scorecard
  1. Home
  2. sports
  3. ESPN's NFL gambling expert is on fire again - here are Cousin Sal's picks for Week 11

ESPN's NFL gambling expert is on fire again - here are Cousin Sal's picks for Week 11

Cork Gaines   

ESPN's NFL gambling expert is on fire again - here are Cousin Sal's picks for Week 11
Sports3 min read

Cousin Sal

ESPN

Neil Everett and Cousin Sal explain the NFL's catch rule.

Sal Iacono is a writer for "Jimmy Kimmel Live" and better known among sports fans as "Cousin Sal" on Bill Simmons' podcasts. He's also making a name for himself as ESPN's NFL gambling expert.

Iacono didn't lose a pick on his weekly "SportsCenter" segment with Neil Everett during the final six weeks of the 2014 regular season and went 19-2-3 over the last eight weeks.

After a pretty good start to the 2015 season, he has caught fire again. Cuz is still 16-8 over the last seven weeks, and 9-3 in the last four weeks. He is also 7-3 this season on his "Best Bet."

So let's take a look at who Cousin Sal likes this week along with his thoughts on each pick. As usual, assume plenty of goofiness and sarcasm that is difficult to transcribe (via ESPN):

Pick 1:

  • San Diego Chargers +3.5 (vs Kansas City Chiefs) - "I like the Chargers to keep this close. They are coming off a bye week. Don't forget Neil, the Chiefs knocked them out of playoff contention last year, Week 17. This is a revenge game. Take San Diego, plus-3.5. 70% [of those betting on the game] are betting the Chiefs. It's too lopsided."

Pick 2:

His second pick is his 2-team teaser - must pick both games correctly, but you get a more favorable point-spread in each game. Cousin Sal was 7-1-1 on teasers over the final nine weeks of the 2014 season.

  • Carolina Panthers +1.5 (vs. Washington Redskins) and Seattle Seahawks -6.5 (vs. San Francisco 49ers) - "Two games jump out at me and I just have to take them. One is Carolina. When you adjust the spread, they are minus-1.5 over Washington. The Redskins give up over 5 yards per carry. That's all I need to know. Jonathan Stewart runs wild. Cam Newton is not done running. He's not done dancing. He's not done ripping up banners. Panthers wins big. In the second game, Seattle, with the spread adjusted to 6.5, over San Francisco. Neil, the Legion of Boom is back! Seattle needs the win. They cover 6.5 points."

Pick 3:

This is Sal's "Best Bet." He was 12-3-1 with this pick in 2014 and 7-3 this season:

  • Buffalo Bills +7.5 (@ New England Patriots) - "Neil, it happens right here on this network, Monday night. You will watch the Buffalo Bills demolish the New England Patriots. And when I say 'demolish,' I mean they will stay within 7.5 points, of course. Yes, listen. Rex Ryan has had ten days to prepare for this game. Granted, five of them were spent consoling his brother, but 142 yards on the ground [per game]. That's second in the league. They control tempo. They are plus-7.5. I like them as my best bet."

NOW WATCH: NEW RESEARCH: 96% of the brains in an NFL study tested positive for disease

READ MORE ARTICLES ON


Advertisement

Advertisement