Every week billions of dollars are wagered on the NFL. The most popular type of bet is the spread. Each week there are a few games with an appealing spread and others with an ugly spread. To help bettors figure out which spreads they should bet on and which to avoid, two of our NFL writers, Mike Fanelli and Dale Money, give their take on every spread for each of this weekend’s games.
To recap, last week, Mike finished with a 6-9 record while Dale finished on fire, going 12-3. For the year, Mike is 29-31 while Dale is 36-24. Let’s take a look at their picks for Week 5.
As a reminder, we have an early London game tomorrow between the New York Jets and Atlanta Falcons this week. Kickoff is at 9:30 am EST.
Spreads are provided by Jazz Sportsbook. Please bet responsibly.
Be sure to check out our NFL betting advice article each week.
|
Game |
Mike |
Dale |
|
New York Jets vs Atlanta Falcons -3 (London) |
NYJ +3 |
ATL -3 |
|
Miami Dolphins vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers -10 |
TB -10 |
TB -10 |
|
Philadelphia Eagles vs Carolina Panthers -3 |
CAR -3 |
PHI +3 |
|
New Orleans Saints vs Washington Football Team +2.5 |
NO -2.5 |
NO -2.5 |
|
Tennessee Titans vs Jacksonville Jaguars +4.5 |
JAX +4.5 |
JAX +4.5 |
|
Detroit Lions vs Minnesota Vikings -10 |
DET +10 |
MIN -10 |
|
Denver Broncos vs Pittsburgh Steelers +1.5 |
PIT +1.5 |
PIT +1.5 |
|
Green Bay Packers vs Cincinnati Bengals +3 |
GB -3 |
CIN +3 |
|
New England Patriots vs Houston Texans +8 |
NE -8 |
NE -8 |
|
Chicago Bears vs Las Vegas Raiders -5.5 |
LV -5.5 |
LV -5.5 |
|
Cleveland Browns vs Los Angeles Chargers -2.5 |
LAC -2.5 |
CLE +2.5 |
|
New York Giants vs Dallas Cowboys -7 |
DAL -7 |
DAL -7 |
|
San Francisco 49ers vs Arizona Cardinals -4.5 |
ARZ -4.5 |
SF +4.5 |
|
Buffalo Bills vs Kansas City Chiefs -3 |
KC -3 |
KC -3 |
|
Indianapolis Colts vs Baltimore Ravens -7 |
IND +7 |
IND +7 |
The Team to Bet
Mike: New York Jets +3
How on Earth are the Jets underdogs in this game? Last week, they pulled off the upset victory over the Tennessee Titans, winning 27-24 in overtime. The betting markets are still overreacting to the Jets’ two blowout losses in Weeks 2 and 3. Meanwhile, the Falcons are giving up an average of 32 points per game this season, most in the NFL. They are also averaging only 19.5 points per game on offense, 25th in the league. They will be without Calvin Ridley and Russell Gage tomorrow, limiting their offensive firepower. After recording seven sacks last week against the Titans, expect the Jets to get all kinds of pressure on Matt Ryan. Not only do the Jets cover the spread, but they also win outright in London.
Dale: Cleveland Browns +2.5
Without the late comeback by the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1, the Browns would be coming into this game with a perfect record. Their success has ultimately been attributed to a strong run game and stifling defense. Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb have combined for more than 140 yards in each of the Browns’ last three games. With the Los Angeles Chargers giving up the fourth-most rushing yards in the NFL, the Browns should have no problem running roughshod. Take the Browns plus the points here.
The Team to Avoid
Mike: Houston Texans +8
Since their upset victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1, the Texans haven’t won a game, losing by an average of 21.7 points per game over the past three weeks. Furthermore, the Texans have failed to cover the spread in each of their past two games, getting outscored 64-9. The biggest reason for their struggles has been Davis Mills. With Tyrod Taylor, the Texans are 2-0 against the spread. By comparison, the Texans are 0-2 against the spread with the rookie under center. Bettors shouldn’t expect that to change this week against the New England Patriots as Bill Belichick has a career record of 22-6 against rookie quarterbacks. Last week the Patriots’ defense made life difficult for Tom Brady. Just imagine how many ghosts Mills will see in tomorrow’s game.
Dale: Denver Broncos -1.5
After suffering a concussion last week, Teddy Bridgewater is a question mark heading into tomorrow. Despite his return to practice, it’s still risky to trust Bridgewater after just recovering from a head injury. Particularly on a road trip against a tough Pittsburgh Steelers defense. Furthermore, they have several injuries at the wide receiver position and could be without their top three options tomorrow. In light of how well the rest of the AFC North is performing, the Steelers must win this week to keep their division hopes alive. With playing against a desperate Steelers team, the Broncos should be the underdogs this week.
Check us out on our socials:
Twitter: @PTSTNews and @TalkPrimeTime
Facebook Page: Prime Time Sports Talk
Join our Facebook Group: Prime Time Sports Talk
Instagram: @primetimesportstalk
Follow Mike Fanelli on Twitter @Mike_NFL2
Follow Dale Money on Twitter @packerd_00
