Article:NFL Picks Week 9

Last week, we had a tough one. 0 for 3 vs. the spread after going 3 for 3 the week before, but we did hit the money line. The Saints (+150) beat San Diego 37-32 in a game that featured a whole lot of offense and no defense. For this week, here’s who we at Pro Football 101 like: Best Bets:

Indianapolis Colts (-6)  vs. New England Patriots. News just came across the wire that both S Bob Sanders and RB Joseph Addai could be back for this showdown, and if that’s the case, game over. The Patriots have rattled off two consecutive wins, but those were at home and not on the road, and in their last venture away from Gillette Stadium they were trounced 30-10 by San Diego. Look for Peyton Manning to air it out in this game and the defense, which played relatively well Monday Night in Tennessee, to get an added boost from Sanders return and make life miserable for Matt Cassel and Co. The Colts are our best bet to win big this week.

Next in Line:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-8.5)  vs. Kansas City Chiefs. In the Chiefs last game vs. a top ranked team, they were destroyed by the Titans 30-10, and this week they get the 2nd place Buccaneers in Arrowhead. In year’s past, we wouldn’t have touched this game as the Chiefs always came to play in their own backyard, but this year is different. In this football game, look for Tampa Bay to run early and often, and then target its outside play makers - WR Galloway and WR Bryant - for big plays in the passing game, while on defense, to take away the running game early in order to force back-up QB Tyler Thigpen into a number of mistakes. We could see this one ending in the vicinity of 24-10 or 27-7. One of the stronger bets.

'' New York Giants (-9.5) vs. Dallas Cowboys. If Tony Romo were playing, a) the spread wouldn’t be so large and b) we probably wouldn’t take the Giants if they were giving more than 3.5 points. Neither of those scenarios are the case this week however. The Cowboys come into this football game playing with its back-up QB Brad Johnson, with a depleted secondary, and having only scored 14 and 13 points respectively in each of the past two weeks. As for the Giants, they’re coming off an impressive road win over the Steelers and not much is needed to get them up for a game vs. the hated rival Dallas Cowboys. Offensively, look for the Giants to pound the ball early and then open it up with Eli Manning and the passing game, while on defense, look for the G Men to play a more aggressive style because they know Johnson doesn’t have the arm to beat them deep anymore. The Giants will win this game by 10 or more.

Money Line:

Green Bay Packers (+200) vs. Tennessee Titans. The 7-0 Titans are going to lose sometime this season, so why not this week? The Packers come into this game off their bye week and on a two-game winning streak. The Titans, while undefeated, weren’t exactly world beaters in their victory over Indianapolis on Monday Night. Defensively, look for the Packers to bring 8 men in the box to take away the Titans’ running game and allow their corners to play man-to-man coverage against a not-so-imposing Tennessee pass offense. And offensively, while we don’t see RB Ryan Grant having a huge game against a very good Titans’ run D, we do see QB Rodgers enjoying success through the air to WR’s Jennings and Driver. In what will be a close football game, we like the Green Bay Packers to pull off the upset 20-17, in what is our best money line bet of the week.