Well, they actually have a “permanent” quarterback in Chicago now, although it’ll be a while before a “permanent” coach surfaces in Las Vegas for the shell-shocked Raiders.
Has Urban Meyer been fired yet? Might he just stay behind in the UK after his team plays?
And believe it or not, Davis Mills, the first-year QB who was NOT expected to get much in the way of playing time this season, last week became the first rookie quarterback EVER to have a passer rating of 140 or better with at least 300 yards and three touchdowns.
Texans at Colts Parlay Betting
Time: Sunday, October 17 at 1 PM ET
ATS Odds: Indianapolis Colts -10 (-110) vs. Houston Texans +10 (-110)
The Play: INDIANAPOLIS -10 (-110)
It is true that the Colts were crushed by losing that 19-point lead to Baltimore last week, but the Texans were ahead of New England 22-9 and lost that lead too. So there’s a lot of disappointment to go around.
Houston, believe it or not, got a 300-yard game out of rookie QB Davis Mills. That’s not going to happen all the time. We grant you that there are some working parts with this team, and unlike Jacksonville, its competitor for the AFC South cellar, the Texans have not lost the respect for their coach, NFL lifer David Culley.
But the Colts have better fundamentals. And whether you like him or not, Carson Wentz has a firm grasp on the system of head coach Frank Reich (going back to Philly days), and that has enabled him to start getting more comfortable in this offense, despite the injuries that have affected the offensive line.
Packers at Bears Parlay Betting
Time: Sunday, October 17 at 1 PM ET
ATS Odds: Green Bay Packers -6 (-110) vs. Chicago Bears +6 (-110)
The Play: PACKERS -6 (-110)
One certainly can appreciate the Chicago defense, but perhaps some appreciation for the Packers’ stop unit is in order, as they are at about the same place in the NFL rankings (yards per game).
Justin Fields, after that disastrous debut, has come around and has been named the starting quarterback for the rest of the season. That’s probably better than playing musical chairs with the position, although we’re pretty sure that goes back on something Matt Nagy said a month ago.
Fields has been moving outside the pocket more, but we really don’t know that it’s going to help him trade points in this matchup. Not with Aaron Rodgers, who’s got ten TD passes and only one interception the last four games.
And if you like trends, they don’t favor the Bears at all. Green Bay is currently on a run where it has covered 16 of its last 24. And Rodgers has demonstrated a lot of point spread mastery in this series, going 19-7 ATS.
Raiders at Broncos Parlay Betting
Time: Sunday, October 17 at 4:25 PM ET
Totals Odds: Over 43.5 Points (-110) / Under 43.5 Points (-110)
The Play: UNDER 43.5 POINTS (-110)
Well, I guess you could say it’s been a heck of a week in Sin City. And we would certainly excuse the Raider players for being a little shocked and confused, because no one had really seen the chain of events that led to his resignation.
Sure, you can talk about how the offense is going to operate exactly as it had been, but you know that’s not going to be the case. Denver has a top-five defense in a whole lot of categories.
And there is history here. Eight of the last nine meetings have gone under the total.
Bengals at Lions Parlay Betting
Time: Sunday, October 17 at 1 PM ET
Totals Odds: Over 47 Points (-110) / Under 47 Points (-110)
The Play: UNDER 47 POINTS (-110)
The Lions are catching a lot of heartbreak, and you know this is tough on Dan Campbell, who gets emotional about his job. Detroit had a chance to beat better teams (Baltimore, Minnesota), only to lose out in the final seconds. But you have to give these guys credit for trying.
What might be a bit surprising with each of these teams is the defensive play, or at least certain aspects of it. Detroit has the second stingiest stop unit in the NFL when it comes to third down conversions. Cincinnati gives up some dink-and-dunk passing, but they are fifth best in the NFL in yards allowed per drive. So would we be shocked if this game was played closer to the vest than the numbers indicate? No.
