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BEST BETS
Panthers (2-1) at Patriots (2-1)
LINE: NEW ENGLAND by 9
It’s rare to find the public disenchanted with the Patriots, but after losing their opener and needing some final second heroics from Tom Brady to upend the Texans last week, the market is currently not so bullish on the champs. That’s OK. We don’t need others for validation. In the game we just mentioned, the Pats were as much as a 14-point favourite. They never came close to covering, but the line was based on Houston’s ineffective offence coming in and the Texans defence not being a concern against Brady and his offence. A week later, the Patriots are giving fewer than double-digits to a team that has a weaker offence than the Texans and a far less-imposing defence. Cam Newton can’t hit water from a boat right now with his team ranking 29th in scoring (15 PPG) and 30th in passing (168 yds. per game). Heck, he threw for only 167 yards versus the Saints last week along with three interceptions. Newton is also missing TE Greg Olsen and might be without wideout Kelvin Benjamin. A long afternoon awaits this guest.
TAKING: PATRIOTS –9
Bills (2-1) at Falcons (3-0)
LINE: ATLANTA by 8
We’ve seen a number of instances this season when a team appears to be absolutely dreadful only to bounce back in its following game with an impressive win. The Bills were guilty of this after a clunker in Carolina two weeks ago only to return to Orchard Park and thoroughly whoop the high-flying Broncos. The question that arises for Buffalo and others is which team do you trust? We’re going to give the Bills the benefit of the doubt here. A new coaching staff has the defence playing very well, having allowed the fewest points in the NFL while Buffalo remains the only team that hasn’t allowed a passing touchdown this season. It won’t be easy maintaining that impressive stat against Matt Ryan and Co., but this is a lot of points to be handed to a top defence. Falcons could easily be 1-2 after very close calls with Chicago in the opener and a goal-line stop vs. the Lions last week.
TAKING: BILLS +8
Eagles (2-1) at Chargers (0-3)
LINE: LA CHARGERS by 1
Beware of the better-than-lousy 0-3 teams. We all know the Chargers find inventive ways to lose, but we still have enough faith to expect a win on this day. Winless, the Bolts are home for the third week in a row. Even they would like to win for their NHL-attendance-sized fans. This is a good matchup for them. Protecting Carson Wentz will be a tough task for the Birds as the Chargers’ pass defence is allowing just 176 yards per game, good for fifth overall. That will put pressure on a mediocre ground game, and with Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram causing trouble in the interior, points may not be easy to come by for this visitor. There’s a fatigue factor for Eagles, who are flying west after a tough divisional matchup against the Giants in a game that required a 61-yard field goal as time ran out for a win. The Eagles are a poor travelling team, with just two covers in their previous nine road games.
TAKING: CHARGERS -1
BEST BETS
Panthers (2-1) at Patriots (2-1)
LINE: NEW ENGLAND by 9
It’s rare to find the public disenchanted with the Patriots, but after losing their opener and needing some final second heroics from Tom Brady to upend the Texans last week, the market is currently not so bullish on the champs. That’s OK. We don’t need others for validation. In the game we just mentioned, the Pats were as much as a 14-point favourite. They never came close to covering, but the line was based on Houston’s ineffective offence coming in and the Texans defence not being a concern against Brady and his offence. A week later, the Patriots are giving fewer than double-digits to a team that has a weaker offence than the Texans and a far less-imposing defence. Cam Newton can’t hit water from a boat right now with his team ranking 29th in scoring (15 PPG) and 30th in passing (168 yds. per game). Heck, he threw for only 167 yards versus the Saints last week along with three interceptions. Newton is also missing TE Greg Olsen and might be without wideout Kelvin Benjamin. A long afternoon awaits this guest.
TAKING: PATRIOTS –9
Bills (2-1) at Falcons (3-0)
LINE: ATLANTA by 8
We’ve seen a number of instances this season when a team appears to be absolutely dreadful only to bounce back in its following game with an impressive win. The Bills were guilty of this after a clunker in Carolina two weeks ago only to return to Orchard Park and thoroughly whoop the high-flying Broncos. The question that arises for Buffalo and others is which team do you trust? We’re going to give the Bills the benefit of the doubt here. A new coaching staff has the defence playing very well, having allowed the fewest points in the NFL while Buffalo remains the only team that hasn’t allowed a passing touchdown this season. It won’t be easy maintaining that impressive stat against Matt Ryan and Co., but this is a lot of points to be handed to a top defence. Falcons could easily be 1-2 after very close calls with Chicago in the opener and a goal-line stop vs. the Lions last week.
TAKING: BILLS +8
Eagles (2-1) at Chargers (0-3)
LINE: LA CHARGERS by 1
Beware of the better-than-lousy 0-3 teams. We all know the Chargers find inventive ways to lose, but we still have enough faith to expect a win on this day. Winless, the Bolts are home for the third week in a row. Even they would like to win for their NHL-attendance-sized fans. This is a good matchup for them. Protecting Carson Wentz will be a tough task for the Birds as the Chargers’ pass defence is allowing just 176 yards per game, good for fifth overall. That will put pressure on a mediocre ground game, and with Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram causing trouble in the interior, points may not be easy to come by for this visitor. There’s a fatigue factor for Eagles, who are flying west after a tough divisional matchup against the Giants in a game that required a 61-yard field goal as time ran out for a win. The Eagles are a poor travelling team, with just two covers in their previous nine road games.
TAKING: CHARGERS -1
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