Sunday 9/13/20 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

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Tampa Bay Bucs at New Orleans Saints 9/13/20 - NFL

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana on September 13th to play the New Orleans Saints in the opening game of the 2020 NFL regular season for both. Tampa Bay opens the Tom Brady-era on September 13th as the longtime New England Patriots quarterback will now guide the Buccaneers offense. Brady's presence under center has made Tampa Bay a contender in the NFC.

Brady will have several targets to choose from on the Tampa Bay offense including top wide receiver Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and the unretired tight end Rob Gronkowski. Defensively, Tampa Bay was one of the worst in the NFL against the pass and points allowed during 2019 but have added top players to the front seven. Tampa Bay had the best rush defense in the NFL last season but that was due to teams being able to throw easily against the defense.

Drew Brees returns to lead the high octane New Orleans offense for what could be his last or next-to-last NFL season. The Saints offense is deep and very talented and is led by running back Alvin Kamara and wide receiver Michael Thomas who is one of the best if not the best receiver in all of the NFL. Brees could have a field day against one of the worst passing defenses in the NFL over the last two seasons.

Defensively, New Orleans was in the top half of the league last season as they have been in each of the last three. The Saints finished No. 4 against the rush and No. 11 in total defense in 2019. Playing at home has always been a big advantage to the Saints in the enclosed Superdome but not having fans will take that advantage away from New Orleans but nonetheless the Saints defense will give Brady and the Tampa Bay offense fits throughout.

Recent Betting Trends

Tampa Bay is 7-3-1 ATS in its last 11 on the road
The OVER has cashed in 10 of the Buccaneers last 11 versus the NFC
New Orleans is 11-4 ATS in its last 15
The OVER has cashed in 5 of the Saints last 7 versus the NFC South

Free NFL Pick: New Orleans Saints -3.5

NFL fans will get a good view of whether or not Tom Brady can continue his magic under center when he debuts with Tampa Bay on Sunday. The Buccaneers will face a tough Saints defense when playing their NFC South Rivals to open the season on the road. Drew Brees will guide a well-balanced offensive attack led by Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas and lead the Saints to an opening-week victory at home. Final Score Prediction, New Orleans Saints win and cover ATS 30-23.

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LA Chargers at Cincinnati Bengals 9/13/20 - NFL

On September 13th, the Los Angeles Chargers visit the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium for the opening game of the NFL regular season for both. Tyrod Taylor has become the starting quarterback for the Chargers after long time QB Philip Rivers left the team. Los Angeles has a very talented roster and if Taylor can hold his own under center the Chargers could surprise many in the AFC West. Last season the Chargers were hurt by turnovers as they committed 17 more than they forced, including 20 interceptions thrown by Rivers.

Austin Ekeler is the leading running back for the Chargers after Melvin Gordon moved on to the Denver Broncos. The top wide receiver is Keenan Allen and Mike Williams will start on the opposite side. Hunter Henry will give Taylor a big target at tight end for the Chargers. Defensively, the Chargers will be strong with Joey Bosa, Casey Hayward and Derwin James leading the way for a group that finished No. 2 overall in defense last season. Former pro bowler Chris Harris Jr. at cornerback, defensive tackle Linval Joseph and rookie Kenneth Murray will add strength to the defense.

Cincinnati starts the Joe Burrow-era. The former LSU standout at quarterback will now lead the Bengals offense each Sunday. Burrow was picked No. 1 overall in the NFL draft and is expected to start against the Chargers in Week 1. However, Burrow could find it difficult to put together any offense as the offensive line for Cincinnati is one of the worst in the NFL and the crop of skill position players is weak.

Joe Mixon returns as the top running back for the Bengals and will share duties once again with Giovani Bernard. AJ Green is also expected to return as the top wide receiver. Tyler Boyd, who has two straight 1000-yard receiving seasons, returns for the Bengals. Defensively, Carlos Dunlap and Geno Atkins are the two big returnees on the defensive line. Cincinnati acquired DJ Reader in free agency, who will help the interior line, but the linebackers and secondary have plenty of new faces they will take a few weeks to find any continuity.

Recent Betting Trends

Los Angeles is 5-1-2 ATS in its last 8 in Week 1
The OVER has cashed in each of the Chargers last 4 on the road
Cincinnati is 5-1-1 ATS in its last 7 in Week 1
The OVER has cashed in each of the Bengals last 4

Free NFL Pick: Los Angeles Chargers -3.5

Even though Cincinnati will have the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft Joe Burrow starting at quarterback, the Los Angeles Chargers have an excellent defense that will pressure the rookie signal-caller from start to finish and force miscues. Bengals starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor has plenty of experience under center and will guide the Chargers up and down the field against an inexperienced Bengals defense. Final Score Prediction, Los Angeles Chargers win and cover ATS 24-17.

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Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens 9/13/20 - NFL

Baltimore is coming into the game here with an offense that has looked great on the year. The Ravens do have Lamar Jackson coming back to guide the team offensively. Jackson ended up throwing the ball for 3127 yards and 36 touchdowns, but was picked off only 6 times. Jackson did carry the ball 176 times for 1206 yards and 7 touchdowns. Mark Ingram II was the second leading rusher and he is back. Last year he carried 202 times for 1018 yards with 10 touchdowns.

With the Ravens they are returning all 3 of the big leaders for the Ravens. That includes Chuck Clark who recorded 73 tackles in the game. Matthew Judon ended up getting a total of 9.5 sacks on the year. The Ravens also return Marlon Humphrey who picked off the opponent 3 times.

Cleveland is going to look to see if Baker Mayfield will come back to being his comfortable self or the player that is all over the place. Mayfield last year ended up throwing for 3827 yards with 22 touchdowns, but was picked off 21 times. Nick Chubb was the consistent player for the Browns offense and is back this year. Chubb last year carried the ball 298 times with 1494 yards and 8 touchdowns.

Myles Garrett is coming back and that could definitely give the Browns defense a bolster. The Browns defense without Garrett struggled quite a bit and did not have the same edge. The other thing that the Browns do have going for them is the addition of 2 standouts from the national championship team from last year as the LSU draft picks are both projected to start the game.

Recent Betting Trends

Cleveland are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games.
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cleveland's last 6 games.
Baltimore are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Baltimore's last 6 games.

Free NFL Pick: Cleveland Browns +8

The Ravens have the offensive power coming into the game here, but the Browns have Garrett back and have quite a formidable pair coming from LSU. Look for that to make the difference in the game as the power of the Cleveland defense actually keeps the game close enough to prevent Baltimore from covering, but not from winning. Final Score Prediction, Baltimore Ravens win, but do not cover ATS 17-10.

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Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Football Club 9/13/20 - NFL

The Eagles are coming to the year with a lot of promise. However, the Eagles are going to rely on starter Carson Wentz to stay healthy for the year. Wentz last year threw for 4039 yards and 27 touchdowns, but was picked off 7 times. The leading rusher for the Eagles was Miles Sanders who carried the ball 179 times for 818 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Defensively Philadelphia is bringing back a lot of the starters from the team last year. That includes Brandon Graham who pulled the quarterback down 8.5 times for the Eagles. The leading tackler is gone for the Eagles as Malcolm Jenkins left for New Orleans. However, the Eagles defensive backfield is fairly well balanced.

Washington for their part will be looking to see how well Dwayne Haskins Jr. settles into the game. Haskin was not the starter in his rookie year, but this season has a lot of question marks surrounding him. Last year Haskins threw for 1365 yards with 7 touchdowns, but 7 picks as well. One key player that could help Haskins out quite a bit is Adrian Peterson who carried the ball 211 times for 898 yards and 5 touchdowns.

Jack Del Rio will be looking to their first round pick to have a lot of return. Chase Young was drafted to help the defensive line fill some holes, but also put some pressure on the quarterback. The rest of the defense if Young is able to play at the same level he did last year for Ohio State will be elevated to a completely new level.

Recent Betting Trends

The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Philadelphia's last 9 games.
Philadelphia are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games.
Washington are 5-10 ATS in their last 15 games.
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games.

Free NFL Pick: Philadelphia Eagles -6

The Eagles are coming in with the offense fairly intact and a defense that has been very well balanced in how they have played. Now, the other side of the coin is the Washington team come in with a lot of question marks. Look for the Washinton defense to play good on the year, but the offense for Washington is most likely will be contained in the game as the Eagles are unable to do much. Final Score Prediction, Philadelphia Eagles win and cover 34-17.

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Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots 9/13/20 - NFL

The Dolphins will be looking to see how their offense does to start the year off. Last year, Fitzpatrick was left trying to find a path downfield and often it was by his feet as he never had time to set up in the pocket. For all of his scrambling Fitzpatrick did throw for 3529 yards and 20 touchdowns, but was picked off 13 times. The sad running game seen Fitzpatrick carry the ball 54 times for 243 yards and 4 touchdowns, but even then it could be a question of how long he plays before the Dolphins put in Tua.

Defensively the Dolphins could not get any worse. The Dolphins had the worst scoring defense on the year and looked horrible. Now, the Dolphins did make some additions to the defense, but in most circles the moves were not enough to improve quite a bit.

This year the Patriots are coming in with an offense that has a lot of question marks. It seems kind of odd to mention the question marks, but the Patriots have to replace Tom Brady and quite a few other players as well. Jarrett Stidham is the quarterback who is projected to start for the Patriots. Sony Michel was the leading rusher for the Patriots last year. He carried the ball 247 times for 912 yards and 7 touchdowns.

With the Patriots the defense has to replace their leading tackler and sack machine as Jamie Collins left the team in the off season to Detroit. On the brighter side of the game for New England they are returning Stephen Gilmore who picked the ball off 6 times

Recent Betting Trends

Miami are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games.
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Miami's last 7 games.
New England are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games.
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New England's last 6 games.

Free NFL Pick: New England Patriots -6

The game here will be one that could be interesting. The Patriots are looking to come back with a new look offense, but also a new defense as well. The Dolphins, though, are just horrible in the game here and that will show up in the game as their defense is completely blown out in the game. Final Score Prediction, New England Patriots win and cover ATS 27-10.

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Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings 9/13/20 - NFL

The Packers are coming back to the season here with a future Hall of Famer guiding the team in Aaron Rodgers. He managed to throw for 4002 yards with 26 touchdowns and only 4 picks last year. The Packers are even bringing back Aaron Jones who ran for 1084 yards and 16 touchdowns last year as well. Green Bay added in Devin Funchess to provide Rodgers with a new target as well.

Defensively the Packers are bringing back their sack leader from last year in Za”Darius Smith who put the quarterback down 13.5 times and Preston Smith who recorded 12 sacks. Kevin King is back as the interception leader from the team last year as he pulled down 5 picks.

Minnesota is coming to the game here as a team that can really run the NFC North if they wanted to. Kirk Cousins is the quarterback that is coming back for the Vikings. Last season he threw the ball for 3603 yards and 26 touchdowns, but was picked off 6 times. The leading running back for the Vikings was Dalvin Cook who managed to get 1135 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Danielle Hunter is coming back on the year for the Vikings. Last year he was a sack machine with a total of 14.5 sacks. In addition to the great pressure end the Vikings are bringing back Anthony Harris who had 6 picks. One question mark on defense is how good Jeff Gladney will be at corner as he is the rookie coming out of TCU for the Vikings.

Recent Betting Trends

The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Green Bay's last 10 games.
Green Bay are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games.
Minnesota are 4-2 ATS in their last 6 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 6 games.

Free NFL Pick: Minnesota Vikings -2.5

Green Bay did good last year, but the offensive line for the Packers has had issues in the past and it will be hard pressed to get past those issues again here. Look for the Packers to play good on the year, but in this game the rush of Minnesota coupled with the improved defensive backfield with Gladney will make it too difficult for Green Bay to get the win as the Vikings pull off the win. Final Score Prediction, Minnesota Vikings win and cover ATS 24-17.

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Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions 9/13/20 - NFL

The Chicago Bears are looking to have a new quarterback in the game as they traded for Nick Foles. The running back that the Bears are going to looking to carry the team is David Montgomery. Montgomery is coming in for his second year and last year he carried the ball 242 times for 889 yards with 6 touchdowns.

Defensively the Bears are bringing back quite a few starters from the year last year. However, it really depends on which one of the players shows up in the game to make the difference. One player that the Bears will rely on to help them in leading the team defensively is Khalil Mack who recorded 8.5 sacks last year.

Detroit is one team that has really looked decent at times, but are going to rely on their offense to carry the team. The Lions are bringing back Matthew Stafford who threw for 2499 yards and 19 touchdowns last year, but was picked off 5 times. The leading running back for the Lions is Kerryon Johnson and he carried the ball only 113 times for403 yards, but did get 3 touchdowns.

The Lions are bringing back a good rushing end in Trey Flowers who put the quarterback down 7 times last year. Now, the Lions do have to replace Devon Kennard who recorded 7 sacks as well. One potential bright spot for the Lions could be the potential that Jeff Okudah can bring as a shut down corner.

Recent Betting Trends

Chicago are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Chicago's last 20 games.
Detroit are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games.
Detroit are 0-9 SU in their last 9 games.

Free NFL Pick: Detroit Lions -3

This game here will be a challenge for both of the teams. However, the Lions are coming in with their offense largely intact and with the quarterback being the same from last year. However, the Lions even upgraded their defensive back position by bringing in Okudah. Look for the game here to be a challenge between the teams, but it will see the Bears keeping the game close in a losing effort. Final Score Prediction, Detroit Lions win and cover ATS 24-20.

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NY Jets at Buffalo Bills 9/13/20 - NFL

The New York Jets travel on the road to Bills Stadium to take on the Buffalo Bills. The Jets struggled last season but were able to win three of their last four games to finish at 7-9 on the year. The Bills were able to sneak into the playoffs last year, posting a 10-6 record before falling in the Wild Card game in overtime to the Houston Texans.

With the exodus of Tom Brady and other key members of last year’s AFC North champions, the Bills have a solid chance to win the division this season. Buffalo will be looking for a big step forward from third-year QB Josh Allen who threw for 3000 yards and 20 touchdowns last season to nine interceptions. Allen looks to be the quarterback of the future for the Bills and his mobility has presented issues for defenses, totaling 510 rush yards and a team-high 9 rushing touchdowns.

The Bills added weapons for Allen in the offseason including pro-bowler wide receiver Stephon Diggs who caught 64 passes for 1,130 yards and 6 touchdowns for Minnesota last season. Buffalo also returns John Brown and Cole Beasley, the two leading receivers from last year’s team.

The Jets similarly have a young quarterback in former 3rd overall pick Sam Darnold. Darnold has not seen the same level of success as Allen in their limited time in the NFL, whether that be due to the lack of offensive line, coaching or weapons remains to be seen. Darnold threw 13 interceptions last season, compared to just 19 touchdowns, and totaled just over 3000 yards passing on the season.

To help Darnold, the Jets signed former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Rashaad Perriman and will return Jamison Crowder. Crowder totaled 78 receptions for 833 yards and caught 6 touchdowns last season. The Jets will not have Robby Anderson back as he left to Carolina in free-agency; Anderson was the second leading receiver on the team with 52 catches and 779 yards.

The Bills defense was the key to last years’ playoff run allowing just 16.2 points per game ranking second in scoring defense. They also added veteran corner Josh Norman, who’s best days are likely behind them but can at the very least provide some depth in the secondary which in the NFL is never a bad thing.

The Jets allowed 22.4 points per game last season, middle of the pack defense that will need to take a step forward if the Jets would like to be competitive. We are beginning to see what we’re going to get from the Jets offense and unless either Darnold and the offense take a big step forward or the defense improves, the Jets will finish out of the playoff picture again.

Recent Betting Trends

The total has gone UNDER in 5 of NY Jets' last 6 games.
NY Jets are 4-16 SU in their last 20 games on the road.
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Buffalo's last 7 games.
Buffalo are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games.

Free NFL Pick: Buffalo Bulls -6.5

The Bills are a trendy under the radar team this season and deservedly so after a 10-6 season and an overtime playoff loss. The addition of Stephon Diggs on the offensive end and a quarterback in Josh Allen who has gotten better every year, the Bills look poised for a breakthrough season. The Jets added a piece in Rashaad Perriman on the offensive end but lost Robbie Anderson and there are still a ton of questions on the defensive end, specifically how the Jets will fare without Pro Bowler Jamal Adams anchoring the secondary. With a more proven team, the Bills start the season off with a win at home in decisive fashion. Final score prediction, Buffalo Bills win and cover ATS 27-17.

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Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars 9/13/20 - NFL

The Indianapolis Colts are playing against the Jacksonville Jaguars at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. The Indianapolis Colts are looking to have a great year after some big off season moves and the Jaguars just waived one of their best players in Leonard Fournette. The Colts want veteran quarterback, Phillip Rivers to lead them to an AFC championship.

The Indianapolis Colts were 7-9 last year. The Colts looked better than what their record showed last year. The Colts were not great offensively last year after losing their starting quarterback right before the season started. The Colts were a terrible 25th in the league last year in total yards on offense, having 5,238 yards. The Colts have made some changes to the offensive roster and will be looking to have a way better offensive season.

The Jacksonville Jaguars were 6-10 last year. Jacksonville was not a very good team last year and will be about the same team this year. The Jaguars were 20th in the NFL last year in total yards, having 5,468 yards in 2019. The Jaguars will need to be better defensively if they want to be better this year.

Recent Betting Trends

The Indianapolis Colts were 1-5 SU their last 6 games.
The total has gone over in 4 of the Colt’s last 5 games played in September.
The Jacksonville Jaguars were 2-6 in their last 8 games.
The total has gone over in 6 of the Jaguar’s last 9 games while being the underdog.

Free NFL Pick: Indianapolis Colts -7.5

In this matchup I like the Indianapolis Colts to win and cover the spread. The Colts are a much better team this year and will be able to lock up the Jaguars offense. The Colts ranked 18th in total defense last year and focused on defense in the draft and off season moves. To go along with that Jacksonville was not great offensively and got rid of their best player. Final score prediction, Indianapolis Colts will win and cover ATS 31-21.

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Seattle Seahawks at Atlanta Falcons 9/13/20 - NFL

The Seattle Seahawks will kick off the 2020 season on the road with a cross country trip to the Mercedez Benz Superdome to take on the Atlanta Falcons. The Seahawks fell 28-23 in the Divisional playoffs to the Green Bay Packers, bringing an end to a solid 11-5 including a wildcard playoff win over the Eagles. The Falcons had a disappointing 2019 campaign, starting off 1-7 before winning six of their last eight and finishing second in the NFC South at 7-9.

The Falcons will return a ton of weapons along with some new look faces from last year’s team, one that averaged 379 yards per game, the 5th most in the NFL but averaged just 23.8 points per game. Franchise quarterback Matt Ryan threw for 4,400+ yards and 26 touchdowns, throwing 14 interceptions as well. Ryan and the Falcons will return leading receiver Julio Jones who caught 1300 yards and 6 touchdowns last season. Atlanta also returns weapons in Calvin Ridley and tight end Austin Hooper, who both caught over 800 yards and scored 13 combined touchdowns.

Atlanta will be without 2019 leading rusher Devontae Freeman but in return made the addition of Todd Gurley, who throughout his career has been a force but has had injuries troubles in recent years. Playing for the LA Rams last season, Gurley rushed for 857 years and 12 touchdowns. The year before that, Gurley led the league in touchdowns with 17 and totaled 1251 yards rushing.

Seattle will have high expectations coming off of a playoff win last season and has a ton to be excited about on the offensive side of the ball. Former MVP Russel Wilson is in his prime and was exceptional last season throwing for 31 touchdowns and just 5 interceptions, totaling 4,110 yards passing. He’ll return the duo of Tyler Locket and DK Metcalf who combined for nearly 2,000 yards receiving and 15 touchdowns. Despite being just a rookie, DK Metcalf made his presence felt on defenses and Seattle hopes to see another step forward from him.

Seattle went to a backfield by committee at the beginning of last season but Cris Carson won over the job and went onto rush for 1230 yards and 7 touchdowns. Carson had ball security issues that need to be resolved but he figures to be the feature back for Seattle this season.

The Falcons and Seahawks were comparatively very close on the defensive end both allowing 24.9 points per game last season, ranking tied for 23rd in scoring defense. The Falcons looked to immediately improve on that in the draft picking up A.J. Terrell, a corner to attempt to negate the high flying attacks that they often face in the NFC South, and in the second round adding to their defensive line with Marlon Davidson.

Seattle also went with two defensive players for their first two picks, getting linebacker Jordyn Brooks at 27th overall and then traded up to get edge rusher, Darrell Taylor.

Recent Betting Trends

Seattle are 12-6 SU in their last 18 games.
Seattle are 8-2 SU in their last 10 games on the road.
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Atlanta's last 6 games.
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Atlanta's last 9 games against Seattle.

Free NFL Pick: Seattle Seahawks -1.5

With the spread this low I am going to go with the more proven commodities with Seattle. Seattle addressed their need for a run stopper in Jordyn Brooks and are poised to have one of the best offenses in the league returning MVP candidate Russel Wilson and the emergence of DK Metcalf as one of the best young wide receivers in the league. The Falcons have question marks in the backfield with Todd Gurley’s’ injury status unclear and Matt Ryan’s turnover issues last season. Final score prediction, Seattle Seahawks win and cover ATS 28-24.

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Las Vegas Raiders at Carolina Panthers 9/13/20 - NFL

The Las Vegas Raiders are opening up the 2020 season against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte North Carolina. The Las Vegas Raiders were 7-9 last year and are looking to have a better year this under 3rd year coach, Jon Gruden. The Carolina Panthers were 5-11 last year and will need to have a better season to compete in a very difficult NFC South.

The Las Vegas Raiders were 11th in the NFL last year in total yards, with 5,819 yards. The Raiders offense is led by veteran quarterback, Derek Carr. Carr was 10th in QBR for quarterbacks last year. The Raiders will need him to step up this year if they want to win more games with this high-powered offense.

The Carolina Panthers were 19th in the NFL last year in total yards, with 5,469 yards. The Panthers have arguably one of the best players in the NFL in Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey ran for 1,387 yards and 15 touchdowns last year. Not only did he run for that much, McCaffrey had 1,005 yards receiving with 4 receiving touchdowns.

Recent Betting Trends

The Las Vegas Raiders are 2-5 ATS their last 7 games.
The total has gone under in 6 of the Raider’s last 7 games.
The Carolina Panthers are 0-4-1 ATS their last 5 games.
The total has gone over in 5 of the Panther’s last 6 games.

Free NFL Pick: Over 47

In this matchup I like Carolina Panthers to win on the over. The better bet in this game would be the over. Both teams are good offensively, ranking 11th and 19th in total yards last year. Not only were they good offensively but both teams were terrible defensively last year, ranking 24th and 31st in total defense. Final score prediction, Carolina Panthers will win but best play is on this over 30-25.

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NFL
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES VS. WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM PREDICTIONS

PICKS

PHI Eagles Win -6.0 Point Spread
-105

Under 42.5 Game Totals
-110

Point Spread Pick
The Washington franchise’s first-ever game as The Washington Football Team will come against the NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday afternoon. Washington’s name is not the only thing that is new. It begins the 2020 campaign with a new head coach, offensive coordinator, and defensive coordinator. Ron Rivera has a big job on his hands trying to turn this organization around, and it is an organization that has not made the playoffs since 1999. The Football Team formerly known as the Redskins started three different quarterbacks last season, ranked bottom in points per game and passing yards per game. Dwayne Haskins will be under center this season, he started seven games last season, going 2-5. He will need to improve his accuracy and avoid taking sacks if he is going to succeed in 2020. And how is Haskins going to get help from the running game when Derrius Guice and Adrian Peterson were just released during the offseason?

Although the Eagles did not exactly have the best 2019 season, they still blew away Washington in the standings (9-7 to 3-13). Quarterback Carson Wentz got hurt in the playoffs, but he was mostly effective when healthy. Drafting Jalen Hurts does not help Wentz any, but he Philadelphia drafted Jalen Reagor in the first round along with John Highower and Quez Watkins in later rounds. DeSean Jackson returns from injury and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside is expected to make the year-two leap. This offense can be dangerous, but it isn’t particularly deep so staying healthy is paramount. On defense, the Eagles traded for cornerbacks Darius Slay and Nickell Robey-Coleman. They also added DT Javon Hargrave from Pittsburgh to go alongside Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, and Malik Jackson. This team should be able to win by a touchdown–or more–over the WFT.


Game Totals Pick
The Eagles also addressed their wide receiver depth in free agency by bringing in Marquise Goodwin, but he ended up opting out due to COVID-19. Up front they have already lost All-Pro guard Brandon Brooks and LT Andre Dillard to season-ending injuries. Jordan Mailata will start at left tackle, Jason Peters will play guard following Brooks’ injury, and tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai is gone. This unit has been one of the best in recent years but there are some concerns heading into the season. It has to compete right away with No. 2 overall pick Chase Young, too. Young is now part of a 4-3 defense, switching from a 3-4 under new DC Jack Del Rio. The new formation should suit the talent on this roster much better that what was going on with that side of the ball in the past. The defensive front could be one of the best in the league–also featuring Ryan Kerrigan, Montez Sweat, Daron Payne, Matt Ioannidis, and Jonathan Allen. There really isn’t anything to suggest that either offense will find much success on Sunday. Take the under.

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NFL
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS VS. ATLANTA FALCONS PREDICTIONS

PICKS

SEA Seahawks Win -2.0 Point Spread
-110

Over 49.0 Game Totals
-110

Point Spread Pick
The Atlanta Falcons have been terrible starters the past two seasons. They at least managed to go 7-9 last year thanks to a relatively meaningless last-season surge that did nothing but save head coach Dan Quinn’s job and prevent them from earning a top-10 draft pick. Poll the Falcons’ fanbase and you can be sure the majority would vote that Quinn returning isn’t a bad thing. Even though the head coach remains, Atlanta endured plenty of coaching and player personnel changes during the offseason. Thus squad features 11 former first-round picks starting on offense, but many are either new to the NFL or new to the Falcons. To say chemistry may not be cooking right away would be a gross understatement. Todd Gurley has taken over as the primary running back, but his knees have been questionable for two years now. Speaking of question marks, that is exactly what Atlanta’s offensive line is. Seattle’s defense looks a little bit different after various comings and goings, but safety Jamal Adams and cornerback Quinton Dunbar have been brought on board. Everyone knows a strong secondary is exactly how you combat Matt Ryan and the Falcons’ pass-happy offense.

On the other side of the ball, the Falcons parted ways from cornerback Desmond Trufant, defensive end Vic Beasley, and linebacker De’Vondre Campbell–just to name a few. That could be very good news for Russell Wilson, who is the kind of quarterback that has given Atlanta’s defense fits in the past. The Falcons’ pass-rush has been nonexistent in recent seasons, and even when it has been there the rushers struggle to bring down nimble QBs like Wilson. The Seahawks went 11-5 in 2019 and nothing suggests they won’t be considerably better than the Falcons again in 2020.


Game Totals Pick
Although the number is sizable, it is not too big for quarterbacks like Ryan and Wilson. Especially when you consider some defense factors, you have to like those quarterbacks’ chances of finding success in Week 1. Atlanta is extremely young in the secondary, starting Isaiah Oliver and A.J. Terrell at cornerback. Terrell is a rookie, and the middle of the first round was thought to be too high of a spot for him. Safety Keanu Neal is coming back from two ACL tears. If the front seven does not get pressure on Wilson, and there is no reason to think they will, the secondary is going to be in for a long day at the office. The good news for the Falcons is that Ryan has weapons like Gurley, Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, and Hayden Hurst at his disposal. It is safe to say that Seattle’s new-look secondary could get a rude welcoming in the opening game. Expect the offenses to look good early and often in this one.

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NFL
CLEVELAND BROWNS VS. BALTIMORE RAVENS PREDICTIONS


PICKS

CLE Browns Win +7.5 Point Spread
-110

Over 48.5 Game Totals
-110

Point Spread Pick
The Cleveland Browns were an offseason media darling last year, receiving just about as much hype as you could possibly imagine, and then they fell completely flat. Things were a disaster right from the start, and head coach Freddie Kitchens was shown the door after just one year. For a few reasons, I think they’re in for a bounce-back year, and will at least keep this one very close. Kevin Stefanski should do a much better job than Kitchens, and the talent is still all there. The signing of tight end Austin Hooper gives Baker Mayfield a truly elite group of pass-catchers, and the signing of right tackle Jack Conklin gives them a rock-solid offensive line. The Browns smacked the Ravens by 15 points when they met in Baltimore last year, so there’s clearly not too much of a gap here. Cleveland is going to come out on fire, while the Ravens will be a bit too comfortable on the heels of their 14-2 campaign. A defensive line featuring Myles Garrett, Larry Ogunjobi, Olivier Vernon, and Sheldon Richardson will be able to get enough penetration to keep Lamar Jackson in check.


Game Totals Pick
I also like the over here. In these two teams’ meetings last year, there were 111 total points scored. Cleveland quietly has one of the best groups of skill position guys in the league with Odell Beckham Jr, Jarvis Landry, Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, and Hooper. The only problem last year was the offensive line, which should be much improved in 2020. After cutting Earl Thomas due to locker room issues, I expect the back half of Baltimore’s defense to struggle and to be susceptible to the deep ball. No defense is going to be able to completely Jackson, and he’s going to make a number of big plays no matter what. This one has shootout written all over it.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NFL
NEW YORK JETS VS. BUFFALO BILLS PREDICTIONS

PICKS

NY Jets Win +6.5 Point Spread
-105

Over 39.5 Game Totals
-110

Point Spread Pick
AFC East action here as the Buffalo Bills host the New York Jets. Everybody in the football world seems to be down on the Jets right now, which is how you know there’s probably value in backing them. Everybody seems to have forgotten but the Jets quietly closed the 2019 season on fire, winning six of their last eight games. If Luke Falk didn’t have to play three games while Sam Darnold had mono, then the team might’ve finished above .500 and the narrative would be completely different right now. Darnold was adjusting to Adam Gase’s system last year, and the mono certainly slowed his progress. Now with a full year with Gase, I expect him to look much sharper in 2020. Le’Veon Bell certainly can’t be any worse than he was last year. I’m far from sold on Josh Allen, and I think the Bills overachieved last year. They’re due for some regression, and getting this many points is a steal.


Game Totals Pick
I think we’re going to see a good amount of points here. The Jets made major upgrades to their offensive line which should help Darnold, Bell, and the offense, but they didn’t do too much to address the defense. I think Buffalo’s defense is going to take a step back, and the losses of Jordan Phillips, Lorenzo Alexander, and Shaq Lawson will really hurt them. The Jets lost the heart and soul of their defense in Jamal Adams this offseason, so the newly acquired Stefon Diggs should be able to get loose deep a few times for Buffalo. This one will be higher scoring than people think.