NFL Online Betting Against the Spread Picks Week 5

The Buffalo Bills (0-3) at The N.Y. Jets (3-0)
Opening NFL Betting Line Jets -6.5 -110 Over/Under 37.5 -105
Current High NFL Betting Line Jets -7 -105 to -110
Current Low NFL Betting Line Jets -6.5 -106 to -110
Over/Under 37.5 EVEN to -110

Oh the humanity! Let's re-cap this year so so far... Pan in, large crowd of adoring fans roaring as the Buffalo Bills storm onto the field. Well that's were the good part of this story ends. They dropped their home opener to the Jaguars. Ok, the Bills made QB Byron Leftwich look like a school-yard chump for almost the entire game. But only almost. In the final moments of the forth quarter, in a way that only the Bills know how to do, they allowed him to march 80 yards and put it in the end zone for the win. Moving to week two, Bills looking to rebound with what should have been a relatively easy win, get a mauling that the final score (13-10 Raiders) doesn't reflect. Week three brings a sigh of relief from the Bills fans nationwide... they are on a bye. So we go to week four well rested and ready to go get 'em, NOT! New England hands them their silly looking helmets and asks them to please quietly leave the stadium. So what is the Bills problem? Quarter back Drew Bledsoe, that's what. He is not a leader, he fails when they most need him. He takes great field position and turns it into nothing. He makes stupid calls and is slow to catch onto what the defense is doing. Very rarely do I put the blame on a single player, but there is no getting around it in this case. Despite the injuries the Bills have managed to put solid defensive numbers on the charts. They are not without weapons offensively either. Running back Travis Henry may not be the best back in the league but he's not a total loser. They have a better than decent receiver corp in Eric Moulds, Josh Reed and the emerging down-field threat, Lee Evans. So what else could the problem be?

The Jets by contrast keep changing their colors. Last week proved that they can get it done on multiple levels. Mixing a great ground game with a solid passing attack to beat the defensively stout Miami Dolphins and stay undefeated. On the other side of the ball they do not deserve the label of being a “soft defense”. The Jets have the best giveaway-takeaway ratio in the league (+8). They are patient, lying in wait for their opponent to make a mistake. And when that happens they pounce and take advantage of it. Running back Curtis Martin is on pace for another 1400+ yard year, and QB Chad Pennington keeps showing his pose, intelligence and leadership every game. I think this is going to be the week that coach Herman Edwards lets his conservative game play get a little liberal. They will be facing a 4th ranked rushing defense in the Bills but the 18th ranked passing defense. Time to let loose a bit. The Jets get the nod for this one.

My Online Betting: Jets -6.5

The St. Louis Rams(2-2) at The Seattle Seahawks (3-0)
Opening NFL Betting Line Seahawks -6.5 -112 Over/Under 44 -105
Current High NFL Betting Line Seahawks -7.5 -105
Current Low NFL Betting Line Seahawks -6.5 -115
Over/Under 43.5 to 44 -107 to -110

The St. Louis Rams finally covered the spread last week against the 49ers. Well Rams fans, don't put much stock in that. The defense you saw was against an anemic offense that has holes all over the place. Yes running back Marshal Faulk looked like the back of old, and wide receiver Isaac Bruce looked great. But please remember, they didn't score a point the entire second half! Plus they let one of the worst offenses in the league put 2 touch downs on the board in the fourth quarter. Quarter back Marc Bulger didn't show me much, certainly not enough for me to change my opinion of him. They are over glorified has beens (no offense Torry, you own). Now they have to play one of the most well balanced defenses in the NFL. It ain't gonna be pretty, folks.

The Seattle Seahawks continue to impress. Sitting at the top of the rankings at number 1 on the defensive side of the ball (3rd rush 6th pass), they have the most balanced defense today. Granted they have not faced off against dominating offenses, but in reality there are only three of those anyway, the Colts, Eagles and Vikings. The Seahawks are middle of the pack offensively with an overall ranking of 16th, but are again very balanced (13th rushing, 15th passing). Coach Mike Holmgren is one of the best in the business, with a lot of talent around him to work with. Quarter back Matt Hasselbeck, wide receivers Koren Robinson and Darrell Jackson, not to mention running back Shaun Alexander. I was scared off the big points spread last week against the 49ers. I'm not going to do the same again.

My Online Betting: Seahawks -6.5

Going to let things sit at that. Still trying to decide wether or not there is any value in the late game or Monday Night Football. I will probably post my take on these games just because, but as of this moment I don't see an online wager being placed on either game.