You shouldn't try to hit someone in the head with a helmet.
There is my Myles Garrett take.
NFL games of note....
Oakland (-10.5) over Cincinnati. At least we don't have to watch some crappy Bengals tackle try to block Garrett, which depending on your point of view, is either a good or a bad thing. I don't know you could pick the Bengals either to win or cover against anyone right now. Maybe I'll change my mind when they play the Jets, or the Dolphins, but they stand almost no chance against the Raiders.
0-16 is in play, which we'll have fun with because what's the alternative? The thing is, the fact that the Bengals wouldn't be the first or even the second team to go through a 16-game schedule winless has kinda ruined it. We can't have a perfect season parade, because Cleveland did that for the Browns two years ago, and we can't be as big of a national story as the city with the football team that can't get out of its own way because Detroit cornered that market when the Lions went 0-16. The Bengals pursuit of perfection reminds me of Barry Bonds chase of MLB's home run record in 2001. We'd just seen the McGwire/Sosa duel three years earlier. By the time Bonds was in position to pass them, the novelty had worn off.
Raiders 31 Bengals 14
These are gonna be quick, because I'm on a plane that's about to land in Tampa, and there are better things to do in Tampa than type....
New England (-3.5) over Philadelphia. Since 2003, road favorites coming off a bye are 64-34-2. Tom Brady in such a scenario is 6-1. Pats coming off a loss AND a bye and only laying 3.5 = the lock of the weekend.
Chicago +7 over the LA Rams. Too many injuries on LA's offensive line. No Brandon Cooks. The Bears defense. Incomplete sentences.
Houston (+4) over Baltimore. Deshaun Watson has been a cover machine on the road - 7-4-2 ATS since the beginning of last season. Baltimore is only 2-10-1 ATS at home in its last 11 games. Trends aren't everything, but you've gotta think after last week's bruising battle against the Bengals, the Ravens are running on fumes.
Minnesota (-10.5) over Denver. The Vikings have been monsters at home ATS and straight up, averaging nearly 30 points per. The Broncos currently have the only NFL quarterback who's name I can't give you without looking it up first, and he's making his first road start.
College tilts of interest....
Cincinnati (-14) over USF. The Bulls' best four opponents have each covered, for the most part with ease. They can't run it, their offensive line has given up 38 sacks in nine games, and even with the road scare against ECU two weeks ago, the Bearcats have been pretty reliable this season ATS.
Bearcats 38 Bulls 21
Ohio State (-31.5 in the first half) over Rutgers. I'll probably lay the 52 points, but I will definitely lay 31.5 in the first 30 minutes, and I'm likely to go under 2.5 Rutgers first half points in what might be the most comically lopsided intra-conference game in years.
Michigan (-13.5) over Michigan State. It was a good run, Coach Dantonio.
Indiana (+14.5) over Penn State. The big battle between Elder and St. X quarterbacks will probably be won by the Nittany Lions, but Peyton Ramsey keeps it close against a team coming off its first loss that was a little exposed last week.
Central Michigan (+2.5) over Ball State. CMU is plus-223 yards per game. BSU is minus-45 yards per game. I did research.
Iowa (-3) over Minnesota. The Hawkeyes have lost a bunch of close games. They'll reverse that this week against the PJ Flecks.
2019 NFL Mark: 32-21
2019 College Mark: 28-27-1
Have a pleasant weekend. Join me on Sunday.