Dan Leach's NFL Locks: Week '9 Times' Edition
By Dan Leach
@dtmleach
With the NFL season heating up, so do my NFL picks, which will be here for you each and every week to help you win your pick-em-pool, embarrass your friends, and just become a more whole football fan and human being. I will take a look at five games each week with the best value and rate them on a sliding lock of the week 1-10 scale. I have been on fire for you all season long and do not expect to slow down anytime soon. Week 9 reminds us the Ed Rooney is always right around the corner and to avoid his nonsense we have to aim for perfection. And....Here....We....Go!
DTM Song Of The Week: Echosmith "Cool Kids" The young foursome of siblings from Los Angeles are majestic in this song about being one of the cool kids, which of course means having a winning record against the spread.
Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers 8:30 p.m. Sunday TV NBC (Ravens -1.5)
An always super hard hitting affair in the AFC North should be just like its been for years as both these teams are desperate for a division win. Cinci is the only team in the North with an unblemished record and the loser of this game will already have three division losses. Pittsburgh comes off a lambasting of the Colts last week, while "Quote the Ravens Nevermore" lost a last second heartbreaker to the Bengals. The Steelers have really amped up their play after a slow start to the year and will keep it going against a Ravens team that will find themselves struggling over the next few weeks after getting bruised by its North Mates. Looks for Big ben to keep his insanely hot play going off his second 500 yard game last week, becoming the only NFL QB to ever have two 500 yard games in a career.
5.5 on DTM Lock of the Week Meter – Steelers +1.5
Philadelphia Eagles at Houston Texans 1 p.m. EST Sunday TV FOX (Eagles -2)
The Eagles did enough to beat the Cardinals in the desert last week, but in the end AZ had just enough to take the lead late and break Philly's hearts. Chip Kelley's bunch will be angry and in no mood to see that result two weeks in a row against a Texans team that somehow, someway, is alive in the AFC South, just a game behind Indy coming into week nine. Houston is one of the stingiest defenses in the league when it comes to points allowed and the Eagles are one of the leagues highest scoring offenses. So something will have to give in this one and will be the Texans D as Philly comes in and puts up a gaggle, leaving H-Town with a much needed win to keep pace with the Boys in the NFC East.
6.5 on DTM Lock of the Week Meter – Eagles -2
San Diego Chargers at Miami Dolphins 1 PM EST Sunday TV CBS 62 (Dolphins -2.5)
Can anyone figure out this Fins squad? Cause for the life of me I can't. One week they look like a playoff contender and then the next they look like Dave Wannstedt is still coaching them. Ryan Tannehill has had his nice moments this season, but has also looked god awful at times. The same can not be said for Phillip Little Rivers Band as he has been spectacular most of the way. Yes the Bolts come off two straight loses to the Chiefs and Broncos, but this is too good of a team to lose three straight. The long travel from the West coast is a bit of a concern, but with Denver at 6-1 and S.D at 5-3 , they know if they want any chance to win the West they have to win this one and will tackle this game in all-in fashion.
7.1 on DTM Lock of the Week Meter – Super Chargers +2.5
Denver Broncos at New England Patriots 4:25 p.m. EST Sunday TV CBS 62 (Broncos -3)
Well these are the kind of games we live for and will miss sorely when they are gone. Brady Vs Manning, Peyton Vs Terrific Tom, and two teams that are on another level right now. Both these teams are exploding offensively and while many expected Denver to play solid on D, it's the Pats whose defense has been much better then so many expected it to be. Especially the N.E. secondary which so far this season has been one of the best in the NFL. This should be a points fest, but the Pats secondary will end up being the difference against a Broncos passing game that has been slowed down by no one. The other factor is simply put as the "Gronk Dilemma" as the now healthy TE has been simply impossible to stop this season and will be a huge factor in this one. Look for this game to go back and forth the entire way and for Darth Hoodie's boys to get a key stop late to seal it.
7.4 on DTM Lock of the Week Meter – Pats +3
Indianapolis Colts at New York Giants 8:30 PM EST Monday TV ESPN (Colts -3)
The G-Men have proven again and again this season that they are the NFL's version of Bernie Madoff, yet somehow are just one win away from a .500 record. That will definitely change when the super angry Colts come into Gotham off their embarrassing sand blasting loss to the Steelers. Andrew Luck has the best numbers in the league and will carve up a Giants D that will simply have no answers for one of the games best. This game could be over early and will once again show why the Colts, while blemished last week, can recover and play at one of the highest levels in the NFL.
8 on DTM Lock of the Week Meter – Colts -3 (buy down to 2.5)
ODDS TIDBIT-- Lions move from a +$225 dog to win the NFC North for the first time since 1993 to +$120 after the win over Atlanta. Packers are still the favorite at -$140
Last week 2-3 #yucksticks (only losing week this year)
DTM'S 2014 Record ATS:28-12
DTM's 2013 Record ATS:43-26
