Pete's Best Bets: The Saints back to being the Saints?
Our Pete Prisco shares his top five plays for Week 9 in the NFL, led by a strong feeling on the Saints hosting the Titans.
Why me?
Why is a guy like me always the victim of the bad losses, when a guy like my colleague Nick Kostos always seems to be walking around with a horseshoe up his behind?
I get bad beats.
He gets bad wins.
My teams give up the Oh-Me-Oh-My-Oh points late. He gets them.
What the hell is going on? Do I need to start talking in his staccato-Woody Woodpecker style of speaking?
It's time for a change.
That means the karma is about to come my way. No more bad beats. No more dropped passes on third down that cost me a chance -- that's you Jeremy Langford.
Thanks in some part to Langford's drop, I was 2-3 last week as part of Team Oddshark in the SuperContest at Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook. That drops me to 22-17-1 on the season.
It's time to stop listening to Kostos brag on Tuesday morning about being #MrMondayNight.
From now on, I am Mr. (All) Weekend.
I will own them. Does that sound like a guarantee? It should. The leaves are turning brown, so time to win a crown.
This feels like a 5-0 week for me. It's my time to have a horseshoe on my side.
Steelers (-4) vs. Raiders (SportsLine's pick) -- Yes, the Raiders have played well, but this is a long trip against a team that needs it as much as they do.
Ben Roethlisberger didn't look good in his first game back after his knee injury last week. But I think that changes here.
DeAngelo Williams will also pick up the slack for Le’Veon Bell, who is out for the season.
Jaguars (+6.5) at Jets (SportsLine's pick) -- This is a lot of points to give a team like Jacksonville that can score.
The Raiders lit up the Jets defense last week. That won't happen as bad here, but Jacksonville will stay within the number.
The injury situation for Ryan Fitzpatrick is also an issue.
Vikings (-1.5) vs. Rams (SportsLine's pick) -- This is a big game for both teams, each with good defenses and good runners.
The edge for the Vikings is at quarterback. Teddy Bridgewater will outplay Nick Foles to get the win and the cover.
Saints (-7.5) vs. Titans (SportsLine's pick) -- The Titans made a coaching change, but it won't matter.
Their offensive line was awful last week against the Texans and I can't see it improving much here.
The Saints will swarm in this one. The passing game came alive last week, and it will also continue here.
49ers (+7) vs. Falcons (SportsLine's pick) -- Blaine Gabbert starts for the 49ers, but that's not why I am making the pick.
I just don't think the Falcons should be laying points like this on the road to anybody, and especially on the West Coast after a long trip.
Give me the 49ers.
Pete Prisco is a Senior NFL Writer for CBSSports.com. You can follow Pete at @PriscoCBS
