NFL 2017: Week 9 Best picks against the spread (ATS)

Was last week the righting of the ship, or a trick of the eye? Home teams are winning again. Your best picks against the spread (ATS) for NFL 2017 week 9!

Last week Kansas City, Dallas, Philadelphia, Buffalo, and Minnesota were all favorites that won easily. Was Week 8 a righting of the ship? Or was it simply a trick of the eye? Of course, favorites overall were just 7-5 against the spread, but this is a step back toward normalcy.

The Buffalo Bills have also grabbed the best ATS record in the NFL, at 5-1-1 heading into their Thursday night game this week. Home teams are winning again, so take notice in NFL 2017 week 9. Your best picks against the spread. Here are the lines for Week 9 via Sportsbook Review.

Two brothers from New York, Dan Salem and Todd Salem, debate NFL 2017 in today’s NFL Sports Debate.

NFL 2017 Record ATS

Dan’s record ATS: 7-9
Todd’s record ATS: 6-10

Interestingly, after eight weeks there are two teams worse than Cleveland at the bottom of the standings against the spread. Arizona is one, but you figure lines will correct now that this offense will be one of the worst in the sport. The other is the incredibly underachieving Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with a 1-5-1 record ATS.

Todd Salem’s NFL Week 9 Picks

Todd’s Teaser:
Philadelphia Eagles -0.5 (from -6.5) vs. Denver Broncos
New Orleans Saints -0.5 (from -6.5) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

I loved the Texans on a teaser before the Deshaun Watson injury soured the rest of their season. I’ll audible into taking the best team in the NFL, at home, against a scuffling opponent, where all they have to do is avoid losing outright. The Eagles line against Denver feels too low. At -6.5, I would have considered it as a straight bet. But there is a part of me that is waiting for the bad Philly game to come. And it might come against a solid defense like Denver. Throwing Philadelphia in a tease where all it has to do is win feels like a proper hedge. I’m not banking on continued domination, just protection of home field.

New Orleans will be at home in this one as well. The Saints have turned into a very good defensive team, especially against the pass. Still, Tampa Bay is unsettling to bet against. I can understand the hesitation with the unceasing talent on that roster. The team has simply been so underwhelming that I can’t imagine a road win here. I’ll throw the Saints in a tease to ease my concerns.

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San Francisco 49ers +2.5 vs. Arizona Cardinals

Maybe it will take one more week to correct for Arizona’s ineptitude. The Cardinals are 0-3 on the road against the spread and yet are giving multiple points here. San Francisco has five losses by a field goal or less. It has been blown out recently, but the Jimmy Garoppolo trade should supply some renewed vigor to this club. Arizona has renewed nothing. In the first matchup between these two clubs, the Cardinals needed overtime at home to win by three, and that was before Carson Palmer was sidelined for the year.

Dan Salem’s NFL Week 9 Picks

Dan’s Teaser:
Los Angeles Rams +2.5 (from -3.5) at New York Giants
Baltimore Ravens +9.5 (from +3.5) at Tennessee Titans

In a league that thrives on “What have you done for me lately?” I’m surprised to see some of the lines here in week 9. The Rams are far and away better than the New York Giants, so much so that New York should not be receiving any homefield advantage. Perhaps the bye week has people thinking they’ll come out strong. I tossed them in my teaser to be safe. Now Los Angeles is getting points, so all they have to do is win against one of the worst defensive teams in football. No problem.

Baltimore literally won 40-0 last week and nothing about the Titans makes me think they are markedly better than Miami. This game should be much closer, and Tennessee is at home, but I like the Ravens straight up with the momentum they built in Week 8. Their inconsistency scares me just a little, so I put them in my teaser. Now Baltimore gets well over a touchdown, so they are a solid pick for this six-point teaser.

NFL Week 9: Five Teams on Upset Alert

Washington Redskins +7.5 at Seattle Seahawks

Washington and Seattle feel pretty even to me, so this line has everything to do with the shootout that the Seahawks won last weekend. Seattle seems to play to its opponent with regularity, so I expect a close game against the Redskins. More than a touchdown is too many points to pass up. Can you honestly tell me that the Seahawks will win this football game? They have yet to be consistent, so take the points and pick Washington.