Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
12-08-19 | Bengals +10 v. Browns | 19-27 | Win | 100 | 91 h 46 m | Show | |
Cincinnati is bad. Cleveland is dysfunctional. Bottom line is this is too many points in a division rivalry game, especially considering the Browns are without their top defensive player, elite pass rusher Myles Garrett, and Baker Mayfield may not be 100 percent due to a sore throwing hand. The Bengals are consistently undervalued on the road. They are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 away contests. Cincinnati's confidence gained a huge boost with a victory against the Jets last Sunday. The Bengals can be counted on to give a full effort and their offense is upgraded with Andy Dalton back under center and speedster John Ross off the injured list. | |||||||
12-07-19 | Illinois +11 v. Maryland | 58-59 | Win | 100 | 13 h 50 m | Show | |
Maryland is unbeaten and ranked No. 3 in the country. But matchup-wise and situationally I can see Illinois staying within single digits of the Terrapins. Illinois is coming off a bad loss to Miami after having won four in a row. The Illini are inconsistent, but they have talent. Illinois beat Maryland last season on the road and the Illini are better this season. Maryland is strong defensively. The Terrapins are vulnerable here, though, because they are not a great shooting team, are undersized in the middle and thus can be exploited by Illinois' talened 7-footer Kofi Cockburn, who averages 23 points, and have a bigger game on deck. The Terrapins are fat and happy opening 9-0 for the first time in 21 years. They face a much bigger challenge playing their first true road game against Penn State on Tuesday. Thus they could get caught peeking past Illinois. | |||||||
12-07-19 | Georgia +7.5 v. LSU | Top | 10-37 | Loss | -110 | 23 h 10 m | Show |
I don't see where LSU is a touchdown better than Georgia at a neutral site. George has the better defense and is more experienced in big game neutral site games than LSU. The Bulldogs are 8-1 ATS in their last nine neutral site games. The Bulldogs rank No. 2 in the country in scoring defense giving up 10.4 points a game. They haven't surrendered more than 20 points all season! As good as LSU is offensively, Georgia has the better rushing numbers and gives up 2.7 yards per run, while the Tigers yield 3.8 yards a run. When it comes to passing, Georgia allows 9.6 yards per completion compared to LSU's 13 yards per completion. Georgia needs a victory here to reach the College Football Playoffs, while LSU already is in. So more is at stake for the Bulldogs. | |||||||
12-07-19 | Baylor v. Oklahoma -8.5 | 23-30 | Loss | -110 | 19 h 18 m | Show | |
Oklahoma was on the road, playing flat and without its best wide receiver, CeeDee Lamb. This was three weeks ago against upstart Baylor in Waco, Texas. Baylor jumped out to a 25-point lead against the Sooners. Yet Oklahoma still managed to pull out a 34-31 victory. Now the teams meet at a neutral site and Lamb is back healthy. The Sooners have loads of big-game, neutral site title game experience. Baylor doesn't I don't see the Bears being able to hang within single digits of the Sooners especially coming off that recent defeat to Oklahoma. I like Baylor QB Charlie Brewer. But he's not in the class of the Sooners' Jalen Hurts, who could be the best dual threat QB in college with his passing and rushing ability. | |||||||
12-06-19 | Oregon v. Utah UNDER 50 | Top | 37-15 | Loss | -110 | 102 h 50 m | Show |
Oregon and Utah each have star skill position players. The Ducks with QB Justin Herbert. The Utes with running back Zack Moss. But the key to the success of these two teams is defense. Oregon surrenders fewer than 16 points a game. Utah is even more stingy yielding 11.2 points, third-best in the nation. It's not just two outstanding defenses that make the Under a good play here. Utah is heavily run-oriented, playing slower than any team in the nation as far as milking clock. The other factor is weather. This game is being played at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara. This is a grass field not known for providing good footing. The forecast is for rain and wind. | |||||||
12-06-19 | Wizards v. Heat -9.5 | Top | 103-112 | Loss | -105 | 9 h 29 m | Show |
Miami is 8-0 at home this season. Going back to last season, the Heat are 9-1-1 ATS in their last 11 home contests. Miami shoots 51.4 percent from the floor at home compared to 45.1 percent away. The Heat give up 17 fewer points per game than the Wizards. Washington is 12-29-1 ATS the last 42 times it has been on the road facing an above .500 home foe. Not only is Miam vastly superior to Washington - which this point spread reflects - but it draws the Wizards being in a highly favorable situational spot. The line doesn't fully reflect that. Washington is off maybe its best game of the season, a 119-113 home win against the 76ers. The Wizards had lost three in a row prior to that victory. The Heat are off a disappointing, 112-93, road loss to the Celtics from Wednesday. Miami is 18-7-1 ATS following a non-cover. The Heat also are 14-2-1 ATS the past 17 times when going against a below .500 opponent. The Wizards are shorthanded in the middle with center Thomas Bryant sidelined with a foot injury. In addition, point guard Isaiah Thomas is dealing with a calf injury. | |||||||
12-06-19 | Blackhawks v. Devils -140 | Top | 2-1 | Loss | -140 | 19 h 57 m | Show |
Neither of these teams are good. But this spot sets up huge for New Jersey. The Blackhawks are off an improbable 4-3 overtime road win against the Bruins Thursday night. Chicago was plus $2.00. The Blackhawks nearly blew a 3-0 third period lead, but hung on. Chicago was 1-5-1 entering the matchup. The Blackhawks have a cluster injury problem on defense missing Duncan Keith and Olli Maatta. They are giving up 4.7 goals per game in their last four games. New Jersey has been idle since Tuesday. The Devils nearly upset Las Vegas in their last game, falling 4-3 at home. New Jersey outshot the Golden Knights, 35-30. The Devils shouldn't lack motivation and focus on a three-game losing streak and being home. The Blackhawks have less than 24 hours to savor pulling off one of the biggest road upsets of the season. Chicago is 2-8 the past 10 times facing a below .500 opponent and doesn't have a good road history against the Devils losing 11 of the past 15 times in New Jersey. | |||||||
12-05-19 | Cowboys -2.5 v. Bears | Top | 24-31 | Loss | -130 | 26 h 17 m | Show |
The Cowboys are the more well-rounded team with far better skill position talent than the Bears. Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliot rate major edges on Mitch Trubisky and David Montgomery. The Bears haven't recovered from their London loss to the Raiders. They are 3-5 in their last eight games with their lone victories during this span coming against the Giants and Lions twice. Those teams have a combined record of 5-18. Trubisky has only played well against the Lions. He's been a stiff against every other opponent. Chicago's defense is down from last season and its offense has been hijacked by Trubisky's lack of progress. Chicago's run defense is prey to Elliott likley missing run-stuffing Akiem Hicks and linebacker Danny Trevathan. The Cowboys are the more motivated team. Dallas is that rare team that rates high in both offensive and defensive yards. The Cowboys average the most yards per game in the NFL and they surrender the eighth-fewest yards. | |||||||
12-04-19 | Kings v. Blazers -3 | Top | 116-127 | Win | 100 | 20 h 36 m | Show |
You wouldn't know it from their Tuesday performance against the Clippers, but the Trail Blazers are back on track after multiple frontcourt injuries helped cause a rough 2-10 stretch last month. Portland had rebounded to win three in a row until getting blown out, 117-97, on the road by the Clippers last night. The Clippers are 13-1 at home and one of the five best teams in the NBA. The Kings are a likely lottery team again. They are missing their second-best scorer, De'Aaron Fox, and top big man, Marvin Bagley III. Both are injured and not expected to return to the lineup until later this month. In addition. Bogdan Bogdanovic is dealing with a sore hamstring. He's the Kings' fourth-leading scorer and top reserve player. The Trail Blazers have fortified their All-Star backcourt of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum by taking a chance on Carmelo Anthony, who has played well. Center Hassan Whiteside is having a strong bounce back year, too, for the Trail Blazers after leaving Miami. The one positive to the Trail Blazers' loss to the Clippers last night was not a single Portland player logged more than 30 minutes. Portland had not played in three days prior to the loss to the Clippers. So there should not be a fatigue factor. Note, too, that Sacramento has lost during its last 11 visits to Portland. | |||||||
12-04-19 | Loyola Marymount +18.5 v. Colorado | 64-76 | Win | 100 | 19 h 58 m | Show | |
Colorado is ranked 20th in the latest Top 25 Associated Press poll. The Buffaloes, though, have been sloppy averaging 14 turnovers a game. Loyola Marymount forces 13.5 turnovers per game and shoots 50.7 percent from the floor, which ranks 13th-best in the nation. Those are some of the reasons I like the Lions to cover this margin. But the biggest facor is Colorado plays No. 2 ranked Kansas on Saturday. It's the first time in five years the Buffaloes are playing a Top-25 team while also being ranked in the Top-25. So the Buffaloes may not be fully focused. It could also mean the backdoor is left open for the Lions since Colorado doesn't want to totally tax itself with a such a monster matchup on the horizon. | |||||||
12-04-19 | Avalanche v. Maple Leafs -120 | 3-1 | Loss | -120 | 9 h 6 m | Show | |
First, let's get the negatives out of the way. The Avalanche are playing well. They also are getting healthier. Toronto is expected to start back-up goalie MIchael Hutchinson. He hasn't been good this season. OK, so why then back the Maple Leafs? I really want Toronto going for me at home today after the Maple Leafs were embarrassed, 6-1, on the road by the Flyers last night. Before that defeat, the Maple Leafs had turned their season around under new coach Sheldon Keefe posting a 4-1 record. The price is short enough to back the Maple Leafs in what should be a spirited effort from them. Toronto beat Colorado, 5-3, on the road Nov. 23. The Maple Leafs scored four of those goals in 15 shots against Philipp Grubauer, who is projected to be in net for the Avalanche. | |||||||
12-03-19 | UTEP +5 v. New Mexico State | Top | 56-59 | Win | 100 | 19 h 56 m | Show |
Yes, home-court and revenge are worth something. Just not this much. The teams met three weeks ago and Texas El-Paso won by 15 points, 65-50. New Mexico State had trouble handling UTEP's press. The Aggies have played better since then. But the Miners also are playing well. They are 5-0 on the season and their bench strength just got a huge boost with Kaden Archie, a transfer from TCU, now eligible. The Miners won the first matchup despite Bryson Williams limited to just 17 minutes due to foul trouble. Williams is the best player on the court averaging 18 points and 6.8 rebounds a game. He still scored 19 points and pulled down eight rebounds in the first meeting. UTEP has covered eight of its last nine nonconference games for 89 percent. | |||||||
12-02-19 | Kings v. Ducks UNDER 5.5 | Top | 2-4 | Loss | -125 | 11 h 8 m | Show |
This is the first meeting this season between these in-state, division rivals. I envision a feeling-out process and a tight checking matchup between two of the lowest scoring teams in the NHL. The Kings rank 26th in scoring and 29th on the power play. The Under is 5-0-1 in their last six road games. That's not a big shock considering the Kings have managed only 10 goals during their last eight away games. The Ducks are 26th in scoring. Their power play ranks even lower than the Kings at No. 30. Both projected goalies - the Kings' Jonathan Quick and Anaheim's John Gibson - have strong histories in this series. | |||||||
12-01-19 | Patriots -3 v. Texans | Top | 22-28 | Loss | -110 | 127 h 56 m | Show |
The Patriots' defense is putting up numbers not seen since the 2000 Ravens. I don't see the Texans, with their weak offensive line, lack of a ground attack and poor coaching, being able to solve New England's defense. New England is getting better offensively as more offensive linemen and wide receivers get healthy. The Texans have a slow, banged-up secondary and their pass rush took a massive hit with J.J. Watt sidelined for the season. Bill Belichick has had Bill O'Brien's number. The Patriots are 5-0 SU, 4-1 ATS versus the Texans since 2015. Belichick won't be adverse to running up a score, too. There is bad blood between these two teams after the Patriots filed tampering charges after the Texans tried to lure New England's director of player personnel, Nick Caserio, to be their general manager. | |||||||
12-01-19 | Spurs +4 v. Pistons | 98-132 | Loss | -106 | 15 h 20 m | Show | |
The 7-13 Spurs probably are the most disappointing team in the NBA at this juncture. But unlike the Warriors, the Spurs still maintain All-Stars in LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan. I'm not ready to close the book on any team with that talent especially one coached by Gregg Popovich. The Spurs showed they aren't dead by haltiing the Clippers' seven-game win streak, 107-97, on Friday. The Clippers are a top-five team. That should give the Spurs a much needed jolt of confidence. This is San Antonio's lone road game during a seven-game stretch. The Rockets are up next for the Spurs - and that's a probable loss. So San Antonio should be focused for this matchup. It's a big step down from the Clippers. The Pistons are seven games below .500 and that's having played only one Western Conference opponent so far, the Timberwolves. Detroit has two stars, too, in Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin. But I would take the rest of the Spurs' lineup against the Pistons. The Spurs hold a winning record versus sub .500 opponents and have covered seven of the last nine times versus Detroit. | |||||||
12-01-19 | Chargers -145 v. Broncos | 20-23 | Loss | -145 | 122 h 12 m | Show | |
The Chargers are not at the level they were last season. But they still are a level higher than Denver. The Chargers' record shows 4-7, but they have outscored their opponents on the season. The Broncos, by comparison, have a minus 42 scoring differential. LA has surrounded Philip Rivers with an excellent cast of skill position weapons. The Broncos can't match that firepower. They have serious QB problems. The Chargers' defense gets back star safety Derwin James this week. He had been out the entire season. In their last game, the Chargers held Patrick Mahomes under six yards a throw, the lowest of his career. The Chargers are off their bye facing a must-win spot here. The Broncos are a demoralized bunch with chemistry issues surrounding first-year head man Vic Fangio. | |||||||
12-01-19 | Jets v. Bengals +4 | 6-22 | Win | 100 | 120 h 7 m | Show | |
The Dolphins scored their first win against the Jets. The winless Bengals can do the same. Cincinnati is much better at QB with Andy Dalton back in the starting role. Left tackle Cordy Glenn is back, too, for Cincinnati to shore up the offensive line. It's an added bonus if A.J. Green finally is ready to make his season debut. The Bengals haven't shown any quit holding the Steelers and Raiders to a combined 33 points the past two weeks, covering both games. Their morale should be up, too, with Dalton back under center. The Jets are in a flat spot traveling after beating up Oakland at home last Sunday. The Jets have won three straight - all against weak opponents in the Giants, Redskins and Raiders with two of those victories coming at home. New York is 1-4 on the road with its lone victory being against the Redskins. The Jets have been outscored by 63 points in their away defeats. | |||||||
12-01-19 | Packers v. Giants OVER 45 | Top | 31-13 | Loss | -111 | 118 h 22 m | Show |
Look for a big bounce back from the Packers offense after they played terrible against the 49ers on national television this past Sunday night. The 49ers have an upper level defense. The Giants have a porous stop unit surrendering the fourth-most points in the NFL and ranking 27th in yards given up. Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams and Aaron Jones are all elite talents. The Giants have an elite running back, Saquan Barkley. He can hurt a weak Packers run defense. Green Bay's defense has been exposed when it hasn't been getting takeaways like early in the season. There shouldn't be any weather problems as the forecast is for temperatures in the high 30's with little wind. | |||||||
12-01-19 | Titans v. Colts -135 | 31-17 | Loss | -135 | 118 h 10 m | Show | |
I like the Colts on extra rest off a loss. They catch the Titans fat and happy. Tennessee just posted home victories against the Jaguars and Chiefs. Now the Titans go on the road for the first time in four weeks. They lost their past two road games - 30-20 to the Panthers and 16-0 to the Broncos. The Colts are better than both of those teams. Indy has dominated the Titans at home going 10-1 SU, 9-1-1 ATS the past 11 times. The Colts also have covered 11 of the last 12 times when meeting an above .500 foe. Tennessee has a key below-the-radar injury with cornerback Malcolm Butler out. LeShaun Sims is Butler's replacement and that's a huge downgrade. T.Y. Hilton can exploit that. | |||||||
11-30-19 | Arizona v. Arizona State OVER 59.5 | Top | 14-24 | Loss | -108 | 32 h 17 m | Show |
Arizona State beat Arizona, 41-40, last year. Expect a similar high-scoring game this season between the two teams. Arizona has a much better offense than it showed in last week's 35-7 loss to seventh-ranked Utah. The Wildcats have scored at least 31 points in five of their games. J.J. Taylor is one of the better RB's in the Pac-12. Arizona State freshman QB Jayden Daniels has gotten better as the season has progressed. Daniels threw for a season-high 408 yards and three TD's in the Sun Devils' 31-28 upset of Oregon last Saturday. The Sun Devils had 535 yards of total offense against an Oregon defense that is far better than Arizona's. The Wildcats have the worst scoring defense in the conference giving up 36.8 points a game. They also are last in the league in total defense and run defense. | |||||||
11-30-19 | Navy v. Houston OVER 58 | 56-41 | Win | 100 | 31 h 11 m | Show | |
Navy is the No. 1 rushing team in the nation thanks to QB Malcom Perry, who has rushed for 1,354 yards and scored 18 rushing TD's. Houston has a weak defense giving up 32 points a game and ranking 115th in total defense. Navy's relentless ground attack should be even better at this venue on a turf field. Houston does possess skill position weapons. So the Cougars should contribute their fair share of points toward an Over. | |||||||
11-30-19 | Nuggets -4 v. Kings | Top | 97-100 | Loss | -109 | 16 h 16 m | Show |
This line is short. Denver is far superior to Sacramento. The Nuggets also are healthy. The Kings are missing their second-leading scorer, De'Aaron Fox, and best big man, Marvin Bagley III. The Nuggets enter this matchup well-rested and hot, winners of six in a row. Denver has been idle since Tuesday. The Kings are in a tougher situational spot even though they are the home team having just returned from a four-game East Coast trip. Denver is 5-1 on the road this season. One of those victories was against the Kings, 101-94, during the second week of the season when Fox was playing for Sacramento. The Nuggets won that matchup by seven points despite an off-game from their best player, Nikola Jokic, and making just 36.7 percent of their field goal attempts. Taking on the Kings always holds special meaning for Denver coach Michael Malone. He was fired by the Kings after coaching them for just two seasons. I regard Malone as one of the better coaches in the league. He has the Nuggets playing their finest defense ever, ranking No. 1 in the NBA in fewest points per game. The Nuggets have covered eight of the past 10 times against the Kings. | |||||||
11-30-19 | East Carolina v. James Madison OVER 153.5 | 89-99 | Win | 100 | 20 h 46 m | Show | |
Pace and tempo are a big key in cashing an Over play. We have that with James Madison. The Dukes are running so much they lead the nation in shortest possession time. The result is the Over is 4-1-1 in James Madison's lined games this season. James Madison is coming off a 94-78 home loss to Coppin State. The Dukes were 9-point favorites in that game. The Over is 27-11 following a James Madison loss. This opening total takes into account East Carolina's poor shooting, especially from 3-point range. But the total should have opened higher because the Pirates haven't faced an up-tempo opponent the caliber of James Madison. Instead the Pirates have played tough defensive foes as Liberty, Appalacian State and Navy. The Pirates have better scorers than what their season statistics show. | |||||||
11-30-19 | Southern Miss v. Florida Atlantic OVER 54 | Top | 17-34 | Loss | -109 | 113 h 29 m | Show |
These are two passing teams who should have a lot of success attacking weak secondaries. Southern Mississippi ranks 18th in the nation in passing averaging nearly 300 yards per game. Golden Eagles QB Jack Abraham is highly accurate completing nearly 68 percent of his throws. Florida Atlantic is 93rd in pass defense. Florida Atlantic has a high-powered attack that ranks 29th in scoring and 35th in yards. The Owls are very consistent. They average 34 points in their last 10 games and have produced at least 31 points in eight of their last nine games. The Owls have one of the best catching tight ends in the country in Harrison Bryant. | |||||||
11-30-19 | UNLV v. Nevada -7 | Top | 33-30 | Loss | -110 | 27 h 43 m | Show |
Nevada Reno is the superior team, is home and in strong revenge mode after blowing a 23-0 lead to UNLV last season in losing, 34-29, in this annual rivalry matchup. The Wolf Pack eased up in that game and it cost them. That won't be the case this season. Nevada coach Jay Norvell has done everything to fire up his team, including bringing in former Nevada coach Chris Ault to speak to the team. The Wolf Pack should enter this matchup with a lot of confidence having just upset San Diego State and Fresno State both on the road during their past two games. UNLV, by contrast, lost by 29 points at Fresno State and lost by three points to San Diego State at home. UNLV is off an emotional victory against San Jose State. That was the final game played at Sam Boyd Stadium and the Rebels were fired-up for it. Now reality sinks in. The Rebels aren't going to a bowl game for a fifth straight year and coach Tony Sanchez has been fired. | |||||||
11-30-19 | Indiana v. Purdue UNDER 55 | 44-41 | Loss | -109 | 97 h 17 m | Show | |
Indiana has an underrated defense. The Hooisers can't stop high-powered offenses, but they are tough versus weak attacks holding Eastern Illinois, Connecticut, Rutgers and Northwestern to a combined six points! Purdue's offense has been ruined because of multiple QB injuries and an injury to Rondale Moore, who I ranked as the top wide receiver in the country. The Boilermakers are terrible on the ground ranking 128th, averaging fewer than 75 rushing yards per game. The Boilermakers have been respectable on defense versus middle-to-lower Big Ten foes. Discounting last week's game against Wisconsin, Purdue had given up an average of 22.6 points in its last five Big Ten games. There are two other key factors that favor an Under. The weather forecast is calling for a 90 percent chance of rain with wind in the 13-15 mph range. That's especially bothersome to Indiana, which is a passing team. Note the teams are playing on a grass field, too, which is a plus for the Under. Also this is a rivalry matchup so defensive intensity should be up. | |||||||
11-29-19 | Jazz -6.5 v. Grizzlies | Top | 103-94 | Win | 100 | 9 h 19 m | Show |
The teams met just two weeks ago and the Grizzlies beat the Jazz, 107-106, as 7 1/2-point home 'dogs. The Jazz have huge revenge and the line this time around is lower. Mike Conley did not play well in his return to Memphis after being the Grizzlies' point guard for 12 years. Conley vows to be more focused and play better today. Utah made just 40.1 percent of its field goal attempts in that earlier loss to the Grizzlies. The Jazz are not only are anxious for this rematch, but ready to get back on the court after suffering an embarrassing, 121-102, road loss to the Pacers two days ago. The Jazz did get back star center Rudy Gobert in that game. He had been out two games with an ankle injury. The Grizzlies are in a major rebuild job. They've lost five in a row since upsetting the Jazz. | |||||||
11-29-19 | Iowa v. Nebraska UNDER 45 | 27-24 | Loss | -108 | 20 h 10 m | Show | |
The marketplace has knocked this total down a little, but not enough. There is still value going Under given the teams and conditions. Iowa surrenders the fifth-fewest points in the nation at 12.2 per game. The Hawkeyes have held eight of their 11 opponents to season-low point totals. The Hawkeyes, though, lack a dynamic offense. They rank 102nd in scoring at 23.5 points. So it's not a shock the Under is 8-1-1 in Iowa's past 10 games. Nebraska doesn't make many big plays either. The Cornhuskers are 78th in scoring at 28.4 points. This is a rivalry matchup. The teams play for the Heros Trophy so intensity should be up. Another key factor for the Under is weather. The forecast is for rain and 15 mph wind. | |||||||
11-29-19 | Rangers v. Bruins UNDER 6.5 | 2-3 | Win | 107 | 13 h 1 m | Show | |
The player's stomachs still could be full from Thanksgiving with this early start. It's a big plus for the Under. So is the goaltending. Both Henrik Lundqvist and Tukka Rask have been hot in net. Lundqvist might not have to deal with Patrice Bergeron, the Bruins' top-line center. He's missed the last two games because of a lower body injury and is questionable here. The Bruins have given up two or fewer goals during regulation in six of their last seven games. | |||||||
11-28-19 | Saints -6.5 v. Falcons | Top | 26-18 | Win | 100 | 23 h 32 m | Show |
The Saints have a legitimate claim to being the best team in the NFC. The Falcons are one of the worst. New Orleans has been great against the spread, too, covering seven of its last nine. One of those non-covers was an embarrassing straight-up home loss to Atlanta from three weeks ago. The Saints were two-touchdown favorites in that game. Now they are just a touchdown favorite. Is the Falcons' home field advantage worth that much? Of course not. The Saints won't have the starting left side of their offensive line with Terron Armstead and Andrus Peat out. But that didn't matter last week when Brees was sacked just twice in 41 dropbacks against the Panthers, who have a stronger pass rush than the Falcons. Brees has a very quick release and tremendous weapons. The Falcons have no answer for Michael Thomas, who is on a record-setting receiving pace. Matt Ryan is dealing with a worse offensive line and is down weapons with Mohamed Sanu traded, Austin Hooper out and backup running back Ito Smith also sidelined. The Falcons probably get back Devonta Freeman, but he's had a disappointing season. Ryan still could be dealing with a sore ankle. He's completed just 57.6 percent of his throws for 6.6 yards per attempt with a three-to-five touchdown-to-turnover ratio during his last four games. | |||||||
11-28-19 | Bills v. Cowboys -6.5 | 26-15 | Loss | -109 | 51 h 23 m | Show | |
The visiting team has a huge disadvantage playing on Thursday night especially this late in the season. The Cowboys are the better team and given the situational circumstances, I see Dallas winning by more than a touchdown. Don't be fooled by Buffalo's 8-3 record. It's bogus. The Bills have played opponents whose combined record is 19-53. They haven't faced an offense the caliber of Dallas. The Bills rank third versus the pass, but are just average versus the run. That makes them vulnerable to Ezekiel Elliott. He should be in line for a big game, which in turn would make Dak Prescott very effective picking his spots. Prescott has three quality wideouts plus Elliott out of the backfield catching passes. Buffalo lacks explosiveness on offense to keep up. The Cowboys rank in the top-seven in total defense and scoring defense. They are extremely well-coached on the defensive side of the ball. I wouldn't be surprised to see Josh Allen make a lot of mistakes in this matchup. | |||||||
11-28-19 | Bears -2.5 v. Lions | Top | 24-20 | Win | 100 | 57 h 14 m | Show |
The Bears have been a major disappointment this season. But the Lions are in worse shape. Detroit has dropped four in a row. The teams just met three weeks ago and Chicago won, 20-13. The Lions didn't have Matthew Stafford in that game and they won't have him Thursday. The Lions also aren't going to have second-stringer Jeff Driskel either. Driskel hurt his hamstring in the Lions' loss to the Redskins this past Sunday. So the Lions are forced to turn to rookie David Blough. He's never taken an NFL snap. Hopefully, you locked into this game early in the week like I did in anticipation of upward line movement. Even if you didn't, though, this is a kill spot for the Bears. Their defense should overwhelm the overmatched Blough. Chicago's defense ranks fourth in fewest points allowed and in fewest yards allowed. The Lions' defense, by contrast, ranks 29th in total yards and 26th in scoring defense. The Bears surrender 81 fewer yards per game than the Lions and nine fewer points a game. The Bears' biggest problem is Mitchell Trubisky. He plays well, though, against the Lions. Trubisky completed 16 of 23 passes for 173 yards and three touchdowns in the earlier victory against the Lions. Trubisky faced the Lions once last season and passed for 355 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-22 win. | |||||||
11-27-19 | Knicks v. Raptors OVER 210 | 98-126 | Win | 100 | 16 h 15 m | Show | |
Just by the numbers this game should go Over. The Raptors have scored at least 113 points in seven of their last 10 games. They are ninth in the league in scoring and first in 3-point percentage. The Knicks are well below average in 3-point defense ranking 23rd. The Knicks have reached triple-digits in each of their last seven games, averaging 106 points during this span. But, wait, there is more. The Knicks spent their Tuesday practice working on increasing their tempo. New York coach David Fizdale wants the Knicks to play faster. The Knicks have gone Over 11 of the past 15 times (73 percent) when playing on two days rest. So with the Knicks looking to play more up-tempo the chances of this game flying Over have increased. | |||||||
11-27-19 | SE Missouri State v. CS-Fullerton UNDER 135.5 | Top | 57-64 | Win | 100 | 19 h 59 m | Show |
Cal-State Fullerton has plyed four Division I foes this season. The Titans are averaging 57.2 points in those games. They didn't break 60 points in any of those games. It's not a big surprise considering the Titans no longer have their high-scoring backcourt due of Khalil Ahmad and Kyle Allman Jr. Those two combined to average more than 35 points a game last season. The Titans not only have to replace the scoring of Ahmad and Allman, but also the way they ran the offense. That's going to take time. Southeast Missouri State also has to replace several of its top scorers from last season. The Redhawks rank 209th in scoring at 71.2 points. That number is skewed, though, by the Redhawks having played two really bad defensive teams of the four opponents they have met. They aren't a good free throwing shooting team either. The Titans have been a big Under team under coach Dedrique Taylor. This has been especially so on neutral courts such as where this one is being played. The Under has cashed in 17 of the Titans' last 23 neutral site games for 74 percent. | |||||||
11-26-19 | Wizards +10 v. Nuggets | Top | 104-117 | Loss | -109 | 10 h 34 m | Show |
The Wizards are a lottery team. But they are winners when it comes to being big underdogs. Washington is 6-0-1 ATS when taking more than five points this season. The Wizards also are 5-1-1 ATS during their last seven road contests and have covered five of the past six times when meeting the Nuggets. Washington is the No. 2 scoring team in the NBA averaging 119 points. The Wizards should be pumped for this matchup off a bad home loss to Sacramento two days ago. This is the start of a four-game Western Conference swing for the Wizards that includes games against the Lakers and Clippers. The Nuggets are fat and happy going 3-0 on their current homestand with victories against the Suns, Celtics and Rockets. This is their fourth game in seven days. They won't play again until Saturday. | |||||||
11-26-19 | Stars v. Blackhawks OVER 5.5 | 0-3 | Loss | -105 | 6 h 40 m | Show | |
The Stars have picked up their scoring. They've notched 29 goals in their last seven games, an average of 4.1 goals. Dallas has scored at least three goals in eight of its past 10 games. The Blackhawks are averaging 3.6 goals in their last nine games. The Blackhawks are likely to face Dallas backup goalie Anton Khudobin after Ben Bishop played last night. | |||||||
11-26-19 | Western Michigan v. Northern Illinois UNDER 52 | Top | 14-17 | Win | 100 | 26 h 53 m | Show |
Weather and a bad Northern Illinois offense quarterbacked by an ineffective backup are the major reasons for playing Under in this Mid-American Conference matchup. Rain and 14-20 mph winds are in the forecast. Northern Illinois starting QB Ross Bowers is out due to a concussion. Marcus Childers is his replacement. He's not very good. Childers threw for fewer than 100 yards last week and was picked off three times. The Huskies will be running the ball a lot here. They are averaging only 19.3 points in their last three games. Western Michigan has a lot of pressure. A victory puts the Broncos into the MAC title game as the West Division winner. The Broncos have a good runner, LeVante Bellamy. So look for the Broncos to keep things conservative on the road running Bellamy a lot. There is no need for them to open up their attack and take unnecessary chances, which is good for the Under. | |||||||
11-25-19 | Islanders -119 v. Ducks | 0-3 | Loss | -119 | 8 h 15 m | Show | |
I find this to be a cheap lay price given the huge difference between these two teams. The Islanders are 15-0-2 since losing three of their first four games. The Islanders won't be taking the Ducks lightly either after their five-game win streak was snapped by the Sharks, 2-1 in overtime, this past Saturday. Anaheim is 1-8 in its last nine games. The Ducks are in a bad situational spot, too, being home for the first time since a four-game road swing that concluded Saturday. The Ducks have lost their past five home games. | |||||||
11-25-19 | Golden Knights v. Stars OVER 5.5 | 2-4 | Win | 103 | 5 h 48 m | Show | |
Goalie news is out and Malcolm Subban is set to start in net for Las Vegas. That pushes me to go Over in the Golden Knights-Stars game. Subban's numbers are bad: 3.42 GAA and an .888 save percentage. Dallas has picked up the pace offensively. The Stars have scored three or more goals in seven of their last nine games. The Golden Knights are averaging 3.1 goals during their last six games. | |||||||
11-25-19 | Ravens v. Rams +4 | Top | 45-6 | Loss | -115 | 10 h 14 m | Show |
Lamar Jackson and the Ravens are a hot commodity. The Rams are struggling to make the playoffs at 6-4. The combination makes the Rams a good value play. LA has the defense, coaching smarts and offense to win this game straight-up. Oh, yes, the situation is perfect for them, too. Jared Goff is a quarterback you don't want to touch on the road especially in cold weather. But he and the Rams offense are a different animal at home especially against a defense that doesn't apply that much quarterback heat. Goff has all his receiving weapons back, too, with deep threat Brandin Cooks expected to play. The Rams have four quality wideouts plus Todd Gurley in the backfield. The Rams defense is strong with Jalen Ramsey shoring up the secondary and Aaron Donald having another dominating season in the trenches. Wade Phillips is in the argument for being the top defensive coordinator in the NFL. This is a unit that can control Jackson. | |||||||
11-25-19 | 76ers v. Raptors +2 | 96-101 | Win | 100 | 9 h 55 m | Show | |
I'm not buying the Raptors as a home 'dog to the 76ers. Philadelphia may emerge as the team to beat in the Eastern Conference, but the Raptors still are very dangerous at home even without Kawhi Leonard and injured Kyle Lowery. The 76ers know this better than any team. Toronto has defeated Philadelphia 13 straight times at home during the regular season going 9-3-1 ATS the past 13 times hosting the 76ers. Toronto is 15-5-1 ATS in its last 21 home contests. The 76ers have lost five of their past six away games. Their only victory during this road span was against the lowly Cavaliers. There's a chance the Raptors get back injured forward Serge Ibaka, too. He's missed the last seven games with a sprained ankle. | |||||||
11-25-19 | Butler v. Missouri UNDER 126.5 | 63-52 | Win | 100 | 7 h 21 m | Show | |
The total is low here, but it's totally justified. Missouri ranks seventh in the KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency ratings, while Butler is rated 29th in defensive efficiency. Both teams play at a very slow pace especially Butler. Only five teams force more turnovers than Missouri. So the the Bulldogs will be especially careful about pushing pace. The Under has cashed in 13 of Butler's last 16 nonconference matchups. Note this game is being played in Kansas City so neither team is familiar with this neutral court setting, which is another plus for the Under. | |||||||
11-24-19 | Dolphins v. Browns OVER 44.5 | 24-41 | Win | 100 | 92 h 8 m | Show | |
The Browns have much to prove after last week's scrum against the Steelers. Baker Mayfield, Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. Those are very good weapons and the Browns will turn them loose against a very bad Miami defense that just surrendered 37 points at home to the punchless Bills. Cleveland could very well run up a huge score in an effort to prop up their disappointed home fan base. I see the Dolphins contributing to this total going Over, too. The Browns almost have a JV defense minus suspended Myles Garrett and Larry Ogunjobi along with injured Morgan Burnett. Ryan Fitzpatrick is a good QB for an Over because he isn't afraid to throw downfield and is far more live than most QB's to throw a pick-six. | |||||||
11-24-19 | Steelers v. Bengals +7 | 16-10 | Win | 100 | 92 h 7 m | Show | |
No, I don't like being on the Bengals. But laying this many points on the road with the punchless Steelers is much worse. Pittsburgh has a strong defense, playoff-caliber. But the Steelers aren't going to reach the postseason because Mason Rudolph is a stiff. Rudolph needs weapons and he's not going to have them here. Center Maurkice Pouncey is suspended. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pitt's No. 1 wideout by far, is injured and won't play. I doubt James Conner, the Steelers' No. 1 runner, plays either. He missed last week and remains banged-up. Even when they had Ben Roethlisberger healthy, the Steelers still were bad on the road. They are 1-6 in their last seven road games, including 1-3 this season. The Steelers have the lowest road scoring percentage of possessions in the NFL. The Bengals should play hard trying to get their first win, being home and facing a much hated division opponent. So taking this many points looms large especially given the low total in this matchup. | |||||||
11-24-19 | Giants v. Bears OVER 40 | 14-19 | Loss | -109 | 92 h 6 m | Show | |
The Giants have strong weapons surrounding Daniel Jones headed by Saquon Barkley and Golden Tate. The Bears' defense is way down from last season. Khalil Mack is having a horrendous season. The Bears' offense has been terrible. But now Chicago is home to a Giants defense that allows the third-most points in the NFL and ranks 27th in total yards and 25th in pass defense. New York is surrendering an average of 32 points in its last six games. The Giants defense is so bad it can make Mitchell Trubisky look good. This is the lowest Giants' total of the season by far. Only twice have there been fewer than 40 points scored in a Giants game. The forecast is for a clear day with little wind and temperatures in the high 30's. | |||||||
11-24-19 | Raiders v. Jets +3 | Top | 3-34 | Win | 100 | 92 h 6 m | Show |
Jon Gruden has improved the Raiders this season. But he hasn't improved Oakland enough where it can cover as a road favorite in a flat spot like this. The Raiders are traveling cross-country for an early West Coast start time. Up next for Oakland is an AFC West showdown against the Chiefs. Under Gruden, the Raiders have failed to cover in eight of 12 away matchups. The Raiders need to establish a balanced attack. The Jets do one thing extremely well - stop the run ranking No. 1 in the NFL giving up fewer than 80 yards per game. Saquan Barkley managed just one yard on 13 carries against the Jets. That does not bode well for Josh Jacobs. Oakland is vulnerable through the air ranking 27th in pass defense. Sam Darnold has started to play better and has good receiving targets to take advantage. The Jets' strengths match up well to Oakland and New York also is in the superior situational spot. | |||||||
11-24-19 | Seahawks v. Eagles -110 | 17-9 | Loss | -110 | 47 h 41 m | Show | |
The records show Seattle to be 8-2 and Philadelphia 5-5. The oddsmaker isn't buying that opening the Eagles as a favorite. I don't buy it either. I don't believe the Seahawks are that good. Russell Wilson is carrying an average offense. The Seahawks defense isn't dominant like before particularly with their revamped secondary that ranks 29th in pass defense. This is a circle-the-wagons game for the Eagles and they are home. Carson Wentz should start to look better getting some of his injured weapons back, including his top wideout, Alshon Jeffery. The Eagles have the top tight end tandem in the league with Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert. Philadelphia has the fourth-best run defense in the NFL and its defensive backfield is much better with the return of injured cornerbacks Ronald Darby and Jalen Mills. The Eagles have given up just 14.6 points during their last three games. | |||||||
11-23-19 | Washington v. Colorado +14.5 | Top | 14-20 | Win | 100 | 57 h 47 m | Show |
This high line might be justified from a Washington point of view if this were last season and if the Huskies cared about this game. But it's not. Washington is down from the past couple of seasons. The Huskies have the third-best defense in the Pac-12. Certainly that's good by ordinary standards, but not by Washington standards. The Huskies had led the Pac-12 in the key defensive categories during the previous four seasons. Colorado has receiving weapons for experienced QB Steven Montez with Laviska Shenault, Tony Brown and K.D. Nixon. Shenault is one of the top wideouts in the nation. The Huskies already have a bowl spot secured with their 6-4 record. They have a look-ahead spot with their traditional season-ending game against Washington State next week. The Buffaloes are in must-win mode if they want to stay alive for a bowl berth. They have played better at home going 3-2 ATS posting straight-up victories against Nebraska and Stanford. Colorado lost by four points to USC as 10 1/2-point home 'dogs. | |||||||
11-23-19 | Spurs -125 v. Knicks | 111-104 | Win | 100 | 16 h 59 m | Show | |
How low can the Spurs sink? Not this low. The Spurs have lost eight in a row, something they had never done during the Gregg Popovich era. San Antonio may miss out on a playoff spot in the tougher Western Conference, but the Spurs are not a bottom-feeder like the Knicks are. DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge give the Spurs the two best players on the court. The Spurs' backcourt is weak, but so is New York's. The Knicks have failed to cover in 27 of their last 38 home games. The teams met opening night in San Antonio and the Spurs won, 120-111. | |||||||
11-23-19 | Manhattan v. Elon +1 | 69-64 | Loss | -110 | 6 h 33 m | Show | |
Far from the glare of the national spotlight is this matchup. Elon is at home and its record is misleading because the Phoenix have played far stronger competition than Manhattan. In its last three games, Elon has taken on Georgia Tech, Michigan and North Carolina. The Phoenix covered against both Michigan and North Carolina. The Jaspers have played far weaker competition and have failed to cover four of the last five times they've played in non-conference. | |||||||
11-23-19 | Texas +6 v. Baylor | Top | 10-24 | Loss | -110 | 22 h 21 m | Show |
It may take more than a week for Baylor to get over its choke job against Oklahoma. The Sooners rallied from 25 points down to beat the Bears last week ending Baylor's hopes of an unbeaten season. Baylor doesn't even need to win this game to earn a rematch with the Sooners in the Big 12 title game. All the Bears have to do to accomplish that is defeat Kansas in their regular season finale. Texas has had a disappointing season. But the Longhorns still have an outside chance of a conference title plus a strong bowl game if they win their final two regular season games. The Longhorns are at their most dangerous in an underdog role thanks to Tom Herman. He's the premier underdog coach in CFB. Herman coached Houston for two years before going to Texas. The Cougars were 5-0 ATS as 'dogs under Herman. The Longhorns are 10-4 ATS when getting points in three years under Herman. So Herman's combined head coaching record against the spread as an underdog is 15-4 (79 percent)! I like Baylor QB Charlie Brewer. But I like Texas QB Sam Ehlinger even more. Texas has defeated Baylor the past four times the teams have met, including 23-17 last season and 38-7 in Waco two years ago. | |||||||
11-23-19 | Michigan v. Indiana +10 | 39-14 | Loss | -110 | 49 h 58 m | Show | |
Michigan's biggest game of its season always is Ohio State. It's one of the top rivalries in the nation and the best one in the Big Ten. The Wolverines host the Buckeyes next week. That puts them in a dangerous look-ahead spot here against Indiana. It's also a Big Ten Conference sandwich spot for the Wolverines as they just whipped their hated in-state rival, Michigan State, at home this past Saturday. The Wolverines are 1-4 ATS the last five years in their previous game before Ohio State, including failing to cover the last three seasons in this spot. Indiana is much improved. The Hoosiers reached the Top 25 for the first time since 1994 before suffering a 34-27 road loss to Penn State last week. Indiana covered that game and is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games. Michigan hasn't beaten Indiana on the road by more than seven points in its last three visits. The Hoosiers are averaging 33.3 points. They have the offense to stay within single digits of the Wolverines at home again especially considering Michigan's negative scheduling dynamics. | |||||||
11-23-19 | North Texas v. Rice OVER 55 | 14-20 | Loss | -120 | 49 h 56 m | Show | |
Now that Mason Fine has been cleared to play, I'm going to get involved on the Over in this matchup. Fine is one of the top QB's in the country. The senior has passed for 2,659 yards, completed 62.6 percent of his throws and has a 27-to-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio in 10 games. Jaelon Darden and Michael Lawrence are talented wide receivers. Rice ranks 99th in pass defense. Rice produced 31 points in its last game playing Middle Tennessee State. The Owls have found their right QB in Tom Stewart, who threw for 222 yards and three TD's in that victory. North Texas has a weak defense. The Mean Green rank 101st in run defense. They've yielded more than 40 points four times and are giving up an average of 34.4 points a game, which ranks 115th. | |||||||
11-23-19 | BYU v. UMass +40.5 | 56-24 | Win | 100 | 26 h 10 m | Show | |
BYU just isn't good enough to lay this kind of number especially on the road with an early East Coast start time and being in a letdown spot following four consecutive victories. UMass is one of the worst teams in college football. But the Minutemen are capable of putting up points. They average 28.2 points at home. The Minutemen haven't played a home game in three weeks. This is their final game of the season so an effort should be forthcoming. | |||||||
11-22-19 | Rockets +4.5 v. Clippers | 119-122 | Win | 100 | 21 h 12 m | Show | |
Paul George is back for the Clippers. George and Kawhi Leonard are one of the few tandems that can match Houston's superstar backcourt duo of James Harden and Russell Westbrook. It's going to take time for George and Leonard to jell, though. Harden and Westbrook have had much more time together. They are in sync now. The result is Houston going 8-1 SU, 7-2 ATS in its last nine games. The Rockets defeated the Clippers just nine days ago, 103-92, laying 2 1/2 points. Harden burned Patrick Beverley for 47 points. Now look at the spread. It's too high to justify the Clippers being home and having George this time around. | |||||||
11-22-19 | Idaho State v. Santa Clara UNDER 139 | 65-78 | Loss | -110 | 21 h 36 m | Show | |
I don't see many points being scored in this one. Idaho State averages fewer than 68 points a game and is horrible from the foul line. Santa Clara is an excellent perimeter defensive club. The Broncos have held four of their five opponents to 63 points or fewer. The Under is 18-7-1 in the Broncos' past 26 home contests. Idaho State is an above average defensive team. The Bengals rank 2nd in the nation in defensive 3-point field goal percentage. They've gone Under in 21 of their last 31 non-conference games. | |||||||
11-22-19 | Fordham v. Nevada -5.5 | 60-74 | Win | 100 | 15 h 54 m | Show | |
Don't be fooled by Fordham's 3-0 record and Nevada's 2-3 record. Fordham is terrible. The Rams have just played an easy schedule. Nevada is the superior team and has played vastly better competition with its losses occurring to Davidson, USC and Utah. Note this matchup is part of the eight-team Paradise Jam tournament taking place in the Virgin Islands. The Rams probaby are going to be the worst team in the Atlantic-10 and are the worst of the tournament teams here. The Rams were terrible last season and are down point guard Nick Honor, who led them in scoring last year and transferred to Clemson during the off-season. Nevada has the better shooters and athletes. The Rams have failed to cover 20 of their past 28 times in non-conference games. | |||||||
11-21-19 | Sharks v. Golden Knights OVER 6.5 | 2-1 | Loss | -115 | 9 h 8 m | Show | |
Expect a lot of power play opportunities and a wide open contest here as these two teams hate each other. The Sharks have increased their scoring tallying at least four goals in five of their last seven games. The Sharks remain vulnerable defensively surrendering three or more goals in 10 of their last 12 games. They have allowed five goals or more in five of their past 11 games. Las Vegas has picked up its scoring pace, too, averaging four goals during its last four games. The Golden Knights' defense has been disappointing. They have given up at least three goals in four of their last six games. | |||||||
11-21-19 | NC State v. Georgia Tech UNDER 47 | Top | 26-28 | Loss | -110 | 19 h 16 m | Show |
There are some decent teams in the ACC. These are not two of them. North Carolina State and Georgia Tech are a combined 6-14. The season can't end quick enough for the Wolfpack and Yellow Jackets. North Carolina State ranks 104th in scoring averaging fewer than 23 points a game. The Wolfpack have produced fewer than 17 points in four of their last six games. They only have one rushing touchdown in their last six games. Georgia Tech's strength is its pass defense. The Yellow Jackets rank 29th permitting fewer than 200 passing yards a game. Georgia Tech scores even less than NC State averaging 16.5 points per game. The Yellow Jackets rank among the bottom-11 teams in the nation in scoring and yards gained. They are last in red zone offense. North Carolina State has a good defensive line. The Wolfpack rate 32nd in stopping the run. Georgia Tech lacks any big-play element and has failed to rush for more 100 yards in two of its last three games. | |||||||
11-21-19 | Duquesne v. Indiana State UNDER 138.5 | 74-71 | Loss | -121 | 9 h 47 m | Show | |
My first look at neutral court games such as this one is toward the Under. This matchup is being played in the Bahamas. Neither team is up-tempo. Missouri Valley Conference teams usually are strong defensively. Indiana State fits that description. Duquesne is more about defense than offense under coach Keith Dambrot. This total opened too high. | |||||||
11-20-19 | Texas State v. UNLV -5 | 64-57 | Loss | -110 | 22 h 11 m | Show | |
UNLV is much tougher at home and has played the stronger schedule. The Rebels lost to California and Kansas State both in overtime and also lost to UCLA. Texas State has played just one strong opponent, Baylor. The Bobcats lost that game, 75-63. The Bobcats are 0-2 on the road. UNLV got back to winning and covering defeating Abilene Christian, 72-58, at home on Monday. | |||||||
11-20-19 | Pistons +1.5 v. Bulls | Top | 89-109 | Loss | -104 | 20 h 29 m | Show |
Both teams are struggling. But with Blake Griffin back to team with Andre Drummond, the Pistons have the two best players on the court. This spot favors Detroit, too, on several counts. Not only do the Pistons have revenge for a 112-106 road loss to the Bulls from three weeks ago when they were without Griffin, but they have been idle since Friday. The Bulls, by contrast, are in action for the third time in five days. Chicago is just 2-5 at home. The Bulls are minus injured Otto Porter Jr. and Lauri Markkanen, their best big man, is off to a slow start shooting just 36.2 percent from the floor. | |||||||
11-20-19 | Akron v. Miami-OH UNDER 45.5 | Top | 17-20 | Win | 100 | 45 h 49 m | Show |
ESPN2 must not care about its scheduling. How else to explain the network showing Akron football. What is ESPN2 going to program next, reruns of "My Mother the Car," (yes there really was a My Mother The Car show and it may have been the worst TV sitcom ever). Akron has the worst offense in college football averaging 10.6 points a game. The Zips have scored 23 points in their last five games. They rank second-to-last in yards per game, 94th in passing and last in rushing. Other than that, they have a fairly strong attack. The Zips usually save their most boring for the road going Under in 16 of their last 23 away matchups. Miami of Ohio is a respectable 58th in total defense. The Redhawks are bad offensively, too, ranking 93rd in scoring at 24.8 points and 121st in yards gained. | |||||||
11-19-19 | Maple Leafs v. Golden Knights OVER 6.5 | 2-4 | Loss | -113 | 20 h 40 m | Show | |
Toronto is in let-it-all-hang-out mode on a five-game winless streak. The Maple Leafs are giving up an average of five goals per game during their last four games. They've been idle the past two days and know they aren't going to break their losing streak by going into a defensive shell. That's not their style. So I'm expecting a fast-paced, wide open game. The Golden Knights have been playing this way. They are averaging 4.6 goals in their last five games. The Over has won during each of Toronto's past five road contests. | |||||||
11-19-19 | Lightning -110 v. Blues | 1-3 | Loss | -110 | 18 h 40 m | Show | |
The Blues hoisted up the Stanley Cup last season. That was something the Lightning thought they were going to do after finishing with the most points during the regular season. Now Tampa Bay gets to play St. Louis. It's a matchup the Lightning should be very fired-up about. Tampa Bay is the hotter and more healthy team. Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov are heating up after slow starts while a number of Blues scorers have gotten cold. The Blues remain without injured Vladimir Tarasenko. St. Louis only has managed to produce 10 goals in its last six games. That won't get it done against Tampa Bay. | |||||||
11-19-19 | Canadiens v. Blue Jackets UNDER 6 | 2-5 | Loss | -102 | 17 h 39 m | Show | |
The teams just met a week ago in Montreal with the Canadiens winning, 3-2, in a shootout. Jonathan Drouin scored the deciding goal. Drouin, who is tied for the second most goals on the Canadiens, won't play here because of a wrist injury. The Blue Jackets have short revenge. They win with defense as they have the fewest goals in the NHL. So expect a tight-checking effort. Montreal will be looking to shore up its defense after a sloppy 4-3 overtime loss to the Devils this past Saturday. Canadiens coach Claude Julien was upset about the Canadiens' defensive lapses and penalties. Look for a cleaner game from Montreal. Carey Price has been hot in net, too, for Montreal with a .935 save percentage during his last four games. Price was rested against the Devils. The Under has cashed seven of the last nine times the teams have met. | |||||||
11-18-19 | Pacers +4 v. Nets | Top | 115-86 | Win | 100 | 9 h 29 m | Show |
Indiana had won seven of eight games until losing on the road to the Rockets and at home to the Bucks in its last two games. Now the Pacers go back down in class to take on the Nets. Indiana has covered five of the past six times when taking on sub-.500 opponents. Brooklyn hosted Indiana back on Oct. 30 and the Pacers won, 118-108. The season was just beginning back then and the Nets were 3-point favorites. The Nets haven't been a good team so far yet this spread is higher. This is a favorable situation for Indiana and the Nets have an underrated key injury with guard Caris LeVert out until next month due to a thumb injury. He might be Brooklyn's second best player behind Kyrie Irving. The Nets finished a five-game, nine-day road trip by beating the Bulls two nights ago. Irving sat out that game because of a sore shoulder. I assume he's going to play here. It's an unexpected bonus if he doesn't. I'm taking the number now because if word comes out later that Irving won't play the line is sure to drop. The Nets' concentration level could be down a notch in their first game back from their long road journey. The Pacers rank sixth defensively, the Nets 27th. Indiana is giving up 12 fewer points per game than the Nets. Center Myles Turner is back from an ankle injury and looked good in his last game. Power forward Domantas Sabonis is having a strong season on a string of seven straight double/doubles. Turner and Sabonis give the Pacers a frontcourt edge. Indiana is minus injured guard Malcolm Brogdon. That's a significant missing piece. However, the Nets' guard advantage is reduced with LeVert sidelined. The Pacers have covered in nine of their last 11 games against the Nets, including covering the last five times in Brooklyn. | |||||||
11-17-19 | Hawks +13.5 v. Lakers | Top | 101-122 | Loss | -108 | 19 h 46 m | Show |
The Lakers had to laugh at Atlanta if they were watching any of the Hawks-Clippers Saturday night game. The Clippers won, 150-101. It was the Hawks' worst loss since moving to Atlanta from St. Louis. The Lakers can't help but take the Hawks for granted. Look for the Hawks, though, to play the Lakers tough in this matchup. Not only is there the embarrassment factor from Saturday night, but the Hawks also shouldn't feel the normal fatigue associated with playing on the second of consecutive nights. Only one Atlanta player reached the 30-minute level Saturday due to the blowout. The game also was played at Staples Center, an arena both the Clippers and Lakers use as their home-court. So there is no travel involved for the Hawks. Note these trends, too: The Hawks have covered 11 of their last 16 road contests and are 9-5 ATS versus above .500 foes. | |||||||
11-17-19 | Sabres +123 v. Blackhawks | 1-4 | Loss | -100 | 6 h 24 m | Show | |
The Blackhawks are playing better lately. But they still aren't a good team. The marketplace has bet the Blackhawks into a high enough range where I see enough value to back the Sabres. Buffalo halted a six-game winless streak with a 4-2 victory against the Senators Saturday. That should provide the Sabres with a much needed confidence boost. Chicago also is coming off a Saturday victory, beating Nashville, 7-2. The Blackhawks' victory is misleading, though. They were outshot, 41-24, by the Predators. Buffalo has been tough vs. below .500 foes winning 10 of the past 14 times in those situations. | |||||||
11-17-19 | Bengals +11.5 v. Raiders | 10-17 | Win | 100 | 117 h 50 m | Show | |
I get that the Bengals remain the only winless team in the NFL and that their new QB, Ryan Finley, isn't even as good as Andy Dalton. But the Raiders aren't a team to lay this high of a number. Only once during the Jon Gruden era have the Raiders won a game by more than eight points. Oakland is in a flat spot, too, having narrowly won a huge home division game against the Chargers last week. This is the Raiders' third home game in a row. Finley could prove better now that he's had a start. He's going against the league's 30th-ranked pass defense. The Raiders are down their three best players in the secondary with safety Karl Joseph out with a foot injury. Earlier they lost safety Jonathan Abram to injury and traded cornerback Gareon Conley. It's a huge added bonus if the Bengals finally get the services of star wide receiver A.J. Green and offensive left tackle Cordy Glenn for the first time this season. The Bengals have been money-makers on the road covering in seven of their last nine road contests. | |||||||
11-17-19 | Saints v. Bucs OVER 50 | Top | 34-17 | Win | 100 | 114 h 37 m | Show |
New Orleans finally is at full strength on offense with Alvin Kamara and Jared Cook playing last week. That's bad news for a Tampa Bay defense that surrenders the most points and passing yards per game. The Buccaneers, though, are the No. 3 scoring team in the league because they have a dynamic passing attack. There may not be a better wide receiver tandem than Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. The Saints are without Marshon Lattimore. He's their No. 1 cornerback and he's out with a hamstring injury. It's not a fluke the Buccaneers have gone Over in seven straight games. | |||||||
11-17-19 | Jets +1.5 v. Redskins | 34-17 | Win | 100 | 114 h 31 m | Show | |
The Jets do one thing exceptionally well and that's stop the run. They rank No. 2 in rush defense. The Redskins have become totally reliant on a ground-and-pound approach under interim coach Bill Callahan. That means heavy duty work for 34-year-old Adrian Peterson. This might be a sound approach - if it were 2012. Washington is force-feeding not-ready QB Dwayne Haskins. This reminds me of what the Browns experienced during their winless 2017 season when they kept trotting out overmatched DeShone Kizer at QB. The Jets have the superior skill position players. Sam Darnold is off to a slow start in this his second season. However, he still rates a strong edge on Haskins. | |||||||
11-16-19 | St Bonaventure v. Rutgers -8.5 | 80-74 | Loss | -109 | 16 h 35 m | Show | |
St. Bonaventure can't shoot. The Bonnies are making just 35 percent from the floor and 23 percent from 3-point range. The result is they are averaging fewer than 60 points per game and are 0-3. I don't see St. Bonaventure ending its shooting woes against Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights are 3-0 and ranked 32nd in the country in scoring defense holding opponents to 55.7 points a game. Note this game is being played in Toronto as part of the James Naismith Hall of Fame Classic. Rutgers is playing much better right now than St. Bonaventure. So I'll go ahead and ride the Scarlet Knights against the cold-shooting Bonnies. | |||||||
11-16-19 | Devils v. Canadiens UNDER 6.5 | 4-3 | Loss | -115 | 8 h 46 m | Show | |
Early activity in the marketplace has been on the Over. I disagree. The total has now reached the point where there is value on the Under - and I'm getting involved. Both teams played on Friday and each won. The Canadiens had a highly-satisfying, 5-2, road win against the Capitals in a physical matchup. The Devils held off the Penguins, 2-1. | |||||||
11-16-19 | LSU v. Ole Miss +21.5 | Top | 58-37 | Win | 100 | 28 h 53 m | Show |
Huge letdown spot here for LSU after the Tigers' great SEC showdown victory over Alabama last week. That effort was both physically and emotionally draining for the Tigers. If you discount its loss to Alabama, Mississippi has lost five games by an average of 6.6 points. The Rebels played both Texas A&M and Auburn close. Mississippi ranks No. 1 in the SEC and 13th nationally in rushing. Rebels freshman QB John Rhys Plumlee is a dual threat. He leads the team in rushing. LSU QB Joe Burrow can't produce points if his offense is on the bench watching Mississippi control clock with its ground attack. | |||||||
11-16-19 | Air Force v. Colorado State OVER 63.5 | 38-21 | Loss | -115 | 28 h 42 m | Show | |
If you can't stop the run you can not stop Air Force. The Falcons are the No. 2 rushing team in the country averaging 324.1 yards a game. Colorado State ranks 111th in run defense allowing an average of 204.7 yards. The Falcons have averaged nearly 35 points a game during the last five meetings between the two teams. The Over has cashed each of the last seven times the teams have met in Colorado Springs. The Over is 18-8 in Air Force's last 26 road contests. Colorado State's offense has picked up since Nebraska transfer Patrick O'Brien replaced injured Colin Hill at quarterback. The Rams have scored 37, 41 and 35 points during their last three games. O'Brien has averaged 302.5 passing yards per game since taking over as the starter. Warren Jackson has emerged as the premier wide receiver in the Mountain West Conference leading the league with 121.7 receiving yards per game. | |||||||
11-16-19 | Kentucky v. Vanderbilt UNDER 44 | 38-14 | Loss | -116 | 100 h 32 m | Show | |
These are two bad offensive teams with feeble passing games. Kentucky averages just 20.3 points, which ranks 114th in the nation. Converted wide receiver Lynn Bowden Jr. is the Wildcats' QB. He can't throw. Vanderbilt averages 15.1 points a game, which is 126th in the country. The Commodores have gone through four QB's, none of whom have been effective. The scary thing about Vandy is its offense is regressing. The Commodores are averaging less than nine points during their last five games. | |||||||
11-16-19 | Navy v. Notre Dame -7 | Top | 20-52 | Win | 100 | 23 h 29 m | Show |
I'm going to fade the line movement. The marketplace is overthinking this matchup by their heavy play on Navy. Notre Dame has won 16 in a row at home. The Irish have played a tougher schedule than Navy and beat them, 44-22, last season as 21 1/2-point favorites at a neutral site. This is the last ranked regular season opponent Notre Dame faces. So the Irish won't lack motivation. Navy actually has a bigger game on deck with a first-place showdown in the American Athletic Conference West Division playing at home against SMU. | |||||||
11-16-19 | Florida v. Missouri UNDER 51 | 23-6 | Win | 100 | 21 h 37 m | Show | |
QB Kelly Bryant isn't healthy and Missouri's offense is shot. Missouri is averaging seven points during its last three games. Florida has a strong defense whose season-long statistics have been skewed by a 42-28 loss to LSU. Missouri has a tough defense ranking ninth in fewest yards allowed per game. The Tigers surrender the 19th-fewest points per game and are ranked fourth in the nation in pass defense. The Gators have trouble hanging on to the ball committing 21 turnovers. | |||||||
11-15-19 | Gonzaga -6 v. Texas A&M | Top | 79-49 | Win | 100 | 19 h 57 m | Show |
Guess what? Gonzaga is going to be good again this season - real good. The Bulldogs are ranked seventh in the KenPom rankings and that high rating is totally justified. The Zags have reloaded. They are strong at every position with excellent depth. Each of their three games has been a blowout victory. The Bulldogs rank third in the nation in scoring per 100 possessions and also are No. 2 in field goal percentage. They are undoubtedly a top-five offense. Texas A&M has tuned-up well for Gonzaga meeting two weak foes, Northwestern State and Louisiana Monroe. The Aggies didn't come close to covering big spreads against those foes. Texas A&M ranks 66th in KenPom's rankings. The Bulldogs buried the Aggies, 94-71, last season and hold a huge talent edge again this season. | |||||||
11-15-19 | Spurs +3.5 v. Magic | Top | 109-111 | Win | 100 | 16 h 60 m | Show |
The Spurs are in a rough patch right now with three straight losses, including a 129-114 road loss to the Timberwolves in their last game this past Wednesday. However, the Spurs still are superior to the Magic. The situation sets up for the Spurs here and there is splendid line value, too. The Timberwolves played great in beating San Antonio. It happens. Teams run into a hot-shooting foe who comes in with their "A" game. Minnesota is a very improved team, too. The Spurs are not the dominant serious title contender of years past. But they remain a quality team with the best coach in the league, Gregg Popovich. The Magic are getting respect from the oddsmaker based on their last game, which was a smashing, 112-97, home victory versus the 76ers. Note, though, the 76ers were playing their second road game in 48 hours and sat out Joel Embiid. The Magic had been idle the previous two days so the situation set up great for them. This game isn't an ideal spot for the Magic. The Spurs are in full stop-the-pain mode. Even with their high scoring effort against the 76ers, the Magic still rank last in scoring and second-to-last in field goal percentage. | |||||||
11-14-19 | Steelers v. Browns OVER 40 | Top | 7-21 | Loss | -105 | 49 h 14 m | Show |
This is too low of a total given how the NFL is played today with nearly all of their rules skewed toward helping the offense. The buy sign finally could be on for the Browns offense after Baker Mayfield threw two TD passes against the Bills last week. It was his first multiple TD pass performance of the season. Buffalo gives up the third-fewest points in the NFL and also ranks No. 3 in pass defense. Pittsburgh's defense isn't that good and far less intimidating on the road. This marks the Steelers' first road game in five weeks. Mayfield has a new weapon with Kareem Hunt returning from suspension. Odell Beckham Jr. is way overdue for a big game. The Browns shouldn't be holding anything back with their season on the line. Pittsburgh's offense should be better with bell-cow running back James Conner expected to play after being out with a shoulder injury. The Steelers failed to adequately replace Conner when he was out the last two weeks. Mason Rudolph is getting more comfortable each week running Pittsburgh's offense. He should be better set up for favorable pass plays with Conner back in the lineup. The Browns defense is below average especially their run defense, which ranks 27th. Weather shouldn't be a hindrance either with temperatures in the 30's, clear skies and a 10 mph wind. | |||||||
11-14-19 | Mavs -7 v. Knicks | 103-106 | Loss | -109 | 18 h 28 m | Show | |
I want the Mavericks going for me in this rapid revenge spot. The Knicks stunned the Mavericks this past Friday upsetting Dallas, 106-102, as 11-point road underdogs. The Knicks made a stunning 14 of 28 shots from 3-point range. New York ranks last in the league in field goal percentage and second-to-last in scoring. So that truly was a fluke shooting performance. Since that victory, the Knicks have lost to the Bulls and Cavaliers by an average of 19.5 points. New York is 2-9 on the season. The Mavericks last played on Monday, losing, 116-106, to the sizzling Celtics. Dallas is 8-1-1 ATS in its last 10 road games. | |||||||
11-14-19 | Jets +144 v. Panthers | 4-3 | Win | 144 | 10 h 18 m | Show | |
Winnipeg is 4-2 in its last six games and has a winning road record. The Jets catch the Panthers in a vulnerable spot. Florida is playing for the fourth time in six days with its last three games coming on the road. The Panthers won a pair of shootouts in their last two games, including defeating the Bruins, 5-4, on Tuesday. The Panthers were mid-sized underdogs in that game. Now they are mid-sized favorites. The Jets are a resilient team and have been getting solid goaltending from Connor Hellebuyck, who has a 2.40 GAA and.928 save percentage. Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky was so ineffective against the Bruins that he was pulled after giving up four goals. | |||||||
11-13-19 | Wizards +9 v. Celtics | Top | 133-140 | Win | 100 | 17 h 34 m | Show |
Washington is a lottery team. But that doesn't mean the Wizards lack talent. They are more than just the Bradley Beal show with promising youngsters Rui Hachimura, Thomas Bryant and Davis Bertans. The Wizards have a winning spread mark and are in an excellent situational spot here. Washington last played on Friday. The Wizards should be rested and motivated after being embarrassed at home by the Cavaliers in a 113-100 loss this past Friday. The Celtics are without Gordon Hayward, who suffered a broken hand during the weekend. Hayward was playing at an All-Star level. Boston managed to defeat the Mavericks, 116-106, on Monday without Hayward. This will be the Celtics' second game without Hayward so their motivation may not be as high. Focus could be an issue, too, for Boston. The Celtics take off for a five-game West Coast swing following this matchup. Boston takes on Golden State Friday on national TV. The Celtics' depth, lessened with Hayward's injury, will be tested since this is Boston's fourth game in seven days. The Celtics haven't been good at home either from a point spread perspective going 4-11-1 ATS the past 16 times. | |||||||
11-13-19 | Capitals v. Flyers OVER 6.5 | 2-1 | Loss | -120 | 10 h 39 m | Show | |
The Capitals are the No. 1 scoring team in hockey averaging 4.1 goals. They have gone 16 consecutive games with 3 or more goals, producing at least 4 goals in 12 of those contests. As a result, the Over is an amazing 14-2 in Washington's past 16 games for 87 percent. The Flyers have scored three or more goals in six straight games. The oddsmaker still is not putting up a 7 on Capitals' totals. So I'm going to continue to ride the Over wave. | |||||||
11-12-19 | Red Wings v. Ducks UNDER 6 | 4-3 | Loss | -115 | 12 h 9 m | Show | |
The Red Wings head to the west coast after stunning home victories against the Bruins and Golden Knights during the weekend. These wins can't hide the fact that Detroit ranks last in the NHL in scoring. The Red Wings have scored three or fewer goals in six of their last seven games. The Ducks won't be taking the Red Wings lightly. The Ducks, in fact, need this game to halt a three-game losing streak. They are off an embarrassing 6-2 loss to Edmonton on Sunday. If Anaheim is going to win it needs to do that through defense. The Ducks rank 25th in scoring with an ineffective power play unit, but are sixth defensively. They have produced no more than two goals in five of their last six games. So I see a tight-checking, low-scoring contest. | |||||||
11-12-19 | Lakers -135 v. Suns | 123-115 | Win | 100 | 10 h 58 m | Show | |
Kudos to the Suns on their unexpected 6-3 start. The Suns have been winning, too, despite Deandre Ayton being suspended. But the Lakers also have been winning with LeBron James putting up triple/double numbers. I like LA off a 113-104 home loss to the Raptors on Sunday. That ended LA's seven-game win streak. There's a chance Anthony Davis doesn't play because of a sore shoulder. There's also a possibility that point guard Rajon Rondo makes his season debut. I like the Lakers regardless of either player's status. The key for me is the Lakers' third-ranked defense and No. 3 ranking in 3-point defense. The Suns have been beating opponents with their 3-point marksmanship. I anticipate they are going to have problems hitting their perimeter shots against the Lakers, which they need to do without Ayton in the middle. | |||||||
11-12-19 | Miami-FL -1 v. UCF | 79-70 | Win | 100 | 19 h 25 m | Show | |
Sharp money has come on Miami and I agree. The Hurricanes should be ready for their first road game having already faced Louisville. The Hurricanes have the talent and ballhandlers to limit their mistakes. Central Florida was very good - last season. The Knights lost most of their team from a year ago retaining just three players. They didn't look good in their opening game, a 73-69 victory against Prairie View. The Knights didn't come close to covering as 16 1/2-point home favorites. Miami is catching Central Florida at a good time, very early in the season. | |||||||
11-12-19 | Eastern Michigan v. Akron UNDER 49.5 | Top | 42-14 | Loss | -112 | 25 h 29 m | Show |
If the Mid-American Conference wants to show off their brand of football on a Tuesday - of all nights - they sure picked a wrong team with Akron. The Zips have a cool nickname, but there is nothing exciting about their offense. They are last in the nation in scoring averaging 10.2 points a game. The Zips haven't scored a TD during their last four games putting up the grand total of nine points during this span. Akron ranks 94th in passing and last in rushing. (Update: This total has gone done considerably since I released the play on Monday. I would still recommend the Under, but not for a Max Unit play.) | |||||||
11-11-19 | Seahawks +6 v. 49ers | Top | 27-24 | Win | 100 | 174 h 14 m | Show |
Russell Wilson is the best QB in the NFL right now. I want Wilson going for me with this many points on the Monday Night Football center stage. Seattle has covered the last eight times it has been an underdog, including both times this season. The 49ers are the most improved team in the league. But now they have the bullseye and pressure on them to only win, but cover margins, too. They lack Seattle's prime time big-game experience and record. The Seahawks are well-balanced with a respectable ground attack and now three dangerous wide receiving targets for Wilson with Josh Gordon joining Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. San Francisco suffered an unsung defensive injury with linebacker Kwon Alexander out for the year with a torn pec muscle. Alexander was the 49ers' second-leading tackler. The 49ers also have been missing their starting offensive tackles and star tight end George Kittle is doubtful. Seattle has dominated this series winning 10 of the past 11 meetings going 7-3-1 ATS. | |||||||
11-11-19 | Coyotes v. Capitals OVER 6 | 4-3 | Win | 100 | 4 h 8 m | Show | |
The Capitals are 10-0-1 in their last 11 games. They also have gone Over in 10 of their last 11 games. Rather than lay heavy juice backing the Capitals, I'd rather ride their Over trend especially now that it is confirmed both teams will be starting backup goalies. The Capitals have scored at least three goals in 15 straight games and in 12 of those matchups they have produced four or more goals. John Carlson has become a monster offensive defenseman. Arizona has surrendered 11 goals in its last three games and have been shorthanded on the blue line due to injuries. The Coyotes, though, have scored three or more goals in six of their last eight games. | |||||||
11-10-19 | Vikings v. Cowboys UNDER 48.5 | Top | 28-24 | Loss | -109 | 27 h 14 m | Show |
Both teams have skill position stars. But it's defense that carries the Vikings and Cowboys, both of whom rank in the top-five in fewest points allowed per game. Bad offensive lines don't travel well. That could be the case here for the Vikings. I don't trust Kirk Cousins on the road against an elite defense either. Minneota could be without its most consistent wide receiver, too, with Adam Thielen reinjuring his hamstring last Sunday and not practicing this week. The Cowboys have faced just one elite defense - the Saints. They were held to a season-low 10 points by New Orleans.The Vikings' defense is just as good if not better. Vikings coach Mike Zimmer is familiar with the Cowboys. He was a defensive assistant there for many years. Zimmer is conservative coach. He's going to pound the ball and play for field position. The Vikings have gone below the total in nine of their last 11 NFC matchups. The Cowboys are going to look to feed Ezekiel Elliott. Dallas' two best wide receivers, Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup, are both banged-up and at less than 100 percent. There should be a lot of running with Elliott and Dalvin Cook. So the clock will keep moving at a brisk pace with few stoppages. | |||||||
11-10-19 | Flyers v. Bruins -1.5 | 3-2 | Loss | -100 | 7 h 19 m | Show | |
This sets up as a kill spot for the Bruins. The oddsmaker knows this, too, hence the high lay price. I'm not going to lay that big of a price. So I'll get involved with the Bruins on the puck line taking a plus price in the belief they will win by more than one goal. The Bruins are in rare stop-the-pain mode after losing a tough 5-4 road game to the Canadiens this past Tuesday and then suffering a shocking, 4-2, loss to the Red Wings on Friday. Now the Bruins are home where they are unbeaten with all of their home victories coming by multiple goals. The Flyers are playing well, but are in a letdown spot after nipping the Maple Leafs, 3-2, in a shootout Saturday. Bruins are the better team and are in the better spot. Lay it! | |||||||
11-10-19 | Edmonton v. Montreal -118 | 37-29 | Loss | -118 | 113 h 17 m | Show | |
I want the Alouettes going for me playing at home in their first playoff game since 2014. I like Montreal coach Khari Jones and trust QB Vernon Adams Jr. The Alouettes enter the matchup having just beat Ottawa, 42-32, on the road. Edmonton is off back-to-back losses to Saskatchewan. The Eskimos are 1-7-1 ATS in their last nine games. | |||||||
11-10-19 | Chiefs v. Titans +6.5 | 32-35 | Win | 100 | 20 h 40 m | Show | |
I'm taking the underdog Titans fully expecting Patrick Mahomes to play. If Mahomes doesn't, or is limited from his knee injury after being out just two weeks, so much for the better but I'm not counting on that. Instead I'm backing the Titans based on their merit, style of play and situation. The Titans are solid defensively. They've given up the sixth-fewest points per game in the NFL. Kansas City doesn't have an outstanding offensive line. Andy Reid is going to have to be more conservative in Mahomes' first game back from injury. This is a huge game for the Titans. They are two games behind in the AFC South Division and have a bye next week. Ryan Tannehill has been an upgrade on Marcus Mariota. The key, though, is the running of Derrick Henry. He's a powerful inside runner, who has a history of playing his best during November and December. The Chiefs rank 29th versus the run, surrendering 180 or more rushing yards four times this year. The Titans can maintain ball-control because of Henry keeping the Chiefs' high-octane offense off the field. | |||||||
11-10-19 | Falcons +14.5 v. Saints | 26-9 | Win | 100 | 20 h 31 m | Show | |
The Saints are 7-1 fat and happy. The Falcons are 1-7 despondent and desperate. It's a division rivalry. The Falcons are off a bye and have Matt Ryan back. That's enough to get me involved taking two touchdowns. Atlanta actually averages more yards per game than New Orleans. Thanks to Ryan, who is having an excellent season, the Falcons lead the NFL in passing. Ryan has dangerous weapons with Julio Jones - who is in the argument for best wideout in the league - Calvin Ridley, Devonta Freeman and tight end Austin Hopper. Only once this season have the Saints won by more than 11 points. This should be a shooout and the Falcons have backdoor capabilities. | |||||||
11-09-19 | Tennessee v. Kentucky -120 | 17-13 | Loss | -120 | 29 h 22 m | Show | |
I'm not buying into Tennessee being a much improved team. Kentucky has covered its last five home games. The Wildcats have gotten their weak QB play straighten out with the decision to make junior wide receiver Lynn Bowden Jr. their QB. Bowden has been very effective running the ball. He's a tremendous athlete who gives the Wildcats a different dimension from their previous QB's, Terry Wilson and Sawyer Smith. Alabama and LSU draw the SEC headlines. Quietly, though, Kentucky has covered eight of its last 10. This is just the Volunteers' third road game. They lost their first two by 33 points to Florida and by 22 points to Alabama. | |||||||
11-09-19 | Pelicans -111 v. Hornets | 115-110 | Win | 100 | 16 h 48 m | Show | |
Charlotte has been a mild surprise so far splitting its first eight games. I consider the Hornets, though, one of the weakest teams in the NBA. The Pelicans have the superior talent even without injured Zion Williamson. I rate Brandon Ingram, Jrue Holiday and Lonzo Ball ahead of anyone on Charlotte's roster. New Orleans should be motivated after being embarrassed, 122-104, at home by the Raptors on Friday. The Hornets just defeated the Pacers and lost to the Celtics. They have the 76ers on deck Sunday in a bigger game. This is their lone non-conference matchup during this four-game span. The Pelicans average nearly 12 more points per game than the Hornets. Lack of defense is the killer for New Orleans. But the Hornets don't have enough scorers to take advantage of that weakness. | |||||||
11-09-19 | Georgia State -135 v. UL-Monroe | Top | 31-45 | Loss | -135 | 29 h 14 m | Show |
Neither team plays good defense. But Georgia State has the better offense and is hot winning four in a row. Monroe has lost two in a row surrendering a staggering 100 points in those two defeats. Georgia State has good balance on offense averaging more than 200 yards both passing and rushing. Monroe gives up more than 200 yards both on the ground and through the air. The Panthers average 36.6 points a game, which ranks 21st in the country. Led by running back Tra Barnett and dual-threat QB Dan Ellington, the Panthers ranked 10th in rushing. Monroe permits more than 235 yards on the ground. Monroe averages nearly nine points fewer per game than Georgia State. The Warhawks yield 38.6 points a game. They do not have a good history at home either going 7-20-1 ATS during their past 28 home games. Georgia State upset Tennessee, winning 38-30 as 24 1/2-point road 'dogs. That victory seems impressive now considering that Tennessee has defeated Mississippi State, South Caroina and UAB during its past four games. |
Service | Profit |
---|---|
Ray Monohan | $864 |
William Burns | $483 |
Tom Macrina | $481 |
Joey Tron | $380 |
Ross Benjamin | $375 |
Ricky Tran | $369 |
Big Al McMordie | $234 |
Jack Jones | $161 |
Jesse Schule | $121 |
Will Rogers | $10 |