I am going with Stoke to do no worse than draw at home against Everton.

Stoke have not lost at home since last November, since then they have won twice and drawn three times at the Britannia Stadium and that includes holding Man Utd to a draw, they are not an easy team to beat at home.

Everton away form in the league has picked up, they are unbeaten in their last three away games, but prior to that they were rank poor and the opposition recently has hardly been the best. Stoke are a much tougher opponent than the likes of Crystal Palace, Hull City and Leicester City and I am yet to be convinced that Everton can beat a team with a decent home record,

For this pick to actually lose then Everton must win, I am more confident that Stoke will either win or the game ends in a draw than I am of an away win.

Therefore Stoke on the spreads is the value pick.

I would have preferred a slightly lower handicap on this one and accepted lower odds, but I am still confident that Leeds United can overcome the spread.

For starters Leeds are flying at the moment, they may have lost against local rivals Barnsley at the weekend, but that was away from home and a derby and now they are back at home I do expect them to get back to winning ways.

Leeds have won their last five home games on the bounce and have won 9 of their last 11 home matches, additionally, they have won four of their last six home games by more than one goal.

Forest finally won at the weekend, that was their first win in eight Championship games, but they were at home and were playing a side in the bottom six, Leeds away is a very different proposition.

Also, Forest have won just twice away all season and lost an incredible 9 times from their 14 away games.

Leeds really should win this game, it is just a question of whether they can win by two goals, I am very confident they can and that is my pick on this game.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I cannot see the Steelers getting close to the Patriots tonight and fully expect New England to win this game by double figures.

The Steelers are a tough outfit, but they are not in the same class as the Patriots and in my view the only way this game will be close is if New England play below form, something I do not see happening.

I would have take the Patriots -10 and so -6 is a gift as far as I am concerned.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I struggle to see anything other than a convincing win for the Falcons in this one.

I have seen both these teams in almost all of their games this season and even though the Packers have improved significantly I do not see them as a match for the Falcons.

In my opinion, if the Falcons play to their true ability they will win this one and win it comfortably.

Massive game this one and I am very confident that Tottenham will not lose.

Tottenham are absolutely on fire, they are beating anyone that comes up against them, their wins have been convincing home or away, they have won their last six Premier League games scoring 19 goals, they have good enough cover for the injured Jan Vertonghen and are very strong in every position.

City may well have home advantage but they are hardly inspiring at the moment, the 4-0 loss to Everton showed us a team with serious issues and the magic of Pep Guardiola is not working, their defence is very vulnerable and even when they have won recently it has not been convincing.

Tottenham have been beating City in their recent meetings and City have a very poor record against the top sides over the last couple of seasons.

This Tottenham side are serious title challengers, the same cannot be said about City and the only reason I am taking Tottenham on the spreads and not outright is because City do have home advantage.

All things considered I am going for Tottenham on the spread.

Hard to see anything other than a convincing home win for West Brom today.

Four of West Broms last six home games have been won by at least two goals, their only losses in that time span have been to both Manchester clubs.

Sunderland on the other hand have lost their last four away games by at least two goals and there is little sign of that improving any time soon.

Over their last 17 Premier League games West Brom have lost just four times and they were against Tottenham, Chelsea, Man City and Liverpool, in better words, only the very best beat West Brom these days.

Sunderland seem to lose to almost anyone, they are second bottom and are playing without any confidence, this is the perfect time to be playing them.

I cannot see anything other than a West Brom win and do expect them to win by at least two goals.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I do expect that the Patriots will win this one and probably comfortably, but not by such a high margin that is on offer and I am taking the Texans to remain within 17 points.

There is no getting away from the fact that Chelsea are in great form overall, but I do not see them as any sort of value to win this game and there is good reasons why they may not.

For starters their unbeaten run came to an abrupt end away to Tottenham, they have problems with certain players, Costa as an example and it was always the case that they would at some point have a dip in form, that time could well be now.

Leicester are not the team they were last season, but they have shown on occasions, especially against the big teams, that they can be competitive again as they proved against Man City recently.

The Foxes are no easy side to beat at their home ground and with questions about Chelsea now surfacing I am inclined to go with the home side not to lose and claim at least a draw and therefore cover the spread.

I just do not make the Seahawks 8 point favourites in this match up, they may well win the game, but not by the margin that the odds show.

Detroit may have well lost their last three games, but look at who their opposition was in those games, the Giants, Cowboys and Packers, all teams that reached the post season.

The Seahawks have hardly done that much better, they have as many losses as wins in their last six games and in their final game only just got the better of the woeful 49er's.

I was very tempted to go with the Lions to win this one outright to be honest, the odds were just so inviting, but I cannot ignore their last three games despite the calibre of opposition, but 8 points is just far too high in my opinion.

All things considered the value is the Lions +8

I am going with Crystal Palace to win by at least a couple of goals. 

Crystal Palace home record this season has seen them gain two wins, one draw and six losses. 

Their recent form, over their last five league games has seen them record no wins, two draws and three losses. 

In their most recent league game they lost 2-0 against Arsenal and find themselves in 17th position on 16 points. 

Palace are now under new management with former England boss Sam Allardyce at the helm and even though they lost 2-0 against Arsenal they did show improved form and if any manager can get quick results when taking over it is Allardyce, he is a master at turning clubs around and I fully expect that to be the case today. 

Swansea City away record this season has seen them gain one wins, one draws and seven losses. 

Their recent form, over their last five league games has seen them record one wins, no draws and four losses. 

In their most recent league game they lost 3-0 against Bournemouth and find themselves in 20th on 12 points. 

Swansea are in a terrible state, they have a third manager this season, Paul Clement, though he will not be in charge today, they are in a serious downward spiral, they have zero confidence and there is zero evidence that they do any better today than they did against Bournemouth.

Take Palace to win by a couple of goals, they are simply in a better situation than their opponents.

I am going with Arsenal to win this one and win it comfortably 

AFC Bournemouth home record this season has seen them gain five wins, one draw and three losses. 

Their recent form, over their last five league games has seen them record two win, no draws and three losses. 

In their most recent league game they have won 3-0 against Chelsea and find themselves in ninth position on 24 points. 

Bournemouth have recorded some good results at home, notably against Tottenham and Liverpool, but this time they will be without Jack Wilshere and facing a team that tends to beat smaller teams consistently 

Arsenal away record this season has seen them gain five wins, two draws and two losses. 

Their recent form, over their last five league games has seen them record three wins, no draws and two losses. 

In their most recent league game the gunners won 2-0 against Crystal Palace and find themselves in fourth on 40 points. 

This is a game that the Gunners really should win, especially if they continue to harbour hopes of winning the Premier League, they will not have to face Wilshere as they have loaned him to Bournemouth and therefore they will be facing a weakened team.

All things considered I do expect Arsenal to win by at least two goals.

I am going with Burnley not to lose this game by more than two goals. 

Manchester City home record this season has seen them gain five wins, three draw and one losses. 

Their recent form, over their last five league games has seen them record three win, 0 draws and two losses. 

In their most recent league game the citizens lost 1-0 against Liverpool and find themselves in fifth position on 39 points. 

City are clearly not firing on all cylinders, they are closer to missing out on a Champions League spot than winning the title and while they may win this game, I am not convinced they will win it in a canter.

Burnley away record this season has seen them gain no wins, one draw and seven losses. 

Their recent form, over their last five league games has seen them record three wins, no draws and two losses. 

In their most recent league game the clarets won 4-1 against Sunderland and find themselves in 11th on 23 points. 

Burnley are in good recent form and while I cannot see them actually winning this game, I do see them staying close to City.

All things considered I am going for Burnley on the spread.

I am going with Liverpool to stroll to victory today

Sunderland home record this season has seen them gain three wins, one draw and five losses. 

Their recent form, over their last five league games has seen them record one win, no draws and four losses. 

In their most recent league game the black cats lost 4-1 against Burnley and find themselves in 18th position on 14 points. 

Sunderland are woeful again, they did look to be getting it right, but four losses in their last five games, especially the manner of the loss against Burnley, has seen their season hit the skids once again and I cannot see it getting any better today. 

Liverpool away record this season has seen them gain six wins, two draws and two losses. 

Their recent form, over their last five league games has seen them record four wins, one draw and no losses. 

In their most recent league game the reds won 1-0 against Manchester City and find themselves in second on 43 points. 

Bottom line for me is that if Liverpool play to form then they willwin this game and win it by at least a couple of goals and all the available evidence indicates that is exactly what is going to happy.

Liverpool to win by at least two goals.

I am going with Hull City to get either the win or draw today 

West Bromwich Albion home record this season has seen them gain four wins, two draw and three losses. 

Their recent form, over their last five league games has seen them record two win, no draws and three losses. 

In their most recent league game they won 2-1 against Southampton and find themselves in eighth position on 26 points. 

West Brom are not exactly consistent, they may be doing better than Hull this season, but they are just as capable of losing this game or more likely to draw it as they are to win. 

Hull City away record this season has seen them gain one win, one draw and seven losses. 

Their recent form, over their last five league games has seen them record no wins, two draw and three losses. 

In their most recent league game they drew 2-2 against Everton and find themselves in 19th on 13 points. 

If Hull can play this game like they did against Everton then there is every chance that they will collect at least a point, this is a good chance for them to get some momentum going and I am of the opinion that they will take it.

Take Hull +1

Happy New Year

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I really do fancy the Packers to win this one and win it by a decent margin, I feel the -3.5 points is too low and that Green Bay will win this by at least 6.

Happy New Year

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

The spread is a little high but the Cardinals really should be able to cover it, they are by far the better side and more than capable of winning this by 10 or more points.

Happy New Year

Due to time constraints over this holiday period there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I am going with the Dolphins to remain within 8 points of the Patriots in this one, the Patriots will probably win the game, but my analysis as it at about 5 points.

Happy New Year

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I can understand why the Eagles are the favourites in this one but the spread is simply too high for me and I see this being a lot closer.

Happy New Year

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Cannot see the Jaguars getting anything from this one at all and do expect the Colts to run out convincing winners.

Due to time constraints over the Christmas period there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I fully expect City to win this one, I know they have been inconsistent, but they are playing the worse team in the Premier League and if they cannot win this one then they have some serious issues.

Not only do I expect City to win, but expect them to win by at least two goals.

Due to time constraints over the Christmas period there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Chelsea are flying and with home advantage I expect them to continue their winning ways and to win this one by at least a couple of goals.

Due to time constraints over the Christmas period there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I see United winning this one by a single goal, they are not quite there under Jose Mourinho and Sunderland have improved under David Moyes, therefore backing Sunderland with a two goal lead is the safe option.

Due to time constraints over the Christmas period there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I fully expect Arsenal to bounce back from their loss to Man City, yes West Brom are a hard team to beat, but a wounded Arsenal at home is very formidable and I expect them to win this game by at least two goals, if not more.

Merry Christmas, I hope you all have had a wonderful day.

There will be little analysis today because of the festivities, but be assured that this pick has been analysed and researched and is posted with the highest confidence.

I am going with the Steelers to win this one and win it by at least 7 points and am therefore happy to accept -5.5 spread.

I am going with the Raiders to win this one and cover the spread.

Oakland only had themselves to blame for their loss against Kansas, they had more than enough opportunities to win that game but failed to take them, a lot had to do with Carr, his injured finger obviously had an impact no matter what he says, his throwing was well off and he was hesitant, I do not expect that to be an issue today.

If the Raiders get their act together today they will win this no matter how the Chargers do, they are the better team, they are well rested now and unlike San Diego, they do have something to play for.

Take the Raiders -2.5

I fully expect the Packers to win this one and win it convincingly.

I have Green Bay as seven point favourites in this one and so the spread being set at just 4 makes this a must have pick.

Green Bay have huge momentum at the moment, they still have play off hopes, which did look dead a couple of weeks back, but they have put together a winning streak and when any team has a resurgence then they become almost unstoppable.

Chicago are hardly the hardest opponents and I just cannot see them putting too many points on the board against the Packers defense.

All things considered I am going for the Packers and for them to win by more than four points.

I am going with West Ham on the spreads here.

This is more about how poor Hull have been recently as opposed to how well West Ham have been doing, which has not been great.

But, West Ham did get a confidence boosting win midweek against Burnley and that followed a very creditable draw away at Liverpool, they seem to be building some momentum and will be looking for a third good result in a row today.

Hull City have won just once in their last 14 Premier League games, they scrape the odd draw now and then but generally speaking have been woeful, they got beat easily 3--0 away at Spurs midweek and have lost their last six away games in the Premier League on the bounce, they have conceded 19 goals in those six games and scored just twice, a truly awful record.

I expect West Ham to win and to win by more than one goal today.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I am taking Everton on the spreads.

The only way this pick loses is if Everton lose at home, something that happens rarely, the last big side to visit Goodison Park was United and that ended in a draw.

Take Everton +0.5

I am going with the Ravens to stay within 6.5 points of the Patriots this evening.

Out of the last six games between these two the points difference has been four or fewer on no less than four occasions and it must be noted that while New England do regularly beat the Ravens, the Ravens have notched up a couple of wins themselves over the Patriots,

Both sides have something significant to play for, New England want to claim first seed and the Ravens are still very much in the race for top spot in the AFC North.

New England are used to running over their opponents, but they simply do not do that too often against Baltimore, yes they do get the better of them more often than not, but generally by close margins.

I am not saying that Baltimore will win this one, that would be a bit of a leap, but I am saying that they will remain within six points of their opponents and that is my pick tonight.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I am going withe the Bengals to win this one and cover the five point spread.

The Browns have had a horrendous season and I cannot see it getting any better today against the Bengals and while Cincinnati have not had a great season themselves, it has still been a whole lot better than what Cleveland have served up.

Take the Bengals to cover the spread.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I fancy the Titans in this one, the circumstances of this game are in their favour and I expect them to take advantage of the lack of certainty over the QB situation at Denver.

It will be close but I am confident that Tennessee will prevail at home,

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I cannot see beyond a Redskins win and I am very confident they will cover the low spread, I had them as three points favourites and so with the spread at just 1.5 I am happy to go with that.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I am taking Tottenham not to lose this game and will be backing them on the spreads.

Form, points and league standing all prove that Tottenham are the better team and United are not as strong at home as they have been in previous seasons.

United continue to struggle while Tottenham have finally got back to winning ways beating Swansea 5-0 last week and winning in the Champions League midweek.

I would not put anyone off backing Spurs to win this game outright, but the safer option at great odds is to back Spurs on the spread.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I am going with AZ Alkmaar on the spreads.

AZ are strong at home, they are unbeaten at home in the league this season and teams that have failed to win at AZ include the likes of Ajax.

Feyenoord may be top, but they have failed to win their last two away games and are simply not as string on the road as they are at home.

Take AZ on the spreads.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I fully expect Southampton to win this one in front of their home fans and to win it by more than the one goal.

The Saints have to win to qualify it is as simple as that, a draw will see Hapoel qualify, only a win will do for Southampton.

On paper Southampton are the better side and I expect that to show this evening.

I fancy the Redskins to bounce back from their very unlucky defeat against Dallas and win this game against a demoralised Arizona.

The Cardinals have lost three of their last four games, with the only win in that sequence against the woeful 49ers, they are not a team in a good place and their hopes of making the play offs are slipping fast.

Washington still have something to play for and will take a lot from their loss against the Cowboys, they showed they can compete with the best and they will be confident that they have too much firepower for the Cardinals to handle.

The fact that I can get 2.5 points with the Redskins as well is simply a gift, one I will gratefully accept.

Oakland are in great shape and I see no reason why they will fail tonight, not against the Bills anyway.

Oakland have won their last five games by 3, 7, 10, 6 and 17 points respectively, they have won their last home home games by 3, 7 and 10 points and I can see no reason why they cannot continue in that form.

The Bills have won their last two games, but they were hardly playing the elite and their three games prior to that saw them lose by 6, 16 and 3 points, and in their five losses this season the closest they got was a 3 points loss, the other four occasions was by margins of 6, 16, 6 and 6.

In better words when the Bills lose they almost always lose by more than 3 points and never below 3 points.

Because I see Oakland winning and the Bills losing today then it is logical to take the Raiders -3 and that is what I will doing

I am going to stay on the coat tails of the Cowboys and go with them to beat the Vikings and cover the spread at the same time.

The Cowboys are on a ten game winning streak and there is no real evidence that it will be the Vikings to stop them, both reams are playing for the third time in 12 days and so there is no advantage to be had there.

Obviously there is home advantage for the Vikings, but for me that is negligible, it has made no difference to Dallas playing home or away and I see no reason why it will make a difference tonight.

The Vikings have lost just the once in five at home but then Dallas have not lost once on the road.

This will come down to who is the better team and that is Dallas, the only question for me was the spread and will Dallas cover the three points.

I am confident they will, I have them as six point favourites in this and so the three point spread gives me little concern.

Take Dallas -3

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Tennessee have a great opportunity to rack up a confidence building win against a very poor Bears outfit and that is exactly what I expect them to do. They desperately need this win to keep alive any hopes they have of making the play offs and I expect them to be aggressive from the start.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I see the Dolphins handing out a severe beating to the 49ers today.

Miami have grown on me this season while San Francisco have vindicated my very low opinion of them and I expect that to be played out today.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Cowboys look unstoppable at the moment and while the Redskins are capable of putting in a good performance, I cannot see them staying with the Cowboys to the end and a spread of -5.5 looks very tasty and worth taking.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

This one looks like it will be a very close game, Washington may well emerge the winners, but I cannot see them winning by three or more points and am comfortable taking the Packers +3

Take Green Bay +3

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I cannot see anything other than a convincing Seahawks win in this one, I am happy with the spread, in my opinion it should have been higher as I see Seattle winning this one by at least ten points.

Take Seahawks -6.5

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I am liking the Dolphins more and more as each week passes and I believe they will have far too much firepower for the Rams to handle this evening and the fact that I can get them +1 is simply a gift I will not ignore.

Take Miami +1

I am going with the Giants to win this one tonight by more than one point.

This is going to be a tight game I am sure, the Giants have a habit of that, but they are on a winning run and have momentum, they are at home and are up against a side that is at best inconsistent.

The Giants have their vulnerabilities of course, but less so than the Bengals and for me this game could come down to the small things, getting the basics right, something I believe the Giants are better at than the Bengals.

The Giants also, in my opinion, have the better ability to do something special, a moment of magic that separates teams.

All things considered I am going with the Giants, I have more confidence in them to be able to get the job done, they have more going for them this evening.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I am of the opinion that the spread is too high, Seattle defence are more than capable of constraining the Patriots offense and while I accept that New England should win, I cannot see it being by more than seven.

I am taking the Vikings to get back to winning ways this evening.

The Vikings had a brilliant start going 5-0, then the bye week came and then they lost, for me that was just a hiccup and they are well set to bounce back against a very poor and vulnerable Chicago side that has won just the once this season.

The spread has been set at just 4 and my analysis has the Vikings better by at least 7 points, so I am more than happy to take the Vikings giving up just the four points.

All things considered I am taking the Vikings to beat the Bears.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Dallas really should win this one and win it is style, I had them down as 7 point favourites and so giving up just 4.5 points makes them a banker.

Cowboys all day long.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

The spread is a bit tight but I feel that the Broncos have enough in the tank to win this by more than 4 points, especially being encouraged by their home crowd.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I would have gone for the Bills straight up to win this one at some great odds but at this time that option is not available to me on here, so I will take them plus 6.5 points, for me that is a gift.

I know New England are hot favourites and will be looking for revenge, but I believe that the Bills have that mental edge on the Patriots and will win again.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I like the Raiders and expect them to emerge the winners today against the Bucs.

Oakland are surprising a few people this season, they are 5-2 and have genuine play off hopes, whereas the Bucs are inconsistent and while they are on a two game winning run, you have to note the opposition in those games.

Oakland destroyed the Jaguars last week and I see them maintaining that sort of form today.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I see this one being very close with very little to separate the sides, but I do feel that the Bucs have the slight edge, even with the 49ers at home

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I really do like the Falcons, they are playing solid, even when they lose, I am confident that they will beat the Chargers and cover the spread this evening.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

The Dolphins surprised me last week, but I cannot see them doing that two weeks in a row and take the Bllls to win this one and cover the spread.

I really cannot see anything other than a Cardinals win in this one, it is just a little disappointing that the spread is not set slightly lower than 7.

Arizona are better than they have shown so far this season, the fact that they have lost the same amount of games this season as they did last season shows the sort of stuttering start they have endured, however, their start pales into comparison with the rotten start the Jets have had.

Carson Palmer returns for Arizona this evening and that news just makes this pick all the more solid and of course they are at home.

When Arizona win they tend to win convincingly as their two wins this season have shown, when the Jets lose they tend to lose convincingly as their last three losses show and that is what I expect to happen tonight.

I would have liked a spread of 6.5 but the truth is that is me being greedy, I actually believe that Arizona will win by at least 10 and so am happy to accept the spread of 7.

Take the Cardinals -7

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I cannot see the Falcons losing this one by 7, they are better than what they are being given credit for and I would not be surprised if they actually won this one, but the value is backing them +7

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I fancy the Rams to win this one outright, but the spread was too generous and the value lies in taking the Rams with 3.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I really like this Steelers outfit and I am convinced they will win this one by double figures, I am happy to take them giving up 7 against a very mediocre Dolphins.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I cannot see anything other than a very convincing New England win tonight, I could have done with the spread being a little lower, but then that is me being greedy, I expect the Patriots to win this by at least ten points.

I am taking the Denver Broncos to bounce back from last weekends defeat at the hands of the Falcons and claim the win tonight.

I actually predicted Atlanta to beat the Broncos , mainly because I felt that Denver were being complacent and had yet to be really tested, basically they were living off last years Superbowl win, which is never a good thing.

The loss to Atlanta will have done them the world of good, it was a kick up the backside they needed, they will be far more focused this evening, that you can take to the bank.

A lot is being made about how unlucky San Diego were last week against the Raiders, should they have won? yes of course, but Oakland are a level below Denver and if they struggled against Oakland, then they are in for a shock tonight.

I predicted that Oakland and San Diego would be a high scoring game and I was right, not because of a fearsome offense but because San Diego are very vulnerable in defence, they conceded 34 last week, 35 the week before, 26 before that and 14 and 33 before that, they are 1-4 for a reason.

Denver on the other hand have not conceded more than 23 in any game this season and until last weeks defeat, they had not conceded more than 20, a huge difference in the respective defences.

Bottom line for me is that San Diego will struggle to contain the Denver offense, while the Bronos defence will be able to contain the Chargers offense.

A convincing Denver win for me.

I am going to give the Panthers another try, they have let me down quite a bit this season, but I am confident that they will still have enough about them to overcome Tampa Bay tonight.

At the time of writing this there is still a doubt who will be the starting QB for Carolina, but it makes little difference to me, either Cam Newton or Derek Anderson will be enough to lead the Panthers to victory against a very poor Buccaneer defence.

This could be the game that gets Carolina back on track, if they were to lose it would be a disaster, they simply cannot afford to do so and I expect them to be very aggressive throughout the game, they need a big win to get some confidence back.

Tampa Bay are just not good enough in my opinion, their record against Carolina has been poor and this season they have conceded an average 32 points a game, a strong defence they do not have.

Carolina for me and comfortably. 

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I have so little confidence in the Giants these days, they are playing bad and cannot be backed at all, especially against the Packers, the spread is a little higher than I would have liked, however I am confident that the packers have enough in the tank to cover it.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I expect the Patriots to be dominant in this game, they will be looking to bounce back from the Buffalo loss and with Brady returning from his suspension they will be fully wound up and raring to go, especially against the winless Browns.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I cannot see anything other than an Eagles win here today and I expect them to win it comfortably, their QB Carson Wentz is on fire and I see no reason why he will all of a sudden have a bad game, the Lions are there for the taking and that is what I see the Eagles doing.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I like the look of Miami in this one, I have a low opinion of Tennessee and am convinced that the Dolphins will beat them and cover the spread at the same time, I am happy with the spread set at -3 and will be backing that with confidence.  

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Ravens all day for me in this one, in fact I can see them winning this by double figures and so the spread being set at just -3.5 is like a gift to me, a gift I will absolutely be accepting.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I expect a much better performance from Carolina this week and have them to win this game and cover the spread.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I have the Seahawks winning this one and winning it by at least five points, so the handicap being set at just -1 is a gift and one I intend to take advantage of. 

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I really do fancy the Texans to beat the Titans comfortably in this one, I would have taken them given up as much as 7 points, so only having to give up 4 is an opportunity I will not miss out on.

Dolphins @ Bengals

I am taking the Dolphins to cover the spread in this one.

I am not saying they will win outright, but I struggle to see the Bengals winning by two scores or a two point converted touchdown.

I accept that the Bengals have had harder games overall and have been unlucky, but they have not shown me that they are world beaters either and that they will crush the Dolphins in this one.

I do expect the Dolphins to be better than they have been, head coach Adam Gase has made his feeling very public, threatening to bench any Dolphin player that does not perform to his expectations and I am of the opinion that threat will have an effect.

This game could well come down to how their respective QuarterBacks throw the ball, both are struggling with their running game and unless they improve in that area then it will fall to their QB's to put up big performances.

Miami's Ryan Tannehill has turned the ball over no less than five times over his last two outings but has thrown five touchdowns, which compares favourably with the Bengals Andy Dalton, who may have only turned the ball over twice in three games but only thrown two touchdowns.

Bottom line for me is that I see this game being a lot closer than the spread suggests, Bengals may well win but not by 7.5 points.

Due to time constraints picks will be published without analysis, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I am very confident that the Raiders will win this one and will be backing them to do just that.

Due to time constraints picks will be published without analysis, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I fully expect the Giants to win this one and cover the spread.

Due to time constraints picks will be published without analysis, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I cannot see anything other than a comprehensive win for the Panthers and expect them to cover the spread withe ease.

Due to time constraints picks will be published without analysis, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I like the look of the Bengals in this one and would have taken them to cover a higher spread.

Eagles @ Bears

I am going to go with the Eagles to cover the spread on this one.

A lot will depend on whether rookie quarterback Carson Wentz puts in another stellar performance, I see no reason why he will not and expect another big game from the 23 year old.

The Eagle do have some significant injury concerns otherwise I would have been tempted to go for the outright win at great odds, but I am confident that they will still be able to put up the numbers against a weak Bears defence.

The Bears may have home advantage, but that hardly served them well last season with just the one win at Soldier field and their opening game 23-14 loss to Houston must be cause for concern, especially the fact that they failed to score a single point in the second half.

The Bears struggle against the rush and I fully expect the Eagles to exploit that deficiency.

That said, this will be a close one, as stated above the Eagles do have significant injury concerns and if Chicago can do a better job of protecting their quarterback tonight then they could be very potent offensively.

All things considered I am going with the Eagles to cover the spread.

Ravens @ Browns

I am going for the Ravens to win and to cover the spread against the Browns.

The Browns are an awful side, they are rank outsiders for a very good reason, they are not a top quality outfit and I expect them to play the role of whipping boys this season, something they are already on their way to achieving.

The Browns lost by a clear 19 points against the Eagles last week, they managed just one touchdown and one field goal and I have no confidence in them to do much better against Baltimore.

The Ravens defence last week was solid against the Bills, they gave up just seven points and while the Bills are not exactly playing great, it was still a grand effort.

So, we have a side that has got off to a winning start with a defence that is a tight as a ducks backside against a side that lost their opening game by a significant 19 points, says a lot to me. I know the Ravens were not that great offensively last week, but I do expect them to be able to take advantage of the Browns weak defence, their offense is not that bad and will progress I am sure.

Add to all this the fact that the Browns have lost QB Robert Griffin III then you can see why the outcome for them is not at all positive.

I know some will point to the Browns beating the Ravens last season, but I do not, it is a whole different scenario now and I am going for Baltimore to win and beat the spread

Baltimore on the spreads.

I am taking LA to win this one and to cover the spread at the same time.

Lets not beat about the bush here, LA are a better team, they have a better offense and a better defense, a case can be made for certain aspects of the 49ers game but compared to what the Rams have to offer they come off second best.

I am excited at seeing Todd Gurley show us what he is capable of once again, you can be sure that San Francisco will focus on him big time, but that could end up allowing others to come into the game more prominently, basically I see the 49ers having their hands full tonight.

The bottom line for me is quality, yes a lot will be made of Football returning to LA and of course there is Gurley, but there is far more to the Rams game than the headlines and it is the quality of the Rams as a whole that I see coming out on top tonight.

Take the Rams to win and cover the spread.

I am going with the Steelers to defeat the Redskins in this one.

For me this game is about character and I do question the Redskins character when under pressure..

I expect the Steelers to rip into the Redskins form the outset, they will know that if they put the pressure on that Washington will eventually fold, it showed on occasions last season and I am far from convinced that we will see any different this evening.

Of course Washington have home field advantage and that will count for something, but I cannot see it being enough to boost the Redskins to a win.

This will not be a walkover for Pittsburgh, I am not suggesting that at all, Washington do have some good positives, they have top stars like Matt Jones as an example, but I just cannot see them containing the Steelers offense for the whole game, they are strong with their receivers and running backs and that will tell this evening.

All things considered, I am going for a Pittsburg win, as stated above I do question the character of the Redskins and I am very suspect of their defence against the Steelers offense.

I am going with the New York Giants to get their season off to a winning start.

The loss for Dallas of Tony Romo is significant, they may well have a decent back up, but generally speaking, when Romo is injured it causes big problems for the Cowboys.

For me it was quite simple, the Giants attack is strong enough to take on and beat the Cowboys defence, I do not feel the same with the Dallas offence against the Giants defence.

Take the Giants to cover the spread

Paris St Germain v St Etienne

I fully expect that PSG will win this one and win it comfortably.

The French champions were shocked last week suffering a 3-1 loss away to Monaco, that would have been a wake up call and the timing could not be better at the start of the season.

PSG tend to win convincingly at home, their last five home games in Ligue 1 saw them win all five games by at least three goals, which puts into perspective the handicap of 1.5 today.

St Etienne have lost their last three away games at PSG by at least two goals, in fact they lost by two goals, three goals and five goals.

St Etienne have got off to a mixed start this season, winning once, drawing once and losing once and it seems that they face an inconsistent season, whereas PSG are expected to dominate the French league once again.

With their home record, their winning margins and record over St Etienne I am very confident that PSG will win this game by at least a couple of goals, if not more.

Bulgaria v Luxembourg

This will be a one sided game and Bulgaria really should emerge as convincing winners.

Luxembourg are minnows in soccer terms, they are slightly better than most minnows, but they are small fry none the less.

Bulgaria are not world beaters, they are a shadow of the team that we previously saw, however, they should have far too much for a team like Luxembourg, especially when they are at home.

There was never any doubt for me in selecting this game that Bulgaria would win, it was just a question of how many goals they would win by and two goals is not a lot to ask for, not with the gulf in quality between these two.

Luxembourg have lost eight of their last nine games by at least two goals and I really do not see that being any different tonight.

Bulgaria to win by at least two goals.

Andorra v Latvia

Latvia may not be one of the big boys in International soccer, but they are certainly a bigger and better team than Andorra and they should have more than enough to register a convincing win this evening in Europe.

When Latvia play the minnows they tend to win by two goals or more, recent results have seen them defeat Gibraltar 5-0 and Luxembourg 3-1 and while their recent positive results do mask their previous woeful form, they really should extend their unbeaten streak to six games today.

It has been 83 games since Andorra won a game, they have had the odd draw and have been close to some teams, but generally speaking they lose and lose by a good few goals, 

Three of Andorra's last five games have ended with them not being beat by 2 or more goals, but their games before that saw them take some severe beatings and their recent games have been against some very poor teams, not that much better than them.

Whatever way I look at this game all I see is a Latvia win and and a win by at least two goals.

Norway v Germany

There is a huge gulf between these two nations and anything less than a convincing away win would be a huge surprise to me.

Germany are the world champions, they lost out to host nation France in the Euro semi finals and are one of the best teams in International football, if not the best.

Norway could not even qualify for the Euro's, they are a very average International side and looking at their recent results at home when playing against the elite on football they tend to lose, they may well get results against some decent International sides, but when it comes to the very best and Germany are among the very best, they lose.

The handicap has been set at 1, which is a little high, but I am convinced that the Germans will win, it is just a case of by how many, they may well win by just the single goal, Norway are not minnows, but I am of the opinion that there is more chance of Germany winning by at least two goals rather than a single goal and for me the Germans have an excellent chance of covering the spread today.

Germany to win by a couple of goals.

San Marino v Azerbaijan

Two minnows of International football, but even at this level there is still one team far superior to the other.

Azerbaijan may be a very sub standard team, but that are still a whole lot better than San Marino and should really win this game by at least two goals.

You have to go back 12 years for the last time San Marino won an International game at any level, in fact that is their only win ever against another nation, it was against another minnow, Liechtenstein.

Back in November 2014 they managed a goalless draw against Estonia, prior to that they got draws against Liechtenstein, Latvia and strangely enough against Turkey back in 1993, though Turkey were hardly a quality footballing nation back then, that is it at International level, one win, four draws and that win was in a friendly, they have never won a game in World Cup or European Cup qualifications.

Now, Azerbaijan are not that much better, but they do get wins now and then and some decent draws, examples are draws with the likes of Croatia and Norway, wins over Moldova and Malta and they are results from the last two years, there have been other wins and draws in that time as well.

Anyone looking at results from almost any time period can see the world of difference between these two sides, last time out Croatia lost 10-0, yes 10-0, whereas the last game for Azerbaijan was a draw with Canada.

When I first looked at this game I had a 2.5 deficit on the handicaps in my head, so I was pleasantly surprised to see the handicap set at just 1.5, for me that is a gift and one I will gladly accept.

San Marino do on occasions have a close game, a recent 2-1 loss to Lithuania proves that, but some perspective is required, their game previous to that was a 6-0 loss to England, the game after that Lithuania result was 7-0 loss to Switzerland, a 2-0 loss to Slovenia and then that 10-0 thrashing.

As I have stated, Azebaijan are a minnow, but they are certainly a better side than San Marino and I fully expect them to show that today, easily.

The Handicap has been set very high on this one, however, the USA should really be able to cover it.

St Vincent are what is described as minnows in football terms, they really are out of their depths at this level and if they can keep the scoreline down to a four goal deficit then they will probably be pleased with that.

The US beat St Vincent last year 6-1 in the states and despite this game being played in St Vincent the result should not be any different.

Generally when a handicap has been set so high it makes bettors nervous, but in this case the high handicap is justified.

Not all St Vincent games end in goal droughts, they actually do win a few, however that is at their level, when they play higher grade teams they tend to take a bit of a beating.

All things considered I am going for the US to beat St Vincent by at least four goals.

Colombia v Venezuela

It really is hard to look beyond a home win here and a comfortable home win at that.

Venezuela are a really poor side, they hardly ever win away from home in the world cup qualifiers, over the last three world cups they have won just three times away from home in 20 games and those wins were against teams a lot poorer than this Colombia side, they have lost two of their three away games in this campaign by more than two goals and the chances are that is what will happen tonight.

Colombia at home are quite strong, in their last ten at home in the qualifiers they have lost just twice, both times to Argentina and drawn against Chile, other than that, they win and the further you go back the more that record continues.

It will be a major surprise if Venezuela get even a point from this game, a home win is expected all day long, the only real question is by how many will Colombia win by.

As stated above, Venezuela have already lost two of their three games on the road by at least two goals, with regards to Colombia, they have won two of their three home games by at least two goals, the only blip was the loss to Argentina.

The handicap has been set at 1.5 goals and for me that is about right, I do expect Colombia to win and I do expect them to win by at least two goals.

I am going with the New York Red Bulls to win this one and to win it by two or more goals.

The Red Bulls are one of the top MLS teams and at home they are formidable, in their last 9 games at home they have won 8 of them and in that run they have won by at least two goals on six occasions, including 4 of the last 5.

New England have lost 4 of their last six away matches, drawing twice and three of those losses have seen them lose by at least two goals.

Additionally, New England have taken just one point from their last five games, while New York are unbeaten in their last eight games, albeit with some draws thrown in.

Point is this, New York at home tend to win with a bit in hand while New England tend to lose comfortably away from home, certainly recently anyway and therefore the pick for me is for a home win on the spreads giving up one goal.

I actually fancy Start to get a result against Bodo/Glimt today

Start have had an awful season, they are rock bottom and have not won a single game on their travels, however, they have drawn 50% of their away games this season and have held their own against some of the top teams in the league.

Bodo are not exactly world beaters themselves, they are in a relegation dogfight as well and have won just three times from 11 games at home, their place is not a fortress by any stretch of the imagination.

I am not saying that Start will win, but I am far more confident in them getting a draw or grabbing their first away win of the season than I am with Bodo winning.

Take Start on the spread

This is a game that Malmo really should win and win comfortably and I will be backing them to do just that.

Malmo have won four of their last six home games by at least two goals, they are formidable at home and when they are in the mood they can inflict a beating on the visitors.

Jonkopings are no walkovers I admit, they have lost just once on the road this season by two goals or more, not bad for a promoted side, however, they are facing Malmo and if there is one team that can rack up the goals it is Malmo.

Jonkopings have done rather well this season, but they remain a promoted team that is significantly below the standard of Malmo and I fully expect that to be evident today

On Saturday and Sunday there are hundreds of soccer game to choose from and the time taken to analyse, research and choose the best picks is lengthy, therefore the written previews are shorter than usual, however, be assured that every single pick is fully analysed and researched and published with total confidence.

Two really poor teams and neither team fills me with much confidence, but that does not mean there is not an opportunity to be had in this match.

Gefle look a solid pick on the handicap, Falkenbergs are really not a good team and while Gefle are not much better they do not deserve to be underdogs in this one.

Put it this way, I am far more confident it will be either a draw or Gefle win than Falkenbergs winning and that is what I will be backing.

Gefle on handicap

On Saturday and Sunday there are hundreds of soccer game to choose from and the time taken to analyse, research and choose the best picks is lengthy, therefore the written previews are shorter than usual, however, be assured that every single pick is fully analysed and researched and published with total confidence.

Colorado Rapids v Orlando City

I fully expect the Rapids to win this one and to win it convincingly.

Colorado for me are one of the best teams in MLS while Orlando are no better than average, I cannot make a case for an away win in this one, all the evidence points to a comfortable home win.

Colorado bounced back from a surprise stuffing at the hands of New York City while Orlando have won just once in their last eight MLS fixtures.

Whatever way I look at this game it is a convincing home win for me.

On Saturday and Sunday there are hundreds of soccer game to choose from and the time taken to analyse, research and choose the best picks is lengthy, therefore the written previews are shorter than usual, however, be assured that every single pick is fully analysed and researched and published with total confidence.

Montreal Impact v Chicago Fire

Montreal are simply the better team, they have much better form and Chicago have been woeful this season.

The debate for me was not who would win, but how much Montreal would win by.

I am quite confident that they will win this one by a couple of goals, I just cannot see Chicago keeping them at bay for the entire 90 minutes.

The handicap has been set at one goal and for me that is too low.

Montreal to cover the spread.

On Saturday and Sunday there are hundreds of soccer game to choose from and the time taken to analyse, research and choose the best picks is lengthy, therefore the written previews are shorter than usual, however, be assured that every single pick is fully analysed and researched and published with total confidence.

Lillestroem v FK Haugesund

Lillestrom are on woeful form, they have won just once in their last ten games and there is no evidence that they will turn that form round today.

Haugesund have won their last two games on the bounce and are staring to put a mini streak together, they will want to come away from this game without a defeat at the very least.

Take Haugesund on the spreads.

West Ham are not the best travellers in Europe, last season they got dumped after losing their away game and this season they open up their Europa League campaign with a loss.

The Hammers also lost this week against Chelsea on the road, ok, it was Chelsea, however, the performance from West Ham was not exactly inspiring.

That said, they are playing inferior opposition in Astra, they really should win, but I simply cannot ignore the current form and their road form in Europe.

Additionally, the Romanians won their last game 3-1 at home and do come into this game with a semblance of confidence.

All things considered I am going for the home side to win or draw this one.

Viking v Stabaek

I fancy Stabaek to spring a little surprise here and hold Viking to at least a draw.

Form counts and Stabaek are unbeaten in their last four games in the league while Viking have lost their two most recent games.

Now, Viking are probably the better team, but their form is not showing that and it is wrong just to back a team because of their perceived superiority when results show the opposite.

I am not saying that Stabaek will win, what I am saying is that I think there is more chance of a draw or Stabaek winning than I am in a Viking win and will be backing Stabaek on the handicap.

Stabaek +0.5

Stromsgodset v Start

Stromgodset have been given a huge start in this by the handicapper and I am not sure it is justified.

Start are woeful I admit but Stromgodset have been woeful recently and they are on a poor run of form as well, they may well win this, but to win by at least two goals I do find a bit of a stretch.

Start do lose by two goals or more on the odd occasion, but not every game and in their last six away games they have not once lost by two or more goals.

Stromgodset do well at home I admit, but they have not won in their last three league games and the chances are they will be happy with a win by a single goal and not risk going all out for a ton of goals.

All things considered I am taking Start +1.5

PSV v AZ

When analysing today's game this one stood out, the reason is that I feel that the handicap has been set too high for PSV to overcome.

PSV should win this one, they are at home and are one of Hollands best sides, however AZ are no walkovers and giving PSV a 1.5 start does seem a little big, basically means they have to win by two clear goals and while a win for PSV is expected I am not sure it will be by a huge margin.

Take AZ + 1.5

Man City v Sunderland

I fully expect Man City to get off to a very good start today against a very limited Sunderland side.

Both cubs have new managers but that is where any sense of similarity ends between these two sides.

David Moyes is probably a good appointment following Sam Allardyce taking over the management of England, but he has his work cut out against City today, he simply does not have a squad with the quality to compete with the top sides, they barely survived relegation last season and the chances are they will spend the season attempting to avoid relegation once again.

City are a squad full of immense talent and with Pep Guardiola now in charge they are the favourites to win the Premier League this season and they will be going full speed ahead today to get their campaign off to the best possible start.

The handicap has been set quite high, but I am very confident that City will overcome it, they are far superior to Sunderland in every area, there is not one position that Sunderland are as good as City and that will be exposed today I am certain.

Take City to win this one by at least a couple of goals.

All my Soccer picks are researched and analysed fully, each one carries my full confidence with a focus on picks that offer value for money.

Rosenborg are a funny side to gauge, they are clearly the best team in Norway, however, they can be complacent, they raced into a 4-0 lead last week against Lillestrom and ending up winning 4-3, that is typical of Rosenborg.

Prior to that win against Lillestrom, Rosenborg had drawn their three previous away games and while they are dominant at home they are susceptible to dropping points on the road.

Viking at home are inconsistent, they have won three, drawn two and lost three, however, they do raise their game against Rosenborg, they have won and drawn more often at home against Rosenborg than they have lost.

Viking are not a hopeless side, a win today would lift them to 5th and just four points behind second place, so they remain competitive in the league and did win way against Sogndal last week, a game I watched and I thought they were quite impressive in that win.

Rosenborg are the better team, but they are away and Viking are capable of either winning this or grabbing a draw and I will take the home side to cover the spread.

All my Soccer picks are researched and analysed fully, each one carries my full confidence with a focus on picks that offer value for money.

I am a little surprised at the odds on Sogndal, I thought they would be a lot lower, however, I am not going to complain and will gladly accept the generosity of the sportsbooks.

There is very little to separate these teams in the league, however Sogndal are quite strong at home while Viking are inconsistent away and based on current form I am going with the home side to take all three points.