Balfe Report - Week 8 NFL Free Picks

11/01/20 • 3 min

NFL Football
1:00 PM EST
Rotation # 253
Vikings +6 over Packers
Vikings/Packers Over 49.5
In the first meeting this year the Packers picked this Vikings team apart. Minnesota couldn’t get their offense going until it was too late, but today the weather favors the Vikings. Minnesota is fresh off the bye week and are healthy. The winds are going to be high in this game which plays to Minnesota’s strengths. Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison should have big days running the ball. Aaron Jones is out for Green Bay so the running game does take a hit. Aaron Rodgers isn’t as mobile as he once was so I do think Minnesota can win this game. The problem for the Vikings is Aaron Rodgers is always the best player on the field and Minnesota is missing their top three cornerbacks in this game with the other one being just a rookie. The wind might be blowing around, but it will be hard for these guys to stop the Green Bay receivers and hard to come up and make cold weather tackles as well. This should be a great game. I think the Vikings have a great shot at winning if they stick to the game plan. Take the Vikings and the Over.

NFL Football
1:00 PM EST
Rotation # 256
Bills - 4 over Patriots
The Bills are built for this type of weather. Josh Allen has a cannon of an arm, he can run and he has the big hands to hold onto the ball when the winter conditions start rolling in. Cam Newton is a diva. This Patriots offense has been brutal all year and without a couple key receivers I just don’t see them all of a sudden moving the ball today. This is simply not the Patriots year. The New England Defense is seriously undermanned and the Bills should win both sides of the ball. Take Buffalo.

NFL Football
1:00 PM EST
Rotation # 257
Titans -6.5 over Bengals
Cincinnati is going up against a great defense today and will be without their top running back Joe Mixon. That’s only half of the bad news. The Bengals Offensive Line will be without their center, their left tackle and right tackle. Good luck. Joe Burrow is just a rookie and we have yet to see him play in conditions with high winds and colder weather. The Titans are built for this type of game and we should see Derrick Henry have a get right game this afternoon and the Titans should move the ball at will against this defense. Take Tennessee.

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Balfe Report - Week 9 College Football Free Picks

College Football
12:00 PM EST
Rotation # 138
Cincinnati -7 over Memphis
Cincinnati showed how great their defense was in their road win last week against SMU. This team plays like an NFL team and I just don’t think Memphis has the identity they once had in the past. This is a young head coach that was left some talent, but a few of the guys opted out this year and I don’t think the skilled players are good enough to beat this Bearcat Defense. Brady White is not the most mobile guy so I expect the front seven to do a good job at frustrating and sacking him. This game is all about defense. The Bearcats successful defense puts their offense in position to score. Take Cincinnati.

College Football
2:00 PM EST
Rotation # 178
Houston +3 over UCF
UCF is a track meet offense, but with that comes costly penalties and on the road that is always a cardinal sin. This Houston Defense has the talent in all three levels to compete with the Knights and on the offensive side Clayton Tune is looking like he may have a future at the next level. This is a tough team at home and they have plenty of skilled players of their own to match the talent UCF has. The Cougars have the edge on special teams as well. Take Houston.

College Football
6:00 PM EST
Rotation # 151
Boise State -14 over Air Force
Boise State/Air Force Over 49
Covid hit some teams harder than others. Because Air Force is a military school the players all went on to deployments or studies and simply can’t opt back in. The entire defense is literally gone. This team has not been exposed yet, but it’s coming today with a great QB in Hank Bachmeier. Boise has a ton offensive weapons and are balanced at both throwing and running. They should put up 50 tonight as this Falcons Defense does not have the bodies to match up. Take Boise and the Over.

College Football
10:30 PM EST
Rotation # 153
Nevada -13.5 over UNLV
Nevada/UNLV Over 60
Last year UNLV stunned Nevada on the road. The Wolfpack have payback in mind as they head to Las Vegas. This is a new coaching staff for UNLV and a few of their players had covid and are questionable once again this week. Nevada is an offensive minded team and in their Air Raid Offense should put up a ton of points against a very young defense. The Rebels only bring back one every game starter from last year and just have so many new faces on that side of the ball that I don’t think they will keep up. The UNLV offense will be good for a few scores as they have talent and proved they could score against this team last year, but the new system and their weak defense will eventually be too much to keep pace with the Wolfpack on and this game will get out of hand. Take Nevada and the Over.

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Balfe Report - Week 10 College Football Free Picks

NCAA Football
7:30 PM EST
Rotation #403
Tennessee -1 over Arkansas
The Vols had a week off to try to get focused. This was a team that won a lot of games to end last year and then the wheels fell off after a 2-0 start this year. The good news is they are playing a team that didn’t win a conference game in 2018 or 2019. The two wins the Razorbacks have this year are against two bad football teams. This Arkansas team is still in a transition year under their first year staff. Feleipe Franks is a big upgrade for them and they do have talent, but the Vols are a better team on both sides of the ball and have the talent and experience edge across the board. Jarrett Guarantano just needs to hand the ball off and not try to do too much. This Arkansas Defense isn’t the likes of Georgia, Kentucky or Alabama. Tennessee will look frustrating and will do silly things, but has the talent to beat a less talented football team and will be focused and hungry after a three game skid. Take the Vols