by Michael DeLuca
It’s once again time for the best picks on the planet…or at least the cheapest. Home teams are in caps, Duke’s Picks are in bold.
New Orleans Saints -4.5 KANSAS CITY CHEIFS- Kansas City has spent the last couple week’s getting out to big leads in the first half and then blowing them in the second. In addition, Larry Johnson returns to the lineup this game. So why lay 4.5 in a notoriously tough stadium? The real key to this pick is injuries on the defensive side of the ball for Kansas City. An already depleted linebacking unit will be without starters Derrick Johnson and Pat Thomas. In addition, starting DE Tamba Hali is unlikely to play with an ankle injury. Furthermore, the secondary is banged up. Brandon Flowers, Patrick Surtain, and Jarrad Page all were limited participants in practice on Thursday. Drew Brees should light up the sky in this affair and the Saints should win be double digts.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS -4 St. Louis Rams – The Rams have gotten torched in consecutive games and it may not stop there. Steven Jackson is, once again, unlikely to take the field. Mike Singletary will get his first win as head coach and it should come in impressive fashion.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS -8 Houston Texans – The Colts cover in the RCA Dome.
GREEN BAY PACKERS – 5.5 Chicago Bears – I don’t understand why it’s not a three point game. I’ll take the extra 2.5 and coast to victory.
Arizona Cardinals -3.5 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS – Matt Hasselbeck, Deion Branch, and Lofa Tatupu are all set to go in this one. Arizona is coming off a Monday night game, which was fought to the bitter end. Seattle is a much better team at home than on the road. It all adds up to a Seahawks victory!
Your weak spots:
Arizona will cover against Seattle. I don’t care if the game is in Seattle. This is a terrible team and Hasselback will not be 100%. Arizona is a much better team and they will rebound after the 49ers near miss.
The Colts one is a scary pick. Houtsn tends to give them trouble and keep it close. The Colts have had only one or two wins by more than that spread. It’s not a terrible pick, but I’m not confident on it.