WTA Finals Day 7 Tennis Picks 2025 (Friday 7th November)

There are two days left at the WTA Finals in Riyadh and four of the eight Singles players have been eliminated.

The final four all have their strengths and this is a good opportunity for someone to lay down a marker ahead of the Australian Open considering the lack of competitive tennis that is likely to be played by the very best players between now and Melbourne in mid-January.

The two Group Winners are favourites in the Semi Final, and they look most likely to come through, but nothing is ever that easy on the WTA Tour and both Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka are going to have to be wary of the challenges that Jessica Pegula and Amanda Anisimova will present.

Elena Rybakina - 2.5 games v Jessica Pegula: The World Number 5 would have gone into her final Group match knowing a win would put her in a good position to reach the Semi Final here in Riyadh. However, Jessica Pegula may also have put herself under some pressure to win in straight sets to take away any drama while watching the other match and credit has to be given to the American for the strong win she put together.

Moving through to the WTA Finals last four as Runner Up means a Semi Final clash against Elena Rybakina who has looked like the player that won the title at Wimbledon back in 2022.

Six months later she reached the Australian Open Final, but you would perhaps be a little disappointed in not seeing Elena Rybakina compete at the business end of more Grand Slams since winning Wimbledon. Most would have anticipated her adding to that title, but she has failed to make the Quarter Final in any of the last five Grand Slams played and some of that has been down to off court issues.

Those look to be clearing up, even if some remain concerned about Rybakina's relationship with Coach Stefano Vukov.

The World Number 6 enjoyed a decent Asian swing to earn her spot in the WTA Finals and Elena Rybakina has won all three Group matches thanks to her immense serving.

Elena Rybakina has won at least 70% of service points played in each of the three matches here in Riyadh and that has put a lot of scoreboard pressure on her opponents. She has only dropped serve twice, which is no surprise considering how dominant Rybakina has been behind her opening delivery, and that has allowed the World Number 6 to play with some aggression on the return.

It is going to be challenging for Jessica Pegula to find her way into the return games, although she will take some heart from the way she returned against Aryna Sabalenka in the Group Stage. She managed to break serve four times against the World Number 1, although Jessica Pegula was kept under immense pressure on her own serve and that is expected to be the case here.

These two players met after the US Open in the Billy Jean King Cup and Elena Rybakina was the much stronger server in a straight sets win over Jessica Pegula.

The last time they met at the WTA Finals was at the end of the 2022 season and it was Pegula who got the better of that one, but you have to give Elena Rybakina the edge on the form produced this week.

Jessica Pegula controlled the match against Jasmine Paolini, but has won less than 60% of service points played against Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka and the likely service disparity between these two Semi Finalists is going to give the lower Ranked player the edge.

Aryna Sabalenka - 3.5 games v Amanda Anisimova: The initial big breakthrough on the WTA Tour came back in 2019 when Amanda Anisimova was 17 years old and she reached the French Open Semi Final.

At the 2019 Australian Open, Amanda Anisimova upset Aryna Sabalenka and she won the first four meetings between the players and all while being Ranked outside the top 30.

After taking some time away from the Tour to just unburden herself, Amanda Anisimova has returned with real ambitions to fulfil the obvious potential she had shown in her development and early years as a professional. Reaching back to back Grand Slam Finals will give the American something to build upon in 2026 and Amanda Anisimova is playing with confidence having beaten Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek in her last two Group matches here to reach the Semi Final in her maiden appearance at the WTA Finals.

One of the wins on the way to reached the Wimbledon Final was against Aryna Sabalenka, but the World Number 1 earned revenge over Amanda Anisimova by beating her in the US Open Final in September.

Aryna Sabalenka also beat Anisimova in the French Open Fourth Round and she has now won four of the last six matches against the World Number 4.

The Belarusian has won all three matches at the WTA Finals, but it still feels like there is room for improvement in her level of performance.

She has served herself out of some tough situations, but Aryna Sabalenka will want to just get a bit more out of that shot to try and keep herself out of pressurised situations. Completely erasing those against someone like Amanda Anisimova is not likely, but Sabalenka has to take some heart out of the way Elena Rybakina got the better of this opponent in the Group Stage and feel she can at least reach a similar level.

Amanda Anisimova has been improving her serving numbers in each of the matches played in the tournament, which is perhaps partly down to becoming accustomed to the conditions.

However, it is the World Number 1 who has had the superior consistency on the return and that was the case when these two players met in the US Open Final.

There is so much to like about the Amanda Anisimova game and a slight improvement in 2026 will lead to Grand Slam titles on her current trajectory.

She has beaten Sabalenka in a big moment at Wimbledon, but the top Seed has won at two other Grand Slam events and that win over Anisimova in New York City could be repeated here. That was a close match and Aryna Sabalenka had to dig deep when broken after serving for the set, but it was won under indoor conditions and the World Number 1 can move into the Final here with a win and a cover of the handicap mark set.

MY PICKS: Elena Rybakina - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Aryna Sabalenka - 3.5 Games @ 1.90 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

WTA Finals: 6-5, + 0.21 Units (11 Units Staked, + 1.91% Yield)

NFL Week 9 Picks 2021 (November 4-8)

I will have a much fuller Week 10 post for the NFL Picks, but you can read my Week 9 selections below.

I will update season totals in that next week post too.

Denver Broncos @ Dallas Cowboys Pick: This has been a strong start to the 2021 season for the Dallas Cowboys (6-1) who managed to keep the wins coming despite going into Sunday Night Football in Week 8 with a backup Quarter Back. Cooper Rush made the big plays to beat the Minnesota Vikings, but the Cowboys will have Dak Prescott back in the line up in Week 9 and the Cowboys have a good lead in the weak NFC East.

No one will want to get too carried away as we have yet to reach the halfway mark for the 2021 season, but the Dallas Cowboys have to be looking upwards and trying to secure the best Seeding possible in the PlayOff. There is work to do for the Cowboys to work their way into the post-season, but everything they have done to this point suggests they are capable of doing that.

This is a non-Conference game and that can take some of the focus away from the players, but the Dallas Cowboys might benefit from facing a Denver Broncos (4-4) team that have traded away some key players. You do have to wonder if the Broncos believe they can work into contention in the AFC West, but they did snap their four game losing run in Week 8 with a win over the Washington Football Team.

It has been a tough period for the Denver Broncos who have been dealing with injuries and they have struggled to find much balance Offensively. Teddy Bridgewater is proving himself to be little more than a stop-gap for a Broncos team that have struggled for Quarter Back play ever since Peyton Manning retired with the Super Bowl trophy in his hands.

The Broncos need to find a way to establish the run, but it has been an issue for them in recent games and this Dallas Cowboys Defensive unit headed up by Dan Quinn have made improvements in leaps and bounds this season. The Defensive Line did a good job in containing Dalvin Cook in Week 8 and they should feel they can win in the trenches and force the Denver Broncos to try and move the ball in third and long spots.

Teddy Bridgewater has forced throws in recent weeks and that has led to more turnovers, never a good thing for a Quarter Back that is known to be a game manager. While his Denver Receivers can have some success against an aggressive Cowboys Secondary, Teddy Bridgewater has to be careful that he doesn't push too hard against a ball-hawking team that will be looking to set their Offensive unit up in short field situations.

The Denver Offensive Line has not really protected their Quarter Back as well as they would have liked either and an improving Dallas pass rush should be able to at least rattle Bridgewater in the backfield.

Turning the ball over will give Dallas every chance of covering what is a very big spread, and especially with the power of the Offensive unit that have proven to be tough to stop for every opponent they have faced. With Dak Prescott back in the line up, Dallas should once again have considerable balance and the play-calling has been good enough to keep the team in a position to move the ball and up and down the field.

It all starts behind a powerful Offensive Line and in recent games the Denver Defensive Line has just struggled to stop teams powering through them. Both Ezekiel Elliot and Tony Pollard can have a big game in this one and that opens up all options for the Dallas Cowboys as they look to hit the big plays down the field.

Dak Prescott has been well protected and has largely contained his mistakes, while playing at a level that has made everyone forget the very serious injury he picked up last season. His Receivers are going to find some holes to exploit in the Denver Secondary and I think that will lead to the Cowboys moving the ball with consistency and piling up the points.

The Broncos are now 1-4 against the spread in their last five games when playing a team with a winning record. They have to face a Dallas team that has covered in their last five home games and who have covered in each of their last four opponents when favoured to win.

I think the trading away of Von Miller suggests the Denver Broncos are looking ahead to the 2022 season already, but this would have been a very difficult game with or without the All-Star. It is a very big spread, but the Dallas Cowboys are more than capable of covering and I think they can score plenty of points on their way to doing so.

Atlanta Falcons @ New Orleans Saints Pick: An important defeat in Week 8 has put the Atlanta Falcons (3-4) in a tough position and Arthur Brown is wondering if they have the consistency to challenge for a PlayOff spot. It looks unlikely for the Head Coach in his first season with the Atlanta Falcons, but his team will be looking to bounce back from the home loss to the Carolina Panthers when taking on another NFC South opponent.

The New Orleans Saints (5-2) have dominated the NFC South in recent seasons and they are coming in off a huge win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers which puts them just half a game behind the Super Bowl Champions. The win over the Buccaneers came at a cost last week as they lost Jameis Winston for the season.

It will mean the Saints are going to head into the Week 9 game with their third string Quarter Back with Taysom Hill expected to sit out again. Trevor Siemian played well enough in the win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he was helped with some 'interesting' refereeing and it is going to be very difficult the New Orleans Saints to move the ball consistently with this current Quarter Back, at least in my opinion.

The New Orleans Saints Offensive Line have not really opened up holes for the running game as well as they would have liked and it might be a tougher outing for Alvin Kamara with the Falcons likely to focus on stopping them up front. In recent games the Falcons Defensive Line have played well and I think Alvin Kamara may have a much bigger impact as a pass-catching Back.

Michael Thomas has been lost for the season, which means the Saints passing game is going to have one or two issues moving the ball through the air. Over the course of the season the absence of Michael Thomas has meant the Saints have been relying on unfamiliar names in the Receiving department and I think the fans would love to see someone like Odell Beckham Jr rock up in New Orleans.

Trevor Siemian will have some issues moving the ball through the air against a Falcons Secondary that has made one or two decent plays and overall you do have to wonder if the home team have enough to cover the points they are being asked to.

However, they may not need a lot of points if the Atlanta Falcons continue to be as inconsistent Offensively as they have been. Like New Orleans, Atlanta are going to be without their Number 1 Wideout as Calvin Ridley looks after his mental health, and the Falcons Offensive Line has had trouble protecting Matt Ryan as well as when they have been asked to open up running lanes.

Now they have to face the New Orleans Defensive unit that has been a major factor in the 5-2 start to the 2021 season. The Saints Defensive Line have been stout against the run and they have also generated a very effective pass rush, which should mean they can disrupt some of the Atlanta drives.

It will mean Matt Ryan having to make plays from third and long spots at times, but there are one or two areas to exploit in the New Orleans Secondary and they should be able to make some plays through the air. Losing Calvin Ridley is a blow, but Atlanta have an opportunity here against a New Orleans team that is coming off an emotional victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Dropping off from that level will be tough and it will certainly give the Falcons a chance to keep this one very competitive, even if they are not likely to win.

New Orleans do have a very good record against the Atlanta Falcons at home and the latter have struggled to compete in a fitting manner against other NFC South rivals in recent games.

The Saints are also 1-4 against the spread in their last five as the favourite and I do think this could be a difficult spot for them off the back of a huge win. Trevor Siemian is difficult to trust to cover such a spread and I think the Falcons will be more prepared to deal with the third string Quarter Back than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were in Week 8.

Green Bay Packers @ Kansas City Chiefs Pick: You can't even begin to talk about this game without mentioning the controversy around Aaron Rodgers- he had alluded to being vaccinated against Covid-19 a few months ago, but admitted that was not the case after a positive test in the build up to this game and one that will keep him out for possibly two games.

However, this is not going to be the end of the matter as Rodgers has been acting like he has been vaccinated- that means he has been able to do things others have been allowed to by the NFL, but now there could be some serious punishment handed out.

It is far from an ideal situation for the Green Bay Packers (7-1) who ended the last unbeaten record in the NFL in Week 8 and looked like they could challenge for the Number 1 Seed in the NFC. That is a vital position for teams as it will be the only one with a Bye Week attached in January, but the Packers are now going to have to hope that Jordan Love can step up for them.

Instead of the Aaron Rodgers versus Patrick Mahomes match up, Jordan Love is going to be analysed and many will make sweeping statements about his ability at Quarter Back in just his second season with the Green Bay Packers. Play really well and people may even call for him to replace Rodgers now, but a really poor outing may have Packers fans wondering where their team will be when their Hall of Fame Quarter Back leaves, most likely at the end of the 2021 season.

The headlines may be dominated by Aaron Rodgers, but the Kansas City Chiefs (4-4) cannot allow themselves to be distracted as they look to back up the Monday Night Football win over the New York Giants. It has been a disappointing season for the Chiefs and they are in a tough Division and Conference so they cannot allow themselves to overlook the Packers ahead of an important Divisional battle with the leaders Las Vegas in Week 10.

Kansas City will look for their tandem at Running Back to set the tempo of the game and they certainly have some room to exploit up front against the Green Bay Defensive Line. However, the Offensive Line has not been as strong when it comes to protecting Patrick Mahomes so running the ball is as important to just keep Kansas City in front of the chains and in third and short spots as much as possible.

Patrick Mahomes is not having a vintage season at Quarter Back, but he is playing well enough when he has been given time. Some bounces have hurt him, but Mahomes has not quit on the season and I do think he can have success moving the ball against the Green Bay Secondary if the Chiefs can put that Defensive unit on their toes.

Like the Kansas City Chiefs, the Green Bay Packers will be looking for a tandem at Running Back to keep the chains moving and also to make life as easy as possible for an inexperienced Quarter Back. Both Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon have played really well and they should be able to establish the run against the Kansas City Defensive Line, although the Chiefs may choose to load the line of scrimmage and dare Jordan Love to beat them through the air.

Even then, Jones and Dillon are capable of picking up yards through the air too and I do think the Green Bay game plan will be to try and sustain drives and take time off the clock as well as keeping Patrick Mahomes on the sidelines. In the last three games, the Chiefs have been a little better at stopping the run and I am not convinced Jordan Love can keep up in a shoot out with Patrick Mahomes if that is the direction this game goes.

They are a good team and you can imagine they are motivated to make up for being without their star Quarter Back, but the Green Bay players will also have been dealing with a very tough few days. That could be a distraction against a non-Conference opponent and I think the Kansas City Chiefs are just beginning to turn things around,

The Chiefs have not been a very good favourite to back as the layers have gotten on top of them and the public continues to want to back them. However, this looks a good chance for the Kansas City Chiefs to move back above 0.500 and take some momentum into the Week 10 game with the Las Vegas Raiders.

MY PICKS: Dallas Cowboys - 9.5 Points @ 1.91 Sky Bet (2 Units)
Atlanta Falcons + 6.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet365 (2 Units)

Buffalo Bills - 14.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet365 (2 Units)

Cincinnati Bengals - 2 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)

Miami Dolphins - 5.5 Points @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Kansas City Chiefs - 7 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)

San Francisco 49ers - 2.5 Points @ 1.91 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Boxing Picks 2020- Devin Haney vs Yuriorkis Gamboa (November 7th)

I know he may not be for everybody, but I was seriously gutted that Dillian Whyte's rematch with Alexander Povetkin was postponed until January. That came just a couple of days before the latest lockdown in the United Kingdom and I was looking forward to that card in the middle of the month and a couple of weeks before we have a few more freedoms to enjoy before Christmas.

At this time it all about staying safe, but it is important to have elite sport still being shown on television to give people something to think about other than the US elections or the Coronavirus headlines which have been with us for so many months now.

I remain hopeful that 2021 is going to be a much, much better year all around for everyone I know, but for now I am just trying to tick along like so many others.

Last weekend was a wonderful one for Boxing fans around the world with some special fights in the United Kingdom and the United States and the chance to see some of the very best in the sport. Competitive bouts is the only way you can keep Boxing relevant and we have seen some of those with more to come before the year is out.

This week is perhaps not of the level of the last one, but there are some big names getting ready to make a move in their respective Divisions and also the return of King Kong Luis Ortiz who is looking to find his way into one more shot for a World Title having come up short against Deontay Wilder twice before.

A big Matchroom United States card will potentially set up some big Heavyweight fights down the line and also the return of Devin Haney in what is a red-hot Division that has been brought alive by the likes of Teofimo Lopez and Gervonta Davis over the last month.

Filip Hrgovic vs Rydell Booker

Later this year Anthony Joshua is going to be clearing his latest IBF mandatory, but that won't be discouraging Filip Hrgovic from forcing his way into that position after Kubrat Pulev.

He will continue on his path up the World Rankings and is a very, very strong favourite to beat Rydell Booker on Saturday on the Devin Haney undercard.

Filip Hrgovic has changed his nickname to Stone Man, but El Animal has been vicious in the ring and opponents have simply not been able to stand up to the obvious power he possesses. Eleven straight wins have been earned and nine of those have come via stoppage, while the last four opponents since Kevin Johnson have not made it out of the Third Round.

Both opponents who have managed to escape the Fourth Round have gone the distance with Hrgovic so there is a question of whether his power remains strong into the later stages of a bout.

Rydell Booker has shown he is resilient, but at 39 years old his best days are clearly behind him.

Despite that, Booker did manage to hear the final bell in his last bout twelve months ago and that was against the aforementioned Pulev, although the veteran American was well beaten on the cards.

Another unbeaten Heavyweight, Jermaine Franklin, also beat Rydell Booker on the cards in 2019 and you do have to respect the fact that the veteran could have enough wiles and resistance to at least get through what is likely to be a very early onslaught from the favourite and heavy handed Croatian.

It's 'only' a Ten Rounder so you do wonder if Filip Hrgovic is going to have to go to the cards for the third time in his career, but I do think Rydell Booker will find it hard to cope with the pace set by the younger man. Another year in the body makes it difficult and I think Booker is going to be worn down in this one, although I do believe he is capable of getting through the early stages before that happens.

He may go into survival mode fairly early, but I do think Filip Hrgovic has to be looking to put his foot on the gas and make a statement by becoming the first man to stop Rydell Booker. James Toney put him down in the second half of his bout with Booker back in 2004 and I do think Hrgovic hits harder than both Franklin and Pulev who were taken to points by the veteran.

Looking for Filip Hrgovic to perhaps put enough together to get the referee taking a second look is the call here, but I do think this may be the latest stoppage the Croatian has been able to secure in his professional career. Much depends on how much resiliency Booker has left, but I do think there will be enough to hear the bell for the Sixth Round, although I don't believe he hears the final one.

Zhilei Zhang vs Devin Vargas

There are a number of Heavyweights who are looking to position themselves in the World Rankings to earn a World Title shot when the picture is a lot clearer in a year from now.

Assuming Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury do get it on for two bouts for the majority of the belts, fighters like Zhilei Zhang are hoping to remain unbeaten and then move in line to take on one of the big names in the Division.

Already we have seen a lot of talk of Zhang potentially headlining a Heavyweight Championship bout in his homeland in China and he would love that to be against Anthony Joshua. Fighting under the Matchroom banner makes things much easier for that bout to be eventually made and it could be a filler if the Tyson Fury fight does not materialise for AJ.

For now Zhang is looking to tick along as he faces Devin Vargas- the veteran American has been beaten when he steps up his level and in his six defeats, five have come by stoppage.

The majority of those have come early as Vargas looks to trade with opponents and I do think that is what we are going to see here. Zhilei Zhang has shown he has the power to beat someone like Devin Vargas having produced sixteen stoppages from his twenty-one wins.

I fully expect Zhang to make a big statement here and I do think Devin Vargas is someone who will play ball by not being hard to find. This one should end relatively early.

Luis Ortiz vs Alexander Flores

It has been a little under twelve months since we last saw King Kong in a ring, but Luis Ortiz still insists he can win a World Title.

One punch ended his second bout against Deontay Wilder and once again it was Ortiz staring up at the lights. The fight had been going his way before that, but at 41 years old the Cuban still believes there is enough in the tank to challenge the best in the Division.

His best hope may be that the belts will fracture over the next twelve months as those World Titles are going to be tied up by Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, but Ortiz can't worry about that and instead has to show that his hasn't gotten too old.

Some will suggest he is considerably older than the 41 years that he admits and a fighter like Alexander Flores is much younger and looking to put himself in a position to earn some big money in the years ahead. Beating King Kong would set Flores up for at least a couple of nice paydays, but this is a Boxer who has come up short when facing Charles Martin and Joseph Parker.

Both of those former World Champions have gotten Flores out of there before the end of the Fourth Round and that has to be the target for Ortiz.

Motivation can sometimes be questioned for Luis Ortiz and we have seen him produce some inconsistent performances. I do think he will understand the importance of looking good and I he is capable of the shots to finish this one relatively early, but there will be some early ring rust to get through.

I do think Alexander Flores is short of the top level, but much will depend on how much he is willing to get through to try and earn the most significant win of his career. I don't think that happens though and a small interest in Luis Ortiz getting this done in the Third or Fourth Round to match the achievements of Parker and Martin is the play.

Devin Haney vs Yuriorkis Gamboa

Teofimo Lopez, Gervonta Davis, Luke Campbell and Ryan Garcia could set up some huge fights in this Division for Devin Haney, but that will all be for nothing if the American is not able to return from a long lay off with a win on Saturday.

The WBC World Title in the 135 pound Division is on the line and Devin Haney is back for the first time in twelve months. Some of the momentum has been lost with the injuries and the impact the other big names in this Division have made, but Haney can take that back with a big win.

He is a considerable favourite to see off the veteran Yuriorkis Gamboa who has only lost three times before and two of those to Gervonta Davis and Terence Crawford. We have yet to really know if Haney is up to that level, but all of the Gamboa defeats have come via stoppage and at 38 years old he is going to struggle to keep his younger, fresher, stronger opponent off of him.

I do expect it will take time for Devin Haney to warm up to the task, but eventually I expect him to begin to land some spiteful, hurtful shots.

Yuriorkis Gamboa has shown tremendous heart in getting to the Twelfth Round in his defeat to Gervonta Davis, especially as he tore his Achilles in the Second Round. The Cuban has been down a number of times throughout the latter stages of his career and he was down numerous times in the defeat to Davis too.

You do have to feel that he is going to have to suffer some punishment in this one, but Devin Haney should find the punches to eventually crack through the defences for good. It is likely going to happen in the second half of the bout as Haney looks to better what Gervonta Davis was able to do against Gamboa.

MY PICKS: Filip Hrgovic to Win Between 6-10 @ 2.50 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Zhilei Zhang to Win Between 1-5 @ 1.91 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Luis Ortiz to Win Between 3-4 @ 3.75 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Devin Haney to Win Between 7-12 @ 2.70 William Hill (1 Unit)

College Football Week 10 Picks 2020 (November 7th)

Week 10 has some very big games in College Football and I am looking to pick up from some of the momentum earned last week.

North Carolina Tar Heels @ Duke Blue Devils Pick: Two losses in the last three games played have just slowed down the positive vibes that surrounded the North Carolina Tar Heels and they are unlikely to be involved in the ACC Championship Game. The Tar Heels do have a solid 4-2 record for the season, but they have been beaten as big favourites against the Florida State Seminoles and the Virginia Cavaliers.

Under the guidance of a returning Mack Brown, the Tar Heels have been disappointed with their performances on the road and that has been the case with both defeats this week. However they are once again big road favourites when they visit the Duke Blue Devils who are 2-5 on the season, but who are 1-5 in Conference play.

This is a rivalry game though and I expect the Blue Devils to be very competitive and their biggest margins of defeat this season have been 18 points. That is a big margin, but they are in receipt of double digit points and the Blue Devils look to match up effectively enough with North Carolina in this game.

It won't take much research to know what Duke want to do in this game and that is pound the rock right at the Tar Heels Defensive Line which has struggled. Those difficulties have been particularly evident when you see North Carolina trying to stop the run in their two losses and the Blue Devils do very much lean on their Running Backs and know their Offensive unit goes as far as those players can take them.

Duke should be able to establish the run against the Tar Heels and I don't think they move away from the game-plan unless they are in a deep hole and being forced to throw the ball to stay in the game. Chase Brice hasn't played badly at Quarter Back, but he would love to be in a position where the running game keeps him in manageable spots on the field and that should mean Brice is able to have success through the air against this North Carolina Secondary.

Running the ball is also very important for Duke to keep the pocket as clean as possible and ease any pass rush North Carolina generate to stifle their Offensive plays.

With the Blue Devils likely to have success moving the chains, the pressure moves to North Carolina to try and stay with them. You have to believe that is going to happen for a team who are a big favourite to win this game, but it may be down to Sam Howell at Quarter Back to make the plays to keep the Offense moving.

In recent games the Duke Defensive Line have stepped up their level of performance and they will feel they can at least force North Carolina to take to the air to beat them. That is not exactly ideal with Howell performing really well at the Quarter Back position and the Duke Secondary still giving up some big plays, but slowing the run would at least mean the Blue Devils can unleash what has been a very productive pass rush at the struggling North Carolina Offensive Line.

While I think Sam Howell is going to find the plays to keep the chains moving, it just takes a couple of Sacks to stifle drives and force Field Goals and I think that could be key in keeping this rivalry game close and competitive.

None of the last four games between the Blue Devils and Tar Heels have been won by a margin bigger than 10 points. Duke are 12-3-1 against the spread in their last sixteen games as the home underdog too.

North Carolina do have some favourable trends, but this is a big number and I will take the points with the home underdog.

South Florida Bulls @ Memphis Tigers Pick: Another Conference which has had to make changes to the Division approach in the 2020 season to ensure a regular season could be completed is the American Athletic Conference. It already feels like an unlikely situation for the Memphis Tigers to play in the Championship Game as they sit with a 2-2 record within the Conference.

Chasing a place in one of the Bowl Games that are set to be played has to be aim for the Tigers down the stretch and they are looking to show they are a lot better than the blow out loss to the Cincinnati Bearcats in Week 9 would suggest.

It is a good opportunity for Memphis to get back to winning ways as they face the South Florida Bulls who have a 0-4 record in the Conference and who are only just averaging over 20 points per game in those losses. However, the Bulls are also going to believe this game offers them a chance to at least be a little more productive Offensively if nothing else and the team have had a Bye Week to at least put things right.

The real struggle for South Florida in recent games has been trying to run the ball efficiently, but the Memphis Defensive Line has really had problems clamping down on the run. It was the Bearcats who really hammered the ball down the Memphis throat in Week 9, but South Florida may be hoping that some of the wear and tear allows them to have success too.

Throwing the ball will be the best way to move the chains in reality for the Bulls against a Memphis Secondary which has not been able to make enough plays through the air. They have allowed over 400 passing yards on average over their last three games, but Memphis have been able to create Interceptions and that may be the best way to slow things down here.

If they can at least limit the run, Memphis do have the pass rush to disrupt the South Florida passing game and that will perhaps give them the extra possessions needed to cover this big spread.

The number says a lot more about the inability of South Florida rather than the strength of the 2020 Memphis team, but the Tigers will believe they can have a much better Offensive outing than what they showed against Cincinnati in the blow out defeat. Like the Bulls, Memphis have not really run the ball as they would have liked in recent games, but they are facing a Defensive Line which has not been able to contain the run and that should aid the Tigers.

It will mean Brady White is under pressure to make the plays through the air for the Tigers, but the recent South Florida games suggest it will be possible to do so. White is having a decent season and the Bulls have allowed on average almost 250 passing yards across their last three games.

One difference between these teams is that South Florida have not really been able to get much of a pass rush in play and giving Brady White time should only help the Tigers all the more.

There is no doubt this is a very big number, but I do think Memphis are capable of covering as they still look considerably better than South Florida. The Tigers are 8-3 against the spread in their last eleven games off a defeat and the favourite is 5-1-1 against the spread in the last seven in this series.

South Florida have been a strong road underdog to back and Memphis have not always performed as a home favourite, but I will look for the Tigers to make enough plays at the line of scrimmage to pull away for a big win.

Boston College Eagles @ Syracuse Orange Pick: The claim to fame for both of these teams is that they have pushed the Clemson Tigers in losing efforts to the favourites to win the National Championship at the end of the 2020 season. That is a credit to both the Boston College Eagles and the Syracuse Orange, although it is only the Eagles who look on track to become Bowl eligible at the end of the regular season.

They are big road favourites to beat the Orange in Week 10 and you can't really argue against that as Syracuse have struggled for efficient and consistent play out of their Quarter Back. That has not been the case for Boston College who are much happier with their Offensive plans and you do have to expect the Eagles to come away with the win.

I expect Boston College to have a strong balance to their Offensive output with an ability to run the ball coupled with efficient throwing into the struggling Syracuse Secondary. The Orange Defensive Line have not been able to clamp down on the run either and there is not a strong pass rush that can affect the Boston College throwing attack.

With talk that Syracuse may begin to give their younger players experience that will set them on the right road to success in the years ahead, I do think Boston College will have success moving the ball up and down the field. They should be able to control the clock too and the Eagles should be able to score plenty of points here.

However the key for the Orange is that they may be able to establish the run themselves which will at least give them a shot in this game. Syracuse have certainly improved when it comes to playing behind this Offensive Line in recent games and the Eagles have given up almost 200 yards on average on the ground over their last three games and those have come at 5.4 yards per carry.

It is important to give the Orange a chance to put themselves in manageable positions on the field and that will at least give their struggling Quarter Back corps a chance to make some positive plays. Dino Babers has already admitted he is going to use a committee at the Quarter Back position to try and give Syracuse the best chance of success and running the ball will also slow down the Boston College pass rush too.

While the Orange have struggled for consistency throwing the ball, Boston College have given up some big plays in the Secondary and that is where the home underdog has to take advantage.

My feeling is that Boston College deserve favouritism for the game, but this is not a great spot for the Eagles. They have just played Clemson really close and they next face another currently unbeaten team Notre Dame next time around and so it is easy to imagine that this game is one that the players could overlook or underestimate the opposition.

Syracuse have tended to fight back off the back of big losses, but Boston College have to be respected as the better team. However, the underdog is 8-2 against the spread in the last ten games between these Conference rivals and taking the points looks the play.

Minnesota Golden Gophers @ Illinois Fighting Illini Pick: It has been mentioned before that in normal circumstances teams do have an opportunity to build into a season and into Conference play, but with the Covid-19 crisis in the United States it has not been possible this time around. To even be having some College Football is a success and the Big Ten Conference did start later than some of the others as they prepared for the shortened campaign.

At the moment it has still been suggested that six wins will be needed to be invited into the Bowl Games at the end of the regular season, although I do think that criteria won't be filled with games reduced. But that is for another day and both the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Illinois Fighting Illini have lost both games played in 2020 and are desperate to turn things around here.

The more disappointing performances have come from the Golden Gophers who were a narrow underdog in their first game and then a big favourite against Maryland, a game they were beaten by a single point. On the other hand Illinois have been set as the underdog in both games played, but that won't be enough to save Lovie Smith's job unless he can start putting some wins on the board.

Once again Illinois are going to be a home underdog having been beaten by the Purdue Boilermakers in Week 9. The Fighting Illini do look like they match up well with Minnesota on the Offensive side of the ball and I do think that will help them in this game as they look for a first win of the season.

It is clear that Illinois are going to want to run the ball and they have to be very excited at taking on a Minnesota Defensive Line which has allowed 8.6 yards per carry and who have given up 267 yards per game on average in their first two games. The Fighting Illini have been able to run the ball well enough in their first couple of Conference games too and it is going to be the key to the outcome of this one especially with the Quarter Back unit decimated by injury and illness.

A lack of a pass rush will give the Quarter Back a chance to make some plays in this one and being in third and short spots should be encouraging for Illinois. They may have to turn back to Coran Taylor who played well when coming into the game against Purdue, and Taylor will be facing a young and inexperienced Secondary that has allowed over 300 passing yards on average this season.

It should mean Illinois are able to have some Offensive success, but their own Defense has not played well enough to believe they can shut down the Golden Gophers in this one. However it does have to be noted that the strength of the Illinois Defensive unit looks to be going against the strength of the Minnesota Offense and that will at least give the home underdog a chance for the upset.

While Minnesota will be looking to pound the rock, the Illinois Defensive Line has actually impressed by holding teams to 3.1 yards per carry early in the season. Some of that might be down to the porous play of the Secondary which has allowed over 300 passing yards per game, but the Golden Gophers have not really shown a lot of consistency throwing the ball so far.

If the Fighting Illini are able to shut down the run they will be in a position to unleash the pass rush at this Offensive Line and Illinois can make some big plays to stifle drives. Forcing Minnesota to rely on a stuttering Field Goal kicking unit will be a big win for the home team and I do think the points are worth taking here.

PJ Fleck is a big motivating factor at Head Coach and he has gotten a good reaction from his Minnesota team off losses, but Illinois are 4-1 against the spread in their last five games as the home underdog. The Golden Gophers are also 1-4 against the spread in their last five games against Big Ten opponents and I think there are enough points here to help Illinois stay within the mark.

MY PICKS: Duke Blue Devils + 11.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Memphis Tigers - 17 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Syracuse Orange + 14.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Illinois Fighting Illini + 7 Points @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Penn State Nittany Lions - 27 Points @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

TCU Horned Frogs - 10.5 Points @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2020 (November 6-8)

Can you believe it has really been a month since the last international fixtures?

It means another break in play domestically, but players will not benefit ahead of two more extremely busy months especially for those playing in England. The season may be played in a narrower timeframe than usual, but that only means the festive period is even more busy for the teams who will try and remain on track with games set to be played every few days through to mid-January.

After the November internationals the teams involved with European Football will continue to play every week as the Group Stage is concluded, although some of those are already in a very strong position to make it out of their sections. It will be important for managers to rest players and also allow those of us who play the Fantasy Football games a chance to at least make the right selections for our teams.

More on that later with an extremely early deadline on GameWeek 8 of the Official Fantasy game.

Brighton v Burnley Pick: This is an important Premier League fixture for both Brighton and Burnley on Friday afternoon, although I am not anticipating the PPV sales to go through the roof for the game.

That is perhaps slightly disrespectful to two clubs who have become solid Premier League mainstays and Brighton in particular do have a pleasing style of football for the neutral to enjoy.

It was on full display as they took the game to Tottenham Hotspur last week, but Brighton once again fell narrowly to one of the 'Big Six' clubs and it leaves Graham Potter looking for answers. While his team have played really well at times, they have made some silly mistakes which have proven to be costly as Brighton have struggled to score enough goals to make up for it.

The lack of consistency in the final third does make it hard to trust Brighton to win any game at odds on let alone a Premier League fixture.

Brighton will also be facing a Burnley team who earned a goalless draw in their last away game and who restricted Tottenham Hotspur to very little in the final third in a narrow home loss to them. Sean Dyche won't be overly concerned about the current League position, but he will be looking for his team to show a little more going forward having not scored in any of their last 3 League games.

Goals have tended to be produced when these teams have met and you can't ignore the fact that all of Burnley's League goals have been scored away from home. They had chances at West Brom in the goalless draw, but Brighton have tended to be a little more effective going forward at the Amex Stadium too.

It is a tight game to call, but one in which I do believe the defences can be on top for the majority of the ninety minutes. 2 of the 3 games between these clubs at this Stadium since Brighton returned to the top flight have ended with fewer than three goals scored and I think that may be the case here.

A single strike may be enough to secure the points for either team, but the 1-1 can't be ruled out either and so I won't be looking for a really high-scoring fixture to be played out here.

Southampton v Newcastle United Pick: On paper this looks like a fixture that should be a pretty decent watch on Friday Night Football, but in the last couple of years goals have tended to dry up when Southampton have hosted Newcastle United.

Both teams look to be heading into this meeting in confidence though with some big results earned over the last month. That has seen both Southampton and Newcastle United moving up the League standings and I think the two managers will believe this is a winnable fixture for them.

The loss of Danny Ings is a blow for Southampton who have relied on his goal output over the last twelve months. However, Ralph Hasenhuttl will be pleased that Ings has 'only' score 3 of the last 11 goals managed by his team.

You can't downplay his overall influence on the team and replicating that won't be easy for Shane Long who is the most likely replacement. Even then Southampton will feel they can create chances against this Newcastle United team who are fortunate to still be unbeaten away from home in the League.

In their last 2 Premier League away games Newcastle United have hit their hosts with a late sucker punch to steal the points and so there is going to be some concern for Southampton if this is fixture is tight with time running down. The Saints have played some very good football, but they have not created a lot of strong chances and will need clinical finishing again to give themselves the opportunity of securing the full points.

At the same time Southampton have improved defensively and they are not offering out a lot of encouragement for teams since the 2-5 loss to Tottenham Hotspur. Steve Bruce's team have not really been racking up the shots away from home and I think we should see another tight fixture between these two teams.

For me it would not be a huge surprise if one of these teams fails to hit the back of the net. Newcastle United were poor defensively against Tottenham Hotspur, but they have shown spirit at the back to stick around in matches, especially away from home. That should be the case again with no Danny Ings to trouble them, but Newcastle United are also unlikely to create a whole host of chances here.

An early goal would change the dynamics of the fixture considerably, but I can see this being a well fought game with the defences largely being on top. The last two games between these clubs at St Mary's have had a combined single strike trouble the scoreboard and I think this will be a relatively low-scoring fixture too.

Everton v Manchester United Pick: The recent results of both Everton and Manchester United have been disappointing and that means there is pressure on both squads in what looks to be a huge Premier League game on Saturday.

Both teams have lost their last 2 games heading into the fixture, although there is a lot more pressure on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer rather than Carlo Ancelotti.

While the veteran Italian manager is overachieving at the moment, his counterpart is under tremendous pressure as once again the cloud of a sacking looms over him.

Everton can at least point to the last two defeats coming through injuries and suspensions which have reduced the options Carlo Ancelotti has. However some of those players are returning this week and it makes Everton a real threat to Manchester United with the amount of chances they have been creating at Goodison Park.

The side have scored at least twice in all 5 home games played in all competitions, but Everton have also conceded twice in all of their League games played. Manchester United may have lost in Turkey on Wednesday, but they have won 6 away Premier League games in a row and have managed to score at least twice in each.

This is a team that can create chances and I do think Manchester United will benefit from the fact that Everton will be looking to get on the front foot. That should leave spaces for the visitors to exploit, but much is going to depend on how much the players are still keen on playing for their beleaguered manager.

Both teams hit the back of the net in both League games against each other last season and I do think that is a distinct possibility again. Manchester United have tended to find a big result when it feels Solskjaer needs one the most, but this is a tough place to play and I can see the fixture ending 2-1 either way.

Everton and Manchester United have been scoring plenty of goals in home/away games respectively and I think that will be the outcome of this one with the defensive mistakes the teams have been making.

Crystal Palace v Leeds United Pick: The second Premier League game to be played on Saturday comes from South London and both Crystal Palace and Leeds United are looking to bounce back from disappointing defeats last weekend.

Being back at home may be an advantage for many clubs, but that has not always been the case for Crystal Palace. In recent seasons under Roy Hodgson this team have been much happier playing away from Selhurst Park where they have the opportunity to counter attack as home teams are under pressure to get forward.

They should feel they can play this game in a similar manner because Leeds United are a team who will want to play attacking football and will commit men forward. It has worked for Leeds United in the Premier League with back to back wins at Sheffield United and Aston Villa and they have managed to somehow keep clean sheets in both.

That is despite the chances being created against them, but in this fixture you do have to wonder if Crystal Palace are capable of exposing any defensive issues Leeds United are continuing to have. In their last two home games Crystal Palace have struggled to create good opportunities, but their own defensive injuries have meant it has been hard to earn too many points.

Leeds United are capable of hurting Crystal Palace here and they have been creating opportunities for themselves. You do have to worry about their defensive responsibilities, but I can see Leeds United bouncing back with a victory after their 1-4 hammering to Leicester City.

It will be close and competitive as any Roy Hodgson team will make it, but Leeds United may edge to the victory in this one.

Chelsea v Sheffield United Pick: The struggles in the final third did not really cost Sheffield United last season, but this time around they have not been nearly as effective defensively and that has exposed the side.

Chris Wilder will be looking to get things turned around quickly as a long run of poor form in the Premier League continues to see Sheffield United slide down the League standings. Including last season, Sheffield United have lost 9 of their last 10 Premier League games and they have also been beaten in their last 5 on their travels in the Division.

Now they have to face a Chelsea team in fine form and who have looked to have discovered the balance in attack and defence in recent games. After back to back goalless draws, Chelsea have scored 10 goals in their last 3 games which have resulted in three big wins.

Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic may both miss out, but it didn't stop Chelsea hammering Rennes in the Champions League. They have looked much more secure at the back with Edouard Mendy giving the entire back four confidence and this is a team that looks to be rounding into strong form with winnable games to come.

Frank Lampard will be determined to see his team go into the November international break with another three points, but Chelsea have to show more consistency at home. They do look capable of producing that and on current form this looks like a game that should be a relatively comfortable home win.

Last season Chelsea looked on the way to that against Sheffield United when leading 2-0 at half time before an eventual 2-2 draw. This time around I do think Chelsea look more secure to look after a lead and perhaps even keep The Blades under more pressure and the home team should be able to win this fixture and keep the momentum behind them through the November internationals.

West Ham United v Fulham Pick: Neither West Ham United nor Fulham have produced as many points as some would think when seven games have been played, but the former have been in better shape for the most part.

David Moyes will not have ignored how difficult the early fixture list was going to be for his team, but West Ham United have been in fine form. They have been competitive against some of the best teams in the Premier League and it took a late goal last weekend for Liverpool to get the better of them.

They have already dismissed Wolves 4-0 here and drawn with Manchester City and that is a level that will be difficult for Fulham to deal with. However, you can't ignore the absence of Michail Antonio who has been a talisman for West Ham United since the resumption of play in June and that does lessen some of the threat of the home team.

Fulham have to take advantage and they have been a little more effective in their last couple of games. They were recently well beaten by Crystal Palace, but Fulham could have gotten more than a point from their visit to Sheffield United and they were deserved winners over West Brom last Monday which will have given the squad a shot in the arm.

There are likely going to be chances created against this West Ham United defence, but I do think David Moyes is getting plenty out of his squad at the moment. Despite the slightly improved results, Fulham are still not defending as well as they would like and I do think West Ham United have pace and quality in the final third which will give them the edge in this derby game.

The Hammers have beaten Fulham 3 times in a row at home and they have scored plenty of goals in those games. You do have to think their attacking play is dented without Michail Antonio, but I still think West Ham United will edge to the points.

West Brom v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: Some of the results have been better than the performances from Tottenham Hotspur and Jose Mourinho indicated that was his feeling after the 1-3 win over Ludogorets on Thursday in the Europa League. I think that would be a harsh assessment of the team in a game they largely dominated, but Tottenham Hotspur have not been winning fixtures as easily as they would like in the Premier League.

Last weekend Spurs beat Brighton and Mourinho stated that teams in the Premier League are much more competitive these days than they have been for a couple of years. Instead of a big divide between the best and the lesser teams, Jose Mourinho thinks things are much closer and that means this is going to be anything but an easy game for Tottenham Hotspur.

No away game is ever easy anyway, but despite the manager's thoughts I do think Tottenham Hotspur should be too good for West Brom.

All doesn't seem to be going smoothly at The Hawthorns where Slaven Bilic has been critical of some of the transfer policy which seems to be leaving his squad short of the quality the manager wants. The 2-0 defeat at Fulham on Monday afternoon would not have given the squad a lot of confidence and West Brom have struggled for League wins going back to the end of their time in the Championship.

The Baggies can get forward and look to cause problems, but they have struggled for goals- their 3 home goals have all come in the game with Chelsea and West Brom needed some huge defensive mistakes to get into a 3-0 lead before settling for a 3-3 draw.

Those goals being conceded has to be a concern against a free-scoring Tottenham Hotspur team and I do think the visitors can snap a poor run in this part of the Midlands. Some of the key players managed to get some rest on Thursday and Tottenham Hotspur are playing with some momentum, especially away from home.

I am not fully convinced about Tottenham Hotspur and they are about to enter a really testing period of the season. However that comes in two weeks time and this is not really a fixture that should be of huge trouble to them on current form of both clubs.

You can never take a fixture for granted, but I do feel Tottenham Hotspur will have the goals in the squad to win this game and by a comfortable margin when all is said and done.

Leicester City v Wolves Pick: The first of the Super Sunday live offerings in the United Kingdom features two clubs who will be hoping they can take advantage of any inconsistencies the traditional 'Big Six' display over the course of the campaign.

Both Leicester City and Wolves have been operating towards the top of the Premier League over the last eighteen months, but the target will now be to push on towards the Champions League spots.

Over the last month the two clubs have been producing plenty of wins without perhaps playing at their best. Leicester City have looked like they are turning a corner with their wins over Leeds United and Sporting Braga coming behind big performances, but Wolves are unlikely to be as porous defensively as those two clubs.

This is a well organised team that will not be giving Jamie Vardy the space behind the defence he loves to exploit the most and I do think they will challenge Leicester City.

A bigger concern may be whether Wolves have enough going forward to get after a makeshift back four Leicester City have been forced to play. The players being relied on have done well, but Wolves have pace and quality in the final third which makes them dangerous even if they have been struggling for consistency when it comes to chance creation in the final third.

They were much better against Crystal Palace, but Wolves have not been firing on all cylinders away from home. In the draw with Newcastle Unite and the win over Leeds United, Wolves did not create a lot going forward despite the possession and this fixture has the makings of a tight one that could be decided by a single goal.

Last season both games between Leicester City and Wolves finished goalless. That is actually the third time in four that the scoreline has ended that way between the clubs, while in 4 of the last 5 one or both teams have failed to find the back of the net.

My feeling is that there won't be much between these two on Sunday and the chance of one of the teams picking up a clean sheet is relatively high. An early goal changes everything, but I would not be surprised to see a close, competitive fixture throughout between two in form teams who are hoping to keep tabs on the leading clubs in the Premier League.

Manchester City v Liverpool Pick: The biggest game of the Premier League weekend comes from the Etihad Stadium as the two favourites to win the title meet for the first time in the 2020/21 season.

Manchester City and Liverpool have not really put their foot down in the League in the same manner as we have become used to, but both are in relatively decent positions after seven games. The more obvious positive is for Liverpool who lead the Division, but Manchester City would only be 2 points behind them if they win their game in hand and Pep Guardiola might be happy enough with that.

Injuries have not really helped the Manchester City cause early in the season, but they have looked pretty good defensively in recent games. It has taken away from some of the strong attacking displays we have become used to, but I also think that is down to the fact that their two strikers have both been injured and playing with a 'false nine' has been troublesome at times.

Gabriel Jesus is in line to start for the home team and Sergio Aguero is close to returning which is a huge boost for Manchester City. It will certainly mean they are in a stronger place to challenge this makeshift Liverpool centre back pairing as Joel Matip and Joe Gomez look to play alongside one another.

These two have not really played together too many times before and Manchester City are playing well enough to expose them.

However, I also think Liverpool will feel in confident mood after winning 5 games in a row in all competitions. Their 0-5 win in Atalanta was very impressive, although the home team missed some key chances to get back into the game.

From an attacking point of view Liverpool will look to get after Manchester City and their new-look centre half pairing. With Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane in strong form Liverpool will believe they are going to have their opportunities, but Diogo Jota is a doubt and that will be a blow for the visitors considering his start to his career at Anfield.

Goals should be on display when these teams meet on Sunday, but my lean is that Manchester City may get the better of the fixture. They have beaten Liverpool 3 times in a row at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League and I think the home team are showing a bit more defensively than their visitors which may give them the edge here too.

It won't be easy but Manchester City did hammer Liverpool here in June and I think they will have just enough to earn the points again.

Arsenal v Aston Villa Pick: The final game in the Premier League weekend looks like it could be a decent fixture when Arsenal host Aston Villa.

Over the last week it is Arsenal who have picked up some momentum with 3 wins in a row in all competitions, while Aston Villa have lost back to back home games in the League. Losing is one thing, but Aston Villa's early defensive performances have been replaced by conceding seven times in a couple of fixtures at Villa Park.

To be fair to Aston Villa, Southampton punished them every chance they got last week and I do think they will be more competitive in this fixture. The fightback from 0-4 down to eventually lose 3-4 shows there is a determination in the squad that can't be underestimated and I do think Aston Villa have enough quality in the final third to create chances against this Arsenal team.

Mikel Arteta has made Arsenal more organised, although that has come at the cost of reducing some of the attacking threat that fans will have become accustomed to seeing from The Gunners over the last two decades. The new system and approach means Arsenal are not producing as many shots and creating as many chances as the manager would hope and I do think that will always give teams a chance against them.

Aston Villa have won at Leicester City already this season and showed resiliency in that victory at the King Power Stadium. They have also largely been playing pretty well with only the defeat to Leeds United being a fixture where Dean Smith would have been severely disappointed with the performance.

Last season Aston Villa could easily have won here and I do think they are not going to make things easy for Arsenal. The win at Old Trafford may have just covered one or two issues Arsenal have been having and I think Aston Villa with the start could at least keep this competitive on Sunday evening with every chance of earning a positive result.

MY PICKS: Brighton-Burnley Under 2.5 Goals

Southampton-Newcastle United Under 2.5 Goals

Everton-Manchester United Over 2.5 Goals

Leeds United 0 Asian Handicap

Chelsea - 1.25 Asian Handicap

West Ham United

Tottenham Hotspur - 1 Asian Handicap

Leicester City-Wolves Both Teams to Score NO

Manchester City - 0.25 Asian Handicap

Aston Villa + 1 Asian Handicap

Fantasy Football GameWeek 8

There is no doubt that this is a very difficult season for Fantasy players as well as the teams in real life with the short turnaround between fixtures and that also means an increase in injuries.

When you add in the continued Covid-19 crisis that is affecting us all and there are going to be moments when your Fantasy teams see injuries pile up. Out of principle I have to be pretty desperate to want to take a hit on my team and that would be the case in GW8 despite the likelihood of potentially coming up short from the full eleven starting this round of games.

Christian Pulisic and Tyrick Mitchell have been ruled out, although only the former would have been starting in my time. I am happy enough to go with Jack Grealish in his stead, while the illness Sergio Reguilon is dealing with is expected to keep the Spurs defender out of action.

That is a touch more troublesome and means Ollie Watkins comes in- this is less ideal considering Aston Villa are playing at Arsenal and anything above four points from Grealish and Watkins would have to be seen as a bonus.

It would be an easy decision to replace Christian Pulisic, but I do think I am happy enough with the squad as it is and I would love to roll over a transfer to use in GW9 which comes at the end of the international break. With the virus continuing to cause havoc, I think it is ideal to have that extra transfer in the pocket in case I need to make changes to replace those who have picked up Covid-19 while being away.

The extra time to prepare the transfers is also important for me and I do have a few players who I think are on the brink of being needed to be moved out. Depending on the severity of the injury sustained by Pulisic my first hit of the season could be needed next time around, but I am going to go with what I have for now.

With Manchester City hosting Liverpool, the Captain choice is very easy again this week- I am going to go with Harry Kane who faces a West Brom team that is struggling for clean sheets and conceded three times in 2 of their 3 home Premier League games.

I may have gone with Christian Pulisic in a home game against another struggling opponent in Sheffield United if he had not picked up his knock last week, but in the current situation things are straight-forward for me here.

NFL Week 10 Picks 2019 (November 7-11)

After waiting what feels like forever for the 2019 NFL season to get underway it seems we have gotten into the second half of the regular season at the blink of an eye.

In this thread I want to have a quick look back at my Week 1 predictions for the season and see how much things have changed in the NFL from the pre-season feelings I had. I know I have gotten some Divisions completely wrong, but there have been some predictably good teams too.

Below I will have a few thoughts on my Predictions from back in Week 1 and also what I feel is going to happen going forward.


AFC East- one of the more predictable selections I made back in Week 1 was the New England Patriots winning the Division.

They look very much on course to do that, although the Buffalo Bills have been stronger than I imagined and should make the PlayOffs from here.

Without a doubt the biggest disappointments are the New York Jets who handed the Miami Dolphins their first win of the 2019 season in Week 9.


AFC North- about the only thing I got right in this Division is that the Cincinnati Bengals would be struggling mightily and they look on course for the Number 1 Pick in the 2020 Draft.

My top two selections in this Division were the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers, but the struggles of Freddie Kitchens and Baker Mayfield have hurt the former and the latter lost Ben Roethlisberger to injury for the season very early in the year.

At this moment it is Baltimore Ravens who look like they are going to go on and win the AFC North and their win over New England in Week 9 will have given the team plenty of confidence.


AFC South- my pick was Jacksonville Jaguars in this Division, but ultimately they have not really shown the consistency to kick on. Things might have been different if Nick Foles was not injured in Week 1 which has meant he has missed the last nine weeks, but the Jaguars are 2 games behind the Houston Texans in the South.

That does mean they still have a chance to turn things around before the regular season comes to a close, and the Division as competitive as I thought it might be at the start of the 2019 campaign.

I did say the Colts would be better than expected even in the wake of Andrew Luck's retirement, but they have been stronger than I could have imagined. The Houston Texans are fortunate to have a star like Deshaun Watson at Quarter Back and the Tennessee Titans play tough no matter who they face any given Sunday.

There is a big game coming up between the Colts and Texans which may decide the outcome of this Division, but both teams may also feel they can put enough wins together to at least earn a Wild Card spot too. The Jaguars could be the dark horse if Foles comes back in Week 11 and can find the magic that he used to take the Philadelphia Eagles to a Super Bowl success.

Overall the Division looks as difficult to call now as it was before Week 1.


AFC West- the Kansas City Chiefs were my choice to win the West and nothing has happened so far this season to move away from that.

Patrick Mahomes looks to have avoided a big injury and he should return either in Week 10 or Week 11 and guide the Chiefs to the Division title.

The big disappointment have to be the Los Angeles Chargers who continue to play sixteen road games with fans yet to really show their love for the second team to arrive in Los Angeles. The Wild Card spot is still potentially open to them, but I do think the Chargers will need to go 6-1 in their last seven games to have a chance and there will be some big questions to answer in the off-season.

Denver have been poor, but the Oakland Raiders have surprised and at 4-4 they are primed for a strong ending which may take them into the Wild Card spots in Jon Gruden's second season as Head Coach. The game in Week 10 against the Chargers looks pivotal to both team's seasons.


NFC East- back in September I said the NFC East would come down to a straight battle between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles and both teams are leading the way as expected.

However I did think both could earn Wild Card spots, but that is looking increasingly unlikely barring both having at least six more wins to reach 11-5 at a minimum. The Week 16 game between the Eagles and Cowboys looks like deciding the Division.

The New York Giants did move to Daniel Jones at Quarter Back fairly quickly in the season once it became clear that Eli Manning's time was over. They will be stronger for this next season, while the Washington Redskins continue to be run as poorly as they have been for a decade.


NFC North- I thought the Green Bay Packers would bounce back and earn a Wild Card spot this season and they look firmly on course to do that out of the tough NFC North.

They are currently fighting it out for the Division title with the Minnesota Vikings, but both of those teams will believe they can earn a Wild Card spot at the worst.

I mentioned the Vikings would challenge, but I also felt the Chicago Bears would slip. However I meant in terms of the record, not in general, and picking them as the likely NFC North Champions looks like it has gone extremely wrong.

Mitchell Trubisky has struggled and the Bears have some big questions to answer in the off-season about the Quarter Back and the Head Coach.


NFC South- I picked the New Orleans Saints to come out of the NFC South as Division winners and they are 2 games clear of the Carolina Panthers going into Week 10.

Both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons have been more disappointing than I would have imagined, while I figured the Carolina Panthers could at least push the Saints.

However I did say they would need Cam Newton to be healthy- instead Newton has only played two games in 2019 and the Panthers have pushed forward with Kyle Allen.

The New Orleans Saints should win the Division from here, but the Panthers have some big games which will determine whether they can push for a Wild Card spot. The first of those comes this week against the Green Bay Packers.


NFC West- easily my worst prediction of the pre-season was thinking the San Francisco 49ers Defensive unit was a question mark for the team.

Instead the Defense has been the foundation from which the 49ers have built their successes as the only unbeaten team in the NFL going into Week 10.

Even then they are only 2 games ahead of the Seattle Seahawks and 3 games ahead of the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC West in a Division race which could go right down to the wire. I thought the Rams were the best team in the West, but Offensive Line problems have hurt them and they might be the odd one out in the Division and the Wild Card race.

Seattle have been reliant on Russell Wilson, but the Quarter Back has taken the challenge on board and led the team to a 7-2 record.

At this time the 49ers will be hard to peg back, especially if they beat Seattle on Monday Night Football, but I would not be surprised to see at least one Wild Card team coming out of this Division whether that is the Seahawks or the Rams.


My Super Bowl Pick back in September was the Kansas City Chiefs to beat the Philadelphia Eagles. Both teams will have their chances of making the PlayOffs, but the New England Patriots look the team to beat in the AFC while the Baltimore Ravens might match up pretty well with the Chiefs too.

In the NFC I have the New Orleans Saints as the best team in the Conference, while the San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers and maybe even the Dallas Cowboys look stronger than the Eagles.

My Top Five

1) New Orleans Saints- Drew Brees is back and the Defensive unit have shown how good they can be when they were helping Teddy Bridgewater win games without the starting Quarter Back.

2) San Francisco 49ers- the only unbeaten team in the NFL. If Jimmy Garoppolo is able to produce the same standards as he had against Arizona on a consistent basis this could be a team very tough to knock off.

3) New England Patriots- every time the New England Patriots have won the Super Bowl there has been a moment in the season where fans question them off the back of a poor performance. The Week 9 blow out defeat to the Baltimore Ravens will have hurt, but the Patriots are still the team to beat in the AFC in my opinion.

4) Kansas City Chiefs- Patrick Mahomes is soon to return at Quarter Back, but the improved Defensive performances without him will be encouraging. They only need that unit to make a couple of big plays to set the team up for a strong Super Bowl run.

5) Green Bay Packers- they laid an egg in Week 9, but the Green Bay Packers are still leading the NFC North. Sometimes a loss can be a good thing for the long-term successes of a team and that is my feeling about the Packers.

My Bottom Five

32) Cincinnati Bengals- they are the only winless team left in the NFL and the Bengals have decided to bench Andy Dalton and see what they have in Ryan Finley at Quarter Back.

31) New York Jets- the trade rumours surrounding Le'Veon Bell and Jamal Adams would have upset the locker room. Losing to the Miami Dolphins shows where the Jets are right now.

30) Miami Dolphins- the first win of the season has seen the Miami Dolphins chances of finishing with the Number 1 Pick in the 2020 Draft take a big hit.

29) Washington Redskins- this team is as badly run as the Cincinnati Bengals. Instead of trading away big name players for Draft capital, the Redskins just continue to do the same things which have left them well short of the top teams in the NFL.

28) Atlanta Falcons- there were only two surprises in Atlanta's Week 9 Bye Week... One is that they avoided a loss, the second is that Dan Quinn has somehow kept his job as Head Coach. Matt Ryan is back from an injury, but I don't think that makes a big difference for the Falcons chances going forward.

Week 10 Picks

I have had some frustrating weeks during the 2019 NFL season and there was some more of the same in Week 9 despite the winning record.

This has been a disappointing season for the NFL Picks in general and I am looking for much better over the last eight weeks of the regular season and build some momentum before the PlayOffs begin in early January 2020.

The Week 10 Picks will be added to this thread, although I do not have a selection from the Thursday Night Football game this week.


Detroit Lions @ Chicago Bears Pick: This is the first of two meetings between these two NFC North Divisional rivals that are going to be played in November, but both the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions have been suffering through disappointing seasons. Out of the two teams there is no doubt that the Bears have been a real letdown as far as their fans are concerned and the team that won the NFC North last season are at 3-5 and almost certainly going to miss the PlayOffs.

The fans are already pretty upset and things could really sour for both Mitchell Trubisky and Matt Nagy on Sunday if the Bears are downed by the Lions. The Bears have lost four games in a row to leave only memories of the 3-1 start to the 2019 season, but the Detroit Lions are not having much more success as they have lost four of their last five games to fall to 3-5-1 for the season themselves.

Something is going to have to give on Sunday in Week 10 because the Bears have been horrible Offensively and the Lions have been very poor Defensively. Those two units will face one another while the teams will believe their strengths are going up against each other on the other side of the ball.

Matthew Stafford has been playing well at Quarter Back and he has some talented Receivers which are aiding him from a statistical point of view rather than in terms of a result. The Quarter Back won't be pleased by his own performances if they are not resulting in a win, but I do think Stafford can have some success in this one against a Bears Defensive unit that have not been playing at the level they were producing in 2018.

It won't help that Stafford won't have much of a running game to lean on and he won't want to be in third and long spots against a Bears team that can still put together a pass rush that will be able to rattle the Quarter Back. That is the best way for the Bears to try and stall some drives and at least give their team a chance of getting back to winning ways and perhaps relieve some of the pressure that their own Quarter Back and Head Coach are beginning to feel.

I am not convinced Mitchell Trubisky and Matt Nagy are on the same page anyway, but they have to join together and help Chicago get back on the right track even at this stage of the season. All of the Offensive problems begin with a lack of a serious running game as Chicago have failed to match the production of last season, but there is a chance for the Bears to get on track agains the Detroit Defensive Line which is weaker than most.

Mitchell Trubisky has to be urged to at least make some moves on the ground too, but I would also want to set him up with some easy passing to try and rebuild a confidence that has to be at a very low point. There are already suggestions that the Bears are going to be moving on from a Quarter Back they selected high in the Draft in 2017 and ahead of the likes of Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson and for many fans it is a case of what might have been with the Bears lacking a Quarter Back at a time when everything else looks to be in place.

He has looked very short of confidence with some terrible throws being part of the problem rather than the play-calling. This is a game in which Trubisky has to show better considering how banged up the Lions are Defensively and he does have the likes of Allen Robinson who can make plays for him from Receiver.

The public are finding it hard to believe in the Bears and the Detroit Lions have become a seriously backed underdog without this spread being moved. I have to agree with those who are clearly backing the under-fire Bears here and I do think they can cover despite the poor run of form.

It is like people have forgotten how badly Detroit have been playing and the Bears are still the superior team even with Mitchell Trubisky showing himself to perhaps not be the franchise Quarter Back the Bears thought they were Drafting. The favourite is 3-0-1 against the spread in the last four in this Divisional series and the Bears are 3-1-1 against the spread in the last five at home against the Lions.

Chicago can make enough plays through their Defensive unit to at least get into a position to win this game and I hate to say I am trusting Mitchell Trubisky to have one of his better games of the season.


Los Angeles Rams @ Pittsburgh Steelers Pick: For most teams losing their star Quarter Back at the very start of a season in which the star Wide Receiver and one of the best Running Backs in the NFL had departed the team would have been a death knell for the campaign. At 1-4 following an Overtime loss to rivals Baltimore Ravens that seemed to be where the Pittsburgh Steelers 2019 year was heading, but they have turned things around with three wins in a row and could be challenging for a Wild Card spot if not the AFC North Divisional title in the weeks ahead.

They can't afford to drop any momentum as we hit Week 10 and Pittsburgh don't have a lot of room for error considering they already have four losses on the season. Their opponent in Week 10 might not play in the same Conference, but this is a huge game for the Los Angeles Rams too who are playing in the loaded NFC West where they trail both the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks.

Coming out of their Bye Week at 5-3 would be a decent enough position for most teams, but the Rams will understand their situation. Even a Wild Card battle looks like it will go down to the wire in this Conference with some very good teams scattered throughout the four Divisions and it does mean both teams have a lot on the line in this one.

It will be interesting to see what Sean McVay has been working on during the Bye Week as he looks to put his team in a position to win a tough road game this week. The Rams have not been as eye-catching Offensively as they were in 2018 and some of the problems have begun up front where the Rams have struggled to run the ball with any kind of consistency.

Todd Gurley has shown flashes of the obvious talent he has, but he has not been consistent like the other top Running Backs in the NFL and that has been part of the reason the Los Angeles Rams have struggled to impose the run on teams. It hasn't been all about Gurley though with the Offensive Line having issues opening holes too and now they have to face the Pittsburgh Defensive Line which is performing to the standards this team have come to expect.

There have been improvements in the Secondary which is going to be important for the Steelers this week, while the Defensive Line have also produced a massive pass rush. That might not be the best news for Jared Goff who can struggle when he feels the pressure of the pass rush around him and much is going to be determined by how much protection he gets from his Offensive Line.

Even if Goff is given a lot of time, which I doubt without the Rams running the ball better than they have in 2019, I do think the Steelers have doubled down on their Defensive effort and that is where they have been able to turn their season around. This Los Angeles team were given rave reviews for the Offensive output in the first half of the 2018 season, but they have not been as strong this season as teams have begun to have a better read of what they are seeing and the Steelers should have success in at least stalling some drives.

At the end of the day the game will likely be decided by Mason Rudolph who has been a little erratic in relief of Ben Roethlisberger. That has made the Steelers a little one-dimensional in what they are trying to do Offensively, although teams have had a few issues in slowing them down with the Offensive Line setting the tone for the rest of the team.

They have been able to open some big holes for James Connor and Benny Snell, but both Running Backs are missing again this week which means the Steelers will have to be a little creative with their Offensive play-calling. It won't be a case of just handing the ball off and controlling the clock and field position because the Rams Defensive Line have proven to be very strong with Aaron Donald leading the way in helping hold teams to 3.1 yards per carry.

There has to be a way to get JuJu Smith-Schuster better involved in the Offense, although we are not likely to see that this week with Jalen Ramsey shadowing him. Instead Mason Rudolph is gong to have to find other options to keep the chains moving even though he has not really looked like a long-term solution to Roethlisberger at Quarter Back.

It is some week when you are backing both Mitchell Trubisky and Mason Rudolph, but I do like the Steelers here with the start as the home underdog. The Steelers have played well against teams with winning records and they have gone 12-1 against the spread in their last thirteen games as the underdog against a team with a winning record too.

I have to respect how well the Rams have played coming out of a Bye Week under Sean McVay and you would worry if they are able to score points very quickly and force Pittsburgh to change their entire Offensive approach. However the Rams have had their issues with teams who can play Defense as well as the Steelers have shown they can and I expect that will give the home team a chance to keep this one competitive.


Carolina Panthers @ Green Bay Packers Pick: Two teams with winning records in the NFC will be looking to earn a big win in Week 10 which could have tie-breaking repercussions in the race for the PlayOffs. The Green Bay Packers remain on top of the NFC North at 7-2 and will still have ambitions of a Bye in the Wild Card Round of the post-season, but they need to bounce back from an embarrassing performance when losing in Los Angeles to the Chargers in Week 9.

They remained a game ahead of the Minnesota Vikings who were beaten by the Kansas City Chiefs, but the Packers have insisted the focus of this week is to bounce back and show their true colours this week.

The visitors to Green Bay are the Carolina Panthers who have won five of their last six games to move to 5-3 and all without Cam Newton. The long-term Quarter Back for the Panthers might have played his last snap for this team having been placed on the Injured Reserve list for the remainder of the season and with suggestions the Panthers will be looking to move on at the end of 2019.

Cam Newton will be worrying about getting healthy and so far Kyle Allen has shown he is able to manage the Offensive system to give his team the chance to win. No one will be confusing Allen with a top starting Quarter Back and I would not be surprised if he is not the long-term plan in Carolina even if they move on from Newton, but Allen has done enough to keep his job and continue doing what he has been.

The main focus has been leaning on Christian McCaffrey and teams have struggled to slow down the all-purpose Running Back even though he is clearly the biggest threat on the team. He might not be the biggest or the most physical, but McCaffrey has shown himself to be incredibly tough and the Panthers have continued churning out big gains on the ground which is going to be the game plan considering how much Green Bay have had problems in slowing down ground attacks.

This has been a season long struggle for Green Bay who have allowed 4.7 yards per carry over the course of 2019. Anyone who has played Madden before will know the best game plan for Carolina will be feeding McCaffrey as much as possible and try and slow down the pass rush before using Kyle Allen in play-action to hit the Packers down the field.

There have been one or two holes in the Green Bay Secondary which have been attacked by Quarter Backs, but the pass rush is a strength for the Packers and the Carolina Offensive Line has struggled in pass protection. If they have penalties or are forced into third and long situations it is going to be very difficult for Carolina to convert with the Smith pass rush of Preston and Za'Darius both capable of getting into the backfield and causing havoc.

Carolina have shown an improvement Defensively themselves with some major plays being made to turn the momentum within games. However it can't be ignored that they have been out-gained in terms of yardage in four straight games and that is only partly down to the Offensive struggles.

We have seen teams being able to establish the run against the Panthers Defensive Line and I do think the Packers will be looking to get back to basics Offensively after they did have their problems in Week 9. Aaron Rodgers is a top Quarter Back, but the play-calling should call for more runs for Aaron Jones and Jamal Williams and they should have one of their better outings despite the issues Green Bay have had establishing the run.

Establishing the run is going to be an important part of the day for Green Bay because the Offensive Line is not protecting Rodgers as they would like and the Carolina pass rush has been living in the opponent's backfield. Getting in the face of the Quarter Back can lead to mistakes being made and the Packers have to be aware that they don't really want to get behind the chains in this one if they are going to return to winning ways.

Any time you have someone like Aaron Rodgers at Quarter Back it can be easy to fall in love with throwing the ball around, but Matt LaFleur has to show his power as the Head Coach. If he can get the ball moving on the ground to open things up for Rodgers then I do feel the Green Bay Packers will have too much for Carolina and they can not only win, but also cover the spread too.

Carolina do have a good record in recent runnings of this series, but they are perhaps overachieving in recent weeks and not playing as well as the results may suggest. They are also facing Aaron Rodgers off a loss which is a position in which the future Hall of Fame Quarter Back has thrived, while the Packers have been strong at home all season.

The Packers should put it all on the line to head into their Bye Week with a 8-2 record and control of the NFC North and I think they win this one by a Touchdown at least.


Minnesota Vikings @ Dallas Cowboys Pick: This is the kind of Sunday Night Football game you can really get behind as two teams with winning records meet with the game potentially being all important when it comes to deciding Wild Card places later in the year. The Minnesota Vikings were dropped to 6-3 in Week 9 as they blew the chance to knock off the Kansas City Chiefs missing Patrick Mahomes, while the Dallas Cowboys continued their dominance of their NFC East rivals by beating the New York Giants on Monday Night Football to move to 5-3.

That has left the Cowboys half a game ahead of the Philadelphia Eagles, but they can make it a full game with a win on Sunday while the Eagles are on a Bye Week. It was good Dallas in action in Week 9 as they comfortably beat the Giants on the road, but this is a team that has been the only one to fail to beat the New York Jets and they have find better consistency if they are going to return to the PlayOffs.

Consistency will be key in case the NFC East battle goes down to the wire as it will mean remaining in contention for a Wild Card place at the least and this feels like a big game with that in mind.

It is going to be a smash-mouth kind of Football game and I do have to say I enjoy seeing teams wanting to punch each other in the face before dominating on the field. This is going to involve a lot of rushing attempts on both sides of the field and no one will be surprised to hear that in a game that has both Ezekiel Elliot and Dalvin Cook playing.

Elliot has been getting better week after week for the Cowboys and the Offensive Line looks to be getting healthier too which is music to the ears of the Running Back. In recent games Minnesota's Defensive Line have struggled to contain the run with some huge yards being churned out by opponents to the tune of 5.8 yards per carry in their last three games and Elliot is capable of picking up where those teams have left off.

The whole philosophy of the Cowboys is to run the ball and open things up down the field for the likes of Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup and I do think they are going to be successful here. Having Elliot establish the run should mean the team are in front of the chains and so the Vikings pass rush could be blunted somewhat, while the Minnesota Secondary is not playing to the standards that Mike Zimmer would have set for this team and I like the Cowboys moving the chains with success in this game.

Any team that has Dalvin Cook will feel they can match the production Elliot has for the Cowboys, but I am not so convinced about what the Vikings will be able to do with the ball. I am anticipating some quality runs from Cook, but I am not sure it will be with the same consistency I am expecting from the home team because the Dallas Defensive Line have stepped up their play.

They are restricting teams to 4.2 yards per carry for the season, but the Cowboys have been stronger in the last three games with just 90 yards per game allowed on the ground. They had a good job containing Saquon Barkley for the most part and I do think Cook might have a slightly more effective game when he is catching the ball coming out of the backfield.

I think the Vikings will need that just to make sure Kirk Cousins is not overthinking things as he can tend to do in these Prime Time games. For too long the narrative is that Cousins will blow up on national television and he has to show that is behind him, but Adam Thielen is expected to miss out and the Cowboys Secondary is under-rated as they are ably supported by a very good Dallas pass rush.

Kirk Cousins could make some solid plays, but I think there may be quite a few short passes to try and open things up for the run and I really like Dallas being able to control the clock and eventually pull away for the win.

I have to respect the record Mike Zimmer has in games after a loss, while he will be firing his team up as the underdog. However Minnesota are 3-12 against the spread in their last fifteen games playing against a team with a winning record, which underlines the point about Cousins perhaps not stepping up his game as he should be.

Dallas being on a short week is a bit of a concern too, but the favourite is 9-2 against the spread in the last eleven in this series and I like the Cowboys to win and cover.

MY PICKS: Chicago Bears - 2.5 Points @ 1.86 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Pittsburgh Steelers + 4 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)
Green Bay Packers - 4.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Dallas Cowboys - 3.5 Points @ 2.00 Sky Bet (2 Units)
Kansas City Chiefs - 6 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Cleveland Browns - 2.5 Points @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Indianapolis Colts - 10.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet365 (2 Units)