NFL 2024 Season - Week 7
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Bad Idea
by Dennis Ranahan

EARLY ALERT: The game played in London between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears this Sunday morning that starts at 6:30 a.m. Pacific Time is simply too good of a point spread play to pass up. Therefore, if our Friday night numbers continue to show an edge on this game that warrants a rated money play, that choice will be posted on this site on Saturday morning. The early release will offer clients an opportunity to get down on the game prior to early Sunday start.

As for tonight’s game, between the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks, can you see the 49ers losing this game and falling two games back to their hosts in the NFC West Division standings?

Me neither.

But that doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen or that the advantage when the more than field goal on the point spread is factored in, doesn’t offer a slight edge with the home underdog tonight.

While it could have been predicted at the beginning of the season that this Thursday night prime time encounter could have been for first place in the NFC West, I don’t think many considered the possibility that San Francisco would fall to a 2 and 4 record with a loss. If that happens, and the Seahawks snap their two-game losing streak tonight, they will have both a two-game bulge in the standings over the 49ers and the early tiebreaker with a straight-up win in this heated NFC West series.

If the Seahawks were favored tonight, then winning would be a much more difficult task. If they saw the real possibility of pulling two games ahead of the 49ers then the motivation would be screwy for the home team and San Francisco would have a decisive edge to not fall two back.

But, despite their early season difficulties, the 49ers have only won one of their most recent four games, San Francisco comes into this contest with confidence they are going to win and catch the Seahawks in the standings.

Seems easy.

Seems logical.

How could it be any other way?

The Problem is, those three most recent statements are what swings the advantage to the home team’s favor. The eye of the tiger, the team that knows they have most to overcome, is the team at home getting points with a better record.

When we look at it that way, how could we back any side in this game other than taking the 3½ points on the spread and expect a close game that could go either way, but will likely end within a field goal?

I love the 49ers to win in this spot, but also respect that they are not the percentage side of the wager. To bet what you love over advanced intelligence is a real bad idea.

When all is considered, and because I do expect a straight-up 49ers win, my staff and I have come to the conclusion that the best bet tonight is none.