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Tampa Bay at NYG: Yes, the Giants have had eleven days to prepare for this game. However, the Bucs are IMO one of the most under valued teams at the moment, and look quite solid in beating Carolina. Many will see it as fluke, and at the same time see the Giants as the World Champions and only know that Eli Manning throws to Victor Cruz for scores anytime he feels like it. I took the +9 with Bucs, because I still remember a team that was pushed around at home eleven days ago.

Arizona at New England: West Coast team playing an early East Coast game. Yes, we all remember them beating the Eagles outright in that situation last year, but was it, in hindsight, really as big of an upset as it appeared at the time? Before that game they'd lost nine straight as a road dog of eight or more points. NE is not the same defensively as what most remember. And if Arizona thinks they'll blitz New England like they did Seattle, then Ryan Mallet will be playing the fourth quarter, and not because Brady is hurt. I think New England makes another statement here.

Minnesota at Indianapolis: Whether Freeney plays or not does change my thinking on this one. Luck is not (yet) as good as he was in the preseason nor as bad as the Bears defense made him look (at times). The truth is somewhere in the middle. I've never been a big Ponder fan (from a betting standpoint). Interesting that they set that total at 44.5 and it did, very briefly, go to 45 but not for any length of time. I can see a carbon copy of the Jaguars-Vikings game here. Best play in this one is perhaps to tease the Colts up to +7.5 with _____.

New Orleans-Carolina: The Saints have won for straight in Charlotte. I do have to wonder if the Saints aren't a little under valued at the moment. Yes, we knew they'd struggle but their still quite capable. I do not think the Panthers have solved all their defensive issues yet, and clearly the Panthers are a sexy team to bet on. That Saints DID go (and stay for a while) at -3 at CRIS, so taking the Panthers is probably not as easy as it looks. This is one game I do think features a lot of points.

Kansas City at Buffalo: The Bills aren't as bad as the Jets made them look and the Chiefs aren't as bad as Atlanta made THEM look. If the Bills are favored by 3 (3.5 in places, than essentially they're saying these are evenly matched teams and giving the Bills the home field points. If Spiller can rush for that many yards against the Jets, I have to think he does so against the Chiefs as well. There's some potential injury issues with both teams at the moment. I tend to think Chiefs, if for no other reason than revenge from a 41-7 drubbing the Bills gave them in Arrowhead last year, especially at +3.5 and if Dareus is at all hobbled.

Baltimore at Philadelphia: I do think the Ravens ARE as good as they looked on offense last week and I do think that the Eagles DO have issues, perhaps even internally, with not having the best decision maker under center. With the total soaring through 45 and not stopping, I have to think it's the Ravens that will score more than the Eagles. It's about that simple to me, although the short week is a bit of a hurdle. 

Oakland at Miami: I haven't seen or heard one person say that the Raiders would win this game, and clearly they're banking on the early time slot start for a West Coast team that just lost and is on a short week. If everyone in the world is on Miami, that's almost a red flag. I'm not sure Miami is as bad as Houston made them look, and Oakland is not Houston. McClain is nicked and several Raider WR's are as well, but the defense did indeed keep San Diego from lighting up the scoreboard, so even at 39 these guys may struggle to get there. Let's not forget that it's still about 90 degrees and humid in South Florida.

Cleveland at Cincinnati: I don't think the Bengals are as bad as Baltimore made them look, but they probably shouldn't be a touchdown favorite over many people either. I do see that all most all the +7's and better are gone or going, but I can't justify taking a QB that can only complete about a third of his passes against ANYONE. The total coming all the way down to 38 is somewhat telling in that there's perhaps that much more value to taking the points, however. But, on paper (if only they were that easy) I'd take Dalton and his weapons over Weedon and his. It's just a shame that there's Marvin Lewis to contend with.

Houston at Jacksonville: With Blackmon and a somewhat more "in game shape" MJD the Jaguars should be able to score here, and not settle for field goals. Jacksonville ALWAYS plays Houston tough and this is another game where a team is going to play in some heat that's just not used to it. I took Jacksonville +9 fairly quickly.

Dallas at Seattle: One thing I rarely do is fade Seattle at home. I get that Dallas has had what feels like a month to prepare, and after beating the Giants are probably more over valued than the very public Cowboys usually are. I think the Cardinals defense is better than the Cowboys, and don't quite get why this is going through -3 in some places, but there is very little chance I'll take Dallas. At +3.5 as a home dog it's almost an auto-bet for me, it just depends on how much.

Washington at St. Louis: It's highly unlikely that there's any other play than the Rams. They gave Detroit a rough time, and taking the Redskins and the rookie here would be asking him to win his first two starts on the road. Another classic case of the fact that Washington isn't as good as New Orleans made them look and St. Louis, if for no other reason than the fact that they are healthy, is not as bad as they HAVE been. Interesting in that the total is just sitting at the magic number of 45, almost like nobody knows what to do with it. I have an urge to play the under, but for now I will resist. Home underdogs are almost always the profitable bet(s) over the course of any season and any sport.

Jets at Pittsburgh: Very similar situation as the Packers-Bears. It's not likely that the Steelers will go 0-2, or is it. The Steelers have a score to settle from a 2010 loss at home to the Jets. These guys have met five time since 2001 and never scored more than 39 points. I think that may change here and the early money might have just bought off the key number of 42. The Jets aren't as good as they looked and the Steelers are better than they showed in the altitude of Denver. No conditioning and quite predictable. So, will the Steelers start 0-2. I doubt it, but covering may be another matter. Still have the urge to wait and see what the line does off a dead number.

Tennessee at San Diego: All the "7's" were bought up fairly quickly, which you'd almost expect. This one for me almost comes down to who starts for the Titans. Hasselbeck moved the team much better when he was in, but granted that was when Tennessee almost had to throw and New England was playing a little softer on defense. Short week for the Chargers probably effects the defense a bit more than the offense, and that total is just sitting at 46. I have the urge to think that Chris Johnson runs for more than four yards and this game goes over. Although I hate taking OVER in a stand alone game. But, I do think this game is the typical Chargers shootout.

Lions at 49ers: The rematch of the "handshake" game. It might be sexy to take the Lions and the points, but the 49ers are that good and I think the Lions are just not emotionally ready to handle big games yet, especially on the road in front of the world. San Francisco at -6.5 is quite likely a play, although again I'd be taking a home favorite and the over in a Sunday night game, meaning Joe Q will have them same bets slips, probably.

That's all I got for now.