Hard to see Glennon keeping pace in L.A.
SUNDAY
CHARGERS (-10) over Giants: Big Blue QB Mike Glennon made his sustained ’21 debut for the Giants in South Florida, up against the challenging Dolphin defense. Visitors racked up a trio of field goals to keep things respectable. Expect more points to be scored by both sides, but figure Giants will be challenged to keep it close for the full 60 against multitalented side.
Saints (-5.5) over JETS: It’s Gang Green’s ill fortune that a handful of New Orleans’ walking wounded appear ready to come off the injury list to return to the week-to-week fray ... including, most significantly, key N’Awlins RB Alvin Kamara. The road doesn’t seem to adversely affect the Saints much, contributing to Jet sorrows.
Ravens (+2.5) over BROWNS:
This is rare immediate, week-toweek revenge for Cleveland, having lost to Baltimore in their Sunday-nighter two weeks ago — with Browns bye intervening. This is a great opportunity for the Clevelanders, given this infrequent scheduling schism, but since neither offense has been consistently reliable, would rather take points.
Jaguars (+9) over TITANS: Hosts have been disappointments as favorites in recent weeks, after enjoying a nifty 5-0 run when held as underdogs in the marketplace. Ordinarily, this would steer us solidly to Jax — but sharpies have gnawed away a good deal of the market value available when this week’s market opened. Lean to the pronounced pup, but nothing fancy.
CHIEFS (-9.5) over Raiders:
Vegas has devolved into a tricky read, in large part because QB Derek Carr ‘s command of the deep-passing game doesn’t extend to his more conservative tosses. Suspect that Chiefs’ sustained spread-covering disappointment streak may be near its end.
WASHINGTON (+4) over Cowboys: Washington’s making up for lost time, putting together four respectable defensive efforts in succession after coming off their bye. As usual, Dallas does come with its usual contingent of respectable, capable athletes, but it appears overpriced to us here, given the matchups and current circumstances.
Falcons (+2.5) over PANTHERS: To us, Atlanta appears to hold some reasonable promise of positive value — unless this Carolina outfit manages to dredge up a respectable measure of salary-drive power, in this season’s final weeks. Reckon this dog’s worth a swing, under current circumstances. Carolina figures to be done in by its vicious finishing schedule.
Seahawks (-8) over TEXANS: Seattle’s years past its prime, but this matchup figures to play like a day in the country, after what the ’Hawks have endured this year with an aging team and the oldest head coach in the league with Pete Carroll. Visitors should be eager to show to best advantage against this offensively modest foe.
BRONCOS (-10) over Lions: Inviting schedule sequence for the Broncos ... catching the Detroiters on the heels of the Lions managing to eke out their first win of the year, versus the unfor
tunate Vikings. Broncs have progressed reasonably over the last month, plus, and see no reason there should be regression, here.
49ers (+1) over BENGALS: This may look like olden times, with the NFC entity (San Fran) getting all the best of it on the road, against a Bengal outfit that has suffered in the sustained war of attrition, with multiple issues weakening their defensive structure.
BUCCANEERS (-3) over Bills: If they were playing this in the Frozen North, we might consider the Bills ... but given the time of year, we’ll look to give Brady’s Bucs all the best of it against the side with a distinctly uneven history of spotlight matchups with the kind of attention this clash will draw.
PACKERS (-12.5) over Bears: In Lambeau? In December? Given the prevailing state of the two combatants circling each other, in the ring? Pack, as they please, as Chicagoans look for some glimmer of hope in the next year or two ...
MONDAY
CARDINALS (-2.5) over Rams: Market’s made it easier to get behind the side we’d prefer to use, at this time and place. You marvel at the Ram roster, but they remain less than the sum of their parts, until they show us different — which they haven’t managed to do, since the turn of the century. LAST WEEK: 10-3 2021 SEASON: 87-90-2 Follow Richard Witt on Twitter: @rich_witt1.