2-3 Last Weekend, 19-11 overall
Week 5 was the week hot lines went cold. A 2-3 weekend still has us well above .500 on the year. At a 19-11 record overall, we’ve won 63% of the games we’ve bet on. This weeks games look like a great way for Hot Lines to get the juices flowing yet again:
Green Bay (-3.5) @ Houston Texans
The Green Bay Packers are coming off of a shellacking at the hands of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Aaron Rodgers threw his 3rd pick-six of HIS CAREER. It was that kind of day. Green Bay is looking to turn the page.
Meanwhile, Houston is coming off a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Tennessee Titans. Since Bill O’Briens firing 2 weeks ago, this Texans team has played a lot looser. A proverbial weight off their shoulders has been lifted.
Aaron Rodgers is on a revenge tour and unfortunately the Texans are in the way. This will be a high-scoring affair. Packers come out with the win and the cover deep in the heart of Texas.
Seattle Seahawks(-3.5) @ Arizona Cardinals
An inter-division matchup awaits this weekend between the Seahawks and Cardinals. Seattle is coming off their bye week while the Cardinals shut down the Dallas Cowboys.
The Seahawks offense has been let loose this year setting Russell Wilson up to possibly win his first MVP award. Seattle has a top 10 passing offense. The Cardinals can get a pass rush but are average defensively in all other facets. With Cardinals DE Chandler Jones out for the season, there will be questions if they will still be able to create effective pressure on Russell Wilson.
Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals offense has all the makings to be a problem. Murray’s shifty mobility adds a wrinkle of complexity to playing the Cardinals. Along with the play of RB’s Kenyan Drake and Chase Edmonds, the Cardinals have the third best running game in the league.
Arizona has a chance in this game if they control the clock. This will be a high scoring affair but the Seahawks have Russell Wilson in prime time. Give me the hawks.
PICK: Seattle Seahawks (-3.5)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-3.5) @ Las Vegas Raiders
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are coming off damn near a perfect performance against the Green Bay Packers. No Penalties. No Sacks. No Turnovers. The defense nabbed 2 picks off Aaron Rodgers. It was an impressive performance. In 2 weeks, Antonio Brown will join what is already a vaunted offense. Tampa Bay is trending upward.
The Las Vegas Raiders will provide a better test of where this Bucs team is at. The Raiders play a similar style of physical football. The Raiders are looking to prove themselves for real as well. Vegas is coming off a bye in Week 5. At 3-2, two of those wins come against the Saints and Chiefs. A win against the Bucs vaults the Raiders to contender status in what is a loaded AFC.
It will not be without challenges as the entire starting offensive line has been sidelined all week due to COVID-19 concerns.
Ultimately this game will come down to defense. The Raiders can’t stop the run and the Buccaneers simply hit like cannons. The Raiders’ physicality will keep them in it but the Bucs will win out and cover.
PICK: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-3.5)
Jacksonville Jaguars @ LA Chargers (-7.5)
The Jacksonville Jaguars enter Week 7 on a downward trajectory. Since a surprising Week 1 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, Duvall Nation has played progressively worse. The Jags enter 1-6 and no sign of improvement seems imminent. Jacksonville sits 28th in both passing and rushing defense. The offensive side of the ball is not much better. This team just lacks the talent after management decided to do a full rebuild.
Meanwhile the LA Chargers are similarly 1-4 but the energy in the building couldn’t be more different. Los Angeles has dealt with the injury bug like no other team in the league. Before their bye last week, the Chargers went toe-to-toe with the Saints, Chiefs, and Buccaneers losing the 3 games by a combined 13 points. Justin Herbert is an early frontrunner for offensive rookie of the year. I don’t see this game being much of a contest. Even with injuries, the Chargers have the better team, talent and coaching
PICK: LA Chargers (-7.5)
LA Rams (-6.5) @ Chicago Bears
The LA Rams are coming off of an ugly loss to the San Francisco 49ers who seem to have righted their own ship. The Rams offense has been inconsistent and predictable at times. Meanwhile, the Chicago Bears are 5-1 and on a roll. The offense has been more productive since HC Matt Nagy replaced Mitchell Trubisky with Nick Foles at quarterback. The Bears offense has been inconsistent this year which has led to doubts about their abilities over the course of a 16 game season.
This game will feature the two premier pass rushers in the league in Khalil Mack (Bears) and Aaron Donald (Rams). Ultimately this game will come down to defense. I believe the Rams are a more complete team and will pull out the win, but I don’t believe they cover.
PICK: Chicago Bears (+6.5)
