The Patriots opened as 7-point favorites as they travel to London to take on the Rams.
Pip pip, cheerio! (do they say that in London, or am I making that up? it's my column, so we're going to say that they do) The Rams aren't great at anything, but they aren't particularly bad at anything either. It's a bit tough to get a read on them since most of their games have come against other inconsistent teams. Among their opponents, the closest standard of comparison to the Patriots is probably the Pack, and Green Bay beat them by 10. St. Louis is also missing their top receiving target, which can only be good news for a secondary that couldn't cover Jeremy freakin' Kurley last week.
Like other contests played across the pond, this game is likely to come down to one major factor — coaching. Players are going to be dealing with a messed up body clock, weird food and strange gangly-toothed easy women. Or is that France? Meh, they're both European, so it's probably all the same. And then there is the language barrier; the British language is unintelligible to most Americans. On top of all that, they'll be playing on a field that is completely foreign (see what I did there? Foreign? Because they're playing in a different country? That's right, high-brow stuff here). I trust Hoodie to keep his players focused and largely STD-free. I'm taking the Pats and laying the fish and chips.
Other Lines I Like
Saints (+6) @ Broncos
Every time I feel bad about our secondary, I make my self feel better by looking at the New Orleans D. They are just awful. But even as bad as they've been, all of their losses have been one-score games. I'm sure they'll find a way to lose this one too, but they should at least keep things close.
Bears (-7.5) vs. Panthers
The Carolina defense isn't very good, and they have an offense to match. They get a bit too much respect from oddsmakers since Cam Newton is on 10% of all fantasy teams. They haven't moved the ball at all against good defenses, and Chicago's D might be the best in the league. Swallow hard, close your eyes and embrace the fact that you're betting on Jay Cutler.
2012 Record ATS: 17-8
Record ATS Since 2010: 88-74-4
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