Cardinals @ Seahawks, Saints @ Giants, Lions @ Packers, Texans @ Patriots: Picks

Arizona Cardinals (+10) @ Seattle Seahawks

I love the Hawks. I think they’ll win. But with them, I just never know for sure. The same thing I’ve been saying about them absolutely rings true. Should they beat the Cardinals by a couple touchdowns? Yes. Will they take the chances offensively to upend Arizona in a laugher? History tells us, no. Wilson can handle what the Hawks ask him to do, he’s been nothing short of amazing during his rookie campaign, but for some reason the Hawks like close games, and that means +10 is the side to take.

New Orleans Saints @ New York Giants (-5)

Neither team has been brilliant, but the Giants have been much better. They are looking to secure a playoff spot here in the next couple weeks and this win is as important as ever. The Saints have been riding along with this hope of hopes that they could put an improbable run together and find the playoffs, only that was basically ended last week when they stunk it up against Atlanta and Drew threw 5 interceptions and not a single touchdown. So they’re out. I expect the Giants to dominate time of possession and oust the Saints easily.

Detroit Lions (+6.5) @ Green Bay Packers

This one is not easy, either, but Green Bay looks like a defense that will give up a ton of yards to the Detroit Megatrons. I think Aaron Rodgers and company find a way to win this one, but it’ll come down to the wire. The Packers just don’t have the rushing attack needed to hold off a lead. I wish it was a touchdown – I’d feel better with 7 points, but my numbers say go Detroit here.

Houston Texans @ New England Patriots (-3.5)

It is absolutely true that Houston has a good defense and they can run the ball against anyone. But, the Patriots do a good job of making their opponents do something they don’t want to do, and the Texans have trouble stopping elite passers. Basically, this Monday Night game could show us who the Texans really are, or it could show us that they can’t beat elite passers – maybe both? I’ll take the Patriots until I know better.

New Orleans Saints @ Atlanta Falcons Thursday Night Football Pick

New Orleans certainly owns this show, so it shouldn’t matter that they are worse than ever, right? I don’t know, needless to say I’m conflicted on many levels in this match-up.

I know the Saints have looked better of late, even played the 49ers solid, plus they won three straight prior to that loss to the 49ers, and 5 out of 6 coming into that game. They even got at Atlanta and handed them their first loss a few weeks ago. So that has me going Saints.

But then I think about the Saints and how they give up a ton of points to everyone, how they really can’t stop the pass or the run defensively, and how they are one loss away from ending their playoff hopes with 5 games to go. Yikes. So I have to take Atlanta, right?

The better team is Atlanta, but what it comes down to is what you’ve done for me lately, and everyone knows that my biggest betting rule is that you ALWAYS go against the team that should have lost last week and won. It was a tight one, but down 6 with under 10 to go, the Falcons snuck one out against Tampa Bay. The Bucs blew an opportunity to get in better field goal position, settling for a 55 yarder that missed. Then, one of the better run defenses in the league couldn’t stop the Falcons from garnering late first downs. All in all, I have to go with my rules, and the three and a half points are nice if the game stays tight.

New Orleans Saints (+3.5) @ Atlanta Falcons

49ers @ Saints – Packers @ Giants – Panthers @ Eagles: Week 12 Free Football Picks

San Francisco 49ers (-1) @ New Orleans Saints

I know the Saints’ defense has been playing better over the last couple games, but watering a plant doesn’t make you a gardener. Or something like that. New Orleans certainly has a lot invested in this game, and they’ll be ready and roaring to stop Colin Kaepernick, but I don’t know how much that matters. The bottom line is that San Francisco is very good and with Colin the offense looked a lot more frightening. Even if it ends up being Alex Smith, the 49ers can really run the ball and New Orleans can’t stop much of it. The Saints are going to put up some points, I just think San Fran slows them enough to edge Drew and company.

Green Bay Packers (+3) @ New York Giants

Well, the Giants have dinged me a couple times but Aaron Rodgers getting some points is a bet I’ll take 19 out of 20. This is one of the 19.

Carolina Panthers (-3) @ Philadelphia Eagles

Is the day I finally give up on the Eagles the day they finally come through? Only time will tell, and it looks like we’re waiting until Monday Night to find out. One thing I do know is that the offensive line that has hamstrung this team all season long is still in tact. The secondary that has underachieved is still there. The only guy that gave them a chance by escaping the pocket despite next to no help from his offensive line (Michael Vick) is out. Their best player (LeSean McCoy) is out. They have a rookie QB getting his 2nd start on a team that looks like they have given up on Andy Reid’s regime. Needless to say, it takes a lot for me to take Carolina as a road favorite – but a lot is right in front of my eyes.

Colts @ Titans, Raiders @ Chiefs, Giants @ Cowboys, Saints @ Broncos, 49ers @ Cardinals

A great Sunday Night Football game both to watch and to own fantasy players in. 7-4-2 last week with a couple close losses/pushes. Here are my picks for this week.

Indianapolis Colts (+3) @ Tennessee Titans

This should be an interesting game. It looks like Hasselbeck is holding on to the starting job for Tennessee, so that’s one old dude with a soft arm against one young cat with accuracy and a cannon. The only thing is, this game might end up relying on the ground attack that Tennessee doesn’t have. Still, I’ll put my money on Luck leading a ball control attack for the slight upset on the road.

Oakland Raiders @ Kansas City Chiefs (-1)

Both these teams are very bad. At least Kansas City has a history of winning at home, a tough place for road teams to play. I don’t think Brady Quinn is the answer for the Chiefs, and they probably don’t think so either, but that means they’ll likely ride that rushing attack all day long and Jamaal Charles is one of the most dynamic players in the league. The Raiders make too many mistakes.

New York Giants @ Dallas Cowboys (+2)

Sure, the Cowboys are everyone’s favorite team to hate on, but at 4-3 they just aren’t that bad. They might not be the Super Bowl team that Jerry Jones thought they were, and they aren’t very well coached (see loads of mistakes, lots of dumb penalties, and absolutely no understanding of the clock despite being run by a former NFL quarterback). But Tony Romo is good, and he seems to step up and remind people of that fact when just about everyone and their mother is having talk shows about how he’ll never win the big game and how he’s so overrated. Is he a dynamic leader? Nope, but he’s a good throwing QB and the Giants haven’t been tested by one in their 5 wins this year. That’s right, Griffin isn’t a dominant passer yet, though he’s very good all around (and they could have easily lost that game), then you got Alex Smith, Brandon Weeden, Cam Newton, and Josh Freeman (who might be the best thrower of that bunch). Tony Romo is much more accurate and accomplished than those 3, and I’m guessing the Giants end up showing those big holes in the secondary this week in Dallas.

New Orleans Saints (+6) @ Denver Broncos

What a great game. Both QBs should have their way with opposing secondaries. I like the points in this one, just because both QBs are so great about bringing their team back, and neither team is good about running out the clock or putting their opponent away. Also, the Saints need wins like you need winning picks. Go points!

San Francisco 49ers @ Arizona Cardinals (+7)

A very good defense playing at home on Monday Night, a team that NEVER gets to play in the spotlight of a National TV audience. You bet, I’ll take all those 7 points and see what happens.

Week 7 2012 Free Football Picks

Tennessee Titans @ Buffalo Bills (-3)

I can’t stand the Bills and I think the Titans will put some points on the board against them (maybe even a Chris Johnson sighting?) but Buffalo has to beat a bad Titans team in Buffalo, right? Matt Hasselbeck doesn’t test defenses deep and I know Buffalo’s secondary likes to take chances. One pick-six and the cover is on!

Washington Redskins (+7) @ New York Giants

This seems like a game the Giants lose. Not fail to cover, but lose. You know, you’ve seen it before from the G-men: they come into the middle weeks flying high, class of the league, just coming off a big win, for sure going to run away with it – only the hit a wall, lose to some teams they shouldn’t, and fall back to earth before stunning people again late and getting into the playoffs. I’ve read that damned poem before, all the shifts in tone and connotation and precise diction up the ying-yang. I’m not falling for it, New York. Go RG3!!!

Arizona Cardinals (+7) @ Minnesota Vikings

Too many points, sorry Vikes. Could Arizona come in and lay an egg behind John Skelton? You bet, he’s bad. But he does target Larry Fitz like it’s his job (and it is) so at least he has that. Also, the Vikings don’t really translate drives into touchdowns, so 7 gets big pretty fast. Both defenses will come to play knowing it’s their job’s to make the ship sail – has a close game feel for me.

New Orleans Saints (-1.5) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Neither team can afford to lose but one team REALLY can’t afford to lose. Absolutely not. Because they are good, they are used to being good, and everybody knows that good teams can’t go losing a billion out of their first billion and one games. Drew Brees lights a fire this week and the Saints win a road game.

New Orleans Saints vs Green Bay Packers Free Pick Prediction Point Spread Odds Line Week 4 09/30/2012

Drew Brees and the winless New Orleans Saints take on Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday.

Kick-off is 4:25 pm ET on regional FOX stations.

NFL Picks have the Packers as 8-point favorites. The moneyline odds have Green Bay as a -330 favorite and the Saints as a +270 underdog. The over/under total is at 54.

The teams are both 3-3 straight up and against the spread in the past six meetings. Green Bay won 42-34 when the teams last met last season, cashing as a 4.5-point home favorite. The total has gone over in 5 of the last five meetings.

The Saints lost their third straight game to start the season when they were beat 27-24 by the Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday. They failed to cover as an 8-point home favorite and the score stayed under the total of 52.

Green Bay lost 14-12 to the Seattle Seahawks on a controversial last-second touchdown on Monday Night Football. The Packers failed to cash as a 3-point road favorite, while the score was under the total.

New Orleans is 0-3 SU and 0-3 ATS and Green Bay is 1-2 SU and 1-2 ATS.

NFL Betting trends show New Orleans is 14-6 SU in its last 20 games overall, and Green Bay is 15-2 SU in its last 17 games at home.

The New Orleans Saints vs Green Bay Packers free NFL betting pick is available right now to all callers to Lester’s courtesy line by dialing 1-800-293-0127.

New Orleans Saints vs Kansas City Chiefs Prediction Pick Point Spread Odds Line Week 3 09/23/2012

The winless New Orleans Saints and the Kansas City Chiefs meet on Sunday in NFL Week 3 action at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

This matchup begins at 1 pm ET with coverage on local CBS stations.

NFL Odds have the Saints as 9-point favorites while the over/under total is at 53.

Head to head, the Saints are 2-1 straight up and against the point spread in the past three meetings. This is the first clash between the teams since 2008.

Kansas City lost 35-17 to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, and failed to cover as a 3-point home underdog, while the score was over the total. New Orleans dropped its second straight game to start the season when it lost 35-27 to NFC South division rival Carolina Panthers on Sunday. The Saints failed to cover as a 3-point road favorite, and the score was over the total.

Kansas City and New Orleans have identical 0-2 SU and ATS records, and both have lost 2 straight games.

NFL Betting trends show that Kansas City is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games overall, and 3-8 SU in its last 11 games overall. The total has gone under in 10 of Kansas City’s last 13 games.

New Orleans is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games at home, and the total has gone under in 4 of Kansas City’s last 6 games on the road.

The New Orleans Saints vs Kansas City Chiefs free NFL betting prediction is available right now to all callers to Lester’s courtesy line by dialing 1-800-293-0127.

New Orleans Saints vs Carolina Panthers Prediction Pick Point Spread Odds Line Week 2 09/16/2012

NFC South division rivals the New Orleans Saints and the Carolina Panthers meet Sunday in NFL Week 2 action at Bank of America Stadium, with both teams getting upset in Week 1 and hungry for their first win of the season.

Kick-off is 1 pm ET on regional FOX stations.

NFL Picks have the Saints as a 3-point favorite, while the moneyline has New Orleans as a -145 road favorite and the Panthers a +125 home underdog. The over/under total is at 51.

New Orleans cost NFL Betting fans and made Las Vegas a lot of money last week when they stumbled through a 40-32 loss to the Washington Redskins, led by rookie, Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Robert Griffin III, or RG3. The Saints failed to cover as an 8-point home favorite and the score sailed over the total.

The Panthers lost 16-10 to NFC South foe Tampa Bay Buccaneers, unable to cash as 3-point road favorites. The score was under the total.

Both teams are 0-1 straight up and against the point spread.

Football Betting trends show that the total has gone over in 5 of New Orleans’s last 5 games, and the Saints are 9-2 SU in their last 11 games. The total has gone over in 6 of Carolina’s last 8 games overall, and in 4 of Carolina’s last 6 games at home

The New Orleans Saints vs Carolina Panthers free NFL betting prediction is available right now to all callers to Lester’s courtesy line by dialing 1-800-293-0127.

Washington Redskins vs New Orleans Saints Pick Prediction Point Spread Odds Line Week 1 09/09/2012

The Washington Redskins and the New Orleans Saints meet on Sunday in the first 2012 NFL game for both teams at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

This matchup starts at 1 pm ET with live coverage on regional FOX stations.

NFL Odds have the Saints as a 7.5-point favorite, while the moneyline betting odds have the Saints as a -350 favorite and the Redskins a +290 road underdog. The over/under total is at 50.

Washington was 5-11 SU and 6-9-1 ATS last season while New Orleans had one of the best records in the NFL, going 13-3 SU and 12-4 ATS.

Head to head, both teams are 3-3 SU but the Redskins have the edge against the spread at 4-2 ATS in the past six meetings. The teams last squared off on Dec. 6, 2009 when the Saints edged Washington 33-30 but failed to cover as an 8-point road favorite. The score was over the total of 47.

Washington has dominated the head-to-head series in New Orleans, going 6-1 SU in its last seven visits. The total has gone over in 6 of the last 7 meetings overall.

The total has gone under in 4 of Washington’s last 5 games on the road, but over in 5 of Washington’s last 7 games overall.

New Orleans is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home, and 9-1 SU in its last 10 games overall.

The Washington Redskins vs New Orleans Saints free NFL betting prediction is available right now to all callers to Lester’s courtesy line by dialing 1-800-293-0127.

New Orleans Saints @ San Francisco 49ers NFC Playoff Free Pick

New Orleans Saints @ San Francisco 49ers NFC Playoff Free Pick: I read on ESPN that Drew Brees hasn’t thrown an interception in 215 consecutive passes in post season play – that’s flat out amazing, and a record. It’s this kind of precision that has me taking the side of the Saints on Saturday as they head to San Francisco to play the 49ers.

The 49ers are a very good team, much better than anybody gives them credit for. Even “football guys” wonder if the 49ers can win in the post season like they did in the regular season, as if it were some kind of smoke and mirrors spread option masterpiece under rookie coach, Jim Harbaugh. Believe me, that’s not how the year was for San Francisco. In fact, they do it old school if nothing else. They run the ball first and they will pass on any down, and they do so efficiently – they just understand the importance of owning the time of possession and beating their opponents up. The same things happens defensively, as they force quarterbacks to hit small targets, almost always holding drives out of the end zone. This is a very complete team in San Francisco, don’t be tricked.

That being said, Drew Brees is that guy that won’t be too effected by the tight spaces San Francisco allows. He’s as accurate as they get, a precise thrower with a lightening quick release, and plenty of weapons to cause damage in the 49ers’ secondary. I like this game to be close, and anything can happen in a close game – but it’s tough for me to buy the 49ers scoring enough to keep up with Brees, especially with Drew throwing like he has been.

New Orleans Saints (-3.5) @ San Francisco 49ers

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