There have been some truly remarkable shocks in world sport to this point – the Undertaker losing to Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania 30, the Arsenal invincibles’ 49-game unbeaten run and Phil Mickelson falling out of the Top 50 for the first time in his career. But nothing compared to the beatdown taken by the then 8-0 New England Patriots in Baltimore last week. My goodness.
Brady, with Mohamed Sanu in tow, rocked up to Maryland, expecting to steamroll yet another inexperienced quarterback – but they were sent back to Foxboro with their legs between their tails in despair. It’s going to take an absolute masterstroke on defence to slow down Jackson and co. Perhaps Week 10 can give us some insight into just who that might be.
Bet: New York Giants (-2.5) @ New York Jets (17/20)
Always take the underdogs here unless there’s crazy context.
In all seriousness, this is now a clash of Le’Veon Bell and Saquon Barkley – a much bigger deal at this point last year – but it will also double as a reminder that New York City has a long way to go before being competitive again unless you want to go upstate to Buffalo.
I don’t believe the Giants to be anything other than a one-trick pony, but it’s all they need to be, especially after the Jets traded away some big bodies on that D-line. If Daniel Jones doesn’t throw the ball to Jamal Adams, the G-Men will win this, and they’ll win it quite well, too.
Bet: Seattle Seahawks (+6.5) @ San Francisco 49ers (9/10)
Russell Wilson is the NFL MVP now. I can hear your Christian McCaffrey shouts. I can hear you screaming for Lamar Jackson. But those bellows are falling on deaf ears.
Wilson has thrown 22 touchdowns and given just one takeaway. I cannot stress how difficult that is to do.
He may be the most valuable quarterback in the game, and he is not losing by more than a touchdown against a divisional rival. Pete Carroll knows Robert Saleh very well and those disguises are only workable the first time you see them. The Hawks could hand the Niners their first loss of the entire season. But if not, they’ll run them fine and close.
Bet: Detroit Lions (+2.5) @ Chicago Bears (6/5)
I know many people will have this as their worst spread selection of the week, but I’m not so sure. The Lions are probably the team, above all else, that have performed considerably better than their actual record this season.
And they’ll only really push themselves when they finally need to win. Well, Matt Patricia, the time has come. This divisional rivalry is big, and Stafford, now fully healthy, has been dealing thus far this season. While neither run game is particularly potent, Detroit’s run D is strong.
This will force the ball into Mitch Trubisky’s hands – and if the Lions can avoid first-and-second-down calamities, they’ll be completely fine to take this game, let alone the 2.5-point underdogs handle they’re being afforded.
Week 10 Treble pays 7/1:
Bet: New York Giants (-2.5) at New York Jets @ 17/20
Bet: Detroit Lions (+2.5) at Chicago Bears @ 6/5
Bet: Seattle Seahawks (+6.5) at San Francisco 49ers @ 9/10
