[Willie Bee]

Patriots, Buccaneers Over 34

Game Time: 08/10/2007 07:30 PM -
By: Ben Burns | sportspic.com

The Patriots and Buccaneers open their preseason this Friday in Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Look for New England and Tampa Bay to go over the 34-point total.

I feel that Friday's Tampa Bay-New England total, which currently sits below the key number of 34, seems a little on the low side. Both teams have shown a tendency to score a reasonable number of points in their preseason openers. Let's take a look at their opening games from the last four preseason campaigns.

In 2003 the Patriots scored 26 points vs. the Giants while Tampa tallied 20 vs. Miami. The following year, 2004, the Bucs again scored 20 points in their preseason opener (vs. Cincinnati) while New England posted 24 points vs. the Eagles. Two years ago, the Patriots scored 24 points vs. Cincinnati while Tampa Bay scored 20 points (vs. Tennessee) for their third straight opener. Last season New England scored 23 while Tampa slipped to 16.

Despite last season's lower score, the Bucs have still managed to average 19 points in their last four preseason openers while the Pats have averaged greater than 24. The teams will only need to average 17 each to finish above Friday's low number. Consider a play on the Over.

Free Pick: Patriots-Buccaneers Over 34

[bigboydan]

I know it's preseason and all, but I don't see how the Bucs can even score at all in this game. Needless to say I like the under.

[Willie Bee]

Bills (+6) at New Orleans Saints

Game Time: 08/10/2007 08:00 PM -
By: Mike Rose | who2beton.com

Don't expect having a game under their helmets already will mean better things for the Saints in this one. Take the Bills and the points in Friday's exhibition match in New Orleans.

Unfortunately, I started off my 2007 NFL exhibition campaign with a loss after I backed the Saints in their matchup with the Steelers in the Hall of Fame game. I figured New Orleans head coach Sean Payton would try to get his club off to a great start after going through their 2006 preseason schedule with just one victory to show for it.

They had a seasons worth of their schemes built into their roster, yet the same problems that hindered their performance a year ago popped up again. I sat in disgust as Big Ben Roethlisberger and the Steeler offense wasted no time in getting on the board by throwing deep on the Saints secondary. It was 7-0 before you could blink, and the rest of the game was just miserable to watch as the Saints offense and defense struggled throughout the rest of the game.

Now, many will be quick to hop on the Saints and lay the points in this spot simply because they have a game under the belts already. That has been a losing proposition for years as the linesmakers have caught on to this trend and adjusted the spread accordingly. The value is clearly with the Bills here who are said to have put together some outstanding practice time in camp to date, and they come into this game hungry and looking to show they can hang with a team predicted to be an NFC Championship contender.

The Bills were a perfect 2-0 ATS on the road in the preseason under head coach Dick Jauron last year, so grab the points here and bank on John Q Public’s futility.

Free Pick: Bills +6