Bet the Mortgage: Week 3, 2017

We’re not going to hit early retirement this way, but both of us are slowly increasing our bankrolls.

We’re four for four between us after both going 2-2 in week two.

This week’s slate is a tough one. Can we keep it up?

Here’s hoping.

Andy:

I hate this week’s games. But there are just enough to pick from to complete this task.

$1,500 – New England (-13.5, -110) vs Houston – The Texans presumably will start Deshawn Watson again. Houston’s offense wasn’t that great in his first start. And one would guess that Bill Belichick will have a little something extra to show the rookie as he attempts to avoid losing two in a row at home for the first time since 2008.

$1,500 – Green Bay (-9, -110) vs Cincinnati – The Bengals and their impotent offense hit Lambeau. Not a great team to play when you’re QB is trying to discover his game. Packers win big. So do I.

$600 – Atlanta at Detroit: Under 50.5 – My confidence in this week’s games goes down quickly after those first two. But I have to pick one. So why not.

$400 – Jacksonville-London Jaguars (+165 money line) vs Baltimore – Ok, here’s my angle. The Jaguars are much improved, at least on defense. And they’ve played enough games in London now where they might as well acknowledge it in the team’s name. The Ravens aren’t merely ok. There aren’t any other upsets I feel great about this week. So we’ll go with Jacksonville knowing how to deal with the overseas travel as the reason they get the upset.

Tony:

This week’s got 0-4 written all over it…

$800 – Atlanta (-3, -110) over Detroit – Atlanta so far has appeared to shake off the ghosts of 28-3, despite every douchebag in the northeast reminding them of it every chance they get. They are just 1-1 against the spread so far, but while they’re a rare road favorite, they’re still playing in a controlled environment, which plays to their strengths. Ultimately, I just don’t think the Lions offense can hang with them for a full four quarters.

$600 – Dallas (-3.5, -105) over Arizona – Another road favorite, the Cardinals are 0-2 against the spread this year, and it took them overtime to beat the Colts last week. Without David Johnson, this team just isn’t very good — Carson Palmer looks every bit like a 37-year-old quarterback who is thinking about retiring. He put up 332 yards last week, but he was barely over 50 percent in completing his passes to get there. Add in an Ezekiel Elliott coming off his worst game as a pro, and I suspect the Cowboys will be up for this game.

$600 – Cincinnati vs Green Bay: Under 44.5 (-110) – The Bengals have one thing to look forward to this week … they won’t miss out on scoring a touchdown at home again. This game opened at -7.5 for the Packers, and the spread’s gotten even bigger — for this one to go over, Green Bay may have to take it there themselves.

$300 – Chicago (+290 money line) over Pittsburgh – There aren’t a lot of compelling upset on the money line this week — hell, the Browns/Colts game is showing both teams on a negative payout (not sure I’ve ever seen that before), so I’ll take a bigger payout in a game that I don’t really think will hit.