Another week of football and the first week this season that I am starting in a real hole from the previous week. Not that there is any pressure, but a couple of wins would be sweet to get at least to even  . . . and beyond.

Saturday started off with a friend of mine sending me a handicapper’s play on the late ABC game – Stanford/Oregon. I looked at Ducks (-6.5) and figured, “I was going to watch the game, so a couple of bucks would make it more interesting”. But, I also think that if a handicapper is so smart and can pick so many winners, why doesn’t he just bet his plays? So, I thrown a quick 22 to win 20 to have some action on the game and sit back. The first half saw Stanford looking awfully good, jumping out to a 21-3 lead, and reinforcing my belief in these so called ‘handicappers’. The Ducks to manage to get within a TD at the half. I resist the temptation to bet the 2nd half. Oregon really comes to life in the second half when that kid returns a fumble all the way to the 3.  Did you see that kid go? The Ducks score on the next play. The tide has turned, I’m going to cash. And the first winner of the weekend is registered! YES!  This is a great way to start the weekend.

Sunday morning is spent with ESPN on the box, Statfox on my screen and the newspaper next to me. Scouring and evaluating, I come up with three picks – Baltimore (+2.5), Indy (-7) and, at night, the Giants, now at -3.5. I also throw in my weekly parlay, just a two-teamer this week after getting burned with  2 out of three winners last week – the Over in the Packers game and the Saints giving 13. I know, giving 13 in the NFL is tough but I figure, it’s Carolina, possibly one of the 2 or 3 worst teams in the league and the Saints are at home. Of course, neither the Packers offense or defense disappoints and over 50 points are scored but the Saints . . . 2nd week in a row that they lost for me. I refuse to believe that I can’t picks a Saints game, after all they cashed for me in last year’s SuperBowl. Still, I make a mental note that the Saints have cost me 2 straight weeks. They are off the radar for the upcoming week, for sure.

The Ravens/Steelers game was as to be expected – a defensive battle that surprised me as two touchdowns were scored early. This made me wonder If I got this all wrong. And it looked like I did. I sweated the game the entire 2nd half. The Ravens held a slim 3 point lead throughout  a scoreless 3rd quarter. Then Pittsburgh drives the ball the entire length of the field and scores at the start of the 4th quarter. Oh no, not at Pittsburgh. I figured that it was over. The Ravens had done a whole lot of nothing and here they are down at Pittsburgh and down by 4. But Flacco drives down the 2! Here we go – the sweet taste of victory. Denied. Flacco throws 2 straight incompletes and the drive dies at the 2, just two more yards to victory. Oh no . . . But redemption is mine as Pittsburgh goes three and out, gets a holding call on the ensuing punt and Flacco has 55 seconds and just 40 yard to go. I think my friend knows Flacco’s Dad or something, I think Flacco is the man. It turns out that Flacco is the man as he throws a touchdown to Hooozmenzaadaaa with seconds left and I cash, 17-14! I call my friend and ask him to tell Flacco’s Dad to thank Joe for me . . . I find out that my buddy works with Matt Ryan’s Dad’s, cousin. Who cares, another winner. But, looking back on the game, why didn’t I play UNDER? It was easy to see this as a defensive battle and low scoring in the final game before the return of Rothlisberger. Overlooking this play was probably the mistake of the week.

Then Indianapolis. I must admit I did not watch this game as I figured that this was an easy winner. Instead, I see the score with Jacksonville leading 21-14 in the 2nd half and decide that I will not rush home to see the end of the game – this one is a loser. And that’s all I have to say about that.

So, I enter the late game down a  bit on the day but upbeat. I could have gotten creamed if not for my man Joe Flacco, but I also had another play alive. Quite often when things aren’t going my way, I will play a teaser to get a bit of an edge. I employed this strategy on Sunday.  As I head to the late game, I also have a 3 teamer alive – 20 to win 36. The whole weekend (and the 3-teamer) hinges on the Giants.

I am pumped as this game is the difference between winning a bunch of cash or getting crushed. Unfortunately, I actually fell asleep during the game!  Cash on the line, and still what a drag this game was. Punt, punt, punt, there must have been 20 of them in the game. And personally, before I dozed off, it looked more like a poor display of offense than a great showing of defense. Yawn! ZZZzzzzz.Then suddenly something wakes me and I realize that it is a touchdown . . . for the Giants! Oh My God, the score is still only 10-0! How long have I been asleep? But it’s all good  as 1) I didn’t miss anything and 2) it’s not how exciting the game is, its whether I cover. I get a little more interested as it gets to 10-3, but realize that this is a winner and so is my $33 straight bet and my wining $36 teaser.

The weekend wagering ends, as the Dolphins are one of those teams that I never get right and I am not confident on MNF so far this season. I am upbeat and didn’t mind tuning in and pretending I have whichever team is winning. Did I say that I LOVED THE Pats – wink,wink. Actually I probably would have bet the Dolphins, buying into the Chad Henney hype. So, the weekend ends up with a $63 profit and after a full month of wagering I am down just 23 bucks. I have had a helluva lot of fun for just over a Jackson so far this year. Next week, I’ll pull the bankroll back to the black – I can feel it.