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My selection is on Pittsburgh minus the points over Cincinnati at 8:15 pm et on Monday.

After cashing with Pittsburgh in an ATS but not SU victory in San Francisco last Sunday, I like the Steelers to cover the number again, albeit as a favorite this time around. This is an excellent matchup for the Steelers defense to absolutely tee off on a Bengals offensive line that has struggled to open up running lanes for Joe Mixon while also allowing opponents to get a ton of pressure on QB Andy Dalton. Should the Steelers build a lead they'll be able to pin their ears back and force a key turnover or two as this game progresses. On the flip side, the Steelers offense will likely go back to basics here and let RB James Conner go to work against a Bengals defense that has surrendered a whopping 5.2 yards per rush this season. Last week's matchup wasn't good for Steelers QB Mason Rudolph but he should bounce back against a much more favorable draw here. Cincinnati has not done a good job of generating pressure on opposing quarterbacks, recording just five sacks so far this season. Take Pittsburgh (10*).

NFL NFC Game of the Month. My selection is on Los Angeles minus the points over Tampa Bay at 4:05 pm et on Sunday.

This game has blowout written all over it as the Rams return home following a business-like 20-13 win in Cleveland last Sunday night. Los Angeles used a supreme defensive effort to hold off a hungry Browns squad in that one but here should be able to get loose offensively, particularly through the air against a struggle Bucs pass defense. On the flip side, I don’t see the Bucs accomplishing much in this one with the Rams outstanding secondary likely to take care of business against the dynamic duo of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Tampa Bay’s ground game is a virtual non-factor and playing from behind on Sunday isn’t likely to change that. Look for another dominant performance from the Rams as they remain undefeated with another convincing win. Take Los Angeles (10*).

My selection is on Kansas City minus the points over Detroit at 1 pm et on Sunday.

Perhaps due to their weak defense and the surprising start of the Lions, the Chiefs remain a relatively short road favorite in Detroit on Sunday afternoon. We won with the Lions in their upset victory in Philadelphia last week but that had more to do with the Eagles laundry list of injuries than anything else. This may be a showdown between two undefeated teams but they really couldn’t be at much more opposite ends of the spectrum offensively. The Chiefs just keep rolling along and catch the Lions in a tough spot with a number of key injuries on the defensive side of the football, the least concerning of which to CB Darius Slay. QB Patrick Mahomes should be in for another monster performance in ideal conditions at Ford Field on Sunday afternoon. Kansas City’s struggles defending the run will likely encourage the Lions, already a ‘run-first’ team, to pound the football on the ground here, but it’s the wrong move in my opinion as Detroit simply won’t be able to keep pace with an explosive Chiefs offense by running the football. Take Kansas City (10*).

My selection is on Los Angeles minus the points over Cleveland at 8:20 pm et on Sunday.

This is a tough spot for the Browns, returning home on a short week to face one of the league's best teams, and potentially doing so without a number of key cogs. Cleveland enters this game banged-up after Monday's win over the Jets, losing TE David Njoku and OLB Christian Kirksey to injuries in that game. The Rams come in relatively healthy and off an easier-than-expected home win over the Saints thanks to Drew Brees' injury. The Browns will certainly be up for this opportunity to prove that all of the preseason hype was warranted but the fact is, they haven't looked very good through two games, and I don't believe they can hang around for 60 minutes against a vastly superior team. Yes, Rams QB Jared Goff has struggled in games such as this, on the road in primetime, but that has little bearing here as he's a more experienced quarterback now and figures to have learned how to better handle these situations. Los Angeles is well-positioned to move to 3-0 on Sunday night. Take Los Angeles (10*).

My selection is on Pittsburgh plus the points over San Francisco at 4:25 pm et on Sunday.

Most are quick to write off the Steelers after losing QB Ben Roethlisberger for the season in last week’s home loss to the Seahawks. I’m not sure we’re going to see much of a dropoff in offensive production with backup QB Mason Rudolph at the helm, however. It’s not as if Big Ben was lighting it up for the Steelers in early action this season. In fact, it was Rudolph that gave the team a major spark and moved the football at will after entering last week’s game. It appears Steelers RB James Conner will be good to go this week after an injury scare. Even if he can’t, the Steelers have excellent depth at the position with Jaylen Samuels a dynamic playmaker as well. San Francisco came up with a nice blowout win in Cincinnati last week, moving to a surprising 2-0 on the season. Let’s not get carried away with that result, however, as the Bengals figure to be a bottom-tier team. The Steelers aren’t about to completely shut down the 49ers offense on the road this week, but I do look for them to bounce back from consecutive awful performances against the Patriots and Seahawks in what was certainly a difficult two-game slate to open the campaign. Simply put, we’re being given too many points in a game that could go either way. Take Pittsburgh (10*).

My selection is on Seattle minus the points over New Orleans at 4:25 pm et on Sunday.

New Orleans stays on the west coast for a second straight week after suffering a loss against the Rams in Los Angeles last Sunday afternoon. The Saints will have to go forward without their heart and soul, QB Drew Brees, and that doesn’t bode well as their backups Teddy Bridgewater and Taysom Hill represent a major dropoff in talent (and likely production) as far as I’m concerned. Head coach Sean Payton wouldn’t even confirm that Bridgewater is his starter for this game and that’s not encouraging. Yes, the Saints still have plenty of talent, but this is a tough draw against a Seahawks squad that is off to a terrific start to the season. Seattle’s defensive strength has been against the run in the early going this season, holding the opposition to 3.75 yards per rush. If the Seahawks can keep Saints RB Alvin Kamara in check in this one that will obviously go a long way toward securing a victory. New Orleans hasn’t shown any semblance of a run defense through two games, giving up nearly six yards per rush and things aren’t going to get any easier now that LB Alex Anzalone is sidelined. The Seahawks offensive balance should give the Saints defense fits in this game and it’s hard not to like what we’ve seen from QB Russell Wilson who is off to one of the best starts of his career. He and WR Tyler Lockett are completely in sync right now and the Saints will be hard-pressed to keep them in check here. Take Seattle (10*).

NFL Non-Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Minnesota minus the points over Oakland at 1 pm et on Sunday.

Fresh off an ugly loss against the rival Packers at Lambeau Field last Sunday this is an ideal ‘get right’ spot for the Vikings back home against the Raiders. Oakland got manhandled by the Chiefs in a game that could have been even more lopsided had Kansas City not taken its foot off the gas last week. Now the Raiders have to travel two time zones east for an early 12 noon local start on Sunday afternoon. There’s not much to get excited about when it comes to the Raiders offense and this is a brutal matchup against what will be a highly-motivated and ultra-talented Vikings defense. Minnesota employs a ‘run-first’ offense to be sure, but that’s fine as RB Dalvin Cook has arguably been the best back in football so far this season. He should have little trouble putting this game away when called upon on Sunday afternoon but before that look for QB Kirk Cousins to bounce back from last week’s no-show in Green Bay with an efficient afternoon under center. Take Minnesota (10*).

My selection is on Cleveland minus the points over New York at 8:15 pm et on Monday.

This is essentially a must-win game for the Browns facing a Jets squad that will be missing its starting quarterback Sam Darnold among others. While New York does still have some upside with RB Le'Veon Bell cleared to play after undergoing an MRI on his shoulder last week, we can count on the Browns focusing their entire defensive gameplan on taking Bell away and forcing backup QB Trevor Siemian to beat them. Note that Bell played 100% of the snaps in the Jets Week 1 loss against Buffalo. It's hard to say if he'll be as explosive here given he didn't play a single snap a year ago. Cleveland's offensive line is terrible. Let's get that straight. I do believe we'll see QB Baker Mayfield turn in a strong bounce-back performance here, however, as his terrific wide receiving corps should have a field day against a weak Jets secondary. RB Nick Chubb is more than capable of putting this game away against an undermanned Jets run defense that is missing a couple of key cogs in C.J. Mosley and Quinnen Williams. Take Cleveland (10*).

AFC West Game of the Year. My selection is on Kansas City minus the points over Oakland at 4:05 pm et on Sunday.

We won with the ‘over’ in the Chiefs season-opening win in Jacksonville and I won’t hesitate to get involved in their Week 2 game as well, laying the points in this spot. Kansas City looked every bit as dominant offensively as it did a year ago last week against the Jaguars, putting up 40 points without barely breaking a sweat. With that being said, the news wasn’t all good as the Chiefs did lose WR Tyreek Hill to an injury that will cost him at least a month of action. It’s obviously not the end of the world, however, as Kansas City is by no means short on offensive depth. WR Sammy Watkins turned in one of the best performances of Week 1 and now it might just be rookie WR Mecole Hardman’s turn to bust out. Regardless how the Chiefs choose to attack the Raiders defense, I’m confident they’ll have plenty of success, noting that they scored 75 points in two meetings with Oakland last season. The Raiders are coming off a win but I certainly didn’t come away overly impressed as they were essentially handed that game by the Broncos, who simply didn’t show up. QB Derek Carr was efficient in the win but again relied on a slow-paced, conservative offensive gameplan – something that simply isn’t going to translate success against a Chiefs squad that can seemingly score at will. Oakland’s Monday night victory was probably the best thing we could have hoped for as it helps to keep this line in check. The Chiefs have blowout potential most weeks and this one is no exception. Take Kansas City (10*).

My selection is on Denver minus the points over Oakland at 10:15 pm et on Monday.

The Raiders are saying all the right things after releasing Antonio Brown on Saturday, suggesting they're better off without all the drama Brown had stirred up. It's all smoke and mirrors as far as I'm concerned though. This is a bad Raiders squad, and one that gets considerably worse without Brown. Oakland will have little hope of keeping QB Derek Carr upright without their two starting guards, especially considering they'll be facing the Broncos vaunted pass rush led by sophomore Bradley Chubb and all-world Von Miller. I don't have a great deal of faith in QB Joe Flacco at this stage of his career but I also don't think he'll be asked to do too much for Denver on Monday night, or this season in general. Look for the Broncos to grind away on offense while their defense takes care of the rest, earning them a key AFC West win to open the season. Take Denver (10*).

NFL Sunday Night Football Game of the Month. My selection is on Pittsburgh plus the points over New England at 8:20 pm et on Sunday.

This really is the start of a new era for the Pittsburgh Steelers with both RB Le'Veon Bell and WR Antonio Brown join new teams in the offseason. It's a fresh start for the franchise as far as I'm concerned and while they've certainly struggled here in New England over the years, I am confident they can give the Patriots all they can handle to open the 2019 season. With WR JuJu Smith-Schuster being shadowed by Pats CB Stephon Gilmore I expect the Steelers offense to center around RB James Conner in this game. He was used sparingly in the preseason but looked even stronger than he did during his breakout campaign in the absence of Bell last year. The Patriots certainly aren't immune to slow starts (remember they lost their home opener against the Chiefs following their Super Bowl win two years ago). I'm high on the Steelers defense entering this season and look for them to give Tom Brady some headaches on Sunday night. It's worth noting that New England's usually rock solid offensive line has suffered a couple of key losses and will have its work cut out for it trying to keep the Steelers vaunted pass rush at bay. Take Pittsburgh (10*).

My selection is on Dallas minus the points over New York at 4:25 pm et on Sunday.

I'm confident that the Cowboys will absolutely go off offensively against what projects to be a bad Giants defense on Sunday afternoon. On the flip side, the Dallas defense will get to tee off on Giants QB Eli Manning - quite possibly for the last time as rookie Daniel Jones is ready to take over the starting job at a moment's notice. Giants fans may hold out hope that Saquon Barkley can keep them competitive in this Week 1 NFC East showdown but should the G-Men fall behind early, he'll undoubtedly be relegated to pass catching duty against the Cowboys zone. I'm generally not all that high on Dak Prescott and the Cowboys offense but I'm certainly willing to make an exception here. Prescott should be given all the time he wants to operate with the Giants pass rush a non-factor (especially after losing Olivier Vernon in the offseason). Zeke may be back but you can count on rookie preseason standout Tony Pollard getting some action here as well, and I'm confident both Cowboys backs will produce and ultimately put this one away with time to spare. Take Dallas (10*).

My selection is on Baltimore minus the points over Miami at 1 pm et on Sunday.

We’ve seen a considerable adjustment to the spread in this game since opening but I’m not sure the oddsmakers can set the line high enough. The Dolphins may not plan on ‘tanking’ (according to rookie head coach Brian Flores) but you wouldn’t know it by the fire sale they’ve employed in recent weeks. This is a team largely void of top-level talent at all skill positions on offense and supported by a defense that just isn’t going to be very good. Meanwhile, the Ravens ceiling is extremely high this year with a number of key players on both sides of the football set up well for breakout seasons. This is the perfect matchup for Baltimore to tee things up as QB Lamar Jackson and the offense should have little trouble controlling proceedings and ultimately putting this game away in the second half. Take Baltimore (10*).

My selection is on Philadelphia minus the points over Washington at 1 pm et on Sunday.

The Eagles defense should absolutely feast on an overmatched Redskins offense on Sunday afternoon. It’s hard to figure the logic behind starting Case Keenum under center given his recent track record, and the lack of talented offensive weapons around him. The Redskins are very much ‘hoping for the best’ until rookie Dwayne Haskins can take over the starting job. This is a nightmarish matchup for an extremely weak Washington offensive line as perhaps no team can bring the heat on opposing quarterbacks like the Eagles defensive front. Eagles QB Carson Wentz is set up to get off to a terrific start here. While the Redskins have a couple of studs in the secondary, they can’t cover everyone and I certainly anticipate Alshon Jeffery and DeSean Jackson having big games on Sunday afternoon. It’s highly likely that the Eagles defense will be setting their offense up with short fields all day long, and I’m confident we’ll see Wentz take full advantage. Take Philadelphia (10*).

My selection is on New England minus the points over Los Angeles at 6:30 pm et on Sunday.

I have a lot of respect for the Rams. I don't believe the missed pass interference call in that win over the Saints tarnishes their appearance in the Super Bowl one bit. But here's the thing - motivation has probably never been higher for the Patriots and Brady and Belichick in particular. I simply don't see this New England squad losing back-to-back Super Bowls, plain and simple. I will say that if the Rams had a healthy Cooper Kupp I may actually be leaning their way here. His absence means that much. RB C.J. Anderson has stolen some of Todd Gurley's thunder for the Rams but I don't expect Belichick's approach to waver one bit - he'll key on Gurley in this one and force Anderson and ultimately QB Jared Goff to beat them. I do expect Goff to play well in this game and the fast track in Atlanta does favor the Rams and their incredible team speed. With that being said, the Patriots come in with a big chip on their shoulder, whether self-manufactured or not, and I look for them to win the Vince Lombardi Trophy once again. Take New England (10*).

My selection is on Kansas City minus the points over New England at 6:40 pm et on Sunday.

We won with the Chiefs last weekend and I won't hesitate to go back to the well with the same play this week as they host the Patriots in the AFC Championship. Home field means a lot in this matchup. We saw the Chiefs fall just short in a Sunday nighter in Foxborough earlier this season. I give Kansas City credit for sticking around in a hostile environment on that night. Not a lot went right for the Chiefs at times in that game, but they ultimately came just a hair short of pulling off the upset. Now the shoe is on the other foot as Kansas City gets New England at Arrowhead Stadium where it owns one of the strongest home field advantages in football. The Chiefs have been a completely different team here at home, particularly on the defensive side of the football. After manhandling the Colts surging offense last week, I believe they're in excellent position to contain Tom Brady and company this Sunday. On the flip side, the Chiefs can score on anyone and while the Patriots defense is playing well and has certainly been an opportunistic bunch, I'm confident in Kansas City's ability to mix things up through the air and on the ground and ultimately hang a crooked number on the scoreboard on Sunday. The Patriots absolutely annihilated the Chargers last week but won't be spotted a big early lead again here. The Chiefs get their revenge and advance to the Super Bowl. Take Kansas City (10*).

NFL Game of the Year. My selection is on New Orleans minus the points over Los Angeles at 3:05 pm et on Sunday.

We cashed a ticket fading the Saints last week as they escaped with a narrow win over the Eagles. I won't hesitate to switch gears and back New Orleans this time around as they try to defeat the Rams for the second time this season, and advance to the Super Bowl for the first time in nearly a decade. Give the Rams credit as they made the red hot Cowboys look rather punchless in last week's dominant victory at home. But now they face a much tougher challenge as they travel to New Orleans, where the Saints own an incredible home field advantage. We didn't see the Saints bring their 'A' game offensively last week, but their defense more than made up for it with a particularly strong finish, keyed by a critical interception in the game's final minute. While the Saints run defense has been terrific this season, I do think the Rams will make some gains on the ground in this one. With that being said, I believe this game comes down to whether Rams QB Jared Goff can get it done against the Saints secondary, or at least keep pace with the legend on the other side in Drew Brees. I don't see it happening. The Saints offense has another gear that I expect to see it reach this Sunday. Unlike last week when their performance was a little disjointed, I look for New Orleans to come out strong and ultimately pull away for a win and cover to advance to the Super Bowl in Atlanta. Take New Orleans (10*).

My selection is on Philadelphia plus the points over New Orleans at 4:40 pm et on Sunday.

The Eagles got blown out of the water the last time they faced the Saints right here in New Orleans back on November 18th. However, much like last year, these Eagles are looking a lot different in January. QB Nick Foles has stepped in and relished the underdog role once again this year and I really do feel he’s a guy the entire team rallies around and they believe they can win with him under center. I liked some of the wrinkles the Eagles added to the offensive playbook against the Bears and it’s not as if they’re taking a step up in class, at least as far as the defense they’re facing goes, here in New Orleans. Playing against that vaunted Bears defense on the road was no easy task and the Eagles found a way to do just enough to secure a victory. The Saints are certainly tough to beat here at the Superdome but we don’t actually need the Eagles to win outright to cash this ticket. Keep in mind, during the regular season we saw the Buccaneers win outright and the Browns, Rams and Steelers all give the Saints serious scares here in New Orleans. If we know one thing about the Eagles, they’re not going to back down from a challenge and I’m confident they’ll find a way to hang around in this ball game. There are key matchups the Philadelphia offense can exploit against a good but not great Saints defense, enough so that they can stick around should this turn into a shootout. Take Philadelphia (10*).

My selection is on Dallas plus the points over Los Angeles at 8:15 pm et on Saturday.

I’ve been a bit slower than most to come around on the Cowboys and did cash a ticket with the Seahawks (barely) in Dallas last Saturday night. With that being said, I see this as a fine matchup for Dallas and actually believe it is capable of pulling off the outright upset. The Rams look like the classic case of a team peaking too early. They closed out the regular season with just two wins in their last four games, and those victories came against the Cardinals and 49ers. As far as I’m concerned, this is a team that peaked in that classic Monday night shootout victory over the Chiefs back in mid-November. Playing last week might have actually been best for the Rams as it would have given them an opportunity to keep building. Instead they go from a standing start against a surging Cowboys squad that believes it can beat anyone right now. Dallas’ offense runs through RB Ezekiel Elliott and I’m confident he’s in for a big game against this beatable Rams defense. I really like what the Cowboys have going for them with Elliott consistently moving the chains and a tremendous defense that doesn’t give up many easy yards. The Rams have had time to add plenty of wrinkles to their offense and we’ll undoubtedly see that on Saturday night but I’m confident in Dallas’ ability to take some punches but remain on its feet. Take Dallas (10*).

My selection is on Kansas City minus the points over Indianapolis at 4:35 pm et on Saturday.

We won with the Colts in last week’s blowout win in Houston but I won’t hesitate to go the other way and back the Chiefs as they kick off what they hope will be a Super Bowl run on Saturday afternoon. First of all, we know that Kansas City owns one of the strongest home field advantages in football playing at Arrowhead Stadium. For the Colts this will be their third consecutive road game in as many weeks while the Chiefs enjoyed a much-needed off week to open the playoffs. I’ve been high on Indianapolis for much of the season but there’s no question it benefited from a favorable schedule and here takes a big step up in class against a hungry, talented and highly-motivated Chiefs squad. Note that the Chiefs have been a far better defensive team at home, where they hold the opposition to around 18 points per game compared to north of 30 ppg on the road. The Colts offense is good but not great. That unit has certainly been buoyed by the schedule they’ve faced. The same goes for the Colts defense, which runs into a true juggernaut here. I’m confident we’ll see the Chiefs march up and down the field all afternoon long on Saturday. There were concerns after the Kareem Hunt suspension and subsequent release but as we’ve seen across the league in recent years, running back has become somewhat of a ‘plug-and-play’ position and I like what I’ve seen from a rejuvenated Damien Williams in the backfield. Maybe the Colts keep up in a track meet but I’m more confident in the Chiefs getting enough stops on defense as the game progresses to secure a comfortable victory. Take Kansas City (10*).

NFL Wild Card Game of the Year. My selection is on Baltimore minus the points over Los Angeles at 1:05 pm et on Sunday.

I’ll lay the points with the Ravens in this matchup as they catch the Chargers in a favorable matchup, playing an early afternoon game on the east coast on Sunday. The Ravens have already proven they can beat the Chargers, and they did so on the road no less, back before Christmas. Baltimore simply isn’t the same team it was earlier in the season. Since installing QB Lamar Jackson as the starting quarterback, the Ravens have gone run-heavy, in fact they’ve been the most run-heavy team in the league, playing keep-away against every opponent they’ve faced. I expect nothing different here, and I like the fact that they’re facing a Chargers squad that seemingly peaked too early this season, perhaps doing so on that Thursday night win in Kansas City in early December. I have a lot of confidence in the Ravens ability on both sides of the football, with their defense putting together an incredible body of work over the course of the entire season. Their ability to step up and finish off a surging Browns offense on the final season-saving drive last Sunday afternoon was tremendous. Look for them to build off of that performance here. Maybe I would have more confidence in Los Angeles were it not for all of the injuries do-it-all RB Melvin Gordon has dealt with. This is quite simply a beaten up Chargers offense right now, and one I can’t see walking into Baltimore and stealing a win on Sunday. Take Baltimore (10*).

My selection is on Seattle plus the points over Dallas at 8:15 pm et on Saturday.

I’ll grab the points with the Seahawks as they have an excellent shot at ‘upsetting’ the Cowboys in Dallas. The Cowboys inexplicably showed up and played their starters most of the way on the road against the Giants last week (save for RB Ezekiel Elliott) and ultimately pulled out a victory on a miraculous Cole Beasley touchdown pass in the game’s final minute. Now they face a much tougher challenge and do so with a lot of pressure on them to win. Seattle is essentially playing with house money at this point. The Seahawks have exceeded all expectations after cleaning house and getting off to a sluggish start to the season. I love the evolution we’ve seen from the Seahawks offense over the course of the season with RB Chris Carson taking on a feature role. That should serve them well as they go against a Cowboys run defense that is good but not great, and showed signs of wearing down during the stretch run. Unlike the other west coast team on Wild Card Weekend (Chargers), the Seahawks benefit from getting a primetime game, and only have to travel two time zones east at that. Take Seattle (10*).

My selection is on Indianapolis plus the points over Houston at 4:35 pm et on Saturday.

The Colts are arguably the league’s hottest team entering the playoffs and after winning with them last Sunday night in Tennessee, I won’t hesitate to go back to the well with the same play as they travel to face the Texans on Wild Card Saturday. The argument can certainly be made that the Colts are the healthier team entering this matchup and I really like the advantage they have with their passing game against a Texans pass defense that looks a lot better on paper than it does on the field. Houston really benefited from a favorable schedule as far as facing elite passing offenses goes. Here, it will face an uphill climb against a red hot Andrew Luck, who has done a tremendous job spreading the football around in this Colts offense. Defensively, the Colts quietly had one of the better units in the league over the course of the regular season, and this is a group that really came together down the stretch. The Texans are capable of putting some points on the board this game, but I believe they will be playing from behind much of the way, and I’m not convinced that they can make enough clutch plays down the stretch to secure a win. Take Indianapolis (10*).

My selection is on Indianapolis minus the points over Tennessee at 8:20 pm et on Sunday.

A classic 'win and you're in' scenario sets up here as the Colts and Titans play to decide who marches on to the postseason. I have no problem backing the Colts as a road favorite here as they catch a banged-up Titans squad that has gone about as far as RB Derrick Henry has carried them down the stretch. Keep in mind, the Colts have been stout against the run lately, giving up just north of 3.2 yards per rush over their last seven contests. This game should fall in the hands of Andrew Luck and the Colts offense and with a balanced approach, I believe they can thrive against a Titans defense that is certainly stout, but will be missing one of its key cogs in DT Jurrell Casey. Save for an egg laid in Jacksonville earlier this month, the Colts have been the hottest team in football for the last two-plus months. I believe they're a playoff team and look for them to put a stamp on it in Tennessee on Sunday night. Take Indianapolis (10*).

NFL Blowout Game of the Week. My selection is on Kansas City minus the points over Oakland at 4:25 pm et on Sunday.

We won with the 'under' in the Raiders Christmas Eve win over the Broncos, and came close to backing Oakland in that game as well. I won't hesitate to switch gears and go against the Raiders as they close out the regular season on the road at Arrowhead on Sunday afternoon, however. The Chiefs have fallen on some tough times down the stretch, dropping three of their last five games heading into this one. Keep in mind, their losses came on the road against the Rams and Seahawks and at home against the Chargers so there was really no shame in any of those defeats. In that mix was also a narrow road win over the Raiders. The relatively close nature of that contest should help keep their guard up on Sunday afternoon. Not as if they need any extra motivation as they're playing for the number one seed in the AFC and could incredibly fall as many as four spots if things don't go their way this week. With the Raiders in a clear letdown spot, and heading into one of the most hostile environments in the NFL, I believe the oddsmakers have this one right. Take Kansas City (10*).

My selection is on New York minus the points over Dallas at 1 pm et on Sunday.

At the tail-end of a long, frustrating season, we should see the Giants go all out to end their campaign on a high note and perhaps give their faithful something to smile about heading into 2019. The gameplan should feature a ton of Saquon Barkley and he should have a field day against a Cowboys squad that has absolutely nothing to play for here. Jerry Jones has said that his 'Boys will be putting their best foot forward here, but I don't see it happening. Expect Dak, Zeke and others to see a series or two of action at most. Take New York (10*).

My selection is on Green Bay minus the points over Detroit at 1 pm et on Sunday.

Not that we needed any further evidence that the Packers are intent on ending this season on a positive note, but we got it last Sunday in New Jersey as they rallied back late and defeated the Jets in overtime. Now they get another prime opportunity to build on those positive vibes as they return home to face the division-rival Lions. Detroit has won just twice over its last nine games and hasn't scored more than 17 points in a game since mid-November. Even against a very beatable Packers defense, I don't expect the Lions offense to get much done this week either. Having lost three straight meetings in this series, look for the Packers to go all out for the 'W' on Sunday afternoon. Take Green Bay (10*).

My selection is on Buffalo minus the points over Miami at 1 pm et on Sunday.

We missed the mark with the Bills a couple of weeks ago as they won but failed to cover at home against the Lions. I expect a stronger offensive performance this time around as QB Josh Allen should have a field day against this Miami defense. The Bills defense has quietly been one of the most consistent units in the NFL this season. While we're dealing with a slightly higher number than I would like, I do think we'll see Buffalo control proceedings in this one as Miami peaked in that wild win over the Patriots three weeks ago but has gone in the tank since, going 0-2 ATS, losing those games by a combined 58-24 score. Take Buffalo (10*).

My selection is on Carolina plus the points over New Orleans at 8:15 pm et on Monday.

After getting off to a sluggish start, we saw the Saints ultimately pull away for a two touchdown victory over the Bucs on the road last week. Meanwhile, the Panthers have lost five games in a row and look like they've all but quit on the season. I do think we'll see Carolina show up in this game, however. Keep in mind, five of the last seven meetings in this series have been decided by five points or less. I'm not entirely convinced that the Saints didn't peak too early this season. This will be the first of two meetings between these two NFC South rivals in the final three weeks of the season and I'm confident we'll see the Panthers hang tough. Take Carolina (10*).

My selection is on Pittsburgh plus the points over New England at 4:25 pm et on Sunday.

I'll back the Steelers to avoid a fourth straight loss as they host the Patriots on Sunday afternoon at Heinz Field. Pittsburgh fell just short in Oakland last Sunday and now finds itself in danger of coughing up the AFC North division lead. New England is in bounce-back mode off an insane last-second loss in Miami last week. The Pats are limping along right now, having gone just 2-2 SU and ATS over their last four games. The Steelers are generally at their best in these Sunday late afternoon home games and I'm confident their offense will come up big in this matchup. Take Pittsburgh (10*).

My selection is on Minnesota minus the points over Miami at 1 pm et on Sunday.

This is a big bounce-back spot for the Vikings who quite simply haven't looked good in recent weeks but still remain in playoff position in the NFC. The Dolphins are in a big-time letdown spot here after that thrilling wing and a prayer win over the Patriots last Sunday. Miami hasn't traveled particularly well and will run into a highly-motivated opponent here. I still feel the Dolphins are pretenders, even after hanging with, and ultimately beating a true Super Bowl contender last week. If the Vikes don't show up this week they might as well fold up the tent. I'm confident they do come to play. Take Minnesota (10*).

NFL Non-Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Buffalo minus the points over Detroit at 1 pm et on Sunday.

The Lions travel across the country after beating the Cardinals in Arizona last Sunday. Detroit is still a bottom-feeder as far as I'm concerned, and while the Bills haven't been any better, they do have some upside here at home in December, coming off a narrow loss to the Jets last week. Look for the Buffalo defense to come up big in this one against a punchless Lions offense. We're being asked to lay a short number with the team in the much better spot. Take Buffalo (10*).

AFC West Game of the Year. My selection is on Kansas City minus the points over Los Angeles at 8:20 pm et on Thursday.

I'll lay the points with the Chiefs on Thursday night as they host the surging Chargers with an AFC West division title potentially hanging in the balance. Kansas City is dealing with some key injuries, including one to star WR Tyreek Hill. It sounds like Hill will play on Thursday night although it remains to be seen how effective he can be on a short week. Regardless, I still expect to see the Chiefs offense roll against a banged up Chargers defense. This is actually a fine spot for the Chiefs ground game, even if they are undermanned in that department. Los Angeles has won three games in a row but didn't make things easy on itself in last week's home game against the lowly Bengals. The fact that the Chargers have allowed 51 points in their last two contests is alarming to be sure as they prepare to face one of the league's best offenses in a hostile environment at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs have won nine straight games in this series straight-up and four in a row ATS. Despite sputtering a little bit lately, Kansas City has still outgained each of its last five opponents in terms of total yardage and comes in battle-tested off last week's overtime win over Baltimore. Take Kansas City (10*).

My selection is on Los Angeles minus the points over Cincinnati at 4:05 pm et on Sunday.

I’ll lay the points with the Chargers on Sunday afternoon as they host the lowly Bengals. Los Angeles is coming off a thrilling, come-from-behind win in Pittsburgh last Sunday night but I don’t anticipate any sort of letdown here. The Chargers need to keep it rolling here as they close the season with tough matchups against the Chiefs and Broncos on the road, sandwiched around a home date with the Ravens. The Chiefs are in sight atop the AFC West, but Los Angeles needs to take care of business here. The big key in this one should be the Chargers defense. They didn’t perform well in the first half against the Steelers but I liked the way they adjusted at halftime and essentially shut down an explosive Pittsburgh offense in the second half. This is a group that has been bolstered by the return of Joey Bosa and they catch a favorable matchup here against a Bengals offense that is missing QB Andy Dalton and likely WR A.J. Green as well. While Bengals RB Joe Mixon does draw a fine matchup here, if Cincinnati falls behind early, as I expect it will, he simply won’t get enough opportunities. We’re being asked to lay a steep number here, but it’s warranted in my opinion. Take Los Angeles (10*).

NFL AFC East Game of the Year. My selection is on Buffalo minus the points over New York at 1 pm et on Sunday.

It’s hard to believe we’re laying points with the Bills at this stage of the season but this is a fine matchup for Buffalo, at home against a listless Jets squad that has a lame duck head coach in Todd Bowles and a makeshift roster due to a number of key injuries. The Jets have lost six games in a row, scoring more than 17 points only once over that stretch, and that came against the Titans last week. It’s worth noting that New York didn’t score an offensive touchdown in that game and was outscored 20-6 in the second half. Expect to see some carry-over from that performance here. The Bills suffered a 21-17 loss at Miami but easily could have won were it not for a Charles Clay drop in the end zone late in the fourth quarter. There were definitely some positives to take away from that game as QB Josh Allen threw for over 200 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for an incredible 135 yards. There are no concerns at all around the Bills defense as they’ve given up just 52 points over their last three games, going 2-1 in the process. We’re being asked to lay a reasonable number here given Buffalo has already defeated New York 41-10, on the road no less, back on November 11th. Take Buffalo (10*).

NFL NFC Game of the Month. My selection is on Green Bay minus the points over Atlanta at 1 pm et on Sunday.

The Packers mercifully ended the Mike McCarthy era after last week’s demoralizing home loss to the lowly Cardinals. Now I look for them to play with an edge with QB Aaron Rodgers essentially the play-caller on offense. This is Rodgers’ team for the rest of the season anyway and I expect him to perform well against a very beatable Falcons defense. Atlanta is in free-fall mode right now, having dropped four straight games, scoring fewer than 20 points in all four contests. The Falcons haven’t traveled well this season, going 1-4 SU and ATS on the road, with a number of blowout losses in the mix. Their lone road win came against the Redskins. The Packers may no longer have much to play for, but I’m confident we’ll see them show up for their home faithful at Lambeau on Sunday afternoon. Perhaps last week’s no-show had something to do with suffering back-to-back tight, emotional losses to the Seahawks and Vikings, both on the road, over the previous two weeks. Expect a bounce-back here. Take Green Bay (10*).

NFL AFC South Game of the Year. My selection is on Tennessee minus the points over Jacksonville at 8:20 pm et on Thursday.

Both of these teams are coming off wins last Sunday, albeit in much different fashions. The Jaguars completely stymied the Colts in a 6-0 victory while the Titans rallied from a big deficit to get past the Jets 26-22. The Titans have now suffered three straight ATS losses. They haven't lost more than three games in a row ATS since back in 2015-16. Note that they went 3-13 straight-up that season. While this Tennessee squad has had its issues, it's not nearly as bad as that 2015 edition. Prior to last week's win over the Colts, the Jags had gone 0-7 SU and 0-5-2 ATS over their last seven games. QB Cody Kessler made his first start of the season against Indianapolis and completed 18-of-24 passes but for only 150 yards and not a single touchdown. He benefited from playing from ahead in that game. I'm not sure he'll be so fortunate this time around and should the Jags fall behind, I expect to see some mistakes from Kessler against a strong Titans defense. That really should be the difference in this game - the Titans defense. They've been getting torched by the run in recent weeks and the Jags will get RB Leonard Fournette back on Thursday. With that being said, I believe the Titans will benefit from facing a one-dimensional Jags offense. Tennessee's offense has sputtered for much of the campaign and while I'm not sure it will get much going on the ground against an elite Jags run defense, I do believe QB Marcus Mariota can find some success through the air against what I consider to be an overrated Jags pass defense. The Titans have taken three straight meetings ATS in this series. They have the better SU and ATS record this season and they certainly have more to play for on Thursday night. I'll lay the points. Take Tennessee (10*).

NFL NFC East Game of the Year. My selection is on Philadelphia minus the points over Washington at 8:15 pm et on Monday.

It wasn't pretty, but the Eagles got just what they needed last week, rallying to defeat the Giants at home to stay alive in the NFC East race. Now they get another slam dunk divisional matchup at home against the undermanned Redskins and I look for them to take full advantage. I really liked what I saw from Philadephia in the second half of last week's game as RB Josh Adams took over and showed everyone that the Eagles can still run the football. That means a lot as QB Carson Wentz simply hasn't lived up to expectations after a tremendous, albeit injury-shortened 2017 season. Wentz has all sorts of weapons at his disposal, and here on Monday night, I believe those weapons will be on display against a middle of the road Redskins defense. Washington's pass defense has gotten worse as the season has gone on and I don't see a big resurgence here. Offensively, the 'Skins are in tough with QB Colt McCoy at the helm. He made a couple of big plays but also made some big mistakes against the Cowboys last week. Even an extended week of practice isn't going to make much of a difference for McCoy, playing behind a shaky, beat up offensive line. This would be a matchup for the 'Skins passing game to take full advantage of with the Eagles secondary missing a number of key cogs, but I'm not sure McCoy will have any time or room to make those big plays. Take Philadelphia (10*).

NFL Blowout Game of the Week. My selection is on Seattle minus the points over San Francisco at 8:20 pm et on Sunday.

Seattle has worked its way back into playoff contention but needs to take full advantage of this slam dunk matchup on Sunday at home against San Francisco. The 49ers are coming off arguably their worst performance of the season, dropping a 27-9 decision at Tampa Bay. Things certainly won't get any easier here as they travel back across the country to face a highly-motivated Seahawks squad. Seattle's offense has really turned things around after looking punchless earlier in the season. RB Chris Carson has given them a lot of versatility while QB Russell Wilson appears to be healthy again, showing a lot more mobility than we saw in the early stages of the season. WR Tyler Lockett is playing some of the best football of his young career while Doug Baldwin continues to work his way back to full health as well. As long as the Seahawks don't completely overlook the Niners they should roll by two touchdowns plus in this one. Take Seattle (10*).

My selection is on Atlanta over Baltimore at 1 pm et on Sunday.

The Ravens have seemingly turned things around with Lamar Jackson at the helm, delivering back-to-back victories, but both of those came at home against the reeling Bengals and Raiders. Last week marked Baltimore's first ATS win in its last five games and that only came thanks to a late fourth quarter defensive score. The Falcons have lost three games in a row following three consecutive victories. They're not in contention but continue to battle, coming off a hard-fought but ultimately fruitless 31-17 loss at New Orleans on Thanksgiving Night. They've had extra time to prepare for this game and should be comfortable facing a mobile quarterback like Lamar Jackson given they face Cam Newton twice a season. Take Atlanta (10*).

My selection is on New Orleans minus the points over Dallas at 8:20 pm et on Thursday.

It was just a few weeks ago that most had completely written off the Cowboys and were calling for head coach Jason Garrett to be fired. Since then, Dallas has reeled off three straight wins to get back above the .500 mark and into the thick of the NFC East race. With that being said, the Cowboys are by no means in the same class as the Saints, and I'm confident we'll see New Orleans impose its will on Thursday night. Last week, Dallas benefited from a leaky Redskins pass defense, with Amari Cooper scoring touchdowns from 40 and 90 yards out. Don't count on a repeat performance here as the Saints defense has been seriously underrated this season. Of course, New Orleans' defensive strength is against the run, which should serve it well as it faces Ezekiel Elliott on Thursday night. Dallas' defense is no pushover either but I do think Drew Brees can pick the Cowboys apart over the middle with Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas. Keep in mind, Dallas is still missing LB Sean Lee who is a big-time difference maker on this defense. Just two weeks back, the Cowboys weren't able to find the end zone until the fourth quarter in an eventual 22-19 win in Atlanta. I simply feel their offense has been too inconsistent to keep up with Drew Brees and the Saints on Thursday. Take New Orleans (10*).

NFL AFC South Game of the Month. My selection is on Tennessee plus the points over Houston at 8:15 pm et on Thursday.

I'll grab the generous helping of points with the Titans here in a division game that I believe will be tightly-contested all the way. Tennessee was in a really tough hangover spot last week, going on the road to face a red hot Colts squad fresh off a stunning blowout victory over the Patriots at home the previous week. Perhaps not surprisingly, the Titans came out flat and ultimately got blown out. Now they face a critical matchup with the Texans, sitting two games back of Houston in the AFC South standings. I'm confident we'll see Mike Vrabel's squad come to play in this one. The Texans are red hot, fresh off seven straight victories. However, they've certainly shown a tendency to get involved in close games, with four of those seven wins coming by a field goal or less. The only two truly lopsided victories over that stretch came against two weak opponents in the Jaguars and Dolphins. In those seven wins, the Texans outgained only one opponent by more than 57 total yards (the Cowboys back on October 7th - a game they won by a field goal in overtime). Keep in mind, the Titans were just a one-point underdog in Indianapolis last week. I'm not convinced they should be catching more than a field goal here. Take Tennessee (10*).

My selection is on New England minus the points over New York at 1 pm et on Sunday.

The Patriots have been sitting back during their bye week, listening to everyone sign the praises of the seemingly unquestioned three best teams in the league, the Saints, Rams and Chiefs. Coming off an ugly road loss to the Titans, the Pats have all but fallen out of that conversation and that should be motivation enough to get them on track with a big performance in New Jersey on Sunday. The Jets are mired in another lost season and now likely going without QB Sam Darnold for the second straight game. They have a lame duck head coach in Todd Bowles, who surprisingly wasn’t let go during the bye week but more than likely will be at the end of the season. I’m not convinced the players are ready to ‘leave it all on the field’ in an effort to save his job either. New York is simply undermanned and overmatched by a rested and motivated Patriots squad that should face little resistance in laying the hammer down in this one. Take New England (10*).

NFL AFC Game of the Month. My selection is on Baltimore minus the points over Oakland at 1 pm et on Sunday.

We missed the mark going against the Raiders last Sunday in Arizona but I won’t hesitate to go back to the well with the same play here, this time backing the Ravens in Baltimore. Oakland is not a good football team. This is not a good matchup. The Raiders defense is slow, plain and simple. Now they have to travel for an early start on the east coast, and face arguably the fastest starting quarterback in the NFL in Lamar Jackson. We saw clear evidence of what the Ravens want to do with Jackson under center, and that’s run the football. At this point of the season, it’s pretty clear that the offense isn’t really that well-suited to the injured Joe Flacco. I do feel that Jackson can continue to give them a bit of a boost. Defensively, the Ravens should be fine against a Raiders offense that showed some signs of life last Sunday but still isn’t very good. Note that in that victory over Arizona, QB Derek Carr threw for less than 200 yards and the Raiders top rusher was Jalen Richard with only 61 yards on the ground. Their top receiver had 50 yards. I could go on but the fact is, the Raiders are a bottom-feeder, and they’re a big underdog for a reason on Sunday in Baltimore. Take Baltimore (10*).

NFL NFC South Game of the Month. My selection is on Atlanta plus the points over New Orleans at 8:20 pm et on Thursday.

Much was made of the Saints 'running up the score' against the defending champion Eagles last Sunday afternoon. I don't believe they'll have the opportunity to do so against the division-rival Falcons on Thursday night, however. Atlanta isn't a player in the NFC South race but is still focused on a possible run to the playoffs. Coming off two of its worst efforts of the season, it won't be hard to get up for this matchup on Thursday night. Keep in mind, going back to the start of the 2014 season, the largest margin of victory in this series was 16 points. That came in a Falcons win as a six-point underdog here in New Orleans four years ago. The next biggest margin of victory was 13 points - another Falcons win here in New Orleans back in September of 2016. Atlanta has actually gone 5-4 SU in the last nine meetings in the series. The underdog has gone 8-2 ATS in the last 10 matchups between the Falcons and Saints. Atlanta has at the very least gotten healthier on defense in recent weeks. I'm confident we'll see the Falcons do a better job of keeping the seemingly unstoppable Saints offense in check than the Eagles did last Sunday. Take Atlanta (10*).

NFL Blowout Game of the Month. My selection is on Arizona minus the points over Oakland at 4:05 pm et on Sunday.

This matchup isn't going to draw much attention on Sunday afternoon but that's just fine with us. The lack of attention has helped to keep the line in check in a game the Cardinals should win going away. To say that the Raiders are struggling would be a massive understatement. Were it not for a late penalty call against Cleveland back in Week 4 we might be talking about a team on a collision course with an 0-16 season. The case can certainly be made that the Raiders are 'tanking' at this point. They've scored a grand total of nine points in their last two games and have been held to 10 points or less in four of their last five contests. Things don't figure to get any better for the Oakland offense this week as it hits the road to face a highly-motivated Cardinals defense that is coming off a tough matchup in Kansas City. Even more than the Cards defense, I'm encouraged by the Arizona offense, which has shown some signs of life under new offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich. Leftwich has made a point to get RB David Johnson more involved in the offense. Last Sunday in Kansas City Johnson ran for 98 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries and also caught seven passes for 85 yards and a score. QB Josh Rosen didn't have a banner day but did throw for over 200 yards, marking the first time he has done so in consecutive games this season. While the Raiders defense has been on the field an awful lot over the last couple of weeks, the Cardinals will be playing for just the second time in three weeks thanks to a bye week prior to last week's game. A return home should serve them well as they've had this matchup circled as a rare winnable game in an otherwise lost season. Take Arizona (10*).

NFL NFC Game of the Month. My selection is on Philadelphia minus the points over Dallas at 8:20 pm et on Sunday.

I really like the way this spot sets up for the Eagles. Note that the straight-up winner has gone 7-1 ATS in the Eagles eight games to date this season. That means the SU winner is now an incredible 84-8 ATS in their last 92 contests by my count. Once again here, I don’t believe the spread will come into play. The Eagles motivational level should be high coming off their bye week as a win would put them a full two games ahead of the Cowboys in the NFC East standings while a loss would pull the two teams even. Dallas is a mess right now, playing on a short week and fresh off a two-touchdown loss at home against the Titans on Monday night, with a lame duck head coach in Jason Garrett to boot. This is a spot where we should see the Eagles offense take flight (no pun intended) with the Cowboys once again forced to go without LB Sean Lee. We’ve seen glimpses of brilliance from the Philadelphia offense this season but nothing sustained. However, here they’ll have another weapon at their disposal in WR Golden Tate and a fully healthy QB Carson Wentz off the bye week. Even without any semblance of a running game, the Eagles aerial attack should be able to do plenty of damage against a downtrodden Cowboys defense that has quite simply been asked to do too much on a regular basis this season. On the flip side, the Eagles defense has been terrific against the run which leaves Dallas in an awfully tough spot. Even with the addition of WR Amari Cooper, the Cowboys offense is still very one-dimensional and I’m confident we’ll see the Eagles force QB Dak Prescott into at least a couple of key mistakes on Sunday night. Take Philadelphia (10*).

NFL Non-Conference Game of the Year. My selection is on Green Bay minus the points over Miami at 4:25 pm et on Sunday.

Credit the Packers for hanging around for a while against the Patriots in Foxborough last Sunday night but in the end they simply didn’t have the horses to keep up with Tom Brady and company. We should see a completely different story unfold this week, however, as the Pack welcome the Dolphins to Lambeau Field. While the Packers did suffer a number of key injuries on the defensive side of the football last Sunday night, there’s little reason to expect those losses to have much of an impact here as the Dolphins offense is bottom of the barrel. Miami QB Brock Osweiler seems to be getting worse with each passing week which should surprise no one.  I prefer to focus on the Packers offense in this one, as they should enjoy a tremendous bounce-back performance. Miami doesn’t generate any sort of pass rush and given a clean pocket, I’m confident we’ll see QB Aaron Rodgers pick apart the Dolphins secondary all afternoon long. While Green Bay has dealt with some key injuries at the wide receiver position this season, it has also seen its young players step up in a big way. WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling has been the biggest benefactor of increased playing time and should benefit from WR DaVante Adams drawing away ‘Fins CB Xavien Howard’s coverage on Sunday afternoon. Tight ends have been blazing the ‘Fins defense and the Packers have one of the best in the business in Jimmy Graham. While his production has certainly dropped off in recent years, he is still capable of coming up with a big game and I believe we’ll see that here. We’re being asked to lay a fairly steep price with the Packers, but it’s warranted in my opinion. The Dolphins winning record is a mirage as far as I’m concerned. Take Green Bay (10*).

My selection is on Oakland plus the points over San Francisco at 8:20 pm et on Thursday.

I'll grab the points with the Raiders in a game they should win outright. There aren't a lot of redeeming qualities when it comes to either of these teams. This truly is an ugly Thursday night matchup. With that being said, I do feel that the Raiders offer some considerable value in this spot. Most have written off Jon Gruden's Raiders as a laughingstock at this point, and perhaps rightfully so. But Oakland does have some upside this week. With RB Marshawn Lynch sidelined due to injury and WR Amari Cooper having been dealt to Dallas, we saw the Raiders turn in one of their best offensive performances of the season last Sunday against Indianapolis, albeit in a losing effort. Lynch's absence makes way for veteran RB Doug Martin, who gained over five yards per rush last Sunday, while WRs Brandon LaFell and Seth Roberts both reached the end zone. That was not a favorable matchup against the Colts, but this is, as the 49ers check in dealing with a number of key injuries, particularly on the defensive side of the football. I am confident we'll see 49ers QB C.J. Beathard start this game but he's not close to 100% healthy and it seems now that opponents have some film on him, they've had little trouble keeping him in check. Over the last two games, the Niners have scored a grand total of just 25 points. RB Matt Breida played last week but didn't look healthy dealing with a high ankle sprain and averaged just 2.6 yards per rush against the Cardinals. Ordinarily this would be a smash spot for the 49ers offense as the Raiders defense leaves a lot to be desired, but right now, I don't believe San Francisco is healthy enough to take full advantage. Take Oakland (10*).

My selection is on Green Bay plus the points over Los Angeles at 4:25 pm et on Sunday.

I really like the way this one sets up for the Packers. Green Bay is coming off its bye week and the week off should only serve to further improve the health of QB Aaron Rodgers, who has certainly looked good in his last two games. The Rams caught the 49ers in a flat spot last Sunday afternoon but won't be so fortunate against a Green Bay squad that continues to try to make up ground following a relatively poor start to the season. Los Angeles' defense simply hasn't been as good as advertised this season and while the Packers continue to deal with some injuries at the wide receiver position, their young depth has really stepped up lately and should continue to do so here. This is a particularly favorable matchup for WR Davante Adams and TE Jimmy Graham. Both should come up big and help keep the Packers in this game from start to finish. Take Green Bay (10*).

My selection is on Chicago minus the points over New York at 1 pm et on Sunday.

This is an excellent ‘get right’ matchup for the Bears following last week’s sloppy performance at home against the Patriots. It’s one thing to struggle to keep up in a shootout with the Patriots but another matter entirely to stumble against the Jets. I don’t envision the Bears falling into that trap here. New York is hitting the road for the first time since dropping a 31-12 loss at Jacksonville back on September 30th. Since then, the Jets have won two of their last three games but that had more to do with favorable matchups than anything else. Not surprisingly, we saw New York get crushed 37-17 in a tough matchup at home against the Vikings last week. The Jets are currently dealing with a cluster of injuries in their secondary and now face a Bears offense that while inconsistent, can certainly bomb away when a favorable matchup presents itself. Perhaps ‘bomb away’ is the wrong term as QB Mitchell Trubisky seems to fare better in the short passing game. With that being said, Chicago has a wealth of offensive weapons and they should be on full display on Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field. I don’t believe the Jets will be able to keep within arm’s reach for four quarters. Take Chicago (10*).

NFL AFC Game of the Month. My selection is on Pittsburgh minus the points over Cleveland at 1 pm et on Sunday.

This game has blowout written all over it as far as I’m concerned. While the Steelers cruise into this home date off their bye week, the Browns are fresh off an overtime loss at Tampa Bay last Sunday. There were concerns all over the place for Cleveland last week. Its offense couldn’t sustain many drives against a hapless Bucs defense while the defense simply couldn’t come up with big plays when it needed to. Now the Browns stay on the road and face what will be a highly-motivated Steelers squad after Pittsburgh dominated most of the way but ultimately had to settle for a tie in Cleveland back in Week 1. We’ve seen glimpses of the Steelers offensive potential this season but I look for it all to come together in this matchup. This is a prime matchup for RB James Conner in particular, who continues to prove his worth starting in place of holdout Le’Veon Bell. There’s really no need to over-analyze this one – it’s a true statement spot for the Steelers. Take Pittsburgh (10*).

NFL Non-Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Philadelphia minus the points over Jacksonville at 9:30 am et on Sunday.

These two teams enter this London matchup with identical 3-4 records but I feel that the Eagles are in a far better place right now and in good position to win this one going away. The Jaguars are reeling. There are questions whether QB Blake Bortles is really the right guy to lead the offense while the defense hasn’t come close to living up to expectations in recent weeks. Was last season a fluke? I’m not ready to make that judgement just yet, but I do feel the Jags find themselves in a really difficult spot traveling across the pond to face the defending Super Bowl champions on Sunday. The Eagles are coming off a truly disappointing fall-from-ahead loss against the Panthers, at home no less. With that being said, QB Carson Wentz is coming off a spectacular performance and we should see some carry-over from that effort here. Since getting WR Alshon Jeffery back the Eagles offense has had a more dynamic look and I believe they’ll give Jacksonville plenty of problems on Sunday. Defensively, the Eagles are down a couple of key cogs but depth is not something they’re lacking on that side of the football. They employ a ‘next man up’ philosophy, much like the Patriots, and draw a favorable matchup in a struggling Jags offense here. Take Philadelphia (10*).

NFL Thursday Night Game of the Month. My selection is on Arizona plus the points over Denver at 8:20 pm et on Thursday.

I’ll back the Cardinals on Thursday night as they host the reeling Broncos. Arizona has certainly shown signs of turning things around over the last couple of weeks. Two games back, the Cardinals posted a 28-18 victory over an improving 49ers squad in San Francisco. Just last Sunday they battled the Vikings hard for 60 minutes, ultimately falling by 10 points, on the road no less. Now they return home and draw a favorable matchup against a Denver squad that can’t get out of its own way right now. The Broncos have lost four straight games, allowing at least 23 points in each of those losses. Meanwhile, their offense continues to lag, having scored 20 points or less in four of their last five contests. QB Case Keenum doesn’t look like the right fit for the offense, with some Broncos faithful calling for Chad Kelly to take over. Outside of WR Emmanuel Sanders I don’t see any of the Broncos having much of an edge against a still-capable Cardinals defense. On the flip side, Arizona RB David Johnson should face little resistance against a Broncos defense that has had no success at all stopping the run in recent weeks. Denver’s once-feared ‘no fly zone’ defense is no more. Chris Harris is essentially the lone bright spot in the Broncos secondary. While the Cardinals by no means have an elite WR corps, especially with veteran Larry Fitzgerald playing at well below 100% healthy, they’re still capable of stretching the field and exposing the Broncos secondary. Look for WR Christian Kirk to continue to build on his solid rapport with rookie QB Josh Rosen, helping pace the offense in what I believe will be a win for the Cardinals. Take Arizona (10*).

NFL Sunday Night Football Game of the Year. My selection is on New England minus the points over Kansas City at 8:20 pm et on Sunday.

This is a rematch of last year’s season-opener – a game the Chiefs won in blowout fashion right here in Foxborough. I expect a much different story to unfold this time around as the Patriots look to gain an ounce of revenge against Andy Reid’s undefeated squad. I like the way this one sets up for the Pats as they come off an extended week following their Thursday night win over the Colts. We’ve seen their offense evolve and improve over the early stages of the season and I’m confident we’ll see their best effort of the campaign to date on Sunday night against a very beatable Chiefs defense. New England welcomed WR Julian Edelman back to the field last week and he should continue to see his role increase as the weeks go on. In this game I actually expect to see the Patriots backfield take center stage with RBs James White and Sony Michel going off against a porous Chiefs defense. We have seen some chinks in the Chiefs offensive armor over the last couple of games, with the Broncos and Jaguars at least laying out somewhat of a blueprint as to how to slow down this juggernaut. This certainly has all the makings of a shootout, but in the end I like the Patriots to make a couple more big plays down the stretch and pull away for a win and cover. Take New England (10*).

My selection is on Seattle minus the points over Oakland at 1 pm et on Sunday.

I’m confident we’ll see the Seahawks take care of business as they head across the pond to face the lowly Raiders on Sunday. Oakland showed signs of life in a come-from-behind win over the Browns two weeks ago but couldn’t follow it up last Sunday, falling in blowout fashion against the Chargers. Don’t count on a big bounce-back performance here as I see this as a terrible matchup for the Raiders defense against the Seahawks emerging offense. Seattle QB Russell Wilson still isn’t at full strength, showing little scrambling ability, at least compared to what we’ve seen from him in years’ past. But the good news is, his arm is fine, as he continues to march the offense up and down the field. We saw the Seattle passing game give the Rams big problems last week and there’s little reason to expect anything different against Oakland. Meanwhile, the Seahawks ground game should have little trouble carving up a Raiders run defense that allows over five yards per rush this season. Seattle no longer has an elite defense, but I do think it will make just enough plays to contribute to a win and cover on Sunday afternoon in London. Take Seattle (10*).

NFL NFC Game of the Year. My selection is on Minnesota minus the points over Arizona at 1 pm et on Sunday.

I absolutely love the way this spot sets up for the Vikings on Sunday afternoon. Minnesota’s offense has taken off since that embarrassing no-show at home against the Bills three weeks ago. Since then we’ve seen the Vikes march up and down the field against both the Rams and Eagles, managing to earn a 1-1 split. Now they return home to host a Cardinals squad that is coming off its first victory of the season, but that came against a weak 49ers squad last Sunday. Here, Arizona will face a much tougher challenge, staying on the road and heading two time zones east for an early start in Minnesota. The Vikings defense hasn’t been great this season but did turn in a fairly strong showing in Philadelphia last week and gets a favorable matchup here. If there’s one thing the Vikes have continued to do well it’s stop the run and that should serve them well as they prepare to face Cards RB David Johnson, who has shown some signs of life since QB Josh Rosen took over the offense. I don’t see how Arizona keeps within arm’s reach for four quarters without a passing game to speak of. Look for another big game from Minnesota QB Kirk Cousins as the Vikes roll at home. Take Minnesota (10*).

My selection is on Dallas plus the points over Houston at 8:20 pm et on Sunday.

The Texans finally notched a victory last week but it didn't come easy as they outlasted the Colts by a 37-34 score in overtime. Now they return home in a favored role against the Cowboys - another team that has struggled in the early going this season. I'll grab the points with Dallas in this spot as I simply feel the 'Boys have a little more upside right now. Houston's secondary has been decimated by injuries going all the way back to the summer. The latest to go down was cornerback Aaron Colvin, leaving a gaping hole should the Cowboys choose to exploit it. Of course, there are questions whether Dallas is capable of taking advantage of such a weakness. I actually feel this game will be more about QB Dak Prescott utilizing RB Ezekiel Elliott in the passing game. We can expect the Cowboys to employ a clock-chewing gameplan on offense while leaving the rest to their underrated defense which gets back DL David Irving from suspension this week. Without LB Sean Lee the Cowboys are certainly vulnerable against the run, but do the Texans have the personnel in place to take advantage? I'm not so sure. Meanwhile, the Dallas secondary has been tough and simply doesn't give up big plays. That is key as the 'Boys try to contain a Texans offense that relies on those big plays through the air to WRs DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller (not to mention Keke Coutee who made a big splash in his debut last week). Take Dallas (10*).

NFL Blowout Game of the Year. My selection is on Los Angeles minus the points over Seattle at 4:25 pm et on Sunday.

This has all the makings of a beatdown in favor of the undefeated Rams on Sunday afternoon in Seattle. First of all, Los Angeles has had an extra few days to prepare for this matchup following last week's impressive home win over the Vikings. You can be sure that head coach Sean McVay has some tricks up his sleeve as he'll see this as a big challenge playing in a hostile environment in Seattle and matching wits with a Super Bowl-winning head coach in Pete Carroll. The case can be made that QB Jared Goff has been the league's best quarterback so far this season which is really saying something given how well we've seen some of the veterans and young arms alike perform in the early going. There's little reason to expect any regression from Goff and the Rams offense here as they face a Seahawks defense that certainly isn't what it once was, and just lost safety Earl Thomas to a broken leg. The question is whether the Rams defense can hold up well enough against a highly-motivated Seahawks offense that has shown some improvement and welcomed back WR Doug Baldwin last week. My answer to that is, I'm not sure it matters how well the Seahawks offense performs as the Rams should do enough damage themselves to ultimately stretch out the margin in this one. Keep in mind, Seattle QB Russell Wilson has been admirable in his efforts but hasn't looked like the same dual-threat quarterback and continues to perform behind a leaky offensive line. Take Los Angeles (10*).

My selection is on Carolina minus the points over New York at 1 pm et on Sunday.

I'll lay the points with the Panthers as they get back on the field following their bye week with an ideal matchup. Were it not for the Saints stumbling in the red zone early in last week's game, the result could have been much worse for the Giants. It was bad enough as it was with the Saints ultimately pulling away for a 33-18 victory. Things won't get any easier for the New York defense here as it hits the road to face a Panthers offense that continues to evolve and improve, and one that will be getting some help on the offensive line with the return of RG Trai Turner. CB Janoris Jenkins is largely considered the only good thing the Giants have going for them on defense given all of their key injuries but even he has been lit up lately. Until the G-Men find a capable quarterback, they will struggle to contend in shootouts such as the one they're likely to get involved in on Sunday. Yes, they have a ton of star power and certainly talent across the board, but Manning continues to hold this unit back. While the Panthers defense is beatable, I'm just not sure the G-Men can put enough points to stay within arm's reach for four quarters on Sunday afternoon. Take Carolina (10*).

My selection is on New York over Denver at 1 pm et on Sunday.

I really like the way this situation sets up for the Jets as they come off an ugly loss in Jacksonville last week but catch the Broncos playing on a short week following a big missed opportunity against the divisional rival Chiefs on Monday night. Denver has shown positive flashes on offense but it's becoming more and more clear that QB Case Keenum may not be the right fit. Keenum missed on a number of throws on Monday night - none more glaring than the sideline route to Demariyus Thomas that likely would have resulted in a game-winning touchdown. Note that Denver has failed to score more than 23 points since opening the season with a 27-24 victory at home against a depleted Seahawks defense. While the Broncos have been able to hang their hat on their defense in recent years, that simply isn't the case here in 2018. They did a nice job of limiting big plays against the electric Chiefs offense on Monday but still found a way to give up 27 points. While they do possess a vaunted pass rush with Von Miller and rookie Bradley Chubb, they actually rank just 19th in the league in sacks. Chris Harris is a shutdown corner in the secondary but the rest of the Denver pass defense leaves a lot to be desired. The Jets offense isn't going to scare anyone and admittedly has major limitations but I'm not sure they'll be asked to do too much on Sunday afternoon. Look for the defense to carry much of the load as the J-E-T-S finally bring an end to their three-game losing streak and keep head coach Todd Bowles' job safe for at least one more week. Take New York (10*).

My selection is on Pittsburgh minus the points over Atlanta at 1 pm et on Sunday.

While the sky seems to be falling on the Steelers right now, the fact is, they're still just 1-2-1 on the season and far from out of the AFC North race, which I expect to remain wide open all season long. But if Pittsburgh wants to remain a player in that race, a win this week is critical. The Steelers draw an A+ matchup here, particularly on offense, as the Falcons defense is quite simply running out of options due to a multitude of injuries across the board. We've seen the Falcons get lit up in three consecutive games now and things don't figure to finally work themselves out here, even with the Pittsburgh offense looking very much out of sync in the early going this season. On the flip side, the Atlanta offense will undoubtedly continue to move the football and put points on the board against a porous Steelers defense. However, there will come a time in this game where one of these teams will need to come up with a key stop to seal the victory and I simply feel that Pittsburgh is in better position to accomplish that feat. It's worth noting that the Falcons will be playing outdoors for the first time since way back in Week 1 in Philadelphia. You may remember their offense didn't look nearly as explosive in that game as it has in the last three games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Take Pittsburgh (10*).

My selection is on Denver plus the points over Kansas City at 8:15 pm et on Monday.

You can certainly make the argument that this is a bigger game for the Broncos than it is for the Chiefs. Kansas City is off to a perfect 3-0 start and could put two games between itself and Denver with a win on Monday night. Meanwhile, the Broncos have scored just 34 points over their last two games combined, checking in with a 2-1 record. The common line of thinking is that they'll have trouble keeping up with the high-flying Chiefs offense on Monday night. I'm not so easily convinced. Denver brought in QB Case Keenum in the offseason and he has certainly looked good at times this season and should only get better with time as he gets acclimated with the offense. We've already seen him develop some nice chemistry with WR Emmanuel Sanders. Note that while the Broncos struggled offensively last week in Baltimore, they lost rookie RB Phillip Lindsay relatively early in the game after he threw a punch. His presence does add another element to this offense and should serve Denver well on Monday night. Two games back he ran for over 100 yards on only 14 carries against Oakland. The Chiefs defense has been virtually non-existent so far this season and this certainly doesn't appear to be an ideal bounce-back spot for that unit. I'll grab all the points I can get with the home underdog here. Take Denver (10*).

My selection is on Cleveland plus the points over Oakland at 4:05 pm et on Sunday.

I'll approach this play with a bit of caution as the hype train has certainly left the station as far as the Browns go following last week's big come-from-behind win over the Jets in front of a national audience. With that being said, I do believe they draw a favourable matchup against the Raiders here. The Cleveland defense in particular should have little trouble slowing a plodding Raiders attack that simply doesn't have a lot going for it this season. The Browns run defense has been solid, allowing just under 3.7 yards per rush this season while they've also given opposing running backs nothing in the short passing game. Meanwhile their pass defense has been stout as well with rookie corner Denzel Ward leading the way. It's not as if they've faced an easy slate of QB's either, going up against Big Ben and Drew Brees along with Sam Darnold. While I don't expect Browns rookie QB Baker Mayfield to light it up in his first career start, I do feel he can do enough to secure a victory. Note that the Raiders haven't been able to generate any pressure against opposing quarterbacks and that isn't likely to change against Mayfield. Even if they do, his mobility should serve him well in this matchup. Look for another big game from Browns WR Jarvis Landry here. Take Cleveland (10*).

NFL NFC Game of the Month. My selection is on Chicago minus the points over Tampa Bay at 1 pm et on Sunday.

I really like the way this one sets up for the Bears on Sunday afternoon. We cashed a ticket fading the Bucs in their ‘closer than the final score indicated’ loss to the Steelers on Monday night and I won’t hesitate to go back to the well here. We certainly saw some regression from the Bucs offense in that matchup with a terrible Steelers pass defense. The magic seemed to run out for QB Ryan Fitzpatrick and I really believe this will be his last start for Tampa Bay for a while with the Bucs heading into their bye week after this and Jameis Winston ready to return to the field. While I’m not a big fan of the Bears offense with Mitchell Trubisky at the helm right now, I’m not sure it really matters here as Chicago should have little trouble moving the football against a weak Bucs defense. The Bears have enough talent around Trubisky, namely RB Jordan Howard and WR Allen Robinson, to put up some points on Sunday afternoon. This is a well-coached football team that is still slowly learning a new offense. There will come a week where we see a breakout performance, and this just might be it. I like the fact that the Bears defense should be able to completely take away the Bucs already non-existent ground game and force Fitzpatrick into more mistakes. Take Chicago (10*).

My selection is on Pittsburgh over Tampa Bay at 8:15 pm et on Monday.

I'll back the Steelers on Monday night as they try to get past all of their issues on and off the field and earn their first victory of the season. The sky is not actually falling in Pittsburgh right now. Le'Veon Bell remains out of the mix and Antonio Brown certainly wasn't happy with the way last week's game played out, but this is still a team that has suffered just one loss - that coming against perhaps the league's hottest team in the Kansas City Chiefs. With a win here the Steelers can right the ship and while the Bucs have gone 2-0 so far, I believe they present a favorable matchup for Pittsburgh on Monday Night Football. Tampa Bay took advantage of a struggling Saints defense in Week 1 and then caught the Eagles at home last week, without their starting QB Carson Wentz. Perhaps we shouldn't be all that surprised by Tampa Bay's 2-0 start. Tampa Bay will put its share of points on the board, but in the end, I don't believe it will be enough. Take Pittsburgh (10*).

My selection is on New Orleans plus the points over Atlanta at 1 pm et on Sunday.

The Falcons did well to avoid an 0-2 hole to open the season with a big home win over the division-rival Panthers last Sunday. I’m not sure they’ll fare so well this week, however, as they welcome another NFC South opponent in the New Orleans Saints. To say that injuries are piling up at key positions for the Falcons would be an understatement. Safety Keanu Neal, linebacker Deion Jones and running back Devonta Freeman were already sidelined and now guard Andy LeVitre has been placed on IR as well. On the flip side, the Saints roll into town generally healthy, although still missing suspended running back Mark Ingram. New Orleans has taken an interesting path to 1-1, suffering a surprising loss to the Bucs in its opener before rebounding with a less than inspiring win over the Browns last Sunday. The identical 1-1 starts certainly ramp up the importance of this game for both of these squads but I believe the Saints are in better position to move on-up on the .500 mark here. The Falcons generally concede underneath passing routes to opposing running backs and were subsequently lit up by Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey last week. There’s little reason to expect anything different against perhaps an even better pass-catching back in Alvin Kamara this week. On top of that, Saints WR Michael Thomas should find plenty of open field against the Falcons undermanned secondary and Drew Brees is undoubtedly in line for a big bounce-back performance following last week’s relatively poor showing. On the other side of the football, the Saints defense is better than it has shown so far this season. It took a step in the right direction last week but still suffered some lapses, including that game-tying touchdown hook-up between Tyrod Taylor and Antonio Callaway last week. The Falcons multi-dimensional offense poses a tough challenge but I’m confident the Saints defense will make enough plays to secure a victory. Take New Orleans (10*).

NFL Game of the Week. My selection is on Miami minus the points over Oakland at 1 pm et on Sunday.

The Raiders are in a truly tough situation here. After starting the season on the west coast with a home game against the Rams, they traveled to the thin air of Denver last week and now have to trek across the rest of the country for an early start in Miami on Sunday afternoon. The Dolphins have generally had a solid home field advantage early in the season and already 1-0 SU and ATS at home here in 2018. I like the Dolphins chances of improving to a somewhat improbable 3-0 this week. We’ve seen this story unfold before. Remember, back in 2016 the Dolphins enjoyed plenty of success with the Adam Gase-Ryan Tannehill combo. When asked to be more or less a game manager, Tannehill has proven that he can succeed. In fact, the Fins are 9-1 in Tannehill’s last 10 starts. The Raiders couldn’t have played much better than they did last Sunday in Denver but they still fell short in the end. I can’t see them getting back to that level of effort and execution in their second straight road contest this Sunday. Their offense did show some positive signs against the Broncos, but let’s face it, the Denver defense isn’t what it once was, especially against the pass. I actually feel the Fins can hold up much better than the Broncos did against Derek Carr and the Raiders passing game. On the other side of the football, the Raiders don’t have the personnel in place to get after opposing quarterbacks which sets up nicely for Tannehill. Look for him to have a field day against this Oakland defense, and for the overlooked Miami ground attack to ultimately salt away another victory. Take Miami (10*).

My selection is on Denver minus the points over Oakland at 4:25 pm et on Sunday.

Are the Raiders as bad as they looked in the final three quarters of Monday’s blowout loss to the Rams? In a word, yes. While they’ll have no problem getting up for this matchup with the division-rival Broncos I don’t believe they’ll be able to hang around for four quarters. The Broncos have long been a tremendous ‘play-on’ team at home in September and while they didn’t earn the ATS cover last week against Seattle, they did show me enough to believe they’re worth a play again here against the Raiders. It was a pretty sloppy performance from Broncos QB Case Keenum all things considered. With that being said, he still managed to spread the football around and prove that he’s developed some nice chemistry with his wide receivers, Emmanuel Sanders in particular. I look for the Broncos defense to play even better than it did a week ago, and the same goes for the Denver ground attack on offense. To be honest, I’m not sure where the Raiders go from here. Their offense looks broken (TE Jared Cook was the only bright spot on Monday night) and their defense is seriously downgraded after trading away Khalil Mack. This number could be even higher in favor of the Broncos in my opinion. Take Denver (10*).

My selection is on Los Angeles minus the points over Arizona at 4:05 pm et on Sunday.

I had just two regrets following Week 1 of the NFL season and one of them was not laying the points with the Rams on Monday night. As the betting public piled on with the Rams and the Raider-bashing reached monumental levels I really did believe there may have been a chance we were missing something with Los Angeles. That wasn’t the case as the Rams absolutely obliterated the Raiders following a sluggish first half. Now L.A. gets another very winnable matchup at home against another team that looks to be out of answers less than two weeks into the season in the Arizona Cardinals. There was a time when the Cards owned one of the strongest home field edges in football but those days are gone. It sounds like they’re going to give QB Sam Bradford another go this Sunday and I don’t expect that decision to end well. Even with a healthy David Johnson in the backfield Arizona was unable to get anything going in a shutout loss against the Redskins last week. Now the Cards face an even tougher challenge, on the road no less. The Rams certainly aren’t known to hold anything back when it comes to calling offensive plays. I expect to see them put their foot on the gas for four quarters against a division opponent here. Take Los Angeles (10*).

My selection is on Houston minus the points over Tennessee at 1 pm et on Sunday.

Both of these teams enter Week 2 with winless records but it’s the Texans that have a lot more upside moving forward. Houston ran into a really tough opening week matchup, facing the Patriots on the road in a revenge situation (for New England) after upsetting them in Foxborough last season. Not surprisingly, the Texans came up empty this time around with the Pats taking away their best weapons in DeShaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins. The Titans will do no such thing this week as they limp into this matchup following a storm-delayed loss in Miami last Sunday. Tennessee is dealing with a number of key injuries and is in serious danger of this season spinning away from it even if we are only into the second week. An injury to Marcus Mariota causes a serious downgrade to this offense as a whole, especially after the Titans got very little production from their running game against a middle of the road Dolphins defense last week. There’s really no intimidation factor at play here. The Texans have the veterans on board to right the ship, especially on the defensive side of the football. Take Houston (10*).

My selection is on Philadelphia minus the points over Tampa Bay at 1 pm et on Sunday.

We won with the Eagles in last week’s season-opener against Atlanta although that winning ticket certainly didn’t come easy. I look for Philadelphia to have an easier time of it this Sunday as they head south to Tampa to take on the surprisingly 1-0 Bucs. Philadelphia didn’t get much at all from QB Nick Foles against the Falcons but perhaps that was to be expected after he was banged up in the preseason. While I’m not convinced Foles bounces back in a big way here, I do believe the Eagles have enough on offense, and a stout enough defense to outlast the Bucs. Tampa Bay turned a lot of heads by upsetting the Saints in New Orleans last Sunday. I don’t think there’s any question that the Saints overlooked the Bucs in that matchup. Perhaps ‘overlooked’ is not the proper term, but they certainly didn’t bring the proper level of compete – particularly on the defensive side of the football. There will be no catching the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles off guard here. They know what the Bucs are capable of after last week’s 48-point explosion. That’s an effort that just isn’t likely to be repeated. In a much lower-scoring affair than we saw with Tampa Bay last Sunday, I’ll lay the short number with Philadelphia. Take Philadelphia (10*).

My selection is on New Orleans minus the points over Cleveland at 1 pm et on Sunday.

Let’s face it; Week 1 didn’t go well for the Saints, who lost as a big favorite, at home against a division opponent no less. I fully expect to see them bounce back here in Week 2 as they draw a favorable matchup with the Browns. Cleveland battled to a 21-21 tie with the Steelers last Sunday. Pittsburgh essentially handed that game to the Browns on a silver platter late in the fourth quarter and into overtime but Cleveland was unable to claim victory. Tyrod Taylor certainly didn’t look 100% healthy and also somewhat improperly utilized in the offense. I’m not sure we’ll see much change in that regard this week and the Saints defense will certainly be licking its chops after getting caught flat-footed by an aggressive Bucs offense last week. The New Orleans offense had little trouble shredding Tampa Bay last Sunday and I would expect more of the same against Cleveland. RB Mark Ingram’s absence didn’t have much of an impact as Alvin Kamara picked up the slack and then some with a monster performance. Look for Drew Brees to utilize TE Benjamin Watson against a vulnerable Browns defense this week. And of course the Saints wide receiving corps is as explosive as it gets. This has all the makings of a rout. Take New Orleans (10*).

NFL AFC Game of the Month. My selection is on Pittsburgh minus the points over Kansas City at 1 pm et on Sunday.

The Steelers avoided complete embarrassment thanks to a blocked field goal at the end of overtime in Cleveland last Sunday but there’s no question it was an ugly start to the campaign for the Black and Gold. I have no doubt that we’ll see a much sharper effort from the Steelers, on offense in particular, as they host the Chiefs on Sunday. We won with Kansas City last week in Los Angeles but we were fortunate to cash that ticket as the Chargers were able to march the ball up and down the field against what certainly appeared to be a weak Chiefs defense. I’m not sure we’ll see Kansas City right the ship on that side of the football traveling across the country to face the Steelers in their second straight road game to open the season. You have to think heading into this two-game jaunt that the Chiefs would have been more than pleased to earn a 1-1 split. While they’d undoubtedly like to earn the 2-0 sweep now that they have the first one in their back pocket, I simply feel that the Steelers will be the hungrier squad on Sunday afternoon. Take Pittsburgh (10*).

My selection is on Green Bay minus the points over Chicago at 8:20 pm et on Sunday.

I’ll lay the points with the Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday night as they host the rival Bears, who many are expecting big things from this season. I’m not as high on the Bears as most. There’s been a lot of talk leading up to the season surrounding just how exciting this Chicago offense will be but time will tell whether it plays out that way on the field or not. For now, the Bears have a tough opening week matchup against a Packers squad that starts the season with a renewed sense of confidence and most importantly, a healthy and well-paid Aaron Rodgers. Yes, the Bears boast a terrific defense, one that got even stronger with the addition of Khalil Mack. But Mack is just getting acclimated with this group and I believe it will take some time for the unit to completely mesh. I like what the Packers bring to the table on both sides of the football. Some see the departure of WR Jordy Nelson as a bad thing but I actually believe it will prove to be a positive for Rodgers and the offense. The Pack still have a solid WR corps and while their backfield doesn’t have much in the way of star power, I think it will do enough to relieve some of the pressure on Rodgers. We’re being asked to lay a considerable number of points with the Packers but I actually believe the line could be even higher. There are still a lot of unknowns when it comes to the Bears and I think their best football will be played from late September on. Take Green Bay (10*).

My selection is on Denver minus the points over Seattle at 4:25 pm et on Sunday.

I’ll lay the points with the Broncos on Sunday afternoon as they welcome the Seahawks to open the 2018 season. You probably haven’t heard much about the Broncos leading into this season as the Chiefs and Chargers have grabbed most of the headlines in the AFC West. I believe Denver is an excellent sleeper pick to win the division, but it needs to start here in September. Sure, there are some expected growing pains on offense with Case Keenum taking over at quarterback but I believe he’s more than capable of playing well, if not carrying the team. Here’s a guy that almost certainly has a big chip on his shoulder after being allowed to walk away from the Vikings in the offseason after showing so much promise in Minnesota last year. The defense is the real star of the show in Denver and that unit draws a favorable matchup here with the Seahawks at less than 100% on offense. QB Russell Wilson will make plenty of plays with his arm and his feet but his supporting cast seems to be getting weaker with each passing year. Meanwhile, the Seahawks defense is in a bit of turmoil due to the Earl Thomas situation and in transition with the departure of Richard Sherman in the offseason. There are simply too many question marks for me to support the Seahawks here, and too much upside to ignore with the Broncos. Take Denver (10*).

NFL Underdog Game of the Week. My selection is on Kansas City plus the points over Los Angeles at 4:05 pm et on Sunday.

I'll grab the points with the Chiefs on Sunday as they open the 2018 season with an AFC West showdown with the Chargers. Los Angeles is receiving plenty of hype entering the new season with some even picking it to reach the Super Bowl. I'm not nearly as high on the Chargers. The Chiefs actually haven't lost a game to the rival Chargers since way back in 2013. I don't believe this is the Kansas City team to end that streak. I see the Chiefs as a team with a lot of upside entering the new season. QB Pat Mahomes may be a first-year starter but he certainly played like a veteran in the preseason and gained a lot of knowledge working behind a true pro in Alex Smith last year. Some believe that RB Kareem Hunt was a one-year wonder, but I'm confident that he'll give the Chiefs a lot out of the backfield once again this season. Meanwhile, WR Tyreek Hill has been getting better with each passing season and certainly looked in sync with Mahomes in the preseason. Defensively, the Chiefs do have some question marks, and they'll obviously be facing a tough challenge in the Chargers offense on Sunday, but I'm confident we'll see them play well. Take Kansas City (10*).

NFL Thursday Night Game of the Month. My selection is on Philadelphia minus the points over Atlanta at 8:20 pm et on Thursday.

The defending Super Bowl champions have gone an impressive 11-3 SU since the NFL went to the Thursday night kickoff in the early-2000's. Of course, we saw the defending champion Patriots fall to the Chiefs last year, but I don't expect history to repeat itself with the Eagles here. It's certainly worth noting that the SU winner has gone an incredible 77-7 ATS in the Eagles last 84 games overall. We're dealing with a very short pointspread here, largely due to Philadelphia's numerous injury concerns - most notably absent from this game will be QB Carson Wentz. Nick Foles didn't look great in the preseason and also suffered an injury of his own but has put in a good week of practice with the Eagles first unit and I'm confident he'll hold his own against the Falcons on Thursday night. The Falcons are a solid team without question, but I don't believe they're the Super Bowl contender that most make them out to be. RB Devonta Freeman wilted at times over the course of last season while WR Julio Jones isn't the unstoppable force he once was. The addition or rookie WR Calvin Ridley will help, but I don't expect him to make all that much of an impact in this contest. The Eagles haven't lost a meaningful game at home since December 11, 2016. Look for them to make the key plays down the stretch in this one to secure a big opening night victory. Take Philadelphia (10*).

My selection is on Philadelphia plus the points over New England at 6:30 pm et on Sunday.

I’ll grab the points with the Eagles on Sunday but I’m not sure that we’ll need them. The Eagles haven’t come out of nowhere to go on a run and reach the Super Bowl. They’ve been in pole position in the NFL virtually all season long. Yes, losing Carson Wentz hurt, but as we’ve seen it was by no means the end of their story. Perhaps it was only the beginning. Nick Foles has gone through some ups and downs in limited action as the Eagles starting QB this season but heading into this game, he’s in-sync with the rest of his offense and more than capable of slaying the dragon that is the New England Patriots. I have a lot of respect for Tom Brady and Bill Bellichick in particular. I’m certainly not in the category of ‘Patriots hater’ in which so many folks seem to reside these days. But this is as beatable of a Patriots team as we’ve seen over the course of their dynasty in my opinion. It seems as though we see a classic Super Bowl every other year, at least as far as recent history goes, so after last year’s thriller you would assume we’re in for a bit of a snoozefest this time around. But I don’t need to tell you that a trend like that is nothing more than a fluke. Expect an ultra-competitive game on Sunday evening in Minneapolis. Take Philadelphia (10*).

NFL Conference Championship Game of the Year. My selection is on New England minus the points over Jacksonville at 3:05 pm et on Sunday.

I’ll lay the points with the Patriots on Sunday as they host the upstart Jaguars with the AFC Championship on the line. The Jags are getting plenty of support following last week’s impressive wire-to-wire victory over the Steelers. That performance made it easy to forget their ugly 10-3 home win over Buffalo on Wild Card weekend. While there’s a lot to like about the Jags, I believe their run comes to an end here. The Patriots weren’t really tested in last week’s rout of the Titans. This is a team that certainly didn’t need any more extra motivation but it got just that when the story came out regarding dissension in the ranks between Brady, Bellichick and Kraft. While the Jags have the type of defense that should give the Pats some headaches, I simply feel that New England has too many weapons to contend with for four quarters. And on the other side of the football, you can count on New England to come up with a gameplan to take away Jacksonville’s motor, RB Leonard Fournette, and force QB Blake Bortles to beat them. That’s not a story that ends well as far as I’m concerned. As nice as it would be to see some new blood representing the AFC in the Super Bowl, I don’t see it this year. Take New England (10*).

NFL Divisional Round Game of the Year. My selection is on New Orleans plus the points over Minnesota at 4:40 pm et on Sunday.

We cashed our Wild Card Game of the Year with the Panthers plus the points over the Saints last Sunday but I won't hesitate to switch gears and back New Orleans as it hits the road to face the Vikings this week. The Vikings are obviously highly-motivated as they try to become the first team to ever appear in a Super Bowl on their home field. I'm not convinced they get there, however, and believe they'll be in for a serious battle against the Saints on Sunday. QB Case Keenum had a tremendous regular season but the playoffs are a completely different animal. The Saints opportunistic defense is brimming with confidence right now and will undoubtedly throw everything it has at Keenum. While I do have a lot of respect for the Vikings on both sides of the football, I simply feel that they're overvalued, due in large part to their double-digit win over the Saints way back in Week 1. Take New Orleans (10*).

My selection is on Atlanta minus the points over Philadelphia at 4:35 pm et on Saturday.

It almost seems as if the Eagles have suddenly become the trendy pick in this matchup on Saturday. When Philadelphia lost Carson Wentz for the season I immediately felt that they would be fade material should they host a playoff game, and here we are. The Falcons have been inconsistent this season but gained a lot of confidence in holding off the Rams in Los Angeles last Saturday. I'm still not sure we've seen Atlanta's best effort this season, but what better spot than this for it to step up. Even if they had Carson Wentz, the Eagles would still not have much experience, and I'm still not sure they would be a sure thing to move on to the conference final. The Falcons didn't enter the postseason with high expectations and I'm still not sure folks are expecting much from them. Meanwhile, the Eagles have all the pressure in the world to go out and win a football game in front of the home faithful. Unfortunately they haven't been presented with an ideal situation. Take Atlanta (10*).

NFL Wild Card Game of the Year. My selection is on Carolina plus the points over New Orleans at 4:40 pm et on Sunday.

The Panthers are a trendy sleeper pick in the NFC entering these playoffs, and rightfully so in my opinion. I like the way this matchup sets up for them, even off an ugly showing in Atlanta last Sunday. Of course, prior to that, Carolina had reeled off three straight wins, scoring 84 points in the process. While the Panthers may not have the start power outside of Cam Newton on offense, this unit is capable of doing some damage. The Saints failed to end their regular season on a high note, falling by a 31-24 score in Tampa last Sunday. In fact, they went just 3-3 SU over their last six games. One of those wins did come against the Panthers right here in New Orleans, and it came by a 10-point margin. I can’t help but feel we see a tighter contest this time around as these two familiar divisional foes do battle. Take Carolina (10*).

My selection is on Buffalo plus the points over Jacksonville at 1:05 pm et on Sunday.

It’s hard not to get behind the Bills considering all the franchise has endured over a long playoff drought. I believe they draw a favorable matchup here against another team unfamiliar with recent playoff success in the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Bills won their way into the postseason by taking three of their final four regular season games. Meanwhile, the Jaguars limp into the playoffs on the heels of back-to-back losses against the 49ers and Titans on the road. A return home should give them a boost here, but will it be enough to secure a victory, let alone a cover? I’m not so sure. This has the makings of a sneaky-good Wild Card tilt with neither team going away quietly. Take Buffalo (10*).

My selection is on Atlanta plus the points over Los Angeles at 8:15 pm et on Saturday.

I really do like the Rams, and we cashed plenty of tickets backing them over the course of the regular season. The playoffs are a different animal, however, and I look for the Falcons experience, and hunger after losing in such devastating fashion in last year’s Super Bowl to carry them through this Wild Card showdown. With that being said, I’ll grab all the points I can get with Atlanta rather than back it on the moneyline in this spot. The Rams are certainly worthy of respect from the betting marketplace – the fact they’re favored is no mistake on the part of the oddsmakers. But here I look for the Falcons to do a good job of stacking the box against Todd Gurley and forcing Jared Goff to turn in a lights out performance in his first playoff appearance. The Rams will be hard-pressed to come away with a win, let alone cover the spread in this contest. Take Atlanta (10*).

My selection is on Tennessee plus the points over Kansas City at 4:35 pm et on Saturday.

I’ll grab the generous helping of points with the Titans as they square off against the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Tennessee certainly didn’t impress down the stretch, winning just one of its final four games, but that turned out to be the one that mattered as its victory over the Jaguars last Sunday catapulted it into the postseason. Keep in mind, of the Titans most recent three losses; none came by more than five points. Their last blowout loss came back on November 16th, when they faced the less than inviting task of heading to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers on a Thursday night following a gritty 24-20 win over Cincinnati four days earlier. The Chiefs closed out the regular season on a high note, winning their last four games, but as a franchise they haven’t won a playoff game in what seems like an eternity and I’m not totally convinced we see a reversal of fortunes here. Sure, they ‘should’ win this game. Covering the lofty spread may be a different story entirely. Take Tennessee (10*).

NFL Blowout Game of the Week. My selection is on Dallas minus the points over Philadelphia at 1 pm et on Sunday.

I'll lay the points with the Cowboys on Sunday afternoon, even as they are simply playing out the string against the division rival Eagles. I expect questions to linger whether the Eagles are the real deal with the playoffs on the doorstep. Of course, Carson Wentz remains sidelined and Nick Foles did little to inspire confidence in Monday's narrow win over the Raiders. The Cowboys will certainly be looking to take out their frustrations on Philadelphia here, following a no-show at home against the Seahawks in a must-win game last Sunday. Look for the 'Boys to close out the season on a positive note. Take Dallas (10*).

My selection is on Philadelphia minus the points over Oakland at 8:30 pm et on Monday.

I have no trouble laying the points with the Eagles in this matchup. The Raiders have all but packed it in for the season after back-to-back losses to the Chiefs and Cowboys. That dropped them to 1-4-2 ATS over their last seven contests. The Eagles are just 1-2 ATS over their last two games but that only serves to keep this line in check on Monday night. I expect to see QB Nick Foles have another big game against a vulnerable Raiders defense, leading Philadelphia to a lopsided victory. Take Philadelphia (10*).

NFL Underdog Game of the Year. My selection is on Cincinnati plus the points over Detroit at 1 pm et on Sunday.

I really like the way this ones sets up for the underdog Bengals at home. The future is cloudy for the Bengals as a franchise as long-time head coach Marvin Lewis has one foot out the door. But for this week, the spot sets up well as the Lions come in off of back-to-back wins against the lowly Bucs and Bears. Cincinnati should get a boost offensively with the expected return of RB Joe Mixon. After appearing lifeless in the last couple of weeks, I'm confident we'll see the Bengals offense get rolling against a vulnerable Lions defense on Sunday afternoon. The Lions have their sights set on a playoff berth in the NFC but I believe we'll see their hopes spoiled in resounding fashion. The last time we saw the Bengals play with some pride was the first half against Pittsburgh on Monday Night Football three weeks ago. Expect more of that type of play on Sunday. Take Cincinnati (10*).

NFL Blowout Game of the Week. My selection is on New England minus the points over Buffalo at 1 pm et on Sunday.

The Bills are on a nice little run having posted three wins in their last four games both SU and ATS. However, I believe that run grinds to a halt here in Foxboro. The Patriots escaped with a 27-24 win in Pittsburgh last week to take back control of the AFC. Now I expect to see them play loose back at home, and ultimately deliver a lopsided win over the Bills. Keep in mind, Buffalo has just one road win in the last two months and that came at the expense of the Chiefs, who were coming unraveled at the time. It won't be so fortunate in this spot as the Pats seem to have been galvanized by that shocking Monday night loss in Miami two weeks ago. We're being asked to lay double-digits here for a reason. Take New England (10*).

My selection is on Indianapolis plus the points over Baltimore at 4:30 pm et on Saturday.

I'm not sure this is going to be the cakewalk that most are expecting for the Ravens on Saturday afternoon. The Colts were lifeless in last week's home loss to the Broncos, but now they've had a couple of extra days to prepare for the Ravens, and they'll be catching Baltimore on the heels of three straight ATS wins, and in a clear letdown spot. Baltimore has quietly put together a fine season at 8-6 SU and 8-5-1 ATS, but I'm not sure the Ravens are quite as good as their record indicates. I believe they're vulnerable without Jimmy Smith against a Colts offense that can move the football through the air. The fact is, we're likely not going to need much from the Colts offense in order to cover this lofty spread. Take Indianapolis (10*).

My selection is on San Francisco minus the points over Tennessee at 4:25 pm et on Sunday.

The 49ers are playing with some real confidence and enthusiasm right now, and have been since Jimmy Garoppolo took over under center. I believe they're currently listed as the small favorite for a reason in this matchup, despite the disparity in overall records. The Titans are still in the mix for the AFC South title, with a showdown with the Jaguars ahead in Week 17. Note, however, Tennessee is on the road for the second straight week and finds itself just 3-4 away from home this season. It would be easy for the Titans to overlook the Niners in this spot, and I believe they'll do just that. Take San Francisco (10*).

My selection is on Buffalo minus the points over Miami at 1 pm et on Sunday.

The Dolphins are coming off a stunning Monday night upset of the Patriots but I look for them to fall right back to Earth in Buffalo this Sunday. The Bills picked up a huge victory under a blanket of snow last Sunday and they'll aim to keep it rolling, and move two games above .500 on the season in this spot. Note that Buffalo has gone an impressive 5-2 SU at home this season while the Fins have won just twice in six tries on the road. The home team is 5-2 SU and ATS in the last seven meetings in this series. Take Buffalo (10*).

My selection is on Los Angeles minus the points over Kansas City at 8:25 pm et on Saturday.

The Chiefs handed the Chargers a 24-10 loss in Los Angeles earlier this season but now it’s time for L.A. to return the favor. Kansas City stopped the bleeding with a 26-15 win over the hapless Raiders last Sunday but that victory may have provided more questions than answers. The Chiefs still struggled to finish drives with touchdowns in that game, settling for four field goals. Yes, RB Kareem Hunt showed signs of returning to form, but that was only because he was up against a reeling Raiders run defense. On the flip side, the Raiders did nothing to take advantage of a depleted Chiefs defense. Here, I don’t expect Kansas City to get off as easy. The Chargers are absolutely rolling right now, brimming with confidence on the heels of four straight wins. They’ve become the popular pick to ultimately win the AFC West and I don’t believe that’s a flawed view at all. The Chargers have everything working on both sides of the football and I don’t believe they’ll have much trouble brushing aside the division rival Chiefs, even in a hostile environment at Arrowhead Stadium. Take Los Angeles (10*).

My selection is on Detroit minus the points over Chicago at 4:30 pm et on Saturday.

I have no trouble laying the points with the Lions in this NFC North showdown on Saturday afternoon in Motown. Chicago rolled to an impressive 33-7 win in Cincinnati last Sunday but I think that win said more about the Bengals than it did of the Bears. Keep in mind, in its previous two games, the Bears were held to a grand total of 18 poitns in losses to the Eagles and 49ers. The victory on Sunday snapped Chicago’s five-game losing streak. I don’t believe we’ll see the Lions let Bears RB Jordan Howard run wild as he did against the Bengals. On the other side of the football, Detroit should bounce back after being held to 24 points or less in three straight games. In short, I see this as an excellent get-right matchup for a Lions squad that desperately needs a win to hang around in the NFC playoff picture. With another winnable game (not a gimme) on deck in Cincinnati last week, before a trip to Green Bay to face Aaron Rodgers and the Packers in Week 17, this is quite simply the most important game of Detroit’s season. I don’t believe it will squander the opportunity. Take Detroit (10*).

My selection is on Denver minus the points over Indianapolis at 8:25 pm et on Thursday.

Conditions were absolutely terrible for the Colts in Buffalo last Sunday as they ultimately fell in overtime in the middle of a lake effect snowstorm. With that being said, it was baffling to watch Indianapolis not even attempt to throw the football for the better part of the first three quarters of that game. What did they have to lose? At least Buffalo was willing to take some shots through the air, with some success. The Broncos are coming off a much-needed (for their confidence anyway) win over the Jets last Sunday. QB Trevor Siemian looked poised in the pocket, something the Broncos had been sorely lacking during their extended slide. Simply put, the Broncos have more talent at their disposal, particularly on the defensive side of the football, in this Thursday night matchup. From ownership on down, I feel it’s the Broncos that also have a little more hunger to win, if only for pride’s sake at this stage of a lost season. The Colts season was lost a long time ago. I see Chuck Pagano as a lame duck head coach at this point. Maybe the Colts rally to put on a positive show for the home faithful in this primetime affair, but I believe there’s a better chance that they show up without a lot of life after Sunday’s draining loss in snowy Orchard Park. Take Denver (10*).