MANALAPAN TOWNSHIP, NJ – This is the last column from what turned out to be… an almost-permanent (one-year) temporary living arrangement. Starting next week I’ll be reporting from the hometown of Snookie – Marlboro, New York. Wait until this sleepy little town hears that a writer of a sports web site has taken up residence. Anyhow, you were warned last week about how poorly I felt about my picks as the weekend yielded a 1-3 mark against the spread. Feeling positive and without the agita, here are today’s bona fide selections.
FAVORITE: Will the real Houston Texans please stand up? Here’s a team who looked absolutely dreadful in losing to Denver this past Monday in what was billed as Brock Osweiler’s Denver Reunion. P.U. is all I’ll say about the game and the gazillion dollars the Texans quarterback is stealing from the organization relating to his free agent contract. Oh, yeah. The Texans needed a late fourth quarter comeback two Sunday Nights ago to win in overtime against another Jekyll & Hyde team in the Colts. As putrid the 0-3 road record is, Houston has also managed to go 4-0 at home which is where they’ll be playing today against another middle-of-the-road team… the Detroit Lions. The Lions have overcome a 1-3 start by winning three in a row heading into this contest. Something has got to give and I say the Lions take their lumps some way, some how. HOUSTON (-1.5) over Detroit
UNDERDOG: Really? The Packers are getting points? This is how far the mighty have fallen and Las Vegas is letting us know there is something amiss with Aaron Rodgers and the normally reliable Green Bay Packers. I’m not dissing the Falcons because they have improved by leaps and bounds compared to last year (see Matt Ryan). Maybe the odds makers don’t quite know how to weigh the Pack having spent four straight games plus a bye week without leaving home. It’s a scheduling oddity and the Birds have lost back-to-back contests and will be ready for this one but the team’s defense, particularly the middle of the field, is what the Packers will exploit. Green Bay (+3) over ATLANTA
BONUS PICK: San Diego/DENVER UNDER 43.5OVER: Thanks to the Eagles victory over the Vikings last week, the hottest team in the NFL is the 5-1 Dallas Cowboys. They’re doing it all on offense by chewing up pavement and staying away from turnovers helping keep a suspect defense fresh. Did you hear that Chip Kelly? The ‘Boys control the clock normally to the benefit of the ‘under’ but today I’m counting on a close game with both teams in the 20’s. Philadelphia/DALLAS OVER 43
UNDER: Zzzz. The banged-up Jets stroll into Cleveland to play the winless Browns. This game should be a spectacle for the sole fact that New York can become victim #1. In any event, wake up the echoes of Brian Sipe and Richard Todd as we sleep to Jets/CLEVELAND UNDER 44.
That’s it. Please comment below and come back tomorrow for Dangerous DJ Eberle, whose Buffalo Bills are the NFL’s equivalent of the Chicago Cubs. Almost… And please follow us on Twitter – @CheesyBruin & @MeetTheMatts and like our Facebook page, Meet The Matts.
P.s… The Indians beat the Cubs – again. Read this.
