Handicapping by Liz

With no college games to pick this week it’s right to the Pros, so here goes

My first pick in the pros this week is the New York Jets at home hosting the Buffalo Bills and laying  9.5 points.(Sorry Sis, Moose and Beaner).  I must admit picking the Jets as one of my best bets laying 9.5 points is a scary proposition but they are home and playing a Bills team without Edwards and even worse playing with Losman.  The Bills just don’t have any chemistry with Losman at QB and I still can’t figure out why they keep him. I know this year is a bad year for QBs but Losman, just plain sucks, and I truly believe he brings down the whole team’s morale when he’s on the field. The Jets need this game after losing the last 2 games against Denver and Frisco. The Jets had success against the Bills in their first meeting this year beating the Bills in Buffalo by 9 points. I see no reason why they can’t better that outcome by a ½ point this game playing at home. You really don’t need stats for this game, you don’t need to look any further then Favre vs. Losman. The fat lady will be singing for the Bills at the end of this game, for their season.

I’m also sticking with the Tennessee Titans on the road this week in Houston laying only 3 points. I don’t know why the line is so low, as the Titans haven’t loss to the Texans since 2004 and they play each other twice a year. I know the Texans beat Green Bay last week in Green Bay on a late field goal but I just don’t see that happening again this week. The Titans are 5-0 ATS the past 5 meetings and 8-1 in their last 9 against the AFC. I could be wrong but I find this game to be a gift with the Titans laying a field goal to the Texans. I don’t feel the Titans will be in let down mode after clinching a first round bye in the playoffs. I’m sure they want to secure home field advantage throughout the playoffs and this win will just about secure that. Take the Titans.

Once again this week I’m going with the Indianapolis Colts to hopefully cover the 17 point spread at home this week against the hapless Detroit Lions. Peyton Manning and the Colts are starting to peak after their slow start this season and the poor Lions almost won last week against the Vikings but managed to pull defeat from the jaws of victory. To make matters worse for the Lions this week, Culpepper isn’t expected to play which means Orlovsky will start and that makes this big line even more doable. I believe the Colts can call the score in this game and we can only hope it’s by more than 17 points. On paper and the field this game should be rout. I look for the Colts to have this game in hand by the end of the first half and hope the Lions don’t get a backdoor cover.

My next pick is the New England Patriots on the road this week at Oakland laying 7 points. The Pats barely got by the Seahawks last week so I look for them to be even more focused this week as they are going to be missing Tedy Bruschi and Matt Cassel’s father died this week, so we really don’t know what condition he will be in. With that being said, I just can’t see Belichick letting his team have a let down as they are playing for their playoff’s lives and really need to win the AFC East to make the playoffs so every game is important for them from here out. Also, I do remember a few years ago another QB, Brett Favre, losing his father and playing the game of his life, we can only hope Cassel can do the same thing. Lay the 7 points against an Oakland team playing out the string.

There are also a few underdogs this week I like a lot. I can definitely see the Steelers and the 49ers winning on the up this week against the Ravens and Dolphins respectively. Both teams are playing very well right now as Pitt is on a 4 game winning streak and the 49ers have won the last 2. Take the point with the Steelers and the 6.5 points with the 49ers.

As for over/unders this week I like the Thursday night game between the Saints and the Bears to go over 45 and I also like the over 45 in the Titans/Texans game, and the over 34.5 in the Steelers/Ravens game and I think the Bucs/Falcons game will go over 44.5.

Good Luck and as always bet with your head and not above it.

Well that’s it for another week !!