San Diego vs Kansas City Predictions, Picks & Odds
On Monday Night Football in week 8 of the 2011 NFL season, the AFC West will take center stage, as the Kansas City Chiefs play host to the San Diego Chargers. The Chiefs actually won the division last season and made the playoffs, while the Chargers are the perennial favorites that everyone is used to seeing underperform. So how will come out ahead between the Chargers and the Chiefs in this match?
The Chiefs started the year with a couple of truly terrible losses. After a few weeks of the season it seemed like the injuries were too much to overcome, that coach Todd Haley might be fired before the year was out, and that last year was a complete fluke as opposed to the start of a lasting turnaround in Kansas City.
Since then though, the Chiefs have battled back and have had some big wins and good performances. They sit at 3-3 now, and have won their last three games, most impressively over the Raiders on the road last weekend they got a dominant win. Still, those opening losses were so bad that they are -45 in point differential with an even record. With all of that said, a win here and they improve to 4-3, and would be tied with the Chargers for the division lead after 8 weeks, which is astonishing to think about given their start.
The Chargers are coming off a really tough and hard to swallow loss against the New York Jets. It’s a game that it seemed like they could have and perhaps should have won. However, they blew it, and they didn’t get a valuable win over a trash-talking AFC rival.
Now they’re at 4-2, which is still good enough for first place in the AFC West for the time being. They don’t have a great net points differential for a first place team, at just +5, but that’s certainly a lot better than the Chiefs, as mentioned above. The team still has all of the talent that you’d ever want to have, but they clearly don’t always perform or live up to expectations. Now they need a win to stop the bleeding and erase last week’s bad loss from their minds.
According to the official lines, the Chargers are 3.5 favorites on the road to take care of business over the Chiefs. The over/under for the game is at 44 points, which is right in the middle in terms of most NFL spreads, and the numbers available for other games over the weekend.
The Chargers are the better football team, and they need to prove it with a win. A win would keep them in first place, get the world to shut up about their under-performances, and allow them to keep on working towards another postseason appearance. Ultimately, they are just better than the Chiefs are, and their talent will show up here to get the win and cover the spread on the road as they win handily on Monday night.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
NFL Week 8: Miami vs NY Giants Predictions, Picks & Odds
The New York Giants will play host to the Miami Dolphins in week 8 of this 2011 NFL season. The Dolphins thus far have been one of the worst teams in the league. Meanwhile, the Giants have been looking strong, although they have been dealing with injuries and have had some sloppy performances during the year already. So will the Giants be able to take care of business against the Dolphins, a team that they should be expected to defeat?
The Giants are 4-2 right now, which is good for first place in the NFC East so far. After losing the season opener to the Redskins, they are 4-1 in their last 5. It’s a good place for them to be, considering how many injuries they have been dealing with. Stars like Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, Brandon Jacobs, Chris Snee and more have all missed serious time, amongst numerous injured wide receivers and cornerbacks.
Some new playmakers have emerged though, like Victor Cruz and Jake Ballard, and Eli Manning has been leading his team to victory. Now they’re in good position in their division, and they need to continue their winning ways against teams they are favored against. They have a history of playing down to opponents though and blowing games, as they did when they lost to the Seattle Seahawks at home.
The Dolphins haven’t won a game yet this season and that likely won’t change in week 8. Some of their performances have been pretty embarrassing along the way as well. The team has performed terribly, and it seems to be no secret that they will be making a head coach change, whether it’s during the year or after this season is over.
It seems like they have nobody to play the quarterback position, because everyone is a combination of injured and no good, and all over the field there are players underperforming, unhappy or both. Last week they blew a late lead against the Denver Broncos, and in a Monday night game against the New York Jets, it appeared to all the world like they had given up and simply weren’t trying to win or even play hard.
The Giants are favored by 10 points to defeat the Dolphins in week 8 of the NFL. The over/under for the game is 43 points, which is on the lower side but basically right in the middle of most of the games for the weekend.
The G-Men are coming off their bye week right now, and that’s important for a few reasons. Not only will they be focused on this match, which means they shouldn’t suffer a letdown against a bad opponent like they are prone to do, but it also means they have gotten a chance to get healthy and get some key players back. That will be huge for them, and that will help them get the victory at home and continue their standing as division leader in the NFC East. The Dolphins might be able to keep it close but look for the Giants to fire on all cylinders and cover the spread as they get the W as well.
|
|
|
|
|
Week 8 NFL: Dallas vs Philadelphia Predictions, Picks & Odds
The primetime Sunday night game this weekend for week 8 in the NFL will feature the Dallas Cowboys on the road playing the Philadelphia Eagles. These are classic, hated NFC East rivals, so the game is going to be fierce and intense. Both teams had big expectations to enter the season and have been forced to reevaluate those, and it’s a big game with a lot at stake for both clubs and their futures.
The Philadelphia Eagles won the off-season in terms of generating headlines and attention. It seemed like they signed every big name free agent and acquired every player, and it seemed like they were building a juggernaut that would be a Super Bowl favorite. Well, that hasn’t worked as they’ve expected, and they are now just 2-4 after six games.
Michael Vick hasn’t played up to the standards that he did last year, when he was phenomenal. He has also been getting beaten up, and he’s had concussions and other injuries, and has been getting hit hard every week. At the same time, the running game hasn’t been as good as expected, the defense has been giving up big plays, and it’s been bad all across the board.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys were coming off a disastrous 2010, but were supposed to get right back to their winning ways this year with a healthy Tony Romo, a new head coach, and an improved defense. Well, Romo has been battling injuries, as well as his personal demons, leading him to make some great, game-winning plays, and to make some other extremely costly game-losing blunders.
They sit at 3-3, which isn’t terrible, and is good enough to be tied in 2nd place in the NFC East right now, behind the Giants and even with the Redskins. A loss though puts them to 3-4, and the Eagles would be matching that. Meanwhile, a loss for the Eagles drops them to 2-5, and leaves them in truly dismal position if they have intentions of making a second half push towards the postseason.
The Eagles will be 3.5 point favorites at home to take care of business against the Cowboys in week 8. The over/under for the game is 51 points, and that’s the highest point total of the weekend. The most important factor to consider in this game is that the Eagles are not only home, but are coming off a bye. Philadelphia has been invincible under Andy Reid coming off a bye week, and that won’t change here.
On top of the bye week, and the home field advantage, the Eagles remain in a desperate position coming into week 8. That counts for a lot in the NFL and how a team performs from week to week. With all of this on their side, they will be able to pull out the win at home and continue climbing back towards .500. They’ll cover the spread over the Cowboys as well, getting the win they need to keep their season alive, while the Cowboys continue to stumble backwards.
|
|
|
|
|
Stanford vs USC Predictions, Picks & Odds
One of the biggest college games this weekend will be the PAC-12 showdown between the Stanford Cardinal and the USC Trojans. Stanford is ranked at number 4 in the nation, and has an undefeated 7-0 record so far. Meanwhile, USC is doing well too, with a 6-1 record and a number 20 ranking. So the PAC-12 will take center stage on Saturday night, in primetime and on national television, and both teams will be looking to impress.
Stanford was one of the preseason teams talked about the most, but since then, many people have forgotten about them. They’re undefeated and have been rolling past their opposition, but they haven’t faced any worthy opponents yet. It’s nice to be 7-0 and be number 4 in the polls, but when your best win is over number 22 Washington, you don’t have a very good resume, and people won’t take you legitimately yet.
They’re out to prove that they are indeed one of the best teams in the nation, led by Heisman hopeful Andrew Luck, the presumptive number 1 pick in next year’s NFL draft. Stanford puts up 48.6 points per game, 3rd best in the nation, and surrenders just 12.6, 4th best in the nation. It’s an average margin of victory of 32 points per game, and their closest win this season came by 26 points.
Of course, USC is ineligible for postseason play this year again, so they are playing for pride, and for continued building towards next year. That doesn’t mean they won’t be trying to win, and it’s quite the opposite. A huge upset win over Stanford would mean great things for their program right now, and they will likely be viewing this showdown as a bowl game of sorts. It’s a chance to get a huge win on the resume and take a rival out of the running for the national, while improving their own standing as well.
USC is middle of the pack in terms of most offensive and defensive statistics. They’re 50th in the country in points per game at about 30, and 39th in points allowed per game, at 22.6. They’re led by quarterback Matt Barkley, who has passed for over 2,000 yards and 19 TDs on the season, and has command of the team and the offense.
Stanford will be the favorite to get the road win here, and they’re favored by more than a touchdown, at 7.5 points. The over/under for the game is fairly high, at 60, as both team can put points on the board. Of course, Stanford’s defense can also clamp down on the opposition, so taking the under here is probably a smart idea.
Stanford is not just trying to win this game, they are trying to look sensational in the process. They need everyone talking about them again, and they need to strengthen their position in the BCS. So they are going to come out in this game firing on all cylinders. They’ll get the win and they’ll smash the spread, easily covering it as they roll past a good but not great USC team.
|
|
|
|
|
Oklahoma vs Kansas State Predictions, Picks & Odds
This weekend one of the best and most meaningful games will take place in the Big 12, and the game has a different look and feel than many people had expected, certainly in the beginning of the year, and even as recently as last weekend. Of course, last weekend, Oklahoma’s world got turned upside down, as the Sooners blew their undefeated season, surprisingly losing at home to a Texas Tech team they were expected to throttle. So it’s Kansas State that remains undefeated and with the inside track to win the conference if they simply continue to win their games.
The Wildcats have surprised a lot of people this season. They are number 10 in the country, rising out of nowhere to win their first 7-0 games and remain undefeated up to this point. They have beaten Miami, on the road, and also beat then number 15 Baylor at home. Other wins include victories over Missouri and Texas Tech.
This is a team that is based on an opportunistic defense which limits opponents to 19.7 points per game, and a power running attack which has put up nearly 1,500 yards on the ground so far this season, 22nd in the nation. The work load is split for the backfield, but the guy getting the most done is actually quarterback Collin Klein, who has 670 yards on the ground and 14 rushing TDs, to go along with 934 passing yards and 8 passing TDs.
The Sooners of course are loaded with NFL caliber players and right at the top of the list are the guys who are powering their dynamic offense, wide receiver Ryan Broyles and quarterback Landry Jones. Jones has passed for over 2,500 yards this season and 21 T Ds, and Broyles has hauled in 9 touchdown receptions and 900 yards receiving. They score 44.3 points per game, good for 6th in the nation, and have similar defensive numbers to Kansas State, surrendering 19.4 points per game.
Simply put, the Sooners blew it last weekend. With Alabama and LSU eliminating or the other, Oklahoma would have been in great place to keep winning their games and ending up in the national title game. But they lost focus, and then they lost at home, unable to come back before time ran out to beat Texas Tech.
Now they’re favored by 13.5 points, on the road, against an undefeated in-conference opponent who is ranked at number 10 in the country. That shows you what people think about Kansas State, although really it’s less of a knock on them, and more of a statement as to how people expect the Sooners to rebound from their letdown loss. The over/under for the game is 58.5 points.
The Sooners will look dominant in this game and score a big win over a top 10 opponent to try to get things back on track. If they win here and are able to defeat Oklahoma State, they may be able to get back into the national title picture, so they’ll be playing with some real passion after last week’s blunder.
|
|
|
|
|
Georgia vs Florida Picks, Predictions & Odds
SEC fans are seemingly stuck in waiting mode, because next weekend, the game of all games takes place as numbers 1 and 2, LSU and Alabama, meet in an epic showdown. But there’s good SEC football this weekend too, and a huge game between huge rivals as the Georgia Bulldogs face the Florida Gators. They are teams heading in opposite directions right now, and the teams and the directions may not be what you expect.
After the first few weeks of the season, if you had to guess which of these two teams would have a better record, and which would be ranked, you surely would have guessed Florida. They won their first four games, trouncing their overmatched opposition along the way.
Then though they met three straight ranked teams, including number 3 Alabama and number 1 LSU, plus Auburn. They lost all three, falling to 4-3 on the year, and they lost their quarterback John Brantley along the way. Brantley will be back for the big game against Georgia, and he’ll need to get the mojo going once again for an offense and a team which is coming off a string of poor showings.
The defense has been stingy and solid overall, giving up just 289 yards per game and 18.9 points per game, good for 11th and 16th best in the country respectively. However, against their best opponents, Alabama and LSU, the other team’s offenses have rolled, putting up 38 and 41 points.
Georgia meanwhile lost their first two games of the year, and everyone was calling for coach Mark Richt’s head. Of course, those two games came against number 5 Boise State and number 12 South Carolina, and neither were at home. After the two losses, they have won five in a row, advancing to number 22 in the polls with a 5-2 record. The hard early slate gave way to some easy midseason competition, and now they have a chance to take out their rival and continue their hot streak.
The Bulldogs are led by their defense, which gives up just 20.4 points per game, and ranks 6th in the nation in yards per game surrendered, at 272.9. The offense is middle of the pack, putting up 32.3 points per game, 36th best in the nation, and gaining 411 yards per game, 46th in the country.
The Bulldogs are favored by 3 points over the Gators for Saturday’s game. They are the hot team right now, and the confident team after five straight wins. The Gators are reeling meanwhile, and while Brantley will be back, one has to wonder how healthy he will be, and how in sync he will be with his offense.
With their strong defense, you have to like the Bulldogs in this game. Florida’s offensive speedsters could break the game open with some big plays, but if Georgia controls the ball and limits those big plays, they should get the big win. So take Georgia to win and cover the spread over their rivals, moving farther up the rankings and helping to shore up Richt’s position at least for the time being.
|
|
|
|
|
Week 8 NFL Predictions & Picks (Pickem)
There are a lot of intriguing games on the docket for week 8 of the NFL season. Some of them are absolute toss-ups in terms of who might win. Others have very interesting lines that will encourage a lot of people to take some action on the point spread. In terms of picking straight up games though, there also appears to be a handful of near certain locks that you’ll be able to count on. Here are 3 of the top straight up picks to trust for week 8.
Miami Dolphins at New York Giants
The Dolphins have been absolutely miserable so far this season. They haven’t won a game yet, and there has been plenty of rumblings about a change of coaches. Now, their quarterback situation has become even worse, meaning they are in big trouble.
The Giants meanwhile are coming off a bye which has given them a chance to get healthy. Several big name players will be back in the lineup after missing action, and the Giants will be playing at home, with a chance to open up a bigger lead in the NFC East. The Giants are favored by 10 points to win, and whether or not they cover that spread, they should be a lock to get the W here.
New Orleans Saints at St. Louis Rams
Another of the league’s winless teams this season has been the St. Louis Rams. The Rams have been awful, which has been surprising, since they were projected to make a leap forward after a decent 7-9 season last year. Quarterback Sam Bradford has regressed and is now banged up, and other key players have been hurt and have been underperforming.
The Saints meanwhile are firing on all cylinders. They are cruising right now and seem to be one of the top teams in the conference, and they will be focused to take care of all of these gimme type games so they can get better positioning in the postseason. The Saints will cruise against a badly overmatched Rams team, and they’ll get the win.
Cleveland Browns at San Francisco 49ers
The Browns will head to the west coast to meet the San Francisco 49ers, one of the surprise stories of the season right now. San Francisco is 5-1, coming off a bye week and a big win over the Detroit Lions in the week prior. They will be healthy and focused for this game, and they are playing at home.
The Browns meanwhile have concerns in the backfield with the injury to Peyton Hillis, and while Colt McCoy has proven to be capable and is improving at the QB position, he’s not exactly a veteran or a big numbers guy either. The Browns will be overpowered on both sides of the ball, and the 49ers will roll to a nice home victory as they look to continue their miraculous season.
You should be able to rest easy taking all three of these teams to win straight up. The Giants over the Dolphins, the Saints over the Rams and the 49ers over the Browns all look to be about as solid as you can get.
|
|
|
|
|
Week 8 NFL Injury Updates
At this point in the season, injuries are becoming more and more crucial every weekend. Big name players are going down, others are trying hard to rebound from injury, and everything in between. Key players absent from their teams can have a huge impact on how that team plays, and what their chances of winning will be. Here are the latest week 8 NFL injury updates, and be sure to continue following the latest news updates before game time to see what the final verdict will be.
The Miami Dolphins have even more quarterback woes than they used to have. Starter Chad Henne has been placed on injured reserve, and his backup, Matt Moore, is injured as well. The third stringer, Safe Rosenfels, has now been placed on the reserve list, and the team has signed J.P. Losman. It looks like Moore will be able to play, but either way that’s a messy quarterback situation for the club.
Meanwhile, the Raiders are lucky they have a bye this weekend. Quarterback Carson Palmer needs time to learn the offense, with Jason Campbell injured, and running back Darren McFadden has a foot injury that will need time to heal. Another team that is lucky to be on the bye is the Atlanta Falcons, as Matt Ryan suffered a nasty hit on his ankle and will need some time to recuperate as well.
Redskins running back Tim Hightower has been placed on injured reserve, and will be out the rest of the season. That’s a big hit for the Skins, and now Ryan Torain will be the number 1 back. Meanwhile, star wide receiver Santana Moss will be out of the lineup for at least five weeks with a hand injury.
Peyton Hillis of the Browns has been nursing his own injuries, but hopes to play this weekend. The Browns have liked what they have seen from Montario Hardesty though, so expect them to split time either way. Wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi and tight end Benjamin Watson have not been practicing due to concussions, but linebacker Scott Fujita will be back in the lineup this weekend after dealing with his own concussion.
For the Broncos, Willis McGahee looks to be out for this weekend’s game, and Knowshon Moreno will therefore see much more action. The Texans are hopeful that all world wide receiver Andre Johnson will be back from his hamstring injury this weekend, but he’s not 100% cleared. Lions quarterback Matt Stafford has been splitting reps in practice with an ankle injury, and is hopeful to play.
The Giants have been dealing with injuries all season. A lot of their big name players are back to practice though, and are hopeful to play. This includes lineman Chris Snee, out with a concussion, Justin Tuck, out with groin and neck injuries, running back Brandon Jacobs, who has a knee injury, and rookie cornerback Prince Amukamara, who has been out with a foot injury.
That wraps up much of the biggest injury buzz for week 8, and as mentioned, be sure to keep tabs on the latest updates before game time to be sure of who’s in and who’s out.
|
|
|
|
|
College Football Picks: Week 9 Predictions & Odds
Many college football fans across the country are looking at this weekend almost like it’s a bye week for every team out there, besides their own. That’s because we all have to wait a weekend until we get to see the big #1 vs. #2 showdown of LSU vs. Alabama. But, there’s actually a full slate of intriguing games to watch this weekend, and of course, to bet on as well. Here are 3 of the top games for you to take a look at over the weekend.
Michigan State at Nebraska
The number 9 Michigan State Spartans visit their new conference rivals in the number 13 Nebraska Cornhuskers. Both squads sit at 6-1, and both are vying for the conference title and a BCS berth at the end of the year. Michigan State is coming off their hugely emotional win over Wisconsin, and the week before that, they also beat arch rival Michigan. They have a fierce lockdown defense, and experienced Kirk Cousins pulling the trigger on offense.
Nebraska’s playing at home, and they’ll be favored by 4 points with an over/under line at 50 points. Nebraska playing at home will be a huge boost for them, and for Michigan State, it’s going to be hard for them to get up for a third straight big game after the emotions of last weekend. Look for the Cornhuskers to hold home court and beat the Spartans.
Oklahoma at Kansas State
The Oklahoma Sooners just had their grand hopes dashed as they lost at home in a game where they were favored by nearly 30 points. Gone are the national title hopes, for now, and now they just have to get back to winning. They’re at 6-1 and number 11 in the country, and they’re heading on the road to number 10 Kansas State, undefeated at 7-0.
The Wildcats are for real, but they don’t have the talent that the Sooners have. Oklahoma won’t lose two games in a row, and it’s telling that they are favored by 13.5 points over an unbeaten conference opponent on the road. The over/under for the game is at 58.5 points. Kansas State might keep it close and beat the spread, but the Sooners will win.
Stanford at USC
Number 4 Stanford and Heisman candidate Andrew Luck will get their first real test of the season when they travel to USC and play the number 20, 6-1 Trojans. The Trojans have beaten up on inferior opposition right now, as have the Cardinal, in fairness, as each has been feasting on a weak crop of PAC-12 contenders so far.
While USC is good, Stanford is an exceptional caliber team, and will be looking to not only win, but to impress some pollsters along the way as they need a landmark win. They are favored by 7.5 points on the road against USC, with a 60 point over/under. Look for Stanford to win and win big on the road, beating the spread with ease.
|
|
|
|
|
Sports Betting Picks ScheduleSimply choose a sport from the drop down arrow on the right to see what Premium and Free Sports Predictions are available on a certain game. Bet with confidence today!NFL Schedule: Feb 05
| |||||||||||||||