At long last, the desolate and dismal days and nights are over! Our real King, the NFL returns to rule our lives for the next 5 months. Long live the King!
Tonight, Jerry’s Boys will open the season against the Eagles who are the defending Champs from last season and will be trying to repeat. The Eagles are a hefty 8.5 favorite which is the largest of any point spread in games being played this coming weekend. (The Titans are also getting 8.5 in their game against the Broncos.) And while I am tempted to fly with the Philly Birds, give the 8.5 points and bet on them, I find myself already owing my bookie following my Commanders-over-the-Ravens losing wager of last week. I hate beginning the regular season tonite by losing another bet to her and going any further in the hole. As they say double negatively, “Scared money don’t make no money.” However, reckless money doesn’t make any money either. Thus I am passing on tonite’s action.
However, the Chiefs’ play the Chargers tomorrow night and that is where I plan to even the books betting-wise. The Chargers are getting 3.5 as the home dog in an AFC West Division rivalry game. There is another betting NFL maxim that instructs you to always take “Division-rivals-as-home-dogs”, and the Chargers sure enough fit that dynamic tomorrow night. Officially, this is a home game for the Chargers that was supposed to have been played in LA. However, the NFL has pulled an ICE move and deported the game to São Paulo, Brazil.
But even if the Chargers are not playing in LA for this contest, I will continue to lean on the hunch that tomorrow evening they will hold up on their end and at least cover the 3.5 spread. Andy Reid is 10-2 in opening games as the K.C. Coach and has never lost on the road. His two loses came at home. I am not betting the Chargers to win, but will take the 3.5 and settle for a 23-20 game where Andy’s record goes to 11-2.
So Go Bolts and let me get back even with that bookie of mine before she has my thumbs broken. (Full disclosure, my wife Pam is my bookie and is riding the success of never having had a losing season to me yet when taking my bets. Of course all that is going to change this year right?!)
Musically, check out this Thursday Night Football Theme from a couple years back. See if it doesn’t sound like a Christmas tune from Mannheim Steamroller on steroids. It should serve to get you in the mood for some football however.