NFL Betting Week 9: Five underdogs for your consideration
Yahoo fantasy football analyst Scott Pianowski reveals his weekly NFL betting ticket in his Throwing Darts column. Check out where he's putting his jelly beans for Week 9. All lines courtesy of our friends at BetMGM.
Booked a 3-2 result last week and darn happy about that, because it was a favorite-dominated slate. And when the favorites come in, it’s generally not good for the Darts. My ethos is always that you should start off leaning toward the underdog.
This week, let’s look for some dogs barking.
Seahawks +2 at Cardinals
What does Arizona do better than Seattle? The run defenses are a wash, Seattle throws the ball better, Seattle defends the pass better, Seattle even has better special teams. Ken Walker gets the nod over James Conner or Eno Benjamin. And I’ll take the Seahawks coaching staff over Arizona’s staff, too. It’s a revenge spot for Arizona but that’s all you have to cling to. I can only grab the points.
Falcons +3 vs. Chargers
I don’t trust the Chargers as far as I can throw them, and while the Falcons have their own issues, at least we know they can run the ball on anyone (and the LAC run defense is a mess). This stands to be a competitive game into the fourth period; I’ll gladly take the points with a home underdog.
Jets +11.5 vs. Bills
New York has a top-10 defense, and hopefully, that’s enough to keep things close. The key is Zach Wilson not giving the game and the cover away. I’d understand this line if the Jets were one of the punching bags of the league, but they’re a competitive group.
Commanders +3 vs. Vikings
We’d like this a lot more at +3.5, but perhaps that ship has sailed. Minnesota’s 6-1 record is mostly fraudulent (the Miami game, for starters, should have been a loss) and Kirk Cousins is having his worst season since becoming a starter. Washington’s offense is a little more interesting with Taylor Heinicke, and the defense has been average or better most of the year.
Panthers +7.5 vs. Bengals
Cincinnati has a lot to fix after Monday’s no-show, but unfortunately, Ja’Marr Chase isn’t coming back anytime soon. Carolina’s pass defense is leaky but how much will Cincinnati be able to exploit it? P.J. Walker has pumped life back into DJ Moore. The Panthers can hang around.
Last Week: 3-2
Season: 27-13
Pianow's historical Throwing Darts record (only two losing seasons in 13 years) and 2022 weekly results are listed here.
