It's good to be back gentlemen gamblers and wagering women. I wish I could say that my time away from my blog was due to something interesting, like a luxurious vacation, or an appearance on
Wheel Of Fortune, or even alien abduction, but, sadly, I was simply working for the Man.
Wagering in week one of the NFL can be as messy and clueless as Brittney Spears at the peak of an acid trip. Preseason games show us very little of the team we can expect one month into the season, and relying on history and trends delivers scattered results.
And now, my week one picks:
Lions -3The Falcons allowed an average of 127.1 rushing yards last season, and did not completely address that issue in the offseason. As long as Mike Martz balances the impressive Lion aerial assault with running backs Kevin Smith and Rudi Johnson, Detroit should cover the spread easily.
Saints -3New Orleans may be the only NFL team that nearly annualy receives an emotional and psychological boost from a natural disaster. The Bucs won last season's series handily, but Drew Brees, determined to erase last year's abysmal performance from the memory of Saints fans, will have a strong debut. In addition, though Bucs QB Jeff Garcia is talented and scrappy (And his wife is sooo hot!), WR Joey Galloway is not 100% healthy.
Titans +3Jaguars QB David Garrard is worlds better than Vince Young, but today's matchup should come down to which team is able to effectively run the ball. The Titans tandem of Chris Johnson and LenDale White will keep Tennessee in the game from start to finish.
Bills -1.5The Seahawks simply have too many injuries to beat the seemingly always-in-the-game Buffalo Bills at home.
Cowboys -6.5I sort of wussed out on this final pick, buying a half point in the event Dallas plays a poor 4th quarter. If Cleveland were a more healthy offensive unit, I may have passed on betting my favorite NFL team -- or taken the over. However, Derek Anderson, Jamal Lewis, and Joe Jurevicius are still hurting. Plus, I just get the feeling that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones
really wants a statement game...even if it is the
first game of the season.
May all your NFL wagers be touchdowns!All-sports record: 21-13