Docs Website

53 Years Strong! A Trusted Leader In Sports Picks, Best Bets and Predictions Since 1971.

Main Menu

Basic Strategy Teasers: Best Week 3 NFL Betting Options


by Chris Vasile - 9/21/2018

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott

Another NFL week, another NFL controversy. We'll get to that in a minute, but what's going on with all the ties lately? I'm on the fence on how I feel about NFL games ending in a tie. Part of me thinks it's hilarious and don't mind them (if I'm on the underdog), but the other part of me thinks they are ridiculous and should be banned from happening. I'm not sure whether making teams play a full 15-minute quarter instead of 10 would make a difference or if they should revert to college OT rules, or if teams should start investing in developing kickers that can actually kick. The jury is out on that one, but if you think there will be a tie in Week 3, you can get +1400 at Bovada .

Now, onto the controversy. I'm sure by now we've all seen the late penalty on Clay Matthews that gave Minnesota a second chance at forcing overtime against Green Bay. I could string together several curse words regarding what I think about that call, but I think the best word to describe the situation is "joke".

I mean come on, NFL. Wake up. This is tackle football. Part of playing defense is tackling. If a defensive player can't tackle, how are they supposed to sustain a career and earn a living playing in the NFL? Every defensive player will be out of a job by the time the NFL turns into two-hand touch. I understand what the NFL is doing for player safety, and I'm all for player safety, especially late hits and dirty blindside plays. But I've watched that hit on Kirk Cousins 100 times, and in no way, shape or form should that have been called a penalty. Not in the NFL. Not in the CFL. Not in college. Not in pop-warner. If there was ever a "textbook" hit to show young players on what to do and how to disrupt the QB, that would be the hit. No helmet to helmet, no targeting the head or knees, completely on time and right in the mid-section. I don't know what else Matthews could have done there to prevent a flag being thrown on him for roughing the passer. The NFL is slowly losing viewership, and it needs to rectify these "new" (absurd) rules and get the game back to a respectable product.

But I digress. I had no funds invested in this game, so I'm speaking from a neutral perspective. However, the games I did have money on last week was our Basic Strategy Teaser, and that pulled through when the Giants and Chargers covered the adjusted spreads.

What is a Basic Strategy Teaser?

A teaser bet is similar to a parlay bet in which it is a bet the requires winning two or more games in order to get a payoff. However, the difference between the two is the actual point spread. A straight parlay bet allows you to play only the point spread offered, while a teaser bet allows you to adjust that number for whichever team you favor. There are different types of teasers available, but the most common one is a two-team, six-point teaser. For example, if a game has the point spread set at -10 with the total at 51 for the game, your six-point teaser would allow you to tease that spread and get the favorite at -4 or the underdog at +16. This method is also applied to the total as well. Should you like the underdog and the "under", you can add six points to the total, and now you have a readjusted total of 57 with an underdog of +16.

Best Six-Point Teaser for Week 1. Lines courtesy of Bovada.

Dallas +7.5 -& Tampa Bay +7.5 (-120)
Risk: $100 to win $83.33

I'm not sure if the Seattle Seahawks are as bad as they looked on Monday night against the Bears, but one thing I know for certain is that the Cowboys essentially salvaged their season with a big win on Sunday night against the Giants. Now, the Cowboys will travel to Seattle and will have a legitimate shot at getting to 2-1. I personally think the wrong team is favored, but Seattle have proven to be a really difficult place to play over the last couple of years, so I can understand the linemakers thought process. The Cowboys were able to pressure Eli Manning last week and should be able to generate enough pressure this week against a terrible Seahawks front line. Russell Wilson has no time to make plays, and the running game is essentially non-existent. We expect the Cowboys to run the ball effectively through Ezekiel Elliott and allow Dak Prescott time in the pocket on when he does drop back to pass. If you're brave, take the Cowboys on the money line, but if not, tease the Cowboys up to +7.5 and enjoy the rewards.

The second part of this teaser is banking on the Steelers' drama to be too much to overcome. Against the Chiefs, the Steelers looked sloppy and unprepared, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The Bucs aren't KC, but they do have an offense that can put up a boatload of points under the guidance of Ryan Fitzpatrick. One has to think that the Steelers season is on the line in this spot. However, until the defense shows me it can step up and play at a high-caliber level, I'm going to fade them. The Bucs will do well here in this spot. And while the Steelers may have the talent edge on offense, they won't run away with this game. Take the extra points and enjoy this high-scoring game.

Want free NFL picks? Doc's has you covered. New clients can take advantage of this great offer of $60 in free Doc's Sports members' picks for any handicapper on Doc's Expert Handicapper list. Just check out these guys' pages and see what great work they have done making money for themselves and their clients over the years. Get $60 worth of premium members' picks free . Also, get three handicappers for the price of one when you sign up for a full-season football package! Click Here for details . Get free NFL picks weekly on Doc's Sports free football picks page.

Most Recent NFL Handicapping

One E-mail A Week Is All You Need!
Our weekly newsletter is loaded with exclusive free picks,insight and advice from our expert handicappers