All four teams returning from their "bye" week this past Sunday are true Playoff contenders, including New England, Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, and Carolina. As we`ve seen, some teams successful use the extra week to regroup and prepare while others turn to rust. While these teams are now well rested, which of them are ready to make that push to the Super Bowl?
New England watched the games from home this past weekend after splitting a pair of games against two very tough opponents in Denver and Atlanta. You would think that the Patriots would be a great play with an extra week of rest behind genius Head Coach Bill Belichick, but that?s not the case, as Belichick has only posted a 5-5 ATS record with the Patriots since taking command. New England does stay at home as they host Division rival Buffalo this Sunday, but that might not help either as we find them at 0-2 ATS in the home favorite role against the AFC East following their ?Bye? week. Mixed Angles in this battle as the favorite have now posted a 5-0-1 ATS mark during the last six games in this series, however, New England is only 1-9 ATS as favorites following a loss in their previous game.
Jacksonville is another team that is led by a strong Head Coach in Jack Del Rio, but just 1-1 ATS with a week of rest behind his leadership. Jacksonville is a solid 4-2 SU behind one of the best defensive units which has not allowed more then 20-points this season! They head to St. Louis this Sunday and face a Ram?s squad that?s allowed 27-points or more in 5 of their 7 games this year. At the time of this writing the line has not yet been posted, but should the Rams end up as home dogs in this one, we must note their 5-0 ATS record as non-division home dogs.
While Carolina is an expansion franchise that was formed during the ?Bye? week era, they haven?t taken well to the week of rest as we find them at 4-9 SU & 6-7 ATS following their ?Bye? week, including a 2-2 ATS record behind HC Fox. Before their break, Carolina was headed in the right direction as they defeated Detroit, 21-20, and moved into Playoff contention at 3-3 SU. Their schedule has been very kind as they have a shot for another victory as they host the faltering Minnesota Vikings and opened as touchdown favorites. Carolina is only 7-17 ATS as favorites the past three seasons, but 18-7 ATS against opponents that are averaging 17-points per game or less.
This might be a tough spot for 5-1 Tampa Bay to show emotion as they?re double digit road favorites against 1-5 San Francisco following their ?Bye? week. Tampa Bay is 3-1 ATS after a week of rest behind Head Coach Jon Gruden, but only 6-11 ATS during their last 17 games following the ?Bye? week. The extra week will help some of the Bucs injuries, including RB Cadillac Williams who is expected to return to the starting lineup, however, not ready to lay that much lumber with a team coming off rest and starting a new QB in Chris Simms.
New England watched the games from home this past weekend after splitting a pair of games against two very tough opponents in Denver and Atlanta. You would think that the Patriots would be a great play with an extra week of rest behind genius Head Coach Bill Belichick, but that?s not the case, as Belichick has only posted a 5-5 ATS record with the Patriots since taking command. New England does stay at home as they host Division rival Buffalo this Sunday, but that might not help either as we find them at 0-2 ATS in the home favorite role against the AFC East following their ?Bye? week. Mixed Angles in this battle as the favorite have now posted a 5-0-1 ATS mark during the last six games in this series, however, New England is only 1-9 ATS as favorites following a loss in their previous game.
Jacksonville is another team that is led by a strong Head Coach in Jack Del Rio, but just 1-1 ATS with a week of rest behind his leadership. Jacksonville is a solid 4-2 SU behind one of the best defensive units which has not allowed more then 20-points this season! They head to St. Louis this Sunday and face a Ram?s squad that?s allowed 27-points or more in 5 of their 7 games this year. At the time of this writing the line has not yet been posted, but should the Rams end up as home dogs in this one, we must note their 5-0 ATS record as non-division home dogs.
While Carolina is an expansion franchise that was formed during the ?Bye? week era, they haven?t taken well to the week of rest as we find them at 4-9 SU & 6-7 ATS following their ?Bye? week, including a 2-2 ATS record behind HC Fox. Before their break, Carolina was headed in the right direction as they defeated Detroit, 21-20, and moved into Playoff contention at 3-3 SU. Their schedule has been very kind as they have a shot for another victory as they host the faltering Minnesota Vikings and opened as touchdown favorites. Carolina is only 7-17 ATS as favorites the past three seasons, but 18-7 ATS against opponents that are averaging 17-points per game or less.
This might be a tough spot for 5-1 Tampa Bay to show emotion as they?re double digit road favorites against 1-5 San Francisco following their ?Bye? week. Tampa Bay is 3-1 ATS after a week of rest behind Head Coach Jon Gruden, but only 6-11 ATS during their last 17 games following the ?Bye? week. The extra week will help some of the Bucs injuries, including RB Cadillac Williams who is expected to return to the starting lineup, however, not ready to lay that much lumber with a team coming off rest and starting a new QB in Chris Simms.
