Last week was a nightmare. Oh, man. I won the Atlanta and Tennessee games, but lost the other three. I started the week at imaginary $150, bet $100, and with my incorrect picks lost only $20, so after three weeks I'm still up $30.
How people make a living betting for real is beyond me - three weeks into the season, with a cumulative 8-7 record, I'm living the high life with three extra imaginary ten dollar bills in my imaginary wallet. Not enough to pay for the removal of my wisdom teeth this coming Friday (wish me luck), but enough to pay for some ice cream I guess. Also, I had that cardiac calcium scanning test three days ago, and I'll write about that in the coming days. Amazing machinery and technology, that thing. Much to Nicole's relief (mine too, obviously), all is well with my ticker, and the doctor said that my results were "excellent."
But this week ... let's see what we've got.
This whole season, being completely upside down at this point, is pretty much beyond comprehension. From week to week, guys (and I mean superstars, not just linemen) are getting injured left and right, and any given team's starting lineup at the start of the first half of a game can change completely by the end of halftime. Basically, I should pretty much just pull teams out of a hat and pick that way.
But I won't - not this week, at least. As always, I'm using Yahoo! odds as they're listed at 4:15 on Saturday afternoon.
Buffalo -8.5 vs. St. Louis (at St. Louis) for $25
Buffalo is 3-0, even if last week was shaky. St. Louis is 0-3 and in the midst of a revolt from their head coach, and Marc Bulger is no longer their QB. Their receivers aren't happy, their running back isn't happy, Marc Bulger is not happy (duh) ... all of which means I'm happy to pick the Bills, your AFC East Champions for the 2008-2009 season. Sorry Patriots.
Denver -9.5 vs. Kansas City (at Kansas City) for $25
The 3-0 Broncos are averaging 38 points per game, and the 0-3 Chiefs averaging just under 11. Looks like a no-brainer to me. (A statement that almost guarantees that KC covers the spread, right?) I'm not sold on Denver being Superbowl-bound yet, by the way. Yes, they're putting up big scores and are undefeated, but they beat the Chargers at the last second in a very controversial manner (i.e., they SHOULD have lost, if not for a bad ref decision), and New Orleans almost snuck back from an 18 point deficit last week. But against the Chiefs this week ... hell, anyone against the Chiefs any week, perhaps, they're a lock.
New Orleans -5 vs. San Francisco (at New Orleans) for $25:
SHOOTOUT! First, the over-under is 48, which seems really low to me. New Orleans is giving up an average of just under 28 ppg (while scoring just under 27). San Francisco is averaging 32 ppg over their last two games (just under 26 overall) while giving up just under 19. The mere concept of a shootout assumes that both sides will keep trading scores right through the end of the game, and if that's the case, the score should be pretty close. And if the score's close, I have to go with the underdog to cover the spread - if not win the game outright.
Jacksonville -7 vs. Houston (at Jacksonville) for $25:
Jacksonville, though 1-2, sees the opportunity given to them by Indianapolis' poor start, and I can't see them missing a chance to take advantage of an 0-2 Houston team that is likely emotionally and physically tired from having played no home games, having practice issues, and everything else that came about due to Hurricane Ike.
San Diego -7.5 vs. Oakland (at Oakland) for $25.
Oakland can't cover the spread twice in a row, especially against a team that put up 48 points this past week, can they? My only concern is that the Chargers are playing on short rest. Still, if I have to pick five games, this is my fifth.
That leaves me an imaginary $5 for a pint of imaginary Ben and Jerry's, for my very real wisdom teeth removal.
How people make a living betting for real is beyond me - three weeks into the season, with a cumulative 8-7 record, I'm living the high life with three extra imaginary ten dollar bills in my imaginary wallet. Not enough to pay for the removal of my wisdom teeth this coming Friday (wish me luck), but enough to pay for some ice cream I guess. Also, I had that cardiac calcium scanning test three days ago, and I'll write about that in the coming days. Amazing machinery and technology, that thing. Much to Nicole's relief (mine too, obviously), all is well with my ticker, and the doctor said that my results were "excellent."
But this week ... let's see what we've got.
This whole season, being completely upside down at this point, is pretty much beyond comprehension. From week to week, guys (and I mean superstars, not just linemen) are getting injured left and right, and any given team's starting lineup at the start of the first half of a game can change completely by the end of halftime. Basically, I should pretty much just pull teams out of a hat and pick that way.
But I won't - not this week, at least. As always, I'm using Yahoo! odds as they're listed at 4:15 on Saturday afternoon.
Buffalo -8.5 vs. St. Louis (at St. Louis) for $25
Buffalo is 3-0, even if last week was shaky. St. Louis is 0-3 and in the midst of a revolt from their head coach, and Marc Bulger is no longer their QB. Their receivers aren't happy, their running back isn't happy, Marc Bulger is not happy (duh) ... all of which means I'm happy to pick the Bills, your AFC East Champions for the 2008-2009 season. Sorry Patriots.
Denver -9.5 vs. Kansas City (at Kansas City) for $25
The 3-0 Broncos are averaging 38 points per game, and the 0-3 Chiefs averaging just under 11. Looks like a no-brainer to me. (A statement that almost guarantees that KC covers the spread, right?) I'm not sold on Denver being Superbowl-bound yet, by the way. Yes, they're putting up big scores and are undefeated, but they beat the Chargers at the last second in a very controversial manner (i.e., they SHOULD have lost, if not for a bad ref decision), and New Orleans almost snuck back from an 18 point deficit last week. But against the Chiefs this week ... hell, anyone against the Chiefs any week, perhaps, they're a lock.
New Orleans -5 vs. San Francisco (at New Orleans) for $25:
SHOOTOUT! First, the over-under is 48, which seems really low to me. New Orleans is giving up an average of just under 28 ppg (while scoring just under 27). San Francisco is averaging 32 ppg over their last two games (just under 26 overall) while giving up just under 19. The mere concept of a shootout assumes that both sides will keep trading scores right through the end of the game, and if that's the case, the score should be pretty close. And if the score's close, I have to go with the underdog to cover the spread - if not win the game outright.
Jacksonville -7 vs. Houston (at Jacksonville) for $25:
Jacksonville, though 1-2, sees the opportunity given to them by Indianapolis' poor start, and I can't see them missing a chance to take advantage of an 0-2 Houston team that is likely emotionally and physically tired from having played no home games, having practice issues, and everything else that came about due to Hurricane Ike.
San Diego -7.5 vs. Oakland (at Oakland) for $25.
Oakland can't cover the spread twice in a row, especially against a team that put up 48 points this past week, can they? My only concern is that the Chargers are playing on short rest. Still, if I have to pick five games, this is my fifth.
That leaves me an imaginary $5 for a pint of imaginary Ben and Jerry's, for my very real wisdom teeth removal.
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