Since Week 3: 11-4 ATS (73%)
Top Confidence Picks Through Week 5: 4-1 ATS (80%)
Picking football is like dating. If you're selective and travel with a wing man, you can generally have some success. If you're a drunken fool and chase every game out there, then chances are you're going to end up losing your juice and walking away dis-eased by the whole experience. Our suggestion: keep your pants on and be patient.
There are good teams out there to date, but if you don't like losing then don't be monogamous. Play the field, ride the hot ones for a while, but don't ignore the losers because eventually they become the best action out there. If a team hasn't been "under the cover(s)" in a while, then both their personal desperation along with the lack of competition (public fade) makes them an attractive pick-up. Most importantly, always use protection (for Visa Card deposits) and remember that "No" means maybe next week.
In TSZ's inaugural season, Marco and I somehow managed to be selective and lucky, nailing our Friday Fives at almost 65% while hitting all the games at a slightly profitable 54%. Last year, however, our totals slid below 50% but our Friday Fives continued to be strong, finishing the year on a 14-5-1 ATS run and destroying in the playoffs 8-3 ATS for the second straight year. Looks like we've picked up right where we left off.
REMINDER: If you enjoy expensive guessing as much as we do, then start an account with our unofficial sponsors at 1Vice. They have an extensive list of promotional offers depending on how much you deposit, including up to 300% free play or 40% cash bonus. Their lines are competitive, their payouts are fast, and their customer service is second to none. If you do sign up with them, please be sure to do it through our site - and please feel free to e-mail us (vinnyandmarco@gmail.com) if you have any questions about them. Good luck out there.
The Spread Zone's Week 6 Friday Five
#5. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (-8) over Dallas Cowboys: America's Team has managed to string together four straight victories heading into a showdown with the defending Super Bowl champs this week. There is no doubt they are a better Cowboys team than we have seen the past couple of seasons, but there is also no greater home field advantage in all of sports than Century Link field. The Seahawks are 16-0 SU/12-4 ATS in their last two seasons worth of home football, covering seven double-digit lines along the way. The eight is being dangled for a publicly backed team, but we see this one getting out of hand early. Lay the TD+.
#4. BUFFALO BILLS (+3) over New England Patriots: Fools us once, shame on you New England. You ruined our perfect Week 5 by ruining the Cincinnati Bengals perfect 2014 record. Unfortunately for you, in order for Tom Brady to be successful you need the running game to be working, and this week you find yourself up against the fourth ranked Buffalo Bills rush defense. If this were an SAT analogy then New England would be to the Bills as Pittsburgh is to the Browns, beating their division rivals 8 of the last 10 meetings while winning multiple division crowns. Buffalo, however, is a cool 5-1 ATS in their last six as a home dog, so while taking the Pats minus a field goal against a division opponent seems like a no-brainer, keep in mind they were 3.5 point favs against Miami in Week 1 when they got blown out by the Dolphins. We think the Bills pull of the upset and claim sole possession of first place in the AFC East.
#3. ATLANTA FALCONS (-2.5) over Chicago Bears: "Like sand through an hour glass, so are the days of our lives." Similarly, like water through a sieve, so is every offense through both the Falcons and the Bears defenses. In a battle between the 23rd and 29th ranked defenses, the OVER 54 is probably the best bet of all. Nonetheless, with the Falcons seemed to have bounced back from a rough 2013 campaign and have returned to their winning ways - inside the Georgia Dome. The Bears, on the other hand, are like the girl with the curl in the middle of her forehead - when they good they're very very good, but when they're bad they're awful. Sometimes, like last week against the Panthers, they're both in the same game which is why they are a paltry 6-15-1 in their last 22 games. We'll lay the small chalk with the Falcons at home.
#2. Pittsburgh Steelers (+1.5) over CLEVELAND BROWNS: Remember what Psychic Granny C said? This is the year of the ambiguous round logo that might be the Pittsburgh Steelers. If she's right, then they'd better go 4-2 if they intend to win another Super Bowl. Besides, there are way too many reasons to take the Browns here. They're at home, they're coming off an historic comeback over the Titans last week, Brian Hoyer is now 5-2 SU (undefeated ATS) as a starter, and Johnny Manzeil has become a non-story. The points and the Steelers seem way too good to be true, but sometimes the line is like a double agent in a government espionage novel and you just have to trust the guy with more character. Cleveland is prone to digging big holes like last week in Tennessee and Week 1 in Pittsburgh, and with the resurgence of the Steelers running game, that doesn't bode well. Take the points.
#1. Last week we offered our #1 pick for the price of a cup of Joe. Not only that, but we guaranteed the pick. Poetically, the Kansas City Chiefs went to San Francisco and covered against a team that was once ruled by a charismatic champion known as Joe Cool.
This week we have another winner and we have the same offer. If you're on our mailing list, you'll get this pick e-mailed to you, and if you were on our TSZ.com mailing list, shoot us an e-mail and let us know. If you're new and would like to join our successful, fun-loving, highly intelligent community of degenerate gamblers then please:
A) Click the Coffee for Vinny and Marco button on the right to make a donation.
B) Send us your confirmation number to vinnyandmarco@gmail.com.
C) We'll send you the pick.
D) If you donate more than $20, we'll guarantee the pick and refund your money if it doesn't hit.
May the Spreads Be With You All,
Vinny and Marco
