College Football Week 5 Picks 2024 (Friday 27th September-Saturday 28th September)

Another Week in College Football is set to begin with an important Friday night game, while the majority of teams are beginning to get into Conference action.

Despite having four weeks of information, this still feels like a learning point of the season now that teams are moving out of the non-Conference setting and playing opponents of a higher level than they would have seen previously.

There are one or two of the spreads that came very close to being selected, but there is still a considerable amount of Football to be played and so having another week of information feels more important than taking any unnecessary risks.

Virginia Tech Hokies @ Miami Hurricanes Pick: The ACC looks to have lost one of the pre-season contenders and some of the dark horses have failed to bolt out of the gate.

With that in mind, fans of the Conference will perhaps already looking ahead to a potential Championship Game involving the Clemson Tigers and Miami Hurricanes (4-0), although both of those teams know the importance of remaining focused.

Miami will be heading into a long road trip in Week 6 when visiting the California Golden Bears, but they are hosting a rival in Virginia Tech Hokies (2-2) who would love to play spoiler. Unfortunately for the Hokies, they have been beaten by Vanderbilt and Rutgers already this season and this is a huge step up with only the potentially poor playing conditions a likely equaliser on the night.

Hurricane Helene is not expected to make landfall in this part of Florida, but it could still be tougher conditions than usual for the Miami Hurricanes, especially in a game they are hosting. Excuses will not be made and especially not when so many others will be worrying about much bigger things than Football in other parts of the State, and all Miami can do is make sure they focused on producing their best efforts on the field.

They will have to be focused with the first four wins of the season coming against non-Conference opponents and none of those have really been that impressive. Blowing out the Florida Gators would have made the fans very happy, but the Gators have looked poor and Miami still have plenty to prove.

The Hurricanes do look solid on the Defensive side of the ball all things considered and the key to their success is right up front on the Defensive Line, which has been able to clamp down on the run and force Offenses to become a little predictable in their play.

It has been so important keeping teams in third and long spots and allowed the Hurricanes to unleash a fierce pass rush that has disrupted the passing game. Pressure up front is only good news for the Defensive Backs who do not have to lock down Receivers for too long and the Miami team have complemented one another on this side of the ball.

Virginia Tech have been a bit too inconsistent on the Offensive side of the ball to believe they are going to have a lot of success in this game. Looking after the ball and trying to play the field advantage will be an important approach to take, but Kyron Drones will know he is going to be throwing under pressure and into a Miami Secondary that has turned the ball over.

Any turnovers could really see the Miami Hurricanes take control of the game, but even long fields may not intimidate Cam Ward and an Offense making big headlines through the first month of the season.

The Quarter Back has shown he can make some plays with his legs, but has impressed with his arm and it does help that he is playing behind a Hurricanes Offensive Line that has been bullying opponents up front. They have helped Miami pile up some big yards on the ground and rip open some big runs, which is only going to bode well against this Hokies Defensive Line that has struggled against weaker Offensive Lines than the one they will be facing in this Conference game.

Pushing the ball on the ground should open up play-action opportunities for Cam Ward and he will likely have enough time to make his plays down the field. The Virginia Tech Secondary numbers have not been bad early in this season, but that is partly down to an inability to stop the run with a lot of consistency and the fact they have not faced a Quarter Back like the one they are dealing with on Friday.

Cam Ward has 14 Touchdown passes already this season with just 2 Interceptions and the Hokies have not made enough plays against the pass to believe the latter of those numbers is changed significantly. It should mean Ward has a chance to showcase his Heisman winning potential in a prime spot in Week 5 and the Miami Hurricanes may end up pulling away for a big win and cover.

Games between these rivals have been very competitive in recent years, but Miami had a couple of big wins over Virginia Tech in 2017 and 2018 and this Hurricanes team can make a statement and show why they should be in the National Championship contenders conversation.

Stanford Cardinal @ Clemson Tigers Pick: They may be holding the same record after three games and both the Clemson Tigers (2-1) and Stanford Cardinal (2-1) have opening ACC Conference wins on the board, but the overall outlook for these two teams still feels very different.

Despite the shellacking at the hands of the Georgia Bulldogs in Week 1, the Clemson Tigers are amongst the favourites to reach the ACC Championship Game and push for a place in the College Football PlayOff later this year. The Miami Hurricanes may be their closest rival in the Conference and the Tigers are at home after a big win over the NC State Wolfpack, but they will not want to overlook the Cardinal, even if they are not as strong as other teams produced by Stanford in recent years.

Leaving the Pac-12 to join the ACC, the Stanford Cardinal have bounced back from a loss to the TCU Horned Frogs and they ended the Syracuse Orange unbeaten start to the season in Week 4.

It will give the team confidence, although they are facing an even stronger opponent and in a true road game, which can be tough for any team.

Ashton Daniels has taken over at Quarter Back for the Stanford Cardinal, but he will be keen to see the Offensive Line dictate things up front and then make things all the more comfortable for when Daniels drops back to throw. The numbers have not been that impressive when it comes to establishing the run, but Stanford may have a bit more joy against this Clemson Defensive Line and that will be important to ease some of the pressure on their Quarter Back.

It has been a mixed start to the season for Ashton Daniels who has thrown 4 Touchdown passes, but also 3 Interceptions. Being in third and manageable would just make sure Daniels does not feel he has to win this game on his arm and there are enough vulnerabilities in this Secondary to believe he can keep Stanford ticking over.

Third and long would be that much more difficult to convert for Ashton Daniels when you consider the turnovers that he has thrown and factor in the turnovers that the Clemson Defensive unit have been able to create.

The Cardinal will certainly want to make this a grind it out kind of game and keep a powerful Clemson Offense on the sidelines to stew. After the horrible overall performance against the Georgia Bulldogs, Clemson have looked very good with Cade Klubnik leading the way at Quarter Back.

He has already shown his character by now allowing the underpar Week 1 performance define him and Cade Klubnik is likely to have a very big game statistically. The Tigers match up pretty well with the Stanford Defensive unit and Klubnik should be able to exploit that by leading his team to another victory.

Last week the Tigers came in for us with a winning performance against the NC State Wolfpack and Clemson are likely going to find plenty of balance from their Offensive unit in this one. While the Stanford Defensive Line have been able to play the run pretty well, they will not have come up against a team with this kind of Offensive unit too often and so the Tigers have to feel they can establish the run effectively.

This would just make things that much easier for Cade Klubnik considering the massive holes that have been in the Secondary of the Cardinal. Teams are averaging almost 300 passing yards per game against them and it would not be a surprise at all if Klubnik was to reach that milestone.

He has been able to play turnover free Football and that is likely going to lead to another big win for the Tigers.

However, covering might be more challenging with a game against the Florida State Seminoles next up on deck, which is a natural Conference rival compared with Stanford even if the Seminoles have had a horrible start to 2024.

The Cardinal also look like they may be able to sustain a few Offensive drives and that may just chew up the clock for enough time to prevent a defeat by four scores. Avoiding turnovers will be important to the road team, but if they can do that, they can avoid a really embarrassing loss against one of the Conference favourites.

Georgia Bulldogs @ Alabama Crimson Tide Pick: It might only be Week 5 of the College Football season, but the stand out game comes from the SEC where so many of the leading National Championship contenders all face off.

While the Texas Longhorns may be the Number 1 Ranked team right now, the Georgia Bulldogs (3-0) and Alabama Crimson Tide (3-0) have a huge rivalry within the SEC and one that has seen the victor go on and win the National Championship.

It is the Crimson Tide who have dominated the series of late, but Head Coach Nick Saban is no longer with the team and this is the first real test they will have faced in 2024. The blowout win at the Wisconsin Badgers is impressive, especially on the road, but the Georgia Bulldogs have a long unbeaten regular season record to protect and their blowout win over the Clemson Tigers in Week 1 is looking better and better week after week.

Motivation is on the side of Kirby Smart and his Bulldogs players who lost the SEC Championship Game against the Alabama Crimson Tide last year and that ultimately cost them the chance to win another National Championship. It is a decision that still bother fans of Georgia and they will be looking for redemption when playing in Tuscaloosa.

Both teams are coming into this one behind a Bye and it will have been important to get the preparation right.

You know the Defensive units will give any opponent problems, but the Bulldogs and Crimson Tide are filled with talented, NFL calibre players on the Offense and that usually means they will find a way to scheme to success.

As mentioned, Alabama have had the better of the Georgia Bulldogs and have won eight of the last nine between them.

But it should also be mentioned that this is not simply the case of the Crimson Tide being the stronger team, because their last two wins over the Bulldogs have been as a significant underdog. This time they are not an underdog being given almost a Touchdown start, but Alabama are not used to being a home underdog in any situation and you just have to believe it will have been motivating them over the last fortnight.

Jalen Milroe had one or two questions to answer last year as he just struggled, but he made a strong end to the year and the Quarter Back has begun 2024 with a new found confidence. He has thrown 8 Touchdown passes and rushed for 6 more and it will be a tough task for the Bulldogs to control Jalen Milroe, even if the Defensive Line have been playing at a very strong level.

Like with so many of these top games, the Line of Scrimmage is going to be extremely important whoever is Offensively on the board. The Crimson Tide Offensive Line has played well, as has the Georgia Offensive Line, but it may be the Bulldogs who have a bit more success making big plays against the run.

Of course that alone will not slow down Jalen Milroe and the Quarter Back will just have to make sure he is focused on identifying where the Bulldogs pass rush pressure is coming from. Being a little stronger against the run can be backed up by the pass rush pressure generated and it may just lead to one or two Alabama drives stalling without being able to add seven points to the scoreboard.

The feeling is that the Bulldogs might be able to offer their own Quarter Back, Carson Beck, a bit more time all around.

Georgia's Offensive Line may be able to do just enough to keep the team in a position to be in front of the chains and that may give Carson Beck the chance he needs to make plays against this Secondary. Throwing the ball against this Alabama Secondary has been tough work for the opening three opponents, but Beck should be given time by his Offensive Line and that may just see the Bulldogs moving into a position to win and cover, while earning revenge for the SEC Championship Game defeat in 2023.

Carson Beck has been efficient rather than spectacular and that could mean Georgia are happy to play the field position at times, but it may be what they need to start turning this series back in their favour and to push towards the College Football PlayOff.

The struggles against the Kentucky Wildcats in Week 3 might have actually done Georgia a favour to remind them of the hard week needed every week, and Kirby Smart can win this battle against Kalen DeBoer, who has yet to face a test like this in his very early career as the Head Coach of Alabama.

MY PICKS: Miami Hurricanes - 17.5 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Stanford Cardinal + 21.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Georgia Bulldogs - 2 Points @ 1.91 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Michigan Wolverines - 10 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Utah Utes - 7.5 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

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

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

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

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

NFL Week 3 Picks 2021 (September 23-27)

Another Thursday Night Football has come around much quicker than anticipated and it is a week in which I am not able to write out a long post for the Week 3 selections in the NFL.

I should have better analysis for the games to be played on Sunday and Monday if there are any Picks to be made from those, but the posts should be getting much longer once this weekend is out of the way.

Week 2 was at least not a losing one in terms of the selections, but some late drama did go against the selections which have meant it was not the kind of bounce back week I wanted. Hopefully there will be a little more bounce of the ball in my favour with the Week 3 Picks as I look to get back to winning ways.

Carolina Panthers @ Houston Texans Pick: Before the season started, many would have tipped up the Houston Texans (1-1) to be one of the weaker teams in the NFL. They may have benefited from the early schedule which allowed the Texans to beat Divisional rivals Jacksonville at home, but Houston were not able to stay with the Cleveland Browns in Week 2 and have had a massive setback to their team out of that defeat.

Losing the game was not a major surprise, but it was disappointing for Houston and Tyrod Taylor that he has picked up yet another injury when earning the starting job in the NFL. It has proved costly for him at his last two teams, but Houston have made a decision that they will not be using Deshaun Watson and it means the Texans will be putting in Davis Mills at Quarter Back.

A rookie going in at Quarter Back having been selected early in the Draft is one thing, but Davis Mills is seen as a project and he struggled in his limited time on the field in Week 2. To make matters tougher, Mills is not surrounded by a lot of talent and the Thursday Night Football slot means there is not a lot of time for Houston to get him up to speed.

Davis Mills is not going to be helped by going up against the Carolina Panthers (2-0) Defensive unit that has shut down the New York Jets, expectedly, and then the New Orleans Saints as the home underdog. Like Houston, expectations are not that great in Carolina, but the team have made a positive start to the season and they are likely going to head into this Week 3 game knowing they have a big opportunity in front of them.

It is the Defensive unit that is making big plays for the Panthers and it is very difficult to imagine Houston being able to break the shackles that they have put onto opponents in the early stage of the NFL season. Davis Mills is unlikely to be given a lot of support on the ground and the pressure will be on him to make plays against a Secondary which has been in top form, while the Carolina Defensive Line has caused havoc in the backfield for the two opponents they have beaten.

The strong performances on this side of the ball have meant Carolina have not needed to score a lot of points, but Sam Darnold has played well enough and I am not too worried that this is the first road game he is playing for the Panthers. The Quarter Back will be glad to be out of New York and he is young enough to stamp his spot somewhere in the NFL, although Sam Darnold is going to have to show some growth with his new team.

This looks a good match up for Carolina Offensively and they should be able to get Christian McCaffrey going from Running Back despite the early Offensive Line issues. The Panthers have been strong enough in pass protection, but they are averaging just 3.3 yards per carry as a team on the ground, although this feels a good chance to get back on track considering how ineffective the Texans Defensive Line has been,

Christian McCaffrey is also a serious threat catching the ball out of the back field and I do think he will have a very big game. Sam Darnold can use the Running Back to open the field up and he should have plenty of time to hit Receivers and light up the scoreboard, relatively speaking at least.

There is no doubting that it is difficult to back the Carolina Panthers as a road favourite, let alone one with this many points to cover. They have a 7-0 record against the spread in their last seven road games, but the Panthers have been a dog in a large majority of them and they have a poor record when set as the road underdog.

In saying that, I do think Thursday Night Football favours the better team and I have little reason to believe that the Panthers are significantly stronger than the Texans. Having a rookie Quarter Back who doesn't look ready for this level is a major problem for Houston who are 3-9 against the spread in their last twelve Thursday night games.

Sam Darnold is a Quarter Back with a pretty terrible early record as a favourite, but he helped the Carolina Panthers cover in that spot in Week 1 and I think his Defensive unit can spark another strong win here.

Atlanta Falcons @ New York Giants Pick: Two desperate teams will be meeting in Week 3 in the NFL and avoiding falling into a 0-3 hole has to be the only thing on the mind for the players. The New York Giants (0-2) suffered an agonising defeat to Divisional rivals Washington in Week 2 when an offside call gave their hosts a second chance to hit a game winning Field Goal.

It feels like the Giants have been in this position far too often in recent seasons and there is some pressure on Head Coach Joe Judge as they prepare to host the Atlanta Falcons (0-2). The Falcons are off a defeat to a Divisional rival too, but they played much better in Week 2 compared with the opening loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, although the Super Bowl window looks to have closed for Matt Ryan with this team.

Both teams are off losing records, but there is more pressure on the home team with the Falcons feeling like they are going to have a transitional year after losing some key players. Matt Ryan still has some talent around him, but nothing like the year the Falcons reached the Super Bowl and somehow blew the chance to beat the New England Patriots.

Injuries on both sides of the ball have not been helping Atlanta and the Offensive Line has been struggling which makes it hard to believe they are going to be able to run the ball consistently, even against the Giants Defensive Line which has allowed 5 yards per carry. Matt Ryan has faced some pressure up front too with teams able to pin back their ears without a strong running game to complement the Quarter Back and that has seen Ryan rushed into making some bad throws.

There are some holes in this New York Secondary which could be exposed by Matt Ryan and the Giants pass rush has not been as strong as the home team would have liked. That should encourage Atlanta who do have the likes of Calvin Ridley and Kyle Pitts to catch those passes and at least help the Falcons push the ball down the field.

At the same time, it would be a big disappointment for New York fans if the Giants are not able to have considerable success on the Offensive side of the ball and they have had a few more days to prepare for this Week 3 game. The likes of Saquon Barkley and Kenny Golladay should be ready to play and the Giants are off a big Offensive outing against the Washington Football Team.

Saquon Barkley had a solid day and having a few extra days to prepare his body for this one should see him have another big game. The Falcons Defensive Line have struggled to clamp down on the run and I expect Barkley to set the Giants up in third and manageable spots throughout this game which will help Daniel Jones out no end.

The Quarter Back has yet to throw an Interception, but Daniel Jones has had ball security issues, although I am not anticipating too much of that in this game with Barkley setting the Offense up. Daniel Jones should have more time to step back and make his plays with the team in third and short spots and the Atlanta Secondary is banged up and giving up far too many big plays.

Jones should be the latest to do that and I think it gives the Giants the edge in this game between two teams looking to win their first game in 2021. The balance on the Offensive side of the ball and the additional rest between Week 2 and Week 3 benefits the Giants over the Falcons.

It is not exactly encouraging trying to back Daniel Jones to Quarter Back a favourite to a victory, but this looks a good opportunity to do that. Atlanta are 1-4 against the spread in their last five road games where they have been set as the underdog, while the New York Giants are 11-1-1 against the spread in their last thirteen after a Thursday Night game.

Laying less than a Field Goal with the home team looks the way to go.

New York Jets @ Denver Broncos Pick: The Super Bowl win with Peyton Manning at Quarter Back feels a long time ago for the Denver Broncos (2-0) and this is a franchise which has become used to losing seasons. Having a competent Quarter Back would have helped a Broncos team known for their Defensive strength and Teddy Bridgewater has made a good start for them with the pressure on Head Coach Vic Fangio to make progress in his third season with the Broncos.

Denver would have been expected to beat the likes of the New York Giants and Jacksonville Jaguars and they have performed really well on both sides of the ball to do that. Now they face a New York Jets (0-2) team who have dropped both games played this season and who are once again in a transitional part of their history having fallen into the basement of the AFC East.

This is also the opening home game of the season for the Denver Broncos so there has to be a focus on the game which may have been lacking considering how much stronger they have looked than the New York Jets. It is the only concern I really have for the Broncos who should have the Defensive unit to give rookie Quarter Back Zach Wilson plenty to think about.

Zach Wilson had a really hard game against the New England Patriots in Week 2 and now has to face someone with the Defensive mindset of Vic Fangio which suggests another learning experience is heading the Quarter Back's way. He has not been helped by the fact that the Jets Offensive Line has struggled to get team ahead of the chains by finding room for the team to move the ball on the ground.

They are unlikely to have a lot more success against this Denver Defensive Line who have allowed just 3.8 yards per carry so far this season.

It doesn't help that the New York Jets have offered little protection to Zach Wilson and I expect the Broncos to put plenty of pressure on the Quarter Back throughout this game. The Denver Secondary will be even tougher to throw against with Wilson facing different looks up front as the Broncos bring some pressure on him and it will be difficult for the New York Jets to score more than the 14 points they scored against the Carolina Panthers in Week 1.

However, this is a big spread and the big question has to be how likely Teddy Bridgewater and the Denver Offense can score the points needed to beat out a double digit spread. Unlike his counterpart, Teddy Bridgewater is likely to be supported by Melvin Gordon running the ball behind the Denver Offensive Line and I do think that will give Bridgewater the confidence to throw the ball down the field.

Teddy Bridgewater avoids making big mistakes and running the ball effectively should mean he has time to expose the Jets Secondary, while his Receivers are likely to be good enough to make the big plays for him. The Broncos Defensive unit could set up some short fields for the Offense and I do think they can score 23 or more points for a third game in a row, which should be good enough to earn the win and the cover.

The Broncos are 4-1 against the spread in the last five games in the series between these teams.

Denver are also 4-1 against the spread in their last five as the favourite, covering twice this season in that spot, while the New York Jets are 2-7 against the spread in their last nine as the road underdog.

The Jets are also 4-18 against the spread when they are playing with revenge against a non-Division opponent, while they are 1-15 against the spread in their last sixteen when set as the road underdog of less than 17 points against an opponent who has won straight up and covered the spread in their last game as Denver have done.

The spread would have been 5.5 points if you had selected this game to bet on in Vegas before the season started, but I think it has moved as it should have done and Denver can underline their strong start to 2021.

Miami Dolphins @ Las Vegas Raiders Pick: The early season schedule suggested it would be difficult for either of these AFC teams to make a perfect start to 2021, but the Las Vegas Raiders (2-0) have done that by beating two AFC North teams. On the other side, the Miami Dolphins (1-1) have split two Divisional games and will be looking to bounce back behind a back up Quarter Back in Week 3.

Tua Tagovailoa continues to be a divisive figure for the Miami fans who have yet to see the second year Quarter Back prove that he can stay healthy, let alone become a franchise Quarter Back at a position Miami have struggled to fill ever since Dan Marino retired. Jacoby Brissett will be given the keys to the Offensive unit instead of Tagovailoa this week with the latter banged up and the Dolphins are looking to recover from the big loss to the Buffalo Bills.

This will be a big test for Jacoby Brissett if only because the Miami Offensive unit has looked really inconsistent. The Offensive Line has struggled massively and the Las Vegas Defensive Line will feel they can at least get after the big Quarter Back, although I do think Brissett is a capable mover with the ball in his hand which just spark something of a rushing attack.

It has been possible to run the ball against the Raiders and this may at least give the Dolphins a chance to get something going in this one, which can only aid the back up behind Center. Jacoby Brissett has plenty of starting experience at Quarter Back with the Indianapolis Colts to believe any kind of rushing Offensive help will get a big game from him.

The Raiders will be able to get some pressure if Miami are in third and long spots, but the Secondary has struggled at times and the Dolphins have a strong Receiving corps that are waiting for some consistent throws to come their way. Las Vegas do not have the same kind of Defensive unit as New England and Buffalo and I do think the Miami Dolphins may also be able to take advantage of the spot.

What I mean by that is that the Raiders are off two very good looking wins as the underdog and the expectation is now on their shoulders as favourites to win this one in their new Stadium. They are also facing a Divisional game on Monday Night Football in Week 4 and so you have to wonder if they are going to perhaps overlook their opponent in Week 3.

You can only respect the way the Raiders have won their opening two games, but Derek Carr and company have not faced a Defensive unit as good as the one they will be seeing this time around. The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers units are banged up, but the Miami Dolphins are still playing at a high level on this side of the ball even if the 35 points given up to Buffalo in Week 3 suggests otherwise.

Las Vegas have struggled to run the ball all season and Josh Jacobs may not be able to playin Week 3, and I am sure Miami would love to see Derek Carr taking his chances throwing in their strength in the Secondary. The Quarter Back has played well early in the season and there is some talent in the Receiving corps which cannot be underestimated, but the Dolphins may be able to at least pressure Derek Carr and the Secondary has not allowed teams to throw against them without the fear of turning the ball over.

The Raiders should be motivated after losing late in the season here to the Miami Dolphins last season and they will want to set the record straight, but it is not an ideal spot for them having won their first two games.

Miami are 5-1-1 against the spread in their last seven against the Raiders, while they have very strong trends off a straight up loss as well as being 4-0 against the spread in their last four as the road underdog.

As I mentioned, this is the first time the Raiders will be favourites this season which changes their mindset compared to the opening two games. Las Vegas are 0-4 against the spread in their last four as the favourite and I think the Miami Dolphins can be backed to cover.

Green Bay Packers @ San Francisco 49ers Pick: The big bounce back took a little more time than they may have imagined, but the Green Bay Packers (1-1) have got back to 0.500 in what looks like a weak NFC North. They are back in front of the primetime cameras again on Sunday after the Monday Night Football win, but this should be a much tougher game than the win over the Detroit Lions.

This time the Packers have to head out West to take on the San Francisco 49ers (2-0) who have a perfect record in a much tougher Division, although their two wins have been against the Detroit Lions and the Philadelphia Eagles. The yardage suggests there has been a little bit of fortune behind the 49ers and you also can't ignore the fact that San Francisco have a very big Divisional game coming up in Week 4 against the Seattle Seahawks.

In saying that, not many would have forgotten how the Green Bay Packers came to this Stadium in 2020 and crushed the 49ers who had been banged up considerably. That is going to give San Francisco plenty of motivation ahead of this game, but there is some similarities with last season as they are missing key players on both sides of the ball.

San Francisco have gotten the better of Green Bay plenty of times in recent seasons and much of that has come down a strong running game, but it will be interesting to see if this team can take the same advantage. The Packers Defensive Line have struggled, but San Francisco's Running Back corps have been hurt by the loss of Raheem Mostert and they have only produced 3.8 yards per carry behind this Offensive Line.

Kyle Shanahan is a fine Offensive mind so I would not be surprised if he looks to make short passes and quick screens to the fast Receivers San Francisco have, and use that instead of the rush. The Packers Secondary haven't played too badly, but they have allowed some big throws to be made against them so this is an opportunity for Jimmy Garropolo at Quarter Back.

Being banged up Offensively is one thing, but San Francisco are also hurt on the Defensive side of the ball and that may not be good news against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers who looked much better on Monday Night Football. However, Green Bay's Offensive Line have been hurt and I do think Rodgers is going to struggle to get a lot of time in the pocket if Aaron Jones cannot help by setting Green Bay up on the ground.

The Packers have not rushed the ball nearly as effectively as they would have liked so you do wonder if they can take advantage of the 49ers issues on the Defensive Line. I do think Jones could a threat catching the ball out of the backfield though, as he was when scoring three Receiving Touchdowns on Monday, and this San Francisco Secondary have taken a step back from last season.

San Francisco have managed to get the better of Green Bay in recent times, but they are a pretty poor home favourite to back and I think Aaron Rodgers will not want to lay a dud on the road as they did in Week 1. Last season the 49ers were 0-5 against the spread as the home favourite, while Green Bay are 5-3 against the spread as the road underdog with their current Head Coach.

Having a full Field Goal start may be enough for the Green Bay Packers here and I think they can be backed on Sunday Night Football.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys Pick: In recent years the NFC East has lost some of the power which saw teams from this Division win Super Bowl titles, but the four all remain very popular and it is no surprise to see a Divisional game placed in one of the primetime slots. On Monday Night Football in Week 3 we have the Dallas Cowboys (1-1) hosting the Philadelphia Eagles (1-1) with the winning team taking the lead in this Division.

The Dallas Cowboys have had back to back road games to open the season so this is the home opener for the team. The narrow loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and then the narrow win over the Los Angeles Chargers has helped the Dallas Cowboys back up to 0.500, while their opponents Philadelphia have opened the season with a big win on the road at the Atlanta Falcons before losing to the San Francisco 49ers after making far too many mistakes in Week 2.

Injuries have piled up for the Eagles since then, but they are still expected to have enough talent to keep this close even if they are not able to win the game outright. They are helped by the fact that the Dallas Cowboys are pretty banged up early in the season too, although home advantage with the fans back in big numbers in this Stadium for the first time in just shy of two years has to be a huge motivation for the Cowboys players.

Dak Prescott missed much of 2020, but he has come back and looked like has not missed a beat, while he was given a huge amount of support by Ezekiel Elliot and Tony Pollard on the ground in the win over the Chargers. That balance is key for the Cowboys considering they are without Michael Gallup and have a less than 100% Amari Cooper taking the field for Dak Prescott to find with his passes when he does step back to throw.

Running the ball against the Eagles Defensive Line has been difficult so far this season, but they have lost some key players with the most notable being Brandon Graham. Others on this side of the ball could also be missing on Monday Night Football and that may see the Dallas Offensive Line, which is also not at full health, able to pick up from where they left off last week.

I expect the Dallas Cowboys to have success Offensively though and they have managed to do that against the Buccaneers and Chargers who both look to have decent Defensive units. With the Eagles being without some key players on this side of the ball, the Dallas Offensive Line could win in the trenches and at least see the home team moving the ball with some consistency.

However, I still think it is difficult to back the Dallas Cowboys to cover this number and that is largely down to the fact that they have not been in this situation so far this season. Both games have come under little pressure as they have been set as the underdog, but the fans will arrive with some real expectations in Week 3 and the Cowboys Defensive unit is one that has only been able to slow teams down when making some big plays.

Turnovers are an important part of any NFL game and Dallas have been able to make some huge Defensive plays which have kept them in games they have played. Even then, games have been very close with just 5 points combined deciding the first two games Dallas have played and the Eagles Offense has moved the ball well enough to believe they can score enough points in this one.

Injury is also playing a part on this side of the ball for the Eagles who could be down a couple of Linemen, but they will feel still believe there is enough paths for them to travel to keep the ball moving. The Cowboys have some issues on the Defensive Line which has seen them give up some big yards on the ground and I think the Eagles will be able to at least establish the ground Offense to give Jalen Hurts some strong support.

Jalen Hurts is now the starting Quarter Back in Philadelphia, but the fans will turn on him if he has another outing like the one in Week 2 when his mistakes proved costly in a narrow loss. He should have a better day in this one against this Dallas Secondary, but Hurts has to be aware of the turnovers the Cowboys are creating and has to make sure he is not telegraphing his throws.

The Quarter Back should have plenty of time in the pocket with the Eagles likely to have some success moving the ball on the ground and that should give Philadelphia every chance of keeping this one close even if they lose.

A backdoor cover would not be a massive surprise, but they will have to snap the streak in this series which has seen the home team cover in each of the last five between Dallas and Philadelphia.

Dallas were only 1-7 against the spread in their eight games in that spot under Mike McCarthy in 2020, and you do have to wonder if this is going to increase the pressure on them to perform. The Eagles have covered as the road favourite in a straight up win in Week 1 and I think Philadelphia can make enough plays to keep this Divisional game close in front of the wide television audience that will tune in to Monday Night Football.

MY PICKS: Carolina Panthers - 8 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

New York Giants - 2.5 Points @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Denver Broncos - 10 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)

Miami Dolphins + 3.5 Points @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Green Bay Packers + 3 Points @ 1.95 William Hill (2 Units)

Jacksonville Jaguars + 7.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Detroit Lions + 8 Points @ 1.91 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Cleveland Browns - 7.5 Points @ 1.95 William Hill (2 Units)

Cincinnati Bengals + 3 Points @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Philadelphia Eagles + 3.5 Points @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Week 2: 6-5, + 0.98 Units (22 Units Staked, + 4.45% Yield)

Week 1: 3-6, - - 6.46 Units (18 Units Staked, - 35.89% Yield)

NFL Week 3 Picks 2020 (September 24-28)

That was a brutal Week 2 of the NFL season and I do think it is partly down to the way the teams have had to prepare in a year affected by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Injuries are always a feature of the NFL and my main reason for suggesting that picking a winner of the Super Bowl in August is a foolhardy game.

Even then it was surprising to see so many big name players going down around the League and it doesn't do any favours for viewing figures that so many have been lost for the year.

For Fantasy Football players there are hard decisions to make in the next couple of weeks- when players you've picked high in the Draft have fallen by the wayside it can be tough to find those replacements to at least give your team a shot over the next fourteen weeks.

My own team has already been banged up in one League with Michael Thomas looking like he will miss a number of weeks, but I've managed to avoid much of the carnage in another. However, I am not going to be holding my breath that it will continue through the coming weeks as players are not quite conditioned to play full on NFL games with the lack of a pre-season and work that could be done to prepare for the new season.

I will get onto the Week 3 Picks below with a few words about the first two weeks of the season, but before that you can read my current top five and bottom five teams in my 'Power Ranking'.

1) Kansas City Chiefs (2-0): the Super Bowl Champions remain unbeaten, although they almost suffered the upset in Week 2. At the moment they are the team to beat, but I can't be the only one who can't wait to see how Monday Night Football goes?!

2) Baltimore Ravens (2-0): Lamar Jackson looks to have improved again and the Ravens are playing with a point to prove in 2020 having had another poor PlayOff run in 2019. They host the Chiefs on Monday Night and I think they can show the rest of the NFL what they are all about.

3) Seattle Seahawks (2-0): Russell Wilson is being allowed to 'cook' and the Seahawks look strong on both sides of the ball. The injuries in the 49ers line up makes Seattle the team to beat in the NFC West.

4) Green Bay Packers (2-0): Aaron Rodgers playing with a chip on his shoulder is not good for the rest of the NFL.

5) Pittsburgh Steelers (2-0): The Defensive side of the ball looks as stout as last season, but the return of Big Ben is huge for the Steelers. He has looked good in the first two games and will surely only improve in each passing week in the League.

32) New York Jets (0-2): I don't like the Jets, but even I am beginning to feel sorry for a team that persists with Adam Gase as the Head Coach.

31) Carolina Panthers (0-2): The injury to Christian McCaffrey is only going to slow down the Panthers that much more.

30) Miami Dolphins (0-2): They were supposed to take a significant step forward in 2020, but the Dolphins fans are now just waiting to see when Tua Tagovailoa will be given the chance at Quarter Back.

29) Minnesota Vikings (0-2): The Defensive unit has taken a step backwards and Kirk Cousins and the Offense are not playing well enough to cover the vulnerabilities.

28) Detroit Lions (0-2): I could easily have switched them around with the Minnesota Vikings, the Detroit Lions are another team who need to recognise that Matt Patricia's time as Head Coach needs to be ended sooner than later.

Week 3 Picks

After a very strong Week 1, the Week 2 Picks actually returned an even better mark at 7-3 so I really can't complain about that.

A late Miami drive leading to a Touchdown meant they landed within the number which is my only disappointment, especially as they did not win the game outright if they were going to cover the mark. My other two losses in Week 2 never really got close to covering so I am not going to complain about those.

I did need a couple of late Defensive stands to make sure I earned a couple of winners with the Seattle Seahawks and New York Giants preventing late scores, while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers scored inside the final two minutes to make sure of their win over the Panthers but also cover the mark.

In all honesty I have had more good luck than bad in the first two weeks of the season, but it is a long year and I am hoping to avoid the truly terrible weeks which can erase all the good work very quickly.

Keeping the momentum going in Week 3 is the only thing on my mind and taking it one week at a time towards the end of the year, one in which we are largely going to be sitting in and trying to stay as safe as possible.

Washington Football Team @ Cleveland Browns Pick: Both teams go into Week 3 with a 1-1 record and that means this non-Conference game is more important to both than they can sometimes be. In most cases the non-Conference games on the schedule are the 'least' important out of the sixteen that are played each season, but those do still make up a quarter of a team's season and for the Cleveland Browns and Washington Football Team there is simply not enough consistency to believe they can afford to drop any game.

That is particularly the case for the Browns who are in a Division where the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers are both sitting at 2-0 already this season. Those two teams look like being amongst the very best in the AFC and so the Browns will have to make use of the other games outside of the Division to give themselves a shot at making the PlayOffs.

Their visitors are in a weaker Division, but the Washington Football Team have dropped their last game and will be looking to bounce back.

It won't be easy to do that with the injuries they are dealing with on both sides of the ball and the Offensive Line lost another key figure before this game. That means their young Quarter Back Dwayne Haskins won't be given a lot of time, although some of the enthusiasm for the selection will be taken away if the Cleveland Browns are not able to suit up some of their pass rushers.

Cleveland played on Thursday Night Football in Week 2 so I would be hopeful that some of those players will be able to return, but even without them I expect the Browns Defensive Line to win the battle in the trenches. The Browns Defensive Line should be able to contain any threat the Washington Football Team bring on the ground and that means Washington will be throwing the ball from third and long spots.

From there I do think the Browns can get the pressure on Dwayne Haskins and try and force mistakes, while also protecting a Secondary which has given up some big yards through the first two weeks of the season. The fact that Cleveland are banged up in the Defensive Backs unit does not help, but if Haskins is not given time and if Washington can't find some consistency from their Receivers I am not sure they are going to have enough to expose the Browns.

Pressure is not going to be reserved for Dwayne Haskins in this one though as Baker Mayfield can expect to see the Washington pass rush all around him whenever he is in obvious passing situations. The one key difference for Mayfield coming in off a strong outing is that he has the dual-threat in the backfield that can ease all the pass rush pressure coming at him.

Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt have started this season in strong fashion and the Cleveland Offensive Line which has been rebuilt since the end of 2019 have really paved the way for them. They are earning 5.7 yards per carry and the Washington Defensive Line is much better when it comes to rushing the passer than stopping the run and that should mean Baker Mayfield is left in third and manageable spots.

Both Chubb and Hunt are capable of catching short passes from their Quarter Back and making tacklers miss, while the Offensive Line will also believe they can earn the advantage in the trenches to set up play-action for their team to move the ball down the field. There are holes in the Secondary which can be exposed by Mayfield who has some talented Receivers to throw to and I do think Cleveland will be able to put up the points that Arizona put up against Washington in Week 2.

The Browns have been a miserable team to back at home, and they failed to cover last week when they allowed Cincinnati to score late to get within the mark. Last week we almost saw Washington come back from a big deficit to cover, but they are 2-10 against the spread in their last twelve after a straight up loss and I think that trend is extended here.

Neither team should be looking ahead to Week 4, but the extra time to prepare should suit Cleveland for this Week 3 game and I will look for them to cover.

Las Vegas Raiders @ New England Patriots Pick: If someone had told you only one of these teams would be 2-0 going into Week 3 then I am sure the majority of people would have picked the New England Patriots to be that team.

A late goalline stand from the Seattle Seahawks prevented the Patriots from remaining unbeaten in the 2020 season, but Bill Belichick has to be pleased with what he saw from his new look Offensive unit which is coping without Tom Brady. Defensively he will be demanding improvements immediately, but the Patriots are home this week and that will certainly help.

Surprisingly they are hosting the 2-0 Las Vegas Raiders who have beaten the Carolina Panthers and then christened their new Stadium in the desert by knocking off the New Orleans Saints. That second victory will give the Raiders a lot of belief that they can have a very big 2020 season under Jon Gruden, although the short week is a hindrance.

A bigger problem for Las Vegas is the host of injuries on the Offensive Line as Ritchie Incognito became the latest to go down. That means the Raiders will head to New England with a number of unfamiliar faces on the Offensive Line and they are also dealing with knocks that the likes of Josh Jacobs and Darren Waller are dealing with too.

It doesn't bode well for Derek Carr despite the strong start to 2020 and even though the Patriots are not exactly known for their pass rush, I do think the injuries on the Offensive Line means the Quarter Back will be under pressure in this one. Last week the Patriots Secondary would have felt embarrassed by the amount of passing success Russell Wilson had, but this week they can bounce back and show why they are still considered one of the elite Defensive units in the NFL.

The New England Defensive Line has played the run pretty well and I think they can at least contain Jacobs if he is not at 100%. With more pressure likely to come up front against the banged up Las Vegas Offensive Line I do think it could be tough for the Raiders to have the same kind of successes they have enjoyed through the first two weeks of the season.

One player I do expect to keep his standards going is Cam Newton even though the New England Patriots have lost a key piece of their own Offensive Line for the next month. Center David Andrews has gone down with an injury and the rest of the Line look to him for leadership so there may be a dent in what the Patriots have been able to do in the first two weeks under their new Offense.

Even with the injury, the Patriots may still believe they are going to be able to give Cam Newton time to throw the ball against a young Las Vegas Secondary which is still learning their trade at this level. The Quarter Back can help himself by leaning on the run game, which Newton is a key part of, and I fully expect New England to be able to establish the run in this one.

The Raiders Defensive Line have given up 4.9 yards per carry through the first two weeks of the season and I do think this Patriots team can have success even without Andrews and possibly James White too.

Having Cam Newton in the backfield means there is the additional threat of the Quarter Back tucking the ball in and moving the chains himself with his legs and that should keep the Raiders pass rush from really pinning back their ears.

Without the pressure, Newton should be able to pick up from last week and let rip down the field. The Raiders have some talented players in the Secondary, but we may not see the best of them in what has to be considered a learning year for them and the Patriots have enough in the Receiving unit to get the better of them.

It should mean this is largely a day in which New England keep the chains moving up and down the field, while also having a Defensive unit that is able to take advantage of the injuries the Raiders are faced with.

Playing on a short week does not help the Raiders cause and they are 4-14 against the spread in their last eighteen following a win. New England have always been a very good team recovering from losses under Bill Belichick and I think Cam Newton can take the team on his back and keep that trend going with a good looking home win in Week 3.

Houston Texans @ Pittsburgh Steelers Pick: After the way the Pittsburgh Steelers Defensive unit performed last season, the return of Big Ben Roethlisberger was expected to take the team forward in 2020. Despite the strong efforts on one side of the ball, the Steelers missed the PlayOffs in 2019 because of their inconsistent Offensive play, but the return of a two time Super Bowl Winning Quarter Back is a huge boost for the team.

If the first two weeks of 2020 are anything to go by the Steelers are looking much more in sync Offensively and that allows the Defensive unit to step up and really intensify their bid to make plays.

Ben Roethlisberger is still getting on the same page with some of the younger Receivers on the roster, but he will be given a big boost by the return of a key Offensive Lineman. It is important to have a healthy blocking unit when facing a Defensive Line like the one the Houston Texans will be bringing out to the field and it should mean Roethlisberger is pretty well protected in this one.

A bigger factor may be the fact that Pittsburgh should be able to run the ball efficiently in this game against a Houston Defensive Line giving up 5.6 yards per carry. Any time a team is able to do that it should mean the pass rush is eased slightly and the play-action becomes a real threat for that team.

Pittsburgh should be able to have their way Offensively even though the Houston numbers in the Secondary are pretty good through the first two weeks despite playing Kansas City and Baltimore. Teams being able to crash through the Houston Defensive unit on the ground is part of the reason for the good looking numbers, and I do think the Steelers can have success throwing the ball when they establish the run.

The Houston Texans are 0-2 this season and they now face yet another top team having met the Super Bowl Champions and the team that finished with the best record in the AFC in back to back weeks. Things are not going to be easier for a team who might not be on the same page as Head Coach Bill O'Brien after the decision to trade away DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals.

It has left Deshaun Watson in a very difficult spot and I really feel sorry for the Quarter Back who has impressed since coming into the NFL. His Offensive Line has been struggling to keep Watson upright and now they have to face the Steel Curtain which has been able to get in front of the marker an give their key pass rushers the full go-ahead to get after the Quarter Back.

David Johnson made up part of the trade that sent Hopkins to Arizona, but this is a very difficult match up for him and Duke Johnson who do share the ball in the backfield. Deshaun Watson is capable of making some runs to move the chains himself, but it might be foolish to try that against this Steelers Defensive unit and it may all be on Watson's arm to keep the chains moving with any kind of consistency.

If Watson has time he should find some holes to exploit, but that is a huge if when you think of the way the Steelers have had successes knocking the Quarter Back to the ground. The Secondary has given up some yards, but Houston are still building the chemistry with their star Quarter Back who generally would have turned to DeAndre Hopkins when in key downs and distance in the past.

The pressure on Deshaun Watson to make plays has led to him pushing too had and making mistakes he may not otherwise make. That is always the danger agains this Pittsburgh team and I think the Steelers can put the Texans in a big hole and perhaps having to think about their Head Coach and whether he is going to get them over the line in the PlayOffs.

Houston were crushed at home by the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2, but they are 8-1 against the spread in their last nine after a double digit straight up loss at home. However, they have not covered in their four as the underdog and Pittsburgh are 5-2 against the spread in their last seven at home.

The Steelers are not always a team I like backing as a favourite, but the favourite has covered in five in a row between these teams and I think Pittsburgh can do the same here.

San Francisco 49ers @ New York Giants Pick: A few months in the NFL can be a very long time and the Super Bowl losing team the San Francisco 49ers will know all about that. They could easily have won the big game against the Kansas City Chiefs, but the 49ers were narrowly beaten and many would have believed they would be good enough to go again.

They might well be good enough, but for now we have no idea as the 49ers are dealing with a host of injuries on both sides of the ball. There are times when you get the under-rated injury that the casual fan may not appreciate, but San Francisco are missing skill players on both side of the ball and they are travelling back to a Stadium that they complained about last week.

San Francisco had several players complain about the surface at MetLife Stadium but they have to return to the same venue and that has to play on the mind for them. They have blamed the surface for the injuries that were picked up last week which means the 49ers are going into Week 3 with their backup Quarter Back Nick Mullens being given the keys to the Offense.

At normal health you would favour the 49ers to simply run the ball down the New York Giants throat and they would have success, but without their starting Quarter Back I do think it will be much harder to do that. The reason for that is you have to imagine the Giants are going to load the box and make sure Mullens has to try and beat them through the air, although New York's Defensive Line have not contained the run very well to open the 2020 season.

Raheem Mostert being ruled out helps the Giants too and I do think they can get into a position where they can unleash the pass rush to take advantage of the San Francisco Offensive Line. That Line is much happier paving the way for the running game rather than pass blocking and New York can give themselves a chance to earn an upset here if they can use the San Francisco injuries in their favour.

The 0-2 Giants have not escaped the injury bug themselves though and that has ruled Saquon Barkley out for the remainder of the season. The Running Back is a key weapon for the Giants who have been struggling being guided by Daniel Jones, but the 49ers have a host of injuries on this side of the ball too and that should only aid their young Quarter Back.

Devonta Freeman has been signed to take over from Barkley but he is likely to be a bigger threat catching the ball out of the backfield rather than running the ball straight at the 49ers. However he may have more success than he might usually have done because the San Francisco Defensive Line is down some key starters too and that should only bee good news for a Giants team struggling to score points.

Richard Sherman is missing from the Secondary in this one too and so Jones may have more success throwing the ball than he has for much of this season. The Giants can't expect the 49ers to roll over even with the injuries they are dealing with and last week the New York Jets found that out very quickly so Daniel Jones and company have to play a clean game.

With San Francisco having spent a week on the East Coast I do think there is a chance the players are just looking forward to going home. The injuries are piling up and mentally they might not be happy to be back on a surface that they heavily criticised last week.

My one concern is that the Giants are a miserable 1-11 against the spread in their last twelve games as the home underdog. San Francisco have some very strong trends under Kyle Shanahan as their Head Coach, but it is hard to imagine any NFL team dealing with the host of injuries they have on both sides of the ball.

Nick Mullens Quarter Backed the San Francisco 49ers when they last played the New York Giants and he saw his team lose by 4 points despite being favoured by this same spread that we see for this game. Daniel Jones has not really lit up the scoreboard which is a concern, but the sharp money is behind the Giants and I do think they cover as the home underdog.

Los Angeles Rams @ Buffalo Bills Pick: Two teams who have remained unbeaten through the first two weeks of the NFL season are meeting each other on Sunday and I think this is the chance for both the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams to show they are 'for real'. The Bills have beaten the two weaker teams in the AFC East as the favourites, while the Los Angeles Rams have wins over two teams from the NFC East which doesn't have a single team with a winning record through two weeks.

That means both teams will have been given some plaudits, but the players themselves and the Coaching staff may see this as a chance to make a statement that they are going to be firmly in the mix when we get to January and possibly February.

Out of the two teams I would suggest the Rams being 2-0 is more of a surprise than the Bills only because the latter look to be a progressing team under third year Josh Allen at Quarter Back. The Bills went out and helped their young Quarter Back by bringing in Stefon Diggs and the Wide Receiver and Allen look to be on the same page already which has helped the Bills surprise people with a strong passing game through two weeks.

Josh Allen had 1000 more passing yards in 2019 compared with his rookie year and he has already thrown over 700 yards in the two games played in 2020. He will feel confident he can get after the Los Angeles Rams Secondary considering some of the key pieces this team have lost on the Defensive side of the ball over the last several months.

He is a hard Quarter Back to take down and Allen is always capable of making a couple of scrambling runs to reach the First Down marker when he needs to. Physical strengths aside, the Bills may feel they can deal with the Los Angeles pass rush as long as they can keep an eye on where Aaron Donald is lining up and that should give Josh Allen the chance to find some holes in the Secondary and keep the big plays coming.

We have yet to see the Bills really knuckle down and run the ball like we have become used to, but the Offensive Line could pave the way for some big gains on the ground. It is time for Sean McDermott to lean on Devin Singletary rather than the committee approach used for the Running Back position through the first two weeks of the season and doing that should help the Bills keep the Offense in manageable Third Down spots against a Rams Defensive Line which has allowed 4.8 yards per carry.

There is no doubt that part of the reason a lot of people were not expecting a lot from the Los Angeles Rams was because of the down season that Jared Goff had at the Quarter Back position. Fewer Touchdown passes thrown and more Interceptions had people questioning whether Goff was going to be able to get the Rams over the line, but he has come out with 542 yards thrown through two games and led Los Angeles to two solid wins.

This week Goff is going to be going up against the best Defensive unit he has seen in 2020 and that is going to present a real challenge for him. The Buffalo Bills have some key players back to strengthen a unit that has not played as well as they can do in the first two games of the season and they could benefit from the fact that the Rams are down to a third string Running Back.

It has not been easy to run the ball against the Bills, but Los Angeles are a smart Offensive team that will use different schemes to open things up for their team. Short passes into screens can just loosen Defenses, and that may be the game plan without Malcolm Brown and Cam Akers in this game.

The Los Angeles Rams Offensive Line has played really well in protecting Jared Goff who can help with his scrambling ability as well throwing quick passes to negate any pass rush Buffalo can bring. This is a Defensive Line with plenty of ability to get to the Quarter Back, and that will help Buffalo to force mistakes when teams throw into a talented Secondary which also looks to have important players ready to go.

I do like the Bills in this game and I think the miles the Los Angeles Rams have had to travel over the last ten days is not going to help their cause, nor is the early slot in the Eastern Time window. They are 4-1 against the spread in their last five games as the favourite, although Buffalo did not cover last week, while the Rams are 5-12-1 against the spread in their last eighteen as the underdog.

I think this feels like a game in which the Bills will be making a statement to show they are one of the top teams in the NFL and I do think they are better than the Rams. Josh Allen can outplay Jared Goff in this one and I think they are good value to cover this spread even if the public are very much behind the Rams.

MY PICKS: Cleveland Browns - 6.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)

New England Patriots - 6 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Pittsburgh Steelers - 4 Points @ 1.86 Bet365 (2 Units)

New York Giants + 3 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Buffalo Bills - 2 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)

Los Angeles Chargers - 6.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Indianapolis Colts - 11.5 Points @ 1.91 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 6 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Seattle Seahawks - 4.5 Points @ 2.00 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Arizona Cardinals - 5.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Green Bay Packers + 3.5 Points @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)

French Open Tennis Day 1 Picks 2020 (September 27th)

I've never liked the fact that the French Open begins on a Sunday and that remains the case despite the fact that the tournament has had to be moved from May to the end of September.

Conditions are vastly different to what the players would have been dealing with if the tournament was played in its usual spot and I do think the weather is going to be a huge impact on the event with the poor forecast for the next two weeks in Paris.

The top names should be largely unaffected, but that doesn't help some of the others who will feel that this is a tournament they could potentially win.

I will have a longer post for the Day 2 Picks from the French Open, but on the Sunday First Round matches I am going to have to place my selections below.

MY PICKS: Kei Nishikori - 1.5 Sets @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Pablo Andujar - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Borna Coric - 7.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Federico Delbonis - 1.5 Sets @ 2.25 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Alexander Zverev - 7.5 Games @ 1.86 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2020 (September 26-28)

Two weeks of the Premier League might be in the books, but it has been a much more intense period than the players and the clubs are used to in normal circumstances.

Injuries and players still trying to improve their match fitness is where the majority of clubs feel they are at this stage of the season, although they only have another eight days before the UEFA Nations League returns.

You can't win the title at this stage, but teams won't want to be dropping too many points through the first four weeks of the new season and that does put pressure on the managers to get things right. The same can be said for Fantasy Football managers and I know how quickly things can change after a miserable GW2 following a reasonable start to the campaign.

I will have more thoughts about GW3 below following my thoughts on the Premier League games to be played from Saturday through to Monday.

Brighton v Manchester United Pick: Early goals were key for Manchester United in their 0-3 win at the Amex Stadium in June as they scored twice within the first half an hour and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be hoping for a much more intense start to this fixture than their opening Premier League fixture of the 2020/21 season.

Previous visits to this part of the south coast had been difficult for Manchester United who lost both of their previous games at the Amex Stadium.

Those came against Chris Hughton's Brighton who have tended to be a little more disciplined defensively compared with Graham Potter's team. That isn't to say that Brighton are not enjoying success under Potter, but it also means they are perhaps a little easier to play against for the top clubs who will know that their hosts won't sit deep, but instead will come out and try and get on top of them.

Chelsea punished Brighton 1-3 here, but it was only the extra quality in attacking areas which made them more clinical in a competitive game. The home team missed a big chance to equalise for a second time that day which may have changed the course of the fixture, but you can't ignore the fact that Brighton have lost to Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea at home since June.

The home team will create chances and get forward, but they do leave spaces to exploit at the back and this Manchester United team should be capable of doing that. I don't buy the excuses for the performance last week and I would expect the manager to pick a stronger team than he did for the defeat to Crystal Palace and that pace in the forward areas have benefit from the spaces Manchester United tend to get away from home.

They have created chances in their recent away games and Manchester United have won 4 on a row on their travels in the Premier League and scored at least twice in each. Three of those wins came against clubs that finished in the bottom seven and I do think Manchester United will appreciate the way Brighton will approach this game.

Brighton have created chances of their own in defeats to Liverpool and Chelsea and they might have deserved more in those games. However, they have been porous at the back and I will look for Manchester United to get their Premier League campaign off and running with a win in a game that features at least two goals.

Crystal Palace v Everton Pick: There are only five teams who have won both Premier League games played so far this season and two of them are meeting on Saturday in a big game at Selhurst Park. Both Crystal Palace and Everton would love to keep the momentum going before the international break which will begin at the end of next weekend and I think this could be a better game than the layers think it may be.

The first point I have to highlight is that the last two games between these clubs at Selhurst Park have both ended goalless so there is every chance they cancel each other out again.

We have yet to see a draw in the Premier League, but 5 of the last 7 between Crystal Palace and Everton on this ground have ended that way.

It definitely makes Everton feel plenty short to win here at close to odds on and I do think Crystal Palace will be very confident having deservedly beaten both Southampton and Manchester United. Both of those clubs ended last season in much better form than Everton, while the latter benefited from a first half sending off last weekend in their 5-2 success over West Brom.

Everton are playing well though and they are creating chances, but Jordan Pickford feels like a liability in goal and that will always give opponents a chance... Just ask Fleetwood Town who took advantage of a couple of mistakes to give Everton a scare in the League Cup Third Round during the week.

Crystal Palace were short of goals last season, but Roy Hodgson has moved to try and fix that problem and his team have looked very dangerous going forward in both League games played. Injuries at the back have seen Southampton and Manchester United create chances too, but Hodgson may feel the best form of defence is attack in their current state.

With that in mind I do think Crystal Palace will get forward and look to challenge an Everton backline which has conceded twice in each of their two games played over the last week. Roy Hodgson's team have been resting and preparing for this game and I do think they have enough in the final third to get on the scoreboard in this one despite the poor recent history of goals in this fixture.

The last two may have finished goalless between the clubs at Selhurst Park, but Everton have not been short of chances and their extra quality signed in the summer will feel they can end the barren sequence. Those players have already had an impact on Everton in the first two Premier League games of this season and I do think both teams can find the net in this one with the way their first two fixtures have developed.

Players like Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Wilfried Zaha are in form and scoring goals and I think that will help here.

This may be the first drawn game in the Premier League if recent history between the clubs is anything to go by, but this time I would expect both teams to hit the back of the net.

West Brom v Chelsea Pick: There is a real optimism about the team Chelsea are building having spent as much on young, quality players as they did in the off-season. That expenditure has raised expectations and it was perhaps no surprise to hear some fans being critical of Frank Lampard for the approach and the eventual result against Liverpool last Sunday at Stamford Bridge.

I was a little surprised by the approach myself, but for long periods it looked like Chelsea had got things right before Andreas Christensen was sent off moments before half time. Ultimately that changed the entire game and Chelsea were seen off, while Lampard will also be better judged when he has his first team healthy as possible.

Key players are going to miss out again this weekend, but Chelsea's level of opponent is not as high as it was last week. During the past few days they have hammered Barnsley in the League Cup to show what they can do when they get going and Chelsea also have a win at Brighton under their belt.

Now they are facing a West Brom team that arguably were fortunate to earn promotion to the Premier League in July and who have looked porous at the back. They have conceded eight goals in their two Premier League games, although there are factors that can't be ignored (two penalties against Leicester City and a first half sending off at Everton).

Even then you do have to worry about the defensive approach of this team and I do think Chelsea are more than capable of exposing the West Brom backline. They showed their attacking qualities in winning at Brighton and I do think The Baggies have shown a much greater vulnerability in their opening games.

Leicester City ended up with a comfortable win at The Hawthorns on the opening weekend and ultimately I think Chelsea will be able to do the same. Kai Havertz scored three times during the week, but it may be the turn of Timo Werner to announce himself in England and I think the visitors cover the Asian Handicap in the victory.

Burnley v Southampton Pick: There was a real sense of expectation around Southampton both in reality and in fantasy terms ahead of the new season, but it has been a very poor start for the team. Ralph Hasenhuttl might be bemoaning a bit of poor luck/finishing, but Southampton have to be a lot better defensively if they are not going to be dragged into another relegation scrap this season.

It was some really shoddy work being done by the defenders last week in the 2-5 home loss to Tottenham Hotspur, but Southampton exited the League Cup in the Second Round and that means they have had a week to prepare for this fixture.

The manager will have wanted to make use of all that time having seen his team lose twice to Burnley last season in the Premier League. Burnley did not create a lot of chances to produce five goals, but this has become a feature of Sean Dyche's teams and I do think the performances over the last week shows they are a club that will be safe in the Premier League despite the rumours about the manager not being happy at Turf Moor.

Burnley scored twice at Leicester City last weekend, albeit in a losing effort, and they managed two more goals at Millwall in the League Cup to progress to the Fourth Round. I would be a little concerned by the fact that Burnley have not scored more than a single goal in any of their last 6 games at Turf Moor in all competitions, especially as they have only earned a single clean sheet in that time, and perhaps that is why they are the underdog here.

I can't be having Burnley as an underdog against an opponent that has lost 3 games in a row, but I also think this could be a game that continues the early trend in the Premier League over the first two weeks of the season. That trend has seen a huge amount of goals being scored in the English top flight as teams perhaps struggle with their fitness levels after a shortened pre-season than usual.

Both games between these clubs produced three goals last season and the game at Turf Moor saw both create chances. Neither have defended as well as they would have liked to open the season, but I think the managers will be impressed with some of the attacking elements to their game and that may lead to a higher than expected amount of goals.

Sheffield United v Leeds United Pick: The Yorkshire derby games between Sheffield United and Leeds United were intense and competitive two seasons ago as both chased down a spot in the Premier League.

Both teams earned narrow away wins, but chances were created by both sides and that will encourage Chris Wilder and Marcelo Bielsa. Since their last meeting both clubs have now returned to English Football's top flight and there will be a real belief that both have enough to survive at this level.

The opening games have been more positive for Leeds United than Sheffield United, but Chris Wilder will not be panicking just yet. His Sheffield United team may have lost 5 League games in a row, but The Blades have remained competitive and arguably deserved more from their 1-0 defeat at Villa Park on Monday night.

They were not helped by the relatively early sending off, while Dean Henderson's return to Manchester United is also a blow to the club. A lack of goals will be a concern for Chris Wilder considering Sheffield United have scored once in their last 5 Premier League games and only managed 39 in total through the entirety of the 2019/20 season.

Only four clubs managed fewer goals than The Blades, but they should find spaces to exploit against Leeds United who have conceded seven times in two League games back in the top flight. That will encourage Sheffield United who have created chances and I do think they can pose problems which could make a mockery of the fact that Chris Wilder's men are the home underdog.

You have to respect Leeds United under their current manager though and the week to prepare is something Marcelo Bielsa will have made full use of. Having Pablo Hernandez sidelined is a blow, but Leeds United have shown they have pace and ability in the final third which will give them a chance against any opponent they face in the Premier League.

Defensively there are holes and I do think at the moment Leeds United feel they need to outscore teams to earn points. It should encourage an open and entertaining fixture on Sunday and I think the two teams may surprise the layers by combining for at least three goals.

My very narrow lean is with Sheffield United, but having Henderson return to Manchester United and losing John Egan to suspension tempers the enthusiasm for the home team. We saw The Blades look vulnerable when the key players were not in action for them at the end of last season and I think both teams are likely to hit the net in this one.

Sheffield United and Leeds United should both be pushing for the three points though and I think that will help produce a fixture with at least three goals scored.

Tottenham Hotspur v Newcastle United Pick: This is an important game for both Jose Mourinho and Steve Bruce as they look to manage their teams through the very busy first month of the 2020/21 season.

Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United have both earned 3 points from a possible 6 in the Premier League and both enjoyed Cup wins during the week. There is another similarity in that both clubs have lost their first home Premier League game of the season, and they have won more away games than at home so far.

That might encourage Newcastle United who beat Tottenham Hotspur 0-1 here last season and who have won 4 of their last 6 visits to a fixture hosted by Spurs. Steve Bruce is likely going to set his deep up to be very cautious defensively and make Tottenham Hotspur work for everything they get, and he certainly won't want to make the same start as last Sunday when his team were 0-2 down to Brighton inside seven minutes.

A strong win in the League Cup and a very winnable tie coming up should give Newcastle United confidence they can put a strong run together before the next international break. However, the defensive injuries are adding up and Newcastle United have allowed their two Premier League opponents to create some very good chances.

Now they have to deal with a Tottenham Hotspur team who were playing in Macedonia on Thursday evening and who are coming off 3 pretty good wins. The travelling is a concern, but Jose Mourinho was able to rotate his squad to some extent and that should mean the players are fresh enough to compete in this Premier League fixture.

Tottenham Hotspur have been creating chances in all of their games played so far this season and they have players like Heung-Min Son and Harry Kane in fine form in front of goal. I think that will give them the edge against something of a bogey team in North London, especially as Tottenham Hotspur won 1-3 at St James' Park in July.

I do think Steve Bruce's men can have an impact on the match too, but my feeling is that Spurs will have a little too much against a team missing their starting goalkeeper. The quick turnaround from the Europa League Qualifier is not ideal for Tottenham Hotspur, but they can edge to the victory on Sunday.

Manchester City v Leicester City Pick: This is one of the big Premier League games of the weekend as Manchester City and Leicester City look to show they are ready for the long and tough schedule of fixtures that are in front of them over the next several months.

Both clubs finished in the top five last season and there will be some feeling in the Midlands that Leicester City can use the experiences of last season to take another step forward this time around. Joining the title race might be too much for Leicester City, but the early season form is encouraging and Brendan Rodgers will want his team to show the rest of the Premier League what they are about in this one.

They were beaten in both Premier League games against Manchester City last season though and Pep Guardiola's men have come out this season with a pretty strong performance in seeing off Wolves at Molineux.

While more signings may yet be made, Manchester City know they have to be a lot more consistent this season if they are going to close the gap to Champions Liverpool. The win at Wolves shows the team are going to be up for the fight and I do think they will largely enjoy playing Leicester City even though the latter are going to be dangerous on the counter attack.

Manchester City did create a lot of chances in their two wins over Leicester City in the Premier League last season and they look like they will have too much for them again. As good as Leicester City have looked in their opening two games, they are now playing a team that is much stronger than West Brom or Burnley.

The home team should be able to come through with a relatively straight forward win by the time this one is in the books.

West Ham United v Wolves Pick: There will be some serious testing done at West Ham United in the coming days after two players and David Moyes came back with positive tests for Coronavirus ahead of their League Cup tie played last Tuesday.

A severe outbreak could see this live game on Sunday cancelled and postponed for another time, but for now the players will be focusing on their training and looking for a first League point of the 2020/21 season.

The Hammers will actually be looking for their first League points against Wolves since the latter returned to the top flight. In fact West Ham United have not scored in any of the 4 games played against Wolves in that time and it won't be easy to change that here.

However West Ham United have to be encouraged by the away performance at Arsenal last Saturday and they are a team that can create chances. They will be going up against a Wolves team that are transitioning the squad a little bit, but who continue to perform at a high level which makes them very difficult to beat.

In saying that, Wolves have not been watertight at the back and that should give West Ham United a chance to at least finally break their streak of failing to score against this opponent. They are a threat from set pieces and there is some pace in the West Ham United ranks, although defensively they remain vulnerable.

Wolves have shown they are certainly capable going forward and I would be surprised if they are not able to score here. They are favourites deservedly, but I do think West Ham United can finally break down the Wolves door for the first time since January 2016 and so expecting both teams to hit the net looks to the be the most likely outcome here.

Fulham v Aston Villa Pick: Two seasons ago Fulham had returned to the Premier League and made huge investments in the transfer market during the off-season to prepare for the top flight.

Things went horribly wrong for them and they were going to be inevitably relegated when Scott Parker was appointed as caretaker manager. He impressed enough to be given the permanent role and has helped Fulham earn promotion back to the Premier League at the firs time of asking, but a shortened off-season and not having the same policy as two years ago has made them favourites for relegation along with West Brom.

The early indications are not good as Fulham have looked miserable defensively, but they deserved more than they got at Leeds United last weekend. Scott Parker will be looking to build on that performance, although Fulham only won 6 of 19 home games at this level two seasons ago and look like one of the weaker teams in the Division.

In saying all that, I am not sure what Aston Villa have done to deserve favouritism in an away game in the Premier League. They were fortunate to eventually beat Sheffield United last week despite their visitors playing with ten men for the majority of the fixture, and I am not going to place a lot of stock in their two League Cup wins at Burton Albion and Bristol City.

Aston Villa have made some decent signings, but this is a team who won just 2 of 19 away games in the Premier League last season and were beaten at Bournemouth and Watford, two teams who eventually were relegated to the Championship.

Since the three month break, Aston Villa have played better all around, but there is still a feeling that they don't score enough goals. They have purchased players to improve on the numbers, but I don't think Aston Villa are deserving of being away favourites at any ground in the Premier League.

Fulham have a strong record at home against this opponent and there was enough to like from them in their 4-3 loss at Leeds United. Defensively there will need to be improvements, but a fixture like this one might not see Fulham fully exploited anyway and being able to get behind the home underdog looks like the right approach.

The draw could be a real player in this one, but I would be surprised if Fulham were to be beaten. A defeat and they might already want to plan on how to prepare for life back in the Championship before the fans are invited back into the Stadiums.

Liverpool v Arsenal Pick: These two teams will become familiar with one another over the coming days having already met at Wembley last month and having two games to come in the Premier League and the League Cup Fourth Round at Anfield.

There are likely to be differing line ups used for the League and League Cup fixtures, but that won't lessen the desire of the two managers to oversee two statement wins.

Arsenal are clearly a side progressing under Mikel Arteta and they have been clinical under the Spaniard, even if the defensive performances have perhaps not been as strong as some of the results have indicated.

Those defensive performances will be tested to the fullest by a Liverpool team that scored 52 Premier League goals at Anfield last season and have already produced four in the win over Leeds United. Their victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge underlines why so many believe Liverpool can defend the Premier League title and they were able to rest many of their key players in the 2-7 win at Lincoln City in the League Cup on Thursday.

Mikel Arteta will also restore some key players, and his team are well drilled and can cause problems with the pace they have on the counter attack. Their wins over Liverpool in the Premier League and Community Shield under Arteta will only increase the confidence at a ground where Arsenal have suffered some heavy losses in recent seasons.

I do think Arsenal will be able to get forward and test a Liverpool team that have conceded at least three times in their last 2 Premier League games here. However, I also think Liverpool are not going to be as wasteful in front of goal as they were when losing 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium in July.

On another day Liverpool would have won very comfortably with the level of performance produced and I think that may be the case at the end of this one. While I don't underestimate Arsenal in their current form, Liverpool are still considerably stronger and look to have the goals and the confidence to hurt a team that does give more chances than the overall numbers being conceded will suggest.

Liverpool have scored at least twice in 9 of their last 10 Premier League games at Anfield and I think they will get to that mark in a winning effort on Monday Night Football.

MY PICKS: Manchester United to Win & Over 1.5 Goals

Crystal Palace-Everton Both Teams to Score- YES

Chelsea - 1.25 Asian Handicap

Burnley-Southampton Over 2.5 Goals

Sheffield United-Leeds United Over 2.5 Goals
Tottenham Hotspur & Over 1.5 Goals

Manchester City - 1.5 Asian Handicap

West Ham United-Wolves Both Teams to Score- YES

Fulham + 0.25 Asian Handicap

Liverpool & Over 1.5 Goals

Fantasy Football GameWeek 3

GW2 was pretty brutal for a lot of people, but I have to be most disappointed with my late decision to bring in Marcus Rashford instead of Heung-Min Son.

It might not have changed the week into a really strong one, but it certainly would have made up for the fact that the majority of my starters offered nothing of significance.

In hindsight it looked an obvious miss, but I never would have expected Son to score four goals away from home while Rashford and Manchester United struggled as badly as they did.

After watching much of the Southampton collapse against Tottenham Hotspur I did really consider changing the plan and going with the early Wild Card... But instead of making a rash decision I stepped away, had a coffee and a spot of lunch and ultimately waited to see how the rest of the weekend would go.

It would be very easy to panic that some of my early differentials have not had the impact I would have wanted, but the underlying stats have given me enough belief to stick with the idea of not using the Wild Card this side of the next international break.

One decision I did want to make on Monday evening was removing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and bring in Kevin De Bruyne and to avoid waiting for the Belgian to increase in price. Fortunately that did end up being a transfer made before that was the case, although the unfortunate part is that De Bruyne picked up a slight worry against Bournemouth in the League Cup and is potentially going to miss out.

I won't lie, I have been frustrated by Che Adams for a second season in a row as he continues to find himself at the end of glorious chances but for some reason is attempting to hit through goalkeepers rather than either side of him. He isn't the best finisher, but the overall performances should mean Adams continues to earn a start for Southampton who have fixtures that can still be taken advantage of.

My patience will be running thin though and I am looking for more consistency from the eleven being picked- my bottom line at the moment is I picked a squad I believed in through the first four GWs which included using my transfers and I am sticking with the plan despite the kick in the teeth I took last week.

Hopefully the restraint will be rewarded over the next three days.