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THE WEEKLY BLITZ
Our FREE NFL picks versus the spread are purely for entertainment purposes only.  But, let's face it, being right (winning) is more fun than being wrong (losing).
 
Every week, the three "handicappers" at The Weekly Blitz will pick their three best NFL games against the spread (ATS).

Final results: Through Week 17, we have a combined record of 84-56-13 (60.0 percent) ATS.

  See also:
- Weekly Fantasy Football Rankings: QB - RB - WR - TE
- NFL Schedule - Tickets - CFB Schedule - Tickets
- 2012 Mock Draft Databases: NFL - NBA
 
DAILY WEEK 1 LINES FROM SPORTSBOOK.COM
 
SUMMARY OF PICKS BY CONTRIBUTORS
Week: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17
  Picks are for entertainment purposes only.
    Lines used are always as of the time the pick was made.
Date/Time (ET)
Favorite
Spread
Underdog
    Kevin
Dan
Sean
Thu, Sep 8 at 8:30 p.m.
Green Bay 42, New Orleans 34
         
Sun., Sep 11 at 1:05 p.m.
RAVENS
1.5
Steelers
Game Thread
       
Sun., Sep 11 at 1:05 p.m.
BUCCANEERS
1.5
Lions
Game Thread
       
Sun., Sep 11 at 1:05 p.m.
Falcons
2.5
BEARS
Game Thread
       
Sun., Sep 11 at 1:05 p.m.
CHIEFS
5.5
Bills
Game Thread
  BUF +5.5
   
Sun., Sep 11 at 1:05 p.m.
TEXANS
9.0
Colts
Game Thread
       
Sun., Sep 11 at 1:05 p.m.
Eagles
4.0
RAMS
Game Thread
       
Sun., Sep 11 at 1:05 p.m.
BROWNS
6.5
Bengals
Game Thread
    CLE -6.5
 
Sun., Sep 11 at 1:05 p.m.
JAGUARS
2.0
Titans
Game Thread
  TEN +2
TEN +2
 
Sun, Sep 11 at 4:20 p.m.
Giants
3.0
REDSKINS
Game Thread
       
Sun, Sep 11 at 4:20 p.m.
CARDINALS
7.0
Panthers
Game Thread
    ARI -7
 
Sun, Sep 11 at 4:20 p.m.
49ERS
5.5
Seahawks
Game Thread
       
Sun, Sep 11 at 4:20 p.m.
CHARGERS
8.5
Vikings
Game Thread
      MIN +8.5
Sun, Sep 11 at 8:30 p.m.
JETS
5.0
Cowboys
Game Thread
      DAL +5
Mon, Sep 12 at 7:05 p.m.
Patriots
7.0
DOLPHINS
Game Thread
  NE -7
  NE -7
Mon, Sep 12 at 10:20 p.m.
BRONCOS
3.0
Raiders
Game Thread
       
                 
 
 
CONTRIBUTOR
  GAME 1
  GAME 2
  GAME 3
Kevin
2011 Record: 33-14-4 (70.2%)
  Titans at Jaguars (-2)
  Bills at Chiefs (-5.5)
  Patriots (-7) at Dolphins
  Titans +2
  Bills +5.5
  Patriots -7
  Although the Jaguars technically did not sell
out their home opener, the game won't be
blacked out in the local Jacksonville television
market.  Great news for fans looking to see
David Garrard.  
Oh, wait.  The Jags cut their
starting quarterback five days before the
opener.  Not only won't Garrard be under
center, neither will the guy who actually led
Jackonsville in pre-season pass attempts
(70), first-round rookie Blaine Gabbert.  The
abrupt transition to Luke McCown, who has
thrown a total of 24 NFL regular-season
passes in the past three years combined,
worries me.  Regardless of what I think, you
have to think this move sends the wrong
message to the players in the Jaguars' locker
room.  In six career games against the
Jaguars, Titans running back Chris Johnson
has 632 rushing yards and 114 receiving
yards.  In addition, the Jaguars pass defense
is not good.  Last year, only four teams
allowed more passing yards and only five
teams allowed more passing touchdowns than
the Jaguars.
  With the departure of Charlie Weis, the
Chiefs offense could very well take a step
back in 2011.  Although he injured his ribs
in the team's final preseason game, Chiefs
quarterback Matt Cassel was a full
participant in practice and will be ready to
go this week.  In addition, the loss of tight
end
Tony Moeaki for the season was a big
blow to the team's offense.  The addition of
Marcel Dareus,
the team's first-round pick,
to the defensive line and linebacker Nick
Barnett via free agency plus having a
healthy Shawne Merriman should help
improve the Bills defense.  When these two
teams faced each other last year, the
Chiefs won 13-10 in overtime.  In the
nine-game stretch after their bye week last
year, the Bills went 4-5 but four of their
losses were by three points including their
loss to Kansas City.  In fact, all four of
those three-point losses were to teams that
won double-digit games and three of them
went into overtime.  Although I think the
Chiefs win this game, the Bills keep this
game close enough to cover the spread.  In
their last 11 games, the Bills are 7-3-1
against the spread (ATS).
  When a team expects to play in a hostile
environment, they often try to prepare for
the crowd noise.  That's what the Dolphins
are
doing to prepare for the Week 1
matchup against division-rival New
England.  The problem?  The Dolphins are
the home team.  Last year, the Patriots
blew out the Dolphins by 27 and 31 points
in their two matchups for a combined score
in those two games of 79-21.  Over the last
five seasons, the Dolphins are 0-5 in home
openers.  In fact, the Dolphins were
pathetic at home winning a league-worst
one game at home in 2010.  On the other
hand, the Patriots have won seven straight
games in Week 1.  The Patriots led the NFL
in scoring offense last year and Tom Brady
was near perfect down the stretch as he set
the NFL record for most consecutive pass
attempts without an interception.  For the
Dolphins, Chad Henne tied Brett Favre for
the fourth-most interceptions (19) in 2010.
             
Dan
2011 Record: 24-21-6 (53.3%)
  Bengals at Browns (-6.5)
  Titans at Jaguars (-2)
  Panthers at Cardinals (-7)
  Bengals -6.5
  Titans +2
  Cardinals -7
  Greetings all, and it's great to be back for
another season of football, and hopefully a
fair share of winning picks. Typically I like to
look for matchups and trends, but of course
with the new year and lots of roster shuffles I
am starting at square one. I always enjoy
looking for value in week 1, and there a few
matchups that just jump right off the page to
me. I am going to take the Browns here to
start the battle of Ohio this year. The Bengals
have been anything but stable, after all they
will start a rookie QB in Andy Dalton, Cedric
Benson has just served a jail term, and the
turned over their receiving corps. I really like
the Browns to batter the Bengals into
submission with Peyton Hillis, and a plodding
offense under Colt McCoy. I cannot justify
taking the rookie QB here, as the Browns will
go on the road and give the city of Cleveland
hope to start the year.
  Besides the Peyton Manning injury news
taking over the front page, the Jaguars
made the biggest move of the offseason in
releasing David Garrard. Quite an odd
move in cutting your veteran QB, and going
with a McCown brother who has only thrown
13 passes in the preseason. The Titans
have locked up perhaps the best running
back in the league in Chris Johnson, and
will go with veteran QB Matt Hasselbeck to
take over for Kerry Collins. I like the Titans
offensive capabilities much better than the
Jags, and also the Titans boast the better
defense of the two as well. Whenever you
cut your starting QB just because he had a
bad practice, and won't admit that the
reason was money, you have to take the
opponent. I love the Titans on the road,
and they have also gone 4-2 against the
spread in their last 6 games against
Jacksonville. Easily take the points here for
a Titans road win.
  This game will not be the most interesting
of kick off weekend, but it certainly is one
of the best value plays out there. Both
teams will start new Quarterbacks, as the
Cardinals will bring in Philly refugee Kevin
Kolb, and the Panthers will start number
one pick Cam Newton fresh off a BCS
championship. The Cardinals have also had
a huge signing this year, as they locked up
possibly the best receiver in the league in
Larry Fitzgerald, and finally a QB who can
throw him the ball. The Panthers will look to
make a fresh start with Newton, and they
still do have the dynamic duo of Jonathan
Stewart and DeAngelo Williams in the
backfield. I just can't take the rookie QB
making his first start on the road halfway
across the country here. The Cardinals
know that every game is valuable here, as
a losing record won their division last year.
Lay the points against the Panthers here.
             
Sean
2011 Record: 27-21-3 (56.3%)
  Vikings at Chargers (-8.5)
  Patriots (-7) at Dolphins
  Cowboys at Jets (-5)
  Vikings +8.5
  Patriots -7
  Cowboys +5
  I think the Chargers are by far a superior
team, but the Chargers are notoriously slow
starters under Norv Turner. San Diego had the
#1 defense in the NFL last year in yards
against, but still gave up over 20 points a
game. I know a lot of people think Donovan
McNabb is done because of his season last
year in Washington. I am not one of those
guys. I think D-Mac has a couple of solid
years left in the tank. McNabb has better
weapons in Minnesota then he did in
Washington by a mile. San Diego has been
the sexy pick for years in the AFC and this
year is no different. I think this line is a little
off. Antonio Gates despite what reports say is
not 100% healthy. The Chargers also need to
find out what they have at RB in Ryan
Mathews. The Vikings don't have this issue
with arguably the best back in the NFL.
Chargers win but this game will be closer then
expected. San Diego 27 Minnesota 20
  There is a big misconception that Miami
has New England's number. Miami has only
beaten New England 3 times in their past
10 tries, and I don't count one of those
games as Tom Brady was out for one of
them. The fact is that the Patriots own the
Dolphins. Miami is a dreadful 3-11-2 ATS in
their last 16 September games. I expect
the Patriots offense to be clicking on all
cylinders and Miami will be wishing by half
time that they pulled the trigger and traded
for Kyle Orton. The Patriots win big on the
road 34-17.
  The Jets are playing a Sunday nighter on
national television on the 10 year
anniversary of 9/11. Dallas is as banged up
as they come in their secondary and on
their offensive line which doesn't exactly
help against Rex's attacking defense. That
being said, I really like the Cowboys for
some reason. I am not a big Mark Sanchez
fan, and also am not a big Jets fan. I think
the Jets will actually miss the playoffs this
year mainly due to QB play. Dallas has too
many weapons offensively even despite a
banged up offensive line to not keep this
one close. I think the Jets take it on a last
second FG. Jets 17-16