NFL Week 10: Early-Week Betting Lines and Picks

Oakland cannot score points. They’ve yet to find a reliable means by which they can drive the field and then put points on the board, and to top that off, they’ve got no stability, none. Carolina has the ability to put together perfect drives between Williams, Stewart, and Steve Smith.

They can go 100 yards and have 50 rushing and 50 passing. They’re balanced on offense and have a good, fundamentally-sound defense with tackle-machine Beason, and quick-fast converted safety T. Davis. Oakland doesn’t have an answer for Carolina’s offense or their defense.

Carolina 32 – Oakland 10

Kansas City Chiefs @ San Diego Chargers (-13.5)

Will the real L.T. please stand up. San Diego is pissed off, real pissed off. They’re still soft, but they’re pissed off. They should have no problem dismissing with Kansas City and Tyler Thigpen. Kansas City blew their load against Tampa and came away with a L. San Diego now knows to expect these things and should be fired up after that bad loss to NO.

Will the Chargers look past the Chiefs to Pittsburgh, though? Kansas City is bad enough to just assume your O will take care of itself. If San Diego is looking ahead they might get caught and only win by 10 or so.

However, San Diego takes it and covers: San Diego 31 – Kansas City 13

Indianapolis Colts @ Pittsburgh Steelers (-3)

Peyton Manning looks hurt. Two weeks ago, I figured they had all of the ingredients to beat up on Tennessee, but Manning was just missing throws. Bob Sanders should be around 100 percent coming into this week, which makes the Colts' defense a lot better. They instantly become a top-10 defense with the addition of one player, assuming the injuries to the other DBs don’t linger.

However, Pittsburgh got Parker back and shouldn’t have any problem dismissing with the Colts. They would have taken care of the Giants if Parker were healthy and should cover against the Colts.

Pittsburgh 24 – Indy 17

New York Giants @ Philadelphia (-3)

The Giants are good, real good. Eli has matured into a first-rate quarterback, but there are still times where he pulls an I Am Sam . The Giants should be able to get some serious pressure on McNabb, but assuming Westbrook’s fully healthy, I’m taking the Eagles for a few reasons.

1. Jim Johnson is going to come up with some pretty unique blitzes to seriously screw with Eli. The Eagles are going to have to score early to really give Johnson some leeway, but it's possible.
2. Bunkley and Patterson, two first-round picks that underachieved for a season or two are finally starting to come into their own.
3. The linebackers can fill holes and know how to tackle. The Giants' running game is predicated on a lack of defensive fundamentals. These guys will wrap up, drag down, and gang tackle B. Jacobs.
4. Their secondary is damn good, and the weather is getting pretty bad. The DBs that Philly has back there are all ballhawks, and a Manning mistake could easily result in a pick six.
5. Unlike previous years, there is no vertical threat from a non-WR spot from the Giants. They’re throwing to K. Boss and A. Bradshaw, and Philly doesn’t have to be scared of them, allowing them to focus very heavily on the run support from their LB and S spots.

Philly takes this one 20 – 17

Baltimore Ravens @ Houston Texans (-2)

This really depends on the health of Rolle and McAllister. Baltimore will take this game if even one of the two plays. Sage apparently told Matt Schaub that Andre Johnson still exists, and for the past month, Johnson’s been the league’s best wideout, which could cause some issues for the Ravens.

The Texans' defense is wildly underrated, and they can keep them in games when they have no place being there. Houston’s defense should stop the run well enough to make Flacco beat them, and like last, week Flacco might just do that with a solid 200-250 yards and a couple timely scoring drives.

Baltimore barely covers, and the offense scores 17, with the defense making up the rest. As a general rule, betting with or against Baltimore is a terrible idea. They are the one team in the league that just does not seem to care: They play when they want to play and quit when they want to quit.

Baltimore 24 - Houston 21

San Francisco 49ers @ Arizona Cardinals (-9.5)

San Francisco is free falling after their loss to Seattle. Arizona should at least get another couple points by the time the weeks out, and regardless of whether or not they end up with a run game, they should win this one easily.

Why is this on Monday Night Football ?

Frank Gore will try his darndest to keep the 49ers in the game, but one turnover means disaster for the 49ers.

Arizona 38 – San Francisco 17

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