MARLBORO, NY – There is a very good chance today’s column gets edited late if at all due to yesterday’s NYRC Bar Golf outing promoted by MTM management. Get your swear words in early on the comments section and they’ll be there until the late games kick off at 4 o’clock. After a 2-2 split last week, the record is now at 26-22 for the year and while not happy about my performance, I feel very strongly about today’s selections. These picks are guaranteed to put cash in your holiday pockets just in time to buy some love.
FAVORITE: If you bet just one game today this is thee one! Borrow money if you have to, sell your kids, rent out the Missus, whatever you have to do to scrape up enough cash to make a very large score. There is also a teaching moment in Gambling 101 for the Detroit at New Orleans game. Reverse logic works three out of four times in betting the NFL as I’ve often pontificated. Follow the arrows as Detroit comes into Nawlins with extra rest, having beaten the sliding Vikings on Thanksgiving–the Lions third win in a row. At 7-4 for the season and good for first place in the NFC North division, the Lions are two games better than the Saints (also a middling 3-3 at home). Not only are the Saints favored, they are overwhelming picks laying six points to a better team! This game smells so rotten I can’t wait to see how the NFL covers it up. The Pick of the Year is NEW ORLEANS (-6) over Detroit.
UNDERDOG: Hmmm. I’m not sure if Las Vegas has the Tampa Bay Bucs figured out at this late juncture of the season. The line-makers have a very good read on the sub-.500 San Diego Chargers, who are clearly a decent team in the NFL’s best division. Today, the experts are forecasting a Tampa win against the spread. The Bolts should be favored by six at home but are only 3.5 point choices in the game. The Bucs defense has won the last two games against top competition and Jameis Winston continues to mature enough to get the cover today. Tampa Bay (+3.5) over SAN DIEGO
OVER: Another head-scratcher. Do the Jets score enough to justify a total of 48.5 in consecutive weeks? I don’t think so but oddsmakers do for Monday Night’s Colts-Jets game at MetLife Stadium. There’s little reason to watch this game unless you have a wager and I’m begging you to invest the dough you win on the Saints and let it ride on this contest. Indianapolis/NEW YORK JETS OVER 48.5
UNDER: LeSean McCoy has been pretty spectacular as of late for the Buffalo Bills. Derek Carr injured a couple of digits on his throwing hand last week without negative effect. I feel as though the combination of these two factors can and will keep a lid on the scoring in what should be an entertaining game. These two teams have only produced 5 of 22 ‘unders’. Once in a while I like the law of averages as well. Buffalo/OAKLAND UNDER 48.5
That’s it. Please comment below and come back tomorrow for Dancin’ DJ Eberle, who can dive into a pile of boobs and come out sucking his thumb! And please follow us on Twitter – @CheesyBruin & @MeetTheMatts and like our Facebook page, Meet The Matts.
