Hello my friends..

The first NFL Sunday is here and what a Sunday it will be as each and every team will in some way commemorate was happened ten years ago today...the cowardly attack perpetrated against our great nation by Muslim terrorists.

Tributes will be synchronized before each of the 13 games taking place on Sunday on network telecasts and shown on video boards in each hosting stadium. Coaches, players and local first responders will hold huge field length American flags for the playing of the national anthem.

In addition to that, players, coaches and sideline personnel will also wear an NFL 9/11 ribbon as a patch or pin on their uniforms and sideline apparel and all stadiums hosting games will feature the ribbon logo on the field.

Needless to say, there is nothing that can be done or said to change the events that took place on that fateful day ten years ago, as a former U.S. Marine I know that my heart will swell with pride and beat loudly with the thump thump of patriotism that coarses thru my veins...God bless America!

Onward to football and one added play selection...a glance at the most recent betting trends early this morning revealed some startling (or not so startling) items.

Pittsburgh opened as a +2.5 dog at Baltimore but has since dropped to a +1 point road doggie as the public continues to pound the Steelers to the tune of 73% of all wagers being placed on them. I do like the Steelers in this matchup, mainly because the Ravens are utilizing a makeshift offensive line that has not had the needed time to work with one another.

However, the odds maker knows this as well and basically set the game line to obviously garner action on Pittsburgh and it worked as the game is now a near pickem....keep this in mind...Pittsburgh has won 5 of their past 8 meetings against Baltimore but only posted a mark of 4-3-1 ATS in those eight games and four of the past six meetings have been decided by exactly 3 points!....if you are thinking about playing the Steelers you might wanna think about using Pittsburgh in a teaser.

Why all the love for Atlanta which is on the road at Chicago? Both teams had good seasons with regard to the Falcons finishing the regular season at 13-3 and Chicago finishing up with a mark of 11-5, however, both teams got bounced from the playoffs by Green Bay with Atlanta getting the boot first while Chicago was one game away from the Super Bowl and actually played in the NFC Championship game against the Pack but fell short in a 14-21 loss.

What ever the reason Joe Public is sucking up all of this Matty Ice hype to the point that nearly 75% of all side game wagers have been on the Falcons which has caused the posted line to move from a pickem to Atlanta now being a 2 point home doggie. In truth this Atlanta team was an enigma last year as they somehow managed to finish 13-3 with the NFLs 14th ranked toughest slate of games, however, a closer look-see reveals that these Falcons must have had lady luck shining on them all season long with regard to winning six games by 6 or less points and doing so with a middle of the pack offense and a middle of the pack defense that both finished with a middle of the pack 16th overall ranking. Final regular season statistics show that the Falcon offense averaged 341.19 total yards per game while the Falcon defense allowed on average 332.44 total yards per outing.

How does a team win 13 games during the regular season when their offense only gains 8.75 more yards per game on average than their defense allows? By getting the bounces, thats how. Atlanta finished the regular season with a +14 turnover ratio which allowed them to win games they probably should have lost. During their opening playoff game last year against Green Bay these Falcons didn't get the bounces as they lost the T/O battle 4 to 1 and got smoked 48-21...if you are thinking about playing the Bears you might wanna think about using Chicago in a teaser.

Ohhhhhhhhh hell....Give me a 6 point teaser with Pittsburgh +7 and Chicago +8 for a 2**Play Selection!!


Take care and be well my friends

Jim