Previous Week Plays – 3-2
Season Record – 21-18-1
Week 9 Recap:
Had some things bounced a little more in our favor, we very possibly could have had a nice 5-0 sweep with our posted plays in week nine. However, when the dust settled we ended up going 3-2, which obviously isn’t terrible, but also isn’t the result we wanted. In the early games, all we had going was a teaser leg with the New Orleans Saints, who managed to get them home winning the turnover battle five to zero against the Bears. Unfortunately, the Giants hope of covering the second leg was dashed when Daniel Jones knee gave out, leaving the offense stranded against a fired up Raiders squad. We doubled-down in the Colts and Panthers game, playing the spread with Indy, as well as taking their team total over. Behind a pair of pick sixes, this cashed pretty easily and wasn’t too much of a sweat from the get-go. Our final two bets were also a two-fer as we played the Bengals against the spread, while also taking their team total over 24.5. Cincy covered, however they stalled out with 24 points as they managed only a field goal in the final 25 minutes of play, and kneeled on the ball at the end with time running down. The good news is it was still a profitable weekend, even if just a small one, and more importantly the handicapping was sound.
Week 10 Picks:
This week’s wagers take us to the AFC North, the NFC East, and to a few inter-conference matchups, with a little different look than what we’ve put out so far this year. This is our heaviest betting weekend of the season and in the last three years as we have a total of nine wagers spread across seven different games. While our unit wagers are the same, the volume could end up making this a really important swing weekend depending on our outcomes. It’s going to be a sweaty Sunday for the BetCrushers, best of luck to you with your bets!
Green Bay Packers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
vs. 
Green Bay Packers (3-5) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3)
Sunday November 12th
1:00pm
Acrisure Stadium – Pittsburgh, PA
Pittsburgh Steelers -3 (-115)
Over/Under 38.5 (-110)
The Packers and Steelers have both had suffered from inconsistent quarterback play with their young signal-callers through the first half of the 2023 season. They’ll face each other, with both teams looking to find a rhythm on offense, and not just throwing the football. The Steelers need a home win to keep pace in the super-crowded AFC North and conference. If the Packers want to stay in the playoff hunt in the NFC, they’ll need to steal a road win like this contest.
The Green Bay offense got a boost with the return of running back Aaron Jones last weekend, yet it’s still laborious for them at times to keep the chains moving. They’ll have some opportunities and some challenges when they attack the Pittsburgh defense that has had it’s own problems at times. The Steelers have done a nice job of making timely big plays when needed, but that can be a very treacherous way to live in the NFL. Green Bay can attack the Steelers on the ground, where they rank near the bottom in most defensive statistical categories. That means a healthy Aaron Jones with a side of A.J. Dillon could really make some plays in the run game. The Steelers did welcome back mainstay Cameron Heyward a week ago, and that should give them at least a little bit of a boost with the run defense. Another area the Packers need to try to exploit is a Steelers secondary that is thin, and has given up more big games to number one wide receivers than any unit in the league. The problem here for Green Bay is they really don’t have a true number one wideout on the roster to lean on. Could that be Christian Watson this weekend? The Pack could really use a breakout performance from the young receiver, and the matchup is certainly there for the taking. Of course we’ll want to watch how Packers right tackle Zach Tom holds up against T.J. Watt, as the Steelers All-Pro could be a game-wrecker against a young quarterback like Jordan Love. This is not expected to be a high-scoring game, which means Love can not afford costly mistakes and turnovers.
The Steelers are dealing with their own continued problems on their offensive side of the ball. The most recent visible frustration came from wide receiver George Pickens, who was unhappy with his usage and statistics despite the team’s recent wins. Pickens could be in for another tough day as he will probably see a fair amount of Jaire Alexander, assuming he’s fine to go in this one. The Packers defense has been disappointing, but they can still slow down opposing receivers, and particularly inconsistent players like Pickens. One quiet, yet notable return was Diontae Johnson who ended his scoreless streak a week ago, and gives quarterback Kenny Pickett a viable target outside of Pickens. Where Pittsburgh really needs to tighten up in this matchup is in their running game and with their offensive line. Both have been underwhelming this season, however both could shine against a Packers defense they may be able to use their athleticism against. The Packers haven’t been bad defending the run, but in a home matchup, this is a spot where Najee Harris may finally find some room to make some big plays happen. As always, his “backup”, Jaylen Warren can be a big play waiting to happen as well. For a pair of coaching staffs that have both taken a lot of heat, let’s see what offensive coordinator Matt Canada can dial up for the Steelers on Sunday.
Key Stats and Trends
– The Packers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games
– The total has gone under in 5 of the last 6 games for the Packers
– The total has gone under in 6 of the last 6 games for the Steelers
In handicapping this game originally things were a little fuzzy as in essence we’ve got two overrated teams playing each other. Neither is truthfully very good, but the Steelers are at least pushing the middle of the pack. The Packers are flat out not a very good football team, and they’re missing some key components for this game. In what will be a rare 2023 occurrence, look for Najee Harris and Kenny Pickett to both come up with some good performances. We’re working two angles for this game, one regarding the point total and one against the spread. The Steelers and the Packers are two of the worst performing first half offenses in the entire league. We’re going to see if that trend holds true and play a very low first half under total. Utimately, the Steelers should find a way to get this win at home, and as long as you’re only laying three points we think it’s worth taking a shot with them.
BetCrushers Take: Pittsburgh Steelers -3 / First Half – Total Under 19.5
Steelers 24, Packers 20 (First Half – Steelers 10, Packers 7)
San Francisco 49ers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
vs. 
San Francisco 49ers (5-3) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-2)
Sunday November 12th
1:00pm
Everbank Stadium – Jacksonville, FL
San Francisco 49ers -3 (-115)
Over/Under 45 (-110)
The San Francisco 49ers fly across the country on the heels of a three game losing streak searching for a win against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jags are feeling rested and confident having won 6 of their first 8 games and holding a commanding lead in the AFC North. They’re also feeling a little disrespected as home underdogs to a team they feel they can and should beat. Will the 49ers re-establish their swagger with the return of some healthy players, or is this a potential statement game for the Jaguars to stamp their place amongst the league’s best.
The strength of the 49ers offense is not just a great scheme and game plan, but the ability to mix and match the weapons they have, and showcase their elite leaders. We saw how much of a fall off there was without left tackle Trent Williams and wideout Deebo Samuel in the lineup the last few weeks. The team should get a huge boost from their expected return against the Jags and you can bet head coach Kyle Shanahan has cooked up some things in the lab already to get this offense back on track. They’re going to have to be at their best to attack a very good and highly underrated Jacksonville defense on their home turf. In the running game we’ll be treated to some strength versus strength as All-World running back Christian McCaffrey will attempt to move the chains against one of the league’s top run defenses. In reality, don’t be shocked if Kyle Shanahan utilizes the short passing game as his version of a rushing attack against the Jags. Christian McCaffrey should catch a good amount of passes, and they’ll work Deebo Samuel and George Kittle in here on early downs if they do have any issues running the football. In the passing game, this is the time for Brock Purdy to prove he can be the franchise leader the Niners need at the QB position. He’ll be seeing a lot of zone coverage, and in his young career, he’s proven he can read the coverage and make the right throws. Will the Jaguars move to a more man to man based coverage if Purdy has early success? Part of what makes this 49ers offense so tough to stop is their ability with multiple players to win one-on-one against man coverage. Jacksonville hopes to not have to find that out if their zone looks can keep Purdy from making big plays, and possibly even forcing him into some bad decisions.
Fans in Jacksonville are anxiously awaiting the “breakout” game for their offense, as they really haven’t been too explosive despite their strong record. Trevor Lawrence has been pretty cautious with the football, and you can never fault a quarterback for being safe and living to fight another play. At some point though, this team is going to have to generate some big plays and dynamic offense, and this is a week where they may need to do that. Even with their stout defense, it seems unlikely this would be a game Jacksonville can win 20-17. Trevor Lawrence could find himself in a situation where the offense needs to score, which means he will need to spread the ball around. After a red-hot first half in their opener, it’s been a little difficult for Lawrence to connect with Calvin Ridley, and with Zay Jones either unavailable or limited, the passing game is just kind of in neutral. Christian Kirk has made some plays, and Even Engram shows flashes of his talent, but they’re just not pressing the issue. A lot of that has to do with leaning on running back Travis Etienne, Jr. who has been on fire the last few weeks running, receiving and scoring touchdowns. This is probably the toughest matchup he’s had so far this season though with the interior of the Niners defense and their athletic linebackers. If Etienne is slowed down, Lawrence is going to have to carry the offense this weekend. One thing that hasn’t been discussed much is the improved play of the Jaguars offensive line. If you’re a football purist, you may love watching the Jags big guys try to establish the trenches against the defensive line of the Niners. In case you forgot, this already deeply talented unit just added Chase Young to it’s edge rotation.
Key Stats and Trends
– The Jaguars are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games
– The Jaguars are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games vs. the NFC West
– The 49ers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games vs. the Jaguars
This is a pretty important inter-conference matchup for multiple reasons, primarily in the win-loss column. The Niners need to find their way back, and the Jaguars want to prove they are in the upper echelon and elites in the league. While this is certainly big for Jacksonville, it’s even bigger for the 49ers. The Jags have been a well coached team, but the 49ers should have the advantage as far as the schemes they’re running offensively. Additionally, the Niners will not be bullied by the Jaguars, something Jacksonville likes to do to unfamiliar opponents. (And divisional ones too). This should be a close game, so you can certainly consider taking the field goal points, but we’ve got this one slated a little closer to a San Francisco touchdown victory, rather than a field goal. A few weeks ago this advance spread was SF -5.5, so if you want to erase that based on the injuries to Deebo Samuel and Trent Williams, we’re getting some value here. Niners get it done in a tough road battle.
BetCrushers Take: San Francisco 49ers -3
49ers 27, Jaguars 21
Tennessee Titans vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
vs. 
Tennessee Titans (3-5) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-5)
Sunday November 12th
1:00pm
Raymond James Stadium – Tampa, FL
Tampa Bay Buccaneers -1 (-110)
Over/Under 39 (-110)
A pair of 3-5 teams desperate to grab win number four on the season square off when the Tennessee Titans take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Will Levis will get the nod at quarterback for the Titans with a hope of continuing to inject some life into their passing game. Baker Mayfield is coming off of another strong performance in their loss to the Texans a week ago. While these teams don’t enter this game with winning records, there could be some fireworks when it’s all said and done.
Ryan Tannehill provided the Titans with some great moments during his time with the team, but excitement is now building around rookie Will Levis. Tennessee has to be pumped to see what the young QB can do against the Buccaneers after what everyone witnessed C.J. Stroud doing just a week ago through the air. A repeat of that of that is probably asking a lot, but there should be some spots for Levis to succeed against that TB defense. If the Titans want to pull off the road win, he’s going to have to make some plays throughout this game. Todd Bowles philosophy is always to bottle up the running game first and force a team to be one-dimensional. Against Derrick Henry and a rookie quarterback that would seemingly only be magnified. Any yards Henry accumulates on Sunday are going to be through pure effort and strength as he’s going to be facing full boxes with regularity on early downs. If he can still keep the sticks moving, that’s a bonus and will greatly improve the Titans chances of winning. If he can’t the pressure completely shifts to Levis and the passing game. The Buccaneers aren’t exactly stacked in the secondary, and they’ve had some trouble getting after the quarterback which again offers Levis some good opportunities to shine. It’s a key for a lot of teams, but in this game it’s a huge point worth watching whether or not Tampa’s defense can get pressure with their front four or if they need to bring extra pressure? The answer to that question might help answer the question of who will come away with the win in this game.
Speaking of being a one-dimensional offense, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers continue to not be able to run the football very well. Running back Rachaad White is coming off a few of his better games, however they still aren’t overly impressive, and his opponent wasn’t as stout at stopping the run as the Titans. Even having given up some yardage the last couple of weeks, Tennessee is still more than capable of shutting down a running game like the one the Bucs will offer up in this matchup. This is why a veteran quarterback like Baker Mayfield was brought into Tampa, for situations exactly like this. The Titans continue to give up explosive plays in the passing game, and that’s not good when you’re facing a wide receiver like Mike Evans. As the season has gone one, Evans and Mayfield seem more and more lock and step, and you can count on them taking some shots down the field against the Titans secondary. Tampa has to connect on some of these big plays or else they may be punting the ball a lot. This is also a good time for Chris Godwin to re-establish himself as a receiving weapon, as he’s been pretty quiet most of the season, and specifically over the last month. Giving up interior pressure has been an issue for the Bucs offensive line, and Jeffery Simmons is about as good as you’ll find at generating that. Mayfield may have to get out of the pocket, something he can do, to get clean throws away.
Key Stats and Trends
– The Titans are 2-4 ATS in their last 6 games
– The Buccaneers are 3-10 ATS as a favorite in their last 13 games
In sports betting sometimes it pays to go against the grain, which is exactly what we’re doing with the Titans and Buccaneers. On paper, this would seem like a defensive battle with two head coaches that want to run the ball and hold each other to field goals. From our breakdown above, it should be the opposite though with both quarterbacks needing to throw the ball more than expected. With the boost to the Titans offense provided by Will Levis, this will be a little more of a wide open type of game, rather than a grind it out affair. It may take a full four quarters, but with a total that is sub 40, we’re going to see if we can’t stumble our way to a rare over in the 2023 season.
BetCrushers Take: Total – Over 39
Buccaneers 24, Titans 22
Atlanta Falcons vs. Arizona Cardinals
vs. 
Atlanta Falcons (4-5) vs. Arizona Cardinals (1-8)
Sunday November 12th
4:05pm
State Farm Stadium – Glendale, AZ
Atlanta Falcons -2 (-110)
Over/Under 44 (-110)
Kyler Murray appears set to make his season debut for the Cardinals when the Atlanta Falcons visit Glendale Sunday afternoon. The Cardinals realistically don’t have a shot at making the playoffs, however the return of Murray should give the team a bit of a confidence boost. The Falcons are working back towards a .500 record with their sights still set on an NFC South divisional title. Will Murray provide the spark needed to give them a win or can the Falcons steal the important road victory?
No one is claiming Falcons quarterback Taylor Heinecke to be a savior at the position or for their season, but Falcons fans should be hyped with the change that was made. Heinecke at least provides a legitimate passing threat, and is far more likely to involve guys like Kyle Pitts and Drake London into the game plan. The Atlanta offense has a very nice matchup awaiting, as they’ll face a Cardinals defense that isn’t particular good at any specific area of defense. The Falcons should be able to control the line of scrimmage, allowing them to execute the style of offense they want, which is running the ball repeatedly at their opponent. After talking some heat yet again, head coach Arthur Smith simply has to get the ball into Bijan Robinson’s hands, doesn’t he? Expect more of this than we’ve seen of late, and expect some exciting runs and or receptions from the rookie here. Tyler Allgeier will get his share of work as well, and despite not putting up overly impressive numbers, he should also be effective in this contest. Realistically speaking, the Falcons running game is what it is, and is going to be featured no matter what. Where Heinecke can really help this team is pushing the ball downfield, even if it during limited chances. Drake London looks as though he’ll be ready to bounce back from missing last week and he could be in line for a big game. Johnnu Smith has emerged as a serious threat as hybrid tight end, and both he and Kyle Pitts can win their matchups in this game.
There wasn’t a lot of reason to peak in on this football game until it was announced Kyler Murray would be getting his first start of the year. It’s impossible to know exactly what we’ll get out of the Cardinals offense in Murray’s debut, but we can assume it’ll be a boost from what we’ve witnessed up to this point. The biggest question marks would appear to be, how rusty will Murray be, and how much will his athleticism be impacted? One thing that should help Murray and the Cards offense is the expected return also of running back James Conner after his stint on injured reserve. The Falcons are pretty strong at shutting down the run, but with both Conner and Murray as options, the Cardinals should be able to run at least a bit. Again, we’ll have to see how much and able Murray is to scoot around outside of the pocket. In the pocket Murray will need to find out where to generate passing yards as the Falcons matchup pretty well against their offense. Tight end Tre McBride could struggle a bit against a defense that is good at defending the position, and Marquise Brown has quieted down after a solid start to the season. Both the offensive line for the Cardinals and the defensive line for the Falcons fall into the “average” category, so whoever can get the upper hand here will have a distinct advantage.
Key Stats and Trends
– The Falcons are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games
– The Falcons are 5-1 straight up in their last 6 games vs. the Cardinals
– The Cardinals are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games
– The Cardinals are 2-16 straight up in their last 18 home games
There’s definitely a possibility the return of Kyler Murray could provide a major boost to the Cardinals offense. That’s definitely not a guarantee though, and it’s hard to know how much of an impact it will have on the performance of one of the weaker defenses in the league. Laying points on the road with the Falcons seems like the worst idea on the planet right now, but as we mentioned, sometimes going against the grain can be a profitable venture in sports betting. The Falcons are not a great football team, but the Cardinals are still quite a bit worse, and that includes at home. We mentioned before the season Taylor Heinecke gives Atlanta the best chance to win, and we’re sticking with that theory. Neither team is running away with this one, as the spread would indicate. We’re backing the better defense and the better trenches and taking a shot with the Falcons. It’s hard to even type that, we’ll see how things go.
BetCrushers Take: Atlanta Falcons -2
Falcons 26, Cardinals 23
New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys
vs. 
New York Giants (2-7) vs. Dallas Cowboys (5-3)
Sunday November 12th
4:25pm
AT&T Stadium – Arlington, TX
Dallas Cowboys -16.5 (-110)
Over/Under 39 (-110)
The season just never got started for the New York Giants as they suffered through tough early season losses and then depletion at the quarterback position. Things don’t get easier this weekend as they travel to Dallas to face their old divisional foe in the most lopsided potential matchup of the weekend. The Cowboys are looking to bounce back after a tough loss against the Eagles, and could take out their anger on New York. Dallas was upset earlier this season as a huge favorite already, we’ll see if they can take care of business in this contest.
The Giants team total for this game is set at a paltry 10.5 points which tells us all we need to know about what to expect from their offense here. Tommy Devito will get the start again, with freshly signed backup Matt Barkley waiting as the backup if things don’t go well. Let’s keep this breakdown pretty simple, they won’t go well. You can’t fault Devito, but he is in way over his head in this game. He’ll be facing that aggressive Cowboys defense behind one of the worst offensive lines in the league, despite the return of left tackle Andrew Thomas. Dallas is going to be all over Saquon Barkley, as the Giants will have no choice but to force feed the ball to him in hopes of making something happen. The front seven of the Cowboys is simply to strong to get pushed around by New York or Barkley, which means it’s all on your Tommy Devito. With the pass rush of the Cowboys overwhelming Devito, this game should line up for a lot of turnovers, something that is generally impossible to predict. The Giants don’t really have any receivers that can win against this secondary, especially if they don’t have time for Devito to locate them and get them the ball. It doesn’t help that tight end Darren Waller was recently shelved on injured reserve either, as he was the one player who had physical attributes to win one-on-one. Overall, that 10.5 points seems like it could be generous for this offense in its current state.
The offense for the Cowboys has been on a roll with Dak Prescott playing some of his best football presently. His connection with CeeDee Lamb has been lethal, and he’s finding ways to get others involved in the offense as well. The mildly concerning piece of the Cowboys offense has been the mediocrity of the running game, and in particular Tony Pollard. As huge favorites, and playing against a Giants defense that is giving up over 4.6 yards per carry, look for a lot of early work for Pollard in an effort to get him going. The Cowboys offensive line has performed fairly well by most grading systems, but their run-blocking has just been average. That should absolutely change in this game. With Leonard Williams shipped off at the trading deadline, Dexter Lawrence doesn’t have a ton of support on the interior of the defense. Pollard should also be able to use his speed to hit the edges as the Giants have given up more outside running than any team in the league. There really isn’t a lot more that needs to be said for this matchup, except exploring whether or not the Giants will fight for a full sixty minutes? New York has generally battled pretty hard even in a tough season, but if they’re down early and the offense can’t get anything going, how willing will they be to tackle in the second half of the game?
Key Stats and Trends
– The Giants are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games
– The Giants are 0-5 straight up in their last 5 games vs. the Cowboys
– The Giants are 0-6 straight up in their last 6 games playing on the road vs. the Cowboys
– The Cowboys have won 11 games straight up at home
Even in games where we see double-digit spreads you can usually find some form of path to victory for the underdog. This sure as heck isn’t one of those occasions. There really doesn’t seem to be any way the Giants are going to be able to score in this game. At first glance, the thought was to play the first half and and full game double result, but the juice is higher than we expected even with a spread of -16.5. We’re still playing the first half and the full game, but we’re playing the spread in both instances. The Cowboys have let their fans down over the years, and us as bettors, but they should come through in the biggest mismatch of the season to date in our opinion.
BetCrushers Take: Dallas Cowboys – First Half -9.5 / Dallas Cowboys -16.5
Cowboys 30, Giants 9 (First Half – Cowboys 17, Giants 3)
Teaser Bet
Cleveland Browns vs. Baltimore Ravens
Houston Texans vs. Cincinnati Bengals
vs. 
and 
vs. 
Cleveland Browns (5-3) vs. Baltimore Ravens (7-2)
Sunday November 12th
1:00pm
M&T Bank Stadium – Baltimore, MD
Cleveland Browns -6.5 (-110)
Over/Under 38.5 (-110)
Houston Texans (4-4) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (5-3)
Sunday November 12th
1:00pm
Paycor Stadium – Cincinnati, OH
Cincinnati Bengals -6.5 (-110)
Over/Under 47.5 (-110)
TEASER MOVES SPREADS TO: Ravens -.5 and Bengals -.5
Three teams from the AFC North will be in action and we’re backing two of them in this week’s teaser selection. The Ravens and Browns will do battle in a game that will possibly the hardest-hitting and most physical affair of the weekend. The Cincinnati Bengals will face the suddenly hot Houston Texans fresh off of the C.J. Stroud historical rookie performance against the Buccaneers. Both of these games should be competitive, with the home teams holding a slight advantage in each.
Not long ago a game between the Ravens and Browns would likely have a pretty large spread, that the Ravens would probably end up covering. Fast forward to Sunday and it’s still a pretty high spread, all things considered with the Ravens as 6 to 6.5 point favorites. The difference here is this should be a really good game, and it’s also extremely important in both the AFC North, and conference standings. The Ravens offense has been much more efficient of late, as they’ve taken better care of the football and run the ball well. It’ll be tougher sledding against the Browns defense, as the trio of Gus Edwards, Justice Hill and now Keaton Mitchell will have to earn the yardage they can get. The Ravens are fine putting the ball in Lamar Jackson’s hands to throw it, but the Browns are even better against the pass. Despite some concerted efforts, it’s been way too much of Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews in the passing game. At some point, in a game like this, guys like Rashod Bateman and Odell Beckham, Jr. have to become bigger components of the offense. The Browns offense looked solid against the Cardinals last week, however the key word in that sentence is the Cardinals. They’re going to struggle against a Ravens defense that is playing about as well as any defense in the league. For starters, they’re going to enter the game without their top 3 tackles, which is not a great spot to be in against Ravens defensive coordinator Mike MacDonald. Not only will that cause some problems in edge pass protection, it’ll make running the ball even tougher. Something Cleveland has really struggled with since the injury to Nick Chubb. The farm was given away for Deshaun Watson, and if there is ever an opportunity for him to prove that was deserved, it’s in this football game right here. Can he get the ball to his receivers and not only take care of the football, but also pick up first downs consistently?
Another suddenly important AFC battle that could be a lot more interesting that we may have thought entering the season with the Texans offense now rolling. C.J. Stroud will try to stay hot against a Bengals defense that makes the most of what they have at each level. Since Stroud has gotten some help back on his offensive line, he’s had more time to throw, and has been an absolute surgeon with time in the pocket. The Bengals must get pressure with Trey Hendrickson, and their line to force Stroud into possibly playing a little more like a rookie, and less like a superstar. They’ll be without Sam Hubbard which will make things a little tougher. The Bengals aggressive corners will have their hands full, but there will be no Nico Collins to pair with Tank Dell which means other receivers will have to step up. The wild card for Houston will end up being tight end Dalton Schultz, who is coming off of a career game as well. The Bengals have had big problems covering opposing tight ends with the loss of their two safeties from a season ago. Normally it’s tough to follow up production a player like Schultz had in back-to-back weeks, but it’s very possible he does it with this favorable matchup. Stroud has already silenced a lot of critics, but we’re going to find out a lot about him and the Texans offense on Sunday. The Bengals offense will be without receiver Tee Higgins, and looks to have Ja’Marr Chase banged up, which could slow things down a little for them as well. On the plus side, Joe Burrow is finally healthy and looks like the potential MVP candidate that we are used to seeing. With the receivers limited, Joe Mixon becomes an even more important piece to the Cincinnati offense. The Texans have been surprisingly sound against the run, but Mixon could see more work as a receiver on Sunday. Even as favorites, it feels like the Bengals are going to need to find someone else to step up to help the offense. Could that be a veteran like Tyler Boyd, or possibly tight end Irv Smith, Jr.?
Key Stats and Trends
– The Browns are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games
– The Browns are 2-14 straight up in their last 16 games playing at the Ravens
– The Ravens are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games
– The Texans are 4-2 ATS in their last 6 games
– The Bengals are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games
– The Bengals are 10-1 straight up in their last 11 home games
First things first, let’s get the important stuff out of the way. If you want to tail this bet, check around and see about doing a moneyline parlay with these two teams as you may get better odds than the likely -120 you’re getting from whatever book you’re betting with. (Or even worse -130). Now that betting 101 class is over, let’s take a look at this teaser in a little more detail. These will be two of the better games of the weekend and definitely two of the more important. Initially it felt like backing the underdogs was the way to go, but after some analysis the teaser legs seems more prudent. For starters, we’re backing the better teams, and essentially just needing a win for both Second, they’re both at home, which is always helpful as the more veteran and talented team. And finally, the injuries on the Browns offensive line and for the Texans just makes their ability to pull of an upset even tougher. The dogs may cover, but the home teams should come away with the victories. We’re also adding one more total in as the key injuries on the offenses in Cincinnati and Houston should keep the scoring a little lower.
