NFL Week 10 Picks: Oakland Raiders and Top Road Dogs to Back

While the world focuses on a certain college football team this week, people are forgetting that Week 10 in the NFL begins Thursday.

The San Diego Chargers are currently seven-point favorites over the visiting Oakland Raiders.

Despite losing three games in a row, the ‘Bolts still rank fourth in the NFL in passing yards (294.9) and pass defense (191.6). They should be able to disrupt the flow of QB Carson Palmer, who is making his second start for Oakland—or so you think.

A quick fact check shows that Palmer has dominated the Chargers in his last two games against them. Despite a 4-12 season, he threw for four TD passes and a win last year for the Bengals. The year before he threw for more than 300 yards and two TDs in a year where the Bengals were obsessed with running the ball.

Expect Palmer to have another big game, with a whole lot of Michael Bush mixed in. RB Darren McFadden is out, but that’s OK when Bush is your backup. He showed last week why he may be the best second-stringer in the league.

I anticipate the Raiders to play inspired defense after being gashed by Tim Tebow last week, enough to keep this game within one score to the finish.

Key Trends:

Raiders are 4-0 ATS in their last four meetings.

Underdog is 4-0 ATS in their last four meetings.

Chargers are 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven games following a ATS loss.

Raiders are 4-0 ATS in their last four road games.

Raiders are 4-0 ATS in their last four games as a road underdog.

Prediction: Chargers 23, Raiders 21

Washington Redskins +4 @ Miami Dolphins

The ‘Skins defense is the best unit on the field here. By a wide margin.

Sure, QB John Beck is awful, but so is Matt Moore. They cancel each other out.

The Redskins have dangerous playmakers all over the field led by DeAngelo Hall and should be able to create multiple turnovers.

When considering the following trends, it’s impossible to give the ‘Fins four points at home, where they have struggled mightily of late:

Key Trends:

Dolphins are 2-8-1 ATS in their last 11 games overall.

Dolphins are 6-29 ATS in their last 35 games as a home favorite.

Redskins are 5-2 ATS in their last seven road games versus a team with a losing home record.

Prediction: Redskins 17, Dolphins 13

Tennessee Titans +3.5 @ Carolina Panthers

People are drunk on Cam Newton and aren’t paying attention to the rest of the team. Only five teams in the NFL give up more rushing yards per game (133.3) and points (25.9).

Newton is making poor decisions in the fourth quarter of games and the team just lost to the Minnesota Vikings in Christian Ponder’s first career road start.

Key Trends:

Titans are 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a S.U. loss.

Titans are 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a ATS loss.

Prediction: Titans 34, Panthers 24

(Spreads courtesy of Covers.com.)