2022 is upon us and we are now dangerously close to playoff time. I love me some playoff football but it pains me to know that we only have 5 weeks of football left on the calendar. Jake finds himself at 57% on the year (24-18) and Q looks to get back on track this week and above .500 before year end. Still plenty of fun left to be had so strap in.

Q’s Best Bets (20-21 Overall)
Arizona Cardinals @ Dallas Cowboys – Sunday, 1/2 (4:25 PM EST)
Pick: Total Points Over 50.5

Kyler is due for a bounce back game (really he’s been due for weeks now) and a homecoming matchup with playoff implications against a team he’s never lost to in AT&T Stadium in his entire career sounds like just what the doctor ordered. While I’m expecting a solid offensive showing from the Cardinals, I’m also expecting Dak and the Cowboys offense to continue their recent trend in the right direction (averaging ~33 points per game over the last 5 games). Strap in for a good old fashioned showdown in Arlington this weekend which can only mean one thing… points.

Buccaneers @ Jets/Vikings @ Packers/Jaguars @ Patriots
Pick: 10 Point Super Teaser: Buccaneers -2.5, Packers -2.5, Patriots -6 (-120 odds)

The Bucs are healthier this week (RIP Fournette and Godwin) and look like a playoff team preparing for another deep run into the postseason. The Jets are terrible and are competing for the first overall pick in the draft next year. Zach Wilson will at least be able to say he got to play against the late great Tom Brady, but he’s probably going to leave out the box score details of that affair… should get ugly fast.

The Packers are currently sitting atop the NFC, Aaron Rodgers is looking solid and Kirk Cousins is out with COVID. All signs point to what should be an easy victory for a Packers team that has most of its weapons healthy currently and maintains a 1 game lead in the conference for the top overall spot. Expect Rodgers to have an MVP caliber performance and the Vikings to struggle with Sean Mannion under center (who only recently came off the COVID reserve list himself).

The Patriots have been one of the biggest surprises this season despite two back to back losses recently. It would be foolish to think these losses are an indication that the Pats are falling off. One loss was to the Colts (one of the last teams anyone wants to play when healthy right now) and the Bills (a favorite to make a deep playoff push and a team the Pats have actually split the series 1-1 against in the last 3 weeks). I love Trevor Lawrence but Bill Belichick loves tormenting rookie QBs and I don’t see that trend changing in New England this weekend as they look to get back on track before their playoff run. Get right game at Gillette Stadium this weekend.

Falcons @ Bills/Cardinals @ Cowboys
Pick: 7 Point Teaser: Bills -6.5, Cardinals +14.5 (-130 odds)

The Bills and Falcons are both in playoff races but with very different circumstances. The Bills basically control their own destiny and could clinch a playoff berth this week while the Falcons will need to win out and get some help to sneak in as well. The Falcons have over 10 players on the COVID list for this weekend and the Bills are playing postseason caliber football right now. Wrong place, wrong time for the Falcons in this matchup. Bills win big at home.

I already touched on this in my Cardinals/Cowboys over pick but I truly will be astonished if Kyler and the Cardinals don’t get their act together against the Cowboys this weekend. Kyler Murray is 7-0 in his career playing at Dallas, he’s from the DFW area and he could use a homecoming like this to wake his team up from their current 3 game losing streak. I could see the Cardinals winning this game outright given the implications so I can’t resist taking them plus the points (plus the teaser points) in what should be a great game on Sunday.

DPJ’s Best Bets (24-18 Overall)
Miami Dolphins @ Tennessee Titans – Sunday, 1/2 (1:00 PM EST)
Pick: Dolphins +4

The Dolphins are the NFLs hottest team coming in with 7 straight wins. Yes, a lot of those wins were against bad teams but you have to respect it at this point. I like the Dolphins to come into Nashville and possibly win, but most importantly cover the four points. Their defense is leading the charge and very good against the run which is the Titans only real strength. The Titans also seem to play better when they’re a dog and play like ass as a favorite so I’m prepared to see a bad Tannehill game.

Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints – Sunday, 1/2 (4:25 PM EST)
Pick: Saints -6

God bless that we will hopefully never have to watch Ian Book take snaps in the NFL again. Instead we get the pleasure of seeing the Saints offense back in good shape with Taysom Hill at the helm. Yes I know Carolina won this game earlier in the season, but that was a completely different Panthers team. I’ve watched these Panthers for months now and they simply stink. I like the Saints defense to dominate this game and I think Taysom does enough to win by double digits. Quick Sam Darnold stats update, he has 7 TDs and 11 INTs in 9 starts this year. Woof.

Las Vegas Raiders @ Indianapolis Colts – Sunday, 1/2 (1:00 PM EST)
Pick: Raiders +8.5

What a wild ride this matchup has been all week with the Covid cases. Not only did I like this game when Wentz was potentially out and the line crept down to +4, but I also love the Raiders getting 8.5 even with Wentz in the game. The Raiders simply must stop the run and need to find some success there, they’re 19th in the league in yards per game allowed on the ground so it’s not a strength but they are capable. I like Carr to muster up enough offense to keep this one within 9 points. This line opens up a great back door cover as well. Let’s not forget the Raiders must essentially win out to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Best of the Best Bets – DPJ & Q approved (13-19 Overall)
Rams @ Ravens/Jaguars @ Patriots/Buccaneers @ Jets
Pick: 3 Team Parlay: Rams Money Line, Patriots Money Line, Bucs Money Line (-115 odds)

Going back to the tried and true strategy of riding the playoff bound teams that are playing bad teams in a money parlay. Pats are at home against an awful Jags team. I don’t feel the need to put many words into a game that has a 16.5 point spread if we’re being honest. Same story for Tampa, they are headed up the eastern seaboard to take on the lowly Jets. That spread is 13, so again, not a lot to say about rooting for the heavily favored team to win. The game with the shortest line and the game that is driving the payout in this parlay, the Rams are at Baltimore for a matchup with the Ravens. Lamar is trending towards not playing but even if he does play this game is gonna be tough sledding for BAL. McVay-coached teams are also surprisingly good in the eastern time zone and are 4-0 in the early time slot on the road this year. – DPJ

Other Action (65-61-4 Overall)

Eagles @ WFT: Eagles -3

Risky Business (22-41 Overall)

Cardinals @ Cowboys: Kyler Murray Anytime TD Scorer (+220 odds)

Cardinals @ Cowboys: Cardinals +3.5 (+145 odds)

Disclaimer: SidehustlebetsMJQ.com is not an online gambling operator or a gambling site of any kind. Our insights about sports/sports betting are purely for entertainment purposes only.