Xam’s Gem(s):
Buccaneers -2.5 -118
Tampa Bay has proven to be one of the more surprising teams of the early part of the season. They are a team led by their defense, which has 15 sacks and 10 turnovers on the year. Falcons QB Desmond Ridder has thrown multiple interceptions in 2 of his last 3 games, and last week was the first time all year he threw for multiple touchdown passes in a game. The Falcons will likely try to lean on 1st round pick Bijan Robinson to lighten the load, but Tampa Bay gives up less than 4 yards per carry and has only given up 2 rushing scores so far this year. Meanwhile, Baker Mayfield should find holes to exploit in the passing game. Sam Howell threw for 3 touchdowns and didn’t turn it over last week in Atlanta. Mayfield has proven he can connect with his weapons and should be able to keep that going today.
Ravens Money Line -156
The Ravens are back in the friendly confines of M&T Bank Stadium, after a few weeks on the road. They are a battle tested group that has won big games at home and on the road this year. The Lions are a very good team in their own right, but they haven’t shown the same proficiency on the road offensively as they have when they’re at home. The Lions have a solid pass rush and good overall group, but the Ravens have scored plenty of points against other good defenses this year. Baltimore’s defense should be able to do enough to slow Jared Goff and the offense down. The Ravens have shown to have one of the best defenses in the league this year. Look for the Ravens to pound the rock early and often, and build off that with some play-action passes and typical Lamar magic.
Steelers/Rams Over 43.5 Points -115
The Steelers are fresh off their bye week, so they’ve had 2 weeks to prepare their offense for this game. The offense has struggled badly this year, but the return of wide receiver Diontae Johnson is definitely a welcome sight for Kenny Pickett. The Rams have a solid pass rush, but their secondary can give up some big plays, and the Steelers love running play-action passes. Meanwhile, the Steelers defense has been up and down this year. They were dominant in their last game against the Ravens, but they haven’t faced too many offenses like the Rams. Head Coach Sean McVay, Matt Stafford, and these weapons are simply too good to be held down. The key will be keeping T.J. Watt and his friends away from Stafford. However, with starting running back Kyren Williams on short-term injured reserve, Stafford will likely drop back to pass even more.
Chargers/Chiefs Over 47.5 Points -115
The Chiefs had a mini bye week coming into this game, as they last played on October 12th. They always seem to be able to score points against the Chargers. The Chiefs have a much improved defense, but Justin Herbert has enough weapons in the passing game to make some things happen. It’s a beatable secondary if Herbert can get time to throw. Star running back Austin Ekeler now has a game under his belt coming back from his ankle injury, and he will probably be featured early and often, as the Chargers will look to keep Mahomes off the field. Mahomes and the offense haven’t quite gotten in sync yet, as they only have one game this year where they’ve scored more than 27 points. That won’t be the case forever. Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid are simply too good to be kept down for long.
Eagles Money Line -162
The Eagles suffered their first loss of the year last week in surprising fashion to the Jets. If there was ever a week for them to buttoned up and ready to go, it’s this week under the lights in Sunday Night Football. Jalen Hurts hasn’t been as effective as he was last year, but he’s still been very good. The Eagles had some considerable injury concerns coming into this game, but Lane Johnson, Dallas Goedert, DeVonta Smith, Jalen Carter, and Darius Slay are all off the injury report and will play. The Dolphins also aren’t the same team on the road. They barely beat the Chargers on the road, got blasted by 4 touchdowns in Buffalo, and struggled to beat the Patriots, who aren’t a good team. The Philly crowd will be raucous and ready to go, which will add to Miami’s pressure.
Xam’s Prop(s):
Matthew Stafford Over 34.5 Pass Attempts -128
Everyone knows the Rams love throwing the ball. McVay has shown tremendous trust in Matthew Stafford, and with his starting running back out, he will need to trust him again today. Stafford is averaging just under 38 pass attempts per game this year. The Rams may utilize more quicker passes and wide receiver screens to help alleviate the running game concerns as well. Everything is setting up for the Rams to have to throw the ball early and often in this game.
D’Andre Swift Over 88.5 Rushing + Receiving Yards -114
When the Eagles are at their best, they are a power running team. Swift was acquired in the offseason and he hasn’t disappointed. He’s a true dual threat running back and has earned the trust of the coaching staff and QB Jalen Hurts. The offensive line is healthy and after Hurts had one of the worst games of his career last week, the Eagles will surely want to get back to basics and pound the rock. Swift has taken over games this year and shown he can be trusted early and often in games. He’s also been targeted 20 times in the last 3 weeks in the passing game, including 10 times last week alone. He’s earning more and more trust as the season progresses, which is only good news.