By: Evan Brunelle
Welcome to “The Line Dance,” a weekly series brought to you by Edge Sports Network. Each week, I will be offering my wisdom to try and decipher Las Vegas’ easiest and most difficult football and basketball lines, along with some other picks.
NFL Lock of the Week: Rams -3 @Browns, Sunday 8:20PM
The Rams are off to a 2-0 start coming off last year’s NFC Championship win. They look every bit as good as last year, with Jared Goff playing sharply and having a slew of weapons (Gurley, Kupp, Woods, Cooks) to get the ball to on offense. The defense is as stout as ever.
Meanwhile, the much anticipated 2019 Cleveland Browns got off on the wrong foot with a blowout loss to the Titans in Week 1. The Browns may have gotten back on track a little bit with the Monday night win over the Jets, but it’s the Jets.
Don’t overthink this one: Rams -3.
CFB Lock of the Week: #10 Utah Utes -4 @USC Trojans, Friday 9PM
Utah is 3-0 to start the year and cracked the Top 10 of this week’s AP Poll. This is with good reason, as they’ve led a balanced offensive attack that averages over 200 yards per game both on the ground and through the air. Utah takes care of the ball.
USC doesn’t, throwing five interceptions in their two wins, and a loss to start 2019. USC lost their starting QB in the opener against Fresno State, which has hindered their passing attack and will continue to do so against a very good Utah team.
NFL Rat Line of the Week: Carolina Panthers @Arizona Cardinals +1.5, Sunday 4:05 PM
This line just makes no sense. Arizona is not very good. But Carolina stinks out loud. There are rumors that Cam Newton may not even play this weekend. Yet, they are still favored by 1.5, even following one of the most abysmal games I’ve ever watched last Thursday night against Tampa Bay.
Vegas wants you to take the Panthers, thinking Newton will bounce back and the Panthers will look the same as they did against the Rams in Week 1. They won’t. They stink. Kyler Murray is getting better, and the Cardinals will win this one.
Cardinals +1.5.
CFB Rat Line of the Week: Houston Cougars @Tulane Green Wave -4.5, Thursday 8PM
We have a little Thursday night action in the AAC this week, as Houston goes to New Orleans to take on Tulane.
With this game, comes one huge rat. This line is a rat. Houston is a good team. They played well against Oklahoma and Washington State, two losses to very solid ranked teams. D’Eriq King is arguably one of the best playmakers in the country. There is no reason for them to be underdogs in this game. None.
I know nothing about Tulane this year, besides the fact that they’re wearing very cool uniforms for this game. However, the last time I had these exact same thoughts was last week when North Carolina took on Wake Forest. I was familiar with UNC, figured they were a pretty solid team, and knew nothing of Wake Forest. Wake Forest then took it to UNC for 60 minutes and covered a -3 line that shocked me when I saw it.
So for that reason, I’m siding with Tulane this week, because I refuse to let the rat beat me in CFB two weeks in a row.
Take the Green Wave -4.5.
Just for Fun- NFL
Jaguars +1.5 vs. Titans
Falcons +2 @Colts
Just for Fun- CFB
BC -7 @Rutgers
Louisville +7 @FSU
Texas -5.5 vs. Oklahoma State
UGA -14 vs. Notre Dame
Arizona State -7.5 vs. Colorado
Cover photo via: Patrick Connolly/Las Vegas Review-Journal
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