Perfect Teams ATS
With about a third of the season completed, it is time to take a look at the teams that are eyeballing perfection, in one capacity or another. I’m not talking about wins and losses here. Who cares about those? This is all about the teams that are perfect against the spread (and the lone remaining club that has yet to cover). Denver (5-0-0 ATS), NYG (4-0-1 ATS) and New Orleans (4-0-0 ATS) have yet to cost their backers any loot. Then you have the Carolina Panthers (0-4-0 ATS) as the ultimate fade. Will their trends continue? At least one will end as the Giants visit the Saints in the game of the week.
NY Giants @ New Orleans (-3.5)
Well this should be fun. In a battle of the unbeatens in the win column and ATS, these two will clash for top dog in the NFC honors on Sunday. The fireworks could certainly fly when these highly potent offenses meet. New York is averaging 417.4 ypg, good for second best in the league, while New Orleans puts up 414.2 ypg, third best in the NFL. As a result of flying up and down the field, both teams have been lighting up the scoreboard for more than 30 ppg. Fans of the Over delight in unison.
The Giants have gone a step further by fielding the top defense as well (210.6 ypg). I’ve heard the argument that you pretty much have to take what is arguably the best team in football getting points. It’s a no-brainer, right? Wrong. There are a couple of factors that will have me playing the Saints.
New York certainly has a respectable defensive unit, but so would your local high school if they faced the teams that the Giants have faced. They’ve beaten up on Washington, Dallas, Tampa Bay, Kansas City and Oakland. The only respectable one out of the lot (Dallas) lit them up for 31 points. I certainly hope you have the top D if you’re playing against Jason Campbell, Byron Leftwich, Matt Cassel and JaMarcus Russell! Drew Brees and the boys from the Big Easy will be sure to put a dent in some of those defensive stats for New York.
Secondly, Eli Manning’s foot injury will not receive a short day’s work this time around. How will he hold up in a tightly contested 60-minute battle? To his credit, he has looked great when he is in there. I don’t know where Steve Smith II came from, but it’s time to crown him as king of the Steve Smiths, and give that guy on Carolina the generational suffix.
I’m looking for the Saints to wear down the Giants and pull away in the 2nd half to remain perfect ATS.
There can be only one
Carolina (-3) @ Tampa Bay
It’s bedlam for Carolina fans after their improbable comeback victory over the Redskins in Week 4. My advice to them – calm down. Seriously. It’s just Washington. And you still didn’t cover, so who cares?
I know just how pitiful this Tampa Bay team is, only because the networks won’t do the right thing and blackout their home games. Have mercy on my eyes, Fox Sports! My record is unblemished in predicting the Bucs 1-4 ATS record. I aims to keep my streak alive, and so will the Panthers as they will once again miss the spread.
Yes, Tampa Bay is an embarrassment to pirates everywhere. Coach Raheem Morris looks about as clueless as Chip Caray commenting playoff baseball. It’s ugly all-around. The one positive that they have in their favor right now is the switch to Josh Johnson at quarterback. To say that this was an upgrade over Byron Leftwich is a slight understatement. Leftwich’s downfield passes took on a flight pattern similar to the runaway helium balloon earlier this week. Johnson has looked confident and capable, despite his receivers dropping plenty of balls.
Then you have the failing Panthers. Who am I supposed to be scared of on this team? Jake Delhomme? Steve Smith II? A lackluster defense? I think not. Tampa Bay covers – and dare I say – wins outright at +145? Eh, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Tampa Bay covers.
Yet another Leftwich overthrow
Denver @ San Diego (-3.5)
OK fine, I was wrong. I keep on thinking that this Broncos team is going to come back to Earth. I’ve been wrong, wrong, wrong. But I’m ignorant, and I’m betting against them once again. I’m like the kid that grabs something hot off of the stove, but doesn’t learn his lesson, and grabs it again the next day. I’m pretty sure I have it right this time though, and on Monday night, Denver will miss the cover for the first time.
No stats, no analysis. I’ll just be damned if the Denver Broncos are going 6-0 ATS. Anybody got an oven mitt?