BETTORS GUIDE
49ERS at GIANTS 1 p.m., 49ers by 4½, 41½
HA ANK’S HONEYS: Only picking this game because we have to do it. Too many variables. Line has come down from an opening seven points with all thhe Niners’ injuries but let’s not discount the Giants trying to carry on without Saquon Barkley and Sterling Shepard and that Daniel Jones needs to come up big against a good defense, even with the injuries. Like the fact that the Niners are bonding at the Greenbriar while rallying around their beat-up status. Nick Mullens knows the system and his stats aren’t that bad. Jints are 1-11 ATS in their last 12 spots as a home dog.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Niners and the over.
JETS at COLTS 4:05 p.m., Colts by 10, 44
HA ANK’S HONEYS: After getting in the win column with a conclusive win over the Vikings, the Colts should ride the momentum to an easy win here.
The Jets need a breather after opening with the Bills and 49ers and they aren’t going to gett it here against a playoff contender. Talent-wise, it isn’t a contest. Indy D will control the line of scrimmage and, with the Jets so one-dimensional (dead last in the NFL in rushing), force Sam Darnold odd his spot again and again. That will lead to a dominant edge in time of possession, the perfect winning formula for the Colts’ offense this season.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Colts and the under.
TEXANS at STEELERS 1 p.m., Steelers by 5, 45
HANK’S HONEYS: The Steelers’ brutal schedule continues against another likely playoff team with a road trip to Pittsburgh. The Steelers are playing great defense again at all three levels. Their defensive front should continue to make life difficult for Deshaun Watson behind his leaky offensive line (eight sacks so far) while Houston’s rubbery run defense will give the Steelers a chance to finally get things going on the ground as their O-line gets healthier with the return of OG David DeCastro. Better balance makes things even easier for Ben Roethlisberger who is off to a great start in his comeback season.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Steelers and the under.
RAMS at BILLS 1 p.m., Bills by 2½, 47
HANK’S HONEYS: Everyone seems to be jumping on the Rams’ bandwagon but those two wins came against a couple of questionable defenses. The Bills’ D, meanwhile, has underperformed but they will return LBs Tremaine Edmunds and Matt Milano to stuff what the Rams do best – run. Front seven will then come after Jared Goff, who has seen virtually no pressure from the Cowboys and Eagles and we may see Goff revert to his poor road form of last year. Josh Allen is playing well, albeit against the Jets and Fins, and may have turned a corner. Cautionary stat: Sean McVay is 8-1 on the East Coast but we question the decision to return to the West Coast after playing in Philly.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Bills and the under.
WASHINGTON at BROWNS 1 p.m., Browns by 7, 44
HANK’S HONEYS: The seven-point line just sounds inflated for a Browns team still in the bottom half of the league. It’s kind of crazy that they are giving six and seven points in successive weeks. Ron Rivera has a good defense and when Baker Mayfield plays against a good defense – especially one that can get after the QB – his tends to implode. Chase Young is a big issue here – Mayfield is no Kyler Murray when it comes to escapability. Dwayne Haskins has been inconsistent. A scaled-down playbook should help in against a mediocre defense.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Washington and the under.
TITANS at VIKINGS 1 p.m., Titans by 2½, 49
HANK’S HONEYS: While the matchups favor the Titans, this looks like the week where the odds might catch up to both teams. It’s desperation time for the 0-2 Vikings and they’ve faced a tougher schedule than the 2-0 Titans, who needed late Steve Gostkowski FGs to get by the Broncos and Jaguars. We expect Kirk Cousins to bounce back from a dreadful week against the Colts by picking on a Tennessee defense that hasn’t been great. Even though the Vikings’ O-line has struggled there is enough talent at the skill positions to put points on the board as they did in Week 1. IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Vikings and the under.
COWBOYS at SEAHAWKS 4:25 p.m., Seahawks by 4½, 56
HANK’S HONEYS: Don’t like the matchup with Cowboys secondary (274 passing ypg) against Russell Wilson, with DB Chidobe Awuzie nursing a hamstring as well. Look what Wilson just did to the Pats’ terrific back four. Mike McCarthy is already getting roasted in Dallas and if not for a Falcons’ meltdown would be 0-2. Seahawks were hit with key seasonending injuries Sunday, LB Bruce Irvin chief among them, which makes us favor the over. Throwing out Dallas’ impressive underdog reord. Cowboys are 6-18 SU in their last 24 road games and this is their second trip to the West Coast in three weeks while Seahawks have been enjoying comforts of home.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Seahawks and
the over.
PANTHERS at CHARGERS 4:05 p.m., Chargers by 7, 44½
HANK’S HONEYS: With Christian McCaffrey out at least four weeks, the Carolina offense is in big trouble, especially in the red zone, against a Chargers defense that performed as well as anybody against the explosive Chiefs last week. Not only are the Panthers going on the road for the second straight week, they are traveling coast to coast, not good for a young team that isn’t very good right now. Tyrod Taylor should start Sunday but even if it’s rookie Justin Herbert again, this is a defense either can handle. The Panthers’ pass rush is pathetic and there will be plenty of time to pick out receivers.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Chargers and the under.
LIONS at CARDINALS 4:25 p.m., Cards by 5½, 51
HANK’S HONEYS: You might expect the 2-0 Cards to come down to Earth eventually but it won’t be here. The Lions have blown two leads because their defense can’t stop anyone – even Mitch Trubisky. Kyler Murray isn’t Mitch Trubisky and when he isn’t hooking up with DeAndre Hopkins, he should run wild against a sluggish Detroit front that has the Lions ranked last against the run. Matthew Stafford has been very good but, again, the defense has been putting him in too many bad predicaments. They are already talking about Matt Patricia’s job security in Detroit as the losing culture seems to be setting in once more.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Cards and the
over.
PACKERS at SAINTS 8:20 p.m., Saints by 3½, 52
HANK’S HONEYS: Total over-reaction. It’s time for the Packers to come back to Earth with Aaron Rodgers leading an unstoppable offense through two weeks. The Saints crapped out in Vegas, where they couldn’t get off the field against the Raiders and we look for them to regroup back in the Dome. Sean Payton has been too pass-happy in the first two games but he has Alvin Kamara in the backfield and he has to keep Rodgers off the field. Marshawn Lattimore should keep Davonte Adams in check and we’re not ready to write off Drew Brees just yet.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Saints and the under.