Island NFL games bring in the numbers -- and the bets. In an attempt to boost gamer bankrolls, this only occasionally profitable bettor will attempt to stack greenbacks. As always, fade or follow -- that’s up to you.
The Pick: Jaxon Smith-Njigba most receiving yards in game (+105, DraftKings)
Back in the day, Thursday Night Football routinely served up consumers the most unappetizing pu pu platter imaginable.
From the “unforgettable” Ryan Lindley-vs.-Shaun Hill Cardinals-Rams matchup in 2014 to the Blake Bortles baby pukes color rush game of 2016 to countless other examples, the short week matched with two unwatchable teams meant only true degens would subject themselves to three hours of visceral torture.
Those matchups, however, were played long in the past.
This week’s TNF tilt between the Rams and Seahawks has the No.1 seed in the NFC on the line. Amazon won’t need to bribe viewers with Prime-only discounts to tune in. It’s a must-see stream for any football fan.
Jaxson Smith-Njigba zipping all over the field provides another reason.
Seattle’s breakout sensation has rapidly developed into one of the true pass-catching elites in the game. On pace for a ridiculous 1,907 receiving yards, he still remains in the conversation to top Calvin Johnson’s single-season receiving yards record (1,947).
With an all-time achievement in striking distance and given the playoff-positioning stakes, bank on JSN to jingle the bells. This season, he’s enticed 9.3 targets per game, setting the pace in total air yards (1459) while ranking top 10 in YAC (389), yards per route run (4.10), yards per target (11.9) and yards per reception (16.1). Most astounding, he’s accounted for 41.6% of Sam Darnold’s overall vertical production. Silly, simply silly.
The Rams have been a dynamite defense for much of the season. However, as Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown proved last week, they’re far from invincible. Since Week 10, Chris Shula’s unit is a modest No. 14 in dropback EPA D. surrendering the sixth-most yards to wide receivers. Stretching out over the entire season, six wideouts have reached the century mark against them -- including JSN in Week 11 (105 yds).
Seattle’s sticky-handed stud undressed CB Emmanuel Forbes in the first matchup. Considering the DB has conceded the eighth-most yards of any DB, six touchdowns and a 100.3 passer rating to his assignments, another disrobing is quite likely.
In a rare titanic TNF tussle, Smith-Njigba smokes the competition ... AGAIN!
NO CONTEXT PARLAY PLAY: SGP - Matthew Stafford 200+ pass yards, Sam Darnold 200+ pass yards, Cooper Kupp 15+ rec yards, Seattle +7.5 (+156, DraftKings)