Expert NFL Betting Picks: Weekly NFC East Predictions Week 3
by Dave Schwab - 9/17/2014
The Eagles erased another double-digit deficit this past Monday night on their way to a 2-0 start, and both the Cowboys and the Redskins pulled off solid wins last Sunday to even their mark at 1-1. The only team still sporting a goose egg in the win column is New York in what is becoming an all-too-familiar scene after the Giants lost their first six games to start last season. I am also sporting a perfect 2-0 record in my NFC East weekly pick after Philadelphia's second-half explosion against Indianapolis took that game "over" the closing 54-point line.
Each week of the season I will briefly preview all the games in the NFC East usingBetOnline's NFL betting odds. I will also release my NFC East "pick of the week" with the use of Doc's Sports Unit Betting System. As I track my results from week-to-week as the season progresses, the ultimate goal is to generate a $1,000 profit with my picks.
Washington Redskins at Philadelphia Eagles (Sunday, Sept. 21, 1 p.m.)
The Redskins may have won the battle in last week's 41-10 drubbing of Jacksonville as five-point home favorites, but they lost their starting quarterback Robert Griffin III for the foreseeable future with a dislocated ankle. RG III may end up on the outside looking in if his replacement Kirk Cousins continues to play the way he did against the Jaguars last week. He completed 22-of-33 attempts for 250 yards and two scores.
The Eagles may be 2-0 in the standings, but to stay at the top of the division they are going to have to stop getting off to such slow starts. They have been outscored a combined 34-6 in the first half of their first two games, and they have had to erase double-digit deficits both times to get the win. The biggest takeaway from these two victories over the Jaguars and the Colts is the way Philadelphia's defense stepped things up in the second half to help seal the win. The Eagles have been opened by BetOnline as seven-point favorites for Sunday's game, with the total set at 50.
Houston Texans vs. New York Giants (Sunday, Sept. 21, 1 p.m.)
Houston is in prime position to eclipse last season's win total with a victory on the road this Sunday as a slight one-point favorite. The total has been set at 42. Keep in mind that the Texans won their first two games last season before dropping 14 in a row. Something tells me the way this defense is playing with JJ Watt leading the way that Houston is going to win far more than two games this time around. The offense has also gotten a boost from the play of Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback. He is not setting the world on fire, but he has managed the game well in victories over Washington and Oakland.
"Here we go again" could be Giants' fans biggest fear after their team has looked absolutely dismal in losses to Detroit and Arizona in its first two games. New York failed to cover as a 6.5-point road underdog against the Lions and as a two-point home favorite against the Cardinals while getting outscored by a combined 32 points. The offense has sputtered with an average of just 269 total yards a game, and the Giants' defense is already ranked 30 th in the league in points allowed. This Sunday becomes a pivotal game to keep another season form spiraling out of control.
NFC East 'Pick of the Week'
Dallas Cowboys at St. Louis Rams (Sunday, Sept. 21, 1 p.m.)
Dallas is now 1-1 both SU and ATS on the year after last week's solid 26-10 victory over Tennessee as a 3.5-point underdog on the road. This followed an ugly 28-17 loss to San Francisco as three-point home underdogs on opening day in a game that the Cowboys basically gave away on turnovers. It is hard to know exactly what to expect this Sunday with Dallas listed as a 1.5-point underdog, but the one thing that I am banking on is the Cowboys' overall edge in talent being enough to grind out a win. The total for this game is set at 45.
The Rams came into this season with fairly high expectations after a strong finish in 2013, but they were rocked when Sam Bradford once again went down with a major injury. Second-year quarterback Austin Davis took his place, and the result has been a 1-1 start that includes a 34-6 loss to Minnesota as 2.5-point home favorites and a 19-17 win on the road against Tampa Bay as 4.5-point underdogs. Davis has completed 73 percent of his 52 throws for 427 yards, but on the scoreboard it still adds up to a total of just 25 points in two games.
The Cowboys have won three of the last four meetings both SU and ATS, but the biggest factor is they are fully aware of just how devastating a loss on Sunday would be to their entire season even though it is just the third game of the year.
3-Unit Play: Take Dallas (+1.5) over St. Louis
YTD: 2-0 (+$600)
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Read more articles by Dave Schwab
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