Week 10 NFL Picks: Surefire Bets That Will Bolster Your Bank Account

With so much parity in the NFL today, it isn't uncommon for several upsets to occur in any given week. That often makes betting on underdogs a lucrative venture. While it isn't always the case, underdogs have seemingly had a great deal of success this season.

Since the 10th week of the NFL season is already upon us, one might think that the oddsmakers are totally in tune with the dynamics of the league. That isn't necessarily the case, though, as a few teams that are underdogs by a touchdown or more have a great chance to cover the spread and even win outright on Sunday.

Here are three surefire bets that you shouldn't hesitate to make in Week 10, as they figure to lead to plenty of profit.

Away Team	Home Team	Spread	Pick ATS
Jacksonville Jaguars	Tennessee Titans	TEN (-13)	TEN
Philadelphia Eagles	Green Bay Packers	GB (-1)	PHI
Buffalo Bills	Pittsburgh Steelers	PIT (-3)	BUF
Oakland Raiders	New York Giants	NYG (-7)	OAK
St. Louis Rams	Indianapolis Colts	IND (-9.5)	IND
Seattle Seahawks	Atlanta Falcons	SEA (-5)	SEA
Cincinnati Bengals	Baltimore Ravens	CIN (-1)	CIN
Detroit Lions	Chicago Bears	CHI (-1)	DET
Carolina Panthers	San Francisco 49ers	SF (-6)	CAR
Houston Texans	Arizona Cardinals	ARI (-3)	HOU
Denver Broncos	San Diego Chargers	DEN (-7)	DEN
Dallas Cowboys	New Orleans Saints	NO (-6.5)	DAL
Miami Dolphins	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	MIA (-2)	TB

Oakland Raiders (+7) vs. New York Giants

Prior to last week's drubbing at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles, most seemed to think that the Oakland Raiders were turning the corner as a franchise. Allowing seven touchdown passes to Nick Foles can go a long way toward changing perceptions, but the change seems a bit too extreme.

Oakland will travel to East Rutherford, N.J., to take on the New York Giants this week, and although the G-Men enter the week on a two-game winning streak, it seems somewhat bizarre that they are seven-point favorites. After all, it isn't as if the Giants were overly impressive in their recent wins over the Minnesota Vikings and Eagles. Their defense has played much better, but the offense is struggling to run the ball, and quarterback Eli Manning has been inconsistent.

There were some questions regarding the health of Raiders quarterback Terrelle Pryor entering the game, but he has been practicing, according to Jerry McDonald of the Oakland Tribune, so it appears as though all systems are go.

Pryor is still coming along as a passer, but he is incredibly dangerous as a runner, and he figures to give the Giants some problems. Even if running back Darren McFadden is unable to suit up, backup Rashad Jennings ran very well last week, and he'll give the Raiders enough of a presence on the ground.

The moral of the story is that the Giants are a flawed team that probably shouldn't be favored by seven points against any team, especially a dangerous one like Oakland.

Dallas Cowboys (+6.5) vs. New Orleans Saints

The Dallas Cowboys have been one of the toughest teams in football to figure out over the past several years, and that really hasn't changed this season. America's Team has plenty of talent on both sides of the ball and seems as though it should be a Super Bowl contender, but the Cowboys enter Week 10 with a pedestrian record of 5-4. 

They face a strong New Orleans Saints team on Sunday that figures to be agitated after a surprising loss to the New York Jets, so many seem to believe that the Saints will romp.

Dallas is viewed as a team that dominates weaker competition and struggles against the NFL's elite teams, but that isn't necessarily the case. The Cowboys have lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos and Detroit Lions, but they lost those games by a grand total of five points—so they typically fall just short when they do lose.

Also, quarterback Tony Romo is having a spectacular season, and ESPN Stats & Info suggests that he is the NFL's most underrated signal-caller:

There is plenty of competition for that distinction, but it's tough to argue against Romo, as he is on pace for more than 4,500 passing yards and 36 touchdowns.

The main concern from Dallas' perspective is its play on defense, as the unit has allowed four 400-yard passers this season. Saints quarterback Drew Brees is capable of throwing for 400 yards against anyone, so look for this game to be a shootout. But the Cowboys should be able to keep it within 6.5 points.

Carolina Panthers (+6) vs. San Francisco 49ers

While the Carolina Panthers started the season off in disappointing fashion with a record of 0-2, they are 5-1 since and have established themselves as definite playoff contenders. Much of that has to do with the fantastic play of quarterback Cam Newton.

The Panthers enter Sunday's clash with the San Francisco 49ers on a four-game winning streak, having scored at least 30 points in each of those games. Not surprisingly, Newton has been the driving force, according to NFL on ESPN:

Many have questioned over the past year whether or not Newton was simply flash in the pan, as he has struggled to return to the form he displayed as a rookie. But he finally appears to be coming into his own.

Carolina's defense deserves plenty of credit for the team's success as well since it is in the top 10 against both the pass and the run this year. Head coach Ron Rivera was a top defensive assistant in the NFL for many years, and Carolina is finally playing his preferred brand of football.

It won't be easy for the Panthers to go into San Francisco and win or even keep it close, but they feel very much like a less-heralded version of the 49ers in their own right. Niners quarterback Colin Kaepernick has struggled throwing the ball this season, so he has relied heavily upon his own running ability, as well as on running back Frank Gore.

With the Panthers allowing less than 80 rushing yards per game, though, don't be surprised if Carolina scores a signature win.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter