NFL Betting – More Week 10 Picks

On a busy sportsbook weekend, it makes sense to do our NFL picks in two installments, doesn’t it? We started you out on Monday with a few games; here are a few more to choose from.

Atlanta Falcons (-1.5) @ Carolina Panthers

Sunday, November 15, 1:00 p.m. ET

There are trap games hidden among NFL picks every week and this could be one of them. Matt Ryan has a bright future in the NFL and he’s looked like a Pro Bowler at times this season but he’s quietly struggling of late. He’s failed to top 200 yards in three of his last four games. Over that span, he’s been sacked 10 times and thrown eight interceptions versus six touchdown passes. He has a tough assignment again this week against the Panthers’ No. 6 pass defense.

The Falcons and Panthers each allow 120-plus rushing yards per game, so we should see big days from Michael Turner and DeAngelo Williams (if he’s healthy enough to play). Since the Falcons don’t stop the pass or the run too well, however, I like Carolina to outscore them and ride the home crowd to a minor upset.

Online betting pick: Panthers +1.5

New England Patriots @ Indianapolis Colts (-2.5)

Sunday, November 15, 8:20 p.m. ET

In the sports hierarchy this weekend, Pacquiao Cotto odds and this Sunday night football game reign supreme. The Colts remain undefeated but have cruised through a powder-puff schedule thus far. They may not have the killer instinct to handle a very confident Patriots team this week. Even though the Colts rush the passer well, the Pats are prepared for it; Tom Brady’s line only allowed one sack over two games against the aggressive Jets and Ravens. Brady is really clicking with his receivers right now and won’t hesitate to take shots downfield against an injury-riddled Colts secondary.

Online betting pick: Patriots +2.5

NCAA Football Betting – Utah/TCU Pick

NFL odds and the slew of big fights will get lots of sportsbook attention this weekend. If you get too caught up in just those events, however, you’ll miss a pretty big college football matchup. In fact, Saturday’s battle with Utah may be the biggest game TCU has ever played. It’s not exactly Super Bowl betting but it’s pretty darned important.

(16) Utah Utes @ (4) TCU Horned Frogs

Saturday, November 14, 7:30 p.m. ET

Sportsbook favorite: TCU -19.5

Well, TCU, this game and the Mountain West Conference are yours to lose. The Horned Frogs are undefeated, enjoying their best season ever and warranting serious BCS title contention. Utah won’t sniff a national championship but could derail TCU’s dream season and challenge for the MWC with a road victory.

The 19.5-point spread seems a bit much but it’s a reflection of how dominant TCU’s offense has been of late (and of TCU playing at home). These guys can run the football like few other teams; they’ve hit 300 yards on the ground in two straight games and have seen eight different Horned Frogs find the end zone. Utah has its hands full facing a team ranking sixth in rushing and eighth in total offense.

On paper, Utah seems like it has a chance to bottle up TCU, as it hasn’t allowed more than 17 points in a game. But this isn’t last season’s smothering group; Utah simply hasn’t faced anyone worthwhile yet. It will need to score plenty of points to keep pace, but can the Utes’ O-line protect freshman quarterback Jordan Wynn?

It’s scary to think about what Wynn has ahead of him – travelling to TCU to battle the nation’s third-ranked defense. Only Florida and Texas rank higher than the Horned Frogs’ unit. That tells you how special this season is for TCU.

The first instinct is to bet against TCU covering that huge spread, but the matchup against a freshman QB is just too tempting. I like TCU to cover and keep generating BCS buzz. Pick TCU, then get ready for the Pacquiao Cotto odds.

Pick: TCU -19.5

Brady, Moss will devour Indy's Rookie Corner Backs

New England Patriots at Indianapolis Colts

Sunday, Nov. 15 at 8:20 p.m. ET

NFL betting odds: Colts -3

The Colts have opened the season with eight straight wins, but the past two came with a much higher degree of difficulty than the first six. The Colts dodged a bullet by beating Houston 20-17 last week, while topping San Francisco 18-14 two weeks earlier. The offense hasn't been quiet as effective in recent weeks; perhaps the 29^th-ranked running game is finally catching up to the team. Peyton Manning is still excelling, of course. The veteran quarterback is making a run at the MVP award after surpassing 300 yards in all but one game this season.

New England can match Indy's offense. Tom Brady has thrown 10 touchdowns in his last three starts and finally looks like his old self. Randy Moss remains his most dangerous target, catching 19 passes for 345 yards and four touchdowns in that span. Like Indianapolis, New England won't rely much on its running game. Something your betting system might have predicted: Laurence Maroney has enjoyed more action in recent weeks; he's averaging 82 yards per game with three touchdowns in his last three games.

Defensively, the Colts lead the NFL in fewest points per game. The "D" came through in a big way the past few weeks, bailing out the cool offense. Problems could be on the horizon, however. Marlin Jackson tore up his knee last week and will miss the season. Paired with Kelvin Hayden's knee injury and the Indy secondary is quite thin; two rookies—Jerraud Powers and Jacob Lacey—will start on Sunday. They'll need Indianapolis' active pass rush to create some havoc in the backfield.

The Patriots have been nearly as impressive on defense. They rank third in the NFL in fewest points per game and, while they aren't as sack-happy as the Colts, head coach Bill Belichick always creates schemes that confuse his opponents. Sportsbook fans have witnessed his genius plenty over the years.

Brady and Manning continue their rivalry but, in this one, Brady gets a big edge—he'll be facing two rookies. Yes, Indy's pass rush can cover some of those holes, but Brady is bound to slice and dice a few big plays. Randy Moss and Wes Welker will be too much for the Colts to handle; expect the Pats to outgun Indy on your NFL picks.