How do you keep talking smack about someone after you start to pity them?
In last week’s group chat I made a number of jokes referencing the ongoing U.S. presidential election. Like Donald Trump ‘claimed’ Pennsylvania and a number of other states he’d actually lost, I decided to ‘claim’ Dunk’s correct picks from Week 9 to save our readership from ‘fraud.’
Group chat: Single-ton issue voters left out in Week 9 NFL picks
Dunk and I picked opposite one another in five games last week and I swept every match-up to finish 9-5. Dunk’s picks netted him a 4-10 record, which is almost New York Jets-level bad.
Did he do it on purpose? If someone’s going to claim your correct selections anyway, it makes some sense to pick poorly on purpose. Or maybe Dunk genuinely tried his best and still went 0-5 head-to-head. SAD!
Dunk and I will #MakeAPlay for each game this NFL season as members of #TeamBodog. Join us for the entertainment at Bodog.ca and see if you can beat us as we lay it on the line each week. Make-A-Play with our exclusive bonus code: use 3DownBodog to get a 100 percent bonus up to $200.
Week 10
Thursday Night Football
Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans
Line: Titans -1 (-105)
Total: 48.5 points
Dunk’s pick: TITANS. Colts lack offensive playmakers, nobody on Indy’s offence is scary.
Hodge’s pick: TITANS. Tennessee rolls for first in the AFC South.
Sunday 1 p.m. ET
Houston Texans at Cleveland Browns
Line: Browns -3 (-125)
Total: 50.5 points
Dunk’s pick: BROWNS. Nick Chubb back for the dub.
Hodge’s pick: BROWNS. Cleveland knows how to beat up on bad teams.
Jacksonville Jaguars at Green Bay Packers
Line: Packers -13 (-110)
Total: 50.5 points
Dunk’s pick: PACKERS. Frozen tundra of Lambeau Field freezes out the Jags.
Hodge’s pick: JAGS. Green Bay wins handily but Jacksonville can cover late.
Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants
Line: Eagles -3.5 (-105)
Total: 44.5 points
Dunk’s pick: EAGLES. Philadelphia getting healthier on offence.
Hodge’s pick: GIANTS. New York should stay within a field goal of the overrated Eagles.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers
Line: Buccaneers -6 (-105)
Total: 50.5 points
Dunk’s pick: PANTHERS. Teddy Ballgame keeps Carolina in games.
Hodge’s pick: PANTHERS. Carolina plays everyone close.
Washington Football Team at Detroit Lions
Line: Lions -3 (-105)
Total: 46 points
Dunk’s pick: LIONS. It’ll be ugly but Detroit grinds out a win.
Hodge’s pick: LIONS. Having to trust either of these teams is nauseating.
Sunday 4 p.m. ET
Buffalo Bills at Arizona Cardinals
Line: Cardinals -2.5 (-110)
Total: 56 points
Dunk’s pick: BILLS. Josh Allen lit up Seattle and can do the same to Zona.
Hodge’s pick: BILLS. This feels like a last-minute field goal, coin flip-type of game.
Denver Broncos at Las Vegas Raiders
Line: Raiders -5 (-110)
Total: 51 points
Dunk’s pick: RAIDERS. Denver is unreliable in many ways.
Hodge’s pick: BRONCOS. Vegas should win, but five points feels like a lot here.
Los Angeles Chargers at Miami Dolphins
Line: Dolphins -2.5 (-105)
Total: 48 points
Dunk’s pick: CHARGERS. LA has been far too unlucky.
Hodge’s pick: DOLPHINS. East coast games are tough for west coast teams.
Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers
Line: Steelers -6.5 (-105)
Total: 45.5 points
Dunk’s pick: STEELERS. Joe Burrow hasn’t played a Steel Curtain-type defence yet.
Hodge’s pick: STEELERS. Pittsburgh bounces back from a shaky performance against Dallas.
San Francisco 49ers at New Orleans Saints
Line: Saints -9.5 (-110)
Total: 49 points
Dunk’s pick: 49ERS. San Fran’s COVID-19 ravaged roster is recovering.
Hodge’s pick: 49ERS. This spread feels a little inflated with both teams coming off blowouts.
Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Rams
Line: Rams -1.5 (-105)
Total: 55.5 points
Dunk’s pick: RAMS. Seattle’s defence can’t be trusted.
Hodge’s pick: SEAHAWKS. This game could decide the NFC West.
Sunday Night Football
Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots
Line: Ravens -7 (-115)
Total: 44 points
Dunk’s pick: RAVENS. Baltimore could shut out Bill Belichick.
Hodge’s pick: RAVENS. The Pats as we know them are dead.
Monday Night Football
Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears
Line: Vikings -3 (-120)
Total: 44 points
Dunk’s pick: VIKINGS. Dalvin Cook is the only reason Minny is a favourite.
Hodge’s pick: VIKINGS. It’s taken a month, but I’m finally ready to accept that Minnesota’s not bad.
Against the spread picks to date:
Hodge: 37-30
Dunk: 33-34
