be slightly better at the same things that Bakhram Murtazaliev will want to do. The toughness of both cannot be underestimated and so a small interest in the former World Champion winning this one in a competitive Decision looks the call.

MY PICKS: Adam Azim to Win Between 1-6 @ 2.87 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Dan Azeez @ 2.30 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Tim Tsyzu to Win By Decision/Technical Decision @ 3.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Boxing 2024: 30-50, + 12.44 Units (106 Units Staked, + 11.74% Yield)