After a flurry of trades separated the league in half, we must feast on the contenders in NFL Week 9. Grab points with teams you know are good. Your best picks against the spread.
NFL Week 9 offers arguably the worst Thursday Night Football matchup imaginable, a horrid Monday Night Football game in its own right, and a massive half dozen teams on bye. There is a question at quarterback for Buffalo, Miami, and a change at quarterback for Tampa Bay. There was a coaching change for Cleveland, and the NFL trade deadline just passed. It all makes for a wacky week to wager on.
Thankfully, the flurry of trades divided the league in half, letting us know who’s worth a wager. Take points and back contenders. Its simple in NFL Week 9. These are your best picks against the spread. All lines are via Odds Shark.
Two brothers from New York, Dan Salem and Todd Salem, debate NFL Week 9 in today’s NFL Sports Debate.
Dan Salem’s 2018 record ATS: 8-8
Todd Salem’s 2018 record ATS: 9-7
Todd Salem’s Best Picks ATS:
Washington Redskins -1 vs. Atlanta Falcons
I suppose I will keep riding the Redskins until the public begins to respect them. Washington has covered three straight and five of seven for the season. Before this contest, it hadn’t even been favored at home since Week 2. Now the Skins give just one to a team tied for last place who has covered just twice in seven games, and never as an underdog. Washington isn’t exciting or even fun to root for, but it is getting the job done at the moment.
Houston Texans +3 at Denver Broncos
Denver is supposedly never an easy road environment for opponents. But these two teams are hardly equal, and the Broncos have not displayed a major home-field advantage in recent years. The team is just 21-20-3 at home against the spread the past five years. The altitude may be an advantage in the minds of fans, but it doesn’t play out that way on the field.
It’s true this Broncos squad has covered three straight weeks, but only one of those games was at home, and the team is still in the midst of losing five of its last six games straight-up. This is a struggling team. The comparison to Houston is a stark one. Though the Texans’ winning streak won’t continue the rest of the season, getting three points here is still a good spot.
Dan Salem’s Best Picks ATS:
Minnesota Vikings -4 vs. Detroit Lions
The Vikings are still one of the better NFC teams, despite losing close again last week. Playing at home gives them a leg up against a struggling Lions team, who just traded away one of their best offensive weapons. Detroit is not out of contention, but they certainly admitted a certain type of defeat. Minnesota is poised to capitalize on this momentum shift and make a playoff push in the process.
Now is when a good team like the Vikings turns on their proverbial jets. Considering home teams usually give up three points, this line is a real steal in a mismatch of NFC North foes. Minnesota’s defense alone deserves three points, so go ahead and give up four. The Vikings get back on the winning track.
Tennessee Titans +7 at Dallas Cowboys
It was harder for me to identify a second game I love this week, but something about the current state of the Cowboys makes me excited to bet against them. Dallas should be well prepared for this game, coming out of the bye, yet they just fired their offensive line coach. Something stinks in Big D and the Titans are a team who can take advantage.
I like Tennessee because they have played a number of close football games, as have the Cowboys. Its unclear if either of these teams are actually good, so I’m taking a touchdown in a hard fought matchup of wannabe playoff contenders. You should do the same.