Welcome to another week of The Sports Savant NFL Picks, Week 9 Edition!
Last week presented itself to be quite a challenge as I was humbled coming off of a nearly perfect 12-1 Week 7 only to follow-up with a very average 8-6 on my Week 8 picks. The silver lining was the continuation of my streak of having never picked below .500 on any week of picks since I started publishing every game pick of every week in 2011. The other good news was that I at least salvaged a .500 record against the spread, which is far more difficult to get right. It wasn’t a winning week, but at least it was a break even week. I can’t say the same for the over/under as I came up a game shy of .500 but I am still hot handed on the over/under picks on the year maintaining 55.6% accuracy. With my 77-41 record in picks to win in 2012, I still stand in 3rd place amongst ESPN’s twelve man expert panel, with Chris Mortenson and Chris Wickersham still leading the charge at 82-36 and 83-35, respectively.
My week wrapped up with three trifectas and four strikeouts keeping my trifecta to strikeout ratio around 3 to 2 at 30-21. The goal is to have a 2 to 1 ratio for the year so I have work to do there. My seven trifecta week in Week 7 really helped the cause. I need another week like that one to get myself back near the goal, but the more likely solution will be to keep chipping away with a great second half of the season.
As challenging as last week was, this week may prove to be as challenging or more. As usual there was a lot of chalk in my picks, but I dared to take FOUR road underdogs this week(Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, Dallas, Philadelphia) and a home dog(Cleveland). These games will be the biggest difference in a big week of picks or hovering around .500. I’ve got a good feeling about this week.
Before we look at my picks for Week 9, let’s take a look at how last weeks picks shaped up and my overall records for the 2012 NFL season…
*WEEK 8 RESULTS*
Trifecta: 30
Don’t forget to visit therealsportssavant.blogspot.com to check my game picks or right here on lastwordonsports.com at The Sports Savant channel. And now for my Week 9, NFL picks…
Kansas City @ San Diego(-7.5) (o/u 41.5)
Savant Spread Pick: Kansas City with the points; San Diego to win ~ 23-16
Over/Under Pick: Under
Cincinnati v. Denver(-3.5) (o/u 47.5)
Savant Spread Pick: Denver and the points to win ~ 24-20 *LOCK*
Over/Under Pick: Under
Arizona @ Green Bay(-10.5) (o/u 43.5)
Savant Spread Pick: Green Bay and the points to win ~ 31-17
Over/Under Pick: Over
Indianapolis v. Miami(-2) (o/u 43)
Savant Spread Pick: Miami and the points to win ~ 20-17
Over/Under Pick: Under
Cleveland v. Baltimore(-3.5) (o/u 42.5)
Savant Spread Pick: Cleveland to win ~ 20-17
Over/Under Pick: Under
Buffalo @ Houston(-10) (o/u 47.5)
Savant Spread Pick: Houston and the points to win ~ 37-21 *LOCK*
Over/Under Pick: Over
Carolina @ Washington(-3) (o/u 46.5)
Savant Spread Pick: Washington and the points to win ~ 27-21
Over/Under Pick: Over
Jacksonville v. Detroit(-4) (o/u 44)
Savant Spread Pick: Detroit and the points to win ~ 28-17
Over/Under Pick: Under
Tennessee v. Chicago(-3.5) (o/u 43.5)
Savant Spread Pick: Chicago and the points to win ~ 24-20
Over/Under Pick: Over
Minnesota @ Seattle(-4.5) (o/u 38.5)
Savant Spread Pick: Seattle and the points to win ~ 23-16 *LOCK*
Over/Under Pick: Over
Tampa Bay @ Oakland(-1.5) (o/u 46.5)
Savant Spread Pick: Tampa Bay to win ~ 26-21
Over/Under Pick: Over
Pittsburgh @ New York(N)(-3) (o/u 47.5)
Savant Spread Pick: Pittsburgh to win ~ 27-24 *LOCK*
Over/Under Pick: Over
Dallas @ Atlanta(-4) (o/u 47.5)
Savant Spread Pick: Dallas to win ~ 28-27
Over/Under Pick: Over
Philadelphia @ New Orleans(-3) (o/u 51.5)
Savant Spread Pick: Philadelphia to win ~ 29-23
Over/Under Pick: Over
