NFL FOOTBALL PICKS ATS - FREE WEEKLY EXPERT PREDICTIONS

The Broncos are in a dogfight in their division with the Chiefs and Raiders also 2-0. They can’t afford a slip up and I don’t expect them to falter this Sunday. Buffalo’s offense is basically McCoy and everybody else and I expect Denver to neutralize him early and force Taylor into several unfavorable down and distance situations. Siemian has some o-line issues to deal with but he has several playmakers that he can get the ball to quickly and let them make plays. This game may be closer than people think but I think the Broncos will establish themselves early and move to 3-0 for the fourth time in the last 5 years.

Neither team’s offense puts a scare in opponents’ defenses, but I think we’ll see some improvement offensively this week for both clubs. The Browns’ rookie QB DeShone Kizer had a rough game against the Ravens in Week 2, but early play indicates that Baltimore’s defense is elite. Kizer did look OK against the Steelers in Week 1 in his first pro start and he got stronger in the late stages. I think he can rebound here against a Colts team that allowed the Rams 46 points in their opener. Jacoby Brissett was acquired late by Indianapolis and learning the playbook of a new offensive co-ordinator will take time, but he didn’t look horrible last week against a good secondary and can easily make big strides this week. I was hoping to see a 39 or lower in this spot, but I’ll bite on the 40.5.

The stock on the Ravens is quite high after they put the wood to both the Bengals and Browns. In spite of their achievements in the early stages of the regular season, the Ravens were just a marginal favorite here against a team that can embarrassed the weak before. This narrative should raise a few eyebrows and queries. The Jaguars have a home field advantage here and it has been the subject of discussion for the NFL front office as some believe the UK can have its first NFL team in London in a short span of time. The prime candidate to relocate: the Jaguars. In 2016, Jacksonville defeated Indianapolis in the International Series and their win was to the delight of many in attendance. Most of those supporting the Jags, were local Londoners. There is no doubt that the Baltimore defense is stingy and looking more and more like the units of yesteryear. However, given environmental factors and perhaps even quality of opposition this contest is a step up in competition. Jacksonville may win this one outright.

The Rams have had their troubles against San Francisco in recent years, but I would still give Los Angeles a significant edge in Thursday night’s matchup given the 49ers’ issues on offense. That being said, my ‘best bet’ pick for this game is the UNDER on 5Dimes’ current 40-point total line. That is a very generous number in light of the matchup on the field.

The early season hype goes both ways based on each team’s performance in Week 1. While Detroit did look good at home last week, it still has to play this game on the road. New York should be able to push the reboot switch as a much better team than the one we saw in Dallas. I am going against the betting consensus, but I like the Giants’ chances to right the ship with a SU win that covers the current 3.5-point spread.

Green Bay knows that to be the best team in the NFC it has to beat the best teams in the conference. Last week’s win against Seattle builds some huge momentum for this game fueled by the motivation factor of those two road losses to Atlanta last season. I still think that the Falcons are going to be mired in a Super Bowl hangover this season; however for the sole purpose of making money on this matchup I am going with the OVER 53.5 points on the total line as my “best bet” pick.

This is the first game the Chargers will play in Los Angeles since 1960. They will be playing in the 30,000-seat StubHub Center and need a fast start to get the home fans excited about another new team in the LA area. The Dolphins and their families went to LA last week so they won’t be feeling any effects from a cross-country trip. However, it’s only natural that many of them will have their minds on their homes and what they may be returning to. I like the Chargers to start fast in this contest and to hold on for their first win of the 2017 campaign.

The selling points of these two teams are far contrasting. The Raiders qualified for the playoffs in 2016 and are positioned to once again return to the post-season with perhaps a better team than they had last season. For New York, the Jets are projected by some to go winless this season. Situationally, this contest sets up for takers to pay a premium if they wish to have a piece of the Oakland pie. Contrarily, to entice action on Gang Green the Jets will likely be accompanied by a friendly price tag. From a value perspective, we will step in accordingly and take an enhanced allotment of points. The Jets could have fostered a cover at Buffalo last week had their own miscues not given the Bills to opportunity to grab easy points. Oakland is certainly a step up in quality in terms of competition but nevertheless the fact that this contest is also on the West Coast further drives the price. At a neutral site, this meeting would have opened as a touchdown-plus choice in some markets. Given the fact both teams are lined on opposite ends of the spectrum some would actually expect the price to be higher. This market is designed to entice action on the favorite which puts us in a great position to come in on a fade with a potential live dog.

These two offenses combined to score 38 points last week and are not built to score quickly. The defenses of both teams are more advanced than the offenses and I expect them to control two very mediocre offensive units. Therefore, I feel the Under is the way to go in this matchup.

Philadelphia played extremely well defensively against a good Washington offense holding them to a combined 264 yards. They’re strength on defense is their front seven which should be able to limit Kansas City’s run production which has been the key to their success. The Chief’s injuries play into the Eagles’ strengths with TE Zach Ertz and RB Darren Sproles rooming over the middle and we might see WR Alshon Jeffries break out this week. Kansas City has been brilliant at home the last two seasons going 12-4 straight up, but they’ve managed only a 6-10 record against the spread. Philadelphia may not get the outright win here, but expect them to keep it close enough to get the point spread cover.

Buffalo may seem to have value given the fact they were spotting lumber a week ago. However, if the price seems deceptively good it usually is. The early numbers in this market were designed to cultivate action on the underdog and much of the betting public has followed suit. The scenario creates a great fade opportunity at home with the Panthers. We will go the other way and not bite the hook cast out. Carolina is known for a robust home field advantage and they have entered this season with a chip on its shoulder. In 2016, Carolina failed to make it to the playoffs after it had made a Super Bowl appearance in the year prior. However, Josh Norman would leave town and Cam Newton would get injured. The rest is history. Now, Carolina comes back into the fold looking to get back to the post-season. The Panthers will make an example out of the Bills to showcase to the rest of league and country, the Cats are back. Laying chalk can be a risky proposition but in this case swallowing the points is certainly worth it.

The Titans offense didn’t impress against a dinged-up Raiders defensive unit, managing a meagre 16 points on 355 yards. They’ll face a Jaguar defense that was lights out against Houston allowing just 7 points on 203 total yards. Jacksonville spend Week 1 in the Texans backfield with 10 sacks and finished the day with a plus 4 turnover margin. The edge has to go to the Jags here with this being their home opener and it doesn’t hurt that the home side has won the last six contests in this series. Points will likely be difficult to come by making the UNDER also a strong play.

This game features 2 teams hoping to win their divisions this year. The Vikings looked good last week while Pittsburgh struggled with a team starting a rookie QB, also a team they usually dominate. I figure this will be a close game as both teams will look to establish their ground games early rather than fling it around 50 times. If Minnesota’s o-line can duplicate their performance from last week, they have an excellent chance to stay in the game and possibly win it. I’ll take the visitor this week to get a big road cover.

Neither of these teams appeared to be ready to start the regular season and considering just how poorly they each played on offense, I would look for this game to turn into the ultimate defensive grinder. While the total line at 38.5 points is already set low, I still do not believe that it is low enough to keep this game from staying UNDER the total.

Both of these teams open the 2017 regular season with more questions than answers on both sides of the ball in what should be a close contest for all four quarters. The biggest matchup will be New Orleans potent passing game going up against Minnesota’s shutdown secondary. In the end, I am going with the Saints and the extra half point on the current spread in what I see as a three-point game either way.

Both battles last season turned into a low-scoring defensive grind and that is exactly what I am expecting on Sunday night regardless of which playmakers are in or out of the lineup. I like New York with the uptick in the spread to four points, but the ‘best bet’ pick in this one is still the UNDER on the 47.5-point total line.

Both of these teams have offenses that will struggle in the early going. Luck’s absence leaves a huge void while the Rams have o-line issues as well as a QB who may not be ready for prime time. I expect a low-scoring affair and think the Under is the way to go in this one.

The Ravens have lost 9 players to retirement or season-ending injuries since June 1st and most of those players were starters. The Bengals have issues with their o-line and a few suspensions on defense but I think the key to this game is the Cincinnati’s defense ability to contain what appears to be a very weak offense at the start of the season. Dalton will get hit but he’ll also make enough plays to get the Bengals into scoring position. Cincinnati is 5-2 ATS in their last 7 matchups with Baltimore and 6-2 ATS in their last 8 as the host.

Like we will see with teams of similar caliber such as New York or Cleveland, the Jaguars are a tough team to sell especially given the fact they are on the road at a 2016 playoff qualifier. Nevertheless, the Jags were within striking distance in both encounters with Houston. The combined margin of defeat in both contests in 2016 was just four points. Despite the eye sore of a record, Jacksonville does have the talent to compete for the AFC South. Not too long ago, Jacksonville boasted a duo of 1,000-yard receivers in both Allen Hurns and Allen Robinson. That same duo returns along with added playmakers in Marquise Lee and draftee Dede Westbrook. Furthermore, the Jaguars also have the services of highly-touted first-round draft pick Leonard Fournette in the fold at running back with former Jets workhorse Chris Ivory to spell him. Very simply, this team has the potential to be explosive on offense. Thus, there is tremendous equity in taking the points and fading the public in this AFC South match-up.

This is a good game for the Flacons coming off their nightmarish Super Bowl loss. They face an opponent that is really a step down in class and have too many weapons for a defense breaking in several new starters. Their young defense has added some solid rookies and their many rookie starters from a year ago are a year older and wiser. Glennon knows he is just keeping the seat warm for Trubisky and any enthusiasm he had at finally getting a chance to start is over. He also looked shaky in the preseason. I look for a comfortable win by the visitor.