THE 10 BEST GAMES TO BET
RAMS at JETS
1 p.m., Rams by 3, 46 ½
HANK’S HONEYS: The Rams are the better, more motivated, more rested team, which makes this appear as a sucker line. Still, we’re biting. Aaron Rodgers looked pretty good in Jacksonville but the Rams are not the Jags. They are the new leaders of the NFC West and Sean McVay usually knows what to do with a lead. It might be back and forth for a while, but ultimately, Matthew Stafford, never bothered by the cold, will make use of his superior weapons, including a much-improved run game, to pull away. The Jets, BTW, have lost their last seven ATS against the NFC.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Rams and the over.
GIANTS at FALCONS
1 p.m., Falcons by 10 ½, 40 ½
HANK’S HONEYS: It’s one thing for the Ravens to lay these kinds of points. It’s another for the Falcons, with Michael Penix Jr. making his first start. As bad as the Giants are — as bad as any team that has worn the proud uniform — this has to be a record spread for a QB making his rookie debut. Drew Lock is Y.A. Tittle by comparison. This Falcons defense isn’t very good and the Giants have just enough with Malik Nabers and Tyrone Tracy to keep this inside the number in a low-scoring game.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Giants and the under.
STEELERS at RAVENS
Saturday, 4:30 p.m., Ravens by 6 ½, 45
HANK’S HONEYS: Anyway you look at this game, it’s the Ravens, even with the big spread among hated rivals and with so much on the line. It’s always a physical game and the Ravens are better prepared for it. They emptied the bench against the Giants last week coming out of their bye. The Steelers have run a gauntlet of four divisional games before last week’s loss in Philly. They looked a bit tired in that one and could be without T.J. Watt on D and WR George Pickens for a third straight week. Flying high, the Ravens will be looking for revenge. Pittsburgh’s offense won’t keep up.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Ravens and the over.
EAGLES at COMMANDERS
1 p.m., Eagles by 3 ½, 45 ½
HANK’S HONEYS: We’re going to bite on the hook here with the Commanders battling for a wild card spot. The Eagles, while looking like sure Super Bowl contenders, clinched a playoff spot last week and can afford to take a breath. The Commanders almost blew a 17-point lead by already looking ahead to this one. Jayden Daniels was slumping when the teams met five weeks ago but has picked it up since. Saquon Barkley and A.J. Brown could be dinged up. The Eagles defense is elite and the Washington D hasn’t been far off. The total has been bet down but it’s still an under pick.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Commanders and the under.
LIONS at BEARS
1 p.m., Lions by 7, 48
HANK’S HONEYS: The Lions’ plethora of defensive injuries bit them last week against the Bills. But do the Bears have enough offensive punch to cover against the Lions for the second time? Caleb Williams, a rookie with a third person calling plays for him, has taken a step back and his offensive line has him on his heels from the snap of the ball. They’ve averaged 14.75 ppg since Week 8, topping 20 points only once. No one is stopping the Lions, now averaging over 32 ppg for the season.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Lions and the over.
CARDINALS at PANTHERS
1 p.m., Cards by 4 ½, 47
HANK’S HONEYS: The Panthers are back to underdog status after collapsing in the favorites’ role against the Cowboys and that mini-streak of improved play they were riding might be over and done. The Cardinals no longer have a clear path to the playoffs but this is an opportunity to dominate a bad team for the second straight week. Hard-running James Conner matches up well against the rubbery Carolina run defense, which has allowed 173 yards per game. Meanwhile, after struggling to cover CeeDee Lamb, they’ve got another challenge against Marvin Harrison Jr.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Cardinals and the under.
VIKINGS at SEAHAWKS
4:05 p.m., Vikings by 4 ½, 43
HANK’S HONEYS: The forecast is miserable in Seattle with rain and high winds, making this an under bet before backing either side. Geno Smith is evidently going to play through his knee injury but his O-line has been ravaged by injury. The Seahawks, with a return from RB Kenneth Walker on the horizon, are going to have to shorten the game and rely on their defense. With points at a premium, that has us leaning toward the underdog as well. Sam Darnold has been getting a bit careless with the football lately and Kevin O’Connell isn’t going to want to open things up. The spot says Seahawks. Minnesota has Green Bay on deck. Seattle is a desperate team and should play that way.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Seahawks and the under.
JAGUARS at RAIDERS
4:25 p.m., Raiders by 1 ½, 39 ½
HANK’S HONEYS: Two dreadful teams but a good opportunity for smart bettors with the Raiders matching up much better. The Jaguars’ pass defense gives up big plays at an alarming rate. Aidan O’Connell is due back, which may not sound like much but he does have the arm to stretch the field, with TE Brock Bowers working underneath. Maxx Crosby and the Raiders’ pass rush has been heating up with 12 sacks in three games. Mac Jones is vulnerable to pressure and his O-line gives up a lot of it. Put a few dimes on the over while you’re at it. Neither team has anything to lose.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Raiders and the over.
BUCS at COWBOYS
8:20 p.m., Bucs by 3 ½, 48 ½
HANK’S HONEYS: Baker Mayfield may receive a lot of plaudits for his competitiveness but this Bucs team can run the football, up to No. 2 in the NFL behind Bucky Irving and Rachaad White. That’s indicative of a team poised to make a stretch run. The Cowboys, meanwhile, cannot stop the run, which leads to a whole lot of other bad stuff. The Cowboys’ impressive win over the Panthers last week doesn’t mean they’re suddenly going to click. It’s more about how poorly the Panthers and Bryce Young played. They’ll revert to the norm here.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Bucs and the over.
SAINTS at PACKERS
Monday, 8:15 p.m., Packers by 13 ½, 42 ½
HANK’S HONEYS: The Packers may be caught looking ahead to next week’s showdown with the Vikings enough to let the Saints slide in under the number. The Saints still have fight in them, as evidenced by their late rally to cover when they could have quit against the Commanders. The Packers are a good first-half bet but the back door will be open once they get ahead.
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Saints and the under.
LOOK BUT DON’T TOUCH
49ERS at DOLPHINS
4:25 p.m., Dolphins by 1 ½, 46 ½
HANK’S HONEYS: Both teams came into the season with high hopes that were quickly shot down with injuries playing a part. So it’s hard to figure which one of them will put up a fight. After playing one game in a blizzard and another in pouring rain, a regressing Brock Purdy should feel better in balmy Miami. He’s got a contract coming up but do the 49ers just want to get the season over with? Tua Tagovailoa threw away the Dolphins’ fading hoped with three INTs in Houston while his team dominated the stat sheet. Does he respond with a big game? Too many ifs, other than the under.
CAN’T HELP YOURSELF?: Dolphins and the under.
BEST OF THE REST
TEXANS at CHIEFS
Saturday, 1 p.m., Chiefs by 3, 41
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Chiefs and the under.
BROWNS at BENGALS
1 p.m., Bengals by 7, 47
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Bengals and the over.
TITANS at COLTS
1 p.m., Colts by 4 ½, 42 ½
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Titans and the under.
PATRIOTS at BILLS
4:25 p.m., Bills by 14 ½, 46 ½
IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Patriots and the over.
* * *
WEEK’S BEST BET: Cardinals. Fading Carolina.
LAST WEEK: 5-11, 8-7-1 over/under
OVERALL: 103-117-4, 113-108-3 over/under
BEST BETS: 8-7
