NFL: TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT
Let the winning streak begin. It’s been an up and down journey to this point but we’re about to rake in some big profits in the stretch drive.
The 5-4 record with my NFL Pick of the Week is, admittedly, not up to standard but you’re giving me a break for a few of those games right? Some things are beyond my control; like an early morning quarterback change in Cincinnati a few weeks back.
Nonetheless, the Green Bay Packers put us back in the profits with their effort last week when they handed the Tennessee Titans their first blemish of the season. Although they remain perfect in the standings, the Titans dropped the cash for the first time last week as expected.
This week it didn’t take long for the lights to go off and the marker to put a huge circle around the matchup between the St. Louis Rams and New York Jets. The Brett Favre-led Jets are nine-point favorites at home this week and that got me thinking.
How the heck do the Jets give any team in the NFL nine points?
Are people forgetting that this is the same team that lost to Oakland and barely snuck out a win over Kansas City in the last three weeks? And how about the fact they barely beat a Cincinnati team that learned just hours before the game that Carson Palmer was out as the team’s quarterback?
And now they’re giving nine points to the St. Louis Rams? It just doesn’t add up.
Sure, the Jets beat the Buffalo Bills last week but it took two interceptions and a fumble recovery to do it. It was an uncharacteristic performance for the New York defense and not one that bettors should be banking on this week.
While we’re on the topic of the Jets, when is Favre going to stop tossing interceptions? The aging quarterback has thrown an interception that led to an opposing team’s touchdown in two-straight games for a grand total of 12 picks on the season. Add seven fumbles and you wonder just how much his 15 touchdown passes have helped his team.
Perhaps the reason that the Jets are giving the big points is because they trounced an Arizona team that spent an extra week on the East Coast before their game in New York. That same Arizona Cardinals team walked over St. Louis last week but you can expect a better showing by the Rams this weekend.
St. Louis is a vastly improved team over the one that started the year with a blowout loss in Philadelphia.
Since the firing of Scott Linehan, interim head coach Jim Haslett has had this team playing good football and the wins over Washington and Dallas, along with the close call in New England prove that.
A team is going to lay an egg every once in a while so don’t hold last week against the Rams. Quarterback Marc Bulger is playing better, rookie receiver Donnie Avery is making big catches and Torry Holt is still on the roster.
St. Louis is the play of the week at +9.
Take it or Leave it.
——————————————————-
