More Football News
Here are a few key football and picking resources:
About Picking Against the Spread
Generally speaking, there are four things you should take into account when picking against the spread - the teams playing, their records at home and on the road, the time of year and expected weather, and the teams' record against the spread.
The Teams
It may seem obvious, but some teams are just better than others. They perform more consistently on from week to week, and can be reasonably expected to cover against any lesser team.
Home and Road records
NFL Teams have a hard time winning on the road. In 2009, Home teams took the Road teams 153-114. So when it comes down to it, don't be afraid to go against a decent team that's not good on the road, and likewise, don't be afraid of a hometeam with a losing record. All things being equal, they have a good shot at covering at home.
Date/Weather
When and where is the game taking place? Is it early in the season, or after a team has clinched a playoff spot?
It's not uncommon for a team to rest some or most of their starters when they've already clinched a playoff spot and have nothing to fight for. Put them up against a team that has no chance of making the playoffs - a team with nothing to lose - and I'll put my trust in the "lesser" team.
Record Against the Spread
Some teams, whether they're the favorites or underdogs, have an uncanny ability to cover the point spread...while others, who possess solid overall records, aren't as fortunate. For example, in 2008, the 2-14 Chiefs were 8-8 against the spread, while the 12-4 Panthers were 8-7-1.
Although they had completely different outcomes to their respective seasons, both fared about the same when it came to picking them ATS.