October
is a great month for sports fans alike with the MLB playoffs and the start of
the NBA season. But nothing surpasses the excitement of the NFL and
College Football during Halloween's month.
That
being said, listed below are the best and worst trends for NFL teams during the
month of October. All we extracted from the 2016 PLAYBOOK Football
Preview Guide magazine.
We'll be back next month with the best and the worst that November has to
offer. Enjoy!
HOME TEAMS
Good: If there is one aspect you can count
on this month, it is the Pittsburgh Steelers covering spreads at home. The
Steelers have annually begun to hit their stride in October and particularly so
at Heinz Field. The Steelers are 34-15 ATS and have Kansas City (10/2), the
Jets (10/9) and New England (10/23) in the Steel City.
Keep an eye on (Good): Another high
quality squad this loves home cookin' this month is Cincinnati, who is 19-10
against the oddsmakers. Too bad this year's schedule has so many road games
with only Cleveland on the Oct. 23rd paying a visit.
Keep an eye on (Bad): For
underperforming teams at home we find three that fit the bill. Chicago (18-29
ATS) is no surprise and neither is Jacksonville (14-23 ATS), but Seattle (16-26
ATS) with the 12th man certainly is.
The Bears have Detroit to start the month, the Jaguars in
the middle of the month and Minnesota on Halloween.
Jacksonville justifiably gives up a home game for London
trip and only has Oakland on the 23rd. The Seahawks have three away games and a
bye, which means only Atlanta on the 16th are on Coffee Town.
AWAY TEAMS
Keep an eye on (Good): With the
defending NFC champions Carolina off to a slow start, they will look to enhance
26-15 ATS road record against division foes Atlanta (10/2) and New Orleans
(10/16).
The New York Giants always had a solid reputation at road
warriors under former coach Tom Coughlin. The G-Men will be tested in back to
back trips against Minnesota (10/3) and Green Bay (10/9) just six days
apart.
Keep an eye on (Bad): Arizona will be challenged to improve pathetic
14-27 ATS mark this month, playing on first Thursday game at San Francisco and
the day before Halloween in a NFC title tilt rematch at Carolina.
Cincinnati is 20-34 ATS away from home and its arduous early
season slate continues with consecutive contests at Dallas and at New England
beginning Oct.9th.
Seattle is only 19-35 ATS away from the Northwest this month
and has a trio of sojourns to New Jersey (Jets) to start October and finishes
things in the Arizona desert and in the bayou of Louisiana.
Tampa Bay has a rare Monday matchup at Carolina on the 10th
and 13 days later in Frisco, and will be trying to better 16-28 ATS
record.
FAVORITES
Keep an eye on (Good): The team from
St. Louis is a sharp 21-11 handing out points and will try and see if that act
continues in L.A. Only contest with Buffalo (10/9) might fit the bill.
San Francisco is 39-23 ATS, with nearly all of that
accomplished with far better teams than this one. Possibly a date with Tampa
Bay (10/23) could make this active angle.
Bad: The Bears are stinky 11-23 ATS as
favorites and they catch Jacksonville (10/16) two weeks after their London
trip.
Keep an eye on (Bad): With two games against New
England this month, you know the Bills will not be favored in those, but
assuredly they could better 20-30 ATS mark against the Niners at home on the 16th.
Jacksonville is another club not suited for handing out
points, with only a 10-19 spread record. The Raiders in north Florida on the
23rd of the month is only possibility for winner.
Tampa Bay is none too pretty 16-26 ATS doling out digits.
Contests at San Francisco and Oakland are only two games of the month where
they could be favored.
We start this month not exactly sure what the status of
Russell Wilson will be, but we do know Seattle is sickly 15-28 ATS as favored
outfit.
UNDERDOGS
Good: Pittsburgh is remarkable 23-9 ATS
this month in the role, but the only slightly conceivable chance they might be
when New England and Tom Brady visit on the 23rd.
Keep an eye on (Good): Speaking of the
Patriots, they are pretty good road dogs also at 22-14 ATS. They could be the
pooch at the aforementioned Steelers. Somebody has to be, right?
Chicago is 28-17 ATS when receiving points and they will get
a lot of practice this month to better that record, because the only
opportunity they could be favored in five games is home against Jacksonville
(10/16).
Mentioned the Giants as a quality road outfit and they have
been even better as underdogs (23-13 ATS) and will be in that role in the
Midwest at the Vikings and Packers.
Keep an eye on (Bad): San Francisco will be a underdog in first three
games of the month against Dallas, Arizona and at Buffalo. The Tampa Bay tilt
on the 23rd in Santa Clara is too be determined and nobody knows how the Niners
will matchup against a bye week. Either way, the Niners are still 13-24
ATS.
We forget how bad Seattle used to be as 21-32 ATS record
shows. However, only chance the Seahawks will be getting points is at Arizona
(10/23).
DIVISION
Bad: Are the 49ers really 2-14 ATS
against the NFC West in October? Yes they are and they will be home to Arizona
(10/6).
In the same category is Cincinnati at 12-29 ATS and they
will welcome Cleveland to the Queen City in the first of two battles of
Ohio.
Keep an eye on (Bad): New Orleans
has not been a good home division team for a numbers of seasons and is only
13-24 ATS in that situation against any NFC South foes. They have the Panthers
in town on the 16th.
Indianapolis has not seen much success beating spreads
versus AFC South foes at 15-23 ATS. Not much help coming for the Colts as they
will playing all three opponents away from home, the first in London against
Jacksonville.
Click for more of Marc Lawrence's picks.