Ross Benjamin

San Francisco @ Denver 8:20 PM ET

Game# 487-488

Play On: Denver +2.0 (10*)

Denver has an extremely successful win rate when playing at home during the first 3 games of the season while going 38-9 SU (80.9%). Denver is coming off a 16-9 home win over Houston last Sunday but failed to cover as a sizable 10-5-point favorite. The 49ers are coming off an easy 27-7 home win over Seattle last week.

NFL home teams that are coming off a SU win in which they failed to cover as a favorite, and they’re playing in Games 2 through 5, and they’re facing an opponent coming off a division win, resulted in those home teams going 26-3 SU (89.7%) since 1990. If their road opponent’s division win came by 9 points or more, that identical NFL SU betting angle improves to 14-0 SU since 1990. The straight up betting angle takes on added value because it backs the home underdog Denver Broncos in this matchup. Give me the Denver Broncos plus the small number for a 10* Top Play.

Chiefs @ Colts 1:00 PM ET

Game# 471-472

Play On: Under 51.0 (5*)

The Colts have played 2-0 to the under in its first 2 games and is coming off a 24-0 loss at Jacksonville in a game they closed as a 3.0-point favorite. Despite a poor 0-1-1 start to the season, the Colts defense has been solid despite being on the field an average of 34:19 per game. They’ve held their opponents to 315.0 yards per game, 4.8 yards per offensive play, and permitted them to convert on just 36.7% of its 3rd down attempts. Additionally, the Indianapolis defense has surrendered 77 and 96 yards rushing in their first 2 games while allowing a mere 2.7 yards per rushing attempt. Since 2020, the Colts have played 6-0 to the under after holding opponents to 99 yards or less rushing in their previous 2 contests and there was a combined average of 40.0 points scored per game. However, offensively they have an atrocious ratio of 1 point scored per 36.8 yards gained. Putting those numbers into perspective, Kansas City has averaged 1 point scored per 11.4 yards gained per play.

Kansas City managed only 319 yards of total offense in the previous game versus the Chargers which is well below the standard they’ve set since Andy Reid has been their head coach. During the first 2 games the Chiefs defense has been outstanding on 3rd down while their opponents converted a mere 28.6% of those attempts into 1st downs.

Any NFL home team (Colts) coming off a SU favorite loss by 14 points or more, and there’s a total of 52.0 or less, resulted in those games playing 36-4 (90%) to the under since 2016. Give me this game to go under the total.

Lions @ Vikings 1:00 ET

Game# 469-470

Play On: Lions +6.0 (5*)

The Lions are coming off an impressive 36-27 home win over Washington. Conversely, Minnesota is coming off a 24-7 Monday night loss at Philadelphia. The Lions have gone 3-0 ATS in their last 3 versus the Vikings. They went just 1-2 SU in those contests but both losses each came by narrow 2-point margins.

Any division away underdog that’s coming off a win in which they scored 35 points or more, versus an opponent coming off a loss by 11 or more and they scored 14 or less, resulted in those division away underdogs going 14-0 ATS since 1986. Those underdogs also went a stellar 10-4 SU as well. Give me Detroit plus the points.

Bengals @ Jets 1:00 PM ET

Game# 465-466

Play On: Jets +6.0 (5*)

The Bengals find themselves in a rare situation as an away favorite and coming off a pair of 3-point losses. Any NFL away favorite of 6.0 or more that’s coming of 2 consecutive losses by 3 points or fewer, resulted in those away favorites going 0-4 SU&ATS since 1980 and were defeated by an average of 10.3 points per game.

The Jets are coming off a remarkable and unlikely comeback win last Sunday in Cleveland. They overcame a 30-17 deficit to win 31-30 after scoring 2 touchdowns with less than 2 minutes to play. They closed as a 6.5-point underdog in that contest. Any NFL non-division home underdog of 5.0 to 8.5 that’s coming off an away underdog SU win, and they’re playing in Game 2 through Game 6 of their season, resulted in those home underdogs going 21-1 ATS (95.5%) since 1980. Those underdogs also went a more than respectable 11-11 SU during those contests. Give me the Jets plus the points.