Green Bay Packers (5-2) at San Francisco 49ers (4-4) … GB -6.5, O/U 48.5
FINAL PREDICTION: Packers 28, 49ers 23 (SF Covers, Over) Indianapolis Colts (4-2) at Detroit Lions (3-3) … IND -3, O/U 49.5
FINAL PREDICTION: Colts 24, Lions 23 (DET Covers, Under) Las Vegas Raiders (3-3) at Cleveland Browns (5-2) … CLE -1.5, O/U 47.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Browns 31, Raiders 24 (CLE Covers, Over) Minnesota Vikings (1-5) at Green Bay Packers (5-1) … GB -5.5, O/U 48.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Packers 32, Vikings 17 (GB Covers, Over) New England Patriots (2-4) at Buffalo Bills (5-2) … BUF -4.5, O/U 41.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Bills 22, Patriots 16 (BUF Covers, Under) Pittsburgh Steelers (6-0) at Baltimore Ravens (5-1) … BAL -4, O/U 44.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Steelers 29, Ravens 28 (PIT Covers, Over) Tennessee Titans (5-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (1-5-1) … TEN -7, O/U 49.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Titans 28, Bengals 21 (TEN Covers, Under) Kansas City Chiefs (6-1) at New York Jets (0-7) … KC -19.5, O/U 49 FINAL PREDICTION: Chiefs 38, Jets 13 (KC Covers, Over) Los Angeles Rams (5-1) at Miami Dolphins (3-3) … LAR -3, O/U 46.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Rams 24, Dolphins 19 (LAR Covers, Under) Los Angeles Chargers (2-4) at Denver Broncos (2-4) … LAC -3, O/U 44.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Chargers 27, Broncos 17 (LAC Covers, Under) New Orleans Saints (4-2) at Chicago Bears (5-2) … NO -5.5, O/U 41.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Saints 29, Bears 20 (NO Covers, Over) San Francisco 49ers (4-3) at Seattle Seahawks (5-1) … SEA -1.5, O/U 53.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Seahawks 31, 49ers 27 (SEA Covers, Over) Dallas Cowboys (2-5) at Philadelphia Eagles (2-4-1) … PHI -10.5, O/U 42.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Eagles 24, Cowboys 13 (PHI Covers, Under) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-2) at New York Giants (1-6) … TB -12.5, O/U 45 FINAL PREDICTION: Buccaneers 32, Giants 17 (TB Covers, Over) Atlanta Falcons (1-6) at Carolina Panthers (3-4) … CAR -1.5, O/U 51.5
FINAL PREDICTION: Panthers 28, Falcons 26 (CAR Covers, Over) Cleveland Browns (4-2) at Cincinnati Bengals (1-4-1) … CLE -3.5, O/U 50.5
FINAL PREDICTION: Browns 26, Bengals 19 (CLE Covers, Under) Dallas Cowboys (2-4) at Washington Football Team (1-5) … DAL -1, O/U 44.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Cowboys 20, Washington 17 (DAL Covers, Under) Detroit Lions (2-3) at Atlanta Falcons (1-5) … ATL -1.5, O/U 54.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Lions 29, Falcons 28 (DET Covers, Over) Green Bay Packers (4-1) at Houston Texans (1-5) … GB -3, O/U 55.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Packers 27, Texans 24 (GB Covers, Under) Buffalo Bills (4-2) at New York Jets (0-6) … BUF -10. O/U 46.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Bills 30, Jets 17 (BUF Covers, Over) Pittsburgh Steelers (5-0) at Tennessee Titans (5-0) … TEN -1.5, O/U 51 FINAL PREDICTION: Steelers 24, Titans 23 (PIT Covers, Under) Carolina Panthers (3-3) at New Orleans Saints (3-2) … NO -7, O/U 49.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Saints 28, Panthers 20 (NO Covers, Under) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2) at Las Vegas Raiders (3-2) … TB -3.5, O/U 51.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Buccaneers 31, Raiders 27 (TB Covers, Over) Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5) at Los Angeles Chargers (1-4) … LAC -7.5, O/U 49 FINAL PREDICTION: Chargers 28, Jaguars 16 (LAC Covers, Under) Kansas City Chiefs (5-1) at Denver Broncos (2-3) … KC -7, O/U 44.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Chiefs 33, Broncos 21 (KC Covers, Over) San Francisco 49ers (3-3) at New England Patriots (2-3) … NE -3, O/U 45 FINAL PREDICTION: 49ers 20, Patriots 17 (SF Covers, Under) Seattle Seahawks (5-0) at Arizona Cardinals (4-2) … SEA -3.5, O/U 54.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Seahawks 28, Cardinals 26 (ARI Covers, Under) Chicago Bears (5-1) at Los Angeles Rams (4-2) … LAR -6, O/U 44.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Bears 22, Rams 20 (CHI Covers, Under) New York Giants (1-5) at Philadelphia Eagles (1-4-1) … PHI -4.5, O/U 44.5
FINAL PREDICTION: Eagles 23, Giants 19 Atlanta Falcons (0-5) at Minnesota Vikings (1-4) … MIN -3.5, O/U 53.5
FINAL PREDICTION: Vikings 28, Falcons 24 (MIN Covers, Under 53.5) Chicago Bears (4-1) at Carolina Panthers (3-2) … CAR -1.5, O/U 45 FINAL PREDICTION: Bears 23, Panthers 21 (CHI Covers, Under 45) Cincinnati Bengals (1-3-1) at Indianapolis Colts (3-2) … IND -7.5, O/U 46: FINAL PREDICTION: Colts 27, Bengals 19 (IND Covers, Push) Detroit Lions (1-3) at Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4) … DET -3, O.U 52.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Lions 28, Jaguars 25 (DET Covers, Over 52.5) Baltimore Ravens (4-1) at Philadelphia Eagles (1-3-1) … BAL -10, O/U 46.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Ravens 30, Eagles 21 (PHI Covers, Over 46.5) Cleveland Browns (4-1) at Pittsburgh Steelers (4-0) … PIT -3, O/U 50 FINAL PREDICTION: Steelers 24, Browns 23 (CLE Covers. Under 50) Denver Broncos (1-3) at New England Patriots (2-2) … NE -7, O/U 44 FINAL PREDICTION: Patriots 24, Broncos 17 (NE Covers, Under 44) Washington Football Team (1-4) at New York Giants (0-5) … NYG -1, OU 42.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Washington 20, Giants 16 (WAS Covers, Under 42.5) Houston Texans (1-4) at Tennessee Titans (4-0) … TEN -3.5, O/U 52 FINAL PREDICTION: Titans 31, Texans 24 (TEN Covers, Over 52) New York Jets (0-5) at Miami Dolphins (2-3) … MIA -8.5, O/U 46 FINAL PREDICTION: Dolphins 28, Jets 17 (MIA Covers, Under 46) Green Bay Packers (4-0) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2) … GB -2, O/U 54.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Packers 30, Buccaneers 24 (GB Covers, Under 54.5) Los Angeles Rams (4-1) at San Francisco 49ers (2-3) … LAR -2.5, O/U 51 FINAL PREDICTION: Rams 27, 49ers 19 (LAR Covers, Under 52) Kansas City Chiefs (4-1) at Buffalo Bills (4-1) … KC -5, O/U 57.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Chiefs 32, Bills 28 (BUF Covers, Over 57.5) Arizona Cardinals (3-2) at Dallas Cowboys (2-3) … ARI -1, O/U 55.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Cardinals 28, Cowboys 26 (ARI Covers, Under 55.5) Arizona Cardinals (2-2) at New York Jets (0-4) … ARI -7, O/U 48
FINAL PREDICTION: Cardinals 26, Jets 20 (NYJ +7, Under 48) Carolina Panthers (2-2) at Atlanta Falcons (0-4) … ATL -2.5, O/U 54 FINAL PREDICTION: Panthers 30, Falcons 29 (CAR +2.5, Over 54) Cincinnati Bengals (1-2-1) at Baltimore Ravens (3-1) … BAL -11.5, O/U 49.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Ravens 33, Bengals 23 (CIN +11.5, Over 49.5) Jacksonville Jaguars (1-3) at Houston Texans (0-4) … HOU -5.5, O/U 54.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Texans 23, Jaguars 22 (JAX +5.5, Under 54.5) Las Vegas Raiders (2-2) at Kansas City Chiefs (4-0) … KC -11.5, O/U 54.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Chiefs 34, Raiders 21 (KC -11.5, Over 54.5) Los Angeles Rams (3-1) at Washington Football Team (1-3) … LAR -7, O/U 45.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Rams 27, Washington 20 (LAR -7, Over 45.5) Philadelphia Eagles (1-2-1) at Pittsburgh Steelers (3-0) … PIT -7, O/U 44.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Steelers 24, Eagles 19 (PHI +7, Under 44.5) Miami Dolphins (1-3) at San Francisco 49ers (2-2) … SF -8.5, O/U 51 FINAL PREDICTION: 49ers 28, Dolphins 20 (MIA +8.5, Under 51) Indianapolis Colts (3-1) at Cleveland Browns (3-1) … CLE -1, O/U 48.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Colts 26, Browns 24 (IND +1, Over 48.5) New York Giants (0-4) at Dallas Cowboys (1-3) … DAL -7.5, O/U 52.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Cowboys 31, Giants 14 (DAL -7.5, Under 52.5) Minnesota Vikings (1-3) at Seattle Seahawks (4-0) … SEA -6.5, O/U 56 FINAL PREDICTION: Seahawks 34, Vikings 27 (SEA -6.5, Over 56) Los Angeles Chargers (1-3) at New Orleans Saints (2-2) … NO -8, O/U 50.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Saints 27, Chargers 20 (LAC +8, Under 50) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) at Chicago Bears (3-1) … TB -3.5, O/U 44.5
I’m going to come right out at say it: the Chicago Bears might be one of the most underwhelming three-win teams in all of football. But… But there’s a real chance they steal this game at home against the Buccaneers. Look, I’m not a Nick Foles fan. I don’t think he’s worth the money he’s being paid, nor do I think he’s one of the 32 best quarterbacks in football. I do think, however, that he’s surrounded by a talented cast of guys and a solid defense that, with help, could luck into a win this week. And if there were ever a time to stick it to the critics, this is that time. An upset win won’t be easy, however. If not for the Los Angeles Chargers being the Los Angeles Chargers, the Buccaneers could very well be sitting at .500. That second half collapse by LA’s second favorite son might seem like it was just your typical anti-Chargers fodder, but I think it paints a different picture: the Buccaneers are not perfect. Heck, there are times where their lack of discipline and chemistry makes them look -like- a very similar version of the 8-8 Buccaneers we saw last season. A short turnaround game against a solid defense doesn’t bode well for a team still trying to find its footing. Luckily, the Bears’ 3-1 record feels a lot less earned than that of Tampa Bay’s, and Chicago’s play is far more telling about where that franchise is at. Not only have they completely (for now) cooled off on the Mitch Trubisky experiment, they’re also without one of their most dynamic offensive pieces in Tarik Cohen and his absence was felt in a big way in last week’s game against the Colts. While far from the league’s upper echelon, Cohen brought something to the table that no combination of David Montgomery and Cordarrelle Patterson can recreate. Against a stout run defense, the Bears are going to need all the help they can get. I know reducing a football game to the two players under center is far from astute analysis, but really: which team would you feel more comfortable with backing? The Bears are a team carried entirely by their defense and their offensive supporting cast, getting next to no help from any of their quarterbacks. The Buccaneers are an imperfect team with loads of talent on both sides of the ball that simply need to string four full quarters of football together to be among the top-third of the league. Tom Brady may not be the same guy we’ve known for the last two decades, but he’ll still do more for his team than Nick Foles will do for his, and that is the cold hard truth. I still think the Bears can find themselves lucking into that seventh playoff spot at the end of the season, but these are the games that are going to prove they’re still a piece or two away from being true contenders in the league. Tampa may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I do think they’ll be able to dig deep enough to get the job done on the road, though I’m certainly playing it safe when it comes to the line for this contest . FINAL PREDICTION: Buccaneers 26, Bears 24 (CHI +3.5, Over 44.5) Arizona Cardinals (2-1) at Carolina Panthers (1-2) … ARI -3, O/U 52
FINAL PREDICTION: Cardinals 28, Panthers 24 (ARI -3, Push) Baltimore Ravens (2-1) at Washington Football Team (1-2) … BAL -14, O/U 45.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Ravens 36, Washington 21 (BAL -14, Over 45.5) Cleveland Browns (2-1) at Dallas Cowboys (1-2) … DAL -3.5, O/U 55.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Cowboys 30, Browns 27 (CLE +3.5, OVer 55.5) Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2) at Cincinnati Bengals (0-2-1) … CIN -1.5, O/U 49.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Jaguars 23, Bengals 22 (JAX +1.5, Under 49.5) Los Angeles Chargers (1-2) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1) … TB -7, O/U 41.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Buccaneers 24, Chargers 20 (LAC +7, Over 41.5) Minnesota Vikings (0-3) at Houston Texans (0-3) … HOU -3.5, O/U 53.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Texans 27, Vikings 26 (MIN +3.5, Under 53.5) New Orleans Saints (1-2) at Detroit Lions (1-2) … NO -3, O/U 53.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Saints 28, Lions 24 (NO -3, Under 53.5) Seattle Seahawks (3-0) at Miami Dolphins (1-2) … SEA -5.5, O/U 55.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Seahawks 33, Dolphins 23 (SEA -5.5, Over 55.5) New York Giants (0-3) at Los Angeles Rams (2-1) … LAR -13.5, O/U 48.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Rams 30, Giants 14 (LAR -13.5, Under 48.5) Buffalo Bills (3-0) at Las Vegas Raiders (2-1) … BUF -3, O/U 52.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Bills 29, Raiders 26 (BUF -3, Over 52.5) Indianapolis Colts (2-1) at Chicago Bears (3-0) … IND -3, O/U 43 FINAL PREDICTION: Bears 24, Colts 23 (CHI +3, Over 43) Philadelphia Eagles (0-2-1) at San Francisco 49ers (2-1) … SF -8.5, O/U 45.5 FINAL PREDICTION: 49ers 23, Eagles 20 (PHI +8.5, Under 45.5) New England Patriots (2-1) at Kansas City Chiefs (3-0) … KC -11.5, O/U 49.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Chiefs 34, Patriots 23 (NE +11.5, Over 49.5) Atlanta Falcons (0-3) at Green Bay Packers (3-0) … GB -6.5, O/U 56.5 FINAL PREDICTION: Packers 31, Falcons 24 (GB -6.5, Under 56.5)
I feel sick to my stomach, and it’s not just because the team that beat my Boston Celtics got eviscerated in the NBA Finals.
Week 4 in the NFL will soon kick off, and what game are we stuck watching? The Denver Infirmary Patients vs. That Other New York Football Team. Nothing beats prime time, baby. In the week that was, I posted a 10-6 record (Disclaimer: I charge all ties as losses on my end), and while I don’t feel great about that showing, it’s still head and shoulders above my ATS picks. Those are almost as abysmal as the New York Jets’ record, but, let’s save that vitriol for a bit later. Before we kick this off, I just wanted to apologize for a complete lack of analysis for last week’s game. I simply needed some time to myself as it was a busy week, and I wasn’t in a position to put in the time I normally do for my predictions. Rather than rush out tiny blurbs for each game, I decided I would get my predictions and ATS picks in and return feeling rejuvenated and ready to post a perfect record here in Week 4. Again, my apologies to those that read my columns in depth - I hope you can forgive me! With that out of the way... Ladies and gentlemen, your Week 4 Thursday Night Football preview from Big Fudge and Vibrant Sports. Fire up our track of the week and give this a read.
Denver Broncos (0-3) at New York Jets (0-3) … NYJ -1, O/U 41.5
I’m just going to come right out and say it: this may be the least-anticipated football game that has ever existed in my time as a football fan. I’ve been tasked with watching some stinkers, but I can’t recall a game with such little hype and fanfare between two equally sorry franchises this early in a season. Sure, we saw a number of Tank Bowls last year, but I think this game is beyond worthy of donning a first-ever title here on Vibrant Sports: The Dumpster Fire Game of the Week. What is there to say about this game that could even slightly entice someone that isn’t A) a Broncos fan, B) a Jets fan, or C) a masochist to tune in and pay any semblance of attention to the moving shapes on their screen? I suppose Gardner Minshew and Nick Mullens aficionados (read: QB whisperer wannabes) might tune in to see if Brett Rypien has a future in this league as he’s set to start his first career game following an interesting journey to the league, but this may rank as one of the least-viewed nationally televised NFL games of the entire season. And yet we will tune in, and be left scratching our heads at the end of the night wondering where those three and a half hours just went. For the Jets, you can just read my first two predictions of the season to know where I stand with them. Defensively, they leave a lot to be desired. To be fair, that’s been the case with this team for quite some time now, so it’s not like that’s a surprise to many. Their run defense - which ranks in the bottom-third of the league in terms of yards per game - will be truly put to the test in this game. Even with Phillip Lindsay still nursing a foot injury, expect Denver to rely on their running backs to control clock and keep New York’s defense on the field. Offensively speaking, well… The best I can say about New York is they certainly trot out 11 guys on offense - that much is absolutely true. Those 11 guys, well, they also play football. Not well and not consistently, but they are certainly football players playing football on a football field, and that is a fact. They do have a quarterback, and his name is Sam Darnold, and I am sure he will pass the ball in this game. Now whether he decides to pass the ball to the guys dressed in green jerseys or the guys in white jerseys remains to be seen, but after a week in which he tossed three interceptions, of which two (TWO!) were returned for defensive touchdowns, I think it’s safe to say this Broncos defense may be on the receiving end of a couple forced turnovers of their own. Jamison Crowder will be suiting up for the Jets, but let’s be honest: it’s going to take a herculean effort for this team to build any amount of cohesion and chemistry, and against even a “meh” defense this week, even that won’t be enough. We’ve seen a complete lack of urgency and playmaking from this unit, and head coach Adam Gase’s penchant for convincing front offices that he is indeed a genius and wholly worthy of keeping his job leaves a horse shit-flavored taste in my mouth. Look, I understand Denver being bit (consumed whole?) by the injury bug is certainly cause for concern and would likely deter many (all?) analysts from picking them, much less traveling to the dangerous MetLife Stadium turf on a short week, but what’s the alternative? Putting my faith in this joke of a professional sports franchise? I’ve been burned so bad by both of these teams over the last handful of years that I am completely desensitized to their shortcomings and inability to win games in which they’re favored. Even in defeat, the Jets have failed to cover in each of their first three games. The Broncos might be sorry, but at least you could make the argument they’re playing for each other, for their head coach, for their fallen brothers - the Jets look uninterested in competing at all this season to me. I know this is a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” scenario, and that in picking the Broncos here, the Jets will more than likely pop off and blow their scoring allowance for the entire season in this game, but that’s a risk I’m willing to take. FINAL PREDICTION: Broncos 19, Jets 14 (DEN +1, Under 41.5) |
AuthorBorn in the beautiful state of Maine, Damon Douglas has spent the majority of his life obsessed with all things sport. From an early age, it was clear to Damon that a career in the sports world was his dream, and this endeavor is simply the first step in what is hopefully a long career writing and talking about sports. Archives
November 2020
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