BLOOMINGBURG, NY – My record against the Vegas number is an underwhelming 3-5 through two weeks but there are chock full of betting angles for the NFL’s third slate of games that are worth reporting. Some teams pop up in multiple categories that may be worth further investigation for those willing to wager accordingly.
Home Openers: These teams along with those packing their bags for the first time today is a scheduling quirk. Kansas City, Buffalo, Indianapolis, and San Francisco will enjoy the initial taste of home cooking and all but one (the Colts) are 2-0 after back-to-back road victories. The least impressive of the road warriors has to be the Bills, who beat both the listless Jets and Giants at Met Life Stadium so we really don’t know how good Buffalo is just yet and may not know with the 0-2 Bengals on tap today.
Road openers: Coincidentally, there are the same number of squads hitting the road as the “homers” in Week #3 and similarly three of the four are as imperfect as the others are perfect through two weeks completed. Winless Carolina, Miami, and Jets are staring 0-3 in the face with their respective trips into enemy territory all with quarterback changes. The Raiders (1-1) leave The Black Hole that is Oakland for an early start with Minnesota.
First Time starting quarterbacks: Injury (Pittsburgh and the Jets X 2) and ineffectiveness (Giants) have these 0-2 teams inserting opening day understudies Mason Rudolph, Luke Falk, and Daniel Jones, respectively. The most impressive resume of the three is that of #6 overall pick in this year’s draft – Daniel Jones. And has the best match-up (vs. Tampa Bay) of the trio despite all being the visitors today.
Back up signal-callers: Three first time starters plus three back ups thrust into action equal six teams without numero uno at the most important position on the field. Kyle Allen (Carolina 0-2), Josh Rosen (Miami 0-2), and the tandem of Teddy Bridgewater and Taysom Hill all lead the charges on the field in road venues like the aforementioned first-time starters.
20+ point road underdogs: It’s almost unchartered territory to see one NFL favorite of twenty points or more on any given week in a league that promotes its parity, Well, in an anomaly, there are two such instances today as two home teams, Dallas (-22.5) and New England (-22.5), entertain two horrible teams forced to make changes at QB in the Dolphins and Jets.
Today’s Selections:
FAVORITE
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (-3) over Houston
UNDERDOG
Miami (+22.5) over DALLAS
OVER
Giants/TAMPA BAY (47.5)
UNDER
Carolina/ARIZONA (44.5)
Good Luck!!!
Speaking of luck, come back tomorrow for a Short Matt, whose lucky to be alive after watching Mickey Callaway prove that managers do indeed matter.
