Denver Broncos (-3) @ San Diego Chargers – 1.25am, Friday
THE FOLLOWING IS a comprehensive list of reasons why the San Diego Chargers should win tonight’s AFC West battle with the Denver Broncos.
The perception is that Thursday Night Football is beneficial to the home team as they don’t have any travel on what is already a short week which limits the amount of practise time.
The Chargers have overcome almost impossible odds to lose four games — all from winning positions — this season. Indeed, according to the Wall Street Journal their chances of losing all four was 0.0000034%
Finally, the Broncos will go into the game on the back of their first loss of the season and will be without head coach Gary Kubiak who was hospitalised with a “complex migraine condition” on Sunday.
However, after Paxton Lynch struggled against the Falcons, Trevor Siemian is expected to return at quarterback and Denver holds the hottest divisional road streak in the NFL with 15 wins away from home in succession.
Verdict: This should be a relatively easy win for the Super Bowl champions with perhaps the only interesting storyline being how the Chargers manage to lose this one. Denver by 5+
Philadelphia Eagles (-2.5) @ Washington - 6pm, Sunday
The Philadelphia Eagles are another team coming off their first loss of the season and it will be very interesting to see how rookie quarterback Carson Wentz bounces back from the first defeat — and interception — of his young career.
It was a frustrating loss to the Lions last week and this Sunday they face a Washington team on the back of three wins in a row. However, those victories came against teams with a combined 5-10 record this year.
No team has given up fewer points that Philadelphia’s 51 this season and, while the Washington offence has been right in the middle of the pack, they will struggle to put points on the board on Sunday.
Verdict: This is a bit of a weird game for Sky Sports to pick for their 6pm slot as the Eagles should have more than enough for the win. Philadelphia by 6+
Atlanta Falcons @ Seattle Seahawks (-6.5) – 9.25pm, Sunday
Despite a comprehensive road victory over the defending Super Bowl champions, the bookies are still not convinced by Matt Ryan and the high-flying Atlanta Falcons’ offence as they go into this game 6.5 point underdogs.
The Falcons are the top points scorers in the NFL with 175 (23 more than the second placed team) and are the only side to reach 20 touchdowns so far. Fair enough, they’re giving up 28 points per game, but when you’re scoring 35, that’s okay.
The Seahawks have given up the second fewest points in the NFL this season but they’ve faced some of the least effective offences in the league — Rams (ranked 31st in points), Dolphins (25), Jets (23) and 49ers (17). They also struggle to score themselves.
Verdict: There’s a huge home advantage for Seattle and asking the Falcons to win back-to-back huge road games is a lot. However, Atlanta by 5.
Indianapolis Colts @ Houston Texans (-3) – 1.25am, Monday
Last week, I wondered why the Giants were on my TV in prime time (again). This week I can’t fathom what either of these teams are doing near this game.
I get that one of them is likely to not lose the AFC South — though Titans and Jags fans will probably argue their teams are equally not as good — but even still, this is not a game to stay up for.
The Colts have a horrific roster and a head coach and GM who both deserve to be sacked. The Texans are paying a huge amount of money to a quarterback who is not very good at being a quarterback and have a defence that’s just not the same without JJ Watt.
Verdict: Somebody has to not lose this game and it’ll probably be the Texans but I wouldn’t take the points. Houston by 3.
And the rest (picks against the spread in bold)
San Francisco 49ers @ Buffalo Bills (-7.5)
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Chicago Bears (-2.5)
Los Angeles Rams @ Detroit Lions (-3)
Pittsburgh Steelers (-7.5) @ Miami Dolphins
Cincinnati Bengals @ New England Patriots (-8.5)
Carolina Panthers (-3) @ New Orleans Saints
Baltimore Ravens @ New York Giants (-3)
Cleveland Browns @ Tennessee Titans (-7.5)
Kansas City Chiefs @ Oakland Raiders
Dallas Cowboys @ Green Bay Packers (-4)
New York Jets @ Arizona Cardinals (-7.5)
