And now come the consequences.
Once again faced with a crisis in health matters, the NFL took a blasé attitude toward coronavirus outbreaks among its players – the first game has already been cancelled: Pittsburgh Steelers at Tennessee Titans has been postponed to “Monday or Tuesday.” As though we needed more variables and weirdness for this game. The sportsbooks – My Bookie included – have currently taken the previous line of Steelers -2, and for now the game is OB.
Additionally, the date for the Minnesota Vikings’ week 4 home game against the Houston Texans is also in doubt. After losing SU/winning ATS against Tennessee last week, Minnesota management thought it expedient to shut down training facilities (!) for two days as well as test anyone involved with the team daily.No matter the particular upshot of the Vikings situation, this does not bode well, and the Titans will certainly hardly be an isolated incident.
Meanwhile, NFLbets is ready to concede the season in the My Bookie Super Contest and, after a showing poor enough in the first three weeks to make winning the quarterly prize for high score impossible, week 4 is a bit of a throwaway. Unless we make a huge comeback on the season, which would, of necessity, have to happen starting now.
So here goes nothing (maybe literally if enough of these games get cancelled), namely our 5-pick Super Contest card.
Houston Texans -4 vs Minnesota Vikings – if you can get it. NFLbets got this pick in before the sportsbooks reacted to the Vikings’ practice-facility decision and remains happy to give the 4. In a game between two winless teams, don’t you just pick the superior side and give whatever points? Not sure that’s any sort of official rule, but we’re running with it. Again, if the game goes off...
Cincinnati Bengals -3 vs Jacksonville Jaguars. As with the above, in a game between two winless teams, you – wait, what? The Jaguars won a game? That’s even more reason to take the Bengals then: At 1-3, the Jags would be right on pace for 4-12, which feels about right. Besides, how has Joe Burrow not won a game yet?
Los Angeles Rams -13 vs New York Giants. Two TDs is a lot to give but for the 2020 New York Giants, it’s also a lot to ask. Hell, the Giants are averaging 12.67 points per after three games and going back to last season have scored more than 17 twice in the past 9 games. The only way the Rams don’t destroy the Giants-going-west-to-east is because they’re not taking things seriously. And we’re thinking L.A. will after last week’s yoyo debacle.
Green Bay Packers -7½ vs Atlanta Falcons. Maybe NFLbets is overcompensating here after two consecutive betting burns delivered by Falcons chokes, but it’s doubtful. The Packers offense looks to be the NFL’s second-best going into week 4, and the demoralization in the Atlanta camp must be high, wouldn’t you think…?
San Francisco 49ers -7 vs Philadelphia Eagles. Going back to week 16 of 2019, nothing much convinces me that these Eagles can keep a game close with a .400 team or better. On the other side, Nick Mullens couldn’t have chosen a better week to have to play starting QB and get warmed up for a team more competent than the Jets or Giants, but about as deflated as the Falcons.
–written by Os Davis
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