Tommy Rider
NFL Side
double-dime bet478 IND -9.5 (-110) BetUS vs 477 CHI
Analysis:
Tough loss on the Arizona/Toledo over last night guys. I don't make excuses but I thought I really had that one pegged right, Toledo just refused to score from inside the 5-yard line. Anyway, the NFL is finally here and it's time to start rolling. The Colts are my top play today. In Week 1, I see no reason to overthink things. In my opinion, the Colts are one of the three best teams in the NFL and the Bears are one of the three worst. All the Colts have to do is win by 10. I like my odds. The Colts treat preseason like a glorified practice. They spend all summer preparing for their opening day opponent, that's why they normally play so well in Week 1 after looking like garbage for most of the preseason.
Now, there is a concern that Peyton Manning may be rusty. I don't buy into that for two main reasons. One, I've seen this guy practice up close and personal. Trust me, he could shut his eyes and hit Wayne, Clark and Harrison on a rope. Those guys are so in sync it's scary. The second reason I'm not concerned about Manning is because the Bears defense isn't what it once was. The Colts will be able to run the ball just as well as throw it. We saw that a couple of years ago in the Super Bowl when these two teams met. Plus, the Bears and Colts run the same defense, so Manning sees it all the time in practice. Not good news if you are a Bears fan .
We have an AFC powerhouse opening up their new stadium against an NFC weakling. I see the Colts winning this game by at least 17 points. ***2 UNIT PLAY***
NFL Side
dime bet468 NOS -3.0 (-110) BetUS vs 467 TAM
Analysis: I see these two teams going in different directions this year. I predicted last year that the Saints wouldn't make the playoffs because of their defensive weaknesses but I think their defense will be improved this season. When I look at the Bucs, I see a defense that's not nearly as good as it used to be and an offense that's going to struggle to score points on a consistent basis. That won't be a problem for New Orleans, a team that has one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL. I think at the end of this season the Saints will be a playoff team, while the Bucs will win 5-6 games. I'll take a shot with what I believe is the much more talented team playing at home and only laying a field goal. ***1 UNIT PLAY***
