<u>THE 10 BEST GAMES TO BET</u>
BUCS at JETS
1 p.m., Bucs by 13 ½, 46
HANK’S HONEYS: The top seed is still on the line for the Bucs and that means an all-out effort against an overmatched team. Tom Brady, even without his best weapons, should take up where he left off against the Packers and pick apart the Jets’ secondary as in days of old. The Bucs’ secondary can be had but not by this group. Zach Wilson might make a play here or there but the Jets are going to be overwhelmed by the Tampa Bay front. The Jets, COVID and all, h Sunday but holding on against the Jags equates into being blown out by the Bucs.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Bucs and the over.
GIANTS at BEARS
1 p.m., Bears by 6, 37 ½
HANK’S HONEYS: Not happy about laying this many points with Matt Nagy’s team but Nick Foles actually made the Bears’ offense look competent last week, which is more than we can say for the sorry Giants. The Bears’ comeback win should create some good feeling and momentum as they play out the season, especially with two winnable games ahead of them. As they showed against the Vikings two weeks ago, they can get after the passer (the term is used loosely with either Mike Glennon or Jake Fromm) and if the Giants’ offense can’t get on schedule, it’s going to be a long day for Big Blue at Soldier Field. The Giants, who hold Chicago’s first-round pick, win by losing.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Bears and the over.
RAMS at RAVENS
1 p.m., Rams by 3 ½, 46 ½
HANK’S HONEYS: The line is this low based on the Ravens’ reputation alone. In past years, the Baltimore blitz would force Matthew Stafford into poor decisions but this year is not past years. The Ravens’ depleted secondary (last in league at 280.5 passing ypg) is no match for the Rams’ passing attack while Lamar Jackson’s ankle is a huge concern on offense. The Rams are having their first full week of practice after being affected by COVID and weather issues the last three weeks. They have made it through COVID absences and have come out the better for it. This looks like a team that will be taking momentum into the playoffs. They are also 8-2 SU in early games on the East Coast since Sean McVay took over.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Rams and the over.
DOLPHINS at TITANS
1 p.m., Titans by 3 ½, 41
HANK’S HONEYS: It seems that the entire world is waiting for the Dolphins to crash back to Earth and expecting this to be the week they do. Certainly, their win streak is built against flawed opponents but the Titans, without Derrick Henry, aren’t as good as their record either. Tua Tagovailoa has been the model of efficiency on an otherwise one-dimensional offense. He’ll have time in the pocket against a below-average pass rush. The Titans, too, are one-dimensional, and that’s a problem this week with ex-Dolphin Ryan Tannehill going up against an elite secondary that is not going to allow A.J. Brown to beat them by himself. Gotta lean Miami with the hook.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Dolphins and the under.
EAGLES at WASHINGTON
1 p.m., Eagles by 4, 45
HANK’S HONEYS: DC’s football team is dead in the water — — and we don’t see much changing from its showing over the last two weeks. That includes a bad loss in Philly where the Eagles were able to do anything they desired on offense. The Eagles have established an identity running the football, which has really helped Jalen Hurts’ performance, and even with Miles Sanders shelved, they have enough depth in Boston Scott and Jordan Howard. Taylor Heinicke will start but Ron Rivera says he wants to get a good look at Kyle Allen, which means he might be less interested in winning the game, especially if they fall behind.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Eagles and the over.
CARDINALS at COWBOYS
4:25 p.m., Cowboys by 5, 51
HANK’S HONEYS: This is a bad matchup for the Cardinals’ mistake-prone offense. Kyler Murray misses DeAndre Hopkins big-time and Kliff Kingsbury (8-18 SU in games after Week 7) seems lost and confused as a play-caller. On top of that, James Conner was still not practicing midweek. The Dallas D, meanwhile, is flying to the ball, balanced at every level and forcing turnovers. Dak Prescott is heating up again and Tyron Smith is returning at LT. As good as the Cardinals have been on the road, they dropped their last one in miserable fashion in Detroit while the Boys are 12-3 ATS, the best record in football.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Cowboys and the over.
BRONCOS at CHARGERS
4:05 p.m., Chargers by 5 ½, 45 ½
HANK’S HONEYS: Each team is stumbling coming into this playoff eliminator but at least the Broncos’ defense has been playing well. That’s not true of the Chargers, who, even before being racked by COVID last week, were vulnerable against the run and in the secondary. The Broncos are at their best when they can run the ball and with Teddy Bridgewater likely to return, Denver should be able to at least stay inside the number against their divisional rivals. They always play the Bolts tough (4-1 ATS in last five meetings), including an upset win at home earlier this year.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Broncos and the over.
LIONS at SEAHAWKS
4:25 p.m., Seahawks by 7, 42 ½
HANK’S HONEYS: There is no way the 5-10 Seahawks should be giving this many points to anybody, especially to a team that is 9-5-1 ATS in spite of its 2-12-1 SU record. The Lions seem to be playing hard in an effort to lay some sort of groundwork for next year while the Seahawks, who aren’t used to being eliminated from playoff consideration, are probably going to play uninspired football the final two weeks. D’Andre Swift’s return is a boost for Detroit and even if Jared Goff can’t return this week (he’s questionable with a new knee injury) Tim Boyle did enough last week in Atlanta to keep the Lions competitive.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Lions and the over.
JAGUARS at PATRIOTS
1 p.m., Patriots by 15 ½, 41 ½
HANK’S HONEYS: The Patriots, losers of two straight, are in desperate need of a get-well game and the Jaguars are the perfect tonic. We can’t see how the Jaguars will bounce back after losing a winnable game against the Jets. It may not be cold but it will be rainy, a dreary scenario for a team that probably can’t wait to get to the offseason. We’re going to see a Patriots defense that will be all over Trevor Lawrence and feast on his mistakes as Mac Jones, whose performance has slid recently, reaps the benefit of a running game that will wear down the Jaguars’ front.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Patriots and the under.
FALCONS at BILLS
1 p.m., Bills by 14 ½, 45
HANK’S HONEYS: It’s a possible letdown spot for the Bills although we don’t see it after they went through that mid-season lull. Now that they’ve shaken off those pesky Pats, there’s no reason not to smash the Falcons and Jets the last two weeks. The Falcons had a dozen players on the COVID list at midweek and they will need all hands on deck on defense in order to hold off Josh Allen, his form fully recovered and on display against the top defenses of the Bucs and Patriots.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Bills and the over.
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<u>LOOK BUT DON’T TOUCH</u>
CHIEFS at BENGALS
1 p.m., Chiefs by 5 ½, 50 ½
HANK’S HONEYS: You can bank the over here as Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow match arms. KC’s defense has the edge, having held five of its last seven opponents to 10 or fewer points but we can see Burrow stepping it up at home and with a chance to clinch the division. The Chiefs have the edge in experience in big games (Mahomes is 26-1 SU in games from November through January) and the Bengals have been the more inconsistent team. Still, Cincy has the playmakers to compete with anybody.
CAN’T HELP YOURSELF? Bengals and the over.
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<u>BEST OF THE REST</u>
RAIDERS at COLTS
1 p.m., Colts by 6 ½, 45 ½
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Raiders and the over.
VIKINGS at PACKERS
8:20 p.m., Packers by 6 ½, 47 ½
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Vikings and the under.
TEXANS at 49ERS
4:05 p.m., 49ers by 12 ½, 44
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Texans and the under.
PANTHERS at SAINTS
1 p.m., Saints by 6 ½, 39 ½
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Saints and the over.
BROWNS at STEELERS
Monday, 8:15 p.m., Browns by 3, 40 ½
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Browns and the under.
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WEEK’S BEST BET: Rams. Ravens a shell of their former selves.
Last week: 7-9
Overall: 122-116-2
Over/under: 134-106
Best Bets: 11-5
