If you’re a dog bounty hunter like me then you must have been as giddy as Rush Limbaugh at a Barack Obama autobiography book burning when you first saw the Week 6 lines.
Oddsmakers lined up dogs of all kinds for us to pick from this week. Home dogs, double-digit dishes and the best team in football getting points – with all these beauties at my disposal, I feel like a contestant on The Bachelor.
Blonde, brunette or redhead?
Las Vegas Sports Consultants, the group that sets lines for many of the sportsbooks in Vegas, says this is the first time ever there have been this many games (six) with teams getting 9.5 points or more. And if you’re not in the mood for risking your cash on the bottom tier of the league, you’ll find some of the best teams in football dogged on the road.
Underdogs enjoyed their first winning Sunday of the season last week, tallying an 8-6 record against the spread. I’ve got a feeling the good times will keep rolling. It just feels like a perfect storm with so many enticing bets on the board.
Let’s just hope I can back up all this talk with a best in show performance that would make the pups at Westminster jealous.
New York Giants (+3.5) at New Orleans Saints
I’ve got a simple rule here: If you’re going to give me points with the best team in football, I’m going take that bet everyday of the week and twice on Sunday.
New Orleans started the season with its offense lighting it up like fireworks on the fourth of July. But Drew Brees and Company didn’t have nearly as much success against the Jets and Bills. No, it was the team’s defense that secured those victories.
The reliable stopper unit is just one of several factors leaning in the Big Easy’s direction. The Saints are at home (where they play much better), they’re coming off their bye week and the Giants are fielding a defensive secondary missing some key parts.
But the G-Men are the proven commodity, especially on the road. Tom Coughlin’s crew is 15-4 against the number away from home over the last three years, including 3-0 this season.
Pick: Giants
Baltimore Ravens (+3) at Minnesota Vikings
You know when someone’s really pissed off you can hear them breathing really funny though their nose kind of like they need a Breathe Right strip? I’ve got a feeling that’s all you would have heard in Baltimore’s defensive film sessions this week.
The Ravens defense is a proud group and you can bet grandma’s brooch the unit is going to come out fast and hard hitting. This will be the best defense Brett Favre has seen all season and I expect him to turn the ball over a few times.
Pick: Ravens
Denver Broncos (+3.5) at San Diego Chargers
I’ve got to confess that I’m just as shocked – if not more – by the Broncos’ amazing start. Before the season began, I wrote a blog arguing Denver would be a solid play-against team for the first few games.
It took me a while to come around on the Broncos, but I’m finally here.
Denver is a much more disciplined team on both sides of the ball than it was a year ago. Kudos to head coach Josh McDaniels and defensive coordinator Mike Nolan for instilling this philosophy.
I’ll take the Broncos’ patient approach over the Chargers’ swing-for-the-fences mentality.
Pick: Broncos
Kansas City Chiefs (+6.5) at Washington Redskins
The Skins have played one of the easiest schedules but sport an ugly 2-3 record. And don’t read too much into that story earlier this week about Washington players asking management to get behind head coach Jim Zorn. That had more to do with fatigue of answering questions about Zorn’s job stability.
I don’t think this team should be giving more than three points to any team with the way its offense is playing.
Pick: Kansas City
Last week: 2-1
Season record: 7-8