Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10-11-13 | Temple v. Cincinnati UNDER 51.5 | Top | 20-38 | Loss | -110 | 15 h 36 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on TEM@CIN to go UNDER the total. The Owls are still winless at 0-5, and they were blown out at home by Louisville last week by a score of 30-7. They benched their starting quarterback in the second quarter of that game, in favor of freshman P.J. Walker. Walker made an immediate impact, with a deep completion to Robby Anderson to put the Owls in the red zone. It's not going to be easy for Walker in Cincinnati though, as this Bearcats defense is pretty tough at home. Cincy has allowed an average of just 8 points while winning both their home games so far. The Bearcats are being asked to cover quite a large spread though, and I'm not convinced their offense is up for the task. Last week versus South Florida, they fumbled the ball four times, and quarterback Brendon Kay was picked off twice. Kay rallied to throw a pair of TD passes in the fourth, but the Bearcats came up short losing 26-20. Temple might not be as bad as it's 0-5 record indicates. They have been involved in a lot of low scoring games, (under in 4-of-5) and even when they've been blown out, it hasn't been a complete massacre. I think it would be a mistake for Cincy to expect a free pass here, and I think the Owls will put up a fight. Take the UNDER. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
10-11-13 | Temple +21 v. Cincinnati | Top | 20-38 | Win | 100 | 15 h 35 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Temple Owls. The Owls are still winless at 0-5, and they were blown out at home by Louisville last week by a score of 30-7. They benched their starting quarterback in the second quarter of that game, in favor of freshman P.J. Walker. Walker made an immediate impact, with a deep completion to Robby Anderson to put the Owls in the red zone. It's not going to be easy for Walker in Cincinnati though, as this Bearcats defense is pretty tough at home. Cincy has allowed an average of just 8 points while winning both their home games so far. The Bearcats are being asked to cover quite a large spread though, and I'm not convinced their offense is up for the task. Last week versus South Florida, they fumbled the ball four times, and quarterback Brendon Kay was picked off twice. Kay rallied to throw a pair of TD passes in the fourth, but the Bearcats came up short losing 26-20. Temple might not be as bad as it's 0-5 record indicates. They have been involved in a lot of low scoring games, (under in 4-of-5) and even when they've been blown out, it hasn't been a complete massacre. I think it would be a mistake for Cincy to expect a free pass here, and I think the Owls will put up a fight. Take Temple. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
10-10-13 | NY Giants +9.5 v. Chicago Bears | Top | 21-27 | Win | 100 | 66 h 52 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the New York Giants. Things look pretty bleak for the Giants, coming into Chicago with an 0-5 record. The Bears appear to be much better off at 3-2, but really I don't think they've looked any better than New York. Remember in Week 1 Chicago trailed the Bengals 21-10 in the third quarter, but rallied to win 24-21 with a couple of late scores. The following week they scored with 10 seconds left on the clock to come from behind and beat the Vikings by a single point. Last week Chicago was ripped apart by the Saints, and now they are expected to win big over the Giants on Thursday night? I just don't see it. Cutler didn't throw any picks last week, but he tossed three interceptions in the loss to Detroit the week before, and he's turned the ball over a total of 10 times in five games. Manning threw three picks last week against the Eagles, but at least one of those wasn't his fault, as the refs missed an illegal hand to the face as he was releasing the ball. When Eli isn't turning the ball over, the Giants offense has been able to move the ball. He's averaging close to 300 passing yards per game, and he has eight TD passes on the year. The Bears defense has given up a lot of yards, struggling to defend the pass. They have relied on forcing turnovers to keep them in ballgames, and if they are successful in forcing the Giants to turn the ball over tonight, I think they will win a close game. If they can't, I think the Giants win outright. Take the Giants. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
10-10-13 | Rutgers +19 v. Louisville | Top | 10-24 | Win | 100 | 12 h 15 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights had one of the best defensive units in the nation last season, but after losing several starters, this is a much different team in 2013. Rutgers comes into Louisville with a 4-1 record, with their only loss coming by a single point in overtime to a top 25 team (Fresno State). Offensively, the Scarlet Knights are having a lot more success than they did a year ago. Quarterback Gary Nova had a difficult end to last season, but he's thrown for over 1100 yards and 13 TDs so far. He was 13-of-28 for 234 yards and a pair of TDs in a 20-17 loss to Louisville last year. The Cardinals have had a favorable schedule to start the season, and this will be their toughest test so far. They might be without their top wide receiver DeVante Parker, who injured his shoulder against Temple. Louisville's defense comes in ranked first in the nation allowing an average of just over 6 points per game. Those numbers are a little deceiving though, and I don't expect to see them completely silence this Rutgers team that has scored 50 points in a game twice already this season. Take the points. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
10-07-13 | NY Jets v. Atlanta Falcons OVER 44 | Top | 30-28 | Win | 100 | 12 h 3 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on NYJ@ATL Over. The Falcons have battled through injuries, and they are off to a disappointing 1-3 start. Tonight they host the Jets on Monday Night football, and New York is also banged up. Chris Ivory, Stephen Hill and Santonio Holmes are all not expected to play tonight. Geno Smith is coming off a terrible game, with two fumbles and a pair of interceptions in the loss to Tennessee last week. The rookie has made mistakes, and that's to be expected. He has shown the ability to make things happen though, with over 100 yards and four TDs while going 2-2 as a starter. The Falcons are struggling to protect the pass, allowing opponents to average over 300 yards per game so far. Neither team has been very successful running the ball, and with both teams dealing with injuries to their top backs, I expect to see them air it out early and often. This should favor the Falcons, with Matt Ryan throwing to Julio Jones, Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez. The Jets rookie is in a tough spot without the services of two of his top targets. Take OVER. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
10-06-13 | Denver Broncos -6.5 v. Dallas Cowboys | Top | 51-48 | Loss | -108 | 151 h 19 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Denver Broncos. Can anybody stop Peyton Manning? At the age of 37, the Broncos quarterback appears to be in a league of his own. He leads the NFL in passing yards, touchdowns (16), and quarterback rating with 138.0. Denver is in Dallas today, and the Cowboys have really struggled against the pass, allowing opponents to average over 300 yards per game in the air. These teams have only met four times since 1998, and Denver has won all four of those meetings, covering the spread in three of the four. Denver isn't just an offensive juggernaut, their defense is also ranked among the toughest in the NFL, especially against the run. Perhaps most importantly, I believe Denver has a distinct advantage when it comes to the coaching staff. Jason Garrett has been on the hot seat for quite some time now, and I'm not a big fan of his. He's known to mismanage games and make costly errors, and I wouldn't be surprised if he's "out-foxed" by Denver today. Take Denver. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
10-06-13 | New Orleans Saints v. Chicago Bears | Top | 26-18 | Win | 110 | 148 h 56 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the New Orleans Saints. The Saints are starting to look like the Superbowl Champions they were in 2010, and not the sad sacked lot they were following the bounty-gate scandal last season. They blew the doors off in a 38-17 home win over Miami on Monday Night Football, moving to 4-0 on the season. Drew Brees threw for 413 yards and four TDs in the victory over the Fish. The Saints defense terrorized Ryan Tannehill, with four sacks and three picks on the Dolphins signal caller. That should be a scary thought for the Bears, who have struggled to protect Jay Cutler. The Bears are coming off a loss to the Lions in Detroit, and Cutler was sacked three times and he threw three INTs. Chicago's defense has looked vulnerable, allowing an average of almost 30 points per game so far this season. They've struggled against the pass, allowing opponents to gain an average of almost 280 passing yards per game. The Bears could be in trouble as they try to contain Brees, who is right behind Peyton Manning for the NFL lead in passing yards with 1434 in four games. Chicago has won both it's home games by a combined total of four points, and they had to come from behind in the fourth quarter in each of those victories. Chicago's defense isn't what it used to be, and I expect the Saints to pile on today, winning easily. Take NO. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
10-06-13 | Philadelphia Eagles v. NY Giants -140 | Top | 36-21 | Loss | -140 | 148 h 55 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the New York Giants. The Giants haven't played well at all this year, but they have also been victimized by Murphy's law. An awful lot of things went wrong in Kansas City last week, Eli Manning completed less than half his passes and turn the ball over three times. Manning went out on the waiver wire in my fantasy league this week, and with a matchup at home against the Eagles, I snagged him before anyone else could. He could be in for a big game against the Philly secondary that has allowed more passing yards that 30 other NFL clubs (325 per game avg). Chip Kelly's offensive scheme has really bombed, looking good in the first half in Week 1 versus Washington, but it's been tough sledding for the Eagles ever since. Aside from an offense that just isn't working, Kelly has also made some major errors managing the clock. The Giants offensive line was in a sad state of affairs last week in Kansas City, but they will get a bit of a boost today with David Diehl making his season debut. I expect to see the bullets fly in a wild shootout in New York, but when it's all said and done, I'm going with the home team. Take NYG. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
10-06-13 | Baltimore Ravens +3 v. Miami Dolphins | Top | 26-23 | Win | 100 | 95 h 6 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Baltimore Ravens. The Dolphins were undefeated prior to Monday night's thrashing in New Orleans, and I expected nothing less. Here is what I had to say prior to that game: "Protecting the quarterback is likely going to be an issue tonight for the Dolphins, who have allowed an NFL high 14 sacks. I can't see Tannehill keeping pace with Drew Brees and the Saints offense, if he's constantly picking himself up off the turf." Sure enough, he was sacked four times and threw three interceptions, and the Fish lost 38-17 to New Orleans. It won't get any easier against the Ravens, who have sacked opposing signal callers 13 times and picked off three passes in four games so far. Joe Flacco threw five picks last week in Buffalo, and still the Ravens lost by just three points. I think we can all agree that Flacco should have a better game this week. Take the points. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
10-06-13 | Seattle Seahawks -1 v. Indianapolis Colts | Top | 28-34 | Loss | -129 | 81 h 58 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Seattle Seahawks. Last week there were rumblings from a lot of sports bettors that the Seahawks may be overrated. They said: "Seattle can't win on the road." I had the Seahawks over Houston last week, and here is what I had to say prior to the game: "As far as the Seahawks struggling on the road, as I see it, they have won six of their last seven games on the road, one of those was a playoff game in Washington. Their only loss was in a game versus Atlanta that was decided by a Field goal" While Seattle struggled in the first half last week, Russell Wilson rallied the troops, and they came storming back to win in overtime. The Seahawks have now won nine straight regular season games, and 14-of-15 overall since the middle of last season. They are in Indianapolis Sunday taking on a Colts team that is off to a solid 3-1 start. The Colts though have played twice at home, and neither one of those games yielded an impressive result. They needed a late TD to come from behind and beat the Oakland Raiders in Week 1, and then lost to Miami the following week. I like Andrew Luck, and I think the Colts are a team moving in the right direction. That being said, I think they are a little overrated at the moment, and I don't believe that they can compete against an elite team like Seattle. The Colts might just be a little "down on their Luck", this Sunday. Take SEA. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
10-06-13 | Kansas City Chiefs -138 v. Tennessee Titans | Top | 26-17 | Win | 100 | 81 h 57 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Kansas City Chiefs. The 4-0 Chiefs will try to remain undefeated as they take on the Titans in Tennessee. Jake Locker led his team to an impressive 3-1 start, but an injury has sidelined the starting quarterback for at least a few weeks. Filling in will be Ryan Fitzpatrick, who was just 3-of-8 for 108 yards and a TD in the fourth quarter versus the Jets last week. Fitzpatrick wasn't awful as the starter for the Bills, but ultimately Buffalo made the decision to let him go. The Titans likely won't ask him to do a lot, and he'll probably be handing off to Chris Johnson a lot more than dropping back to throw. Johnson doesn't look like the back he was before holding out in 2011 to get a big contract. He's averaging just 3.3 yards per carry, and hasn't had a 100 yard game yet this season. With the Chiefs tough pass defense allowing just 188 yards per game (2nd in the NFL), the Titans are going to need Johnson to have a big game. The Titans will have their hands full with Jamaal Charles, who ranks 3rd in the NFL in yards from scrimmage. I like the Chiefs chances to move to 5-0. Take KC, GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
10-06-13 | Detroit Lions +7.5 v. Green Bay Packers | Top | 9-22 | Loss | -120 | 81 h 56 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Detroit Lions. Playing the Packers at Lambeau is always tough for any team, but all things considered, I think the Lions are getting way too many points in today's game. Detroit is 3-1, and their only loss came on the road in Arizona, as they blew a fourth quarter lead in a 25-21 defeat at the hands of the Cardinals. Reggie Bush was nursing a knee injury in Arizona, but when healthy he's been an absolute beast this season. He looks like the second coming of Marshall Faulk. Not only is Reggie averaging 5.3 yards per carry, he's also caught 11 passes for 177 yards and a touchdown. He could be in for a big day against a Green Bay defense that has given up an awful lot of points so far. In three trips to Lambeau since 2010, the Lions have lost all three games. Not one of those games was decided by more than 7 points though, and this year's Lions squad looks to be vastly improved compared to past seasons. Take the points. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
10-05-13 | Washington Huskies +7.5 v. Stanford | Top | 28-31 | Win | 100 | 37 h 19 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Washington Huskies. The Huskies are off to a very impressive start, coming into Palo Alto with a 4-0 record, and the fourth best defense in the country, allowing an average of just over 10 points per game. It's not like Washington has been padding it's stats against weak competition either, in fact you could say they have had a tougher schedule than the Cardinal so far. The Huskies opened the season hosting Boise State, and they dominated that game from start to finish, winning 38-6. They also defeated Illinois (3-1) and Arizona (3-1). After losing to the Huskies in Washington last year, the Cardinal will be out for revenge on their home field Saturday. It isn't going to be easy though, this Huskies team looks like it might be a whole lot tougher than it was a year ago. Bishop Sankey ripped through the Cardinal defense last year, with 144 yards and a TD on just 20 carries. He carried the ball 40 times last week, for 161 yards and a TD, and he's averaging more yards per game than any other back in the nation. Keith Price struggled last year, behind an injury plagued offensive line. It's been a different story this season, as he's thriving behind better pass protection. Price has been around for five years, and has enough experience and patience to be successful against Stanford's tough defense. I can't say for sure which is the better team, but I think it may well be the Huskies. Even if that's not the case, we're getting an awful generous spread all things considered, and this fixture seems to be destined to be a close, hard fought battle. Take Wash. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
10-05-13 | TCU v. Oklahoma -8 | Top | 17-20 | Loss | -106 | 18 h 52 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Oklahoma Sooners. The Sooners impressed last week, on the road at South Bend, easily handling Nortre Dame. Blake Bell had a big game against a tough defense, completing 22-of-30 passes for 232 yards at a pair of TDs, and running for 59 yards on a dozen carries. Oklahoma hosts TCU tonight, and the Horned Frogs are coming off a blowout win at home over SMU. This is just the second road game of the season for TCU, and the Horned Frogs suffered a double-digit loss to Texas Tech in their only other game away from home. Trevone Boykin was picked off twice in the loss to Texas Tech, throwing for fewer than 200 yards and no touchdowns. He only completed 17-of-31 attempts for 231 yards in a loss at home to Oklahoma last season. He's had some big games filling in for Case Pachall, but all of those have come against weak opposition. He's been prone to making costly mistakes when he faces tougher opponents. The Sooners have allowed an average of just 12 points per game, ranking 6th in the nation in scoring defense. I'd expect the Sooners to be giving up a pair of touchdowns here, but much to my surprise, a double digit victory has them covering the spread. I'm expecting Oklahoma to win big. Take the Sooners. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
10-05-13 | Georgia Tech v. Miami (Florida) -4.5 | Top | 30-45 | Win | 100 | 73 h 20 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Miami Hurricanes. Georgia Tech has now looked vulnerable in each of the last two weeks. After going down early at home to North Carolina, the Yellow Jackets rallied to score 14 unanswered points in the second half, escaping with a 28-20 victory. They weren't so fortunate last week, losing 17-10 to Virginia Tech at home. Now the Yellow Jackets head out on the road, facing the Hurricanes in Miami. The Hurricanes are off to their best start in a decade, with a top 5 recruiting class that is already starting to pay dividends. This year's Miami team looks like it could be the best in a long time, and that's a scary thought for the Jackets, who have lost each of the last four meetings since 2009. Last season's 42-36 overtime win on the road, was the only one of those games that was close, as the other three were all blowouts. Miami covered the spread in all four of those games, and bettors have taken notice of an opening line that has the Canes favored by less than a touchdown. This game shouldn't be close, I expect Miami to win by double digits. Take MIA. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
10-05-13 | Penn State -155 v. Indiana | Top | 24-44 | Loss | -155 | 7 h 51 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on the Penn State Nittany Lions. The Hoosiers are coming off a one-sided loss to Missouri at home, by a score of 45-28. Indiana quarterback Nate Sudfeld was picked off three times, completing just 21-of-39 attempts. I bet against the Hoosiers last week, and one of the reasons for that was that I thought they were getting too much credit for a win over Bowling Green the previous week. Scoring on a team out of the MAC is not the same as putting points on the board against an opponent like Penn State, who have allowed an average of fewer than 15 points per game, ranking 13th in the nation. A closer look at Indiana's last victory reveals that the game versus the Falcons wasn't as one-sided as the final score indicates. Two missed field goals, and four failed fourth down conversions put Indiana in excellent field position, instead of putting points on the board for the Falcons. The Nittany Lions are coming off a 34-0 shutout victory over Kent State, putting them at 3-1, with their only loss coming to a very good Central Florida team. History is certainly on the side of Penn State, who have won each of the last 10 meetings since 2001, They have covered the spread in 3 of the last 4, and they aren't being asked to cover a very big number here. Take PSU. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
10-04-13 | BYU v. Utah State UNDER 58 | Top | 31-14 | Win | 100 | 54 h 51 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on BYU@USU to go UNDER the total. The Aggies and the Cougars know each other well, and when these two teams meet, defense is usually the story. It was certainly a showcase of two of the top defenses in the nation last year, when the Cougars won 6-3 in Provo. In fact, over the past decade, all six previous meetings between these two teams have gone under the total. That being the case, I'm a little shocked to see the number in tonight's game is actually higher than it was in each of the last three meetings. Certainly neither team has given any reason to expect anymore offense tonight. The Cougars have seen the total go under in 3-of-4 of their games this season, and they combined to score just 33 points in the Holy War against the Utes two weeks ago. The Aggies have played some high scoring games against inferior opponents, but when facing top defenses they haven't done a lot of scoring. Utah State lost on the road to USC by a score of 17-14, and in Utah to the Utes by a score of 30-26. Both of those combined for fewer points than the listed total in tonight's contests. The home team is being asked to cover a rather large spread, especially considering that BYU has won the last two meetings, and nine of the last 10. Take the UNDER. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
10-03-13 | Buffalo Bills +4 v. Cleveland Browns | Top | 24-37 | Loss | -110 | 83 h 17 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Buffalo Bills. It wasn't that long ago that the Browns were 0-2, and they had just traded the face of the franchise to Indianapolis for a first road pick in next year's draft. If I told you then that Cleveland would be a sizable favorite over the Bills just three weeks later, you probably would have laughed at me. The Browns stunned the Vikings in Minnesota two weeks ago, and then last week they held Cincinnati to a pair of field goals in a 17-6 win at home. Brian Hoyer has impressed filling in for the injured Brandon Weeden in both of those games, and he'll get the start tonight, even though Weeden has been cleared to play. He'll face an opportunistic Bills defense that leads the NFL with nine picks, and ranks among the league leaders with 13 sacks. Tom Brady and Joe Flacco both struggled against the Bills, and that should be alarming for the inexperienced Hoyer. It's tough to be optimistic about E.J. Manuel, who had a terrible game in last week's win over Baltimore. We don't need Manuel to have a great game though, with the Bills getting points, we just need him to limit his mistakes. These teams have played each other four times since 2008, with each team winning twice. Both of the Browns victories came by three points or less, and that's a trend that I expect to see continue tonight. Take the Bills. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-30-13 | Miami Dolphins v. New Orleans Saints -5 | Top | 17-38 | Win | 100 | 282 h 36 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the New Orleans Saints. The Saints are starting to look like the Superbowl Champions they were in 2010, and not the sad sacked lot they were following the bounty-gate scandal last season. Drew Brees has thrown for over 1000 yards and six TDs so far, leading the Saints to a 3-0 start. They host the Dolphins at the Superdome tonight, and Miami is also unbeaten. Dolphins fans are getting pretty excited about a perfect start to the season, but they might be getting ahead of themselves. Last week at home, Miami trailed 10-0 early, and never led until scoring in the final 30 seconds to come from behind and win 27-23 over the banged up Falcons. Ryan Tannehill was sacked five times, and he also threw an interception and fumbled twice. Protecting the quarterback is likely going to be an issue tonight for the Dolphins, who have allowed an NFL high 14 sacks. I can't see Tannehill keeping pace with Drew Brees and the Saints offense, if he's constantly picking himself up off the turf. The big difference between this season's Saints team and the squad that missed the playoffs last year, is the defense. New Orleans is allowing an average of less than 13 points per game so far under new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. Ultimately I believe the Dolphins are overrated, and they are not of the same caliber as the 2010 Superbowl Champions, led by one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the game. The Saints shouldn't have any trouble covering the spread at home. Take NO. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-29-13 | New England Patriots v. Atlanta Falcons -1 | Top | 30-23 | Loss | -119 | 87 h 37 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Atlanta Falcons. The Patriots are undefeated, but it's not all smiles in New England as far as Pats fans are concerned. This year's team has looked nothing like the offensive powerhouse it has been over the past decade, averaging fewer than 20 points per game. Danny Amendola was supposed to come in and replace Wes Welker as Brady's top target, but injuries were a concern before his arrival, and low and behold he's banged up again this year, and he likely won't play in tonight's game. Rob Gronkowski is still not ready to return from off-season surgery, despite practicing all week, taking full contact. The Falcons have injury concerns of their own, with the status of both Roddy White and Julio Jones uncertain. Jones was questionable last week too, and he caught nine passes for 115 yards, so we do expect him to play. After seeing the Patriots sneak away with victories in games they didn't deserve to win in the first two weeks, and not play particularly well despite a convincing win over the Bucs last week, I think their luck runs out tonight. Take ATL. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-29-13 | Washington Redskins -155 v. Oakland Raiders | Top | 24-14 | Win | 100 | 83 h 30 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on the Washington Redskins. The Redskins had no trouble moving the ball on offense last week, but after a costly fumble from RGIII and a touchdown taken off the board by the replay officials, Washington lost 27-20, and the total fell just short of the number. The Raiders also showed some scoring prowess in a losing effort, but the Broncos blew the doors off in a 37-21 Monday night blowout. Whether it's Terrelle Pryor or Matt Flynn running the offense this week, the Raiders match up against a Redskins defense that is terrible against the pass as well as the run. Washington has allowed an average of 330 yards in the air, and 155 rushing yards per game, one of the reasons for it's 0-3 start. The Raiders allowed Denver to rack up over 500 yards of total offense in their loss on Monday, and coming off a short week, I'd expect them to struggle again this week. RGIII is likely to throw caution to the wind, as there's no sense playing safe to avoid injury if the losses continue to pile up. Don't be surprised to see him take off and run a little more this week, and he could have a monster game. Take the Skins. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-29-13 | Philadelphia Eagles v. Denver Broncos UNDER 59 | Top | 20-52 | Loss | -110 | 8 h 15 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on PHI@DEN to go UNDER the total. At first glance, when I looked at this week's schedule and saw the Eagles in Denver, I thought to myself: "that should be a high scoring game." When I say high scoring, I'm thinking 50 points or more. It turns out that most people expect to see a lot of points in Denver today, and the result is a total higher than you will see most weekends, and perhaps most seasons. Now we take a number that's approaching 60, and let's stop and have a good look at this. The Eagles offense has been completely shut down in the second half in Washington, the first half at home versus San Diego, and most of the entire game versus the Chiefs last week. They are facing a Denver defense that is likely far tougher than any of those three teams they previously faced, and the Broncos have had plenty of time to prepare for what's coming. So far it does appear that defensive coach's have been able to make the adjustments necessary to counter Chip Kelly's hyper speed offense. LeSean McCoy leads the NFL in rushing yards, but he's facing a Denver defense that ranks first in the NFL allowing an average of just 43 yards per game. Last week the Broncos absolutely stuffed Darren McFadden, limiting him to nine yards on a dozen carries. It's not going to take a lot of defense from the Broncos here to keep this total from sailing over the inflated number. Take the UNDER. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-29-13 | Seattle Seahawks -130 v. Houston Texans | Top | 23-20 | Win | 100 | 79 h 9 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Seattle Seahawks. Everything we have seen from the Seahawks so far would suggest that they wouldn't have any trouble with a struggling Texans team, yet still we have seen money coming in on Houston. The critics will say that Seattle has a history of struggling on the road, and that they are overrated. I suppose when people start to talk about Seattle being the best team in the NFL, it would be fair enough to say they are in danger of becoming overrated. That being said, even if you don't think they are the best, they can't be that far off. Seattle doesn't have much in the way of weaknesses, Marshawn Lynch is one of the most dependable backs in the league, and Russel Wilson seems to be getting better by the day. Wilson's best performance so far came on the road, facing heavy pressure from Carolina's defense. He was very impressive completing 25-of-33 attempts for 320 yards and a TD. The Texans have not looked good so far, even in the two games they won. They came from behind, overcoming a 21-7 halftime deficit in Week 1 at San Diego, then they needed overtime to get past the Titans in their only home game. As far as the Seahawks struggling on the road, as I see it, they have won six of their last seven games on the road, one of those was a playoff game in Washington. Their only loss was in a game versus Atlanta that was decided by a Field goal. Take SEA. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-29-13 | Indianapolis Colts -7.5 v. Jacksonville Jaguars | Top | 37-3 | Win | 100 | 79 h 8 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Indianapolis Colts. Oh boy.. the Jags sure are terrible. Last week they were spotted 20 points, and they still didn't even come close to covering. They are getting a few points here at home today, but I'm not sure they can hang with the Colts. Indianapolis didn't use Trent Richardson a lot last week, giving him just 13 carries, but with Bradshaw out this week, expect him to get a heavy workload. The Jags are allowing an NFL worst 168 yards rushing per game, so expect Richardson to have a big day. The Jags only won two games all of last season, and one of those was against the Colts in Indianapolis. That was early in the season though, and the Colts later avenged that loss by coming into Jacksonville and winning 27-10. This Colts defense is really coming into it's own, and last week they terrorized Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers in a 27-7 victory on the road. The Jags are only averaging 230 yards total offense per game, and Maurice Jones-Drew is averaging a career low 2.6 yards per game. The Jags lost by double digits to the Raiders, I don't see any reason to expect a better result against a more talented Colts team, regardless of the venue. Take the Colts. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-29-13 | Chicago Bears v. Detroit Lions -149 | Top | 32-40 | Win | 100 | 79 h 7 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Detroit Lions. The Lions looked pretty good on the road last week, defeating Washington by a score of 27-20. They didn't have Reggie Bush last week, but he's be back in the lineup at home today, and he had a monster of a game in the season opener in Detroit, running for 90 yards, and catching four passes for 101 yards and a TD. Getting Bush back in the lineup will help soften the blow of losing Nate Burleson, who broke his arm in a car accident during the week. Detroit's offense has look good, especially at home in a 34-24 win over the Vikings. The Lions have a history of struggling against the Bears though, and the result is that bettors are backing Chicago. The Bears have won nine of the last 10 head to head meetings, but I think that is a statistic that is overrated. Reggie Bush was Detroit's best player in their only home game this season, and he didn't play in any of those previous games. The Bears have been very fortunate so far this season, still undefeated, but they relied on miracle comebacks in both their first two games at home, and took advantage of an injury riddled Steelers team last week. Jay Cutler has only been sacked three times in three games, but I expect to see the Lions put a lot of pressure on him, so don't be surprised to see him hit the turf a few times today. I'm ignoring the previous history here, and going with the Lions who I don't think are getting enough respect. Take Det. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-28-13 | Stanford v. Washington State OVER 46.5 | Top | 55-17 | Win | 100 | 17 h 21 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on STAN@WSU to go OVER the total. As impressive as Mike Leach's defense has been in the first four games of this season, I don't think the Cougars are going to be able to stop Stanford. Washington State has only allowed 17 points while winning three straight, and their win on the road over USC was quite impressive. Still, we saw Auburn score 31 points on them in their opener, and there's no reason why Stanford can't do even better than that. The Cardinal won convincingly over a very good Arizona State team last week, by a score of 42-28. They did most of the damage with strong defense and a power running game, gaining 240 yards on the ground and scoring three rushing touchdowns. The Cougars "Air Raid" offense leans heavily on the passing game, and going up against a tough Stanford defense, that should translate into a lot of three and outs, not taking any time off the clock. With Washington State expected to struggle on offense, the total for this game is quite low. I'm expecting the Cougars to turn the ball over early and often, but I also think they will connect on a few of their air attacks, scoring at least enough to push the total over the number. After all, Connor Halliday ranks 6th in total passing yards amongst all the nation's quarterbacks. Take the Over. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-28-13 | Wisconsin v. Ohio State UNDER 56 | Top | 24-31 | Win | 100 | 15 h 23 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on WISC@OSU to go UNDER the total. The Buckeyes have been very impressive against inferior competition, but tonight they host a top 25 team in Wisconsin, that might just give them a run for their money. The Badgers have allowed an average of just over 10 points per game, and by all rights they should still be undefeated. Only a controversial finish in Arizona leaves a blemish on their record, as the officials failed to spot the ball, allowing time to expire when the Badgers should have had an attempt at a chip shot field goal to win it. The total for this game is significantly higher than it was in any of the previous 10 head to head meetings. Those games trended toward the under at a rate of 6-3-1. Last season's meeting in Wisconsin finished with the Buckeyes winning in OT by a score of 21-14. I expect to see another closely contested defensive battle here in this game. Take the UNDER. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-28-13 | Oklahoma -165 v. Notre Dame | Top | 35-21 | Win | 100 | 11 h 54 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Oklahoma Sooners. I spent the better part of last year saying that the Irish were overrated, and it wasn't until the BCS Title Game that anyone would listen. I had bets on Alabama for the game, for the first half, and the total to go over in a blowout victory (3-0). In my pre-season edition of the NCAAF Power Rankings, I reluctantly had them ranked in the top 10, but warned that they would be outside the top 25 within a few weeks.They should fall out of the rankings after a loss to Oklahoma here today. Quarterback Tommy Rees completed 14-of-34 attempts for 141 yards, as the Irish hung on to win 17-13 over Michigan State. This offense is struggling with Rees stepping in to replace Everett Golson. The Sooners come into South Bend with the 5th ranked defense in the nation, allowing an average of just 9 points per game. They haven't exactly padded their stats against weak teams either, all three of the teams they have defeated flirted with top 25 spots at some point last year. Blake Bell is coming off a fantastic performance, his first as a starter, completing 27-of-37 attempts for 413 yards and four TDs. Notre Dame did defeat the Sooners last year, but in doing so they allowed a season high 364 passing yards. They aren't likely to be so fortunate here this time around. Take the Sooners. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-28-13 | Colorado v. Oregon State OVER 58 | Top | 17-44 | Win | 100 | 10 h 24 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on COL@ORST to go OVER the total. The Beavers have won three straight since being upset by Eastern Washington in their home opener. The Oregon State defense hasn't been stopping anyone though, even in the games they have won. There's nothing wrong with the offense though, and quarterback Sean Mannion leads the nation in passing yards. He's completed over 71% of his passes for more than 1600 yards and 15 touchdowns, with just one interception. The Buffaloes are another pass happy team, and they rank 7th in the nation passing for an average of over 370 yards per game. These two teams have played six games between them, and five of those six games have been high scoring tilts, with the number sailing over. The Buffaloes have seen the total go over in five straight road games, while Oregon State has played five straight overs in games versus Pac-12 opponents. The Beavers have seen the total go over in seven straight against teams with winning records. All things considered, I think the total here is a little too low. Take the OVER. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-27-13 | Middle Tennessee State v. BYU UNDER 59.5 | Top | 10-37 | Win | 100 | 39 h 55 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on MTU@BYU to go UNDER the total. The Cougars lost at home to the Utah Utes on Saturday, and they will look to bounce back with a convincing win over the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Friday night. BYU is giving up an awful lot of points, especially when you consider that it's offense failed to score a point in the first half against Utah, and only managed 13 points losing 20-13. The Blue Raiders though are over-matched, and they haven't fared well in non-conference games, failing to cover the points in each of their last five. The Cougars have allowed an average of 20 points per game so far, but their previous opponents have all been far better teams that the Blue Raiders. They defeated the Texas Longhorns by a score of 40-21 in their home opener, and last season the Cougars won six of seven home games, allowing an average of 12.8 points in those games. We can expect to see BYU bounce back from last week's loss, with a one-sided victory here tonight, dominating with their defense. Take the UNDER. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-26-13 | San Francisco 49ers -3.5 v. St. Louis Rams | Top | 35-11 | Win | 100 | 15 h 43 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on the San Francisco 49ers. I'm no fan of the Niners, or their quarterback Colin Kaepernick. In fact before the season started, I put out a prop bet on San Francisco to finish with fewer than 11.5 wins. Those of you who remember back to the Superbowl might recall that I swept the board with my prop bets, all of which involved some sort of failure by Kaepernick. All that aside, coming off a pair of tough losses, the Niners are faced with a must win game on the road in St. Louis. The Rams gave them all they could handle a year ago, earning a tie in San Fran, and winning in overtime at home. I'm not convinced that this year's Rams team is as good as it was a year ago, and Sam Bradford still doesn't look like the star quarterback he looked like he might be after an impressive rookie campaign. Losing Stephen Jackson hasn't helped their running game, the Rams are ranked 29th in the NFL, averaging just 57 yards per game. They haven't had much success stopping the run either, and that was their biggest issue in a blowout loss to the Cowboys last week. DeMarco Murray ran for 175 yards and a TD on 26 carries. As much as I think San Francisco is overrated, I still think the Niners are far more talented than the Rams, and I expect Kaepernick to have a much better game tonight against a suspect Rams defense. Take San Fran. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-26-13 | Virginia Tech v. Georgia Tech -7 | Top | 17-10 | Loss | -100 | 14 h 45 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Bryn Renner put North Carolina up 14-0 with a touchdown pass at the end of the first quarter in Atlanta this weekend. The Yellow Jackets came back in the second period, closing the gap and going into the half trailing 20-14. The second half was all Georgia Tech, as they held the Tar Heels scoreless en route to a 28-20 home victory. The Yellow Jackets will try to avoid another slow start tonight, as they host Virginia Tech. Hokies quarterback Logan Thomas is no Bryn Renner, he's completed fewer than 50% of his passes this year, and he's been picked off six times compared to only four TD passes. Thomas had a terrible game last week, completing just 18-of-34 passes and getting picked off twice. The Hokies needed triple overtime to get past Marshall at home last week, and they will certainly have their hands full with Georgia Tech's power running game. The Yellow Jackets are averaging over 345 rushing yards and over 45 points per game so far. I just can't see Logan Thomas keeping them in this game. Take GT. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-23-13 | Oakland Raiders v. Denver Broncos UNDER 49.5 | Top | 21-37 | Loss | -105 | 13 h 40 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on OAK@DEN to go UNDER the total. After a couple of high scoring games to start the season, I expect to see a slower pace to tonight's game in Denver. The Raiders don't air it out anywhere as often as the Giants and Ravens who Denver faced in Weeks 1 and 2. Oakland leans heavily on it's running game to provide offense, and that's going to be tough against a Broncos defense that has allowed an average of 40 yards per game. There is a lot of talk about the injury to three time Pro Bowler Ryan Clady, who will be out for the remainder of the season. If his replacement Ryan Clark struggles, this could stall the Denver offense. These teams played twice last year, and the Raiders scored a combined 19 points, losing both meetings. Even at home against the lowly Jaguars last week, the Raiders were only able to put 19 points on the board. Oakland owns the league's worst passing attack, despite the fact that they have yet to face an above average defense. With the Raiders unlikely to contribute much offense, I expect to see the total fall short of the listed number. Take the UNDER. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-22-13 | Chicago Bears -1 v. Pittsburgh Steelers | Top | 40-23 | Win | 100 | 128 h 31 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Chicago Bears. The Steelers are in rough shape, already 0-2 to start the season, and given all the challenges they face, it's tough to see them turning things around. I bet against them on Monday night when they played Cincy, and here is what I had to say: Pittsburgh's offense is in big trouble, with Maurkice Pouncey, LaRod Stephens-Howling and Heath Miller all out of the lineup. It starts with the man who hands the ball to the quarterback, and with an offensive line that has been playing well below average, and a backup utility lineman making his first ever start at Center, this is simply a recipe for disaster. The trickle down effect of an offensive line that is in disarray will also contribute to more struggles with the running game, and having lost two of their top three backs certainly won't help. The Steelers ground game was limited to just 44 yards in a 20-10 loss to the Bengals. Their inability to run just puts more pressure on Ben Roethlisberger, who has thrown two interceptions and just two touchdowns so far. In past years, their defense might have been good enough to compensate for an offense that can't score, but that is simply no longer the case. Take the Bears. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-22-13 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers +9 v. New England Patriots | Top | 3-23 | Loss | -119 | 128 h 16 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers come into Foxboro with an 0-2 record, taking on the Patriots who are undefeated. The Patriots have looked awful in both their victories in the first two games of the season though, and they are once again asked to cover a big point spread. Tom Brady didn't look very good in Buffalo, and then last week at home he completed just 19-of-39 passes for 185 yards with just one TD. Clearly the loss of Danny Amendola was felt last week, and the Patriots likely would have lost in Buffalo without their top receiver. With Brady having little in the way of reliable targets, all hopes are on a miracle return for TE Rob Gronkowski. Reports out of ESPN's Boston office indicate that Gronk isn't likely going to suit up for this game though. That leaves Brady throwing to a bunch of second and third string receivers, against a Tampa secondary led by Darrelle Revis. The Bucs also got some good news at midweek, with the news that Dashon Goldson's suspension was overturned. The Bucs have lost their first two games by a combined total of just three points, and opposing quarterbacks have thrown more interceptions than touchdowns against this secondary in those two games. The Patriots will be fortunate to win this game outright, never mind covering a big point spread. Take Tampa. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-22-13 | Cleveland Browns v. Minnesota Vikings -6.5 | Top | 31-27 | Loss | -110 | 33 h 9 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Minnesota Vikings. Two winless teams will meet in Minnesota today, when the Browns take on the Vikings. Needless to say, this is a must win game for both teams, but you have to wonder if the Browns have already written off this season after trading away their star running back to the Colts. The Browns have only put 16 points on the board in consecutive losses to start the season, and now they are without their starting quarterback and their only real stay player in running back Trent Richardson. If there was any doubt about which direction the Browns were going, maybe they answered that when they announced that they will throw third string quarterback Brian Hoyer into the fire as apposed to veteran backup Jason Campbell. In two starts last season, Hoyer completed just 56 percent of his passes and threw a single touchdown while getting picked off twice. Both of those games were double digit losses. Expect to see the same result today in Minnesota, as the Browns appear to be waiving the white flag. Take the Vikes. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-21-13 | Utah v. BYU UNDER 61.5 | Top | 20-13 | Win | 100 | 67 h 10 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on Utah@BYU to go UNDER the total. The Utes hosted the Cougars in Salt Lake City, winning by a score of 24-21. They might be hard pressed to repeat that performance this time around, as the Cougars defense is looking pretty strong. Last week David Ash completed just 19-of-34 attempts for 251 yards and a pair of TDs in a losing effort, with Texas falling by a score of 40-21. When these teams met in September of last year, the total was listed at 44.5, and the previous meeting in 2011 saw a total of 46. Both of those games went over the the total, but the total for this game is over 60, higher than it has been in any of the past 10 meetings between these two teams. The Utes are coming off a loss to Oregon State in overtime, in a 51-48 shootout at Salt Lake City. It wasn't surprising to see a high scoring game against the Beavers, but I wouldn't expect to see as much offense against the Cougars. Last year the Cougars shutout Hawaii at home, held the USU Aggies to just a field goal, and won their home opener by a score of 30-6 over Washington State. The only opponent that they didn't manage to contain at home was Oregon State. I expect the Cougars to avenge last year's loss, slowing the Utes offense in a defensive clinic at home. Take the UNDER. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-21-13 | Missouri v. Indiana UNDER 71 | Top | 45-28 | Loss | -106 | 39 h 30 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on Missouri vs Indiana to go UNDER the total. The Hoosiers are coming off a one-sided victory over Bowling Green, winning by a final score of 42-10. On the surface that looks quite impressive, and maybe that's part of the reason why they are getting so much credit coming into today's game against an SEC team that should probably be a significant favorite. Scoring on a team out of the MAC is not the same as putting points on the board against an opponent from the SEC, even if the Tigers are one of the weaker teams in the nation's toughest conference. A closer look at last week's victory reveals that the game versus the Falcons wasn't as one-sided as the final score indicates. Two missed field goals, and four failed fourth down conversions put Indiana in excellent field position, instead of putting points on the board for the Falcons. Missouri isn't likely to be so generous with field position, and while neither team is great defensively, the Tigers should prove to be better. The total for this game is sky high, but I think that's assuming we will see a close game going back and forth trading scores from both teams. I'm expecting the Tigers to win handily, and I think Indiana is going to struggle to put points on the board. Take the Under. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-21-13 | Missouri v. Indiana | Top | 45-28 | Win | 100 | 38 h 26 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on Missouri. The Hoosiers are coming off a one-sided victory over Bowling Green, winning by a final score of 42-10. On the surface that looks quite impressive, and maybe that's part of the reason why they are getting so much credit coming into today's game against an SEC team that should probably be a significant favorite. Scoring on a team out of the MAC is not the same as putting points on the board against an opponent from the SEC, even if the Tigers are one of the weaker teams in the nation's toughest conference. A closer look at last week's victory reveals that the game versus the Falcons wasn't as one-sided as the final score indicates. Two missed field goals, and four failed fourth down conversions put Indiana in excellent field position, instead of putting points on the board for the Falcons. Missouri isn't likely to be so generous with field position, and while neither team is great defensively, the Tigers should prove to be better. The total for this game is sky high, but I think that's assuming we will see a close game going back and forth trading scores from both teams. I'm expecting the Tigers to win handily, and I think Indiana is going to struggle to put points on the board. Take Mizzo. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-21-13 | Arizona State v. Stanford UNDER 51.5 | Top | 28-42 | Loss | -111 | 38 h 32 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on Arizona State vs Stanford to go UNDER the total. The Sun Devils were fortunate to get a lucky break last week, as the referees botched the final play, allowing the clock to run down before Wisconsin could kick a game winning field goal. They will need all the luck they can get this week, going into Palo Alto to take on the Cardinal. Arizona State is just 1-5 ATS in it's last six visits to Stanford, and four of the last five of those games went under the total. There might not be a better defense in college football, part of the reason why Stanford has won eight of it's last nine home games versus ranked teams. As good as the #5 ranked Cardinal are defensively, they aren't known to run up the score, with a very conservative approach on offense. Last week versus Army, Kevin Hogan only attempted 18 passes, hitting his target 11 times for 188 yards. Expect Stanford to lean on it's running game at home, winning a tight low scoring game against a dangerous opponent. Take the UNDER. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-21-13 | Michigan State +7 v. Notre Dame | Top | 13-17 | Win | 100 | 60 h 19 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Michigan State Spartans. The Irish struggled last week, barely escaping with a win on the road over Purdue. The Boilermakers were on top 17-10 heading into the fourth quarter, but the Irish rallied to score 21 points in the final period to come from behind and win. Don't expect Notre Dame to put up a lot of points on this Michigan State defense though, the Spartans have allowed an average of just 12 points per game in three straight victories to start the season. While there is no denying their defensive prowess, an impotent offense has been their downfall over the past few seasons. Last week versus Youngstown State, sophomore pivot Connor Cook completed 15-of-22 for 202 yards and four TDs. Sure it was just Youngstown State, but such a standout performance inspires confidence moving forward. "This will be a great experience for (Cook) because he's going to have an environment to play in that's going to simulate really what a lot of Big Ten environments are going to be from this point on," Dantonio said. "That's going to be a period of growth for him." I spent the better part of last year saying that the Irish were overrated, and it wasn't until the BCS Title Game that any would listen. I had bets on Alabama for the game, for the first half, and the total to go over in a blowout victory (3-0). In my pre-season edition of the NCAAF Power Rankings, I reluctantly had them ranked in the top 10, but warned that they would be outside the top 25 within a few weeks. I like MSU to win outright! GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-21-13 | Arkansas +2 v. Rutgers | Top | 24-28 | Loss | -110 | 2 h 24 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on Arkansas. The Razorbacks will be looking to avenge last season`s loss to Rutgers on their home turf, and they appear to be in a good position to do just that. This isn`t the same Rutgers team that started last season 7-0, and we saw evidence of that in Week 1. The Scarlet Knights almost pulled off the upset, but they came up just short in a 52-51 defeat to Fresno State. The 52 points allowed are 16 more than they surrendered in any of their 12 games last year. With several key defensive players missing from that squad, this 2013 squad is going to have a tough time containing Arkansas offense. Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova sustained a concussion in last week`s game, but he`ll likely suit up today. Nova really struggled at the end of last year, with 13 interceptions and just seven TDs in his final six games. In his last full game, he completed just 12-of-21 passes for 150 yards, with a TD and an INT. I don`t believe this Rutgers team is good enough to beat an undefeated SEC opponent, even at home. Take the Razorbacks. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-20-13 | Boise State +3 v. Fresno State | Top | 40-41 | Win | 100 | 77 h 16 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Boise State Broncos. After opening the season with a devastating one-sided loss to the Huskies in Washington, the Broncos have fallen out of favor with pollsters and punters alike. This perennial top 25 team, known for it's stellar defensive play is an underdog on the road in Fresno tonight. This is the same Fresno team that only managed 10 points on the blue turf in a 20-10 loss to the Broncos last year. Fresno State is 2-0 and coming off a bye week, but I really wasn't impressed by what I saw from the Bulldogs in the first two weeks. Rutgers came into town in Week 1 and put up a whopping 51 points. That is 16 more than they scored in any game in 2012, and all 12 of their games last year were against unranked opponents. Surely allowing over 50 points to a team like Rutgers that lost a lot of the talent it had last year isn't a good sign for this Bulldogs defense. Joe Southwick completed 93% of his passes for 287 yards in the win over Air Force last week, and he's showed he can be successful against suspect defenses. Don't be surprised if the Broncos win this game outright, proving they are still the best team in the Mountain West Conference. Take BSU. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-19-13 | Kansas City Chiefs v. Philadelphia Eagles -3 | Top | 26-16 | Loss | -123 | 64 h 49 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Philadelphia Eagles. After finishing tied with Jacksonville for the worst record in the NFL last year (2-14), the Chiefs hired Andy Reid and acquired quarterback Alex Smith. The former coach of the Eagles comes into Philadelphia tonight looking to start the season 3-0 with a win over his former team. While there is no denying that the Chiefs are a much better team than they were a year ago, it might be a little premature to start planning a parade. Last week they came from behind to win by a single point, defeating Dallas 17-16. Alex Smith completed 21-of-36 attempts, and after two weeks he ranks 27th in the NFL in passing yards with 396. Andy Reid was criticized by Eagles fans for his tendency to abandon the run, and after his first two games, Jamaal Charles has just 32 carries. The Eagles offense has showed signs of greatness, scoring 63 points in the first two weeks, but they have yet to put together a complete effort through four quarters. Philly scored 26 points in the first half in Washington, but were held to just seven points in the second half. Last week they scored 20 of their 30 points in the second half at home. There is no question that Chip Kelly is responsible for bringing the best out of Michael Vick, who has thrown for 631 yards and four TDs, and has a quarterback rating of 119.0. LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson lead the NFL in rushing and recieving yards. Last week the Chargers were fortunate to have survived a second have surge from the Eagles, but I don't think the Chiefs have enough weapons to keep up with the high flying Eagles. Take Philly. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-16-13 | Pittsburgh Steelers v. Cincinnati Bengals -6 | Top | 10-20 | Win | 100 | 13 h 58 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Cincinnati Bengals. The Steelers come into Cincy getting a whole bunch of points when you consider they beat the Bengals in this building last year by a score of 24-17. Pittsburgh has won 11 of it's last 12 visits to Cincinnati, but with a long list of wounded warriors, it might be more difficult for Pittsburgh to get an outright win here in this game though. Pittsburgh's offense is in big trouble, with Maurkice Pouncey, LaRod Stephens-Howling and Heath Miller all out of the lineup. It starts with the man who hands the ball to the quarterback, and with an offensive line that has been playing well below average, and a backup utility lineman making his first ever start at Center, this is simply a recipe for disaster. The trickle down effect of an offensive line that is in disarray will also contribute to more struggles with the running game, and having lost two of their top three backs certainly won't help. The Steelers were forced to re-sign Jonathan Dwyer after cutting him in the pre-season, but don't expect that to help matters facing a stout Bengals run defense. This Steelers defense isn't what it used to be, in fact former Defensive Player of the Year James Harrison will be suiting up for the opposition in this game. I expect to see a convincing performance from the home team. Take Cincy, GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-15-13 | San Francisco 49ers v. Seattle Seahawks -138 | Top | 3-29 | Win | 100 | 91 h 55 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Seattle Seahawks. Russell Wilson completed 25-of-33 passes for 320 yards an a touchdown on the road in Week 1. What I found most impressive, was that the Panthers put heavy pressure on him almost every snap, and he played a very smart game, avoiding costly mistakes. The Niners were aided my an error by the refs in their home opener versus Green Bay. They were given and extra down that led to a touchdown, when they would have likely been forced to attempt a field goal had the correct ruling been made. San Francisco was spanked in Seattle last season, as were so many other teams. Colin Kaepernick completed 19-of-36 for 244 yards with a TD and an INT in a 42-13 loss. After allowing just seven points on the road last week, Seattle's defense looks more than capable of duplicating last year's performance versus Kaepernick and the Niners. Defensive end Cliff Avril is expected to return to the lineup for the Seahawks, and that should give the defense a boost. The Niners should come up short against Seattle and the 12th man... Take SEA. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-15-13 | Detroit Lions v. Arizona Cardinals | Top | 21-25 | Loss | -116 | 105 h 53 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Detroit Lions. The Arizona Cardinals think they have found themselves a quarterback, but I'm not convinced that Carson Palmer can deliver consistently week in and week out. Palmer threw for 327 yards and a pair of touchdowns last week, but it wasn't enough to win the ballgame in St. Louis. Protecting the quarterback has continued to be a problem for Arizona, and Palmer was sacked four times against the Rams, and one of those lead to a fumble. The Lions defense picked off Christian Ponder three times last week, and after allowing Adrian Peterson to break away for an 80-yard TD run in the first quarter, he averaged fewer than 2 yards per carry for the rest of the game, and failed to reach 100 yards total. Reggie Bush had a huge day, running for 90 yards and catching four passes for 101 more. With Bush posing a credible threat on the ground and in the air, it could take a little of the focus off of Calvin Johnson. With so many weapons, this Lions offense is going to be tough to contain. I don't see the Cardinals stopping Detroit's offense, and I expect to see Carson Palmer make mistakes. Take the Lions. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-15-13 | San Diego Chargers v. Philadelphia Eagles -7 | Top | 33-30 | Loss | -115 | 83 h 12 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles made a statement on Monday night, coming out like gangbusters and opening up a 33-7 lead on the road in Washington. They hung on to win 33-27, and there are those who remain skeptical about Chip Kelly's Blur Offense. I recently published an article on the subject, noting that before we question if this system will work in the NFL, we should realize that the Patriots have already been very successful using aspects of Chip Kelly's offense. "I was interested to hear how (Kelly) did it," Belichick told the Boston Globe. "I would say he expanded it to a different level and it was very interesting to understand what he was doing. Certainly I've learned a lot from talking to Chip about his experiences with it and how he does it and his procedure and all that." Last season Jets linebacker Calvin Pace sparked a controversy when he referred to New England's offense as "borderline illegal." "It's borderline illegal, because sometimes the guys aren't always set when they snap the ball," said Pace. "But it's smart. Why not hurry a team up? I wish we would do it. For a defense, it just puts pressure on you." The Eagles will look to jump all over San Diego in their home opener, and the Chargers defense looked vulnerable allowing the Texans to come back in the second half on Monday night. Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers didn't play well at all in Week 1, completing less than half of his passes, and throwing a costly interception. He's going up against a Philly defense that sacked RGIII three times and forced him to throw a couple of picks. I think the Eagles are gonna lay a real whuppin on the Chargers here. Take Philly. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-14-13 | Oregon State v. Utah -2.5 | Top | 51-48 | Loss | -118 | 113 h 15 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Utah Utes. The Utes opened the season with an impressive win over rivals Utah State, and then last week they put up 70 points on the Weber State Wildcats. 2012 was a disappointing season for the Utes, but they appear to have turned things around, putting themselves in a position to make some noise in 2013. Oregon State had a fantastic season last season, but the Beavers seem to have lost the magic that they had a year ago. Oregon State was upset by Eastern Washington in their opening game of the season, and then last week they earned an uninspiring victory over Hawaii at home. These two teams played a tight, lowing scoring game in Oregon last year, with the Beavers winning 21-7. I expect to see a much different result in the high altitude of Utah tonight. The Beavers were tied at 14-14 at halftime versus Hawaii last week, this coming after an upset loss in Week 1. If Oregon State plays anything like they have in the first two games of the season, this game will be a one-sided affair in favor of the home team. Take Utah. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-14-13 | Western Kentucky -7 v. South Alabama | Top | 24-31 | Loss | -105 | 17 h 14 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. The Hilltoppers were blown out by Tennessee last week, but I think there might be a little overreaction to that loss. Western Kentucky actually had more total yards than Tennessee (393-392). The Vols weren't able to get anything going with the passing game, with quarterback Justin Worley completing just 11-of-19 for 142 yards and a TD along with an INT. The difference in the game was the five interceptions thrown by Brandon Doughty. I'm expecting him to bounce back with a much better performance this week, against much weaker opposition. Doughty completed 27-of-34 for 271 yards and a touchdown, without throwing any picks against Kentucky, so he shouldn't have to much trouble moving the ball against the Jaguars. The running game has been effective for the Hilltoppers, Antonio Andrews has picked up 210 yards on 33 carries in the first two games of the season. I expect to see Western Kentucky bounce back with a decisive victory here against an inferior opponent. Take WKU. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-14-13 | Washington v. Illinois UNDER 63.5 | Top | 34-24 | Win | 100 | 17 h 7 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Huskies vs Illini to go UNDER the total. Washington dominated Boise State in a 38-6 blowout win in it's home opener, and the Huskies defense looked impenetrable. After a bye week they come into Soldier Field well rested, having plenty of time to prepare for Illinois. The home crowd will be behind the Illini, even though this is a neutral site. Illinois looked good in a one-sided win over Cincinnati last week, but they should find things a lot tougher against the dogs. Their defensive clinic in Week 1 shouldn't really be a surprise, this Huskies team comes into the 2013 season with a reputation for tough gritty battles against Stanford and USC last year, upsetting the Cardinal and just missing the upset against the Trojans. Both those games were in Washington, and their success on the road has been a question mark. That being said, they did win a couple of low scoring games on the road at the end of last season in California and Colorado. Expect the Huskies to come out looking to establish the run, as Bishop Sankey is an absolute beast, and almost impossible to stop. Success with the run will lead to a lot of clock killing drives, and this total over 60 looks a little high all things considered. Take the UNDER. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-14-13 | Bowling Green +3 v. Indiana | Top | 10-42 | Loss | -115 | 10 h 41 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Bowling Green Falcons. The Bowling Green Falcons defeated Kent State last week, but it should be noted that the Golden Flashes were without star running back Dri Archer. The Falcons will face the Big-10's Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium Saturday. We'll see just how good this team hailing from the Mid American Conference looks against a Big-10 opponent. The Hoosiers have not had an impressive start to the season, losing at home to Navy last week. The Midshipmen opened up an early lead and never looked back, winning 41-35. Navy ran all over the Indiana defense, and that's got to be a concern for the Hoosiers coming into today's game. Falcons running back Travis Green could be in for another big day, after running for 145 yards and a touchdown against Kent State last week. Bowling Green's defense has looked very solid limiting Tulsa to just seven points in Week 1, and then turning in another solid performance on the road last week. I believe these two teams are moving in different directions, and while the Falcons are a team on the rise, I'm not very optimistic about the Hoosiers. Take The Falcons. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-13-13 | Air Force v. Boise State OVER 57 | Top | 20-42 | Win | 100 | 18 h 18 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on Air Force/Boise State to go Over the total. The Boise State Broncos were destroyed in Week 1 by Washington, but they bounced back with a blowout win over an inferior opponent last week. The Broncos host the Air Force Falcons Friday night, and they are a heavy favorite. The Falcons are still licking their wounds after getting throttled by Utah State over the weekend. We learned in Week 1 that this Bronco's defense doesn't appear to be the same rock solid unit that played an epic defensive war in a 7-6 home win over BYU last year. The Huskies scored at will, and they did much of the damage with their running game, with 268 yards and three rushing TDs. We all know what to expect from the Falcons, after all .. to say they lean on the run would be an understatement of enormous proportions. Air Force is ranked in the Top 20 in the nation in rushing after just two weeks in 2013, and they ranked 3rd overall in rushing last year, averaging over 300 yards per game. The Falcons managed to put up 20 points in a losing effort against Utah State last week, and they might be able to improve on that total this week. Joe Southwick didn't fare too well against the Huskies, but he tossed five touchdown passes, completing 17-of-25 attempts for 234 yards against Tennessee Martin last week. The Broncos may not be a Top 25 team in 2013, but they can still put points on the board against an inferior opponent. I expect to see both these teams have their share of success on offense tonight, scoring enough to push the total over the number. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-12-13 | NY Jets +13.5 v. New England Patriots | Top | 10-13 | Win | 100 | 64 h 40 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on NYJ. The Patriots were a double-digit favorite on the road in Week 1, and they almost lost outright. While that might have surprised some, it doesn't surprise me much.. I bet on the Bills in Week 1, and I also took the Pats to finish under 11 wins for the season. Tom Brady really struggled in Week 1, turning the ball over twice with a fumble and an interception, and completing just over half of his passes. The only thing that New England's offense had to be positive about was the play of Danny Amendola and Shane Vereen. The news that both their top receiver and running back (Vereen and Amendola) could miss this game due to injuries is a serious blow to an already wounded Patriots team. With rookie Geno Smith at quarterback, and a rather lackluster running game, the Jets strength is on the defensive side of the ball. They completely shut down the Bucs running game last week, and limited Josh Freeman to 15-of-31 for 210 yards with one TD along with an INT. Smith completed 24-of-38 pass attempts for 256 yards with a TD and an INT, and he added another 47 yards with his legs. Not the kind of numbers that are going to tempt anyone to pick him up on their fantasy team, but a solid first start for the rookie. His performance inspires at least enough confidence in his ability to limit his mistakes, and put his team in a position to cover an inflated spread. This simply isn't the same Patriots team that we have seen in past seasons, and to expect them to cover a double-digit spread week after week is not at all realistic. Take NYJ GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-12-13 | TCU v. Texas Tech +3 | Top | 10-20 | Win | 100 | 36 h 13 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Texas Tech Red Raiders. In my weekly column "Exposing the Top 25", I pegged the Horned Frogs as the most overrated of all the ranked teams this week: "There | |||||||
09-09-13 | Houston Texans -3.5 v. San Diego Chargers | Top | 31-28 | Loss | -110 | 14 h 52 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Houston Texans. The Chargers will host Houston on Monday night, and they are sure to have their hands full with a Texans team that started last season by winning five straight, and finished with a record of 12-4. San Diego failed to cover in four straight home games to close the 2012 season, and given what I've seen from Phillip Rivers and the Chargers in the pre-season, I see no reason to expect improvement. Rivers will face a tough Texans defense that welcomes back linebacker Brian Cushing who's season ended with a torn ACL in Week 5 of last season. During the pre-season the San Diego quarterback threw a pair of picks without a single touchdown in the three games he played. San Diego has won all four previous meetings, but they haven't played Houston since 2010. J.J. Watt led the NFL with 20.5 sacks last season, and that's not good news for Phillip Rivers, who was sacked and AFC high 49 times in 2012. Expect the Texans defense to pressure Rivers, forcing him to make mistakes that could lead to turnovers. This could ugly for the home team. Take HOU. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-09-13 | Philadelphia Eagles +3.5 v. Washington Redskins | Top | 33-27 | Win | 100 | 10 h 20 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on Philly. The Redskins are all fired up heading into their season opener, with RGIII back at quarterback after missing the entire pre-season recovering from a knee injury. Coach Mike Shanahan has said it's Superbowl or bust, but it might be unrealistic for this team to even expect to make the playoffs. The health of their young quarterback is only one of their concerns, they still have to do something about their defense thank ranked last in the NFL against the pass in 2012. The Eagles are hoping that first year head coach Chip Kelly can turn around their offense, after a couple of very disappointing seasons under Andy Reid. Mike Vick has won back the starting job, and he's hoping to recapture the magic that he brought to the Eagles in 2010. "I'm going to have the opportunity to do what I want to do in this offense and run the football," the 33-year-old Vick said. "And yes, I will be a threat. I think you've got to take on a certain mindset that you're going to play the game all-out." In my mind, the Redskins are perhaps the most overrated team in the NFL this year, while the Eagles are a dark horse that has plenty of upside. Everyone expects these two teams to put a lot of points on the board, and because of that we have a high total over 50. Add seven points to that number, and the total is higher than the combined points in any of the eight pre-season games played by both teams. With Griffin not seeing action in the pre-season, and the Eagles still getting used to a new system, we might see some sloppy play on both sides, stalling what is expected to be a shootout. Take Philly. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-08-13 | New England Patriots v. Buffalo Bills +7.5 | Top | 23-21 | Win | 100 | 1660 h 45 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Buffalo Bills The Patriots came into Buffalo last September and ran roughshod over the Bills. New England gained 247 yards on the ground, and the defense picked off Ryan Fitzpatrick four times. It was a different story when these teams met again in November, as New England barely held on to win 37-31 at Foxboro. It was the Bills running game that stole the show, and C.J. Spiller ran for 70 yards on just nine carries, averaging almost eight yards per carry. Spiller finished the season tied with Adrian Peterson with an average of six yards per carry, yet he split the workload with Fred Jackson. Doug Marrone has said he intends increase Spiller's workload in 2013, and this should bode well for Buffalo. The Patriots come in as a double-digit road favorite in Week 1, despite the fact that they lost Aaron Hernandez, Wes Welker, Donte Stallworth and Deion Branch. Rob Gronkowski is still recovering from off-season surgery, and that leaves Danny Amendola the only notable target for Tom Brady. While New England appears to be more vulnerable than ever, the Bills look to be a team on the rise. Buffalo fans got some good news on Wednesday, as Marrone announced that rookie quarterback E.J. Manuel will be healthy enough to start in Week 1. He completed 26-of-33 passes for 199 yards and two scores, without any interceptions during the pre-season. He should bring a lot more to the table than Fitzpatrick who he's replacing. We saw a couple wild, high scoring games between these two teams last year, and I am expecting a similar result here. I like the Bills to keep it close though, and don't be surprised if Buffalo shocks the Patriots and records an upset. Take Buffalo GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-08-13 | Kansas City Chiefs -185 v. Jacksonville Jaguars | Top | 28-2 | Win | 100 | 124 h 41 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Kansas City Chiefs. The two worst teams from the 2012 season will face each other in Week 1. Kansas City and Jacksonville both finished with a record of 2-14 last year. The Chiefs quarterback situation was a nightmare in 2012. Matt Cassel started under center in Week 1, but he played so poorly that when he was knocked unconscious in Week 5 against the Ravens, fans at Arrowhead Stadium cheered his departure in a rather cold and callous manner. Just when it looked like it couldn't get any worse, Brady Quinn came in and threw eight picks and just two touchdowns playing in 10 games. Chiefs Fans are looking forward to 2013 as they appear to have an elite starting quarterback for the first time in years, a host of notable free agent signings and the top pick in the draft. They also bring in a new coach with a history of success in this league. No such luck for the Jags, who are stuck with Blaine Gabbert at quarterback, and a team that has a serious lack of talent on both sides of the ball. There really isn't much hope for improvement for the Jags, the only question is.. will they be worse? One of the few star players the Jags have, wide-out Justin Blackmon, will miss the first four games of the season due to suspension. Jacksonville led the NFL with an 11.1% drop rate of catchable balls in 2012. It wasn't the only statistic that highlighted their futility, and there isn't much of a chance of any significant improvement in 2013. Take the Chiefs. GL. Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-08-13 | Seattle Seahawks -3 v. Carolina Panthers | Top | 12-7 | Win | 100 | 124 h 38 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks went 4-0 this pre-season, for the second year in a row under head coach Pete Carrol. They say that you shouldn't pay much attention to wins and losses in the pre-season, and that logic may apply to some teams, but I don't think it applies to the Seahawks. What we saw from Seattle last year in the pre-season certainly carried over into the regular-season. Seattle was 11-5 last year, winning five straight to finish the season. One of those 11 victories came on the road at Carolina, winning 16-12. Cam Newton will face a Seattle secondary that is likely the best in the NFL, and he was held to a career low 141 yards and sacked four times in last year's loss. He didn't exactly light it up in the pre-season, completing just 50% of his passes with a TD and an INT. Russell Wilson looked good in the pre-season, he was particularly sharp in a 40-10 blowout win over the Broncos, completing 8-of-12 for 127 yards and a pair of TDs. Wilson was excellent in his rookie year, and he should be even better this season. With Jonathan Stewart out with an ankle injury, the Panthers will lean on DeAngelo Williams to pick up the slack in the running game. He had just six yards on six carries against the Seahawks last year, and he's only had 20+ carries twice in the past two seasons. I don't think Carolina has enough weapons to get anything going against this tough Seattle defense, and I expect Seattle to win in a one-sided affair. Take the Seahawks. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-08-13 | Minnesota Vikings v. Detroit Lions -4.5 | Top | 24-34 | Win | 100 | 124 h 38 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Detroit Lions. Adrian Peterson's super human performance last season helped a below average Vikings team make an improbable run and sneak into the post-season. It would be far too optimistic to expect Peterson and the Vikings to duplicate that performance in 2013. Christian Ponder is a below average quarterback, and even with opposing defenses putting all their focus on stopping the running game, his numbers have been rather disappointing. He'll face a Lion's defense that should be much better than it was a year ago. They sure looked good against the Patriots at home in the pre-season, recording a couple sacks and an interception against Tom Brady, limiting him to 185 yards going 16-of-24 with no TDs. While you don't want to overreact to results in the pre-season, it might be worth noting that Brady had completed 18-of-20 passes for a pair of touchdowns in his previous two exhibition starts before arriving in Detroit. Calvin Johnson and Matthew Stafford will face a Minnesota defense that ranked 24th in the NFL, allowing an average of 244 passing yards per game in 2012. With the addition of Reggie Bush, a more potent ground game could open things up for Megatron and the Lions air attack. Bush will also be a threat in the passing game, he caught five balls for 105 yards in the win over the Patriots in the pre-season. With all of Detroit's firepower, I really don't expect Minnesota to be able to keep up. Take the Lions. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-07-13 | Washington State v. USC -15 | Top | 10-7 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 40 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on USC. The Trojans opened the season on the road in Hawaii, and while they failed to cover, they did dominate the game from start to finish. They went ahead by a score of 30-5 in the final minute of the fourth quarter, only to allow Hawaii to score with 30 seconds remaining on the clock, giving them the back door cover. I expect USC's offense to be a little sharper here at home tonight, having had a game to work out the bugs. Having Silas Redd back in the backfield will certainly help. Redd led the team in rushing with 905 yards and nine touchdowns in 2012. He's returned to practice this week, but his status remains uncertain. The Trojans won't likely have any trouble running the ball against the Cougars, regardless of who's in backfield. Washington State gave up a whopping 295 yards on the ground in their season opener against Auburn. Their poruos defense combined with their pass heavy Air Raid Offense is normally a recipe for high scoring games, especially when playing on the road against superior competition. The Cougars lost their last two road games against Pac-12 opponents, falling 46-7 to Arizona State, and 47-6 to Utah. The Trojans defense picked off Hawaii's Taylor Graham four times and sacked him for a loss seven times. That's a scary thought for Connor Halliday who will be expected to drop back to pass upwards of 60 times tonight. My money is on USC to win in a blowout at home. Take the Trojans. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-07-13 | Notre Dame v. Michigan -175 | Top | 30-41 | Win | 100 | 9 h 36 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on the Michigan Wolverines. The Wolverines failed to get in the endzone in 13-6 loss at South Bend last year, and they have revenge on their minds as they get set to host Notre Dame Saturday. The Irish forced six turnovers in last season's win, but they have lost the last three in Ann Arbor. While the outcome is uncertain, you can bet your ass this will be a hell of a game! I wasn't overly impressed with the Irish last year, as I felt they were incredibly lucky to remain undefeated throughout the season. There were several games that they easily could have lost, one of those was against Michigan, as well as overtime wins against Stanford and Pitt. This year's team will have a tough time living up to the hype, especially given the loss of Manti Te'o, Everett Golson, Theo Riddick and Cierre Wood. The Wolverines were impressive in Week 1, putting up 59 points in a blowout win over Central Michigan. I expect to see the home team win and cover easily at home in this game. Take Michigan. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-07-13 | South Carolina +3.5 v. Georgia | Top | 30-41 | Loss | -104 | 6 h 37 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the South Carolina Gamecocks. Steve Spurrier's Gamecocks will look to hand the Georgia Bulldogs their third loss in as many seasons after winning this fixture the last two years. South Carolina held the Bulldogs scoreless through the first three quarters in a 35-7 blowout at William Brice Stadium last season. Despite their success against Georgia, the Gamecocks are the underdog on the road today. This is definitely a must win for the Bulldogs, who lost their opener at home to Clemson. Not only did they lose the game, they also lost the services of their top receiver Malcolm Mitchell who tore his ACL while celebrating a touchdown. Aaron Murray probably has nightmares about last season's meeting with Jadeveon Clowney. He was just 11-of-31 for 106 yards, and Clowney sacked him for a six yard loss. One of the most highly touted players in the nation, Clowney was pretty quiet while playing through a stomach virus in Week 1. Even without their best player at 100%, the South Carolina defense looked pretty impressive limiting the Tar Heels to just 10 points. They also had no trouble establishing their running game, gaining 228 yards on the ground, led by Mike Davis who had 115 yards and a touchdown on just 12 carries. As badly as Georgia needs to win this game, I just don't see any reason why they should be successful against a team that has had their number in recent seasons. I expect the Bulldogs to struggle mightily against this elite defense. Take the Cocks. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
09-05-13 | Baltimore Ravens v. Denver Broncos -8 | Top | 27-49 | Win | 100 | 60 h 42 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on Denver. The Denver Broncos saw their season come to a rather unfortunate end against the Ravens in the AFC Divisional playoff game last year. Denver had a seven point lead with 41 seconds left on the clock, and had Baltimore backed up deep in their own territory. Somehow the Denver secondary left Jacoby Jones wide open, and he and Joe Flacco hooked up for a 70 yard game-tying touchdown. The Ravens would seize momentum eventually winning the game with a Justin Tucker field goal in overtime. The Broncos came into the game riding an 11 game win streak, and were the odds-on favorite to win the Superbowl. Instead it would be the Ravens that would go on to upset New England in the AFC Championship Game, eventually going on to become the Superbowl champs. The Broncos don't have to wait long to get a little payback on Baltimore, as these two teams kick off the 2013 campaign in the opening game of the season on Thursday September 5. Denver has some new faces in their locker room, with Wes Welker on offense and Dominic Rodgers Cromartie at defensive back. One familiar face will be missing from the Denver defense, as Elvis Dumervil will be suiting up for the opposing team when the Broncos host the Ravens in their season opener. The Broncos ranked 2nd in the NFL in total defense last year, and even though they are without Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil, Jon Harbaugh knows not to take them lightly: "The Broncos are still the Broncos and they're going to put 11 excellent players on the field and they're going to put pass rushers out there who can rush," he said. The Ravens have lost Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Bernard Pollard, Dannell Ellerbe, Paul Kruger, Cary Williams and Anquan Boldin. Tight end Dennis Pitta will start the season on the IR with a hip injury. While I expect Flacco and Ray Rice to help Baltimore put a few points on the board, I think another Miracle at Mile High is not likely in the cards for the Ravens. The Broncos were 7-1 straight up at home during the regular season last year, averaging over 30 points per game. The additions of Wes Welker and Monte Ball should only add to an already elite offense. We should see the Broncos execute revenge on Thursday. Take DEN. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
08-31-13 | Boise State v. Washington Huskies UNDER 52 | Top | 6-38 | Win | 100 | 106 h 36 m | Show |
This is 10* play on Boise St. vs Washington to go UNDER the total. The Broncos defeated the Huskies in the Las Vegas Bowl in December by a score of 28-26, and these teams meet again in the opening game of the 2013 season. This time the game is in Washington, and the Huskies are the favorites. Washington comes into the season with very lofty expectations for a team that finished 7-6 in 2012. The Huskies won 2-of-3 home games versus ranked opponents last year, defeating Stanford and Oregon State, while losing to USC. All three of those games were close, low scoring affairs, decided by no more than 10 points. Washington will be missing one of it's biggest offensive threats, the school's career receptions leader among tight ends, Austin Seferian-Jenkins. He had six receptions for 61 yards and a TD in the Las Vegas Bowl. Both these two teams are strong defensively, and I expect both teams to focus heavily on running the ball. I'm expecting to see a game very similar to what we saw in the Las Vegas Bowl, but this time the total falls short of 50. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
08-31-13 | Washington State v. Auburn -14.5 | Top | 24-31 | Loss | -103 | 10 h 1 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Auburn Tigers. The Tigers had a disappointing season last year, winning just three games all season long. Auburn might be one of the worst team's in the SEC, but there is still a huge gap between a poor team in football's best conference, and one of the bottom feeders of the Pac-12. Washington State also finished with just three wins, and aside from an upset over the Huskies, they really didn't have a lot to be positive about in 2012. Things were so bad at Wazzu last year that Mike Leach was quoted in the middle of the season, comparing his seniors to "zombies and empty corpses". There isn't a lot of hope for the Cougars to be any better this season, and starting off the year on the road versus an SEC team isn't going to be easy. One of the Tigers biggest problems last year, was youth, and those players come back with more experience under their belts. We should see at least a slight improvement. Auburn's defense wasn't great last year, but there were inspired performances, holding LSU and Vanderbilt to fewer than 20 points, but losing both those games. There should be some improvement for the Tigers on the defensive side of the ball, and if Leach's "Air Raid" offense is anything like it was last year, they won't have a lot to worry about today. The total for this game is quite high, when you consider that only once in Auburn's six home games did the total go over 60 points, and that was a blowout loss to the Aggies, who owned the 2nd highest scoring offense in the country. Don't expect the Cougars to be putting many points on the board here. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
08-31-13 | Northern Illinois +3 v. Iowa | Top | 30-27 | Win | 100 | 7 h 30 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the NIU Huskies. The Huskies opened last season with a one-point loss to Iowa, and that would be the only game they would lose all season until falling to Florida State in the Orange Bowl. If you weren't convinced that the Huskies were for real, perhaps you would have been a believer when they trailed the mighty Seminoles by just seven points heading into the fourth quarter of a bowl game. Of course the Noles scored twice in the final frame, making the final score a lot less impressive. The point is, these kids can play, even with the best teams in the country. Iowa is not one of the best teams in the country. The Hawkeyes finished last season losing six straight games, and were just 4-8 overall. Iowa's defense is solid, and they should be able to hang around against the Huskies, but with so many options on offense, Jordan Lynch is going to be impossible to stop. Last season Iowa played five straight at home to begin the season, and four of those five games went under the total. Expect a similar story today. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
08-31-13 | BYU -115 v. Virginia | Top | 16-19 | Loss | -115 | 6 h 29 m | Show |
This is a Free #NCAAF play on the #BYU Cougars. Few teams fielded a defense capable of dominating games the way the Cougar's did in 2012. Perhaps the most impressive display came in an epic battle with Boise State on September 20, that resulted in the Broncos winning 7-6 when BYU missed a 2-point conversion. Another thing that was glaringly obvious in that game was that the Cougar's offense was holding the team back. Riley Nelson was playing through injuries, and he finished the season with just 13 touchdowns, and as many INTs. The offense was at it's best with Taysom Hill at quarterback, and he'll take the reigns in 2013. He completed 24 of 36 attempts, with a TD and an INT in a 6-3 win over the USU Aggies last year. He added 80 yards on the ground in that game, an impressive performance against one of the top defenses in the country. The Cougars open the season on the road versus Virginia, and this isn't an easy matchup by any means. The Cavs though are coming off a disappointing 4-8 campaign last year, and that has resulted in bringing in new coordinators on both sides of the ball. The defense should be solid with all four starters returning in the secondary, led by all-star candidate Demetrious Nicholson at cornerback. The passing game was the Achilles heel last season, and there is no reason to expect it to get any better this year. This is a nightmare matchup for Virginia, and it's unlikely they will get anything going offensively against this Cougar's defense. Take BYU. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
08-31-13 | BYU v. Virginia UNDER 51 | Top | 16-19 | Win | 100 | 6 h 27 m | Show |
This is a 2-Team (7.5 point) Teaser on BYU+UNDER. Few teams fielded a defense capable of dominating games the way the Cougar's did in 2012. Perhaps the most impressive display came in an epic battle with Boise State on September 20, that resulted in the Broncos winning 7-6 when BYU missed a 2-point conversion. Another thing that was glaringly obvious in that game was that the Cougar's offense was holding the team back. Riley Nelson was playing through injuries, and he finished the season with just 13 touchdowns, and as many INTs. The offense was at it's best with Taysom Hill at quarterback, and he'll take the reigns in 2013. He completed 24 of 36 attempts, with a TD and an INT in a 6-3 win over the USU Aggies last year. He added 80 yards on the ground in that game, an impressive performance against one of the top defenses in the country. The Cougars open the season on the road versus Virginia, and this isn't an easy matchup by any means. The Cavs though are coming off a disappointing 4-8 campaign last year, and that has resulted in bringing in new coordinators on both sides of the ball. The defense should be solid with all four starters returning in the secondary, led by all-star candidate Demetrious Nicholson at cornerback. The passing game was the Achilles heel last season, and there is no reason to expect it to get any better this year. This is a nightmare matchup for Virginia, and it's unlikely they will get anything going offensively against this Cougar's defense. Take BYU+UNDER GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
08-30-13 | Florida Atlantic v. Miami (Florida) UNDER 53.5 | Top | 6-34 | Win | 100 | 80 h 37 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on FAU@MIA UNDER. Miami is coming off a 7-5 season in 2012, but the Hurricanes boast one of the top recruiting classes in the country this season. While many expect Miami to make some noise this season, I wouldn't be surprised if it took time for their top tier newcomers to start paying dividends. The Hurricanes open the season at home against the lowly Florida Atlantic Owls, who lost nine of 13 games in 2012. The Owls might have lost a lot of games, but they didn't just fold like a cheap suit. Even against the likes of Alabama and Georgia, they still kept the margin under 40 points. They lost five of their first six games, and five of those six games failed to reach 50 points, including a 40-7 loss to the Crimson Tide. Owls head coach Carl Pelini has been quoted as saying this year's team boasts "the best crop of young talent in school history". I'm not overly optimistic that FAU will be much improved, but I'm counting on them at least not being any worse. Ultimately the Hurricanes are being asked to cover a spread that is roughly the same as the margin of victory when FAU played the Crimson Tide in Alabama last year. I don't care how good their recruiting class is, they have a long way to go before they deserve any comparisons to Alabama. That being said, I do expect the Hurricanes defense to dominate this game, keeping the total relatively low. Miami will win, but often it's difficult to cover a large spread in Week 1. Take the UNDER. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
08-29-13 | Utah State v. Utah UNDER 51.5 | Top | 26-30 | Loss | -110 | 56 h 38 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on USU@UTAH to go UNDER the total. Over the years, the Utes have owned their inter-state rivals, but we are seeing a changing of the guard in this, one of the oldest rivalries in college football. The Aggies won last year's meeting in overtime by a score of 27-20. Utah State went on to have a very successful season, winning 11 of 13 games and blowing out Toledo in the Idaho Potato Bowl. The Utes finished the year 5-7 and didn't go bowling. Their lack of success was largely due to a stagnant offense that ranked last in the Pac-12 averaging fewer than 200 yards per game passing. Dennis Erickson will come in looking to turn things around, but it's a tough task playing the first game in a new system against a defensive powerhouse like USU. The Aggies allowed an average of just 15.4 points per game in 2012, good enough to rank 7th in the nation. Utah State sees 7 starters return on offense and the same number of returnees on the defensive side of the ball. They will have a new coach, but don't expect to see this defense decline much. Utah State didn't see the total go over 50 in any of it's first six games last season, including rivalry matches against the Utah and BYU. I'm expecting a similar story tonight, in a hard fought, close, low scoring game. Take the UNDER. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
08-29-13 | North Carolina v. South Carolina UNDER 56.5 | Top | 10-27 | Win | 100 | 54 h 54 m | Show |
This is a Free #NCAAF 2-Team Teaser with the #Gamecocks + UNDER. Steve Spurrier and his Gamecocks have a lot of swagger in their step as we approach the 2013 season, and for good reason. South Carolina returns five starters on an elite defense that ranked 11th in the nation in 2012. They will have both quarterbacks Dylan Thompson and Connor Shaw back for another season, but of all the 12 starters returning in 2013, none are more important than Jadeveon Clowney on defense. There are few players in college football that are more highly touted than Clowney who had 13 sacks in 2012. Reports out of training camp are that expectations are even higher in 2013 (he was clocked running a 4.4-second 40-yard dash this summer). They open the season at home, where they were 7-0 last season. They host the Tar Heels who finished in a tie for first in the ACC Coastal division. North Carolina has to be happy with it's first season under Larry Fedora, they finished with a record of 8-4, including some big wins against the likes of Miami, Virginia Tech and rivals N.C. State. Quarterback Bryn Renner returns after setting a single season school record with 28 touchdown passes in 2012. This is a tough road game versus an SEC opponent though, so an upset would appear unlikely. The Gamecocks won the last meeting by a score of 21-15 at Chapel Hill back in 2007. South Carolina has taken four of the last five contests dating back to 1988. The listed total is in the mid fifties, and by adding 7.5 points with a teaser we push it well into the sixties. South Carolina only saw the total exceed 61 points once in 13 games last year. Their strength isn't in putting points on the board in a hurry, but rather in controlling the clock and shutting down opponents with their elite defense. Take Gamecocks + UNDER. GL, Jesse Schule | |||||||
02-03-13 | Baltimore Ravens +161 v. San Francisco 49ers | Top | 34-31 | Win | 161 | 92 h 45 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Baltimore Ravens. After defeating the Colts in the first round of the playoffs, the Ravens went to Denver as a big underdog, and they came from behind to knock off the Broncos in overtime. Then just one week later, they were again the big dog as they traveled to Foxboro to take on the Patriots. The Ravens pulled off another upset in New England, and once again Joe Flacco outperformed another elite quarterback. Now the Ravens find themselves heading to the Superbowl versus the 49ers, and once again they are the underdog. Well that label suits them just fine, in fact Ray Lewis wouldn't have it any other way. The 49ers rookie quarterback Colin Kaerpernick has been getting a lot of media coverage, and everybody is still talking about his 181 yards rushing for two scores versus the Packers. What seems to be lost in all the hype, is that Kaepernick is still a rookie with just 10 games under his belt. He has shown flashes of brilliance, but he has been far from perfect. Kaepernick threw an INT returned for a touchdown on the opening drive at home against Green Bay, and it wasn't the first time he's made a costly mistake at an inopportune time. Back in December in game at division rivals St. Louis, Kaepernick took an intentional grounding penalty in the third quarter that resulted in a safety, and then just a few minutes later he threw an ill advised lateral pass that resulted in a costly fumble. The Rams went on to win the game in overtime. That brings us to our next order of business, San Francisco's kicking woes this season have been a serious concern, and it could come back to bite them in the behind here in the Superbowl. David Akers missed his only field goal attempt against Atlanta, and he missed 13 attempts during the season, that's more than double the six misses he had last season. There is a raging debate going as to whether or not Joe Flacco is an elite NFL quarterback, mentioned in the same breath as Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers. I won't go as far as to say that Joe is elite, and he may have a long way to go to be ranked among greats such as Brady and Manning, but he was the better quarterback in the last two victories outperforming both Manning and Brady. The 49ers appear to be vulnerable to the deep ball, and they were exposed by the Falcons in the first half of that game in Atlanta. Matt Ryan threw for 396 yards and three touchdowns, and the Falcons had plenty of big play completions down field to Roddy White and Julio Jones. San Francisco was very fortunate to have won that game in Atlanta, and I think their luck is going to run out here in the Superbowl against a Ravens team that appears to have destiny on their side. Take Baltimore, GL Jesse Schule | |||||||
02-03-13 | Baltimore Ravens v. San Francisco 49ers UNDER 47 | Top | 34-31 | Loss | -107 | 92 h 43 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Superbowl to go UNDER the total. The 49ers rookie quarterback Colin Kaerpernick has been getting a lot of media coverage, and everybody is still talking about his 181 yards rushing for two scores versus the Packers. What seems to be lost in all the hype, is that Kaepernick is still a rookie with just 10 games under his belt. He has shown flashes of brilliance, but he has been far from perfect. Kaepernick threw an INT returned for a touchdown on the opening drive at home against Green Bay, and it wasn't the first time he's made a costly mistake an an inopportune time. Back in December in game at division rivals St. Louis, Kaepernick took an intentional grounding penalty in the third quarter that resulted in a safety, and then just a few minutes later he threw an ill advised lateral pass that resulted in a costly fumble. The Rams went on to win the game in overtime. That brings us to our next order of business, San Francisco's kicking woes this season have been a serious concern, and it could come back to bite them in the behind here in the Superbowl. David Akers missed his only field goal attempt against Atlanta, and he missed 13 attempts during the season, that's more than double the six misses he had last season. The San Francisco defense is among the best in the NFL, ranking 4th both against the run as well as the pass. While they looked vulnerable on the road against the Falcons in Atlanta, they pitched a shutout for the final two quarters, as Atlanta failed to get on the board in the second half. The Ravens defense wasn't as good statistically, but they went into Foxboro last week and held Tom Brady and the Patriots to just 13 points. Baltimore has seen the total go UNDER in four of their last five games overall, and the last four times they played on artificial turf, the total has come up short of the number. Both the last two head to head meetings between these teams saw the total come up short of the number, and those games had a total at least 7 points lower than the total for this meeting. Expect the defenses to shine in the Superbowl. GL Jesse Schule | |||||||
01-20-13 | San Francisco 49ers v. Atlanta Falcons UNDER 49.5 | Top | 28-24 | Loss | -110 | 57 h 9 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on SF@ATL to go UNDER the total. One of the biggest surprises last week was the Atlanta Falcon's running game. The Dirty Birds were expected to struggle against a physical Seattle defense, and nobody expected the Falcons to enjoy success running the ball. It was Michael Turner and Jaquizz Rodgers that sparked an offensive outburst for the Falcons, and Atlanta took a 20-0 lead to the locker room at halftime. Not only did the Falcons run the ball for 164 yards, averaging 6.4 yards per carry, they also shut down Marshawn Lynch, who was limited to 46 yards on 16 carries. The Falcon's Defense will have another tough test this weekend, taking on Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers. San Francisco played a Wild West style shootout last week with Green Bay, and Colin Kaepernick ran for over 180 yards and two scores. Atlanta will need to force Kaepernick to beat them in the air, as apposed to allowing him to take off and run. The rookie threw an INT returned for a TD on the 49ers opening drive last week, but he was able to recover at home. He may not find it so easy to recover on the road if he makes a similar mistake in the early going against Atlanta. The Falcons are not known to be a great defensive team, but they looked quite solid last week, shutting out the Seahawks in the first half, and limiting them to just seven points through the first three quarters. San Francisco hasn't beaten the Falcons in more than a decade, losing all four of the head to head meetings in the past 10 years, including two games here in Atlanta. Three of those four games saw the total fall short of the number, and tonight's total is significantly higher than it was in any of those previous meetings. The 49ers are big road favorite here, and all the public money seems to be on San Francisco. I think expectations for Colin Kaepernick are far too high for a kid that is playing on the road in the playoffs for the first time in his career. I don't expect the Falcons to allow him the same freedom to run that he enjoyed against Green Bay last week. This should be a close game with points being hard to come by. GL Jesse Schule | |||||||
01-13-13 | Houston Texans +10 v. New England Patriots | Top | 28-41 | Loss | -110 | 77 h 46 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Houston Texans. The Texans came into New England on December 10, and they were blown out by Tom Brady and the Pats. In that game, nothing was working for Houston. When we look at the rematch between the Texans and the Patriots, all eyes will be on Tom Brady who threw for 296 yards and four TDs in the previous meeting. Brady was only sacked once in that game, and the Pats running game was working, as New England gained 130 yards on the ground. The Pats know better than to expect it to be so easy this weekend. The Texans defense completely shut down Andy Dalton last week, allowing him to throw for just 127 yards, completing less than half of his passes and throwing an interception. He was also sacked twice, and the Bengals managed fewer than 200 yards of total offense. Arian Foster didn't get a lot of carries in his last visit to New England, but you can expect to see him get more involved today. He was dominant last week, running for 140 yards and a touchdown on 31 carries. It didn't stop there, he was also the a threat in the short passing game, with eight receptions for an additional 34 yards. In the previous game, Tom Brady was under heavy pressure, just barely eluding the sack on several occasions. It is a game of inches, and the Houston pass rush has the potential to change this game, if they can just get to Brady. J.J Watt was close in the last contest: "I mean, I got quite a few hits on Brady, but obviously the ball was gone every time," Watt said. "Didn't bat any balls, didn't have any tackles for a loss, so I need to do more." If the Texans can establish their running game early, and put just a little more pressure on Brady, they should have an excellent chance of winning this game outright. There is no doubt the line is inflated due to the previous result, and there is excellent value on a play on the underdog in this matchup. Take the Texans getting all those points. GL Jesse Schule | |||||||
01-13-13 | Seattle Seahawks +3 v. Atlanta Falcons | Top | 28-30 | Win | 100 | 96 h 14 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Seattle Seahawks. Even after opening the season by going 11-1 in their first 12 games, the Falcons still didn't get a lot of respect. There are a lot of questions about their defense, that really struggles against the run, and isn't that much better against the pass. Stopping the run is going to be a key concern against the Seahawks, as running back Marshawn Lynch is coming off five consecutive games with over 100 yards. With quarterback Russel Wilson and backup Robert Turbin also chipping in, Seattle pounded out 224 yards on the ground in the victory over the Redskins last week. That's a scary thought for the Falcons when you consider that Washington was one of the top run defending teams in the NFL, limiting opponents to an average of fewer than 95 yards per game during the season. Matt Ryan will have to try to do what both Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers have already failed to do this year, and that is to beat the Seahawks. Ryan is still winless in his career in the post-season, as is his coach Mike Smith. The Falcons aren't scaring anybody with their running game lately, Michael Turner only gained 100 or more yards twice this year, and both those games were in the first half of the season. Seattle is very tough against the run, putting even more pressure on Matt Ryan to pick up yards in the air. Seattle is 7-0 ATS against teams with a winning record and they are also 7-0 ATS when getting points this season, but this is about a lot more than just trends and numbers. To put it quite simply, defense wins in the playoffs, Seattle's got it, and Atlanta doesn't! Give me a strong defense and a good running game, with a quarterback that can make plays and I will take them every time. It's even sweeter getting a few points. Seattle should be the favorite here! GL Jesse Schule | |||||||
01-13-13 | Seattle Seahawks v. Atlanta Falcons UNDER 46 | Top | 28-30 | Loss | -110 | 6 h 2 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on Sea@Atl to go UNDER. Even after opening the season by going 11-1 in their first 12 games, the Falcons still didn't get a lot of respect. There are a lot of questions about their defense, that really struggles against the run, and isn't that much better against the pass. Stopping the run is going to be a key concern against the Seahawks, as running back Marshawn Lynch is coming off five consecutive games with over 100 yards. With quarterback Russel Wilson and backup Robert Turbin also chipping in, Seattle pounded out 224 yards on the ground in the victory over the Redskins last week. That's a scary thought for the Falcons when you consider that Washington was one of the top run defending teams in the NFL, limiting opponents to an average of fewer than 95 yards per game during the season. Matt Ryan will have to try to do what both Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers have already failed to do this year, and that is to beat the Seahawks. Ryan is still winless in his career in the post-season, as is his coach Mike Smith. The Falcons aren't scaring anybody with their running game lately, Michael Turner only gained 100 or more yards twice this year, and both those games were in the first half of the season. Seattle is very tough against the run, putting even more pressure on Matt Ryan to pick up yards in the air. The Seahawks will try to control the clock, run the ball and hold possesion. This will chew up a lot of time, and given the strenght of the Seahawks defense, we should see the Falcons struggle to move the ball with their offense. The total in today's game is significantly higher than in any of Seattle's previous 10 games. I expect to see a tight defensive battle here, with points few and far between. Take the UNDER. GL Jesse Schule | |||||||
01-12-13 | Green Bay Packers v. San Francisco 49ers UNDER 45.5 | Top | 31-45 | Loss | -110 | 8 h 12 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on GB@San Fran to go UNDER the total. When the Packers travel to San Francisco to face the 49ers on Saturday, I expect to see a game dominated by defense. It is no secret that the Niners have one of the best defenses in the NFL, but all of a sudden the Packers are coming on defensively as well. Last week in their win over Minnesota, they managed to do what few teams have been able to do this season, and that is to neutralize Adrian Peterson. Peterson gained just 99 yards on 22 carries, and failed to get in the endzone. Backup quarterback Joe Webb completed just 11 of 30 passes for 180 yards with a touchdown and an INT. The return of key players such as Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson, has helped the Packers turn things around defensively, and this is not the same unit that allowed the Niners run all over them in the season opener at Lambeau Field. While Green Bay's defense has been playing well lately, their offense may struggle to score against this stingy San Francisco defense. The Niners are so good at stopping the run, the Packers might not even attempt to establish a running game. The San Francisco secondary is equally as tough though, as they only allowed opponents an average of 200 yards passing per game. The Niners played eight games at home this year, and none of those games combined for 50 points. Their last three game at home combined for 40 points or less. The way these two teams are playing defensively, I think points are going to be hard to come by at Candlestick Park on Saturday. Take the UNDER. GL Jesse Schule | |||||||
01-12-13 | Baltimore Ravens v. Denver Broncos -9 | Top | 38-35 | Loss | -110 | 96 h 15 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Denver Broncos. Last week Baltimore appeared to win easily at home against the Colts, but that wasn't really the case. The Ravens defense allowed Indianapolis to run for over 150 yards averaging five yards per carry. Andrew luck picked up another 288 yards passing. The Colts dominated time of possession by 37:32 to 22:28. Baltimore was fortunate to win by a score of 24-9, and they are going to need to be a lot better if they want to compete in Denver. It was just a few weeks ago that Denver won in Baltimore by a score of 34-17. Knowshon Moreno picked up 115 yards and a TD on just 21 carries in that game, averaging 5.5 yards per attempt. Look for that trend to continue this weekend, as Baltimore doesn't look great defending the run. The Broncos defense didn't have any trouble stopping the run or the pass this year, ranking third in the NFL in both categories, allowing an average of just 91 yards on the ground, and 199 yards in the air. Joe Flacco threw for 282 yards and a pair of touchdowns last weekend, which sounds pretty good, until you see that he completed just 12 of 23 attempts. Flacco has been off target a lot in recent weeks, completing less than 53% of his passes in three of his last four starts. One of those games was against the Broncos, when he was 20 of 40 for a pair of touchdowns and an INT. It's not going to get any easier for Flacco up against Denver's stingy secondary and their feirsome pass rush. Von Miller is just dying to get up close and personal, welcoming Joe to Denver. I believe this will be Ray Lewis' swan song, as Denver should roll over the Ravens. GL Jesse | |||||||
01-07-13 | Alabama -9 v. Notre Dame | Top | 42-14 | Win | 100 | 14 h 32 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Alabama Crimson Tide. We have all heard of "The Luck Of The Irish".. well Notre Dame certainly needed a lot of luck to finish this season with an undefeated record. The Irish were fortunate to defeat Stanford at home, after the Cardinal appeared to have scored the go-ahead touchdown in overtime, officials ruled that despite the fact that Stepfan Taylor reached the ball across the goal line before his knee was down, the play had been blown dead. Notre Dame went on to win by a score of 20-13. The following week they found themselves trailing in the fourth quarter to BYU, but again luck was on their side, and they scored late to win 17-14. Two weeks later, it looked like their luck had run out as they went into the fourth quarter trailing Pittsburgh by 14 points. They rallied to force overtime, eventually winning in the extra period by a score of 29-26. Now I can't tell you that the Irish don't deserve to be here, or that they just got lucky. After all, they do have the #1 ranked defense in the country allowing just over 10 points per game. It's probably appropriate to say "you gotta be good to get lucky". Now Alabama is good, in fact they are so good, they don't need to get lucky. They own the #2 defense in the nation, just behind the Irish, but when you consider strength of schedule, you could say that Bama is the better team defensively. When it comes to offense, there is no question, Alabama is the better team hands down! Led by quarterback A.J. McCarron, who completed 66% of his passes for 2669 yards and 26 touchdowns with just three interceptions. McCarron's biggest asset is that he just doesn't make mistakes, and that will be important against a strong defense like Notre Dame's. With the #1 & #2 defenses facing off against each other, this is expected to be a low scoring game with the total hovering around 40. Alabama has only played one game all season with fewer than 40 points scored, and that as a 35-0 shutout of Western Kentucky. I think it's a little naive to think the Notre Dame's defense is going to stop Alabama from scoring, keep in mind this is the same team that piled on 41 points against Michigan in their season opener, and the fewest points they scored all year was a total of 21, in a victory over LSU in the swamp. Take the Tide to win and cover. GL Jesse Schule | |||||||
01-07-13 | Alabama v. Notre Dame OVER 40.5 | Top | 42-14 | Win | 100 | 13 h 30 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on BAMA vs ND to go OVER the total. We have all heard of "The Luck Of The Irish".. well Notre Dame certainly needed a lot of luck to finish this season with an undefeated record. The Irish were fortunate to defeat Stanford at home, after the Cardinal appeared to have scored the go-ahead touchdown in overtime, officials ruled that despite the fact that Stepfan Taylor reached the ball across the goal line before his knee was down, the play had been blown dead. Notre Dame went on to win by a score of 20-13. The following week they found themselves trailing in the fourth quarter to BYU, but again luck was on their side, and they scored late to win 17-14. Two weeks later, it looked like their luck had run out as they went into the fourth quarter trailing Pittsburgh by 14 points. They rallied to force overtime, eventually winning in the extra period by a score of 29-26. Now I can't tell you that the Irish don't deserve to be here, or that they just got lucky. After all, they do have the #1 ranked defense in the country allowing just over 10 points per game. It's probably appropriate to say "you gotta be good to get lucky". Now Alabama is good, in fact they are so good, they don't need to get lucky. They own the #2 defense in the nation, just behind the Irish, but when you consider strength of schedule, you could say that Bama is the better team defensively. When it comes to offense, there is no question, Alabama is the better team hands down! Led by quarterback A.J. McCarron, who completed 66% of his passes for 2669 yards and 26 touchdowns with just three interceptions. McCarron's biggest asset is that he just doesn't make mistakes, and that will be important against a strong defense like Notre Dame's. With the #1 & #2 defenses facing off against each other, this is expected to be a low scoring game with the total hovering around 40. Alabama has only played one game all season with fewer than 40 points scored, and that as a 35-0 shutout of Western Kentucky. I think it's a little naive to think the Notre Dame's defense is going to stop Alabama from scoring, keep in mind this is the same team that piled on 41 points against Michigan in their season opener, and the fewest points they scored all year was a total of 21, in a victory over LSU in the swamp. Take the OVER. GL Jesse Schule | |||||||
01-06-13 | Seattle Seahawks -155 v. Washington Redskins | Top | 24-14 | Win | 100 | 4 h 41 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Seattle Seahawks. After losing to Carolina on November 4, Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan threw in the towel, all but admitting that he'd given up on the season: "Now you're playing to see who obviously is going to be on your football team for years to come. Now we get a chance to evaluate players and see where we | |||||||
01-06-13 | Seattle Seahawks v. Washington Redskins UNDER 45 | Top | 24-14 | Win | 100 | 4 h 39 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on SEA@WASH to go UNDER the total. After losing to Carolina on November 4, Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan threw in the towel, all but admitting that he'd given up on the season: "Now you're playing to see who obviously is going to be on your football team for years to come. Now we get a chance to evaluate players and see where we | |||||||
01-06-13 | Indianapolis Colts v. Baltimore Ravens -7 | Top | 9-24 | Win | 100 | 2 h 56 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the Baltimore Ravens. The Colts were one of the league's hottest teams in the second half of the season, with nine wins in their final 11 games. They did have the benefit of a pretty light schedule though, as all but one of those wins came against a team with a losing record. The only exception was a home game against the Texans on the final day of the season. The Ravens on the other hand lost four of their last five, and lost on the final day of the season to the Bengals. Joe Flacco spent most of that game on the bench, and Ray Rice only carried the ball three times. With nothing left to play for, the Ravens rested their starters in anticipation for this game at home today. They had already secured their spot in the playoffs with a dominant home win over the defending champion New York Giants. Baltimore ran for over 200 yards in that game, with Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce both gaining over 100 yards. The Colts might have their hands full today, as they ranked among the worst in the NFL at defending the run, allowing an average of 137 yards per game this season. They were just slightly better against the pass, still ranking 21st, allowing an average of 237 yards passing per game. The Texans had little trouble running the ball against the Colts, albeit in a losing effort. Arian Foster averaged over six yards per carry, running for 96 yards on just 16 attempts. In their previous game against the Chiefs, they really struggled, allowing Jamal Charles to run for 226 yards and a TD on 22 carries, and Patrick Hillis added another 101 yards, also in a losing effort. If the Colts struggles to stop the run continue in Baltimore today, I seriously doubt they will be as fortunate as they were in those previous two games. Take Baltimore. GL Jesse Schule |
Service | Profit |
---|---|
William Burns | $1,395 |
Joey Tron | $617 |
Ray Monohan | $607 |
Ross Benjamin | $583 |
Big Al McMordie | $401 |
Matt Fargo | $327 |
Ricky Tran | $297 |
Sean Higgs | $140 |
Jesse Schule | $98 |
Kyle Hunter | $66 |