Pick of the Week
Every week at Bangthebook.com we are going to look at one of the best games of the week to watch and bet on! We are going to break it down in detail and end it with a great winning selection!

Pick of the Week featured handicapper: Chase Williams
Chase has been in the handicapping business for over fourteen years and is a professional handicapper that puts great effort into using information to pick solid winners. Over the years he has done very well in all sports when it comes to picking the winner in the big games! That is why we hired him on for the Pick of the Week!

Record: 1-3

Pick of the Week: 

This week the pick of the week was easy to find and it, of course, is in the NFL. With the playoffs getting close and the season winding down with a few playoff spots still up in the air it was an easy choice. 

Denver @ San Diego -8 / 50.5 

The Ravens, Cowboys, Dolphins, Patriots, Eagles and others are still fighting for a play off spot. There is really only one game that will have the winner go to the extra season and the loser stay home and that is the game between the San Diego Chargers and the Denver Broncos. 

Flash back to the first meting of the season and if you will remember it was decided by the bad call near the end of the game by…well let’s put that behind us and concentrate on what is important the game between the two teams on the field. 

The Chargers were left for dead but put plenty of impressive wins together against good opposition to include the Buccaneers this week and are now in a position to go to the playoffs if they win the game at home this week against the AFC West rival. 

The Broncos had a chance to wrap up the playoff spot with a win over Buffalo at home last Sunday. It was the Bills setting up as spoilers and beating the Broncos in come from behind fashion on the road. 

This was music to the ears of the NFL executives because they promptly moved this game to Sunday night and made it the game of the week as these two teams square off.  

This makes for a great game on Sunday with the edge going to the home town Chargers. They get a deflated team off a home loss that has to travel and try to win on the road. While I think the Chargers win this point spread seems too high. Coach Shanahan knows how to get his team up for a game and they will rely on Cutler to keep this close. Bolts win but Broncos get the money against the spread! 

Pick Of The week: Broncos +8.5

Last Week: 

Basketball is getting into the full swing of things and the great college matchups are coming as the season gets longer and in the NBA the big three of Boston, Cleveland, and the Lakers continue to play well, but I just can’t shake football just yet! With the bowl week not really starting to Sunday let’s go back to the NFL! 

Carolina @ Giants -3 Total: 39.5 

Last week the pick of the week was on the Giants and that one went down miserably as the Giants failed to show up on national television costing us a winner. This week they may actually have a bigger game against the Carolina Panthers.   

These teams come in to this tilt heading into opposite directions as the Panthers have been winning and winning easily while the Giants have stumbled in two games against the Eagles and the Cowboys. This game however is a bit more important as both team head into this one at 11-3 the winner essentially has a leg up on the other team when it comes to home field advantage.  

The Giants offense looks to be struggling and that would make some think that the loss of  Plaxico Burress may hurt this team more than originally was thought. It doesn’t help that they also have a banged up backfield as Jacobs has been hurt off and on during the season. They need this offense to get into gear and take some pressure off them as they face the hot Panthers.  

The Panthers have been doing it on the ground with a very solid running game. This running game has been controlling the game and opening up the passing game for Steve Smith to do his thing and put up great numbers like he did against Denver.  

When making a selection in the game of the week I try to avoid teams that have been losing in the last few weeks but are still favorites. There is a lot on the line in this game and the Panthers know it. "There's a lot at stake going into New York," said linebacker Thomas Davis, who had a sack and four tackles against the Broncos. "We know it and they know it." The Panthers have played great at home and know home field advantage could be the ticket to the Superbowl! 

GAME OF THE WEEK SELECTION FOR WEEK 12/15/08: Pick Of The week: Panthers +3

Last Week:

Last week the game of the week was Alabama against Florida in the SEC championship, but with the college season behind us into the bowl season kicks off we look toward the professionals and this week is in the National Football League! 
Game of the week: Giants @ Dallas -3 Total: 44 

It is rare that you get a chance to see the New York Giants as underdogs but that is the case when they face the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night Football.  

Both teams come stumbling into this game off losses but it is clear the Dallas Cowboys are the team that is feeling the pressure. They lost a game that they had all but wrapped up when quarterback Tony Romo through a game losing interception that was returned for a score. After the game Romo took all the blame but with the rough schedule to finish the season the Cowboys could actually miss the playoffs unless they win and win now! 

The Giants lost a game at home amidst controversy with the arrest and soon to be trial of Plaxico Burress that involves more than one player of the Giants. The Giants may actually look forward to getting out of New York for a little bit and focusing on football. With eleven wins the Giants are headed to the playoffs and have no real reason to focus on this game but don’t tell that to head coach Coughlin hear that. He always likes to play to the full potential and will have his troops ready for battle Sunday night in Dallas.  

So which way do you go with this game? Well I am not sure that New York will have full motivation for this game but it may not matter if Romo can shake off the game from last week. Dallas is done and teams tend to struggle after a game with the Steelers with the rough type of play they bring. The Giants want to straighten the ship off the loss to the Eagles and take the focus off Plaxico and put it back where it should be, on the game! I am not going to pass up a chance to take Big Blue and the points. 

GAME OF THE WEEK SELECTION FOR WEEK 12/8/08: Giants +3

Last Game of the Week : SEC Championship Alabama vs. Florida

This week the game of the week had to come from college football. This is championship week, when the best teams play for the biggest titles and in turn the rankings get turned upside down! This week the SEC is in the spotlight as undefeated and number one Alabama takes on number four Florida. There is so much on the line as the winner will get the SEC Championship and be a lock to see who plays for the BCS Championship!

After a surprising loss to Ole Miss, Florida has risen to the top of the college charts and is doing it behind Heisman winner Tim Tebow. Florida’s offense has been on a roll and scoring at whim, you can expect a huge effort from them this week against the Crimson Tide.

Alabama has been doing it with defense and is off a huge defensive effort in the Iron bowl against Auburn. This defense will be up to a huge challenge this week against arguably the best offense in college football. Coach Nick Saban is a master at using this type of motivation to get his team fired up for a game and the chess match between Meyer and Saban will be a classic championship game.

The line in this game opened at 10 as Florida were the big favorites and Alabama has to feel disrespected as they are the best team in the country. But is the line dead on? I would have to think so and with that in mind I am going to stick with the total in this game. Set at 51 and raising; I say buy it now and go over. Alabama will play to the end but this defense cannot stop Florida so points will be coming. Florida is 17-5 over off a double digit road win and this total cannot be set high enough. A game like this will have everything so you can expect special team plays, turnovers and more. Take this game to go over as one of these teams will score 40!

GAME OF THE WEEK SELECTION FOR WEEK 12/2/08: OVER 51 Florida / Alabama

Last Weeks Pick:

Okay let’s get started and what a great week to unveil our inaugural game of the week as the schedule is full of great games. There are plenty of great games to choose from and I am going to make my selection from the NFL and the game between the Steelers and the Patriots.

On one hand you have the New England Patriots fresh off a big division game in Miami that kept the playoff race alive. Matt Cassell had his second game with throwing over 400 yards and Patriot and NFL fans alike are starting to believe he is for real.

On the other hand you get the Steelers off a win against the hapless Bengals and they had extra rest to get ready for this game against the Patriots. They come into this game boasting a killer defense that ranks first in almost every category in the NFL.

So what is going to give in New England on Sunday? Well you can be assured that you are going to have a good game and the Patriots under some great head coaching know how to get ready for a big game. This will be the real test for Cassell against this defense. In a big game where it would seem both teams are even I look at coaching and the edge goes to Bill Belichick. I am sure he saw the opening drive the Bengals had against the Steelers on Thursday night. The Steelers adjusted to stop that but it is something that Bill can use in his favor and we get the home team with the small line at a pick.

Pick Of The week for 11/24-11/30: Patriots PK

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