Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
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09-17-17 | Eagles v. Chiefs OVER 47 | 20-27 | Push | 0 | 21 h 14 m | Show | |
I was impressed with the poise and escapability Carson Wentz showed last week against the Redskins. Wentz was good as a rookie last season. He should be even better this year especially with an upgrade in wide receivers. Tight end Zach Ertz is Wentz's go-to target. Those two could have another big game with safety Eric Berry lost for the season. The over has cashed in 11 of Philadelphia's last 13 road games. The Chiefs aren't going to be the conservative outfit they've been before under Alex Smith. They showed that opening week stunning the Patriots in Foxboro. The Chiefs put up 42 points and 537 yards. Those are the highest figures ever allowed by the Patriots during the 18-year Bill Belichick era. Rookie Kareem Hunt and Tyreek Hill can make big plays for the Chiefs. That was evident against the Patriots. The Eagles' weakness on defense is their secondary. This weakness has been made worse by Ronald Darby, their top cornerback, suffering an ankle injury that likely will keep him out until late October.
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09-11-17 | Chargers +3.5 v. Broncos | Top | 21-24 | Win | 100 | 71 h 20 m | Show |
San Diego is in bounce-back mode after putting a league-high 21 players on the injured reserve last season. Philip Rivers is a stud quarterback and the Chargers have the pass rushers with Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram and a good secondary to keep the Broncos' offense in check. Trevor Siemian can't compare to Rivers. He's coming off a 3-5 record during the past eight games where he had a 10-to-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Siemian is lucky he doesn't have any real competition in Denver because he's one of the worst starting quarterbacks in the league. Denver averaged a mediocre 22.2 points in 2015. That average sank to 20.8 last season when the Broncos also finished 27th in total offense. Their offense doesn't look any better this season unless Jamaal Charles can somehow recapture his magic. The Chargers have more firepower with Melvin Gordon, a healthy Keenan Allen and emerging tight end Hunter Henry not to mention the still reliable Antonio Gates. Denver's defense remains top tier, but it did lose T.J. Ward.
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09-10-17 | Giants +4.5 v. Cowboys | Top | 3-19 | Loss | -110 | 1090 h 53 m | Show |
The Cowboys couldn't solve the Giants' defense last year averaging just 13 points versus New York in two games. The Giants won both of those games. They've now covered five in a row against Dallas winning three and losing the other two by just one and three points, respectively. The Giants have many of their same starters back on defense, including a strong secondary that is able to negate Dez Bryant and take advantage of Dak Prescott's inexperience. On the flip side, the Cowboys have a vulnerable secondary that Eli Manning can exploit with his improved receiving group that now includes Brandon Marshall to go with Odell Beckham Jr. and emerging Sterling Shepard. A lot went Dallas' way last year. You could make a strong argument the Giants are the better team. They were a hot 9-2 down the stretch last season before being eliminated in the playoffs by the Packers. Dallas' home field advantage is not worth this many points as the Giants very well could win this game straight-up. |
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09-10-17 | Ravens v. Bengals -2.5 | 20-0 | Loss | -115 | 460 h 55 m | Show | |
The Bengals are back to being a legitimate playoff contender, while the Ravens are likely to keep regressing due to a poor offense. Baltimore's defense isn't nearly the dominant force of years past. The Ravens don't have enough pieces to keep up with all of Cincinnati's skill position talent. A.J. Green always has been a Ravens-killer while being a consensus top-five wide receiver. Tight end Tyler Eifert is healthy, unlike last year. He's a premier tight end red zone threat. Added to this mix are good looking running back Joe Mixon and speedster rookie wide receiver John Ross. The best case scenario for the Ravens would be if Joe Flacco started instead of Ryan Mallet, who is one of the worst backup QB's in the league. Flacco is expected to start, but he'll be extremely rusty having not played during preseason recovering from knee surgery and a bad back. The Ravens' offensive line is in flux due to injuries and the unexpected retirement of center Urschel. Kenneth Dixon, probably the team's best runner, is out with injury as is tight end Dennis Pitta. There just isn't any way the Ravens can keep up with the Bengals' talent-laced skill position players. Then there is the road factor. This is the first time Cincinnati is opening at home since 2009. The Bengals have dominated this series winning seven of the last 10, including going 5-0 at home. The Ravens have lost at Cincinnati by an average of 12 1/2-points the past two seasons - and the gap seems wider this year. Baltimore is far less intimidating on the road. That's reflected in a 4-13 regular-season away mark. The Ravens have lost their past six road games. Their lone road victories last season occurred against the Browns and Jaguars. |
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09-10-17 | Cardinals -125 v. Lions | 23-35 | Loss | -125 | 92 h 39 m | Show | |
The Lions were a bogus playoff team last season. The Cardinals should be much better after experiencing their first losing season in four years under Bruce Arians. Getting difference-makers wide receiver John Browns, safety Tyrann Mathieu and offensive tackle Jared Veldheer back from injury are huge for Arizona. Detroit has a weak defense - opponents completed a record 72.7 percent of their throws against the Lions last year - and a lackluster ground game. That's a bad combination. Matthew Stafford doesn't have a stud wide receiver like Calvin Johnson anymore to make the Lions feared offensively. The Lions can't beat good teams. Arizona is back to being a good team now that its properly motivated and has key players back healthy. David Johnson is the best all-purpose back in football. Carson Palmer remains dangerous when he has a clean pocket. That should be the case here with the Lions minus Kerry Hyder and Ziggy Ansah having to prove he's fully healthy. All my checkmarks go to the Cardinals - offense, defense and coaching. The Lions have lost the past seven times they've faced the Cardinals, including getting blown out, 42-17, two years ago at home.
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09-10-17 | Falcons v. Bears UNDER 50 | Top | 23-17 | Win | 100 | 115 h 57 m | Show |
The Bears are going to struggle to move the ball with Mike Glennon under center and a very weak receiving group. Bears coach John Fox is conservative to begin with and he'll be more conservative here against an improved and aggressive Falcons defense. That means a lot of running with Jordan Howard, which keeps the clock moving and slows tempo. The Falcons rarely play on grass. That's not a plus for their high-speed offense. The Bears' defensive front seven is decent. Chicago is weak in the secondary. But this is a very high total especially given Chicago's limited firepower. The departure of guru offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan to the 49ers hurts Atlanta. The Falcons new offensive coordinator is Steve Sarkisian, who is new to the NFL. That sure doesn't seem like a fair tradeoff going from Shanahan to Sarkisian. |
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09-07-17 | Chiefs v. Patriots -8.5 | Top | 42-27 | Loss | -110 | 51 h 51 m | Show |
There's a double-digit class difference here especially with the Patriots playing at home where they have covered 75 percent of their past 26 games. The Chiefs overachieved to finish 12-4 last season. They ranked 13th in points scored and 20th in yards gained. They also gave up the eighth-most yards. The Chiefs achieved their sterling record by big plays from special teams and a league-best plus 16 turnover ratio. The Patriots aren't going to make mistakes, or get beat on special teams. No team is better coached than New England. New England won the Super Bowl and looks even better on paper this season. Even losing Julian Edelman, Tom Brady still has a wide assortment of weapons, including deep threat Brandin Cooks, a healthy Rob Gronkowski and four verstailte running backs. The Chiefs can't come close to matching that firepower. The Patriots upgraded their secondary, too, signing cornerback Stephon Gilmore. Alex Smith threw for more than 300 yards just once in 16 games last season. He's done that just four times in his last 65 games. So the Chiefs are not a good backdoor type team. Kansas City had a chaotic off-season, too. There were surprising upper management changes with general manager John Dorsey getting fired. Former stalwarts Jamaal Charles, Jeremy Maclin and nose tackle Dontari Poe all moved on. Derrick Johnson and Justin Houston have to prove they are completely healthy.
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02-05-17 | Patriots v. Falcons UNDER 59.5 | Top | 34-28 | Loss | -115 | 306 h 10 m | Show |
It's easy to think shootout with these two teams quarterbacked by Tom Brady and Matt Ryan. The oddsmaker certainly thinks so posting the highest Super Bowl total ever. Atlanta has a record-setting offense. Brady had another epic season. But a lot has to go right for a total to go above this number. These offenses are actually so precise that it's a factor for the under. Let me explain that. Neither team turns the ball over. They each had 11 giveaways during the season, tying for the lowest mark. The Falcons have had only one turnover in their last six games. So this should be a clean game meaning no short drives based on great field position off a turnover, or a fluke defensive touchdown. The Patriots have a bend-but-don't-break style of a well-crafted defense. They led the NFL in fewest points allowed at 15.6 per game. Yes, the Patriots played easy offensive opponents and weak quarterbacks in most of their games. But surrendering fewer than 16 points a game for an entire season still is impressive. New England has a very strong secondary. Malcolm Butler and Devin McCourty are elite players. There probably isn't a more well-coached defense than the Patriots. Having two weeks to prepare is huge, too, for the Patriots. Only three opponents have scored 30 plus points in 33 playoff games against Belichick. In 18 of those 33 games, playoff foes scored 20 points or less. The Falcons offense is too diversified and playing at too high of a level to hold completely down. But they are not in Georgia Dome, could accumulate some rust with the layoff and won't be able to make many long gains against a New England defense geared to prevent big plays. It's going to take long patient drives for the Falcons - featuring a balanced attack - for them to get points. Any drive resulting in a field goal instead of a touchdown is a win for the under with a total this high. Atlanta's defense has improved as the season progressed so its overall statistics are skewed. The Falcons have held five of their last six opponents to 21 or fewer points. Dan Quinn has transformed the Falcons from a finesse defense weak in the trenches into an aggressive, hard-hitting unit that found the right blitzing lanes against Aaron Rodgers in the NFC title game. Vic Beasley Jr. led the NFL in sacks. The Patriots also are without their No. 1 receiving weapon, Rob Gronkowski. The way to beat Atlanta is ball-control with a lot of power running. The Patriots can do that with LeGarrette Blount mixed up with Brady moving the chains with short passes. That's an effective attack. It's also time consuming. It's asking a lot for a touchdown to result after each long drive. That's what needs to happen, though, when you have an over/under in this record range. I don't see it occurring frequently enough. Under is the way to go. Prop Bet Recommendations: I find this Super Bowl harder than most for individual player props, which I normally like to specialize in, because these offenses spread things around so much. Any fantasy football player can tell you how difficult it is to project what Patriots will do well on any given week because their game plans can either go run heavy with LeGarrette Blount, or pass happy with a different receiver featured. I do think the Patriots will try to get Dion Lewis free in space against Atlanta linebackers so I would look to bet Lewis Over 2 receptions. My top prop, though, is laying around $1.75 on NO there will not be a special teams, or defensive touchdown. Neither team has a dangerous kick returner and both teams tied for the fewest giveaways during the regular season with just 11. Atlanta has turned the ball over once in its last six games. Brady doesn't throw interceptions unless he's heavily pressured and Atlanta lacks a great pass rush.
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01-22-17 | Steelers v. Patriots -5.5 | Top | 17-36 | Win | 100 | 139 h 1 m | Show |
As Antonio Brown's Facebook Live feed showed the Steelers have a certain punk element to them. Punk teams don't beat the Patriots in Foxboro. Few teams beat New England at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots are 33-4 at Gillette Stadium the last four years for a winning percentage of 89 percent. They are 26-9-2 ATS during this span covering 74 percent. The Patriots have also covered 14 of their last 17 overall games. On paper this may look like an even matchup thus getting more than a field goal with the underdog Steelers would seem attractive. In my view, that's the wrong side. My analysis of the numbers, players and situation make the Patriots the right side laying less than a touchdown. Let's start with the coaching. Bill Belichick versus Mike Tomlin is a mismatch. Belichick has an added edge, too, in defensive coordinator Matt Patricia. Now let's look at the defenses. Both were fortunate to go against weak offenses and quarterbacks down the stretch. Pittsburgh has faced the Chiefs, Dolphins, Browns, Ravens, Bengals, Bills and Giants during its last seven games. None of those teams even has an above average quarterback. New England also played a number of weak quarterbacks during its last eight games. But the Patriots allowed an NFL-low 15.6 points a game. That's impressive no matter who the opposition is. Only one of the Patriots' last eight foes put up more than 17 points against them. New England's defense is peaking surrendering just 36 points during the last four games, an average of nine points a game. Now the Patriots draw their toughest offensive opponent - on paper. Ben Roethlisberger is far less effective on the road. His history bears that out, including this season where his home numbers were 20 touchdown passes with five interceptions compared to nine touchdown throws with nine interceptions away from Heinz Field. He has been intercepted nine times in his last six games. I rank Antonio Brown with Julio Jones and Odell Beckham Jr. as one of the three best wide receivers in football. However, Brown's fate is tied to Roethlisberger. A bad performance from Roethlisberger likely results in a bad game for Brown. And I like Roethlisberger far less on the road than I do at home especially against a disciplined, intelligent defense that New England presents. The Patriots defeated the Steelers, 27-16, at Pittsburgh in Week 7. The Steelers didn't have Roethlisberger so the result is skewed. The Patriots did keep Le'Veon Bell under control holding him to 81 yards rushing on 21 carries, a 3.8 average. Bell, like Brown, is a top-three player at his position. But Bell's running style is unique in that he has enormous patience waiting for holes to open rather than immediately darting. The Patriots' defense is well-suited to stop Bell's style because it's read-and-react that relies on well-coached design and gap protection rather than all-out aggressiveness and blitzing. I much prefer having Tom Brady at Foxboro than Roethlisberger. Not only is Brady the better clutch quarterback, but he's coming off another monster season finishing with the second-highest passer rating next Matt Ryan and throwing 28 touchdown passes to only two interceptions in 12 games. By not playing the first month of the season, Brady actually has a little less wear and tear on him. New England's inside/outside combination of LeGarrette Blount and Dion Lewis can be just as effective as Bell. Blount rushed for 1,161 yards and led the NFL in rushing touchdowns with 18. He bashed the Steelers for 127 yards on the ground and two touchdowns in the Week 7 victory. Lewis is a triple threat who is dangerous as a runner, receiver and kick returner. New England has won the past 15 times Lewis has been in the lineup. The Patriots don't have a receiver nearly as talented as Brown, but they do have receiving depth both at the flanks and out of the backfield with Lewis and James White. Julian Edelman is one of the best slot receivers and Michael Floyd has provided another veteran dimension. The scary thing about the playoffs is a lackluster performance can get you eliminated. The Patriots were flat last week against the Texans having been idle the week before. Yet the Patriots still not only won, but covered a 16-point spread against a defense better than Pittsburgh's. I don't see New England having a second straight mediocre performance. I'd say the chances are much greater the Patriots bring their "A" game. The situation favors the Patriots. New England got to play on Saturday. The Steelers were forced to play a tough, physical game on Sunday night thus losing an important day of rest so crucial this late in the season. Pittsburgh has covered only one of its last six road playoff games. The Steelers are 3-9 against the Patriots during the Brady Era, including 0-2 in the playoffs. The Patriots have never lost to the Steelers at Gillette Stadium with Brady going 4-0.
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01-15-17 | Steelers +1.5 v. Chiefs | Top | 18-16 | Win | 100 | 162 h 36 m | Show |
I believe the Chiefs are bogus and will get exposed here. Kansas City was outgained by 396 yards on the season. The Chiefs' home field advantage is a mystique, too. They are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games at Arrowhead Stadium. The Steelers aren't going to be bothered by cold weather either. The Steelers have a huge edge at the skill positions with Ben Roethlisberger, LeVeon Bell and Antonio Brown, who might be the best wide receiver in football. Bell is a top-three runner, maybe the best cold weather back, too. Roethlisberger is among the top seven quarterbacks. Their counterparts can't compare. Alex Smith is a bottom-10 quarterback, who represents no downfield threat. Spencer Ware is a mediocre back who has sore ribs and the Chiefs have no above average wide receivers. If West can't play, the Chiefs are in real trouble because that would mean third-stringer Charcandrick West is in line for heavy duty with Jamaal Charles on IR. But it's not just the Steelers having vastly superior skill position players. Pittsburgh also has the advantage in winning both lines of scrimmage. The Chiefs rank 24th defensively in yards allowed. They are minus their top linebacker, Derrick Johnson. They also could be without their best pass rusher, Justin Houston, and safety Eric Berry. Houston still is having problems with his surgically-repaired knee and Berry is slowed by an ankle injury. The Steelers defense has improved as it has gotten healthy. Since Week 11, the Steelers have led the league in sacks and takeaways. The Chiefs have averaged only 3.3 yards rushing per carry during the last 11 weeks. That would rank them 31st if computed during the entire season. Kansas City has parlayed excellent special teams and an NFL-best 33 takeaways into a 12-4 record. Talent-wise, though, the Chiefs are not a 12-win team. Tyreek Hill can make some big plays, but Kansas City lacks an explosive offense. Their defense is bend-but-don't-break and has injuries. It's not a given the Chiefs win the turnover battle. Pittsburgh is the hotter team, winners of eight in a row. The Steelers destroyed the Chiefs, 43-14, when they met Oct. 2 in Pittsburgh. Roethlisberger lit up the Chiefs going 22 of 27 for 300 yards and five touchdowns. Roethlisberger proved he can pick apart Kansas City's secondary and Bell can have success running against the Chiefs' 26th-ranked run defense. It's another plus for the Steelers if they get tight end Ladarius Green back for this game. |
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01-15-17 | Packers +4 v. Cowboys | 34-31 | Win | 100 | 150 h 57 m | Show | |
Even if Jordy Nelson can't play, I still like the Packers here. Green Bay is riding a lot of momentum with a seven-game winning streak, has one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time playing at a high level and Dallas lacks playoff experience and could be rusty. Only once in the last six years have the Cowboys made the postseason. That was two seasons ago and they lost to the Packers at Lambeau Field. This game is in Dallas, but it's a far better bargain to get this many points because of that. Dallas hasn't been played a really meaningful game in three weeks. The Cowboys closed 1-5 ATS with three of their last four victories coming by six, two and five points. They lack Green Bay's big-game, playoff experience. Their quarterback is a rookie. Aaron Rodgers has been a monster down the stretch with 19 touchdown passes and no interceptions during the last seven weeks. This total should be 21-0, but Davante Adams dropped two touchdown passes versus the Bears. Green Bay is averaging 35 points during its last five games. They've shredded three elite defenses - the Vikings, Seahawks and Giants - during this span. Those three teams all rank in the top five in either fewest yards or fewest points allowed. Dallas' defense isn't nearly as good as those teams. Green Bay swept the Giants this season, a team Dallas went 0-2 against. Despite a patchwork secondary, the Packers held in check and frustrated Odell Beckham Jr. They can do the same to Dez Bryant. The Packers have a wily well-respected defensive coordinator in Dom Capers and three guys who can rush the passer - a now healthy Clay Matthews, a still effective Julius Peppers and blossoming star Nick Perry. The Cowboys' best offensive lineman, left tackle Tyron Smith, is dealing with an MCI sprain. The Packers were five-point home favorites when they hosted the Cowboys in mid-October. Green Bay wasn't play well then and the Cowboys were. Now look at the spread. The Packers are peaking and the youthful Cowboys have the weight of the world on their shoulders.
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01-14-17 | Texans +16 v. Patriots | Top | 16-34 | Loss | -100 | 23 h 40 m | Show |
Simply put this is too many points for the Patriots to lay against a Texans defense that gave up the fewest yards per game in the NFL and has held their last seven foes to 18.1 points per game. Tom Brady remains an upper elite quarterback. But he doesn't have his most potent weapon, injured Rob Gronkowski, and is facing the No. 2 ranked pass defense. The Texans posted their 18.1 average during the home stretch facing upper tier quarterbacks Philip Rivers, Aaron Rodgers on the road and Andrew Luck on the road. Jadeveon Clowney finally lived up to his vast potential helped make up for the loss J.J. Watt. He provides a strong pass rush along with Whitney Mercilus. The Texans have a number of former Patriots players and coaches, including still effective nose guard Vince Wilfork and coach Bill O'Brien. The Patriots enter the playoffs on a seven-game win streak. The only playoff team, though, they played during this span was the Dolphins. It's not exactly sharpening your skills beating the 49ers, Jets twice and, Rams during the last seven weeks of the regular season. In terms of facing offensive production, the Patriots were ranked last by Football Outsiders. The Patriots have built their fancy defensive numbers based in large part by playing the easiest schedule of offensive opponents. So this is taking more than two touchdowns with a clear superior defense, a spread range that rarely happens in that instance. It's fair to point out that Houston is another weak offense that New England draws. True. The Patriots blanked the Texans, 27-0, in early September at home with a third-string rookie quarterback. Some of that fell on O'Brien, who coached a horrendous game playing not to lose rather than to win. O'Brien is smart enough to have learned from his mistake. The Texans picked up some needed confidence in Brock Osweiler during their 27-14 playoff victory against Oakland last week. Osweiler has proven serviceable the past couple of games since regaining his starting job. He has the best wide receiver on the field in DeAndre Hopkins and an above runner in Lamar Miller. So the Texans have weapons. Bill Belichick's goal isn't to punish his former assistant O'Brien by running up a score. He just wants to get his Patriots quickly out of this game with a victory. Belichick isn't interested in style points. Only twice in their last 11 playoff games, have the Patriots won by more than two touchdowns.
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01-08-17 | Dolphins v. Steelers -9.5 | Top | 12-30 | Win | 100 | 145 h 31 m | Show |
Steelers minus 10 hosting Dolphins It would be nice to get some line value, but that's not realistic in the NFL especially in the playoffs. Anyways, I don't see how the Dolphins can beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh in January. I trust the Steelers enough to win by double-digits. The Dolphins have many negatives. The Steelers have many positives. Miami's negatives: Traveling into cold weather. A career backup quarterback in Matt Moore. Even if Ryan Tannehill somehow gets clearance, his mobility will be restricted and he'll be rusty. The Dolphins are 10-6, but minus 17 in scoring differential. The Dolphins were blown out by the Patriots and Ravens. They gave up a staggering 589 yards to the Bills. They barely were able to squeak past one-win Cleveland and two-win San Francisco in home games. The Dolphins are without two of their best players, center Mike Pouncey and safety Rashad Jones. They also have other injuries at linebackers and cornerback. Playoff inexperience. The Dolphins last made the postseason in 2008. They last won a playoff game in 2000. Pittsburgh's positives: The Steelers are home, their superstars are rested and the team is peaking on a seven-game winning streak. Ben Roethlisberger plays far better at home. Pittsburgh is 16-4 with Roethlisberger under center the last three years at Heinz Field. Roethlisberger's touchdown-to-interception ratio at home this season is 19-to-5. Le'Veon Bell is one of the three-best running backs in the NFL. He should be in line for a huge game against the Dolphins, who rank 30th in run defense and are down several linebackers. The Dolphins also don't have a cornerback who can come close to matching up against Antonio Brown. The only home games Pittsburgh has lost this season were to the Patriots without Roethlisberger and to the Cowboys. The Dolphins are far, far below their teams. |
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01-07-17 | Lions v. Seahawks OVER 43 | Top | 6-26 | Loss | -108 | 51 h 5 m | Show |
The Lions' defense has been torched for 73 points and 823 yards in the last two weeks facing the Cowboys and Packers in prime time games. It's not a fluke. Detroit's defense lacks playmakers, doesn't pressure the quarterback - just two sacks the past two games in 62 drop-backs - and has a vulnerable secondary. Russell Wilson is healthy and dangerous as ever. Seattle's defense, though, isn't as good as the past three years. The Seahawks are minus injured Earl Thomas, the best safety in football, and lacks the depth they've had before. Matthew Stafford is adept at throwing to a number of different targets. That negates some of Richard Sherman's dominance. The weather isn't going to be bad either with temperatures in the 30's. Prop Bet: Russell Wilson Over 1 1/2 TD Passes Wilson should have a big game against a banged-up, ineffective Lions secondary that surrendered the highest percentage of completions of any NFL by a wide margin. Darius Slay is Detroit's lone decent defensive back and he's far from 100 percent dealing with a groin injury. Wilson can't trust his ground attack so he'll be throwing a lot here. |
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01-01-17 | Packers -3 v. Lions | Top | 31-24 | Win | 100 | 107 h 57 m | Show |
These two teams are going in opposite directions. The Packers are peaking while the Lions are sinking. Green Bay is riding a five-game winning streak and has the confidence of already beating Detroit this season and of having made the playoffs the past seven seasons. Detroit has lost two in a row and has a history of choking. Jordy Nelson has regained his pre-knee surgery star status and it's sparked the Packers offense. Aaron Rodgers still is in his prime, has found a reliable ground option in Ty Montgomery and has the best pass-protecting offensive line in football. The Lions were torched this past Monday by the Cowboys giving up 42 points. Detroit has just 14 takeaways and 25 sacks on the season. Their secondary is beat-up likely to be without their top cornerback, Darius Slay, and nickel back. They are extremely weak at three of the defensive backfield spots. Slay is dealing with a hamstring injury, one of the worst injuries a cornerback can have. He'll be a liability if he plays because he's not close to 100 percent. The Packers are going to get their share of points here. The key question is can the Lions keep up with their mediocre offense. Detroit lacks Green Bay's offensive personnel. Detroit's offensive line is merely average and its running backs are below par. The Lions have no star wide receivers. Matthew Stafford has made the Lions offense go as he's proven he's an above average quarterback and not just an inconsistent gunslinger who sometimes flashes. However, Stafford has been playing the last couple of weeks with a dislocation and torn ligaments in the middle fingers of his passing hand. This has forced him to play with a glove on his passing hand and he hasn't been effective because of it throwing more wobbly passes rather than tight spirals. In the last two games, Stafford's completion percentage has been 61.5 percent and 56.5 percent when on the season his percentage is 65.5. Stafford needs to have a high completion percentage because the Lions offense has been geared on short passes ever since the middle of last season when they made a change in offensive coordinators going to Jim Bob Cooter.
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01-01-17 | Saints +7 v. Falcons | 32-38 | Win | 100 | 136 h 13 m | Show | |
Matt Ryan is in the MVP discussion and the Falcons are going to score the most points in franchise history. But the Saints also are going to get their points here - if not score more than Atlanta. As outstanding as Ryan has been this season, he's trumped by Drew Brees, who has thrown for more yards and touchdown passes than Ryan. The Saints offense is operating at peak efficiency scoring on 14 of their last 22 possession during their last two games against respectable defenses the Buccaneers and Cardinals. New Orleans has scored 79 points during the last two weeks. New Orleans is improved on defense, too. The Saints have held their last 12 opponents to 120 yards or less rushing. A return to health of underrated Sheldon Rankins and Dannell Ellerbee have upgraded their defense. This is a long-time rivalry. So the Saints aren't going to lack motivation in what could be the final time Sean Payton and Brees are together. New Orleans has covered eight of its last nine road games. Atlanta hasn't been dominant at home with a 4-3 mark and losing spread mark. The Saints have won in five of their last seven visits to Georgia Dome.
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01-01-17 | Cardinals -6.5 v. Rams | 44-6 | Win | 100 | 47 h 5 m | Show | |
The Cardinals still have pride playing for Bruce Arians. They hold big matchup edges on the Rams and I expect them to show up against the Rams, who have yet to cover a spread since Jared Goff became quarterback. The Cardinals are a top heavy blitzing team. Goff has yet to display good pocket presence. I see him skittish in the pocket here.
The Rams just want this season to end. Carson Palmer has been playing better and David Johnson is a monster who can set a bunch of records here. LA has allowed 16 touchdown passes in their last six games. The Rams are down their best wideout, Kenny Britt. |
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01-01-17 | Raiders +2.5 v. Broncos | Top | 6-24 | Loss | -110 | 139 h 26 m | Show |
The line has been over adjusted due to Derek Carr's injury. The Raiders are the superior team and have great incentive to win the division. The Broncos are out of playoff contention, quite a letdown for the defending Super Bowl champions. Carr was having an MVP season. Matt McGloin is a wild card. However, the Raiders still have an above average offensive line, good running backs and one of the better wide receiving tandems in Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree. The Broncos can't generate any offense. Their running attack is feeble and now it appears they will be starting Paxton Lynch, which kills their passing game. I would take McGloin -sight unseen - above the inexperienced Lynch. The Raiders are plus 18 in turnover ratio. The Raiders outrushed the Broncos, 218-33, in winning the first meeting, 30-20, in Week 9. Denver's ground game is just as bad. Denver's defense still is very good, but has lost its dominance. The Raiders have proven themselves as road warriors going 8-1-1 ATS in their past 10 away games. They have a good spread history at Denver, too, going 5-2-1 ATS in their last eight visits.
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01-01-17 | Seahawks -9.5 v. 49ers | Top | 25-23 | Loss | -105 | 138 h 4 m | Show |
Decimated San Francisco has lost 18 players for the season, including Carlos Hyde. Colin Kaepernick is going to have problems trying to figure out Seattle's defense, which does a great job of containing dual-threat quarterbacks, and doesn't have any reliable weapons anymore with Hyde getting hurt last week. The 49ers have covered just three of their last 14 games. Their defense is worn down from multiple injuries and being on the field way too much. A healthy Russell Wilson can take advantage. Seattle has a mediocre offensive line, but the 49ers are one defense they can control. The Seahawks will be fired up, too, after suffering an embarrassing defeat at home to the Cardinals. Pete Carroll certainly doesn't want to enter the playoffs off two straight poor performances and with playoff positioning still at stake. The 49ers pulled out their second win of the season this past Saturday against the Rams. They're totally outmatched here.
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01-01-17 | Browns v. Steelers UNDER 44 | 24-27 | Loss | -110 | 135 h 28 m | Show | |
Locked into the No. 3 seed, the Steelers are likely to sit Ben Roethlisberger, Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown. A looming quarterback matchup of Cody Kessler versus Landry Jones, devoid of his top weapons, does not exactly bring visions of a high-scoring game. These teams combined for only 33 points during their Week 11 matchup. The Browns rank second-to-last in scoring and yards. Pittsburgh defense has been playing better since getting healthier. The Steelers have held five of their last six opponents to 20 or fewer points. Cleveland's defense has improved since landing Jamie Collins in a trade with New England. Pittsburgh's Jones is one of the poorer backup quarterbacks in the league. The weather forecast is calling for better than a 70 percent chance of showers with possible snow.
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12-25-16 | Broncos +3 v. Chiefs | Top | 10-33 | Loss | -100 | 60 h 43 m | Show |
These teams just met four weeks ago and the Broncos outgained the Chiefs, 464-273. The Chiefs, though, scored a touchdown with 12 seconds left to force in overtime. The Broncos tried a long field goal in overtime that missed and the Chiefs took advantage of the good field position to kick a game-winning field goal with two seconds left. That was in Denver. But the Chiefs have failed to cover in eight of their last 10 games at Arrowhead Stadium, going 1-4 ATS in their last five home games. Trevor Siemian has thrown for 984 yards and four touchdowns with one interception during his last three games. Alex Smith has thrown a mere 12 touchdowns passes for the season. Siemian is the more dangerous quarterback and Denver has the superior wide receivers. The Broncos still have their Super Bowl caliber defense. The Broncos have surrendered only 10 touchdown passes and lead the AFC with 40 sacks, with Von Miller accounting for 13 1/2 sacks. Denver is No. 1 in pass defense, No. 2 in fewest yards allowed and fifth in fewest points given up. The Chiefs yield the fifth-most yards per game. Their defense is minus injured star linebacker Derrick Johnson. The Chiefs have the record they have because they have scored seven touchdowns via their defense or special teams while not giving up any in those areas. While the Chiefs deserve credit for being opportunistic they also are lucky. It's far from a given that the Chiefs will score a non-offensive touchdown. They aren't good enough to cover this margin without that type of occurrence.
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12-25-16 | Ravens v. Steelers -5.5 | 27-31 | Loss | -110 | 56 h 44 m | Show | |
The Ravens caught the Steelers when Ben Roethlisberger was just back from his knee injury. Roethlisberger was rusty and Baltimore won, 21-14, in Week 9. Things are much different now. Roethlisberger is healthy and plays much better at Heinz Field where he's thrown 17 touchdown passes with just three interceptions. The Ravens have a strong run defense, but their secondary is vulnerable especially with top cornerback Jimmy Smith not likely to play. If the Ravens drop safeties into coverage then Le'Veon Bell is primed for a big game. If the Ravens key on Bell than Roethlisberger gets turned loose. Antonio Brown should prove highly dangerous here especially if Smith is out as expected. The Ravens lack a consistent ground attack and Joe Flacco is enduring one of his worst seasons. He's been especially brutal on the road with a 5-to-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio. The Steelers have held six of their last seven opponents to under 250 yards through the air. Their defense has gotten healthy and stepped up. The Steelers not only play much better at home, but they have proven strong in December covering 12 of the last 14 times.
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12-24-16 | Bengals v. Texans -119 | Top | 10-12 | Win | 100 | 91 h 47 m | Show |
No team gives up fewer yards per game than Houston. The Texans have been held back by the atrocious quarterback play of Brock Osweiler, the $72 million dollar bust. Bill O'Brien finally has seen the light benching Osweiler for Tom Savage. Now I'm not nominating Savage for All-Pro status, but he's a clear upgrade on Osweiler. Savage is a downfield threat and makes DeAndre Hopkins, a top-10 wide receiver talent, viable again. The Texans are trying to win a division title. They are home, have the superior defense and stronger motivation. The Bengals are going to miss the playoffs for the first time in five seasons. They just lost a close game to their arch-rival, the Steelers, this past Sunday. Now they have to travel on Christmas week for a game that doesn't mean anything to them. The Bengals are 1-5 SU and ATS during their last six road games with their lone away victory during this span coming against the winless Browns. The most points the Bengals have scored on the road s is 23 and that occurred against Cleveland and the 4-10 Jets in Week 1. In their other five road games, the Bengals average 16.2 points a game. Cincinnati management showed that it doesn't care about winning this game by making the decision to hold out A.J. Green, who had been cleared to play. |
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12-24-16 | Titans v. Jaguars +5 | 17-38 | Win | 100 | 83 h 24 m | Show | |
The Titans have been a nice story this season. Definite improvement is there. But the oddsmaker has gotten ahead of things by making the Titans this big of a road favorite. Tennessee has a losing spread mark when laying points. The Titans have won three in a row - by a combined 11 points. They are off huge victories against the defending Super Bowl champion Broncos and the Chiefs on the road last week winning on a 53-yard field goal at the gun. The Titans are tied with Houston for the AFC South Division lead. The Titans host the Texans next week. So it's difficult to trust the young Titans, who haven't been in this kind of letdown spot before, to cover more than a field goal on the road in an obvious flat spot. The key here is accessing Jacksonville. The Jaguars average 18.7 points a game, which ranks 27th. However, the Jaguars have the fourth-best pass defense in the league and give up the seventh-fewest yards. Their defense is sneaky good. The Jaguars' talent level is far superior to their 2-12 record. Jacksonville has lost seven times by one touchdown or less. Close losses and bad coaching have killed the Jaguars. Interim coach Doug Marrone can't help but be an improvement on Gus Bradley, who was fired following Sunday's one-point road loss to the Texans. Bradley was the worst coach in the NFL in my view. The Jaguars are 4-1 SU, 4-0-1 ATS the past five times hosting the Titans. Yes, the Titans are the best they've been in at least five years, but they are far from dominant with huge weaknesses in the secondary and wide receiver. Jacksonville should be fired up for their new coach in their final home game of the season playing a division foe that whipped them. 36-22, back in Week 8.
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12-24-16 | Redskins v. Bears OVER 47 | 41-21 | Win | 100 | 29 h 53 m | Show | |
Now that the weather forecast is fine - temperatures in the 30's with little wind - I feel comfortable going over this more-than-fair total. The Redskins have the No. 2 passing team in the NFL. They have put up 26 or more points on a number of defenses as good if not far better than the injury-racked Bears defense, including the Giants, Lions, Eagles (twice), Vikings, Packers and Cowboys. Matt Barkley has done far better than expected for Chicago. It's safe to say now that he's moved the Bears offense better than Jay Cutler and now he has Chicago's top receiver, Alshon Jeffery, back from suspension. Jordan Howard has been a consistent running threat rushing for at least 77 yards in each of the last seven games going over 100 yards three times during this span. Washington gives up nearly 25 points per game and has yielded the fourth-most yards per game.
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12-18-16 | Raiders -2.5 v. Chargers | Top | 19-16 | Win | 100 | 48 h 56 m | Show |
Not only does Oakland hold matchup edges with San Diego all but decimated with injuries, but the Raiders are on extra time having last played a week ago Thursday. The Chargers may have the weakest home field in the league. Mike McCoy isn't likely to return as coach and the team probably is going to leave San Diego. There could be as many Oakland fans here as San Diego spectators. Philip Rivers has lost his top weapons with Melvin Gordon, Keenan Allen and Danny Woodhead out. The Chargers are down to fifth-string undrafted rookie running back Kenneth Farrow as their main ball carrier. Rivers has thrown 10 interceptions and been sacked 11 times in his last four games as he presses trying to do much to compensate for his team's numerous deficiencies. Derek Carr had problems with an injured finger in Kansas City's cold weather during Oakland's last game. Now, with extra rest and 10 days to heal, Carr should be back to normal. Oakland's offense can take advantage of a Chargers defense that is down two of their run stuffers and two key cornerbacks. San Diego has just six sacks in its last six games. The Raiders have proven themselves on the road under much harsher conditions going 5-1 SU and ATS. Now the Raiders get to play in their normal time zone against a foe they have dominated recently winning the past three times. The Raiders beat the Chargers, 37-29, at San Diego last season after building up a 37-6 lead. The Raiders are much better this season.
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12-18-16 | Titans +5.5 v. Chiefs | 19-17 | Win | 100 | 45 h 31 m | Show | |
This is a bad matchup for Kansas City made worse by cold weather conditions. The Titans have the necessary ground attack to take advantage of the Chiefs' mediocre run defense made far more ineffective by star linebacker Derrick Johnson being out. Tennessee owns edges at running back, quarterback and offensive line. Kansas City may be the luckiest team in the NFL. The Chiefs are 10-3 despite being outgained by an average of nearly 90 yards during their last six games. They are 2-7 ATS in their last nine home games. Kansas City has scored either a defensive touchdown or special teams touchdown in four of its last five games. The Chiefs are a plus 11 in takeaways/giveaways. They need turnovers to win. But Titans rising star quarterback Marcus Mariota hasn't committed a turnover in his last three games while throwing for multiple touchdown in eight of his last nine games. The Titans are expected to get back their best defensive player in lineman Jurrell Casey. Tennessee's weakness is a vulnerable secondary. But Alex Smith's strength isn't as a downfield passer. Smith isn't helped either by freezing weather. This is going to come down to who runs the ball better and I'll take DeMarco Murray and Mariota plus these points against Spencer Ware and Alex Smith.
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12-18-16 | Packers -5.5 v. Bears | 30-27 | Loss | -110 | 44 h 29 m | Show | |
Frightful weather isn't enough to stop the Packers from covering against the Bears. Chicago is just too beat-up and inexperienced at quarterback with Matt Barkley to stay with the Packers, who are starting to peak. Barkley is a Southern California kid who isn't accustomed to playing in weather that will have a wind chill factor of below zero. He doesn't have the skill level or weapons to keep up with Aaron Rodgers. The Bears do get Alshon Jeffery back from suspension. Barkley and Jeffery have never worked together, though. The Packers' offensive line and defense have gotten healthier coinciding with their three-game winning and covering streak against the Eagles, Texans and Seahawks. Since Week 11, the Packers haven't allowed more than 13 points in a game. The Bears are missing six starters on defense because of injuries and suspensions. They only have 10 takeaways, which ranks 30th. Green Bay has won six in a row at Soldier Field beating Bears teams much better than this current edition.
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12-18-16 | Browns +10 v. Bills | 13-33 | Loss | -105 | 44 h 28 m | Show | |
The Bills are playing too bad and are too dysfunctional to be laying double-digits to any opponent. Buffalo is 2-5 in its last seven games and just playing the string out after missing the playoffs for an NFL-high 17th consecutive season. Rex Ryan and quarterback Tyrod Taylor both are likely out the door following the season. The Browns desperately want to avoid a winless season. They are not outclassed in this matchup. The Bills have surrendered 21 or more points in six of their last seven games. Robert Griffin III is the Browns' best quarterback and he won't be rusty after playing last week. Griffin has some decent weapons, too, with Terrelle Pryor, Corey Coleman, Gary Barnridge, Duke Johnson and Isaiah Crowell, who has looked his best when Griffin has been the quarterback due to Griffin's dual threat capability. The Bills could be without Kyle Williams, one of their best defensive players and a key run defender.
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12-15-16 | Rams v. Seahawks OVER 39 | Top | 3-24 | Loss | -103 | 10 h 46 m | Show |
The Rams defense has fallen apart giving up an average of 39 points in their last three games. The Seahawks, with Russell Wilson healthy now, have the offense to take advantage. The Seahawks also have the motivation having lost three in a row to this opponent. The Rams are way down now and vulnerable to a blowout, which this matchup figures to be given the situation and point spread. Pete Carroll won't be adverse to running up a score. His team is in a foul mood after a 38-10 blowout loss to the Packers last week. The Rams secondary has been weakened by injuries with cornerback E.J. Gaines not expected to play. Jeff Fisher is finally gone. That's a plus for the Rams offense because it might allow for some creativity.. The Seahawks are without Earl Thomas, another plus for the Rams offense. LA has a new interim coach and is playing on national TV for a rare time. So the Rams shouldn't be holding anything back.
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12-12-16 | Ravens v. Patriots UNDER 45.5 | Top | 23-30 | Loss | -110 | 171 h 16 m | Show |
The Ravens aren't going to have an offensive explosion against the Patriots like they did against the Dolphins this past Sunday. That was just Joe Flacco's third multi-touchdown passing game of the season. He's a below average quarterback in my view and isn't helped by any special skill position talent especially at running back. |
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12-11-16 | Cowboys v. Giants +4 | 7-10 | Win | 100 | 22 h 11 m | Show | |
Dallas has been maybe the major success story of the NFL season so far. The public loves them betting them past a field goal favorite on the road against a division rival that has won six of its last seven games. New York is 5-1 at home. The Giants are the only team to beat Dallas. New York held the Cowboys to 19 points in that opening week win. The Giants' defense has gotten better since then. Only three teams have surrendered fewer touchdown passes than the Giants. Not once have the Giants yielded more than 24 points during their last nine games. Dallas hasn't lost since that opening week defeat. But the Cowboys have been in four close games the past four weeks. They've been outgained in three of those contests. Both teams play ball control. The Cowboys by running. The Giants by throwing short passes. The Giants just activated their best-catching running back, Shane Vereen. Temperatures are forecast to be in the 30's with snow flurries. This has all the makings of another back-and-forth matchup likely decided in the final minute. So I'm happy to take this many points.
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12-11-16 | Vikings -3 v. Jaguars | 25-16 | Win | 100 | 36 h 2 m | Show | |
The Vikings are the fresher team having played last Thursday and have playoff incentive something the Jaguars lack. |
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12-11-16 | Cardinals -130 v. Dolphins | 23-26 | Loss | -130 | 36 h 0 m | Show | |
Talent-wise, Arizona is much the better team. Carson Palmer has finally starting playing better, too. David Johnson is the most dynamic non-quarterback in football with an NFL-best 15 touchdowns. He's gone for triple-digits in yards from scrimmage every game. The Cardinals do not have a good track record this season on the road and this is an early start for them. But I have to believe Bruce Arians will have his team ready and motivated after they beat the Redskins last week at home to keep their playoff hopes alive. I'm not a fan of the Dolphins' talent base particularly their secondary and quarterback. This is a home game, but the Dolphins are 0-12 ATS in their last 12 December games. The Dolphins lack grit, have a vulnerable secondary and their offensive line still isn't healthy with center Mike Pouncey looking to be out again.
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12-11-16 | Redskins +1 v. Eagles | Top | 27-22 | Win | 100 | 111 h 50 m | Show |
Washington is clearly the superior team. The Redskins showed that in the team's first meeting back in Week 6 when they outgained the Eagles, 493-239. Washington won 27-20 and the score should not have been that close but the Eagles got two non-offensive touchdowns. Since then the Eagles have gotten worse. They are 2-7 in their last nine games. Philadelphia has allowed 26 or more points in five of its last six games. The Eagles have a terrible secondary and a pass rush that has only managed six sacks in the last six games. Washington has a much better secondary and an explosive offense - which ranks No. 2 in yardage and passing yards - that can take advantage of Philadelphia's many defensive shortcoming. It's a plus if star tight end Jordan Reed plays, but the Redskins have many other receiving weapons, including DeSean Jackson, underrated Jamison Crowder, Pierre Garcon and Vernon Davis. The Redskins have won and covered the past four in the series.
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12-04-16 | Panthers v. Seahawks -7 | Top | 7-40 | Win | 100 | 44 h 58 m | Show |
Expect the Seahawks to take no prisoners here in a double revenge spot against the Panthers, who beat them in the regular season and playoffs last season. |
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12-04-16 | Broncos v. Jaguars +3.5 | 20-10 | Loss | -115 | 36 h 16 m | Show | |
This is the lowest total on the Week 13 NFL betting board. So taking more than a field goal is huge even though it's with Jacksonville. |
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12-04-16 | 49ers -128 v. Bears | 6-26 | Loss | -128 | 36 h 15 m | Show | |
Thanks to Colin Kaepernick the 49ers have shown much improvement during the last three weeks playing the Cardinals, Patriots and Dolphins all tough. Now San Francisco steps way down in class. |
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12-01-16 | Cowboys v. Vikings +3 | Top | 17-15 | Win | 103 | 7 h 32 m | Show |
Dallas is on a tremendous roll, but that stops here. The Cowboys aren't that strong to be laying this number on the road against this classy of a defense and against this strong of a home field, which ranks among the best in football. |
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11-28-16 | Packers +4 v. Eagles | Top | 27-13 | Win | 100 | 22 h 14 m | Show |
Talent-wise the Packers are better than the Eagles. Philadelphia is tough at home, but Green Bay is way overdue to play better. I see that occurring here as the Packers are improved on offense and their defense is getting key players back. Clay Matthews played last week and cornerback Damarious Randall and linebacker Jake Ryan are expected back Monday. |
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11-27-16 | Panthers +3 v. Raiders | 32-35 | Push | 0 | 88 h 15 m | Show | |
Credit Jack Del Rio with doing a great job this season with the Raiders. Having said that, though, I believe the Raiders are very overrated. Yes, they are 8-2. But they've also been outgained on the season, have committed the most penalties in the league by far and are 1-3 ATS in games played in Oakland. |
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11-27-16 | Patriots v. Jets OVER 46 | Top | 22-17 | Loss | -110 | 88 h 48 m | Show |
Tom Brady has been back for six games. He has a 16-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio and because of him the Patriots have averaged 31.6 points per game in their last six games. That would rank No. 2 in the NFL if it were computed over the entire season. |
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11-27-16 | Bengals +4 v. Ravens | 14-19 | Loss | -110 | 85 h 43 m | Show | |
You have to go back to the opening game of the 2012 season to find the last time Baltimore beat Cincinnati by more than four points. Since then the Bengals have dominated this series winning the past five times. |
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11-27-16 | Cardinals +5 v. Falcons | 19-38 | Loss | -105 | 63 h 12 m | Show | |
Arizona is better than its 4-5-1 record. The Cardinals are in must-win mode and the pointspread has become inflated. |
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11-27-16 | Titans -3 v. Bears | Top | 27-21 | Win | 100 | 136 h 40 m | Show |
The answer is yes I can trust the Titans on the road - against this battered foe whose season is shot. |
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11-24-16 | Vikings +2.5 v. Lions | Top | 13-16 | Loss | -100 | 35 h 32 m | Show |
Minnesota owned the best defense in the NFL during the first five weeks holding opponents to 12.6 points per game in opening 5-0. |
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11-20-16 | Patriots -11 v. 49ers | Top | 30-17 | Win | 100 | 43 h 22 m | Show |
I consider the Patriots to be the team to beat in the Super Bowl. At the other end, I consider the 49ers right there with the Browns as the worst team in the NFL. |
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11-20-16 | Dolphins -118 v. Rams | 14-10 | Win | 100 | 121 h 49 m | Show | |
Miami has won four in a row. The Dolphins are staying in Southern California after upsetting San Diego this past Sunday so long travel is negated. |
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11-20-16 | Jaguars +6.5 v. Lions | 19-26 | Loss | -110 | 44 h 51 m | Show | |
The Lions haven't won a game by more than six points all season. They have a six-point overtime victory. Their other four victories were by a combined 11 points. |
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11-20-16 | Ravens +7.5 v. Cowboys | 17-27 | Loss | -117 | 41 h 54 m | Show | |
It's tough to step in against the Cowboys, who have won and covered every game since opening week. But Dallas' line is inflated here. The Ravens are well-coached and strong defensively allowing 17.8 points a game. Only three teams give up fewer points per game. No team yields fewer yards and rushing yards per game than Baltimore. |
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11-20-16 | Cardinals v. Vikings OVER 40 | 24-30 | Win | 101 | 40 h 47 m | Show | |
This is a low total given the firepower of the Cardinals and the matchup being played on a fast track. |
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11-13-16 | Seahawks v. Patriots -7.5 | 31-24 | Loss | -100 | 95 h 33 m | Show | |
At first this spread may seem a little high. But New England is the best team in football while Seattle is down from past seasons and caught in a horrendous situational spot. |
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11-13-16 | Cowboys v. Steelers -135 | 35-30 | Loss | -135 | 90 h 29 m | Show | |
Ben Roethlisberger has had a game to shake off the rust and is back home. That makes Pittsburgh very dangerous. Roethlisberger has a 51-to-13 touchdown-to-interception ratio at Heniz Field since 2014 compared to 19-to-19 on the road during this three-year span. |
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11-13-16 | Packers -134 v. Titans | 25-47 | Loss | -134 | 87 h 4 m | Show | |
The Titans are a rising team, much better than believed at the start of the season. Green Bay has been one of more disappointing teams in the league. |
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11-13-16 | Broncos +3 v. Saints | 25-23 | Win | 100 | 14 h 33 m | Show | |
I'm not buying the Saints being favored against the defending world champions whose defense remains elite. |
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11-10-16 | Browns +10 v. Ravens | Top | 7-28 | Loss | -115 | 23 h 30 m | Show |
Rarely, if ever, am I going to recommend playing the Browns this season. Cleveland's talent level isn't better than expansion level and its priority this season is playing for the future not necessarily winning games. |
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11-07-16 | Bills v. Seahawks -6.5 | Top | 25-31 | Loss | -100 | 10 h 59 m | Show |
Count me among those not impressed by Buffalo. I think the Bills' coaching is below par, their passing game is weak and the defense not nearly as good as it was two years ago when Jim Schwartz was the defensive coordinator and before Rex Ryan came on board. |
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11-06-16 | Titans +5 v. Chargers | Top | 35-43 | Loss | -110 | 96 h 27 m | Show |
Love the Chargers as 'dogs, hate them as favorites where they are 1-5 ATS the past six times in that role losing straight-up in four of those games. |
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11-06-16 | Panthers -158 v. Rams | 13-10 | Win | 100 | 98 h 57 m | Show | |
The buy sign is on for Carolina. The Panthers came out of their bye refreshed and invigorated beating the Cardinals. |
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11-06-16 | Jaguars +8 v. Chiefs | 14-19 | Win | 100 | 96 h 1 m | Show | |
The Chiefs are a conservative, grind-out team not built to cover margins past a touchdown. Now the Chiefs will be without Alex Smith. The Chiefs already are thin at running back and have an overrated defense that doesn't apply much of a pass rush. That problem isn't likely to be corrected until Justin Houston returns to the lineup and he's not ready this week. |
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11-06-16 | Lions v. Vikings -6 | 22-16 | Loss | -102 | 93 h 36 m | Show | |
In Mike Zimmer we trust. The Vikings are coming off two terrible offensive performances. Their vaunted defense didn't cover themselves with glory either in an embarrassing Monday night road loss to the Bears. |
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11-03-16 | Falcons v. Bucs OVER 51 | Top | 43-28 | Win | 100 | 44 h 12 m | Show |
Atlanta has a very good offense. The Falcons are a little improved defensively, but still very bad. The result is a great combination to go over the total. That's what the Falcons have done in seven of their eight games. No other team has a better over mark than Atlanta's 7-1. |
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10-31-16 | Vikings -4 v. Bears | Top | 10-20 | Loss | -102 | 93 h 11 m | Show |
The Vikings are vastly superior to the Bears, a true Super Bowl contender. Chicago is one of the five worst teams in the NFL. |
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10-30-16 | Eagles +5 v. Cowboys | 23-29 | Loss | -115 | 149 h 57 m | Show | |
This is too many points for the Cowboys to lay in this fierce division rivalry. |
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10-30-16 | Chiefs -142 v. Colts | 30-14 | Win | 100 | 110 h 58 m | Show | |
Aside from Andrew Luck and T.Y. Hilton, the Colts hold no edges against Kansas City. The Chiefs should dominate both lines of scrimmage. They have the superior defense and running game. |
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10-30-16 | Lions v. Texans -129 | 13-20 | Win | 100 | 90 h 45 m | Show | |
Let me get this off my chest right away. I deplore Bill O'Brien's play not-to-lose approach. I understand it, though, because he has a stiff for a quarterback in Brock Osweiler. |
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10-30-16 | Jets -125 v. Browns | 31-28 | Win | 100 | 12 h 59 m | Show | |
The Jets couldn't survive a brutal first half schedule that included four road games in seven weeks and matchups against the Bengals, Bills, Chiefs, Seahawks, Steelers, Cardinals and Ravens. |
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10-30-16 | Patriots -5.5 v. Bills | Top | 41-25 | Win | 100 | 147 h 36 m | Show |
It's rare to get Bill Belichick and his Patriots in a same season revenge game. But that's the case here as the Bills shut out the Patriots, 16-0, in Week 4. New England was forced to play third-string rookie quarterback Jacoby Brissett in that game. |
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10-23-16 | Seahawks v. Cardinals OVER 43.5 | Top | 6-6 | Loss | -115 | 18 h 12 m | Show |
First off, this isn't such a hard total to go over in today's NFL passing world with the rules skewed in the offense's favor. |
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10-23-16 | Chargers +6.5 v. Falcons | Top | 33-30 | Win | 100 | 76 h 9 m | Show |
The Falcons are playing well, but face both a physical and mental letdown returning home from back-to-back road games against the bruising Broncos and Seahawks. |
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10-23-16 | Vikings -143 v. Eagles | 10-21 | Loss | -143 | 75 h 49 m | Show | |
The Vikings have been the biggest money-makers in the NFL under Mike Zimmer covering an amazing 18 of their last 21 games. |
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10-16-16 | Colts v. Texans -3 | Top | 23-26 | Push | 0 | 125 h 45 m | Show |
This line is off. These teams aren't even, which the oddsmaker is insinuating opening the game Houston minus 3 with home-field usually worth a field goal. |
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10-16-16 | Falcons v. Seahawks UNDER 46 | Top | 24-26 | Loss | -110 | 78 h 4 m | Show |
The elements - both matchup-wise and weather-wise - are there for this total to go under. |
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10-16-16 | Chiefs +1.5 v. Raiders | Top | 26-10 | Win | 100 | 127 h 17 m | Show |
I like the Chiefs a lot here for three main reasons: They are the superior team. The situation. And the line value with the Raiders opening the favorite. |
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10-16-16 | Steelers v. Dolphins OVER 48 | 15-30 | Loss | -108 | 39 h 17 m | Show | |
The Steelers are on full throttle since Le'Veon Bell returned from suspension scoring 84 points and piling up 869 yards during their last two games. Ben Roethlisberger is on fire during this span completing 76 percent of his passes with nine touchdown throws and no interceptions. |
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10-13-16 | Broncos -3 v. Chargers | Top | 13-21 | Loss | -123 | 57 h 54 m | Show |
San Diego has lost its last 10 AFC West matchups. I don't see that streak ending with this game. |
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10-09-16 | Giants v. Packers OVER 47.5 | Top | 16-23 | Loss | -115 | 35 h 55 m | Show |
Aaron Rodgers is very good at any venue, but he's an absolute monster at Lambeau Field where since 2014 he has thrown 46 touchdown passes and been picked off just four times. The Giants' defense is improved, but not nearly enough to slow down Green Bay's offense, which showed definite improvement in its last game and is coming off a bye. Jordy Nelson is nearing 100 percent, making a big difference for Green Bay. |
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10-09-16 | Bengals v. Cowboys | 14-28 | Loss | -115 | 77 h 26 m | Show | |
The Bengals are at least a whole another tier higher than Dallas. The Cowboys are thrilled when they beat the lowly 49ers. The Bengals - who have made the playoffs five straight years - expect to the beat the 49ers. That's a huge difference between these two. |
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10-09-16 | Chargers +4 v. Raiders | Top | 31-34 | Win | 100 | 140 h 15 m | Show |
The Chargers are 1-3, but have outscored their opponents by 13 points. The Raiders are 3-1 and have outscored their foes by two points. |
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10-09-16 | Texans +6.5 v. Vikings | 13-31 | Loss | -110 | 28 h 16 m | Show | |
This is going to be a defensive, grind-it-out type of game as reflected in the total, which is the second-lowest on the Week 5 menu. So taking a lot of points makes sense especially given the matchup and spot. |
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10-06-16 | Cardinals -175 v. 49ers | Top | 33-21 | Win | 100 | 19 h 7 m | Show |
I like the Cardinals to win here, but because Drew Stanton is replacing injured Carson Palmer I'm going to play Arizona on the money line rather than lay more than a field goal. |
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10-03-16 | Giants v. Vikings -4 | Top | 10-24 | Win | 100 | 174 h 56 m | Show |
Maybe the oddsmaker hasn't caught on yet. But the Vikings' home field advantage, with their new indoor $16 billion stadium, is worth four points right there and these teams are not even. The Vikings are much better. |
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10-02-16 | Chiefs v. Steelers OVER 47 | 14-43 | Win | 100 | 23 h 56 m | Show | |
Look for the Steelers offense and Ben Roethlisberger to pick up now that Le'Veon Bell has returned to the lineup. Not only is Bell a top-five running back, but he also could be the team's second-best receiver behind only the incomparable Antonio Brown. |
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10-02-16 | Broncos -3 v. Bucs | 27-7 | Win | 100 | 17 h 48 m | Show | |
Let's not overthink this game. Tampa Bay is 3-15 SU, 5-13 ATS in its last 18 home games. The Buccaneers don't know how to beat a good opponent such as the Broncos and this isn't a good fundamental matchup either for them. |
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10-02-16 | Panthers -3 v. Falcons | Top | 33-48 | Loss | -120 | 122 h 31 m | Show |
Carolina already has more regular season losses than it did during last year's regular season. That's because the Panthers have gone against two of the top defenses in the NFL - Broncos and Vikings. |
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09-29-16 | Dolphins v. Bengals -7 | Top | 7-22 | Win | 100 | 44 h 22 m | Show |
There is more than a touchdown class difference here factoring in Cincinnati's home field advantage. This is made more by the Dolphins traveling on a short week and their multiple injuries. |
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09-25-16 | Bears +6.5 v. Cowboys | 17-31 | Loss | -102 | 22 h 59 m | Show | |
I believe the Bears will respond better with Brian Hoyer under center than Jay Cutler, who isn't a popular teammate. The Bears have more talent than their 0-2 record indicates. |
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09-25-16 | Steelers -3.5 v. Eagles | 3-34 | Loss | -100 | 46 h 49 m | Show | |
The Eagles have looked surprisingly good so far. But look at whom they have beaten - the winless Browns and winless Bears. |
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09-25-16 | Browns v. Dolphins -10 | 24-30 | Loss | -100 | 139 h 26 m | Show | |
The Dolphins are 0-2 and playing their first home game. They are in a kill spot. Except for a bad first half against New England, the Dolphins' defense has looked solid especially their front. The Browns are forced to go with third-string rookie quarterback Cody Kessler because of injuries to Robert Griffin III and Josh McCown. Kessler isn't nearly ready. He looked bad during preseason - overmatched - and he's not helped by the Browns' offensive line being much inferior to the Dolphins' defensive front. The Browns also may be without their best defensive back, Joe Haden. Miami's offense should pick up having gotten more in tune with offensive guru Adam Gase's system. The Dolphins step way down in class having opened on the road against Seattle and New England. Those two teams can make any team look bad. The Browns also aren't used to playing in South Florida kind of heat. Look for their depth-shy team to wear down in the second half. |
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09-25-16 | Redskins +4.5 v. Giants | Top | 29-27 | Win | 100 | 109 h 50 m | Show |
I want desperate teams, especially taking this many points in a division matchup. It's circle-the-wagons time for the 0-2 Redskins. |
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09-25-16 | Lions v. Packers OVER 47.5 | Top | 27-34 | Win | 100 | 20 h 42 m | Show |
The Packers' offense will pick up at home where Aaron Rodgers and Co. are more comfortable. Green Bay opened with its first two games on the road. Jordy Nelson should be close to full strength now that we're in Week 3. |
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09-22-16 | Texans -113 v. Patriots | Top | 0-27 | Loss | -113 | 20 h 4 m | Show |
Much is made of legendary defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau's great record against rookie quarterbacks. Texans coach Bill O'Brien doesn't have a shabby record either in this regard. His Texans are 6-0 when facing a first-year quarterback. |
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09-19-16 | Eagles v. Bears -3 | Top | 29-14 | Loss | -125 | 154 h 58 m | Show |
This line is too short. The Bears are much superior to the Eagles. The line doesn't reflect that because it's just Week 2 and the oddsmaker is swayed by how well Eagles rookie quarterback Carson Wentz looked opening week and the Bears losing and not covering versus the Texans. |
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09-18-16 | Falcons v. Raiders UNDER 48.5 | 35-28 | Loss | -110 | 39 h 22 m | Show | |
It's easy to think offense when talking Falcons and Raiders. The Raiders nipped the Saints, 35-34, in Week 1 for a combined 69 points while the Falcons lost 31-24 to the Buccaneers for a combined 55 points. |
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09-18-16 | Titans +6 v. Lions | 16-15 | Win | 100 | 12 h 27 m | Show | |
Tennessee is a much improved team. The oddsmaker is a beat slow in realizing this based on the line. |
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09-18-16 | 49ers v. Panthers -13 | Top | 27-46 | Win | 100 | 110 h 21 m | Show |
I see this as a clear kill spot for the Panthers and I want to lock in now before the number hits 14 - which it will and then probably still go higher. |
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09-15-16 | Jets -114 v. Bills | Top | 37-31 | Win | 100 | 29 h 22 m | Show |
Biased by the Bills playing at home on a short week, oddsmakers opened Buffalo a favorite against the Jets. |
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09-12-16 | Rams v. 49ers UNDER 44.5 | Top | 0-28 | Win | 100 | 338 h 42 m | Show |
Given the low quality of these two offenses, the oddsmaker opened this total way too high. Unfortunately the marketplace realizes this and the total has been bet down since I released the play. I still like the play but at less than 43 the unit rating goes down. |
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09-11-16 | Lions +3.5 v. Colts | 39-35 | Win | 100 | 65 h 9 m | Show | |
I'm not sure if the Colts would win this game if they were healthy - which they are not. Indy, in fact, is heavily banged-up. Out are the Colts' best defensive back, Vontae Davis, best defensive lineman, Henry Anderson, and one of their few decent offensive linemen left guard Jake Mewhort. |
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09-11-16 | Chargers +6.5 v. Chiefs | 27-33 | Win | 100 | 26 h 29 m | Show | |
The Chargers will be seeing blood here in a double revenge spot. This year the Chargers are healthy in the offensive line, improved defensively and have Ken Whisenhunt back as their offensive coordinator, a huge plus for Philip Rivers. |