Group Chat: NFL picks posterization — come strong or don’t come at all

Photo courtesy: Buffalo Bills/Sara Schmidle

The mistake my dude John Hodge made was throwing down a run-of-the-mill dunk.

It was the uncontested fast break kind, nothing like a posterization. That left the attacking and intimidating angle to be filled — you better come strong or don’t come at all.

When Week 7 in the NFL was all said and done, Hodge won’t want to challenge at the rim anymore. I dunked on him like Vince Carter on Frenchman Fredric Weiss, “Dunk of Death”-style.

Taking it with authority to the tin produced a 9-5 against the spread mark a week ago while Hodge went 5-9. Instead of rising tall, he turtled like Weiss and that’s going to make him timid. Confidence is a must when you compete and it’s lacking for Hodge.

Hodge and I will #MakeAPlay for each game this NFL season as members of #TeamBodog. Join us at Bodog.ca and see if you can beat our picks as we lay it on the line each week. Make-A-Play with our exclusive bonus code: use 3DownBodog to get a 100 percent bonus up to $200.

Week 8
Thursday Night Football
Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers
Line: Panthers -3 (+100)
Total: 51.5 points
Dunk’s pick: FALCONS. Atlanta may be 1-6 but four defeats have come by one score.
Hodge’s pick: PANTHERS. Three points is a small spread considering how much Atlanta stinks.

Sunday 1 p.m. ET
Los Angeles Rams at Miami Dolphins
Line: Rams -4 (-105)
Total: 46 points
Dunk’s pick: DOLPHINS. L.A. traveling coast to coast, Miami off a bye week plus Tua Tagovailoa.
Hodge’s pick: DOLPHINS. It’s Tua time.

Indianapolis Colts at Detroit Lions
Line: Colts -3 (-105)
Total: 50 points
Dunk’s pick: LIONS. In a grind-it-out style game, gimme the points.
Hodge’s pick: COLTS. I just can’t bring myself to believe in the Lions.

Las Vegas Raiders at Cleveland Browns
Line: Browns -2.5 (-110)
Total: 52.5 points
Dunk’s pick: BROWNS. Feels like a coin flip, but Cleveland has the tougher defence.
Hodge’s pick: RAIDERS. The best bet you can make on this game is the over.

Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers
Line: Packers -7 (-105)
Total: 52.5
Dunk’s pick: PACKERS. Aaron Rodgers > Kirk Cousins every day and twice on Sundays.
Hodge’s pick: PACKERS. How are your Vikings looking these days, Arash Madani?

New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills
Line: Bills -3.5 (-115)
Total: 42.5 points
Dunk’s pick: BILLS. Buffalo’s chance to dethrone Bill Belichick in the AFC East starts at home.
Hodge’s pick: BILLS. I’m steering clear of the Patriots after last week’s debacle.

New York Jets at Kansas City Chiefs
Line: Chiefs -20 (-110)
Total: 49 points
Dunk’s pick: JETS. Adam Gase and his group looked competent covering against Buffalo.
Hodge’s pick: JETS. All. The. Points.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens
Line: Ravens -4 (-110)
Total: 46.5 points
Dunk’s pick: STEELERS. Most physical rivalry in football, Pittsburgh and the points please.
Hodge’s pick: STEELERS. Pittsburgh hasn’t let me down yet.

Tennessee Titans at Cincinnati Bengals
Line: Titans -6 (+100)
Total: 54 points
Dunk’s pick: BENGALS. Scrappy Cincy led by Joe Burrow.
Hodge’s pick: TITANS. Derrick Henry for-the-win.

Sunday 4 p.m. ET
Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos
Line: Chargers -3 (-120)
Total: 44.5 points
Dunk’s pick: CHARGERS. Justin Herbert is a super charged hero.
Hodge’s pick: CHARGERS. Justin Herbert has been electric.

New Orleans Saints at Chicago Bears
Line: Saints -4.5 (-110)
Total: 43.5 points
Dunk’s pick: DA BEARS. Saints playmakers are depleted.
Hodge’s pick: BEARS. Chicago let me down last week, but defensive home dogs are good for business.

San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks
Line: Seahawks -3 (+100)
Total: 53.5 points
Dunk’s pick: 49ERS. Just can’t trust Seattle’s defence.
Hodge’s pick: SEAHAWKS. This is your last vote of confidence from me, Seattle. Don’t waste it.

Sunday Night Football
Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles
Line: Eagles -10 (-110)
Total: 43 points
Dunk’s pick: EAGLES. Alex Singleton leads Philly to a statement win.
Hodge’s pick: EAGLES. If Philly can’t capitalize against a rookie QB, they aren’t for real.

Monday Night Football
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New York Giants
Line: Bucs -11 (-105)
Total: 46 points
Dunk’s pick: BUCS. Tom Brady puts on a show in his prime time debut with Tampa Bay.
Hodge’s pick: BUCS. It’s a large spread, but Tom-pa Bay is rolling.

Against the spread picks to date:

Dunk: 24-16
Hodge: 22-18