Simulation Picks
Maximize Your Odds of Winning with SportsLine Model and Our Top-Rated Picks!
Maximize Your Odds of Winning with SportsLine Model and Our Top-Rated Picks!
Maximize Your Odds of Winning with SportsLine Model and Our Top-Rated Picks!
Understanding Public and Money
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Expert Picks
Despite losing their way to the No. 1 pick in 2015, the Titans offense showed flashes of competence in Marcus Mariota's rookie year. I see him taking a big step forward in Year 2, and he'll be helped by having a rushing attack that may feature the biggest jump in talent of any unit in football this year. Who's playing quarterback for Minnesota? Either way, Dick LeBeau will make life miserable for that guy. I give Mariota, Delanie Walker and the Titans the edge in the passing game. Coupled with a beefed-up running game, Tennessee gets the win at home.
I like the direction the Titans are going in with Mike Mularkey at coach and a power running game featuring DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry. They'll be good very soon, but in the case of the Vikings, they're very good right now, led by a defense that doesn't give much away. Last season they snuck up on the bookmakers by going 8-1-1 to the Under in their first 10 games. Each week their total rating kept dropping and each week they still went Under. The same goes for their team rating, which kept rising weekly while they kept covering. The Vikings-and-Under parlay combination cashed in 11 of 17 games last season. Sam Bradford shouldn't get in the way of matching Teddy Bridgewater's success, which basically just asked him not to make mistakes and ride Adrian Peterson down the field. Expect a conservative offense and stingy defense. There's no edge in the side like last year, but the play here is with the total staying Under 41.