Week 10 Nov. 9-10
LW 3-1 +3.7 Stars Season 20-10 +17.3 Stars
Car+3.5 (6-2 SU, 4-4 ATS) vs. TB (4-4 SU &ATS)
Lemme git this straight. A 4-4 road team is favored vs. a 6-2 home team by 3.5 (and dontcha love that hook?) Maybe I'm walking into one here but I don't get it.
TB is not the same offense with Alstott gone and Jurevicous not at full speed. On defense, they have been vulnerable to a power running attack all year. They, like most teams in the NFL, tend to lose when they don't run the football 30 times for at least 100 yds, especially when they allow their opponent that stat. Carolina has the stuff on both sides of
the line and at the RB position to handle this. I realize that TB "needs" this game more than Car. And that they are particularly adept at getting it up for the big one, but this spread is out of line. On the other hand, the Panthers lost
one last week that they really should have won to a Houston club who made wonderfully economic use of QB Tony Banks.
They should be at least moderately pissed off and if they can keep the t/os even, I think we got a 60% cover here.
Three stars on the Panthers.
Dal-4 (6-2 SU & ATS) vs. Buf. (4-4 SU 3-5 ATS)
Here we go again. The Boys are playing solid football, the Bills erratic at best. In view of their respective records, why is the spread only four points?
In their last three road games the Bills have given up 14 t/os (10 ints) and 11 sacks. They are 0-3, having been outscored 15-85. This is actually scarey stuff. Talk about due for a bounce back! I got faith in Bledsoe though. He
contracted Marino disease his first year in the league and has never recovered.
Aside from the opening day loss to Atl. and a predictable butt-kicking down at TB, Dallas has been one of the most consistent teams in the league. This is Parcells' best coaching job since the ‘89 Giants. He looks like his old self on the sideline at Dallas, so much more assured than when he was with the Jets. Totally different coach. In all honesty, I never thought he could pull this off without Belichick. Right now, I'm just wondering how much longer the old boy can last.
One caveat: A couple of years ago I thought that, given the Dallas running game, Quincy Carter had what it took to be an NFL QB if he could ever hook up with a couple of nice receivers. He has them now and he has improved, but I'm not sure he is quite there yet. He just does not seem to read all that well, throws into coverage a lot and has been more
than a little lucky this year.
At any rate: Three stars on the Cowboys
Bal+7 (5-3 SU 4-3-1 ATS) at Stl. (5-3 SU 5-2-1 ATS)
Bulger and the Rams are super tough at home and Marshall Faulk is back. Having said that, I wouldn't spot the Ravens 7 pts. vs. any team in the NFL. This is a Sun. Nite game and Ray Lewis will be crazy. I do not mean this as a slam in any way, but I think Marshall is nearing the end. Only so many carries and beatings even a great RB can take. Hope he doesn't make a fool of me Sun. Two stars on Bal.
