NFC East Weekly NFL Betting Picks: Week 6
by Dave Schwab - 10/9/2013
The NFC East will have a chance to redeem itself as the worst division in the NFL with two primetime appearances in Week 6 of the NFL season. After compiling a combined record of just 5-14, with three of the wins coming from within the division, any kind of victory this week would be a step in the right direction for this once-powerful division. Denver has owned the NFC East this season, and it has also been a goldmine on the total line bet. I rode them for the second week in a row on the “over” in a 3-unit play to boost my NFC East pick of the week record to 4-1.
Each week of the season I will briefly preview all the games in the NFC East and highlight my top pick of the week with the use of Doc’s Sports Unit Betting System. I will be tracking the results as the season progresses with the goal of making at least $1000 profit with my picks. All lines quoted have been provided by 5Dimes.
New York Giants vs. Chicago Bears (Thursday, Oct. 10, 8:30 p.m.)
The Giants have been the worst of the bunch in the division with a 0-5 start both straight up and against the spread. The have been outscored 182-82 and come into this matchup with an offense that is ranked 20th in the NFL in total yards and 30th in points scored. Things do not get much better on defense with a unit that is ranked dead last in the league in points allowed (36.4). The most glaring stat that highlights everything that has gone wrong for this team is league-worst turnover ratio of -13.
Chicago started the season hot with three straight victories, but it brings a two-game losing streak into Thursday night’s contest after back-to-back losses to Detroit and New Orleans. The Bears are 3-2 SU but just 1-3-1 ATS. The total has gone over in four of the five games. Jay Cutler has done a decent job at running the Bears’ new-look offense under head coach Marc Trestman, but he does have six interceptions to go with his 10 touchdown throws. Chicago’s defense has struggled a bit and comes in ranked 24th in the NFL against the pass and 26th in points allowed. The Bears are listed as 7.5-point home favorites for this game with the total set at 47.5.
Philadelphia Eagles vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Sunday, Oct. 13, 1 p.m.)
The Eagles snapped a three-game skid with last week’s 36-21 victory over the Giants as one-point road favorites. The total went over the 53.5-point line, and it has gone over in four of their first five games. This is easy to see considering that Philadelphia is scoring an average of 27 points a game while allowing 31.8 points a game on defense. The big question for this Sunday’s contest is which quarterback will behind the wheel of Chip Kelly’s high-octane offensive attack. Michael Vick remains day-to-day with a sore hamstring, so Nick Foles could get the call after completing 16-of-25 attempts for 197 yards and two touchdowns in last week’s win.
Tampa Bay should be well-rested for this NFC matchup after coming off a bye, but it still comes in with a record of 0-4 SU (1-3 ATS). After giving away its opener to the New York Jets on a late hit that set up the game-winning field goal, the Buccaneers have lost to New Orleans by two points and Arizona by three points. The only game they were never in was a 23-3 loss to New England in Week 3 as 7.5-point road underdogs. Off-the-field issues have remained front and center with this team after it suddenly decided to part ways with quarterback Josh Freeman. In his place is rookie Mike Glennon. The good news for Glennon this week is that he faces a defense that is ranked 29th against the pass. This game has been listed as a “pick’em” with the total set at 46.
NFC East Pick of the Week
Washington Redskins vs. Dallas Cowboys (Sunday, Oct. 13, 8:30 p.m.)
Washington snapped its three-game losing streak to start the season with a 24-14 victory over Oakland in Week 4 as a 3.5-point road favorite. The Redskins come off their bye hoping that a week’s rest is all that Robert Griffin III needs to return to the form he showed during an incredible rookie campaign. The slumping sophomore has thrown for 1,202 yards and six touchdowns, but most of that production came when the games were already out of hand. He has been picked off four times in his first four games after throwing just five interceptions all last season.
The Cowboys played the game of their lives last week as 7.5-point home underdogs against Denver, but they still came up on the wrong end of a 51-48 shootout after Tony Romo’s late interception set up the Broncos’ winning field goal. Romo’s numbers in this game were staggering with 506 yards passing and five touchdown throws, and he should be primed to go big again this Sunday night against a Washington defense that is ranked 28th in the NFL against the pass and 27th in points allowed (28.0). Dallas owner Jerry Jones called last week’s game a “moral victory,” and I am calling this week’s game a convincing one that easily covers the 5.5-point spread. The total for this game is set at 53
4-Unit Play Take Dallas (-5.5) over Washington
YTD Record 4-1 (+970)
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