Eagles good bet to stay perfect
Philadelphia coming off an impressive performance as it faces Arizona
The NFL season is chugging along and has entered its fifth week. We’re down to one undefeated team — the Philadelphia Eagles, who look to move to 5-0 as a road favourite against Arizona — and one team that has yet to win — the Houston Texans, who take on the Jacksonville Jaguars as a touchdown underdog. Here’s how the NorthStar Bets team sees things going against the spread:
Sunday Giants (+8) vs. Packers (in London, England, 9:30 a.m.
Avery Perri says: Favourites have gone 18-12-1 against the spread in London since 2007, so I’m happy to roll with Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. The Giants are a frisky team but questions at quarterback could come back to bite them. Daniel Jones is playing on a bum ankle, which should limit his mobility, and they are thin at receiver. Pick: Packers
Falcons (+8 1/2) at Buccaneers, 1 p.m.
Perri says: Atlanta is the only undefeated team against the spread this season but that ends here. Tom Brady has beaten the Falcons by an average of 14.25 points since he joined the Buccaneers, covering an 8.5-point spread in three of four contests. Pick: Buccaneers Bears (+7) at Vikings, 1 p.m.
Jordan Horrobin says: Neither team has covered a spread since Week 1. But at least we’ve seen the Vikings shine at home, where they stomped the Packers in the season opener. The Bears have lost both road games this season by more than a touchdown. Pick: Vikings Lions (+3) at Patriots, 1 p.m.
Steven Psihogios says: I’m fading the Lions as a dome team heading outdoors for the first time this season. Jared Goff has been excellent under ideal conditions, but we’re betting on Bill Belichick having a plan to slow down a Detroit offence that again could be missing several key players. Pick: Patriots Texans (+7) at Jaguars, 1 p.m.
Chris Toman says: The Jaguars hung tough with the Eagles after demolishing the Colts and Chargers. Impressive, but asking for more than a touchdown to cover isn’t inviting, not even against a winless Houston team. The Texans grade poorly on both sides of the ball but they have remained in most of their games and are 2-1-1 against the spread. Pick: Texans Chargers (-2 1/2) at Browns, 1 p.m.
Nick Ashbourne says: The Chargers aren’t at their best without Rashawn Slater and Joey Bosa, but they won’t need to be against a Cleveland team helmed by Jacoby Brissett. Thanks to Justin Herbert’s rocket arm, Los Angeles should make it hard for Cleveland’s plodding run-based attack to stay close. Pick: Chargers Dolphins (-3) at Jets, 1 p.m.
Horrobin says: With a full week of starter’s reps, Teddy Bridgewater should inject a little more energy into the Dolphins’ offence. And he’ll benefit from facing a Jets team that has scored just 21 points across two home games, dropping both as spread underdogs. Pick: Dolphins Steelers (+14) at Bills, 1 p.m.
Ashbourne says: While this is a massive line, the Bills should blow out the Steelers in rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett’s first NFL start. Expect growing pains against a tough Bills defence. The Pittsburgh defence isn’t the same without T.J. Watt. Pick: Bills Seahawks (+5 1/2) at Saints, 1 p.m.
Psihogios says: This feels like a trap line. Seattle won a thrilling game over the Lions to improve to 2-2 while New Orleans has now lost three straight. This will be the Seahawks’ second consecutive 1 p.m. game in the Eastern time zone, though, which could be a tough scheduling issue to overcome. Pick: Saints Titans (-2 1/2) at Commanders, 1 p.m.
Psihogios says: I’m plugging my nose and taking Washington in this spot. I’m fully ready to be wrong, but the Titans haven’t done enough to warrant being a road favourite after beating a pair of one-win teams. Pick: Commanders 49ers (-61/2) at Panthers, 4:05 p.m.
Toman says: The 49ers’ NFL-best defence is holding opponents to fewer than 12 points per game, which means trouble for Baker Mayfield and the Panthers offence.
San Francisco has lost a pair of ugly games and won easily in the other two. Covering by a TD, even on the road, doesn’t feel like a big ask. Pick: 49ers Cowboys (+5) at Rams, 4:25 p.m.
Ashbourne says: The Cowboys are 3-0 without Dak Prescott thanks to Cooper Rush’s efficient play and a tenacious defence. The Rams have topped 20 points just once this year and rank 26th in total team defence-adjusted value over average. Pick: Cowboys Eagles (-5) at Cardinals, 4:25 p.m.
Horrobin says: Philadelphia, the NFL’s last unbeaten team, enters on a three-game win streak against the spread, including an impressive showing last Sunday against the upstart Jaguars. Arizona, meanwhile, has a minus-31 point differential at home. Pick: Eagles Bengals (+3) at Ravens, 8:20 p.m.
Toman says: Baltimore is surrendering an NFL-high 300-plus passing yards per contest and now the Ravens into Joe Burrow and a Bengals team that has turned its season around following back-to-back three-point losses. Burrow should have a strong day against the Ravens, who are 0-2 straight up at home. Pick: Bengals
Monday
Raiders (+7) at Chiefs, 8:15 p.m. Ashbourne says: After a statement win in a Super Bowl LV rematch, the Chiefs established that their Week 3 loss to the lowly Colts was a fluke. By putting up 189 rushing yards against the Bucs they demonstrated an admirable offensive balance that should help them shred an unimpressive Raiders defence. Pick: Chiefs
Season records: Psihogios: 34-28-2 | Ashbourne: 32-30-2 | Horrobin: 30-32-2 | Toman: 29-33-2 | Perri: 28-34-2