2009-10-16

The NFL’s early betting board on Sunday is loaded with eight games and two of them are absolutely titanic tilts. NFC unbeatens will battle in New Orleans, and that conference’s other remaining perfect team, Minnesota, will host an AFC power. It figures to be a good time to sit down in front of the TV with your favorite beverage. Here’s a quick look at the key games. Be sure to visit the Live Odds, Betting Trends, and Team Statistics pages on Sportsbook.com for the latest information.

(215) BALTIMORE at (216) MINNESOTA
One of the most intriguing contests on the Week 6 slate is an inter-conference battle with Minnesota hosting Baltimore. The Vikings are unbeaten but begin a tough stretch of three games before their bye week. Under Brad Childress, they are just 11-16 ATS as hosts, including 3-3 SU & ATS vs. AFC foes. However, as a franchise, Minnesota is 2-9 ATS vs. good teams outscoring opponents by 6+ PPG in his tenure. The Ravens are 3-2 and head into their off week next Sunday. They have won and covered just once in their L4 on the road versus NFC foes. Baltimore is 6-1 UNDER in its L7 pre-bye week games and dogs have covered the L4 in that scenario. This is the first visit ever by the Ravens to the Metrodome, but they have won the L2 H2h meetings, both SU & ATS.

(219) NY GIANTS at (220) NEW ORLEANS
Three NFC teams have set themselves apart in the first five weeks, and two of them match up on Sunday in New Orleans when the Saints host the Giants in a battle of unbeaten teams. It will be a battle of wills, as New York has been the best road team in the league under Tom Coughlin, going 31-13 ATS, including 19-10 ATS as an underdog. New Orleans has developed a strong home field advantage of late though, winning five of its L6 both SU & ATS, outscoring opponents by 14.5 PPG. The Saints have also scored 23 points or more in every home game since 10/21/07, a span of 14 games. They are looking to break a 0-3 SU & ATS record in post-bye week games under Sean Payton though. In this head-to-head series, home teams own a 7-2 SU & 6-2-1 ATS edge in the L9 meetings.

Here is a Best Bet writeup from the StatFox Platinum Sheet:

(211) HOUSTON at (212) CINCINNATI: How does a team go from a 9-point dog one week to a 6-1/2 point opening favorite the next? By guessing, and public perception, that’s how. Bettors now believe that Cincinnati is for real after the upset win at Baltimore. However, according to scoring differentials, the Bengals are just an average team, and as such, a nice system applies to this game: Play On - Underdogs or pick (HOUSTON) - in a game involving two average teams (+/- 3 PPG differential.), after scoring 3 points or less in the first half last game. (82-44 since 1983.) (65.1%, +33.6 units. Rating = 2*). Houston is capable of rallying from any point in a game with its explosive offense. The Bengals offense is not explosive at all, and thus the reason they are 0-2 ATS as a favorite in ’09. That is no mistake. This Cincy team will only be good when disregarded. Here that is not the case, take the dog. Play: Houston plus the points