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The Cincinnati Bengals and the Seattle Seahawks will try to pick up a win on Sunday, October 30th, 2011 at CenturyLink Field.

Who died and made Cincinnati road favorites? Maybe the next picture that the Daily News shows of Gadhafi, he’ll be standing in a freezer wearing a Bengals’ cap!

We know that Cincy already came through in this role once this year (at Jacksonville) and we used them as a best bet.

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However, at the time of that writeup, the striped ones were installed as 1-point dogs and we’re not about to push our luck with this bungling bunch.

For starters, Cincy is 0-7 ATS away with rest (a perfect fit to this season) and 1-6 ATS in Game Seven while the Seahawks are a comfortable 10-1 ATS at home versus non-conference opposition.

Our sports betting news database also tells us that: home teams that scored 3 or less points in their last game if playing off a Bye in the previous week are 11-4 SU and ATS.

What more needs to be said other than the Bye Week bites another unsuspecting foe. Editors note: With the line now up to 3 points, grab it ASAP.

NFL Betting Pick: Seahawks over Cincinnati by 1

The Bengals are listed as 2½-point favorites against the Seahawks, and the game's total is sitting at 38½.

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Seattle Seahawks trends to consider on the NFL Week 8:

The total has gone OVER in 5 of Cincinnati's last 6 games

The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cincinnati's last 5 games when playing Seattle

Cincinnati is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games

The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cincinnati's last 6 games when playing on the road against Seattle

The total has gone OVER in 4 of Seattle's last 5 games when playing Cincinnati

The total has gone OVER in 13 of Seattle's last 17 games

The total has gone OVER in 6 of Seattle's last 8 games at home

Seattle is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing Cincinnati

Indianapolis Colts @ Tennessee Titans (-9)

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

It is hard to imagine after a 62-7 loss to the New Orleans Saints that the Colts actually came close to winning a couple of games this year, but it wasn’t that long ago that games against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers went down to the wire. Perhaps the failure to capitalize on those chances has ruined the morale in Indianapolis, but whatever the case, head coach Jim Caldwell will need to find a way to bring out a lot more passion and intensity from his pay head team before his seat gets any hotter. The Colts are on the road this Sunday to take on a Tennessee team that is also coming off of a blowout loss, and it is hard to figure out which team was stung more. While Indy was crushed on the scoreboard, the hometown Titans’ fans watched on as a win that would have moved them into first place turned in to a devastating loss that could play on the team’s mindset as far as confidence is concerned going forward. Tennessee should be able to clinch this game in a must-win situation, but it will come down to the wire as the Colts show a much better effort.

NFL Betting Pick: Indianapolis Colts + 9

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Houston Texans (-9.5)

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

As good as it must have felt for the home fans to celebrate a Monday Night Football win over the Baltimore Ravens, it’s hard to imagine the team not suffering a letdown as they travel following their most emotional win of the year. The Jaguars did a lot of things right on defense against the Baltimore attack, but the Texans represent an entirely different monster and can score in more ways than one, as they showed against the Titans. Houston has the perfect opportunity to capitalize on the Colts missing Manning and lock up their first division title and playoff spot this season, and these are the intertops wins they need if they are going to get to that point.

Picks NFL : Houston Texans – 9.5

The Breeder’s Cup betting is getting a lot of attention in New Orleans because they love horse racing in the Big Easy. But the anticipation of the New Orleans Saints playing another sub-par defense in week eight after completely dismantling the Indianapolis Colts in week seven is getting even more talk. The Saints played the Sunday night game against the Colts in week seven and wound up winning the game 62-7. It was a dominating performance by New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees that could easily be repeated in week eight.

The St. Louis Rams gave a little preview of their pending week eight defensive break down in its week seven loss to the Dallas Cowboys. In a game that should have been close, the Rams disappointed the price per head bookmaking crowd by giving up 287 rushing yards to just two Dallas running backs which featured rookie running back DeMarco Murray picking up 253 rushing yards. Dallas quarterback Tony Romo, who has been largely ineffective all season long, picked up only 166 passing yards for the game but he threw two touchdowns and no interceptions. Things were supposed to be challenging in St. Louis this season, but they were not supposed to be so outwardly bad.

New Orleans Saints

With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers losing to the Chicago Bears in London, England in week seven, the Saints were able to take over sole possession of first place in the NFC South with a 5-2 record. Head coach Sean Payton called the game from the press box after having surgery to repair a broken leg and ACL injury he suffered in a sideline collision in week six. But the Saints just keep on rolling and it looks like the New Orleans defense has finally caught up to the offense as far as being in mid-season form. The Saints’ defense was superb against the Colts, which makes this NFL betting picks easier.

St. Louis Rams

Instead of taking a few more steps forward this season and building on a decent end to last year, the Rams have regressed horribly and are in definite danger of going 0-16. In the week seven loss to the Cowboys, the Rams showed that its defense has no teeth. It could not stop the run and it was not effective enough to prevent a relatively ineffective Tony Romo from throwing two touchdown passes. With starting quarterback Sam Bradford out and veteran back-up A.J. Feeley starting, the Rams’ offense looks lost. Running back Steven Jackson was only able to gain 70 rushing yards at a time when the running game needed to pick up the passing game. It is not a pretty sight in St. Louis right now.

The Bottom Line

The only thing that NFL fans in St. Louis can hope for in this game is that the Saints do not run up another 62 point embarrassment. But, judging by the way the Rams’ defense has been playing, 62 points is a definite possibility.

Pick: New Orleans Saints

Chicago Bears vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (At London)

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

One week after dismantling the Minnesota Vikings, the Bears will look to close the gap between them and the Lions even further with a trip to London, England, where they will clash with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers bounced back from their worst defeat in franchise history against the San Francisco 49ers to beat the New Orleans Saints and move into first place in their division last week, but they remain one of the teams that Chicago will likely battle for a Wild Card spot. While the Bears should be able to continue to beat some of the inferior opponents that they face in the NFC, Tampa Bay is a legitimate playoff team and should be able to cause price per head matchup problems for Chicago on both sides of the ball.

NFL Betting Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers +1

Atlanta Falcons @ Detroit Lions

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

Many were shocked that the Lions weren’t able to continue their strong start against the 49ers, but they won’t have much time to reflect with another hungry team coming in to town in the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons bounced back from a loss to Green Bay with a win over the Carolina Panthers, and unless Detroit is able to create some disruption in the Atlanta backfield they could be in trouble. The Lions should be able to move the ball a lot easier this week with Matt Stafford and Calvin Johnson looking to bounce back, but any sports betting victory will begin with a better effort from the defense.

NFL Betting Pick: Detroit Lions – 3.5

Green Bay Packers @ Minnesota Vikings

Sunday, 4:15 PM ET

Only a year ago this would have been considered a marquee matchups, but instead this Sunday it is a chance to see how well rookie Christian Ponder will hold up against the defending Super Bowl champions. The Packers are trucking through every opponent that they face, and unless Ponder can operate at a Pro Bowl level in his first career NFL start, this one shouldn’t be close. Green Bay is once again a legitimate Super Bowl contender, and so far they have showed no pay per head signs of slowing down.

NFL Betting Picks: Green Bay Packers – 8.5

Washington Redskins @ Carolina Panthers

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

After a quick NFL picks start, the Redskins couldn’t hold up against the Eagles at home in a tough 20-13 loss that could mark a potential turning point in their season. Washington won three of their first four games with Red Grossman as the starting quarterback, but after he threw four interceptions against Philadelphia, head coach Mike Shanahan is reassessing his options. Shanahan could very well go with John Beck, who ran for the Redskins’ lone touchdown against the Eagles, although a couple of players have already voiced their support in favor of continuity. Wide receiver Santana Moss has gone on record saying that there is “no doubt” that Grossman should be the team’s starter, but if he is going to continue to handle that role he will need to be more careful with the football and avoid the turnovers that have plagued him throughout his career. The schedule doesn’t get any easier for Washington with games against Cam Newton and the Panthers and then the surprising Buffalo BIlls, and it will take a greater sense of urgency if they are going to bounce back from last week’s loss regardless of who gets the sports betting start.

NFL Betting Pick: Washington Redksins + 2.5

St. Louis Rams @ Dallas Cowboys

Sunday, 4:15 PM ET

The Cowboys made the mistake of giving Tom Brady and the New England Patriots the ball in the dying minutes of a game they led, and it came back to haunt them as Brady marched down the field and delivered the game-winning touchdown. Dallas has now surrendered fourth quarter leads in each of their three losses, and if they are going to have any chance at making a push for the playoffs they are going to need to avoid those costly mistakes late in games. The Cowboys will match up well against the winless Rams, but like any other game they will need to protect the football. St. Louis has had a tough time moving the ball, and it won’t get any easier against Rob Ryan’s defense. Dallas head coach Jason Garrett prefers to move the ball through the air, and it will be interesting to see if they go to the ground more often against the league’s worst run defense. The Rams will have a tough pay head time remaining competitive against any team on the road, and if the Cowboys are going to be contenders this year they will have to make a statement in this game.

NFL Betting Pick: Dallas Cowboys – 13

The Cavs upset of previously unbeaten Georgia Tech puts them in prime ‘Brilliant Disguise’ mode this afternoon in Charlottesville reminds us to play against any college football betting favorite who won SU as an underdog against a 5-0 or better opponent in their last game.

A 4-21 ATS tightener to this system ties in nicely to NC State and Tom O’Brien’s 17-4 ATS log versus an opponent off a SU dog win compliments the Boss’ tune.

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The veteran head coach is also a well-prepared 13-5 ATS as a dog with rest and we’ll need to lean on that to offset a not-so cozy 0-5 ‘ITS’ record this season. We can also rely on a series history that shows the Wahoos just 2-3 SU in these meetings since 2001 with those wins coming by a combined 12 points (5,7).

In fact, the last time that Virginia laid this many points to the Pack (1998), then-President Bill Clinton was ‘not having sexual relations’ with Monica Lewinsky and the cost of a gallon of gas was $1.15! Like Hillary’s husband, you can lay it if you want but we say take what you can get and ‘know just what you’ve got in this new thing you’ve found.’

To us the 4-2 Cavaliers, with close wins over pathetic Indiana (3 points) and Idaho (1 point), are nothing more than a ‘Brilliant Disguise.’

Free Betting Pick: Virginia over NC State by 1

The Cavaliers are listed as 5½-point favorites against the Wolfpack, while the game's total is sitting at 52.

North Carolina State most recently:

When playing in October are 3-7

When playing on grass are 7-3

After being outgained are 5-5

When playing within the conference are 5-5

Virginia most recently:

When playing in October are 5-5

When playing on grass are 5-5

After outgaining opponent are 4-6

When playing within the conference are 2-8

Sportsbooks currently have the Warriors listed as 5½-point favorites versus the Spartans, while the game's total is sitting at 56.

Well, after checking our betting database, the more apropos question becomes: why? The Warriors are 1-6 ATS on the road in regular-season weekday affairs since 2003 and just 1-2 SU and ATS on the mainland this season, including an embarrassing loss in Vegas less than a month ago.

Hawaii did open league play with a 44-26 win in Ruston as 4.5-point dogs and that figures to bode well against a Spartans’ squad that is a sword-less 1-7 ATS against conference foes off a SU dog win, including 0-4 ATS at home.

Nonetheless, we still can’t get that 20-point loss to UNLV out of our minds.

Here’s hoping that the NLCS goes at least five games or it will be Friday Night Lights for us… the one on NBC, that is (hey, maybe Minka Kelly will make another guest appearance). Next.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Pittsburgh Steelers (-12)

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

The Jaguars’ 32nd ranked passing offense will go up against the Steelers’ top-ranked pass defense this weekend, and that shapes up as a nightmare for rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert and a team that has struggled with four straight losses. Jacksonville’s schedule doesn’t get any easier with trips to Pittsburgh and Baltimore in consecutive weeks, and while the defense has kept them competitive for the most part this season, things could get ugly in a hurry for a franchise lacking much of an identity. The Steelers have won two of three against the AFC South, and after finally putting it all together against the Tennessee Titans in their biggest pay head win of the year will look to flex their muscle against an inferior opponent.

NFL Betting Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers - 12

Indianapolis Colts @ Cincinnati Bengals (-7)

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

Even despite an 0-5 record, the Colts have managed to remain competitive in their last four sports betting games, losing each of them by a single score. Indianapolis may have already had its best chance to get in the win column however, and after blowing a 17-point second quarter lead against the Kansas City Chiefs, they will now travel on a season-high three-game road trip. While the Colts have struggled without their franchise quarterbacks, the Bengals have graduated to a new leading man in rookie Andy Dalton, who continues to progress as a legitimate starter. Dalton won’t be asked to do too much with Cedric Benson back in the game, and as long as they don’t turn the ball over Cincinnati should be able to cover.

NFL Betting Picks : Cincinnati Bengals - 7

Houston Texans @ Baltimore Ravens (-7.5)

Sunday, 4:05 PM ET

What was considered two weeks ago to be a marquee matchup that would feature two key AFC contenders is now one of the more lopsided contests of the week, with the Texans limping in to Baltimore missing both Mario Williams and Andre Johnson. While Houston has been decimated by injuries, the Ravens return from their bye well rested and looking to extend their winning streak with a statement game at home. How well Matt Schaub and the remaining pieces are able to come together will determine how close this game ends up, but in the end the Texans simply don’t have the pay per head weapons to keep up.

NFL Betting Pick: Baltimore Ravens – 7.5

The Jacksonville Jaguars and the Pittsburgh Steelers will meet on Sunday at Heinz Field.

The Steelers got back on the win track with a convincing 21-point romp here last week over Tennessee.

More important, its defense is beginning to assert itself once again as they have held each of their last four foes to season low – or 2nd low – yardage. The good news is Pittsburgh is 9-3 ATS at home in games off a home win of more than 20 points.

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The bad news – and there is almost always bad news for teams off easy wins – is the Steelers’ 2-8 ATS mark as favorites of 13 or more points in games off awin.

Meanwhile, the Jags from Jacksonville enter on a 0-4 SU and ATS slide knowing they are 4-0 SU and ATS in games off four losses in a row. They are also 5-0 ATS as dogs in this series.

With that, look for the Steel City crew to slip to 1-9 ATS as double-digit chalk in games against anyone outside the AFC North off a SU and ATS loss. By the book, the Jags are worth a look.

NFL betting picks: Steelers over Jacksonville by 10

Jacksonville most recently:

When playing in October are 5-5

When playing on grass are 5-5

After outgaining opponent are 5-5

When playing outside the division are 3-7

Pittsburgh most recently:

When playing in October are 7-3

When playing on grass are 8-2

After outgaining opponent are 8-2

When playing outside the division are 7-3

Free at last – from the MAC, that is – and much like Marty King, we also have a dream.

However, it’s probably not the same dream the Utes had when they thought they could be a competitive force in the realigned Pac-12.

Utah simply can’t fi nish: in consecutive home losses to conference foes Washington and Arizona State, the Salt Lakers were outscored in the second half by 21-7 and 25-7.

Granted, it may do Kyle Whittingham’s team visitors own a solid 7-2 ATS mark when playing with conference revenge but that stat is largely negated by Oregon’s 5-1 ATS series mark of late.

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The Ducks own more good numbers but the loss of star RB LaMichael James to a dislocated elbow last week cannot be underestimated (James rushed for 239 yards in 30 carries before leaving in the fourth quarter against Cal).

Even if James remains on the sidelines, the presence of ESPN’s College GameDay crew at Autzen Stadium will guarantee an electric atmosphere.

Erickson’s ‘D’ has allowed more than 22 points just once in six games this year so even a lukewarm showing from the offense means ASU has a good chance of hanging within the 2-TD spread.

Don’t expect either team to fold in the late going as both squads staged big second-half comebacks last week to turn potential losses into wins and covers. Devils get the call here.

The Panthers listed as 7-point favorites versus the Utes, while the game's total is sitting at 47.

A few trends to consider:

Utah is 17-6 SU in its last 23 games on the road

The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Utah's last 7 games

The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Utah's last 7 games on the road

Utah is 13-6 SU in its last 19 games

Pittsburgh is 17-4 SU in its last 21 games at home

Pittsburgh is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games

After the way that the New York Giants lost to the Seattle Seahawks in week five and the nose-dive that the Philadelphia Eagles took against the Buffalo Bills, the Washington Redskins are becoming the NFC East favorite by default. The Dallas Cowboys are extremely inconsistent, and the Redskins are proving to be the only team in the NFC East that is capable of putting two wins together. But the Redskins are not doing these things by accident. Washington has a very good defensive front and an active defensive secondary. The offensive line is opening up holes for running back Tim Hightower and giving quarterback Rex Grossman time to find open receivers. The Redskins are second in lowest points allowed and in the bottom half of the league in points scored. It is an interesting mix that is holding on to the NFC East lead right now.

The “Dream Team” has gone beyond nightmare straight to embarrassment. When the Eagles promoted offensive line coach Juan Castillo to defensive coordinator, the moved raised some eyebrows. The Eagles spent a lot of money bringing in a lot of top defensive talent and it was going to put someone who had never called a defense in charge of it. The experiment is failing, and the big names from the Eagles’ defense are hardly ever heard from during the course of a game. The price per head sports fans in Philadelphia just got rocked by the loss of the Philadelphia Phillies in the playoffs, and now they face the possibility that the Eagles will have a losing season. All is not well in the city of brotherly love.

Washington Redskins

The pay per head football fans in Washington, DC are amazed at how good the Redskins’ defense has become. Mike Shanahan was right in his decision to cut ties with Albert Haynesworth, and Shanahan was right in his decision to change the Washington defense to a 3-4 configuration. The Washington secondary is aggressive and opportunistic, and the front seven have been able to stand up to almost any opposing passing or rushing attack. Rex Grossman is not a great quarterback, but he really has not hurt the Redskins just yet. Grossman still has to prove that he can perform well in big games, and as regular season games go, this is a big one.

Philadelphia Eagles

The sportsbook reviews on the Eagles’ season to this point all show how important coaching really is to a football team. The Eagles’ defense is awful and can be traced back to a poor use of quality players by an inexperienced defensive coordinator. The Eagles’ offensive line is still unable to protect quarterback Michael Vick, yet very few changes have been made on the offensive line. The Eagles knew it had some serious deficiencies on its roster coming into this season. But the team has made all of the wrong moves to try and compensate for those deficiencies, and it is showing up on the field.

The Bottom Line

NFL fans in Washington are starting to believe that their team is well-coached, while Philadelphia fans still have no answers to the team’s poor start. When week six is over, things will not have gotten any better in the Philadelphia locker room.

NFL Betting Picks: Washington Redskins

New Orleans Saints (-6) @ Carolina Panthers

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

The Panthers will allow rookie first overall pick Cam Newton to continue to do his thing, as they give him even more leverage to make plays both on the ground and through the air. The New Orleans defense could have a tough time containing the former Heisman trophy winner in their second road game in as many weeks, and defensive coordinator Greg Williams is sure to come up with some funky blitz schemes to try and confuse him. The Saints’ offense was held to just 23 points last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars, their lowest total of the season. But considering that Carolina hasn’t been able to stop anyone through the air or on the ground, it shouldn’t be a problem for Drew Brees and company to put up some big sports betting numbers and force the rookie to try and keep up once again.

NFL Betting Pick: New Orleans Saints - 6

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ San Francisco 49ers (-3)

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

After a tough loss at home to the Detroit Lions in week one, the Buccaneers have bounced back with three straight wins to take over first place in the division, including a close pay per head win over the division rival Falcons two weeks ago. If Tampa Bay is going to keep up with Atlanta and New Orleans this season, they will need to find a way to win the games in which they are favored on the road. The 49ers proved in their win over the Philadelphia Eagles last week that they won’t roll over for anyone, but the Buccaneers are a much different team than the one that San Francisco beat last Sunday.

NFL Betting Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers + 3

Green Bay Packers (-5.5) @ Atlanta Falcons

Sunday, 8:30 PM ET

The pay head problem with the Falcons is that they don’t have the defense to slow opponents down, so even though they score a ton of points, they can’t stop anyone. The same cannot be said about a Green Bay defense that has struggled more than expected this year, but has still made plays. The defending Super Bowl champions are rolling as one of two undefeated teams still remaining, and they should have no problem extending that run against an Atlanta team that they roughed up last NFL betting picks postseason.

NFL Betting Pick: Green Bay Packers – 5.5

The Oakland Raiders are not playing very consistent football, but they are fun to watch. New head coach Hue Jackson often has unique outlooks on life and football that he passes on to his players. He also passes on his unique views in post-game press conferences which make for some very interesting sound bites. The Raiders have been trying to live off of running back Darren McFadden and the running game for the first four weeks of the season and wound up finishing 2-2. That is not a bad start, but if the Raiders want to keep pace with the San Diego Chargers in the AFC West, then Oakland is going to need to develop its passing game and open up the field just a little more. Oakland quarterback Jason Campbell seems to be thriving under Jackson’s system, but it is taking time for the team to adjust.

The Houston Texans are in a battle with the Tennessee Titans for the lead in the AFC South. But the price per head football fans in Houston are all anxiously awaiting the results of an MRI on the hamstring of all-pro wide receiver Andre Johnson. A strained hamstring is a week or two off and then Johnson can contribute again. A torn hamstring will follow Johnson for the rest of his career. One thing is for sure, even if Johnson forces himself to play against the Raiders, he will not be nearly as effective as he normally is. That takes a lot of pressure off of the Oakland secondary, that is until Arian Foster and Ben Tate start running the ball.

Oakland Raiders

The pay per head defense in Oakland is off to a rough start for the 2011-2012 season. The Buffalo Bills exploited the Oakland secondary for a win in week two, and Tom Brady and the New England Patriots shredded the Oakland secondary in week four. The loss of cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha is proving to be more formidable than Raiders fans had anticipated. The problem is that Oakland does not have a pass rush to compensate for the lack of a secondary. That will be a huge problem against the Texans who love to get running backs and tight ends into the opposing secondary.

Houston Texans

The bet online difference between this year’s Houston Texans team and last year’s, aside from the improvements on defense, is the options available on offense. If Andre Johnson cannot play this game, then the Texans will play a two-back set with Foster and Tate along with getting the tight ends more involved in the long passing game. Once the Texans get past the Oakland linebackers, there is little to stop Houston from scoring.

The Bottom Line

NFL betting picks fans know that the Raiders are a scrappy bunch that never give up at any point in a game. But with Nnamdi Asomugha leaving a huge hole in the secondary and the Oakland pass rush being less than expected this season, Oakland is going to have a problem stopping Houston. The Texans have so many weapons on offense that it can handle the Raiders without Andre Johnson.

Pick: Houston Texans

The Oakland Raiders coach Hue Jackson does not seem very concerned that his team could not have two starters in the secondary for four week's game against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

Since taking office that belonged to Tom Cable, Jackson did not allow his players to make excuses and not willing to use them.

That faith will be tested if the free safety Michael Huff can not play. Huff suffered a concussion in week three victory over the New York Jets and was listed as questionable on the team injury report.

With cornerback Chris Johnson sidelined with a thigh injury, the Raiders will have to seek help from their bench to try to stop the offensive number one Brady led the NFL, the best quarterback in the AFC.

"He who follows," said Jackson. "We can not worry about that. If you are outside is outside and that between the follower ".

Johnson hurt his thigh in the opening minutes of the victory over Jets 34-24 and did not practice throughout the week. Joe Porter and substitutes were divided Chimdi Chekwa to replace Johnson played in that game until the defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan decided to stay with Chekwa, who was a fourth-round pick.

Jackson declined to say who would be the starter in place of Johnson.

The coach said Huff passed the test required of the players after suffering concussions, although he admitted not know if Huff had fallen or not.

"Once you pass the test, there are still other factors that have to happen that are not included," he said. "We just have to keep pushing those."

Tyvon Branch likely will move to free safety in the event that Huff can not play.

The good news for Oakland is that their potent offense would be enhanced by the return of wide receiver Jacoby Ford, who has not played since the season opener and is listed as questionable, but has said he expects to play.

Sportsbooks currently have the Patriots listed as 6-point favorites versus the Raiders, while the game's total is sitting at 55.