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Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
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10-19-19 | Florida State +1.5 v. Wake Forest | Top | 20-22 | Loss | -109 | 31 h 46 m | Show |
Florida State Wake Forest's run as a ranked, undefeated team came to an end last weekend, but its status as an offensive force remains intact. The Demon Deacons will try to bounce back from their first loss when they host Florida State on Saturday. Wake Forest worked its way up to No. 17 prior to last week but had a fourth-quarter comeback fall short in a 62-59 loss at home to Louisville that came on the heels of a bye week. Answering that bell means preparing for a Seminoles squad that fell to No. 2 Clemson 45-14 last week but believes it can make a run over the second half of the season with a more favorable schedule. Florida State owns a turnover margin of plus-4 - the best mark in the ACC. The Seminoles own a 30-6-1 lead in the series and have taken each of the last seven meetings. They win again on the road. |
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10-19-19 | Oregon -2.5 v. Washington | Top | 35-31 | Win | 100 | 27 h 45 m | Show |
Oregon Oregon became a trend-setter with their explosive and wide-open passing offenses under Chip Kelly and Mike Bellotti. But its the defense for the 12th-ranked Ducks that is getting national attention these days as they head into their game with bitter Pacific Northwest rival Washington, ranked 23rd, on Saturday afternoon in Seattle. Since losing their season opener to 11th-ranked Auburn, 27-21, in Arlington, Tex., the Ducks have rolled off five consecutive victories in convincing fashion including a 45-3 win over Colorado last Friday. Oregon has outscored its opponents, 195-25, during that span while allowing just one touchdown, and for the first time since 1958 has held five consecutive teams to single-digit points. ABOUT OREGON (5-1, 3-0 Pac-12 North): Strong-armed senior quarterback Justin Herbert, a likely top-five NFL draft pick, has thrown a TD pass in 34 consecutive games, the longest streak in the nation, and is one of just five quarterbacks to have thrown five touchdown passes in two games this season. He's protected by a veteran offensive line led by senior left guard Shane Lemieux, who has started 44 straight games and is regarded as one of the top three NFL guard prospects. ABOUT WASHINGTON (5-2, 2-2 Pac-12 North): Junior quarterback Jacob Eason, the 2016 National Gatorade Player of the Year who began his career at Georgia, has completed 134-of-203 passes for 1,692 yards and 13 TDs while throwing three interceptions. Oregon has allowed just one TD over its opponents' last 63 drives while also forcing 21 three-and-outs during that span. Take the Ducks. |
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10-13-19 | Cowboys -7 v. Jets | Top | 22-24 | Loss | -108 | 5 h 34 m | Show |
Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys were a trendy pick to emerge out of the NFC this season and such chatter only intensified after they opened the season with three lopsided victories, surpassing 30 points in each game. However, the Cowboys have come up short in back-to-back matchups against conference rivals and look to snap a two-game slide at the winless New York Jets on Sunday. Dallas' offense ground to a halt in a 12-10 setback at New Orleans in Week 4 and the Cowboys were manhandled by visiting Green Bay a week ago, falling behind by 28 points in a 34-24 loss. I look for them to come out on fire today. The Jets have scored the second-fewest points in the league in their 0-4 start but will be hoping for a boost with the return of quarterback Sam Darnold to the lineup. I’m not so sure that will help. The Cowboys rank No. 9 against the pass, allowing an average of 200.4 yards. Take the Cowboys and lay the points on the road. |
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10-13-19 | Saints +3 v. Jaguars | Top | 13-6 | Win | 100 | 1 h 10 m | Show |
Saints The loss of Drew Brees to a thumb injury has not slowed the New Orleans Saints, who are sitting atop the NFC South with a 4-1 mark despite his absence. New Orleans has won three in a row behind backup Teddy Bridgewater and look to continue the momentum when they visit the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday afternoon. The Saints have leaned on their defense in the first two games without Brees before Bridgewater had his best game in last week's 31-24 victory over Tampa Bay. The Jaguars, who have played three of their last four away from home, had a two-game winning streak halted last week in a 34-27 loss at Carolina. New Orleans' defense has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in an NFL-high 31 consecutive games and features a shutdown cornerback in Marshon Lattimore. Jacksonville will try to end the Saints' rushing streak with a heavy dose of Leonard Fournette, who ranks third in the league with 512 yards and went over 100 in each of the past two games. I see the Saints slowing him down. The Saints win it on the road! |
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10-12-19 | Utah -14.5 v. Oregon State | Top | 52-7 | Win | 100 | 10 h 35 m | Show |
Utah No. 15 Utah returns from a bye and now faces seven straight weeks of Pac-12 games to finish the season. That stretch begins Saturday night when the Utes visit Oregon State for the Beavers’ homecoming game. Oregon State, meanwhile, started the season 0-2 but has since won two of three, including a 48-31 road victory at UCLA last Saturday. The Utes rebounded from their first loss of the season – a 30-23 setback at USC on Sept. 20 – with an impressive 38-13 rout of visiting Washington State on Sept. 28. Dual-threat quarterback Tyler Huntley shook off a reported foot injury suffered versus USC to throw for a season-high 334 yards and account for four total touchdowns against the Cougars and ranks sixth in the conference in total offense at 267.2 yards per game. Linebackers Devin Lloyd and Francis Bernard average a combined 15 tackles per game for the Utes’ defense, which ranks second in the Pac-12 in both points (14.4) and total yards (282.4) allowed per contest. Utah has won four of the six games versus Oregon State as Pac-12 members, including a 19-14 road win in their last meeting in 2016. Take Utah on the road. |
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10-12-19 | Penn State v. Iowa +3.5 | Top | 17-12 | Loss | -109 | 9 h 4 m | Show |
Iowa No. 9 Penn State's vaunted defense will try to maintain its dominant run against a team that failed to find the end zone last week in the 18th-ranked Iowa, which hosts the Nittany Lions in a key Big Ten affair Saturday night. Penn State entered the week second among FBS teams in scoring defense (7.4 points allowed per game), third in run defense (50.6 yards per game) and first in sacks per game (five) after recording 10 in last week's 35-7 win over Purdue. Hawkeyes senior quarterback Nate Stanley, who was sacked eight times and threw three interceptions in a 10-3 loss at Michigan last Saturday will have a better game. Iowa turned the ball over four times overall, committed eight penalties. Iowa keeps this game close at home. |
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10-06-19 | Colts +11.5 v. Chiefs | Top | 19-13 | Win | 100 | 35 h 44 m | Show |
Colts The Kansas City Chiefs have proven they can win even when they don’t play to their potential, but they hope to bring their “A” game for a primetime clash with the visiting Indianapolis Colts on Sunday night. The Chiefs were uncharacteristically sloppy last week, committing three turnovers and needing a late touchdown drive to escape Detroit with a 34-30 win. The Colts were stunned in the preseason by quarterback Andrew Luck’s abrupt retirement but are sitting at 2-2, and their two losses have come by a total of 13 points - with one of the defeats occurring in overtime. Indianapolis has won two of the last three regular-season meetings. Indianapolis hasn’t fallen off too far offensively with Jacoby Brissett taking over at quarterback, although it has leaned on the running game more often. Marlon Mack has been effective, rushing for 338 yards and averaging a healthy 4.7 per carry while Brissett has thrown 10 touchdown passes and only two interceptions. The Colts’ defense struggled to stop the run in its first two games but held its last two opponents under 100 yards rushing. Kansas City possesses the highest-scoring offense and top passing attack in the NFL. The secondary is much improved from a year ago, but the Chiefs are getting gashed on the ground and rank 31st in the league against the run. Brissett is the only quarterback in the league with at least two passing touchdowns in each of his team’s first four contests this season. The Colts cover this inflated number!
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10-06-19 | Packers +3.5 v. Cowboys | Top | 34-24 | Win | 100 | 31 h 50 m | Show |
Packers The Cowboys and Packers aim to get back on track at the other's expense on Sunday when they meet at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Ezekiel Elliott was averaging 5.25 yards per carry in his previous two weeks before being limited to just 35 yards on 18 carries in Dallas' 12-10 setback in New Orleans. Aaron Rodgers exploited a banged-up Eagles secondary by throwing for 422 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but his most trusted target is going to be out in Davante Adams . But I look for the Packers to improve on offense again this week. Dak Prescott put up gaudy numbers in victories over subpar competition over the first three weeks of the season before being limited to just 223 yards against the Saints last week. The most important thing for Prescott is the offensive line, which likely will have a different look as Cameron Fleming is expected to start at left tackle in place of Tyron Smith (ankle) while right tackle La'el Collins (back) has yet to practice this week. Packers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss and are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 meetings. Cowboys are 0-4 ATS vs. a team with a winning record. Take the points with the Packers. |
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10-06-19 | Broncos v. Chargers -6 | Top | 20-13 | Loss | -109 | 31 h 30 m | Show |
Chargers The Denver Broncos are 0-4 for the first time since 1999 but look to begin a turnaround when they visit the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. Denver suffered its second two-point setback of the season in Week 4 against Jacksonville. The Chargers have been inconsistent this season and are hoping last week's 20-point win over Miami will be the beginning of a long winning streak. Los Angeles is averaging just 22.5 points per game despite quarterback Philip Rivers being tied for third in the NFL with 1,254 passing yards and star wideout Keenan Allen leading the league with 452 receiving yards and tied for the most receptions with 34. The Broncos suffered a huge blow when defensive end Bradley Chubb (13 sacks in 20 career games) suffered a torn ACL in his left knee that will cost him the rest of the season. Two-time Pro Bowl running back Melvin Gordon will be active this week after a three-game holdout and will split the workload with Austin Ekeler, who has recorded 220 rushing yards, 270 receiving yards and a league-best six total touchdowns. It could be a nice one-two punch. Broncos are 5-20-1 ATS in their last 26 games after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game and are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games overall. Chargers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. AFC West. I’ll back the Chargers as my best bet of the week! |
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10-06-19 | Jaguars +3.5 v. Panthers | Top | 27-34 | Loss | -115 | 27 h 27 m | Show |
Jaguars The Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars both are trying to stay afloat after losing their starting quarterbacks to injury. With the backups at the helm, they’ll both try to buoy their records when the Panthers host the Jaguars on Sunday. Both teams have fared well despite losing their quarterbacks, as Jacksonville has won two straight with rookie Gardner Minshew at the helm while Carolina has won its last two with Kyle Allen under center. They’ve done it by playing strong defense and running the ball effectively, as this matchup will feature two of the NFL’s top young running backs in Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey and Jacksonville’s Leonard Fournette. Jacksonville has done a good job of taking what the defense gives, and it came last week in the form of 269 rushing yards in a 26-24 win at Denver. Fournette rolled up a career-high 225 yards alone, and his ability to gash defenses on the ground has made things easier on Minshew, who has passed for 905 yards with seven touchdowns and one interception since taking over. Carolina’s offense has held its own since Allen took over for Cam Newton two weeks ago, but the club was limited to a season-low 297 total yards and committed three turnovers in last week’s 16-10 win at Houston. Minshew’s 106.9 passer rating is the highest by a rookie with at least 50 attempts in his first four games in the Super Bowl era. Jags plus the points is the play! |
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10-06-19 | Vikings v. Giants +5.5 | Top | 28-10 | Loss | -108 | 27 h 23 m | Show |
Giants The New York Giants have won back-to-back games since installing Daniel Jones at quarterback and they are slowly returning some of the weapons for the rookie to use. Jones and the Giants aim for the team's first three-game winning streak in nearly three years when they host the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. Veteran wide receiver Golden Tate will make his debut for New York after serving a four-game suspension. While New York's attack is on the rise after scoring 56 points during the two-game run, the Vikings have managed a total of 22 in two road losses and there was some uncertainty surrounding quarterback Kirk Cousins' rapport with his receivers following last week's 16-6 defeat at Chicago. NYG QB Jones has thrown for 561 yards and three touchdowns in his two starts while adding in 61 yards and a pair of scores on the ground. Wayne Gallman did his best Barkley imitation with 118 total yards and two TDs in last Sunday's 24-3 win over Washington’s very weak defense. The Giants defense led by Janoris Jenkins' two interceptions and Jabrill Peppers' interception return for a TD -- limited the Redskins to 176 total yards. The Giants get the cover at home and maybe the outright win! |
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10-05-19 | Iowa +4 v. Michigan | Top | 3-10 | Loss | -105 | 3 h 31 m | Show |
Iowa No. 14 Iowa looks for its first 5-0 start since 2014 when it travels to Ann Arbor on Saturday to face 18th-ranked Michigan in Big Ten play. The Hawkeyes have won their first four games by an average margin of 25 points, including a 48-3 rout of Middle Tennessee State in Week 5, to continue their climb up the national rankings and hope to pass their first test in conference play by knocking off the Wolverines for the third consecutive time. Michigan bounced back from its disappointing 35-14 loss to ninth-ranked Wisconsin by blanking Rutgers 52-0. ABOUT IOWA (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten): Nate Stanley completed 17-of-25 passes for 276 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the win against Middle Tennessee State to move within two TD passes of leapfrogging Drew Tate (61) for second place on Iowa's all-time list. Toren Young rushed for a career-high 131 yards while Brandon Smith caught six passes for 71 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Hawkeyes racked up 644 yards of offense, which is the most in the Ferentz era which spans 20 years. All-Big Ten left tackle Alaric Jackson could return after missing the last three games with a bone bruise on his right knee, while defensive back Kaevon Merriweather is expected to play following a two-game absence due to a foot problem. ABOUT MICHIGAN (3-1, 1-1 Big Ten): Shea Patterson had his best game of the season as he completed 17-of-23 passes for 276 yards and a touchdown while rushing for three scores in the win against Rutgers. Ronnie Bell caught six passes for a career-high 83 yards and Nico Collins finished with 59 yards and a touchdown as the Wolverines surpassed the 50-point plateau for the sixth time under Harbaugh. Linebacker Josh Ross (foot) and tight end Sean McKeon (knee) will miss their second consecutive game through injury while backup quarterback Dylan McCaffrey is questionable as he continues to recover from a concussion. Iowa has won five of the last six meetings with Michigan and I’ll back them getting the points! |
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09-29-19 | Cowboys v. Saints +3 | Top | 10-12 | Win | 100 | 22 h 22 m | Show |
Saints The Dallas Cowboys entered the season with lofty aspirations and they have done nothing to diminish those expectations by taking advantage of a soft schedule to open with a 3-0 record for the first time since 2008. The Cowboys will be stepping up in class at one of the league's toughest venues when they visit the New Orleans Saints on Sunday night. Dallas has eclipsed 30 points in each of its three victories, although it turned in a lethargic performance before pulling away in the second half for a 31-6 victory over woeful Miami last week. The Saints easily survived their first test without future Hall of Famer Drew Brees with an impressive 33-27 victory in Seattle behind backup Teddy Bridgewater. Cowboys are 6-14 ATS vs. a team with a winning record. Saints are 25-8 ATS in their last 33 home games vs. a team with a winning road record. Underdog is 10-2 ATS in their last 12 meetings. Cowboys are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 meetings in New Orleans. Back the Saints at home. |
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09-29-19 | Bucs v. Rams -9 | Top | 55-40 | Loss | -104 | 18 h 7 m | Show |
Rams The Los Angeles Rams are one of a handful of unbeaten teams heading into Week 4, but their potent offense has yet to click as it did in last year's Super Bowl run. They'll try to get some more points on the board and improve to 4-0 for the second straight season when they host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon. The Buccaneers are coming off a painful collapse at home to the New York Giants, who erased an 18-point halftime deficit to steal a 32-31 win at Tampa Bay. ABOUT THE BUCCANEERS (1-2): The bright spot in last Sunday's loss was Jameis Winston rediscovering his connection with star wide receiver Mike Evans, who erupted for 190 receiving yards and three touchdowns after being held to just six catches for 89 yards through the first two games. ABOUT THE RAMS (3-0): A notable aspect of Los Angeles' ho-hum offensive attack has been the relative lack of use for star running back Todd Gurley, who is on pace for 234.7 carries after averaging 271 over the past three years. I see the Rams having a break out game on offensive. So lay the points with the Rams. |
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09-29-19 | Panthers +5.5 v. Texans | Top | 16-10 | Win | 100 | 15 h 5 m | Show |
Panthers The Carolina Panthers’ outlook might not be so bleak with backup quarterback Kyle Allen at the helm after all. Allen will try to lead the Panthers to a second consecutive victory when they visit the Houston Texans on Sunday. The second-year quarterback got the job done last week, going 19-of-26 for 261 yards and four touchdowns without an interception in a 38-20 win at Arizona - Carolina’s first victory of the season. The Texans are one defensive stop away from being undefeated, but they’re also just a couple plays away from being winless as all three of their games have been decided by seven points or fewer. The Panthers have won the last two meetings, including a 24-17 home victory in the most recent clash in 2015. ABOUT THE PANTHERS (1-2): Combined with his performance in Week 17 last year, Allen has thrown six touchdown passes without an interception in two career starts, and he has plenty of help on offense. Versatile back Christian McCaffrey recorded 188 yards from scrimmage and a rushing touchdown against the Cardinals and tight end Greg Olsen had two touchdown receptions while receivers Curtis Samuel and DJ Moore each caught a scoring pass. The Panthers have given up a lot on the ground, but that’s largely because they’re so stingy against the pass, ranking second in the NFL in pass defense. ABOUT THE TEXANS (2-1): Houston’s offense has been inconsistent, but Deshaun Watson has been steady, passing for 778 yards with six touchdowns with only one interception. Watson has a solid receiving corps led by DeAndre Hopkins, but the Texans haven’t gotten much out of the backfield duo of Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson. I look for the Panthers to do enough to get the cover. |
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09-29-19 | Redskins v. Giants -3 | Top | 3-24 | Win | 100 | 15 h 4 m | Show |
Giants The New York Giants embraced the emergence of rookie quarterback Daniel Jones on the same day that the franchise was nearly eviscerated by the devastating injury loss of Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley. Jones looks to follow up his successful NFL debut on Sunday when the Giants host the winless Washington Redskins in East Rutherford, N.J. Jones was feted with fame and a trendy nickname (Danny Dimes) in a New York minute after throwing a pair of touchdowns and rushing for two more as the Giants overcame an 18-point deficit to post a 32-31 victory over Tampa Bay last Sunday. The sixth overall pick of the draft also earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors after completing 23 of 36 passes for 336 yards in his first start. The reeling Redskins are in danger of recording their first 0-4 start since 2001 if they don't find a way past their NFC East rival. Case Keenum did little to quiet his detractors and the steady calls for first-round pick Dwayne Haskins after the first of his three interceptions was returned for a touchdown in a 31-15 loss to Chicago on Monday. Redskins are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games when playing on Sunday following a Monday night game and are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 vs. NFC. Giants are 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game. Giants get the win and cover at home! |
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09-29-19 | Raiders v. Colts -6.5 | Top | 31-24 | Loss | -100 | 15 h 3 m | Show |
Colts The Indianapolis Colts attempt to extend their home winning streak to eight games when they host the Oakland Raiders on Sunday. Indianapolis lost its first two contests at Lucas Oil Stadium in 2018 but has won seven straight since, including a 27-24 triumph over Atlanta last week in its first home game of the year. The contest also marked the ninth in a row at home in which the Colts have scored at least 23 points as Marlon Mack ran for a 4-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to extend the streak. Jacoby Brissett was superb against the Falcons, completing his first 16 attempts while finishing 28-of-37 for 310 yards and two TDs, and seeks his fourth straight game with at least a pair of scoring passes. The Raiders opened the season with a dominant victory over Denver but have suffered back-to-back brutal losses, including a 34-14 setback at Minnesota last week. Oakland, which has lost five of its last six meetings with Indianapolis, surrendered 211 rushing yards against the Vikings. The Colts' defense has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in any of the team's last 21 contests. My take here is the Colts will just out class the Raiders in the long run and get the home win and cover.
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09-29-19 | Chiefs -7 v. Lions | Top | 34-30 | Loss | -105 | 15 h 3 m | Show |
Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs were expected to be undefeated through three games, but the Detroit Lions were not. The surprising Lions host the Chiefs on Sunday in an unlikely matchup of unbeaten teams. The Chiefs have picked up where they left off last season, with reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes leading a prolific offense. Mahomes is the first player in NFL history to pass for at least 350 yards and three touchdowns without an interception in three consecutive games, and Kansas City has scored at least 28 points in each contest. The Lions have found themselves in three close games - a season-opening tie at Arizona and three-point victories over the Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia - but have prevailed with the help of a ball-hawking defense that will try to disrupt the Chiefs’ offensive momentum. ABOUT THE CHIEFS (3-0): Mahomes leads the league in virtually every passing category, including a sterling 134.9 passer rating fueled by 10 touchdowns without an interception, and he’s surrounded with weapons. ABOUT THE LIONS (2-0-1): Detroit hasn’t gotten much from the running game, but Kerryon Johnson has been involved in a solid passing attack. The secondary has been decent but will be tested this week, especially if cornerback Darius Slay is unable to play after injuring his hamstring in the second half last week. The Chiefs have scored at least 25 points in an NFL-record 25 consecutive games. Lay it on the road with Kansas City. |
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09-28-19 | Kansas State +5 v. Oklahoma State | Top | 13-26 | Loss | -110 | 45 h 40 m | Show |
Kansas State Kansas State and new head coach Chris Klieman have won over some preseason skeptics with a 3-0 start. But the true tests still wait, starting Saturday night when the 22nd-ranked Wildcats kick off Big 12 play at Oklahoma State. Klieman’s crew was picked to finish ninth in the 10-team Big 12 preseason media poll but opened the season with routs of Nicholls (49-14) and Bowling Green (52-0), followed by an impressive 31-24 road win at then No. 23 Mississippi State. Oklahoma State also started 3-0 before dropping a tight 36-30 road decision against No. 12 Texas on Saturday. The Cowboys are among the teams receiving votes in the coaches poll for the fifth straight week and are looking for their fourth consecutive 4-1 start. I see this one being close with Kansas State having a shot to win outright. But take the points! |
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09-28-19 | Virginia +12.5 v. Notre Dame | Top | 20-35 | Loss | -103 | 41 h 7 m | Show |
Virginia No. 10 Notre Dame looks to shake off a disappointing loss and begin its quest to climb back into playoff contention when 18th-ranked Virginia pays a visit on Saturday afternoon for a non-conference contest. The Fighting Irish had the ball in Georgia territory in the final minute before giving it up on downs and falling 23-17 in a game between a pair of top 10 teams with playoff expectations. Irish coach Brian Kelly is wary of a Virginia team that can get to 5-0 for the first time since 2004 with a victory when he said at his weekly press conference that the Cavaliers have elite players at every level of their defense and are a confident team. ABOUT VIRGINIA (4-0): Senior quarterback Bryce Perkins has thrown four interceptions along with six touchdown passes, but completed 65.3 percent of his passes overall and is 361 from becoming the eighth player in school history with 5,000 yards of total offense. Senior Jordan Mack leads all linebackers in the nation with five sacks and junior linebacker Charles Snowden was named Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week after totaling 15 tackles and two sacks against ODU. ABOUT NOTRE DAME (2-1): Senior quarterback Ian Book threw for 275 yards and two touchdowns against Georgia, but suffered his first two interceptions of the season as the Irish lost in the regular season for the first time Nov. 25, 2017. I’ll back the points with Virginia! |
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09-28-19 | Iowa State -3 v. Baylor | Top | 21-23 | Loss | -101 | 41 h 6 m | Show |
Iowa State Baylor has won five games in a row dating to last season, the school's longest winning streak since starting 6-0 in 2016. Two years removed from a disastrous 1-11 season, the high-scoring Bears brace for a difficult test when Iowa State pays a visit to Waco for a nationally televised clash in the Big 12 opener for both teams on Saturday afternoon. Baylor steamrolled Stephen F. Austin and Texas-San Antonio in its first two games, amassing 119 points, but it had to hold off a late comeback by winless Rice in a 21-13 victory last week. Conversely, the Cyclones struggled in their first two games, squeezing by Northern Iowa in triple overtime and dropping a one-point decision to No. 19 Iowa before erupting in a 72-20 mauling of Louisiana-Monroe a week ago. ABOUT IOWA STATE (2-1): The Cyclones piled up a school-record 714 yards in the team's highest point total since 1906 behind quarterback Brock Purdy, who accounted for six touchdowns and became the first player in program history to eclipse 500 yards of total offense. ABOUT BAYLOR (3-0): Brewer, who threw for 288 yards and two TDs in a loss at Iowa State last year, has seven scoring passes versus zero interceptions but sports modest yardage numbers overall because the Bears have outscored their opponents 91-10 in the first half vs. weak teams. Cyclones are 9-3-1 ATS in their last 13 road games and are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games in September. Bears are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 home games. Lay the small number with Iowa State! |
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09-27-19 | Penn State -6.5 v. Maryland | Top | 59-0 | Win | 100 | 22 h 38 m | Show |
Penn State Penn State moved up in the national rankings on a bye week, but has plenty of questions to answer and a significant challenge to begin Big Ten play when it visits Maryland on Friday night. The No. 11 Nittany Lions are 3-0 for the third straight year but trailed at halftime at home against Buffalo on Sept. 7 and needed a goal-line stand to survive a 17-10 victory over Pittsburgh on Sept. 14. The Terrapins broke into the Top 25 by scoring 142 points in a 2-0 start before they were stymied offensively in a 20-17 loss at Temple on Sept. 14. Penn State has taken four straight meetings, including wins in the last two years by a combined 104-6. ABOUT PENN STATE (3-0): After completing 66.7 percent of his passes with six touchdowns through the first two games, sophomore quarterback Sean Clifford was 14-for-30 for 222 yards and zero TDs versus Pitt. The Lions were given a boost by sophomore running back Journey Brown, who emerged from a committee attack to run 10 times for a career-high 109 yards, earning a spot atop the depth chart entering this one. Speedster KJ Hamler leads the receiving corps with 245 yards through the air while fellow sophomore Pat Freiermuth has matched him with a team-high 10 grabs from the tight end position. ABOUT MARYLAND (2-1): The Terrapins continue to lean on standout running back Anthony McFarland Jr. (225 yards, five touchdowns), but they hope for a better showing from junior quarterback Josh Jackson, who was 15-for-38 passing with an interception and four sacks against Temple. Nittany Lions are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS loss and are 23-6-1 ATS in their last 30 games following a straight up win. Terrapins are 6-15 ATS vs. a team with a winning record. I will lay the number with Penn State on the road! |
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09-22-19 | Giants +5.5 v. Bucs | Top | 32-31 | Win | 100 | 5 h 51 m | Show |
Giants There will be a changing of the guard for the New York Giants on Sunday after they benched longtime quarterback Eli Manning ahead of a visit to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Rookie Daniel Jones will take the place of Manning. ABOUT THE GIANTS (0-2): Jones, drafted sixth overall out of Duke this spring, completed 29-of-34 passes for 416 yards and two touchdowns during some impressive preseason play. Jones will likely lean on Barkley, who enters Week 3 ranked second in the NFL with 227 rushing yards at an eye-popping 7.8 yards per attempt. ABOUT THE BUCCANEERS (1-1): Tampa Bay can't afford a letdown Sunday, which constitutes the team's last true home game until Nov. 10, with four challenging road games, one bye and one "home" game in London over the following six weeks. The Giants enter Week 3 sixth in the NFL in total offense (420 yards per game) while the Buccaneers are 26th (292). Take the Giants plus the points.
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09-22-19 | Broncos v. Packers -7 | Top | 16-27 | Win | 100 | 2 h 50 m | Show |
Packers – 7 Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers hope to continue their dominance at home when they host the winless Denver Broncos on Sunday. The Packers have posted a 62-16-1 record in Rodgers' last 79 regular-season starts at Lambeau Field and 12-2-1 in his last 15, while the quarterback ranks first in the NFL since 1970 with a 107.8 passer rating at home. ABOUT THE PACKERS (2-0): Rodgers enters the contest with 341 career touchdown passes, one behind Hall-of-Famer Fran Tarkenton for ninth place on the all-time list. Aaron Jones has averaged 120 yards from scrimmage over his last four home contests after gaining 150 in the Week 2 win over Minnesota. Davante Adams has made 35 touchdown catches since 2016, which is the second-most in the league in that stretch. Broncos are 5-14 ATS in their last 19 road games. Packers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games in September. Take the Packers at home.
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09-22-19 | Bengals v. Bills -6 | Top | 17-21 | Loss | -112 | 2 h 48 m | Show |
Bills The Buffalo Bills are undefeated two games into the season after winning a pair of road games in the same stadium - taking out the New York Jets and New York Giants in back-to-back weeks. The Bills finally get a chance to play at home when they attempt to take advantage of a team still learning under a new coach in the visiting Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. Buffalo successfully flustered Jets quarterback Sam Darnold in the season opener and were so solid last week against Eli Manning that the Giants decided to make a switch at quarterback. ABOUT THE BENGALS (0-2): While Dalton is among the league leaders in passing yardage, Cincinnati ranks last in the NFL in rushing at an average of 29.5 yards. Starting running back Joe Mixon totaled 27 yards on 17 carries in the first two games and the team has yet to score a touchdown on the ground. The Bengals will have a hard time running the ball. ABOUT THE BILLS (2-0): Buffalo is not having any trouble in the red zone or with the rushing attack and quarterback Josh Allen is crediting the work of the offensive line. Allen actually leads the team with two rushing touchdowns to go with 507 passing yards and a pair of TDs through the air. I will lay the points in the home opener for the Bills. |
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09-22-19 | Falcons v. Colts | Top | 24-27 | Win | 100 | 2 h 48 m | Show |
Colts The Atlanta Falcons have been presented an opportunity to get a leg up in the NFC South but first must focus on accomplishing a rare feat - defeating an AFC team - when they visit the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday for their first of three straight against the AFC South. Atlanta, which lost seven of eight games versus the AFC over the last two seasons ABOUT THE FALCONS (1-1): Ryan has 300 touchdown passes - tied for 11th all-time with John Elway - after tossing three in last week's 24-20 victory over Philadelphia last week, but has thrown as many interceptions (five) as TDs this season. ABOUT THE COLTS (1-1): Brissett is off to a fast start by completing 69.1 percent of his passes with five touchdowns and one interception. Running back Marlon Mack is third in the league with 225 rushing yards while RB Jordan Wilkins contributed a 55-yard run in last week's 19-17 victory at Tennessee. The Colts are the top play of the week! |
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09-22-19 | Raiders v. Vikings -8 | Top | 14-34 | Win | 100 | 2 h 47 m | Show |
Vikings The Minnesota Vikings hope for another strong rushing performance as they aim for their second win in as many home games when they host the Oakland Raiders on Sunday. Minnesota is tied for second in the NFL with an average of 185 yards on the ground through two games while Dalvin Cook tops the league with 265 yards and three rushing touchdowns. Cook gained a career-high 154 yards on 20 carries and finished with 191 scrimmage yards in last week's 21-16 loss at Green Bay. Included in those totals is a 75-yard touchdown run The Raiders posted a surprising 24-16 triumph over Denver in their season opener and came out strong against Kansas City last week, scoring the game's first 10 points before suffering a 28-10 loss. Oakland, which plays four of its next five games on the road, has not visited Minnesota since posting a 27-21 victory on Nov. 20, 2011. I am willing to the lay the points with the Vikings. |
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09-16-19 | Browns -6.5 v. Jets | Top | 23-3 | Win | 100 | 51 h 26 m | Show |
Browns The Cleveland Browns and New York Jets will celebrate the anniversary of the debut of Monday Night Football when they square off again this Monday, but both teams more likely are focused on forgetting what happened one week ago. The Browns flopped badly amid soaring expectations in their season opener and will look to get back on track when they visit the Jets in a prime-time matchup. The Jets also have to find a way to pick up the pieces after blowing a 16-point lead in a 17-16 home loss to Buffalo and learning this week that quarterback Sam Darnold has mononucleosis and will be sidelined indefinitely. ABOUT THE BROWNS (0-1): Cleveland actually trailed by only two in the waning minutes of the third quarter before surrendering 28 unanswered points to the Titans, capping a disastrous performance in which they committed a staggering 18 penalties for 182 yards. ABOUT THE JETS (0-1): Much of the team's optimism was based on the expected progress of Darnold, but his illness paves the way for Trevor Siemian to make his first start since 2017 with Denver. It continued a dismal week for the Jets, who saw linebacker C.J. Mosley exit the season opener with a groin injury and wide receiver Quincy Enunwa (neck) placed on season-ending injured reserve. Mayfield made his first start in Week 3 last season as the Browns beat the Jets 21-17 to end a 19-game winless streak. I will still play the Browns at this very inflated number. |
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09-15-19 | Eagles -1.5 v. Falcons | Top | 20-24 | Loss | -110 | 28 h 31 m | Show |
Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles aim to begin a season with a 2-0 mark for the second time in four years on Sunday night when they visit the Atlanta Falcons, who are looking to avert an 0-2 start for the first time since 2007. The Eagles were able to overcome a 17-point deficit in their 32-27 win over Washington while Atlanta was unable to climb out of a four-touchdown deficit in its 28-12 setback to Minnesota. Philadelphia's Carson Wentz established quick chemistry with the returning DeSean Jackson on a pair of long scoring strikes to highlight his three-touchdown performance versus the Redskins. Pennsylvania-born Matt Ryan was intercepted twice and sacked four times to put the Falcons in a sizable hole versus the Vikings while a banged up offensive line did little for Devonta Freeman, who had eight carries for 19 yards and a fumble. ABOUT THE EAGLES (1-0): While it's transparent that wideout Alshon Jeffrey (receiving and rushing touchdown) and tight end Zach Ertz will have significant impacts on the passing game, it's not exactly clear how Philadelphia's congested backfield will play out this season. Speedy rookie Miles Sanders and veteran Darren Sproles each had 12 touches in the opener while Jordan Howard amassed 55 scrimmage yards on just 17 plays. My point is the Eagles have a lot of options. ABOUT THE FALCONS (0-1): Julio Jones, who found the end zone in the fourth quarter to salvage his season-opening performance is not in yet on the same page as Ryan. Atlanta's Jamon Brown will play RG in place of first-round pick Chris Lindstrom, who was placed on injured reserve with a broken foot. Eagles are the better team on both sides of the ball and I’ll back them on the road. |
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09-15-19 | Jaguars v. Texans -8.5 | Top | 12-13 | Loss | -105 | 20 h 13 m | Show |
Texans The line between moral victory and demoralizing loss can be fine in the NFL, but the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars firmly were on opposite sides of it in Week 1. The AFC South rivals aim to rebound from season-opening losses when they square off Sunday in Houston. The Texans squandered a thrilling fourth-quarter comeback on Monday as they lost 30-28 at New Orleans on a last-second field goal. The Jaguars, on the other hand, were encouraged by their second-half surge in a 40-26 loss to Kansas City, especially considering rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew replaced injured starter Nick Foles and impressed in his NFL debut. ABOUT THE JAGUARS (0-1): Foles is out until at least Week 11 with a broken collarbone, but Jacksonville has confidence in Minshew, but I’m not so sure. ABOUT THE TEXANS (0-1): Houston has a dynamic duo in the passing game with quarterback Deshaun Watson and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, but the newly constructed backfield tandem also got the job done last week. Carlos Hyde rushed for 83 yards just nine days after being acquired from Kansas City and Duke Johnson recorded 90 yards from scrimmage in his debut for the Texans. Jaguars are 2-10 ATS in their last 12 games in Week 2 and are 2-9-2 ATS in their last 13 games overall. Texans are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games in Week 2. The Texans held down the Jags last season in both matchups and I see the same here so I’m willing to lay the big number. |
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09-15-19 | Seahawks +4 v. Steelers | Top | 28-26 | Win | 100 | 20 h 12 m | Show |
Seahawks Russell Wilson and Ben Roethlisberger engaged in a high-octane shootout the last time they shared the field, so there is no telling what may happen when the Seattle Seahawks visit the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Wilson passed for 345 yards and five touchdowns in the 39-30 home win during the 2015 season while Roethlisberger passed for 456 yards but just one score. Roethlisberger and his teammates got off to a poor start in Week 1 as they were shellacked 33-3 by New England in their first game. Seattle posted a 21-20 victory over Cincinnati, but it wasn't pretty as the club was outgained 429-233. ABOUT THE SEAHAWKS (1-0): Wilson was 14-of-20 for 196 yards and two scores in the opener while defensive end Quinton Jefferson fueled the defense with a career-best two sacks. Star pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney recorded two tackles and a sack during his team debut and is working on assimilating himself into the unit after recently being acquired from Houston. ABOUT THE STEELERS (0-1): Pittsburgh never got untracked against the Patriots and running back James Conner was a non-factor with 21 yards on 10 carries. Wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster is the new primary target with Brown gone, and he had six receptions for 78 yards while newcomer Donte Moncrief was a big disappointment with three catches for seven yards while being targeted a team-high 10 times. I have this game being close so I’ll back the Seahawks plus the points. |
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09-14-19 | Florida -8.5 v. Kentucky | Top | 29-21 | Loss | -110 | 2 h 1 m | Show |
#175 Florida Kentucky stunned Florida in Gainesville last September, halting a 31-game series losing streak with an impressive 27-16 victory. But the Wildcats may be hard pressed to make it two in a row over the eighth-ranked Gators, who come in off a 45-0 blanking of UT Martin, as they open their SEC campaign at home Saturday without their starting quarterback after Terry Wilson suffered a season-ending knee injury in last week's 38-17 win over Eastern Michigan. The Gators will feature a quarterback quite familiar with this SEC rivalry - and one with something to prove - as Feleipe Franks did not have a performance to remember in last year's meeting. ABOUT FLORIDA (2-0, 0-0 SEC): Franks was razor sharp in the win over UT Martin, connecting on 25-of-27 passes for 270 yards and two touchdowns as he broke Tim Tebow's single-game school record for completion percentage. The offense rolled up 543 yards in the win, giving the Gators at least 500 yards of total offense in four of the last six games. The defense has been getting to quarterbacks with 15 sacks in the first two games, including 10 in the opener versus Miami. ABOUT KENTUCKY (2-0, 0-0): Smith is no stranger to collegiate action, hitting 144-of-229 passes for 1,669 yards and 14 TDs while leading Troy to the Dollar General Bowl last year, but the Gators defense will no doubt provide a far more formidable challenge. Take Florida on the road. |
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09-14-19 | Alabama -25 v. South Carolina | Top | 47-23 | Loss | -110 | 29 h 23 m | Show |
#137 Alabama Alabama and South Carolina haven't played since 2010, and the last meeting wasn't the least bit fun for the Crimson Tide. The Gamecocks defeated then-No. 1 Alabama 35-21 nine years ago, and they look to post another upset when the No. 2 Crimson Tide visit town on Saturday. ABOUT ALABAMA (2-0, 1-0 SEC): Junior quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has completed 76.4 percent of his passes for 563 yards and seven touchdowns and hasn't been intercepted in 55 attempts. Junior wideout Jerry Jeudy is off to a ferocious start with 18 receptions for 240 yards and four touchdowns, and he moved into second place on the school's all-time list with 20 scoring receptions, trailing only Amari Cooper (31 from 2012-14). Junior safety Xavier McKinney has a team-best 14 tackles for a unit allowing averages of 6.5 points and 233 yards per game. ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA (1-1, 0-0): Senior quarterback Jake Bentley (foot) suffered a season-ending injury but freshman Ryan Hilinski looked sharp in his first career start by completing 24-of-30 passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns in last Saturday's 72-10 drubbing of Charleston Southern. He will not look good vs. this Alabama defense. Gamecocks are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points. Crimson Tide are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 conference games. Lay the large number with Alabama in a rout. |
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09-14-19 | Kansas State +7.5 v. Mississippi State | Top | 31-24 | Win | 100 | 26 h 45 m | Show |
#111 Kansas State A pair of impressive wins and a strong start from the new quarterback pushed Mississippi State into the Top 25 for the first time this season. The 23rd-ranked Bulldogs will try to prove they belong when they face their stiffest challenge of the nonconference slate when Kansas State visits on Saturday. ABOUT KANSAS STATE (2-0): The Wildcats are in their first season under Klieman after the retirement of school icon Bill Snyder but are not taking any steps back on the field after beating Nicholls and Bowling Green by a combined score of 101-14. Kansas State piled up a total of 694 rushing yards in those two contests with senior running back James Gilbert (218 yards and three touchdowns) and quarterback Skylar Thompson helping to give the defense plenty of breathing room. ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE (2-0): Stevens threw a pair of touchdown passes in last week’s 38-15 triumph over Southern Miss before leaving with an upper-body injury and is questionable for Saturday. Running back Kylin Hill took over more responsibility on offense with Stevens out, pushing his totals to 320 yards and two TDs through two games, and is prepared for a bigger role if Stevens is limited. Take the points in a game that Kansas State can win outright. |
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09-09-19 | Broncos -2.5 v. Raiders | Top | 16-24 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 3 m | Show |
Broncos The Oakland Raiders have finally stopped waffling when it comes to deciding what to do with disgruntled wide receiver Antonio Brown. The Raiders released Brown and his 686 receptions and 9,145 yards since 2013. The Raiders, who will move to Las Vegas after this season, and the Broncos are projected to battle for last place in the AFC West as the Joe Flacco era begins in Denver. ABOUT THE BRONCOS (2018: 6-10, THIRD IN AFC WEST): Flacco, who lost his job in Baltimore last season to Lamar Jackson, needs 1,755 passing yards to reach 40,000 in his career. Running back Phillip Lindsay, who rushed for 1,037 yards as an undrafted rookie last season, is completely healed from a broken wrist that forced him to miss the final game of 2018. Denver's defense boasts a pair of powerful pass rushers in Von Miller (14.5 sacks last season, 98 career) and Bradley Chubb (12 as a rookie in 2018), and top cornerback Chris Harris - the only player in the league with multiple interceptions over the last seven seasons. ABOUT THE RAIDERS (2018: 4-12, LAST IN AFC WEST): Without Brown and his NFL-most 74 touchdowns since entering the league in 2010, Tyrell Williams will likely emerge as the marquee wideout as he makes his club debut after catching 153 passes and scoring 16 touchdowns over the last three seasons with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers. Oakland selected running back Josh Jacobs with the 24th overall pick and hope the former Alabama star can improve a ground game that was 25th in the league in each of the last two seasons while taking pressure off quarterback Derek Carr. I see the Raiders having a hard time putting up points here vs. the stout Denver defense. Take the Broncos and lay the small number. |
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09-09-19 | Texans v. Saints -6.5 | Top | 28-30 | Loss | -106 | 7 h 52 m | Show |
Saints The New Orleans Saints have seen each of their last two seasons come to an end with heartbreaking losses, including a galling setback in January with the team knocking on the door of the Super Bowl. With Drew Brees returning for his 19th season, the Saints open their bid for a third straight NFC South title when they host the Houston Texans on Monday night. New Orleans finished with 13 wins and the top overall seed in the conference last season before falling in overtime to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC title game. ABOUT THE TEXANS (2018: 11-5, FIRST IN AFC SOUTH): Houston will rely heavily on third-year quarterback Deshaun Watson, the first player to throw for at least 4,000 yards and 25 touchdowns while rushing for 500 yards and five scores in a season. Watson has perhaps the league's top wideout in DeAndre Hopkins, who amassed 115 receptions and 11 TDs last season, but questions abound about the ground game after Lamar Miller tore his ACL in the preseason so the Texans brought in running backs Duke Johnson and Carlos Hyde in separate trades and bolstered the offensive line with the acquisition of tackle Laremy Tunsil. ABOUT THE SAINTS (2018: 13-3, FIRST IN NFC SOUTH): Brees, 40, who earned his 12th Pro Bowl berth after throwing for 32 touchdowns versus five interceptions last season, needs 20 scoring passes to surpass Peyton Manning (539) for No. 1 on the all-time list. Michael Thomas led the NFL with 125 catches and set a franchise record with 1,405 yards while becoming the third player in history to start his career with three straight seasons of at least 1,100 yards. Tight end Jared Cook, coming off a career year in Oakland, will augment the passing game while do-everything back Alvin Kamara heads the ground game after piling up 18 touchdowns and nearly 1,600 yards from scrimmage. The defense ranked No. 2 against the run (80.2 yards) last season. Brees has thrown 37 scoring passes in 17 career Kickoff Weekend games, the most of any quarterback. Texans are 3-10 ATS in their last 13 Monday games. Home team is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings. I’ll lay just under a touchdown with the Saints. |
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09-08-19 | 49ers +1.5 v. Bucs | Top | 31-17 | Win | 100 | 6 h 13 m | Show |
49ers Back from a knee injury that derailed most of his 2018 season, Jimmy Garoppolo enters a crucial year under center for the San Francisco 49ers, who open play at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. After going 5-0 as a starter with the Niners in 2017 and then signing a $137.5 million deal prior to last season, Garoppolo played in just three games before tearing the ACL on his left knee, crushing San Francisco's hopes for a rise up the NFC West standings. The Niners went 3-10 without Garoppolo to finish out of the playoffs for the fifth consecutive year but hope that a full season of health for the 27-year-old signal-caller can turn things around. Tampa Bay's playoff drought is much longer at 12 years and it has turned to new head coach Bruce Arians to help end it. Jameis Winston enters his fifth season as the team's starting quarterback. ABOUT THE 49ERS (2018: 4-12, 3RD IN NFC WEST): While Garoppolo's comeback is drawing plenty of attention, San Francisco also hopes to put opposing quarterbacks under severe pressure with a revamped defensive unit featuring newly signed edge rusher Dee Ford and No. 2 overall pick Nick Bosa. Ford had 13 sacks with Kansas City a year ago before signing with the Niners while Bosa, who is battling an ankle injury, was a standout at Ohio State. Fourth-year defensive end DeForest Buckner had a team-high 12 sacks a year ago. ABOUT THE BUCCANEERS (2018: 5-11, 4TH IN NFC SOUTH): Tampa Bay may need a good start to stay relevant later in the year, as the schedule-makers handed the team a brutal stretch from late September through early November in which it goes without a home game for nearly 50 days. It starts with back-to-back road games at the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints, followed by a "home" game with the Carolina Panthers in London, a bye week and then road games at Tennessee and Seattle. The Buccaneers were 1-7 on the road each of the last two years. Back the 49ers on the road in a late start. |
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09-08-19 | Colts +7 v. Chargers | Top | 24-30 | Win | 100 | 6 h 51 m | Show |
Colts Andrew Luck's stunning retirement left the Indianapolis Colts in a scramble while the host Los Angeles Chargers will be without holdout running back Melvin Gordon when the teams open the season Sunday. Jacoby Brissett has replaced Luck as Indianapolis' starting quarterback while Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson will fill Gordon's shoes as the main ball carriers. The Chargers are still under the control of Philip Rivers and the quarterback entering his 16th season is bullish that Ekeler and Jackson will make up for the absence of Gordon, who is seeking a contract extension. ABOUT THE COLTS (2018: 10-6, SECOND IN AFC SOUTH): Brissett started 15 games for Indianapolis in 2017 when Luck was sidelined and passed for 3,098 yards and 13 touchdowns against seven interceptions. The defense is expected to receive a big boost from the addition of pass rusher Justin Houston, who had 22 sacks in 2014 and 78.5 overall in eight seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs. Houston has 7.5 career sacks against the Chargers. ABOUT THE CHARGERS (2018: 12-4, TIED FOR FIRST IN AFC WEST): Rivers has put together six straight 4,000-yard seasons and 10 overall and he is 26 touchdown passes away from becoming the sixth player in NFL history to reach 400. Ekeler (554 rushing, 404 receiving) will get first call in place of Gordon but Jackson (206 rushing) will get plenty of work as Los Angeles looks to develop a competent one-two punch. Defensively, the Chargers will be without standout safety Derwin James (foot) for at least a large part of the campaign while relying on star defensive end Joey Bosa (28.5 sacks in 35 career contests) to lead the unit. The Colts beat the Chargers 26-22 in 2016 to end a three-game skid in the series. I like the Colts plus the points. |
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09-08-19 | Ravens -7 v. Dolphins | Top | 59-10 | Win | 100 | 3 h 52 m | Show |
Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are committed to moving forward behind quarterback Lamar Jackson and plan on competing for an AFC North title and another run deep into the playoffs. The Miami Dolphins, who host the Ravens in the season opener on Sunday, look like a team fully in rebuilding mode after bringing in a new coach and getting very active on the trade market. Baltimore spent its offseason rebuilding its offense to suit the talents of Jackson and imported Mark Ingram from New Orleans to take on some of the rushing duties, but Jackson is still expected to pull the ball down and run often. The Dolphins traded away star left tackle Laremy Tunsil, wide receiver Kenny Stills and leading tackler Kiko Alonso in the latest round of trades toward the end of camp, leading to question about the team's intentions for the season. ABOUT THE RAVENS (2018: 10-6, FIRST IN AFC NORTH): Baltimore is convinced that Ingram, 29, has plenty left in the tank after splitting carries for years with the Saints. "He's a proven back in the National Football League," Ravens coach John Harbaugh told reporters. "He seems very healthy. (There is) not a lot of wear and tear on Mark. He’s a downhill, physical runner. He fits our style." Ingram will run between the tackles while Jackson takes off around the outside and goes after Michael Vick's record for rushing yards by a quarterback (1,039). ABOUT THE DOLPHINS (2018: 7-9, SECOND IN AFC EAST): Miami traded for former first-round pick Josh Rosen in the offseason, but veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick won the battle in camp and will get the start on Sunday, becoming the first quarterback to start for eight different teams. Running back Kenyan Drake survived the team's offseason purge and is expected to take on a bigger role in the offense after averaging 4.5 yards per rush in 2018. Ravens are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games in Week 1. Ravens are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 meetings in Miami. Miami will have big problems all season. Back the Ravens. |
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09-08-19 | Chiefs -3 v. Jaguars | Top | 40-26 | Win | 100 | 3 h 50 m | Show |
Chiefs Reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes says the Kansas City Chiefs spent the offseason finding ways to make their offense run even more smoothly, and that’s a scary proposition for opposing defenses. Mahomes and the Chiefs will try to pick up where they left off last season when they open the 2019 campaign at the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. The Chiefs led the league in scoring (35.3 points per game) and total offense (425.6 yards) a year ago, and with most of their biggest weapons still in the arsenal, they’ve been able to add some new wrinkles to the playbook. They’ll start with a strong challenge against a Jacksonville defense that ranked in the top five in the league in scoring defense (19.8 points per game) and total defense (311.4 yards). ABOUT THE CHIEFS (2018: 12-4, TIED FOR FIRST IN AFC WEST): There’s plenty of hype for Kansas City’s offense with Mahomes back for his second full season as a starter after passing for 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns a year ago. The Chiefs added running back LeSean McCoy to complement Damien Williams, who broke out last season after Kareem Hunt’s release, and Mahomes’ two favorite targets are back in dynamic receiver Tyreek Hill and tight end Travis Kelce. The defense got a bit of a facelift with the addition of pass rusher Frank Clark and safety Tyrann Mathieu. ABOUT THE JAGUARS (2018: 5-11, LAST IN AFC SOUTH): Jacksonville moved on from quarterback Blake Bortles and brought in Nick Foles to try to mitigate the turnovers that derailed them last season, when they coughed it up 29 times. They also added former Chiefs receiver Chris Conley, who along with Marqise Lee and Dede Westbrook could stabilize the passing game needed to complement running back Leonard Fournette. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey, defensive ends Calais Campbell and Yannick Ngakoue, and linebacker Myles Jack anchor a defense that again figures to be one of the league’s best. The Chiefs have scored 25 or more points in an NFL-record 21 consecutive regular-season games. The Chiefs have won four straight meetings, including a 30-14 home victory last October. Take Kansas City on the highway as today’s best bet. |
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09-08-19 | Rams v. Panthers | Top | 30-27 | Win | 100 | 3 h 49 m | Show |
Rams The Los Angeles Rams begin their quest for a third consecutive NFC West title - and a second straight trip to the Super Bowl - when they open on the road against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. The Panthers hope to get back to the playoffs for the fifth time in seven seasons after missing out last year. It’s a matchup of two of the NFL’s top rushing attacks as star running back Todd Gurley helped the Rams rank third in the league in rushing a year ago, while quarterback Cam Newton and versatile back Christian McCaffrey gave the Panthers the No. 4 ground game. Gurley should be fresh - like most of the Rams’ starters - as he didn’t play a snap in the preseason and will be seeing his first live game action Sunday. Carolina might consider that strategy next season after Newton suffered a sprained foot during the preseason that threatened to keep him out of the opener. ABOUT THE RAMS (2018: 13-3, FIRST IN NFC WEST): Los Angeles boasts one of the NFL’s most dynamic offenses as Jared Goff emerged as an elite quarterback in 2018, passing for 4,688 yards and 32 touchdowns to complement Gurley. Goff is surrounded by a talented receiving corps led by Robert Woods and Brandin Cooks, a pair of 1,000-yard receivers in 2018. Veterans Clay Matthews and Eric Weddle were added to a defense anchored by back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald, who led the league in sacks (20.5) and tackles for loss (25) last season. ABOUT THE PANTHERS (2018: 7-9, THIRD IN AFC SOUTH): The fate of Carolina’s season likely rests on the health of Newton, who had shoulder surgery in the offseason. If he is able to play to his full potential, the Panthers have plenty of talent around him to put up big offensive numbers, including McCaffrey and young receivers D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel. The defense will have a new look, featuring more 3-4 lineups, but veteran linebacker Luke Kuechly is still the centerpiece after collecting at least 100 tackles in seven straight seasons. Take the Rams on the road. |
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09-07-19 | LSU v. Texas +7 | Top | 45-38 | Push | 0 | 9 h 31 m | Show |
Texas Texas thinks it's ready to jump back into the conversation for a Big 12 title and a spot in the College Football Playoff, and LSU is in a similar position. One team will take a big step toward proving it belongs at the top of the NCAA rankings when the sixth-ranked Tigers visit the ninth-ranked Longhorns on Saturday. LSU unveiled a new spread offense in the opener against Georgia Southern to go with its customary fearsome defense and will attack Texas with a unit that piled up 472 yards in a 55-3 drubbing. ABOUT LSU (1-0): Burrow went 23-of-27 passing for 278 yards and five TDs and 14 different players recorded at least one catch in Week 1, and spreading the ball around is key to the offensive system the team is implementing. ABOUT TEXAS (1-0): Ehlinger completed 28-of-38 passes for 276 yards and four touchdowns without an interception in the opener but knows he is facing a Tigers secondary on Saturday that might be one of the best in the country. Texas is the play plus the points. |
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09-07-19 | Nebraska -4 v. Colorado | Top | 31-34 | Loss | -109 | 5 h 33 m | Show |
Nebraska Season-opening college football games can often drive coaches crazy even when their teams win by reasonably comfortable margins, and such was the case this week for Nebraska's Scott Frost and Colorado's Mel Tucker. The 25th-ranked Cornhuskers hope to avenge last year's painful season-opening loss to the Buffaloes on Saturday when they visit Colorado in a battle of former Big 12 arch-rivals. Nebraska entered the second year of the Frost era with huge expectations thanks to potential Heisman Trophy candidate Adrian Martinez. Colorado’s defense is reeling after Colorado State had 505 yards of total offense to the Rams in the highest-scoring contest between the teams in the rivalry's 91-game history. ABOUT NEBRASKA (1-0): The Cornhuskers' defense forced five turnovers and combined with the special teams to score three times in the first 15-plus minutes of the second half, including a 38-yard interception return from Eric Lee Jr. ABOUT COLORADO (1-0): Sophomore Alex Fontenot carried 19 times for 125 yards and three TDs against Colorado State, becoming only the fourth running back in school history to score at least three touchdowns in his first start. Nebraska outgained the Buffaloes 565-395 last season, but three turnovers and 11 penalties - including a late personal foul on third-and-24 with about a minute remaining - led to Shenault's 40-yard TD catch on the next play led to Colorado's 33-28 victory. Nebraska gets revenge here. |
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09-07-19 | Texas A&M +17 v. Clemson | Top | 10-24 | Win | 100 | 5 h 32 m | Show |
Texas A&M Top-ranked Clemson faces what figures to be one of its biggest challenges of the season when No. 11 Texas A&M visits Death Valley on Saturday afternoon. Clemson is looking for its third straight win over the Aggies, including a thrilling 28-26 win last year at Texas A&M. The Aggies had little trouble dispatching Texas State in their season opener, blasting the Bobcats 41-7 at home, but now they have to go on the road to one of the toughest places to play in the nation. The Tigers rolled to a 52-14 win over Georgia Tech last week. ABOUT TEXAS A&M (1-0): The Aggies showed off a potentially explosive — and balanced — offense last week, as Kellen Mond passed for 194 yards with three touchdowns and one interception and both Isaiah Spiller and Jashaun Corbin went over 100 yards rushing. Fisher hopes to establish the run in order to prevent Clemson’s talented defensive line from “pinning back their ears” and wreaking havoc in the pass rush. ABOUT CLEMSON (1-0): The Tigers racked up 632 yards of total offense against Georgia Tech despite a subpar game from Lawrence, who was 13-of-23 for 168 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Texas A&M has compiled at least 400 total yards in six consecutive games and 11 of 14 under Fisher. Texas A&M gets the cover at Clemson. |
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08-31-19 | Virginia -2.5 v. Pittsburgh | Top | 30-14 | Win | 100 | 8 h 12 m | Show |
Virginia Virginia was picked to finish last in the Atlantic Coast Coastal division in each of the previous five seasons, but a surprising 2018 campaign, the development of quarterback Bryce Perkins and a stacked defense has the Cavaliers the favorite to win the division this season. However, a stern test right of the gate awaits in the opener Saturday when Virginia visits defending division champ Pittsburgh. ABOUT VIRGINIA (2019: 8-5): The offense averaged 28.5 points last season - most since 2004 - and 385 yards - most since 397 in 2012 - but must replace running back Jordan Ellis (1,026 yards, 10 touchdowns) and receiver Olamide Zaccheaus (93 receptions, 1,058 yards); junior PK Kier (82 yards) and Hasise Dubois (52 catches) are the top returning run and catch threats. Virginia coach Bronco Mendenhall inherited a team that surrendered 32.2 points and 412 yards per game in 2015, but he has eight starters returning to a team that yielded just 20.1 points - 21st in FBS - and 331 yards per game. ABOUT PITTSBURGH (2019: 7-7): Pickett, who will take orders from new offensive coordinator Mark Whipple this season, completed 58.1 percent of his passes but his 180 completions were good for only 1,969 yards, and he was 4-of-16 for eight yards in the ACC Championship game against Clemson. This is the first time since the ACC went to two divisions in 2005 that the Cavaliers have been the media's preseason pick to win the division. Play Virginia on the road. |
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08-30-19 | Utah State v. Wake Forest -3.5 | Top | 35-38 | Loss | -115 | 9 h 6 m | Show |
Wake Forest Wake Forest surged to a winning season and a bowl victory with Jamie Newman playing quarterback down the stretch in 2018, and the junior will begin this season as the starter for the Demon Deacons in Friday’s opener at home against Utah State. Newman stepped in when Sam Hartman was lost to a leg injury and directed the Demon Deacons to victories in three of the final four games, winning MVP honors in the Birmingham Bowl after accounting for four touchdowns. The Demon Deacons will have the luxury of Cade Carney returning at running back after rushing for 1,005 yards a season ago. ABOUT UTAH STATE (2018: 11-2): The Aggies return nine starters on offense but none are more valuable than Love, who passed for 3,567 yards and 32 touchdowns last season while winning Mountain West offensive player of the week five times. Senior Gerold Bright returns after rushing for 888 yards and 10 touchdowns a season ago. ABOUT WAKE FOREST (2018: 7-6): Newman finished with 1,083 yards passing and nine touchdowns in six games a season ago, adding four rushing touchdowns and 247 yards on the ground. Sophomore receiver Sage Surratt (14.2 years per catch, four touchdowns) leads the returners at receiver. Wake Forest used 588 yards of total offense to beat Utah State 46-10 at home in 2017. Wake Forest gets the win and cover at home. |
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08-24-19 | Florida -7 v. Miami-FL | Top | 24-20 | Loss | -105 | 32 h 13 m | Show |
Florida Football fans in Florida are all abuzz with the renewal of the Miami-Florida rivalry, which kicks off the college football season Saturday night at Camping World Stadium in neutral Orlando. But fans in that state won't be the only ones watching as the matchup between programs trying to claw their way back into championship contention will be on the national stage as they introduce the 150th college campaign. Miami is also quite familiar with the glare of the spotlight and the Hurricanes are desperate for a turnaround of their own with former defensive coordinator Manny Diaz taking over the helm following a forgettable season that ended with the abrupt retirement of coach Mark Richt. Diaz's first order of business was settling on a quarterback after years of turmoil at the position and redshirt freshman Jarren Williams surprisingly emerged as the starter ahead of Ohio State transfer Tate Martell and last year's sometimes starter N'Kosi Perry. The Gators' resurgence was largely because of Mullen's success resurrecting a lifeless offense, beginning with the development of young quarterback Feleipe Franks, who took control of the starting job as a redshirt sophomore and threw for 2,457 yards and 24 touchdowns with only six interceptions. The Gators wound up totaling at least 400 yards in their final four games and scoring 40-plus points in their final three. Lay the number with Florida. |
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02-03-19 | Patriots -2 v. Rams | Top | 13-3 | Win | 100 | 30 h 14 m | Show |
Patriots 30 Rams 24 The Patriots rush defense has been phenomenal in both playoff games giving up just 30 yards on average and that will stymie the Rams attack. Look for the Patriots to open the game up after having success running the ball. Belichick and Brady prove too much for the young Rams. Props Total Rushing Yards by Patriots: (at Station Casinos) Over 123.5 (-120) The Patriots have their running games going as of late and Sony Michel has been the primary beneficiary, rushing for 242 yards and five touchdowns on 53 carries in two postseason games. I look for Coach Belichick to move the chains on the ground enough to get this prop over with two other capably running backs in White and Burkhead. Total Receiving Yards by: Julian Edelman (NE) (at Westgate SB) Over 79.5 (-110) Edelman had 13 targets and nine receptions for 151 yards in the divisional round and had 10 targets with seven receptions for 96 yards in the AFC Championship. Look for Brady to go to him early and often with him being a big part of the game plan. Total points by: Stephen Gostkowski (NE) (at Westgate SB) Over 8.5 (-110) I expect the Patriots to score at least three touchdowns (3 extra points) and two or three field goals (6 to 9 points) to get the Patriots kicker over his point’s total. |
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01-13-19 | Eagles v. Saints -8 | Top | 14-20 | Loss | -105 | 29 h 18 m | Show |
Saints – 8 The lowest point in the Philadelphia Eagles' season also provided the inspiration to turn it around. After their postseason plans were put in peril following a lopsided loss in New Orleans, the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles look to exact revenge against the host Saints on Sunday and become the first No. 6 seed to reach the conference championship since 2010. "That game has helped us become the team we are today," Philadelphia quarterback Nick Foles said of the 48-7 shellacking in Week 11. "Going through that, that's not easy as a team to lose like that. The Eagles won five of their last six games to squeeze into the playoffs, and Foles helped lead the team to its fourth straight victory overall by throwing for 266 yards and two touchdowns in a 16-15 decision at Chicago on Sunday. New Orleans' starters have been well-rested for quite some time. Pro Bowl quarterback Drew Brees, who shattered his own NFL record for completion percentage in a season (74.4), finished close to that number on Nov. 18 after completing 22 of 30 passes for 363 yards with four touchdowns against the Eagles. New Orleans enjoyed a plus-8 turnover ratio this season while Philadelphia finished minus-6 in that department. That can come into play in this game with the Saints having the edge. New Orleans has won six consecutive postseason games at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Eagles are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games on fieldturf and Eagles are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 meetings vs. the Saints. Saints are 25-6 ATS in their last 31 home games vs. a team with a winning road record. Bottom line here is I’m willing to lay the points with quarterback Drew Brees and the Saints at home. |
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01-13-19 | Chargers +4 v. Patriots | Top | 28-41 | Loss | -101 | 26 h 44 m | Show |
Chargers + 4 Having set the bar so high since the arrival of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, even an average season by the New England Patriots was enough to earn a 10th consecutive AFC East title and a first-round bye in the playoffs. Seeking a ninth Super Bowl appearance in 18 years, the Patriots kick off their postseason by hosting the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. Los Angeles is the No. 5 seed, it had a better record than the Patriots and turned in an impressive performance by holding off a late rally in a 23-17 road win at Baltimore last week. Philip Rivers has had one of his best seasons, tossing 32 TD passes and matching his career high with a 105.5 quarterback rating. Keenan Allen had 97 receptions to lead a deep, talented receiving corps that could see the return of tight end Hunter Henry, who tore an ACL in May but practiced fully Wednesday and Thursday. Defensive ends Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa lead a unit that registered seven sacks last week and ranked ninth against the pass this season (227.9 yards). The Patriots’ defense yields lots of yardage, ranking 21st (359.1) per game. It’s very tough to bet against the Patriots at home any week let alone in the playoffs but the Chargers have the recipe to make it happen. Take the points and a little on the money line!
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01-12-19 | Cowboys +7.5 v. Rams | Top | 22-30 | Loss | -119 | 9 h 54 m | Show |
Cowboys + 7.5 Star running backs will be entrenched in the spotlight on Saturday as two-time league rushing champion Ezekiel Elliott and the Dallas Cowboys visit the defending NFL Offensive Player of the Year Todd Gurley and the Rams in an NFC divisional round playoff game at the Los Angeles. Elliott, who had a league-best 1,434 rushing yards this season, added 137 more and scored a touchdown in Dallas' 24-22 win over Seattle last weekend. The 23-year-old Elliott will bid to become the fourth player in NFL history to record three consecutive postseason games with at least 125 rushing yards when he squares off against Los Angeles, which has been gashed for a league-worst 5.1 yards per rush. Gurley finished with 1,251 rushing yards and NFL-best 21 total touchdowns despite sitting out the Rams' final two games because of knee inflammation and soreness. The 24-year-old will need to overcome the injury as well as a Cowboys' rush defense that permitted an NFL fifth-best 3.8 yards per carry and limited the Seahawks' run-heavy offense to just 3.0 yards per rush. Cowboys are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 vs. NFC. Rams are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 home games and are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 playoff games. Feeling here is the Cowboys hang tough all game and get the cover. |
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01-12-19 | Colts +5 v. Chiefs | Top | 13-31 | Loss | -103 | 5 h 15 m | Show |
Colts + 5 History does not favor the Kansas City Chiefs entering Saturday's AFC divisional round matchup versus the sixth-seeded Indianapolis Colts, but that does not concern the overwhelming favorite for league MVP honors. Second-year quarterback Patrick Mahomes leads the NFL's most prolific offense as the top-seeded Chiefs look to secure only their second win in 12 playoff appearances since 1994. Indianapolis quarterback Andrew Luck finished second to Mahomes with 39 scoring passes after missing the entire 2017 season. Indianapolis overcame a 1-5 start by winning nine of its last 10 regular-season games and carried the momentum into the playoffs by knocking off No. 3 seed Houston 21-7 as Luck threw a pair of first-half touchdown passes to stake his team to a 21-point lead. Running back Marlon Mack did the bulk of the heavy lifting by rushing for 148 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries, his fifth 100-yard effort in 11 games. Dontrelle Inman has caught a scoring pass in each of the last three games, giving Luck another target opposite top wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, who had five catches for 85 yards last week after amassing 1,270 yards during the regular season. The Colts' defense allowed a league-low 16.4 points over the final 10 weeks of the regular season. Indianapolis allowed the fewest sacks in the league with 18. I’m going with the more complete team in the Colts.
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01-07-19 | Alabama v. Clemson +6 | Top | 16-44 | Win | 100 | 56 h 11 m | Show |
Clemson Two stalwarts of the College Football Playoff era square off for a fourth consecutive year when No. 2 Clemson takes on top-ranked Alabama for the national title Monday in Santa Clara, California. After splitting a pair of championship-game matchups following the 2015 and 2016 seasons, the Crimson Tide dispatched the Tigers 24-6 in the semifinals last year, and both emerged as early favorites to reach the title game. The first two meetings - Alabama’s 45-40 win in January 2016 and Clemson’s 35-31 triumph in January 2017 - were classics that went down to the wire, and both coaches expect a similar outcome between two evenly matched teams on Monday. Swinney made the bold decision to go with Trevor Lawrence as his starting quarterback four games into the season, and the move has paid off as the freshman has piled up 2,933 passing yards with 27 touchdowns and four interceptions. Lawrence’s big arm gives the Tigers a downfield threat on every play, but running back Travis Etienne (1,572 yards, 22 TDs) is the workhorse on offense. I love the points with Clemson. |
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01-06-19 | Eagles +7 v. Bears | Top | 16-15 | Win | 100 | 51 h 58 m | Show |
Eagles The Chicago Bears opened the door for the Philadelphia Eagles to defend their Super Bowl crown with a suffocating performance against Minnesota in the regular-season finale. The third-seeded Bears bid to shut that door just as swiftly on Sunday when they host the sixth-seeded Eagles at Soldier Field in Chicago in an NFC wild-card game. Quarterback Nick Foles thrived under that glaring spotlight last season, guiding the "underdog" -- albeit top-ranked -- Eagles to three straight wins while securing Super Bowl MVP honors for himself in the process. The 29-year-old Foles (ribs) participated fully in Thursday's practice for Philadelphia, which returns to the postseason in consecutive years for the first time since the 2009-10 seasons and bids to become the first repeat Super Bowl champion since the 2003-04 New England Patriots. Pro Bowler Zach Ertz set an NFL record this season for catches (116) by a tight end to go along with a career-best 1,163 receiving yards. Philadelphia Pro Bowl DT Fletcher Cox notched three of his team-leading 10.5 sacks in Sunday's 24-0 win over Washington. Eagles are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games in January and are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 playoff road games. Bears are 15-40-1 ATS in their last 56 games after accumulating more than 150 yards rushing in their previous game. Underdog is 9-4 ATS in their last 13 meetings. I see this being a very close game so take the points with Philly. |
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01-06-19 | Chargers +3 v. Ravens | Top | 23-17 | Win | 100 | 47 h 23 m | Show |
Chargers The Los Angeles Chargers finished tied with the best record in the AFC but one loss over the final six games cost them a chance at the No. 1 overall seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Instead, the Chargers have to open the postseason on the road and will get a chance to avenge a Week 16 defeat when they visit the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. The Ravens went 6-1 down the stretch after turning the offense over to rookie Lamar Jackson, who will become the youngest quarterback to start a playoff game. Philip Rivers had one of the finest seasons of his 15-year career, posting a passer rating of 105.5 while throwing for 4,308 with 32 touchdowns versus 12 interceptions, but Baltimore picked him off twice and held him to a season-low 181 yards. Running back Melvin Gordon rushed for 41 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries in Week 16 in his first game back after missing the previous three with an ankle injury, but he said this week that he feels much healthier entering the rematch. Keenan Allen is the favorite target of Rivers with 97 receptions for 1,196 yards and leads a talented receiving corps that could see the return of tight end Hunter Henry, sidelined since May with a torn ACL. Melvin Ingram, one of seven Chargers named to the Pro Bowl, and fellow defensive end Joey Bosa combined for 12.5 sacks for the NFL's No. 9 defense. Jackson relied just as much on his legs as his arm since taking over for an injured Joe Flacco, but he threw for a season-high 204 yards and a touchdown against the Chargers, who held him to a rushing low of 39 yards in his seven starts. Rivers can become the fourth QB to post a passer rating of at least 115.0 in three straight playoff games and I’m backing him over rookie Lamar Jackson. |
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01-05-19 | Seahawks +2.5 v. Cowboys | Top | 22-24 | Win | 100 | 31 h 34 m | Show |
Seahawks Ezekiel Elliott was a busy man this season, as the Pro Bowl running back recorded a league-high 1,434 rushing yards and team-best 77 receptions to help the Dallas Cowboys punch their ticket to the playoffs for the third time in five years. After sitting out the regular-season finale, a well-rested Elliott is expected to carry the mail on Saturday as the fourth-seeded Cowboys host the fifth-seeded Seattle Seahawks in an NFC wild-card game. While the Cowboys boast a 7-1 mark at AT&T Stadium and won seven of their last eight games overall, the Seahawks emerged victorious in six of their last seven contests to reach 10 wins and a playoff berth for the sixth time in Russell Wilson's seven seasons with the club. Wilson, who threw two of his NFL third-best 35 touchdown passes in Seattle's win over Dallas in Week 3. Chris Carson (team-best 1,151 rushing yards) had a season-high 32 carries for 102 yards and a touchdown against Dallas, a performance that set the tone for what would become Seattle's top-ranked rushing offense (160.0 yards per game). Seattle Pro Bowl LB Bobby Wagner had eight of his club-high 138 tackles against Dallas in Week 3. Seattle recorded a league-best plus-15 turnover differential this season. Seahawks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games. Cowboys are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games in January. Underdog is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings. I like QB Russell Wilson over Dak Prescott. |
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01-05-19 | Colts +1 v. Texans | Top | 21-7 | Win | 100 | 27 h 54 m | Show |
Colts The Houston Texans may have saved their season with an overtime win at Indianapolis in Week 4, but the Colts may have done the same by beating their AFC South rivals 10 weeks later to keep their playoff chances alive. The stakes will be considerably higher Saturday when the teams square off for the third time this season in the AFC wild card round in Houston. The Texans prevented an 0-4 start to the season by outlasting the Colts 37-34 on Sept. 30, a victory that spurred a nine-game winning streak and a worst-to-first finish in the division. Indianapolis avenged that defeat and ended Houston's nine-game run with a 24-21 road victory on Dec. 9 to ignite a season-closing four-game winning streak that locked up the No. 6 seed and a third meeting with the Texans. Andrew Luck finished with 4,593 yards and 39 touchdown passes while guiding Indianapolis to nine wins over its final 10 games. His favorite target is wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, who has been battling an ankle injury but still has his fifth 1,000-yard season (1,270) and burned the Texans for nine catches and 199 yards in Week 14. Tight end Eric Ebron had a career-best 13 touchdown catches, including one in each matchup versus Houston, while Marlon Mack rushed for nine touchdowns and had four 100-yard outings in his last 10 games. Rookie Darius Leonard, the league leader with 163 tackles, heads a defense that did not allow 30 points over the final 10 games after surrendering at least 34 points in four of the first six contests. Luck has passed for 2,776 yards and 23 touchdowns in 10 career games versus Houston. Hilton has 41 catches for 933 yards and seven touchdowns in seven games at NRG Stadium. Colts are 6-0 ATS vs. a team with a winning record. Texans are 1-5 ATS vs. a team with a winning record. Colts are 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings in Houston. I’m backing the Colts with the better coach and QB as my top play of the weekend. |
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12-29-18 | Notre Dame v. Clemson -12 | Top | 3-30 | Win | 100 | 22 h 49 m | Show |
Clemson Clemson will play in the College Football Playoff for the fourth consecutive season when the second-seeded Tigers face No. 3 Notre Dame in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic on Dec. 29 in Arlington, Texas. The Tigers are 3-2 in the College Football Playoff over the past three years, including a national title in 2016 and a 24-6 loss to Alabama in last year’s semifinal. The Fighting Irish are making their first appearance in the four-team playoff, which was instituted in 2014. Clemson’s offense thrives on big plays, while Notre Dame’s defense has been one of the nation’s best at preventing them. The Tigers rank in the top five nationally in plays of 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 yards, including 90 plays of 20 yards or more and 19 of 50 yards or more. The Fighting Irish rank in the top 10 defensively in all those categories and have given up only nine plays of 60 yards or more, the fewest in the nation. Two of the country’s top running backs will be on display with Clemson’s Travis Etienne and Notre Dame’s Dexter Williams. Etienne (1,434 yards, 21 touchdowns) averages 8.31 yards per carry and has topped 150 yards in six games this season. Williams was suspended for the first four games of the season but has averaged 117.6 rushing yards in eight games since while scoring 12 of his 13 touchdowns on the ground. The Fighting Irish survived the regular season unscathed, but had five games decided by eight points or fewer and played only three ranked teams in the latest Top 25. The Tigers might be the most well-rounded team in the country, as they rank fifth nationally in total offense and scoring, second in scoring defense, and sixth in total defense. Etienne and freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence (2,606 passing yards, 24 TDs, 4 INTs) have put up big numbers, and 10 players have caught a touchdown pass. Clemson’s defense has been a wrecking crew, racking up 121 tackles for loss and 46 sacks with end Clelin Ferrell (17 tackles for loss, 10 1/2 sacks) leading the way. Clemson wins a blowout. |
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12-29-18 | Florida +6 v. Michigan | Top | 41-15 | Win | 100 | 18 h 48 m | Show |
Florida Seventh-ranked Michigan and No. 10 Florida are set to renew hostilities when they meet in the Peach Bowl on Dec. 29 in Atlanta. The Wolverines harbored serious College Football Playoff hopes heading into their final regular season game against sixth-ranked Ohio State, but suffered a devastating 62-39 loss to the Buckeyes to fall out of the playoff picture and aim to overcome the disappointment by achieving 11 wins in a season for just the 10th time in program history. The Dan Mullen era in Gainesville began with a bang as the Gators raced out to a 6-1 record before dropping back-to-back contests against No. 5 Georgia (36-17) and Missouri (38-17), but won three straight games to close out the regular season and hope to put an exclamation point on a promising campaign by knocking off the Wolverines for the first time in program history. Michigan looks to avoid a bad case of Florida fatigue as they get set to face the Gators for the third time since 2016. The Wolverines routed Florida 41-7 in the 2016 Citrus Bowl before taking down the Gators 33-17 in the 2017 season opener in Arlington, TX to improve to 4-0 all time in the series and hope a historic defeat to their bitter rivals doesn't carry over into the postseason, where they have dropped four of their last five bowl games, including a 26-19 setback to South Carolina in the 2018 Outback Bowl. Mullen has restored Florida's swagger as he orchestrated victories over No. 11 Louisiana State and 18th-ranked Mississippi State to leave him in position to win 10 games in his first season in Gainesville - a feat which eluded Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer. Mullen has resuscitated a moribund offense that was 109th in yards per game (335.9) last season as Florida has generated over 500 yards in three consecutive contests heading into the Peach Bowl and hopes to keep firing on all cylinders against Michigan. Gators are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 non-conference games. Wolverines are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 non-conference games. I’m looking for a very close game so take the Gators plus the points. |
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12-23-18 | Chiefs v. Seahawks +2.5 | Top | 31-38 | Win | 100 | 8 h 29 m | Show |
Seahawks The stakes will be high when the Seattle Seahawks host the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night with major playoff seeding implications on the line. The Chiefs are trying to lock up the AFC West title and a first-round bye, while the Seahawks can clinch a postseason berth with a win and a loss by either Washington or Minnesota. Both teams are looking to bounce back from disappointing losses that raised the stakes this week. The Chiefs appeared poised to clinch the division crown last week before the Los Angeles Chargers rallied from a 28-14 deficit in the final four minutes to post a 29-28 victory. The Seahawks suffered a stunning 26-23 overtime loss at San Francisco to snap their four-game winning streak and create pressure to win at least one of their final two games. All six of Seattle’s losses have come by eight points or fewer, which is why a team that ranks ninth in the NFL in scoring offense and seventh in scoring defense is fighting to make the playoffs. Chris Carson, who rushed for a career-high 119 yards and a touchdown last week, leads the league’s top ground game, but Russell Wilson quietly has put together a great season with 3,025 passing yards, 31 touchdowns and six interceptions. Seattle’s once-dominant defense has been decimated by injuries but has forced 22 turnovers. Wilson has thrown 13 touchdown passes and two interceptions in six home contests. Chiefs are 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall. Seahawks are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss. I’ll take the home Seahawks in what should be the most entertaining game of the week! |
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12-23-18 | Bucs v. Cowboys -7 | Top | 20-27 | Push | 0 | 1 h 13 m | Show |
Cowboys After laying an egg on the road, the Dallas Cowboys will try to clinch the NFC East at home when they host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. The Cowboys' five-game winning streak came to a crashing halt with a 23-0 loss at Indianapolis last Sunday, but the team remains in the driver's seat in the division and can sew it up in front of the home fans. The Buccaneers' remote playoff hopes were dashed with back-to-back losses to New Orleans and Baltimore and they'll finish with a losing record for the seventh time in eight years. Tampa Bay had a season-low 241 total yards in last Sunday's 20-12 loss at Baltimore. I look for a lot of the same here vs. the Dallas defense. The Cowboys are fourth in the NFL in scoring defense (19.2) and the Buccaneers are 30th (28.8). The Cowboys are 11-1 at home against Tampa Bay. Cowboys get the win and cover. |
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12-23-18 | Giants v. Colts -9.5 | Top | 27-28 | Loss | -109 | 1 h 12 m | Show |
Colts The Indianapolis Colts are one of the hottest teams in the NFL but still have work to do to make the playoffs for the first time in four years, a quest that continues Sunday against the visiting New York Giants. Last week's 23-0 win over the Dallas Cowboys was the seventh win in the last eight contests for the Colts, who enter Week 16 two games out in the AFC South and right in the thick of the wild-card race. The Colts rolled up 178 yards on the ground and limiting a red-hot Dallas offense to just 292 total yards. The Giants had won four of five and entertained thoughts of sneaking in the back end of the NFC playoffs before falling 17-0 to Tennessee last week. Star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (quadriceps) has missed two straight games and is out again. Colts RB Marlon Mack ran for a career-high 139 yards and two TDs in the win over the Cowboys. Giants are 4-10-2 ATS in their last 16 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. Colts are 32-14-1 ATS vs. a team with a losing record. Giants are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 meetings. I got the Colts in a blow-out. |
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12-23-18 | Texans v. Eagles -1 | Top | 30-32 | Win | 100 | 1 h 11 m | Show |
Eagles The Houston Texans could be sitting pretty at the conclusion of the weekend, provided they handle their business against the host Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday and receive a bit of help along the way. Defeating the Eagles is not something the Texans have done in their existence, however, as the club has dropped all four encounters by double-digit margins. The 23-year-old Watson, sacked on six occasions by the Jets and an NFL-high 52 times, faces an Eagles' contingent that has 35 sacks on the season. Nick Foles stepped in for an injured Carson Wentz and completed 24 of 31 attempts for 270 yards as Philadelphia moved within a game of NFC East-leading Dallas by posting a 30-23 win versus the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. Zach Ertz, who ranks third in the NFL with 101 catches, is 10 receptions shy of breaking Jason Witten's single-season record for tight ends. Wideout Alshon Jeffery reeled in team highs in catches (eight) and receiving yards (160) against the Rams. Texans are 1-8-1 ATS in their last 10 games in December. Eagles are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 home games vs. a team with a winning road record. I’ll back Philly to grab the home victory with a outside shot at the playoffs. |
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12-23-18 | Vikings -6.5 v. Lions | Top | 27-9 | Win | 100 | 1 h 10 m | Show |
Vikings The Minnesota Vikings look to move closer to obtaining an NFC wild-card berth when they visit the Detroit Lions on Sunday. Minnesota currently occupies the second wild-card spot, sitting one-half game ahead of Philadelphia and Washington. The Lions dropped a 14-13 decision to Buffalo last week, their sixth setback in eight games. Minnesota recorded a franchise-record 10 sacks in a 24-9 win over the Lions on Nov. 4 as defensive end Danielle Hunter registered 3.5 of them and also returned a fumble 32 yards for a touchdown. Hunter is tied for second in the NFL with 14.5 sacks and notched two in the victory over the Dolphins as the Vikings posted nine overall. Cousins is 87 yards shy of his fourth straight 4,000-yard campaign while wide receiver Adam Thielen ranks second in the league in receptions (105) and eighth in receiving yards (1,255) despite recording season lows of two and 19 against Miami. Vikings RB Dalvin Cook rushed for a career-high 136 yards and scored two touchdowns in the win over the Dolphins. Detroit RB Kerryon Johnson (knee), who is the team's leading rusher with 641 yards despite playing in just 10 games, was placed on injured reserve. Vikings are 13-5-1 ATS vs. a team with a losing record. Lions are 4-11 ATS in their last 15 games after allowing less than 15 points in their previous game. Vikings are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 meetings in Detroit and will get the win and cover to keep their playoff hopes very alive. |
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12-22-18 | Wake Forest +3.5 v. Memphis | Top | 37-34 | Win | 100 | 20 h 31 m | Show |
Saturday, DEC 22 Wake Forest Memphis and Wake Forest will meet for the first time since 1967 when they face off in the Jared Birmingham Bowl on Dec. 22 in Birmingham, Ala. The Tigers finished first in the West Division of the American Athletic Conference but fell in the title game 56-41 to unbeaten UCF. The Demon Deacons were tied for fifth in the ACC Atlantic Division and became bowl-eligible with a 59-7 win over Duke in their regular-season finale. Wake Forest will be without its top quarterback as freshman Sam Hartman has been declared out. Hartman, who injured his leg in early November against Syracuse, missed the final three regular-season games with sophomore Jamie Newman taking his place. Newman isn’t the downfield passing threat Hartman is but did a nice job and finished the season with 755 passing yards on 101 attempts and a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 8:3. The Demon Deacons are in a bowl game for the third year in a row and it took their best performance of the season to get them there in the rout of the Blue Devils on Nov. 24. Wake Forest just only 3-6 as dog this season but Coach Clawson was 10-2-1 in role entering this season. Deacs 4-1 SU, 4-0-1 vs. line last five bowls including wins past two seasons. Memphis no wins or covers last three years in bowls, only 2-4 vs. points away from home this season. Tigers are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games in December and are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 Bowl games. Demon Deacons are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games in December and are 16-5 ATS in their last 21 games after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game. I got Wake Forest to get the job done here in a close game coming down to the wire.
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12-20-18 | Marshall -3.5 v. South Florida | Top | 38-20 | Win | 100 | 9 h 50 m | Show |
Marshall South Florida hopes to soothe the sting of a five-game losing streak that ended the regular season when it takes on Marshall in the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl on Dec. 21 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. The Bulls, who face the Thundering Herd for the first time, started the season with seven consecutive victories and had visions of a major bowl game before injury issues and a leaky defense (39.6 points per game allowed in losses) led to five double-digit setbacks. Marshall won three straight games to seal its fifth bowl appearance in six years before ending the regular season with a 41-20 loss at Virginia Tech. South Florida hopes to have a healthier offense after a four-week break following the 38-10 loss to No. 7 Central Florida on Nov. 23 and the Bulls, who averaged 35.6 points during their 7-0 start, will face a defense that allowed 22 points per game and tied for sixth in the nation with 39 sacks. USF did not have No. 1 quarterback Blake Barnett in two of its last three games because of a shoulder injury and he may return, but the Bulls will have a new play caller after offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert was hired as McNeese State’s new coach after the regular season. This is a home game for the Bulls, but while a home game in general is usually a good thing, some of these teams look forward to enjoying the bowl experience in a different place. So, motivation could actually be missing in this case. Not that home field did much for the Bulls anyway this season, where they went just 1-5 ATS. USF needs to run the ball well to be successful and that seems like a tall order against a Marshall run defense that allows a miniscule 2.9 yards per carry on the season. If the Herd can get the Bulls in third and long scenarios it could be a long night for USF. Additionally, the Herd are 5-0 SU/ATS under head coach Doc Holliday in bowl games. I like Marshall to win by 10 or more… |
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12-16-18 | Patriots -2.5 v. Steelers | Top | 10-17 | Loss | -112 | 29 h 23 m | Show |
Patriots – 2.5 The New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers appeared to be en route to another high-stakes collision course in the season's final month, but recent stumbles by both teams have changed the dynamics. While the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC may be out of reach, the Patriots and Steelers try to move closer to wrapping up division titles when they meet in Pittsburgh on Sunday. The Patriots, who are coming off a stunning last-second loss at Miami, have won five in a row against the Steelers. Tom Brady threw for 358 yards and three touchdowns at Miami, but New England failed to take advantage of three prime red-zone opportunities in which they came away with a total of six points. That will not be the case here vs. the weak Steelers defense. Pittsburgh's defense has been burned for 39 fourth-quarter points during the three-game skid. Brady has thrown 25 touchdown passes and four interceptions in career 10 games against Pittsburgh. Gronkowski has scored eight touchdowns in six games versus the Steelers and made nine catches for 168 yards in last season's matchup. Patriots are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games in December. Steelers are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games in December. Patriots are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings in Pittsburgh. Take the Patriots to get the hard fought win on the highway. |
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12-16-18 | Seahawks -3.5 v. 49ers | Top | 23-26 | Loss | -103 | 29 h 4 m | Show |
Seahawks – 3.5 The Seattle Seahawks attempt to record their fifth consecutive victory when they host the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. Seattle's recent hot stretch has placed it in a strong position in the NFC wild-card chase, and the team can clinch a playoff berth this weekend if it defeats the 49ers. The defense carried the load in Seattle's latest win as Wilson (29 touchdowns this season) completed just 10-of-20 passes - with the longest being a 14-yarder - in a stale effort. The Seahawks have won each of the last nine regular-season meetings and they get the win and cover the number in this spot. |
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12-16-18 | Raiders +3 v. Bengals | Top | 16-30 | Loss | -100 | 26 h 2 m | Show |
Raiders + 3 The Cincinnati Bengals are looking to end a losing streak that ruined their season, but their opponent may not be the pushover it has been for the majority of the campaign. Cincinnati attempts to halt its five-game slide when it hosts the Oakland Raiders on Sunday. Derek Carr's early-season interception problem is a thing of the past as he has gone eight games without being picked off. The 27-year-old, who has thrown for 3,434 yards and 18 touchdowns, leads the AFC and ranks fifth in the entire league with a 69.5 completion percentage. I’m looking for the Raiders to take it to the worst defense in the NFL in the Bengals. |
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12-16-18 | Lions v. Bills -2.5 | Top | 13-14 | Loss | -110 | 26 h 1 m | Show |
Bills – 2.5 The Detroit Lions' playoff chances are minuscule, but they are technically still alive and looking to remain a factor with a win Sunday at the Buffalo Bills. A 17-3 victory at Arizona last weekend kept the Lions mathematically in the hunt and a stretch run with three games against teams at .500 or worse gives them an opportunity to finish strong and hope for help -- lots of it -- elsewhere. They have no shot. That task would become much more difficult without starting quarterback Matthew Stafford, who has been limited in practice due to a back issue after throwing for a season-low 101 yards against the Cardinals. The Bills are coming off back-to-back four-point losses that have dashed what were already slim playoff hopes in the AFC. They'll continue to try to foster the growth of rookie quarterback Josh Allen, who has thrown for 597 yards and run for 335 -- the most ever by a quarterback in a three-game span -- since returning from a sprained elbow. The defense shined while Stafford and company struggled to produce a season-low 218 total yards at Arizona, with Darius Slay's 67-yard interception return for a touchdown the game's biggest play -- and players on that side of the ball know their top goal this week is to contain Allen. I don’t think they can. The Lions will have problems moving the ball here vs. this solid Bills defense. Bills have the single best yardage differential in the NFL over the last five weeks This one maybe close but Buffalo pulls it out at home. |
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12-16-18 | Cowboys +3 v. Colts | Top | 0-23 | Loss | -100 | 26 h 60 m | Show |
Cowboys + 3 Two of the hottest teams in the NFL try to push closer to playoff berths when the surging Dallas Cowboys visit the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. The NFC East-leading Cowboys ran their winning streak to five games with a 29-23 victory over Philadelphia last week, riding another monster effort from wideout Amari Cooper, who had a career-high 217 receiving yards and three touchdowns -- including the game-winner in overtime. The Colts quarterback Andrew Luck ranks second in the NFL with 34 passing TDs after tossing two more -- to go along with 399 yards -- in a crucial 24-21 win at Houston last week. The victory kept Indianapolis' AFC South hopes alive and put it squarely in the wild-card race as it looks to snap a three-year playoff drought. I see Luck not having an easy game vs., the Dallas defense. Ezekiel Elliott (NFL-best 1,262 yards) has 155 touches over the last five games, including a season-high 40 last week. Prescott threw for a career-high 455 yards against the Eagles and is completing 74.1 percent of his passes since Cooper arrived. Dallas took the last three meetings, including a 42-7 rout in 2014 in which Luck threw for 109 yards and two interceptions before being yanked from the game in the third quarter. Take the points as I give the Cowboys a good chance to win this game outright. |
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12-16-18 | Packers v. Bears -5 | Top | 17-24 | Win | 100 | 26 h 59 m | Show |
Bears - 5 The Green Bay Packers looked like a different team in their first week under interim coach Joe Philbin, but a date with a more impressive defense is looming. Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense will have its work cut out when they visit the NFC North-leading Chicago Bears on Sunday. Rodgers owns just one interception on the season and broke Tom Brady's NFL record for consecutive pass attempts (358) without an INT in last week's win, but Green Bay is going up against a Bears defense that leads the league with 25 interceptions. The Packers' defense only owns seven interceptions but is riding a streak of five consecutive games holding opponents under 25 points. Defense wins this game going away so back the Bears. |
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12-15-18 | Arizona State v. Fresno State -4 | Top | 20-31 | Win | 100 | 23 h 6 m | Show |
Fresno State Arizona State running back Eno Benjamin should receive ample opportunities to break the single-season school rushing record when the Sun Devils meet Fresno State in the Mitsubishi Motors Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 15 at Sam Boyd Stadium. Benjamin is 42 yards short of breaking the 46-year-old Arizona State record (1,565) set by Woody Green, and the Sun Devils will be without No. 1 receiver N'Keal Harry, which should allow even more carries for Benjamin. Harry, who had 73 catches for 1,088 yards and nine touchdowns this season, has decided to skip the bowl game and begin preparing for the NFL Draft. Fresno State should be plenty motivated in its first meeting against Arizona State since 1941. The Bulldogs earned this bowl bid with a dramatic 19-16 overtime win at Boise State on Dec. 1, putting themselves in position to win 12 games in a season for the first time in program history. Fresno State, which finished the regular season ranked No. 21 in the coaches' poll, will also be looking to win bowl games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since winning three in a row from 2002-04. Fresno State quarterback Marcus McMaryion took his play to another level this season, completing nearly 70 percent of his passes, throwing 25 touchdowns and getting intercepted just three times - none in the past four games. Sun Devils are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 vs. MWC. Bulldogs are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 non-conference games and are 15-4 ATS in their last 19 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game. Lay the points with the Bulldogs in Vegas. |
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12-10-18 | Vikings v. Seahawks -3 | Top | 7-21 | Win | 100 | 9 h 26 m | Show |
Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks saw any hopes of winning the NFC West evaporate when the division-rival Los Angeles Rams opened the season 8-0. The Seahawks' playoff chances also appeared to take a major hit after back-to-back losses to both Los Angeles teams, but they have bounced back and carry a three-game winning streak into Monday night's contest against the visiting Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota owns a one-half game lead over three teams for the last postseason berth after losing at New England 24-10 last weekend and now must fly to the opposite coast to face resurgent Seattle. Minnesota has alternated losses and wins over its last five games, a stretch during which Cousins has thrown nine touchdown passes against six interceptions. Unlike Minnesota, the running game is a point of emphasis for Seattle, which features the top-ranked attack with an average of 148.8 yards and at least 32 rushes in eight of its last 10 games. Quarterback Russell Wilson is averaging only 226.4 yards passing but usually dials it up late in the season, and this year is no exception - he has 11 touchdown passes and zero interceptions over his last four contests. Linemen Frank Clark and Jarran Reed have combined for 16.5 sacks to lead a unit ranked ninth in scoring defense (21.6 points). Wilson has a 142.0 passer rating with eight TDs and zero interceptions in three career matchups versus Minnesota. Vikings are 1-7 ATS vs. a team with a winning record and are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 Monday games. Seahawks are 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 vs. NFC and are 22-9-1 ATS in their last 32 games in December. Vikings are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 meetings in Seattle. Look for the Seahawks to be the better team on both sides of the ball tonight here at home. |
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12-09-18 | Eagles v. Cowboys -3 | Top | 23-29 | Win | 100 | 30 h 37 m | Show |
Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys began the turnaround to their season by watching Ezekiel Elliott score twice in a 27-20 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Nov. 11. The Cowboys bid to strengthen their grip atop the NFC East and push their winning streak to five games at AT&T Stadium on Sunday when they vie for their first season sweep of the Eagles since 2012. Dak Prescott was efficient in Thursday's 13-10 upset of New Orleans, completing a season-best 85.7 percent of his passes (24 of 28) for 249 yards. The 25-year-old has developed chemistry with in-season trade acquisition Amari Cooper, connecting eight times in back-to-back weeks and on six occasions in the first meeting with Philadelphia. Cowboys rookie LB Leighton Vander Esch registered a season-high 13 tackles and an interception in the initial encounter with the Eagles. Eagles are 1-4 ATS vs. a team with a winning record. Cowboys are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 vs. NFC East. Favorite is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings. |
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12-09-18 | Jets v. Bills -3.5 | Top | 27-23 | Loss | -120 | 26 h 11 m | Show |
Bills With little else for which to play in the standings, the New York Jets are seeking a measure of revenge when they travel to Buffalo on Sunday to meet the Bills. The Jets were 3-6 after suffering three straight losses but still hoping to turn things around heading into a Week 10 matchup with the struggling Bills at home, only to lay an egg in an embarrassing 41-10 loss to their AFC East foes. The Jets' slide has reached six in a row and last week's 26-22 setback at Tennessee was just about as painful, as they blew an early 16-0 lead and lost on a touchdown in the final minute. Buffalo followed up its 31-point win at MetLife Stadium on Nov. 11 with a victory over Jacksonville and a narrow loss at Miami as Sean McDermott's team displays a more competitive streak. Josh Allen threw for 231 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 135 more in the 21-17 loss to the Dolphins, and he figures to face off with New York's Sam Darnold -- who expects to return from a foot injury -- in a matchup of rookie quarterbacks. Buffalo has taken five of the last six meetings at home and are in a good spot here. |
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12-09-18 | Saints -9.5 v. Bucs | Top | 28-14 | Win | 100 | 26 h 10 m | Show |
Saints The New Orleans Saints will have nine full days off to diagnose what went wrong in a rare loss last Thursday before continuing their march toward a first-round bye in the NFC playoffs. The Saints will try to avenge a Week 1 loss when they visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. New Orleans, which dropped a 48-40 decision to Tampa Bay in the opener before ripping off 10 consecutive wins, put up its worst offensive performance last week in a 13-10 loss at the Dallas Cowboys on Nov. 22. Brees is up to 30 TD passes and three interceptions on the season but posted a season-low 71.6 rating last week. He will have a great game on Sunday vs. this Bucs Defense. Saints are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games overall and are 15-6 ATS in their last 21 vs. NFC South. Buccaneers are 2-9-1 ATS in their last 12 games in Week 14. Look for the Saints to overpower the Bucs and win going away. |
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12-09-18 | Colts +4.5 v. Texans | Top | 24-21 | Win | 100 | 26 h 9 m | Show |
Colts The Houston Texans can take another big step toward clinching the AFC South when they host the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. A 10th straight win for the Texans would eliminate the Colts from contention in the division.
The Colts averaged 34.6 points during a five-game winning streak before being blanked 6-0 at Jacksonville last Sunday. Houston used a field goal with no time on the clock in overtime to top Indianapolis 34-31 earlier in the year. Indianapolis has won four of the last five meetings in Houston. This game will come down to the wire so back the points with the Colts on the road. |
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12-09-18 | Ravens +7 v. Chiefs | Top | 24-27 | Win | 100 | 26 h 9 m | Show |
Ravens The league’s highest-scoring offense and its stingiest defense square off Sunday, when the Kansas City Chiefs host the Baltimore Ravens in a matchup of AFC playoff contenders. The high-scoring Chiefs hope to maintain their one-game lead in the AFC West, while the hard-nosed Ravens are trying to hang on to the last wild-card spot. The Chiefs average an NFL-best 37 points per game - a total the Ravens have reached only once this season. Baltimore’s defense has been especially dominant during the team's three-game winning streak - it held Atlanta to 131 total yards in last week's 26-16 victory - but it will face its toughest test yet the Chiefs. Baltimore has held its last three opponents to 255 total yards or fewer, while Kansas City’s season low for total offense is 330 against Arizona. Lamar Jackson is expected to make his fourth straight start, which limits the Ravens in the passing game but gives them a dynamic rushing attack. Baltimore has rolled up more than 200 rushing yards in the three games Jackson has started. The biggest question for the Chiefs is whether or not the defense can stop playoff-caliber opponents, and the secondary is especially suspect as the team ranks last against the pass. Ravens are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 games on grass. Road team is 6-2 ATS in their last 8 meetings. I’ll take the points with a defense the Chiefs have not seen yet this season. |
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12-02-18 | Chargers +3.5 v. Steelers | Top | 33-30 | Win | 100 | 33 h 52 m | Show |
Chargers +3.5 Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger meet up again when the Los Angeles Chargers visit the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night. The two members of the 2004 NFL Draft class are thriving in their 15th seasons with Rivers coming off a record-setting performance in last week's 45-10 rout of the Arizona Cardinals. Rivers has thrown multiple touchdown passes in each game this season while passing for 3,119 yards and 26 scores against six interceptions. Standout running back Melvin Gordon (knee) will miss the contest so Austin Ekeler (409 yards, 5.8 average) will get the call. He should do well vs. this poor Steelers defense. Standout defensive end Joey Bosa displayed he is fully recovered from the foot injury that caused him to miss the first nine games by recording two sacks against the Cardinals. Steelers RB James Conner (849 yards) has only 143 over the past three games after compiling four straight 100-yard outings. I’m looking for the Chargers to have to overall better game in one that comes down to the wire. Take the points. |
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12-02-18 | 49ers v. Seahawks -10 | Top | 16-43 | Win | 105 | 29 h 57 m | Show |
Seahawks – 10 Richard Sherman makes his return to Seattle for the first time as an opposing player when the San Francisco 49ers visit the Seahawks on Sunday. Sherman was released in March while recovering from an Achilles injury after seven seasons and two Super Bowl appearances with the team. 49ers Quarterback Nick Mullens will make his fourth straight start but is on a short leash after throwing two interceptions in the team's sluggish 27-9 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last weekend. San Francisco ranks 10th in defending the run (102.7 yards per game) and will be challenged by a Seattle offense that leads the NFL in rushing at 147.1. Seattle has won its last two games to perk things up after the team was unable to find a sustained groove earlier this season and are in the wild card hunt. Wilson is enjoying a strong season with 2,531 yards and 25 touchdowns against only five interceptions, while defensive end Frank Clark has been a standout with 10 sacks. The Seahawks have won the past nine meetings - playoffs included and they get the double digit win here. |
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12-02-18 | Colts -4 v. Jaguars | Top | 0-6 | Loss | -110 | 26 h 34 m | Show |
Colts – 4 The Jacksonville Jaguars are busy imploding, leaving the AFC South a two-team race between the Indianapolis Colts and the Houston Texans, with the Tennessee Titans lurking in the background. The Colts will try to take advantage of the sliding Jaguars and earn another division victory when they host the matchup on Sunday. The Jaguars are streaking in the opposite direction with seven consecutive losses following a 3-1 start and finally made the decision to bench quarterback Blake Bortles this week. Jacksonville will start Cody Kessler at quarterback on Sunday and are giving him a new play caller in quarterback coach Scott Milanovich, who takes over after offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett was fired on Monday. Luck's re-emergence as a premier quarterback after several injury-marred seasons is the driving force behind Indianapolis' climb into the playoff race. The former No. 1 overall pick completed 30-of-37 passes for 343 yards and three touchdowns against the Dolphins last week. Colts are 32-13-1 ATS vs. a team with a losing record and I’m more than willing to lay points on the road vs. a dysfunctional team in the Jags. |
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12-02-18 | Panthers -3 v. Bucs | Top | 17-24 | Loss | -112 | 26 h 33 m | Show |
Panthers – 3 It was less than a month ago that the Carolina Panthers harbored hopes of overtaking the New Orleans Saints in the NFC South, owning a 6-2 record and riding a three-game winning streak. Things have since taken a dramatic turn for Carolina, which is trying to climb back into the playoff race entering Sunday's game at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tampa Bay ended a four-game slide behind its finest defensive performance of the season in a 27-9 victory over the lowly San Francisco 49ers last week. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for four touchdowns in the loss to the Panthers, but Jameis Winston will make his second straight start for the Buccaneers. Running back Christian McCaffrey had a monster game in last week's 30-27 loss to Seattle, amassing a franchise record 237 yards from scrimmage to go with two touchdowns, and also piled up 157 yards and two scores in the win over Tampa Bay last month. Carolina’s offense will be too much for the Tampa Bay horrible defense to contain. |
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12-02-18 | Rams -10 v. Lions | Top | 30-16 | Win | 100 | 26 h 33 m | Show |
Rams – 10 The Los Angeles Rams can wrap up their second straight NFC West Division title and stay in the hunt for the top overall seed in the conference when they visit the Detroit Lions on Sunday afternoon. Los Angeles, which won its first eight games behind a high-powered offense, is coming off a bye that followed a pulsating 54-51 win over Kansas City in Week 11. Detroit has seen its playoff hopes fizzle over the past five weeks, falling to 1-4 in that span after a 23-16 loss to the Bears on Thanksgiving Day. Todd Gurley, who fell to second in the league in rushing during the bye week, was hindered by an ankle injury and had a season-low 12 carries against Kansas City but McVay said he had a great practice Wednesday. Jared Goff threw for 413 yards and four touchdowns in the shootout against the Chiefs and has 14 scoring passes against one interception over his past five games. Brandin Cooks has bounced back from a quiet three-game stretch with three consecutive 100-yard games, hauling in 24 receptions in that span. Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh returns to the city where he began his career but Aaron Donald is a bigger threat with an NFL-high 14.5 sacks. I’m looking for the Rams to run all over the Lions and I’m laying the big number. Rams are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 games following a bye week. |
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12-01-18 | Georgia v. Alabama -13 | Top | 28-35 | Loss | -115 | 52 h 37 m | Show |
Alabama Top-ranked Alabama will undoubtedly be part of the four-team College Football Playoff but fourth-ranked Georgia isn't a lock as the two squads prepare for Saturday's SEC championship game at Atlanta. The Bulldogs can clinch a CFP spot by beating the Crimson Tide but risk being bypassed for the playoff if they should lose the contest. The two squads met in last season's national title game with Alabama prevailing 26-23 in overtime in what was the coming out party for Crimson Tide quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who came off the bench to throw three touchdown passes. Alabama has been dominant all season but coach Nick Saban is very wary of Smart - his former defensive coordinator - and the Bulldogs. Tagovailoa has thrown a school-record 36 touchdown passes against two interceptions and the sophomore fuels an offense averaging 49 points per game. Jerry Jeudy is enjoying a standout season with 56 receptions for 1,079 and 11 touchdowns while fellow sophomore receiver DeVonta Smith (27 receptions) will forever be remembered in Alabama lore for catching the game-winning 41-yard touchdown pass in the national championship game. The Crimson Tide give up an average of 13.8 points with sophomore nose guard Quinnen Williams recording a team-leading 16 tackles for loss and senior defensive end Isaiah Buggs notching a team-best 9.5 sacks. Crimson Tide are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 conference games. Look for Alabama to pull away in the second half and get the cover. |
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12-01-18 | Memphis v. Central Florida -3 | Top | 41-56 | Win | 100 | 51 h 13 m | Show |
Central Florida Seventh-ranked Central Florida attempts to finish the job after an emotional week and earn a second straight American Athletic Conference title when it hosts surging Memphis in the championship game Saturday. The Knights extended their national-best winning streak to 24 games with a resounding 38-10 victory at South Florida last Friday, but the triumph came at a cost as star quarterback McKenzie Milton was lost to a severe right knee injury. UCF is eighth in the College Football Playoff rankings. Freshman quarterback Darriel Mack Jr. gets the job of trying to lead the Knights to another title. Memphis comes to Orlando, Fla. with one of the nation’s best running backs in junior Darrell Henderson, a four-game winning streak and the confidence of two near misses against UCF during the Knights' winning streak - but a 1-12 all-time record against the Knights. The Knights will lean more toward the ground attack with the 6-3, 230-pound Mack at the helm as he has run for 281 yards (7.0 per carry) and completed just 48.8 percent of his passes in a limited role. UCF’s rushing attack has gotten better each game and sophomore Greg McCrae (895 yards, eight TDs on the ground) took the leading role at the end of October while junior Adrian Killins Jr. (1,023 yards rushing and receiving) is always a threat. The Knights’ defense, led by sophomore defensive back Richie Grant (team highs of 98 tackles, five interceptions) and senior lineman Titus Davis (six sacks, 15.5 tackles for loss), must step up again versus the talented Tigers. Tigers are 5-16-1 ATS in their last 22 games on grass and are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games in December. Knights are 6-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record. Tigers are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 meetings in Central Florida. Central Florida gets the job done here to take the title. |
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12-01-18 | Texas +8 v. Oklahoma | Top | 27-39 | Loss | -105 | 49 h 43 m | Show |
Texas Lincoln Riley's dynamic offense at Oklahoma has consistently been explosive enough this season to make up for one of the worst defenses in the country, but Texas knows all about the one time it wasn't. The fifth-ranked Sooners hope to avenge their only loss of the season and impress the College Football Playoff committee enough to move up from the No. 5 spot in the CFP rankings when they meet No. 9 Texas on Saturday in the Big 12 Championship Game at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. Oklahoma, which leads FBS in scoring (50.3 points) and total offense (583.8 yards), finished the regular season on a six-game winning streak despite surrendering 47.3 points per game in its last four contests - and at least 40 points in each contest - by averaging 53.3. The Sooners have failed to score at least 48 points in only three games, the last of which came on Oct. 6 when Oklahoma needed less than six minutes in the fourth quarter to erase a 21-point deficit before the Longhorns got a game-winning 40-yard field goal from freshman Cameron Dicker as time expired for a 48-45 victory. Texas has been living on the edge for most of the season, playing all but one of its last eight opponents within one score and winning six of them. The Longhorns are making their sixth Big 12 Championship appearance and first since 2009, while the Sooners are seeking their fourth consecutive conference crown and a ninth championship win in 18 league title games. The Longhorns, who are the only school in the Big 12 with a winning record against the Sooners (62-46-5), are 6-3 in one-possession games this season. Take the points with Texas in a close game that comes down to the wire. |
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11-30-18 | Utah v. Washington -5 | Top | 3-10 | Win | 100 | 33 h 59 m | Show |
Washington Sans decorated quarterbacks Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen and Luke Falk, the Pac-12 took on a more defensive tone in 2018. And that’s certainly reflected in Friday night’s conference championship game which pits No. 17 Utah against No. 11 Washington in Santa Clara, Calif. Both teams boast top-20 FBS total and scoring defenses with the Huskies allowing 311.3 yards and 16.5 points and the Utes permitting 315.8 yards and 19.3 points per game. Washington will be playing in its second Pac-12 title game in three years while Utah is making its first appearance since joining the conference in 2011. Unlike Utah, the Huskies have the advantage of health and experience in the backfield with the senior duo of Jake Browning and tailback Myles Gaskin. Browning, despite averaging a career-low 224.3 aerial yards this season, is the school’s career passing yards leader and Pac-12’s all-time winningest quarterback, while Gaskin is averaging 107.6 yards on the ground and is the school’s all-time leader in rushing yards and touchdowns. Senior linebacker Ben Burr-Kirven is tied for the lead nationally with 155 tackles and paces a defense which ranks second in the conference against the run (121.8 yards allowed) and pass (189.4 yards). With a 21-7 road win at Utah on Sept. 15, Washington has won five of the six meetings since Utah entered the Pac-12. In the September contest, Gaskin rushed for 143 yards and a TD on 30 carries while the Huskies’ defense forced three turnovers and had a trio of fourth-down stops. Lay the points here with Washington to capture the PAC-12 Title. |
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11-26-18 | Titans v. Texans -5.5 | Top | 17-34 | Win | 100 | 54 h 18 m | Show |
Texans Their ugly start to the season now a distant memory, the Houston Texans can set a franchise record when they host the Tennessee Titans on Monday night. The Texans own a two-game lead atop the AFC South and will go for their eighth consecutive victory after opening the campaign with three straight losses, including a 20-17 setback at Tennessee in Week 2. The Titans squandered a chance to make Monday's matchup a showdown for division supremacy, following a pair of decisive wins over Dallas and New England with a 38-10 loss to Indianapolis last week. Tennessee quarterback Marcus Mariota was knocked out of that game with a stinger, but he practiced fully on Friday and Titans offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur pronounced him "ready to roll." Watson had his NFL coming-out party against Tennessee last season in his third career start, throwing for four touchdowns and rushing for another as Houston set a franchise record for points in a 57-14 rout. Running back Lamar Miller is providing balance to the offense with at least 18 carries and 86 yards rushing in three of the last four games. The Texans are fifth in scoring defense (20.5 points). Texans DE J.J. Watt has registered 10 sacks on the season, including one in each of his last three games. Hopkins has at least 100 yards in three of his last four versus Tennessee, including 110 and a TD in Week 2. Ride the Texans to the home win and cover on Monday Night. |
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11-25-18 | Dolphins v. Colts -7.5 | Top | 24-27 | Loss | -110 | 26 h 29 m | Show |
Colts Ryan Tannehill would love to be as fortunate as Andrew Luck, who has silenced any talk about the shoulder injury that sidelined him for all of the 2017 season by tossing at least three touchdown passes in each of his last seven games. Luck and the Colts vie for their fifth straight win on Sunday when they host the returning Tannehill and the Miami Dolphins, who skidded into their bye with losses in five of their last seven outings. "I was not in a good spot a year ago. I remember that. I am in a good spot now," said Luck, who is enjoying a career-best completion percentage (67.3) and quarterback rating (101.8) while tossing an NFL second-best 29 touchdown passes this season. The 29-year-old earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors after connecting with trusted target T.Y. Hilton for two of his three touchdown passes in Sunday's 38-10 romp over Tennessee. Tannehill, who has been sidelined since Miami's 27-17 setback to Cincinnati on Oct. 7, takes the helm of an offense that has failed to score a touchdown in its last nine quarters. Luck is tied with Miami legend Dan Marino for the third longest streak of consecutive games with three or more touchdown passes, trailing only Tom Brady (10) and Peyton Manning (eight). The offensive line has done its part in protecting Luck, who has not been sacked in five straight games. The Colts Hilton has found the end zone five times in his last five home games while running back Marlon Mack also had a touchdown on Sunday, giving him five scores (four rushing, one receiving) in his past four contests overall. The Dolphins' first drive has failed to produce any points in 13 consecutive games. Dolphins are 5-18 ATS in their last 23 games on fieldturf and are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 road games. If you looking for the rout of the day, this is it. Colts roll Miami here at home. |
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11-25-18 | Giants +6 v. Eagles | Top | 22-25 | Win | 100 | 23 h 6 m | Show |
Giants The Philadelphia Eagles found themselves on the business end of a beat-down so severe that it was the most lopsided loss ever by a defending Super Bowl champion. The Eagles aim to shake off the effects of a 41-point demolition on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field when they bid for their ninth win in 10 outings against the New York Giants. Carson Wentz completed 19 of 33 passes for 156 yards and three interceptions in Sunday's 48-7 shellacking in New Orleans. The 25-year-old Wentz fared significantly better in his last encounter versus the Giants, throwing for three touchdowns with a pick in Philadelphia's 34-13 road win on Oct. 11. Rookie Saquon Barkley ripped off a 50-yard scoring run in that contest and found the end zone on three occasions (two rushing, one receiving) to highlight a career-high 142-yard rushing performance in Sunday's 38-35 victory over Tampa Bay. Eli Manning completed all but one of his 18 pass attempts versus the Buccaneers and has five touchdown passes in his last two contests -- after mustering just eight in the first eight games. The locker room talk after that debacle in New Orleans centered around safety Malcolm Jenkins pointing out a lack of fight of some of his teammates, although there's even more concern about the health of the team's secondary. Cornerbacks Jalen Mills (foot), Sidney Jones (hamstring), Rasul Douglas (knee) and Avonte Maddox (knee) were all absent from Wednesday's practice. Giants are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 road games. Eagles are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 vs. NFC. Take the Giants plus the points. |
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11-25-18 | Browns +2.5 v. Bengals | Top | 35-20 | Win | 100 | 23 h 6 m | Show |
Browns The Cincinnati Bengals are losers of four of their last five games to sink back to .500 but could be on the verge of getting an offensive weapon back. The Bengals hope to have star wide receiver A.J. Green available when they host the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. Cleveland snapped a four-game losing streak in Williams' second game by knocking off the Atlanta Falcons 28-16 at home on Nov. 11 prior to the bye. Rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield played his most efficient game in the win, completing 17-of-20 passes for 216 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Cincinnati fired defensive coordinator Teryl Austin prior to the loss at Baltimore and looked more confident on defense with Lewis calling the plays but the Bengals sit 31st in the NFL in scoring defense (31.2 points allowed) and rank last while yielding an average of 449.4 yards. Browns: 8-3-1 SU and 9-3 ATS as division dogs of 3 or fewer points, including 8-1-1 SU and 9-1 ATS with revenge … Bengals: 1-7 ATS home versus rested opponents; and 0-5 the last five games. Back the Browns in this spot. |
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11-25-18 | Patriots -10 v. Jets | Top | 27-13 | Win | 100 | 23 h 5 m | Show |
Patriots The New England Patriots had two weeks off to reassess after suffering a 34-10 loss at the Tennessee Titans and they are ready to move on. The Patriots will try to get back to the business of dominating the AFC East when they visit the New York Jets on Sunday. Tight end Rob Gronkowski (ankle) is among those expected to return to the lineup on Sunday. The Jets went into the bye with a sour taste as well after getting crushed at home 41-10 by the Buffalo Bills to extend their losing streak to four straight. New York will again turn to veteran Josh McCown, who completed 17-of-34 passes for 135 yards and two interceptions in the loss to Buffalo. New England is used to residing at or near the top of the NFL in most offensive categories but comes out of the bye seventh in the league in scoring (28 points) and 10th in yards per game (377.2). New England took the last four meetings and seven of eight in the series. Patriots are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games after scoring less than 15 points in their previous game. Jets are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 vs. AFC East. Look to Brady and the Pats to get the easy win and cover. |
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11-24-18 | Notre Dame -11 v. USC | Top | 24-17 | Loss | -109 | 7 h 32 m | Show |
Notre Dame Notre Dame needs one more win for its first undefeated regular season since 2012 and a likely first-ever trip to the College Football Playoff. All that stands in its way is USC as the long-time rivals go head-to-head in primetime from L.A. on Saturday evening. The third-ranked Fighting Irish passed their latest test in dominant fashion last Saturday, getting past then-No. 12 Syracuse with ease in a 36-3 win at Yankee Stadium. Ian Book threw for 292 yards and two touchdowns in his return to the lineup after missing one game with a rib injury, while Dexter Williams added 74 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. USC has lost four of its last five after starting the season 4-2 and needs an upset win over the Irish to become bowl eligible. The Trojans’ latest setback came at the hands of crosstown-rival UCLA as the Bruins managed a 34-27 win at the Rose Bowl last weekend. The offense did its job but it was Notre Dame’s defense that was the story of the game as it recorded three interceptions and six sacks against an Orange offense that was averaging 44.4 points per game coming in. I expect the same here vs. USC. The Trojans allowed Bruins running back Joshua Kelley to run for 289 yards (third-most in UCLA history) and two touchdowns on 40 carries and the USC defense will have its hands full in trying to contain Williams. The Fighting Irish have outgained seven of their last eight opponents by 100 yards or more.
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11-24-18 | LSU v. Texas A&M -2.5 | Top | 72-74 | Loss | -120 | 6 h 3 m | Show |
Texas A&M The biggest questions for LSU were about the effectiveness of the offense after it was held scoreless by Alabama and struggled in a win over Arkansas. The eighth-ranked Tigers finally opened things up last weekend, just in time to take on their final SEC challenge against host Texas A&M on Saturday. The Aggies moved back into the top 25 in the College Football Playoff rankings at No. 22 after knocking off UAB 41-20 last week. The Aggies needed only 54 offensive plays to score 41 points against UAB and were led by running back Trayveon Williams, who churned out 167 yards on 20 carries while scoring a pair of touchdowns. Aggies are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 home games. Favorite is 7-0-1 ATS in their last 8 meetings. |
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11-23-18 | Washington v. Washington State -2 | Top | 28-15 | Loss | -110 | 8 h 4 m | Show |
Washington State There is more than Apple Cup bragging rights on the line when seventh-ranked Washington State hosts No. 16 Washington in Friday's Pac-12 showdown. The Cougars are ranked No. 8 in the College Football Playoff rankings and need two more victories, some help from opponents and some help from the selection panel to crack the final four. The winner advances to play Utah in the Pac-12 title game, and Huskies coach Chris Petersen knows his defense faces a challenge in Washington State senior quarterback Gardner Minshew II, who leads the nation with 36 touchdown passes. The Cougars have won seven consecutive games behind the stellar play of Minshew, the East Carolina transfer who has topped 300 yards a school-record 11 times while passing for 4,325, fourth-most in school history. Minshew fired a school-record seven touchdown passes in last weekend's 69-28 blistering of Arizona as 11 different players caught passes and six had scoring receptions. The defense allows an average of 22.6 points per game and features a force in senior linebacker Peyton Pelluer (team-high 76 tackles) and also is receiving strong play from sophomore linebacker Jahad Woods (68 tackles, four forced fumbles). Huskies are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 conference games. Cougars are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games following a straight up win. |
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11-23-18 | Oklahoma v. West Virginia +3 | Top | 59-56 | Push | 0 | 8 h 35 m | Show |
West Virginia Less than one week after losing whatever chance it had to make the College Football Playoff, West Virginia can strike a similar blow to Oklahoma by beating the Sooners for the first time since becoming conference rivals in 2012. The 12th-ranked Mountaineers will attempt to end their recent struggles against No. 6 Oklahoma when the two meet in Morgantown, W. Va. on Friday in what likely amounts to a Big 12 Championship play-in game. Oklahoma is coming off an uninspiring 55-40 home victory over the three-win Jayhawks, allowing 524 yards to an offense that had not gained more than 368 during conference play. Heisman Trophy candidate Will Grier threw for 364 yards versus the Cowboys to post his school-record 18th career 300-yard passing game and boosted his career completion total to 484, passing Oliver Luck (1978-81) for fifth place in program history. Look for W.V. to outscore Oklahoma. |
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11-19-18 | Chiefs +3.5 v. Rams | Top | 51-54 | Win | 100 | 10 h 30 m | Show |
Chiefs The Los Angeles Rams saw their perfect record come to an end two weeks ago in New Orleans in a marquee showdown between the two highest-scoring teams in the NFC. Another high-octane matchup is on desk for the Rams, who will face a test against the best team in the AFC when quarterback Pat Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs pay them a visit on Monday night. The teams enter Monday's game - initially scheduled to be played in Mexico City - with identical 9-1 records, marking only the fifth time since the 1970 merger that two clubs squared off in Week 11 with fewer than two losses each. Mahomes had his streak of eight straight 300-yard performances halted in last week's 26-14 win over Arizona, but he threw a pair of scoring passes to give him the franchise's single-season record of 31 with only seven interceptions. Mahomes has a bevy of weapons at his disposal that includes game-breaking wide receiver Tyreek Hill (nine touchdowns) and tight end Travis Kelce, who leads the team with 57 catches to go along with six scores. Running back Kareem Hunt also is a dangerous two-way threat with 13 total TDs on 754 yards rushing and 23 receptions. Mahomes has thrown 18 TD passes and three interceptions for a passer rating of 125.9 in five road games this season. Chiefs are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. Rams are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games overall. I’m on the underdog Chiefs here as my best bet of the week. |
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11-18-18 | Broncos v. Chargers -7 | Top | 23-22 | Loss | -110 | 6 h 16 m | Show |
Chargers -7 The Los Angeles Chargers look to extend their winning streak to seven games when they host the AFC West-rival Denver Broncos on Sunday. The Chargers' first contest at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. in 42 days will be against a Denver team that has suffered six setbacks in its last seven games. Los Angeles has allowed an average of 13.2 points over its last five games while the offense has scored at least 20 in all nine contests this year. Veteran quarterback Philip Rivers (21 touchdowns, four interceptions) is enjoying a stellar campaign, but he also is highly wary of Broncos pass rushers Von Miller (nine sacks) and Bradley Chubb (eight to lead all NFL rookies). Star defensive end Joey Bosa (23 sacks in 28 NFL games) will be a game-time decision as he hopes to make his season debut after suffering a foot injury in August. I’ll lay the touchdown with the much better team.
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11-18-18 | Bucs v. Giants -2.5 | Top | 35-38 | Win | 100 | 3 h 10 m | Show |
Giants Manning showed he still has more in the tank on Monday when he threw three touchdown passes -- including one to Sterling Shepard in the final minute -- as New York snapped a five-game losing skid with a 27-23 victory over San Francisco. The win guaranteed Manning the start versus the Buccaneers' 29th-ranked pass defense and nothing more from coach Pat Shurmur, although he has tossed at least two scoring strikes in his previous four encounters with Tampa Bay. Odell Beckham Jr. has made himself at home in the end zone with four scores in his last five games after being held without a touchdown reception in each of his previous four. Rookie Saquon Barkley has reached 90-plus scrimmage yards in all nine games this season and faces a Tampa Bay defense that has yielded at least 99 scrimmage yards to running backs in each of the past four weeks. A revamped offensive line paid dividends for both Barkley and Manning on Monday, as the former had a season-high 15 carries in the first half while the latter was sacked just once as opposed to 31 times in the previous eight contests. The Giants have a big day on offense and win going away. |
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