When the game is on the line

By Jeff Haney

Friday, Sept. 25, 2009 | 2 a.m.

The three NFL running backs who provide the most value to their team, according to Las Vegas sports handicapper Joe D’Amico, are Brandon Jacobs of the Giants, Michael Turner of the Falcons and Adrian Peterson of the Vikings.

D’Amico will be backing two of those teams at the betting windows this weekend among his four top plays in the NFL.

D’Amico recommends laying 6 1/2 points with the Giants at Tampa Bay thanks in part to the talent of Jacobs and his supporting cast.

“Jacobs is a horse,” D’Amico said. “He can run it up the gut and he can turn the corner and go up the sides on you. As long as he is on the field this team can regulate the clock and (quarterback) Eli Manning can work his magic.”

Although the line on the game has been bouncing from 6 1/2 to 7 depending on where you’re shopping in Nevada, 6 1/2 remains easy to obtain in Las Vegas.

Buccaneers supporters, of course, should hold out for a 7. If the Giants end up winning by exactly 7 points, this will be a situation in which bettors on both sides of the game should either win or push, but not lose.

In another featured selection, D’Amico likes Atlanta as a 4 1/2-point underdog against New England with the Falcons heading into a bye week after they face the Patriots.

“The Patriots are still a very good team, but they have a lot of rust on them,” D’Amico (online at allamericansports.info) said. “Having (quarterback) Tom Brady back will be good for them in the long run, but right now they’re just not in sync. I think Atlanta will be well-prepared and in a position to surprise them.”

Before the season, D’Amico said he was bullish on two teams from the NFC South: the Falcons and the Saints. So far they are a combined 4-for-4 straight up and against the point spread.

“They’ll continue to get the money during the regular season,” D’Amico said.

The largest point spread on this week’s NFL schedule doesn’t scare D’Amico, who will give 13 1/2 points with the Ravens against the visiting Browns.

Among the mismatches in the game is the one at quarterback between Baltimore’s Joe Flacco and Cleveland’s Brady Quinn.

“My personal power ratings say the Ravens will crush Cleveland,” D’Amico said. “I’m not a big believer in Quinn. I know he’s cute and the girls like him, but I don’t think there’s enough talent around him on this Cleveland team.”

In a final NFL play, D’Amico likes the Texans as a 3 1/2-point favorite against the Jaguars, still smarting after placing wide receiver Troy Williamson on injured reserve Wednesday after he sustained a shoulder injury Sunday in Jacksonville’s loss to Arizona.

Although he does not care for it from a betting perspective, D’Amico will be watching Sunday’s Jets-Titans game closely. The Jets are favored by 2 1/2 points at home. D’Amico predicts Tennessee will rebound from its 0-2 start to make the playoffs, and he’s not entirely sold on Mark Sanchez, the Jets’ heralded rookie quarterback.

“He’s playing well but he’s still a rookie,” D’Amico said. “Teams are going to start blitzing him more than they have been. He could start making some freshman mistakes and if he does, the Jets are going to have some tough times ahead.”