The Golden Retrievers Deliver Golden Results As The NFL Reaches Week Nine
Penny And Cassie Went 10-6 In Week Eight. The Pair Are Getting Games Right, And Repeatedly Hitting On Big Upsets.
Midseason Has Arrived For The NFL, And The Point Spreads Are Even More Difficult To Navigate.
Cleveland 29.
Baltimore 24.
The next time anyone approaches you with information they claim is a sports bet lock, that is what you need to tell them. Cleveland 29. Baltimore 24.
It’s time to shine a spotlight on something interesting that happens in sports. Often, teams are viewed in isolation. It creates a scenario where two teams could have 2-5 records, with one being viewed as finished for the season, and the other being looked at more deeply with consideration for their schedule and potential. The reality that gets ignored, is what everyone else is doing. It often isn’t enough for one team to play well. That team also needs to move past other teams as well.
Dallas is currently 3-4. In the NFC, Arizona, San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Tampa Bay also have 4 losses. Chicago has 3. Dallas is two games behind two teams in their division, and has twelve other NFC teams with equal records or better jockeying for a wildcard spot. Those numbers are not promising if a club isn’t playing well.
We have several games where a win or a loss has more than a one-game-on-the-record weight. This idea is highlighted by Houston playing New York (Jets). A win for the Texans would greatly solidify their place atop the AFC South. A loss for the Jets essentially finishes their season.
Week Eight:
Bob: 8-8
Penny: 10-6
Cassie: 10-6
The Year To Date:
Bob: 66-52-5 (55.6%)
Penny: 75-43-5 (63%)
Cassie 63-55-5 (53.2%)
Penny is destroying me, and Cassie is not far behind. The next time anyone approaches you with the information about a sports book lock, there is something else you need to tell them. Two Golden Retrievers are having a terrific year, and would be winning money if we bankrolled them.
Houston Texans At New York Jets (-2)
C. J. Stroud played well last week against Indianapolis. He was 25/37 passing for 285 yards and a touchdown. It was a solid game, and that matters as he leads the Texans to face the Jets.
The Jets responded to Davante Adams’ call for urgency with a horrible loss to the Patriots. Entering this game, New York is in the AFC East basement.
Bob: Houston
Penny: Houston
Cassie: Houston
Dallas Cowboys At Atlanta Falcons (-2.5)
Following a matchup with San Francisco, Dallas dropped below even, and trails Philadelphia and Washington in the NFC East. Atlanta defeated Tampa Bay last week, and now has a one-game lead over the Buccaneers, plus a sweep of their head-to-head games.
Dallas is giving up 28 points per game. Four of the five Atlanta wins were by one score. I feel like Atlanta wins this 31-25.
Bob: Atlanta
Penny: Atlanta
Cassie: Dallas
Denver Broncos At Baltimore Ravens (-9.5)
Baltimore had won five straight games, showing all signs of moving past early-season struggles and into top form. Then everything fell apart against Cleveland. There is a lot to like about Denver, especially on defense. Bo Nix had the best game of his young career against Carolina last week, and the Broncos have cruised to two straight wins. This game should play out more closely than many will guess, and likely as a low-scoring affair. Denver could win.
Bob: Denver
Penny: Baltimore
Cassie: Denver
Miami Dolphins At Buffalo Bills (-6)
The Bills are playing well, and there is little reason to argue a case for the Dolphins in this contest. Miami played better with Tua Tagovailoa back against the Cardinals. The Dolphins still lost.
Bob: Buffalo
Penny: Miami
Cassie: Buffalo
New Orleans Saints (-7) At Carolina Panthers
The word you are looking for is yuck.
Bob: New Orleans
Penny: Carolina
Cassie: New Orleans
Las Vegas Raiders At Cincinnati Bengals (-7.5)
If you believe Cincinnati has a chance to make a run at the playoffs, this is your week to bet big on them. After the Raiders, the Bengals play the Ravens, Chargers and Steelers. A loss here and 3-5 could quickly become 3-9.
Bob: Cincinnati
Penny: Cincinnati
Cassie: Cincinnati
Los Angeles (Chargers) (-2) At Cleveland Browns
The Chargers have managed to play this season largely unnoticed. Did you know they were 4-3 and giving up just 13 points per game? The problem is they are scoring less than 19 points per game. That was fine when they played Las Vegas, Carolina, and New Orleans. It should prove costly when they hit a stretch that includes Baltimore, Atlanta, Kansas City, and Tampa Bay in a few weeks.
Bob: Los Angeles
Penny: Los Angeles
Cassie: Cleveland
Washington Commanders (-3.5) At New York Giants
Jayden Daniels has played extremely well in his rookie season. After watching the end of Washington’s game against Chicago, I don’t think is any way to make an argument for New York winning this game.
Bob: Washington
Penny: New York
Cassie: Washington
New England Patriots At Tennessee Titans (-3)
This game defies research. Tennessee scored 31 points when they beat Miami. They have not cleared 17 points in any of their other six games, which were all losses. If we credit the Patriots for defeating the Bengals and Browns, we must heavily critique them for their losses to the Dolphins and Jaguars. Good luck deciding which bad team will play less lousy.
Bob: New England
Penny: Tennessee
Cassie: Tennessee
Chicago Bears At Arizona Cardinals (Pick)
If the Chargers at 4-3 surprised you, you might find it interesting that the 4-4 Cardinals are currently winning the NFC West. Potentially more interesting than that, Arizona has a chance to hold on and win the division. After this game with the Bears, the Cardinals’ schedule includes the Jets, Patriots, and Panthers. It won’t be easy, with divisional matchups and Minnesota left, but it’s not impossible to defend the thought.
Standing in the way of these dreams is a Chicago club coming off a tough last-second loss to Washington. It’s nice to see the Bears playing well and improving each week. It’s also noteworthy that all their wins are against teams with losing records.
Bob: Chicago
Penny: Chicago
Cassie: Chicago
Detroit Lions (-3.5) At Green Bay Packers
The biggest question in this game involves Jordan Love. His injury creates too much uncertainty to support Green Bay against a Detroit team playing like the best club in the NFL.
Bob: Detroit
Penny: Detroit
Cassie: Green Bay
Los Angeles Rams (-1.5) At Seattle Seahawks
Both teams are running in the middle of the pack for the year. There isn’t much to say about either one, and neither is considered to be much of a postseason threat if they earn a spot.
What is interesting is the Rams' 30-20 home victory over the Vikings last week. Normally, it might not be wise to overvalue that. Buffalo dominated Seattle last week, but the Seahawks had a solid victory over the Falcons the week before. In this case, however, Seattle has lost four of their last five games.
Bob: Los Angeles
Penny: Los Angeles
Cassie: Los Angeles
Jacksonville Jaguars At Philadelphia Eagles (-7.5)
The Eagles started the season looking shaky. Philadelphia was 2-2 after four games and seemed slightly off-balance offensively. In the past two games, they’ve scored 65 points and handily dispatched two inferior clubs. Now 5-2, the offense looks better and the team is cruising.
Bob: Philadelphia
Penny: Jacksonville
Cassie: Jacksonville
Indianapolis Colts At Minnesota Vikings (-5)
Minnesota has lost two games in a row. Indianapolis has quietly moved through its schedule to a 4-4 record. The idea that keeps ringing for me is the Colts’ team chemistry. Last week, quarterback Anthony Richardson stepped out of a game. His voluntary move is drawing criticism from teammates and coaches as unacceptable, and has reportedly led to his replacement as the starter for at least this game. While Joe Flacco has proven a solid replacement in recent years, there is a definite question in Indianapolis about leadership.
Bob: Minnesota
Penny: Minnesota
Cassie: Indianapolis
Tampa Bay Buccaneers At Kansas City Chiefs (-9)
Baker Mayfield somehow managed to deliver stats against Atlanta, bordering on the cliché of making chicken salad with poor ingredients. The secret was found in spreading the ball around with his 50-passing attempts. Eight different Tampa receivers had multiple catches. That type of success won’t continue for long, and Tampa will fall short of upsetting Kansas City.
Bob: Kansas City
Penny: Kansas City
Cassie: Tampa Bay
Odds sourced from USA Today
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