Apparently, the NFL has no interest in celebrating Thanksgiving, or it wouldn’t have stuck us with a trifecta of lackluster games. OK, there’s hope for the Cowboys-Giants but let’s start at the beginning: 🦃 🦃 🦃
Bills -9.5 over LIONS– Why? Why should we even consider this an appetizer?
The Lions do have some talented young talent – in fact we see a huge game coming for WR Amon-Ra St. Brown. Jamaal Williams turns into Derrick Henry inside the 5. And rookie Aiden Hutchinson’s mom hasn’t been linked to Zach Wilson.
Lions fans haven’t been this happy since Sept. 24, 2008 when GM Matt Millen was fired.
Two problems for the Lions:
- Forget the stats, which are pretty damn good, especially at home for QB Jared Goff (13 TDs, 3 picks, 103.4 QBR at Ford Field). He is always the next big game away from proving Detroit needs to look for a QB in the 2023 NFL Draft.
- The Lions are looking to win four straight for the first time since 2016. Translation: They simply don’t have enough guys on the roster who have played in big games.
The Loser built this three-legged parlay on BetMGM: Bills win, Williams scores 1 TD, and St. Brown will have more than 80.5 yards receiving. We got +650 and put down $20 for a payoff of $150, which means we would net $120.
So, The Loser needs the Bills to win – regardless of the score – Williams to score 1 TD, and St. Brown to have more than 80.5 yards receiving. Black Friday starts tomorrow.
+COWBOYS -10 over Giants – The Giants are having a surprisingly good season and the two pivotal questions facing the franchise have been answered: Yes, Brian Daboll is the right coach. No, as proven in last week’s loss to the Lions, Daniel Jones is not the franchise quarterback of the future.
In the Cowboys 23-16 win over the Giants in NY earlier this season, in which the legend of outlaw Cooper Rush was spreading, Dallas imposed its will. The Cowboys held the ball for 32:42, they won the turnover battle (1-0) and they averaged 5.9 yards per carry.
Dak Prescott is back and playing great. The game is in Big D. And Jones, who has a 58.2 QBR vs the Boys, is coming off a two interception game against a Lions defense that pales in comparison to the Big D in Big D.
+VIKINGS -2.5 over Patriots – Justin Jefferson is a more potent offensive force the entire Patriots offense.
Now for Loser look back (Last week’s Loser “rationale” in italics.
Bears +2.5 over FALCONS – Falcons, 27-24. The Falcons got their rear ends kicked last week, giving up 232 yards rushing to the Panthers. But the Bears were without Khalil Herbert and David Montgomery hasn’t rushed for 100 yards since Sept. 18. So why did The Loser take the Bears? Blaming it on the tequila. 🥳️
+RAVENS -13 over Panthers – Ravens, 13-3. Ravens cover and Mr. Smith endears himself to Baltimore fans in his home debut. Lamar Jackson thought last weekend was Thanksgiving and LB Roquan Smith endeared himself with seven tackles, one sack and one tackle for loss, but we needed nine tackles.
VIKINGS +1.5 over Cowboys – Cowboys, 40-3. By the end of the weekend Mike McCarthy will be back on the Hot Seat. Uh, no.
STEELERS +4 over Bengals – Bengals, 37-30. Cincy QB Joe Burrow, who has been sacked 113 times in his career, will announce after the game that he is leaving his body – not to science – just leaving it. Steelers couldn’t see the Bengals, who were wearing their white unis stolen from the Fairbanks Grizzlies and only sacked Burrow twice.
Home team in CAPS.
Last week: 8-4-2; +Best bets: 2-1
Overall: 79-70-2; +Best bets: 18-12