The man got even with the public last weekend after a lot of underdogs pulled out wins. Overall, favorites have been covering most games in the NFL leading to plenty of profits. You could tell that the oddsmakers made adjustments to the lines this week and gave a lot of points to the dogs. We’ve taken advantage of that.
Here are Doc Brown’s picks for week 9, along with some analysis below:
(ATS = Against the Spread, SU = Straight Up)
You may think the Doc is crazy for picking the Bucs against the Saints. New Orleans has blown out opponents while the Bucs have lost to teams like the 49ers 48-3. I know, I know. But here’s the thing with Tampa Bay: they play well against divisional opponents. They just bring their A-game in the contests that matter. LeGarrette Blount will be back from his knee injury, and they’ll have safety Tanard Jackson again (he’s had an interception in the two games he’s played). And most importantly, defensive tackle Gerald McCoy will be back to stuff the run. There’s no reason they shouldn’t keep this at a one-score game.
The Giants getting 8.5 points at the Patriots seems generous. Sure the Pats are capable of blowing any opponent out — particularly one whose pass defense is questionable — but New England’s secondary is one of the worst in the league. The Giants should be able to keep pace, even if they don’t have Ahmad Bradshaw or Hakeem Nicks available. Their other receivers are still capable of beating New England’s backs, and Brandon Jacobs and D.J. Ware should find plenty of holes.
Pittsburgh has been on a roll while Baltimore has been reeling. That can all change this week with the Ravens hyped for the game, but we can’t forget how motivated Pittsburgh will be. The Steelers were offended by Baltimore running a two-point conversion in week one and said they’d remember it in the rematch. The rematch is here and they’re looking good. The offensive pass attack has been dominant while Baltimore’s offense has been closer to dormant. Pittsburgh’s linebacking core will be missing some good players, but they’re getting James Harrison back. That should help them try to contain the Ravens.
The other two games the Doc considered for his locks were St. Louis and San Francisco. The Rams are playing the Cardinals who are going with John Skelton at quarterback. We trust Sam Bradford (who’s a game-time decision) or A.J. Feeley more than Skelton. If the Rams play defense and run the ball like they did last week, they should win this game. And with the way San Francisco’s defense has been playing, it’s hard to envision Washington putting up many points.
