Doc Brown is starting to feel a lot more confident about his picks even if the results haven’t proven to be the strongest. This is the week he starts to roll. He has eliminated all outside noise and has a comfortable grip on the season, so hop on board the Doc Brown train and take it to freedom.
(ATS = Against the Spread, SU = Straight Up)
There were several games Doc really liked this week. The Browns have been playing good ball. They narrowly lost to the Chargers on the road, and then they surprisingly beat Baltimore on the road in their last two games. This week they get a home contest against Denver. The Broncos’ defense has been stellar, but Josh McCown has actually been playing well with two touchdown passes in each of his last three games. He should be able to keep it close.
Miami has a new voice at coach and should be re-energized following the bye, but they’re still not very good. The Titans may have lost a close one last week at Buffalo, but they’ll be at home, and with each passing game, Marcus Mariota continues to improve. The Dolphins aren’t magically going to get better with a new coach. Doc like Tennessee.
As for the locks, the Bills seem ripe for a big win, while the Bengals are due for a loss. Cincinnati just came off a huge comeback win over Seattle. They’re feeling great about themselves, they’re 5-0, and they’re about to walk into the Lions err Bills den. Doc likes the Bills and feels the 3.5 is a nice bonus.
Houston may be stinky garbage this season, but Jacksonville isn’t much better. Brian Hoyer has actually played well at QB since seeing time at the end of the blowout loss to the Falcons and after entering the game for Ryan Mallett in a loss to the Colts. With a full game as the starter, he should be able to deliver a win. He’s not reliable enough to lead an NFL team to a successful full season, but in the short run, he should be good for a victory or two.
Lastly, Doc likes the Colts. Yes, you probably think Doc is crazy here, but it makes sense. We’re banking on Andrew Luck being back. If he’s healthier, he should be much better than he was earlier in the season. The Pats have also been ripping through everyone in blowout style. That will come to an end at some point. 7.5 points is a lot to give a capable team on the road, which is why Doc likes Indy.
