There is a columnist here in the Houston paprers that posts his picks every Friday and the guy has won 63% on staright bets and 46% against the spread....just wondering what % a player must win to be profitable at $$ line bets.
Here are his picks this week..
THIS WEEK'S PICKS
<TABLE class=display cellSpacing=2><TBODY><TR><TD>America's Line (records) </TD><TD>McClain's pick </TD></TR><TR><TD>Houston (2-5) plus-13
at N.Y. Giants (5-2) </TD><TD>Giants
24-13</TD></TR><TR><TD>Miami (1-6) plus-13½
at Chicago (7-0) </TD><TD>Bears
30-10</TD></TR><TR><TD>Atlanta (5-2) minus-5
at Detroit (1-6) </TD><TD>Falcons
27-17</TD></TR><TR><TD>Dallas (4-3) minus-3
at Washington (2-5) </TD><TD>Cowboys
24-17</TD></TR><TR><TD>Green Bay (3-4) plus-3
at Buffalo (2-5) </TD><TD>Bills
21-20</TD></TR><TR><TD>Kansas City (4-3) plus-2
at St. Louis (4-3) </TD><TD>Rams
23-19</TD></TR><TR><TD>Cincinnati (4-3) plus-3
at Baltimore (5-2) </TD><TD>Ravens
27-20</TD></TR><TR><TD>Tennessee (2-5) plus-9½
at Jacksonville (4-3) </TD><TD>Jaguars
23-16</TD></TR><TR><TD>New Orleans (5-2) minus-1
at Tampa Bay (2-5) </TD><TD>Saints
23-20</TD></TR><TR><TD>Minnesota (4-3) minus-5
at San Francisco (2-5) </TD><TD>Vikings
20-17</TD></TR><TR><TD>Denver (5-2) plus-2½
at Pittsburgh (2-5) </TD><TD>Steelers
23-17</TD></TR><TR><TD>Cleveland (2-5) plus-12½
at San Diego (5-2) </TD><TD>Chargers
30-13</TD></TR><TR><TD>Indianapolis (7-0) plus-3
at New England (6-1) </TD><TD>Patriots
24-23</TD></TR><TR><TD>Oakland (2-5) plus-7½
at Seattle (4-3) </TD><TD>Seahawks
27-23</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Off: N.Y. Jets, Arizona, Philadelphia, Carolina
Last week: 8-6 straight up; 7-7 against the spread
Season: 74-40 straight up; 53-53-8 against spread
Nov. 2, 2006, 11:16PM
ON PRO FOOTBALL
QBs make Colts-Patriots the league's best rivalry
Manning, Brady take center stage Sunday night
By JOHN MCCLAIN
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle
The NFL's best rivalry heats up Sunday, and it has nothing to do with Cowboys and Redskins. Dallas vs. Washington? Please. That rivalry is so 20th century. It's as stale as day-old doughnuts.
We're talking about a rivalry that features outstanding teams led by great quarterbacks. So step aside, Cowboys and Redskins. Make way for a rivalry that's actually interesting and captivating.
Ladies and gentlemen, we bring you Indianapolis vs. New England, and Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady.
It doesn't get any better than this — a prime-time game with tension and intensity, with probable home-field advantage in the playoffs at stake.
This rivalry was created in the AFC East, back before realignment split up the Colts and Patriots, back when Manning spurred the Colts into becoming a perennial playoff team and Brady and Bill Belichick won their first Super Bowl together.
There have been close games and blowouts, and until last season, this rivalry had been lopsided in the Patriots' favor.
No offense to the other players and coaches, but this rivalry is so interesting because of Manning and Brady.
Friendly foes
Brady and Manning are "buddies," as Brady put it this week. He also acknowledged that there's competition between them because they're extremely competitive.
Manning is the NFL's greatest quarterback in the regular season. His performance for 16 games is staggering. But when the playoffs come around and the Super Bowl gets closer, he's a Superman who can find Kryptonite in any stadium, including his own.
In typical Manning fashion, he leads the NFL with a 108 passer rating. He has helped the Colts become the first team to start consecutive seasons 7-0 since the Packers had that record in 1929-30-31. He is coming off a magnificent performance in a 34-31 victory at Denver — a team that defeated New England at Gillette Stadium.
Manning has more endorsements and makes more money than Brady, but Brady has what Manning would pay dearly for — a Super Bowl ring. Though Brady owns three rings, he's not generous enough to offer one to Manning. He's got to acquire it the old-fashioned way by earning it on the field.
In his first eight seasons, Manning compiled a 3-10 record against the Patriots, including 2-7 against Belichick.
Brady, who won the first start of his career against Indianapolis, is 6-1 against Manning, who ended a six-game losing streak with a 40-21 victory at New England last season.
In their seven games against each other, Brady has thrown 13 touchdowns and four interceptions. His rating is 101.6. Manning has 12 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions. His rating is 79.3.
To show how ridiculous the league's passer rating is, Brady's is 92.2 — two spots behind David Carr's 94.3.
Manning has better receivers than Brady. Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison rank among the top 10 in receptions. Brady doesn't have a receiver ranked among the top 30.
Pats have defensive edge
Brady has a better running game with veteran Corey Dillon and rookie Laurence Maroney, and the Colts are last in run defense, giving up 167.9 yards a game.
Brady has a much better defense. Though the Patriots have been forced to change defensive coordinators for the third consecutive year, they haven't allowed more than 17 points. During their four-game winning streak, they're surrendering only nine points a game.
But this game might come down to something that Brady lost and Manning found — the best clutch kicking in NFL history.
Manning is hoping Adam Vinatieri can do for him what he did for Brady: kick a Super Bowl-winning field goal. Vinatieri did it twice for Brady.
First things first
But first the Colts have to get that far. Sunday night would be a good time for them to take a giant step as far as home-field advantage is concerned.
A victory by the Colts would give them a two-game lead in the win column and a three-game advantage because of the head-to-head tiebreaker.
The Colts have sentiment on their side. There's no one in the NFL who wouldn't like to see Tony Dungy finally reach a Super Bowl.
And if Manning helps him get there, it'll be even more satisfying for a coach and quarterback who stand for everything that's good about the NFL.
John McClain covers the Texans and the NFL for the Chronicle. john.mcclain@chron.com.
Here are his picks this week..
THIS WEEK'S PICKS
<TABLE class=display cellSpacing=2><TBODY><TR><TD>America's Line (records) </TD><TD>McClain's pick </TD></TR><TR><TD>Houston (2-5) plus-13
at N.Y. Giants (5-2) </TD><TD>Giants
24-13</TD></TR><TR><TD>Miami (1-6) plus-13½
at Chicago (7-0) </TD><TD>Bears
30-10</TD></TR><TR><TD>Atlanta (5-2) minus-5
at Detroit (1-6) </TD><TD>Falcons
27-17</TD></TR><TR><TD>Dallas (4-3) minus-3
at Washington (2-5) </TD><TD>Cowboys
24-17</TD></TR><TR><TD>Green Bay (3-4) plus-3
at Buffalo (2-5) </TD><TD>Bills
21-20</TD></TR><TR><TD>Kansas City (4-3) plus-2
at St. Louis (4-3) </TD><TD>Rams
23-19</TD></TR><TR><TD>Cincinnati (4-3) plus-3
at Baltimore (5-2) </TD><TD>Ravens
27-20</TD></TR><TR><TD>Tennessee (2-5) plus-9½
at Jacksonville (4-3) </TD><TD>Jaguars
23-16</TD></TR><TR><TD>New Orleans (5-2) minus-1
at Tampa Bay (2-5) </TD><TD>Saints
23-20</TD></TR><TR><TD>Minnesota (4-3) minus-5
at San Francisco (2-5) </TD><TD>Vikings
20-17</TD></TR><TR><TD>Denver (5-2) plus-2½
at Pittsburgh (2-5) </TD><TD>Steelers
23-17</TD></TR><TR><TD>Cleveland (2-5) plus-12½
at San Diego (5-2) </TD><TD>Chargers
30-13</TD></TR><TR><TD>Indianapolis (7-0) plus-3
at New England (6-1) </TD><TD>Patriots
24-23</TD></TR><TR><TD>Oakland (2-5) plus-7½
at Seattle (4-3) </TD><TD>Seahawks
27-23</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Off: N.Y. Jets, Arizona, Philadelphia, Carolina
Last week: 8-6 straight up; 7-7 against the spread
Season: 74-40 straight up; 53-53-8 against spread
Nov. 2, 2006, 11:16PM
ON PRO FOOTBALL
QBs make Colts-Patriots the league's best rivalry
Manning, Brady take center stage Sunday night
By JOHN MCCLAIN
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle
The NFL's best rivalry heats up Sunday, and it has nothing to do with Cowboys and Redskins. Dallas vs. Washington? Please. That rivalry is so 20th century. It's as stale as day-old doughnuts.
We're talking about a rivalry that features outstanding teams led by great quarterbacks. So step aside, Cowboys and Redskins. Make way for a rivalry that's actually interesting and captivating.
Ladies and gentlemen, we bring you Indianapolis vs. New England, and Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady.
It doesn't get any better than this — a prime-time game with tension and intensity, with probable home-field advantage in the playoffs at stake.
This rivalry was created in the AFC East, back before realignment split up the Colts and Patriots, back when Manning spurred the Colts into becoming a perennial playoff team and Brady and Bill Belichick won their first Super Bowl together.
There have been close games and blowouts, and until last season, this rivalry had been lopsided in the Patriots' favor.
No offense to the other players and coaches, but this rivalry is so interesting because of Manning and Brady.
Friendly foes
Brady and Manning are "buddies," as Brady put it this week. He also acknowledged that there's competition between them because they're extremely competitive.
Manning is the NFL's greatest quarterback in the regular season. His performance for 16 games is staggering. But when the playoffs come around and the Super Bowl gets closer, he's a Superman who can find Kryptonite in any stadium, including his own.
In typical Manning fashion, he leads the NFL with a 108 passer rating. He has helped the Colts become the first team to start consecutive seasons 7-0 since the Packers had that record in 1929-30-31. He is coming off a magnificent performance in a 34-31 victory at Denver — a team that defeated New England at Gillette Stadium.
Manning has more endorsements and makes more money than Brady, but Brady has what Manning would pay dearly for — a Super Bowl ring. Though Brady owns three rings, he's not generous enough to offer one to Manning. He's got to acquire it the old-fashioned way by earning it on the field.
In his first eight seasons, Manning compiled a 3-10 record against the Patriots, including 2-7 against Belichick.
Brady, who won the first start of his career against Indianapolis, is 6-1 against Manning, who ended a six-game losing streak with a 40-21 victory at New England last season.
In their seven games against each other, Brady has thrown 13 touchdowns and four interceptions. His rating is 101.6. Manning has 12 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions. His rating is 79.3.
To show how ridiculous the league's passer rating is, Brady's is 92.2 — two spots behind David Carr's 94.3.
Manning has better receivers than Brady. Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison rank among the top 10 in receptions. Brady doesn't have a receiver ranked among the top 30.
Pats have defensive edge
Brady has a better running game with veteran Corey Dillon and rookie Laurence Maroney, and the Colts are last in run defense, giving up 167.9 yards a game.
Brady has a much better defense. Though the Patriots have been forced to change defensive coordinators for the third consecutive year, they haven't allowed more than 17 points. During their four-game winning streak, they're surrendering only nine points a game.
But this game might come down to something that Brady lost and Manning found — the best clutch kicking in NFL history.
Manning is hoping Adam Vinatieri can do for him what he did for Brady: kick a Super Bowl-winning field goal. Vinatieri did it twice for Brady.
First things first
But first the Colts have to get that far. Sunday night would be a good time for them to take a giant step as far as home-field advantage is concerned.
A victory by the Colts would give them a two-game lead in the win column and a three-game advantage because of the head-to-head tiebreaker.
The Colts have sentiment on their side. There's no one in the NFL who wouldn't like to see Tony Dungy finally reach a Super Bowl.
And if Manning helps him get there, it'll be even more satisfying for a coach and quarterback who stand for everything that's good about the NFL.
John McClain covers the Texans and the NFL for the Chronicle. john.mcclain@chron.com.
