Minnesota (-1) at Chicago – The troubled Vikings opened as 1 ½ point favorites at Chicago, but books have brought that down to a single point. It’s hard to communicate just what a wreck the Vikings are. During the week, a number of anonymous players voiced their dissatisfaction with Brad Childress, saying he needs to go. That’s never a good sign. But if the Vikes can get a win, Minnesota still has a shot in the NFC North. Chicago has struggled since their hot start. But they’ve managed to win close games, which makes a 1 point spread look inviting. Jay Cutler needs to avoid costly mistakes for the Bears to be successful.
Buffalo (-1) vs. Detroit – The Bills started as 3 point favorites against the Lions, but late in the week the line moved down to a point. Not often will you see a winless team in week 10 be lined as a favorite, but that’s the case here. Buffalo has been much better in their last 3 games, but still haven’t figured out how to get into the win column. They get a Lions team that is one of the best teams in the League against the spread, but Detroit has had trouble winning games, too. Matthew Stafford returned last week, but is back on the shelf. Shaun Hill gets the start, and he did surprisingly well in relief earlier in the season.
Jets (-3) at Cleveland – The Jets opened as 3 ½ point road favorites at Cleveland, though books have brought that down to 3 points. Since coming off their bye, the Jets were shut out at home against Green Bay and had to mount a big comeback at Detroit to win in overtime. They’ll need to play better if they hope to come out of Cleveland with a win. The Browns have been on a roll lately. They throttled New England at home last week, 34-14. Colt McCoy is starting to look more comfortable and Peyton Hillis is giving inspired performances. The Browns’ defense is underrated.
Giants (-13 ½) vs. Dallas – The Giants started as 13 ½ point favorites against Dallas, and now the line is either the opening number or 14 points, depending upon the site. The big story, of course, is the coaching change in Dallas. Wade Phillips is out and Jason Garrett is in. But will that make the Cowboys a better football team? Considering how bad they were in Green Bay last week, they have to be. The Giants have been one of the best teams in the NFC, and the entire NFL for that matter. The offense is potent and the defense is physical. You have to think if New York has a chance to embarrass Dallas in this game, they will.
Pittsburgh (-5) vs. New England – The best game of the week goes down in Pittsburgh. The Steelers opened as 4 point favorites, but books are now listing the game at either 4 ½ or 5 points. Pittsburgh managed to hold on at Cincy in the Monday night game, while the Pats got smoked in Cleveland. These are two of the best teams in the NFL, and it’s possible these two teams will play again in January.
Philadelphia (-3) at Washington – The Eagles head to Washington D.C. for the Monday night game. Philadelphia opened as 3 point road favorites and the line hasn’t moved much. Michael Vick finally returned last week. He was injured in the Eagles’ home loss to the Redskins several weeks ago. DeSean Jackson is back, too. Those two playmakers are having Pro Bowl seasons. Philly hopes to get revenge against a Redskins team that doesn’t have a healthy Donovan McNabb. McNabb’s hamstring is still bothering him, though he’ll likely play. If he can sweep his former team, McNabb would get his own personal revenge.
