Monday, September 14, 2020 Pittsburgh Steelers @ New York Giants 7:15 PM EDT Premium Pick Selected: Pittsburgh Steelers ML (WIN) Play Title: Mike's Monday Night Football Sharp Play Analysis: Contrary to Atlanta failing to make halftime adjustments yesterday, good NFL defenses (Pittsburgh) will be ahead of offenses at least for 2-4 weeks. This is especially true if chemistry has been disrupted since last season. Let's examine several FACTS. The New York Giants will be breaking in a new HC (Joe Judge), new offensive schemes from OC Jason Garrett & a new DC in Patrick Graham who'll have a defense that will be forced to feature a patched-up secondary with rookie CB Darnay Holmes (UCLA) & CB Corey Ballentine whose taken over for the sent-packing DeAndre Baker. The Giants do NOT have a game-changing pass rusher. New York is starting 2 rookies on the offensive line that must go up against a Keith Butler 3-4 aggressive defense (traditionally gives inexperienced QB's fits) that were league best in sacks (54) & forced turnovers (38). This defense is bred to stop good runners & the super-talented RB Saquon Barkley which is the bread & butter of AFC top divisional teams like Baltimore & Tennessee. NYG bright spot & QB Daniel Jones did pass for over 3,000 yards (24 passing TD's) but negated them by turning the ball over 23 times (11 fumbles). On the Pittsburgh offensive side, QB Ben Roethlisberger (led the NFL in passing in 2018) is back after missing most of 2019 with torn elbow tendons. He'll be attacking the Giants' secondary (30th in scoring defense last year) with speed having WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (in the final year of his rookie contract), WR James Washington & free agent pickup TE Eric Ebron. I'm looking for RB James Connor to have a better season (career low but team-high 464 rushing yards). Pittsburgh didn't see numbers like that since 1967 when RB's Don Shy & Cannonball Butler roamed the backfield. My bottom line says the Giants have struggled as home dogs going 1-10 ATS their past 11. However, the line has been adjusted which takes away pointspread value that was there @ the opening line. It's still early but not TOO early to go to an empty MetLife Stadium to play the PITTSBURGH STEELERS on the ML as my Monday Night Football Sharp Play! Sunday, September 13, 2020 1 PM EDT Seattle Seahawks vs. Atlanta Falcons Premium Pick Play Selected: Atlanta Falcons buy to + 3 1/2 Play Title: Mike's 9* NFL Public Missed Perception Play (LOSS) Analysis: I'm feeling QB Russell Wilson in all his brilliance doesn't have enough (RB Chris Carson, WR DK Metcalf, WR Tyler Lockett) to match Atlanta's firepower WITH QB Matty "Ice" Ryan @ the helm. These 2 played here last season & the Falcons lost without Ryan by a slim 27-20 count. Things have CHANGED! GM Thomas Dimitroff has pulled off some good trades & drafted some playmakers to BOOST the offense like RB Todd Gurley who will join 2 dynamite WR's in Julio Jones & Calvin Ridley (combined for 2,260 receiving yards last year). HC Dan Quinn & DC Raheem Morris are licking their chops as their 4-3 scheme has picked up an addition as OLB Dante Fowler (picked up from the L.A. Rams in free agency & generated a career-high 11 1/2 sacks last season) joins Deion Jones & Foyesade Oluokun in the middle. It's ironic that after Dan Quinn left Seattle as DC (6 years ago) to take the Atlanta job, the Legion of Boom hasn't been their same dominant selves. Playing a game @ a 10 AM biological clock for the Seahawks could pose a problem. My bottom line says motivation will be HIGH as the Dirty Birds know this is the year they have a real chance to erase the disappointment for that blown lead versus New England in Super Bowl LI (51). Let's crunch some alarming numbers that severely tilt this in our favor. Atlanta ended last season on fire with a 6-2 SU run that included 4 road victories against tough New Orleans (26-9), Carolina (29-3), NFC Champion San Francisco (29-22) & Tampa Bay (28-22 in OT). This series has saw the Red & Black go 3-0-1 ATS the past 4. In Matt Ryan's 12 previous home openers, Arthur Blank's bunch has gone a near-perfect 11-1 both SU & ATS. On the flip side of the coin, Seattle has not fared well as a favorite ATS versus the NFC South going a putrid 3-8-2 & that includes within an 0-3-2 mark when traveling. The dagger for us has to point out that HC Pete Carroll comes in a perfect 0-5 ATS (or 0-4-1 depending your line) his last 5 NFL openers. Are you ready? I'm ready to go to Mercedes Benz Stadium in Georgia to play the ATLANTA FALCONS (buying to a key + 3 1/2) as my 9* NFL Public Missed Perception Play! Mike Handzelek's 2020-21 NFL Week 1 & Overall Seasonal Record: 1-1 50%
 

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