GOOD BEATS: 15 money-line picks for the College Football, NFL weekend (Sept. 27-30)

The Atlanta Falcons have claimed one division title, two playoff appearances and one NFC championship since 2015; and yet, during this same stretch, the club has a baffling streak of seven straight home losses to AFC foes.

Which begs the first question: How has Julio Jones fared during this quirky funk?

Well, it’s a good news/bad news scenario. On the happy front, Jones averaged 6.5 catches, nine targets and 106 yards receiving — solid PPR numbers for fantasy leagues.

On the down side, Jones hasn’t found the end zone against AFC defenses at home in five years.

Now for the second question: What are the people in Las Vegas thinking, in terms of installing the Falcons as 4-point favorites versus the Titans?

From a point-spread perspective, the smart money probably lies with the unheralded Titans keeping up the Falcons’ weird trend of bad luck.

However, we also subscribe to the Due Theory … as in, for this Atlanta club (three-way tie for last place in the NFC South), which desperately needs a win on Sunday, it’s a Now or Never proposition for breaking this ugly four-year jinx.

So, let’s take that spread and earn some cash … or never speak of this again, if head coach Dan Quinn suffers another black mark on his resume.

BATSBY Sports offers its 15 most appealing picks for the upcoming football weekend.

For what it’s worth, BATSBY went 5-2 with last week’s college picks … and 4-4 with the NFL action.

BATSBY SPORTS TRACK RECORD
SEPT. 12-16 ….. 9-6 overall
SEPT. 19-23 … 9-6 overall
YEAR TO DATE: 18-12

NOTE: This week’s college football and NFL odds are courtesy of OddsShark.com.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

AGAINST THE SPREAD

(Home team in CAPS)

VIRGINIA TECH (-2.5) over Duke
TOLEDO (+2.5) over Brigham Young
Central Michigan (+17) over WESTERN MICHIGAN
Texas A&M (-23.5) over Arkansas (in Dallas)

OVER/UNDER

Northwestern vs. WISCONSIN (46.5 total points) … UNDER
OKLAHOMA vs. Texas Tech (70.5 total points) … OVER
Virginia vs. NOTRE DAME (48.5 total points) … OVER

NFL

AGAINST THE SPREAD

MIAMI (+15.5) over L.A. Chargers
Minnesota (+2) over CHICAGO
Seattle (-5.5) over ARIZONA
ATLANTA (-4) over Tennessee

OVER/UNDER

Tampa Bay vs. L.A. RAMS (49.5 total points) … OVER
Dallas vs. NEW ORLEANS (47 total points) … UNDER
PITTSBURGH vs. Cincinnati (44 total points) … OVER
DENVER vs. Jacksonville (38 total points) … OVER