NFL betting: Cousins, Lawrence were not as impressive as they seemed

With the 4th prime successful the 2018 NFL draft, the Cleveland Browns selected Denzel Ward, a cornerback from Ohio State. With the seventh pick, the Buffalo Bills took Josh Allen, a backmost from Wyoming. It’s timely to bespeak connected that draught due to the fact that Allen is presently the NFL’s champion player, and helium could person changed the people of the Cleveland Clowns franchise.

The Browns picked Baker Mayfield, a Heisman Trophy-winning backmost from Oklahoma, No. 1 overall, truthful they doubly passed connected Allen. I approved of the Mayfield prime astatine the time, but Cleveland yet screwed up that situation, too. Mayfield volition pb the Buccaneers against the Browns connected Sunday successful a revenge crippled for him and a large crippled for the thousands of Circa Survivor contestants who volition beryllium banking connected Tampa Bay and fading Cleveland.

VSiN, The Sports Betting Network

Allen was fortunate to debar being drafted by the Browns. The Giants, Jets, Broncos and Colts besides passed connected Allen, who accounted for 5 touchdowns — passing for 3 and moving for 2 — arsenic the Bills kicked disconnected Week 2 connected Thursday by blasting the Lions 41-31. Allen is the aboriginal person successful the MVP race, an grant helium won successful 2024.

Here are my champion bets for Sunday’s games:

Las Vegas Raiders astatine Los Angeles Chargers (-6.5)

Kirk Cousins won his archetypal commencement for Las Vegas, but the seasoned backmost did not punctual anyone of Raiders greats Ken “Snake” Stabler, Jim Plunkett, Rich Gannon oregon Daryle “The Mad Bomber” Lamonica.

Cousins passed for 160 yards and 3 touchdowns, yet 20 of his 21 completions were abbreviated throws, and helium tossed 2 interceptions. The Raiders did tally the shot effectively, with Ashton Jeanty and Mike Washington combining for 143 yards, portion prima choky extremity Brock Bowers stood connected the sideline with a genu injury.

Bowers has returned to practice, but he’s listed arsenic doubtful, leaving Cousins without what would beryllium his apical target.

Most of the blasted for the Chargers’ season-opening flop against the Cardinals falls connected manager Jim Harbaugh, who wasted the preseason by seldom playing backmost Justin Herbert and the different starters. Herbert took 3 sacks and threw an interception, often facing unit up the mediate arsenic the interior violative enactment broke down.

The Chargers totaled 268 yards and 14 points connected 10 drives against an Arizona defence that was the league’s worst precocious past season. The Los Angeles defence allowed 393 yards and failed to unit a turnover arsenic the Cardinals dominated clip of possession, keeping the shot for much than 37 minutes.

The Chargers were whipped by the Cardinals, and determination was thing fluky astir it. The Raiders handled the Dolphins, who are a dumpster fire, truthful that effect was nary large deal. Harbaugh and Herbert could bounce backmost successful this spot, but they can’t beryllium trusted laying much than 3 points. It doesn’t look similar an overreaction to foretell the Chargers are headed for a losing season.

For what it’s worth, the Chargers don’t get overmuch recognition for home-field vantage successful this matchup due to the fact that Raiders fans capable astir of SoFi Stadium. I stake the Raiders +7 aboriginal successful the week and hoped Bowers would beryllium back. I’m inactive good with the stake due to the fact that the Chargers are a mess.

Best bet: Raiders +6.5

Jacksonville Jaguars astatine Denver Broncos (-2.5)

The Browns, Dolphins and Titans are the NFL’s worst teams, truthful don’t get swept distant by the Trevor Lawrence hype conscionable yet. Lawrence passed for 4 touchdowns and hardly broke a sweat oregon messed up his hairsbreadth successful Jacksonville’s 34-10 triumph implicit Cleveland. Let’s spot what Lawrence does against a Denver defence that was embarrassed Monday nighttime successful Kansas City.

Of each the bully teams that looked atrocious successful Week 1 — a radical that includes the Rams, Chargers, Texans, Patriots and Cowboys — the Broncos mightiness person the champion accidental to bounce back. Denver ranked No. 3 successful scoring defence past season, and that defence was enactment successful compromising positions against the Chiefs portion backmost Bo Nix played similar a bozo.

Nix needs to beryllium overmuch better.

Best bet: Broncos -2.5

Five much plays for Sunday

Patriots -5 vs Steelers

Falcons +3 vs Panthers

Browns +8.5 astatine Buccaneers

Texans -2.5 vs Bengals

Colts +6.5 astatine Chiefs