R-E-L-A-X. I’m like the Aaron Rodgers of Nashville football bloggers. Not like I’m the greatest – I’m just saying….Rodgers once said, “R-E-L-A-X” and now I’m saying “R-E-L-A-X.” Let’s make it perfectly clear – that’s where the similarities between myself and Aaron Rodgers begin and end. I was only trying to keep my confidence high considering I’ve failed to have a winning weekend since the second week of the season.
Now, if you’ve ridden with me so far this season, you’ve still made money. I’m still at 53%, but with only about a fifth of the betting season behind us, one bad week could send me into a tailspin. Let’s hope I can retain my sanity and keep my brain sharp. All the people who bet their mortgages, or who literally tank their 401k to bet on my picks – you guys are in my heart. You’re the reason I keep on keeping on. So, let’s ignore the past three weeks. Let’s, together, not get nervous about my football picks.
This week, there happens to be a ton of lines that I’m pretty high on. But, not all of them are going to make into this column. Still, I’m expanding the picks to eight this week to accommodate that. Let’s get to it.
Big Natural’s Picks
NCAAF: Boise State -9 @ BYU – While the Broncos haven’t exactly been what we thought they’d be, this is still a damn good football team. Plus, the Cougars are in an outright free fall. They just got smoked by Utah State. Is Boise State better than Utah State? Yes. I like ’em by at least 10 here.
NCAAF: Purdue -4 vs. Minnesota – Who have the Golden Gophers beaten to inspire confidence in this game? They played a decent Maryland team close before losing, but they just haven’t won against a quality opponent. Guess what Purdue is – a quality opponent. The Boilermakers continue their quest for bowl eligibility with a touchdown victory at home.
NCAAF: UTSA -13.4 vs. Southern Miss – This one opened at -8.5 UTSA, and the money came pouring in on the Roadrunners. Your boy is ready to buy in, too. This is a good “mid major” team, and looks like the best team in C-USA so far. Southern Miss simply hasn’t impressed, so I’m riding UTSA big at home.
NCAAF: Florida -3 vs. LSU – The Gators seemed to find their offense against what was once considered a tremendous Vanderbilt defense. Who knows? Maybe the Tigers come out pissed off after being beaten by Troy. But, I’m not a believer. This is a bland offense and the defense is far from what it used to be.
NFL: New York Jets PICK @ Cleveland – I said the Browns were going to be more competitive than people gave them credit for. I have been proven wrong so far. This is just a bad football team, all around. They have some integral pieces for the future, but they can’t stop shooting themselves in the foot. Many see this as an opportunity for the Browns to get in the win column, but I see a terrible matchup. DeShone Kizer has been making some poor decisions, and the Jets have been capitalizing on turnovers. The Jets don’t play a particularly exciting style of football, protecting the ball and creating turnovers, but it’s working. It should definitely work against a team prone to mistakes and giving up points early.
NFL: Carolina-Detroit, UNDER 44 – This one should be easy – it’s two of the five best defenses in the NFL going at it. Don’t expect a lot of points to be scored. No, this one is going to end in a 13-10 type of score.
NFL: Seattle-Los Angeles Rams, OVER 47 – I know, I know. We haven’t seen the Rams score on an elite defense yet. But, the signs are there. The Redskins defense isn’t too shabby, and they put up 20 in a losing effort. But, let’s not like this is the 2013 Seahawks defense either. The Rams boast the best offense in football so far, and the Seahawks seem to have found their footing on offense the last couple of weeks. I could see this one turning into a track meet.
NFL: Minnesota -3 @ Chicago – Mitchell Trubisky is going to get his first career NFL start on Monday night, and while emotions may be high as his teammates will undoubtedly want to play hard to make it easier on him, I think this matchup is more about the Chicago defense, or lack thereof. Do the Bears have anyone that can cover Stefon Diggs? I don’t think so. The Vikings defense could get a score, too. This feels like the Bears making a desperate ploy to save the season. I don’t see it working.
Last Week: (2-3)
On the Season: (14-12) – 53%
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. A strong advocate of GSD (get shit done) and #BeBetter, he’s down to talk Tennessee Titans and Alabama Crimson Tide football over a beer any day. Check him out covering the WWE for WrestlingNews.co. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley, @WrestlingNewsCo
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