Cnotes NFL Picks
- Thread starter Cnotes53
- Start date
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS
HOU at NYJ 04:30 PM
NYJ +7.0
O 44.0
CLE at DEN 08:20 PM
CLE +2.5
U 46.5
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS
HOU at NYJ 04:30 PM
NYJ +7.0
O 44.0
CLE at DEN 08:20 PM
CLE +2.5
U 46.5
- Sep 10, 2018
- 19,240
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Gridiron Angles - Week 15
Vince Akins
NFL PLAY ON ATS TREND:
-- The Cowboys are 10-0-1 ATS (9.4 ppg) since Dec 09, 2012 on the road coming off a win where they had at least 400 total yards.
NFL PLAY AGAINST TREND:
-- The Rams are 0-10 ATS (-12.8 ppg) since Oct 28, 2001 as a home favorite of more than three points coming off a road game with less than 300 total yards.
TOP NFL PLAYER ATS TREND:
-- The Buccaneers are 0-8-1 ATS (-5.8 ppg) since Dec 24, 2016 after a loss in which Cameron Brate had a receiving touchdown.
NFL CHOICE TRENDS:
-- The Ravens are 9-0 ATS (18.0 ppg) since Sep 21, 2008 as a home favorite off a game as a dog where they had less than 200 passing yards.
-- The Giants are 9-0 ATS (17.7 ppg) since Sep 25, 2011 coming off a game as a favorite where they allowed no more than 15 first downs.
TOP NFL PLAYER OU TREND:
-- The Patriots are 0-8 OU (-10.3 ppg) since Sep 14, 2014 on the road coming off a road game where Tom Brady threw at least 35 passes.
NFL O/U OVER TREND:
-- The Texans are 11-0 OU (11.1 ppg) since Nov 14, 2004 coming off a loss in which they had zero turnovers.
NFL O/U UNDER TREND:
-- The Patriots are 0-10-1 OU (-10.1 ppg) since Sep 14, 2014 on the road coming off a loss.
SUPER SYSTEM OF THE WEEK:
-- Teams playing their final regular season home game which have won at least six of their first seven home games are 96-77-3 ATS. Active on Chicago.
NFL BIBLE ATS ACTIVE TREND:
-- The Giants are 0-10 ATS (-15.1 ppg) vs a non-divisional opponent after a win as a road favorite in which they benefitted from a turnover margin of+2 or greater.
NFL BIBLE O/U ACTIVE TREND:
-- The Bills are 0-12 OU (-8.9 ppg) off a loss as a home favorite in which they converted at least five third downs.
Vince Akins
NFL PLAY ON ATS TREND:
-- The Cowboys are 10-0-1 ATS (9.4 ppg) since Dec 09, 2012 on the road coming off a win where they had at least 400 total yards.
NFL PLAY AGAINST TREND:
-- The Rams are 0-10 ATS (-12.8 ppg) since Oct 28, 2001 as a home favorite of more than three points coming off a road game with less than 300 total yards.
TOP NFL PLAYER ATS TREND:
-- The Buccaneers are 0-8-1 ATS (-5.8 ppg) since Dec 24, 2016 after a loss in which Cameron Brate had a receiving touchdown.
NFL CHOICE TRENDS:
-- The Ravens are 9-0 ATS (18.0 ppg) since Sep 21, 2008 as a home favorite off a game as a dog where they had less than 200 passing yards.
-- The Giants are 9-0 ATS (17.7 ppg) since Sep 25, 2011 coming off a game as a favorite where they allowed no more than 15 first downs.
TOP NFL PLAYER OU TREND:
-- The Patriots are 0-8 OU (-10.3 ppg) since Sep 14, 2014 on the road coming off a road game where Tom Brady threw at least 35 passes.
NFL O/U OVER TREND:
-- The Texans are 11-0 OU (11.1 ppg) since Nov 14, 2004 coming off a loss in which they had zero turnovers.
NFL O/U UNDER TREND:
-- The Patriots are 0-10-1 OU (-10.1 ppg) since Sep 14, 2014 on the road coming off a loss.
SUPER SYSTEM OF THE WEEK:
-- Teams playing their final regular season home game which have won at least six of their first seven home games are 96-77-3 ATS. Active on Chicago.
NFL BIBLE ATS ACTIVE TREND:
-- The Giants are 0-10 ATS (-15.1 ppg) vs a non-divisional opponent after a win as a road favorite in which they benefitted from a turnover margin of+2 or greater.
NFL BIBLE O/U ACTIVE TREND:
-- The Bills are 0-12 OU (-8.9 ppg) off a loss as a home favorite in which they converted at least five third downs.
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RUNNING WITH WATSON
Happy Saturday! Usually we don?t get to say this but the NFL on Saturday returns this week so we?ll kick off the day with a prop bet (or two) for today?s action. The first game features the Texans visiting the Jets and we?re seeing something we like with Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson.
The Jets aren?t an easy matchup, ranked 18th in DVOA and 11th against the pass. There?s also the fact that it?s New York in December and, although it won?t be terribly cold with temperatures in the mid-50s, Watson has been a fair weather or indoor quarterback for all of his career. We do like the idea of Watson doing a bit of running today, however, and that?s one area that the Jets have been vulnerable in, allowing 299 yards on 49 rushes so far this season for an average of 6.1 yards per attempt. Josh Allen ripped the Jets for 9-101-1 on the ground last week and Marcus Mariota went 4-43-0 two weeks ago. While we don?t expect Watson to do what Allen did last week, we think he?ll mimic what Mariota was able to do and we?re taking the Over 30.5 for his rushing yards total.
BAKER?S BIG DAY?
Saturday?s second game sees the Browns visit the Broncos and it could be a special night for rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield. Here?s a fun stat: Since Hue Jackson was fired, Mayfield has the third-best passer rating in the NFL behind only Drew Brees and Patrick Mahomes. He has passed for 1,406 passing yards for 9.2 yards per attempt in those five games. Today, he gets a Denver defense that is allowing the 335.8 passing yards since Week 10, which is the most in the league. The Broncos are also going to be without top cornerback Chris Harris, as they were last week when Nick Mullens dropped 332 yards on 10.1 yards per attempt on them. Take the Over 255.5 on Mayfield?s passing yards total.
NO OBJ FOR NYG
Odell Beckham Jr. has been officially ruled out against Tennessee on Sunday with a quad issue, marking the second consecutive week he?ll be on the sideline. While this is obviously bad news for the Giants offense as a whole, it could actually be a boost for Saquon Barkley. Last week, in OBJ?s absence, Barkley went off for 197 combined on just 18 touches. He could have had upwards of 250 yards had the Giants not sat him for most of the second half as they nursed a huge lead against Washington.
Barkley could be the most consistent running back in football at the moment as he has posted 100-plus rushing yards in each of his last four. His matchup isn?t ideal this week as he goes against a Titans defense ranked 17th in overall DVOA, but is proving to be matchup proof, as evidenced by his 146 total yards against Chicago?s top-ranked defense in DVOA two weeks ago. Barkley?s usage should be through the roof in what should be a tight game (TEN -1, O/U 43.5) and we?re looking to get a winner out of Barkley for the second consecutive week by taking the Over for his combined yardage total.
STAFFORD?S BAD BACK
Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford is listed as questionable with a back issue. He was limited at practice all week but the situation was the same last week and he wound up playing through his injury at Arizona. He?s expected to do the same this week as the Lions visit Buffalo on Sunday.
Last week, Stafford was obviously not comfortable and wound up throwing for just 101 yards on 23 attempts against Arizona?s 10th-ranked passing defense in DVOA. On Sunday, he faces Buffalo?s ninth-ranked passing defense, using the same metric. Last week, he was in a dome and this week, he gets to deal with temperatures that will hover around the freezing mark. There?s also the fact that Detroit?s offense is completely depleted with Kerryon Johnson and Marvin Jones Jr. already ruled out. Take the Under for his passing yards total, which should be set around the 230 mark.
Happy Saturday! Usually we don?t get to say this but the NFL on Saturday returns this week so we?ll kick off the day with a prop bet (or two) for today?s action. The first game features the Texans visiting the Jets and we?re seeing something we like with Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson.
The Jets aren?t an easy matchup, ranked 18th in DVOA and 11th against the pass. There?s also the fact that it?s New York in December and, although it won?t be terribly cold with temperatures in the mid-50s, Watson has been a fair weather or indoor quarterback for all of his career. We do like the idea of Watson doing a bit of running today, however, and that?s one area that the Jets have been vulnerable in, allowing 299 yards on 49 rushes so far this season for an average of 6.1 yards per attempt. Josh Allen ripped the Jets for 9-101-1 on the ground last week and Marcus Mariota went 4-43-0 two weeks ago. While we don?t expect Watson to do what Allen did last week, we think he?ll mimic what Mariota was able to do and we?re taking the Over 30.5 for his rushing yards total.
BAKER?S BIG DAY?
Saturday?s second game sees the Browns visit the Broncos and it could be a special night for rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield. Here?s a fun stat: Since Hue Jackson was fired, Mayfield has the third-best passer rating in the NFL behind only Drew Brees and Patrick Mahomes. He has passed for 1,406 passing yards for 9.2 yards per attempt in those five games. Today, he gets a Denver defense that is allowing the 335.8 passing yards since Week 10, which is the most in the league. The Broncos are also going to be without top cornerback Chris Harris, as they were last week when Nick Mullens dropped 332 yards on 10.1 yards per attempt on them. Take the Over 255.5 on Mayfield?s passing yards total.
NO OBJ FOR NYG
Odell Beckham Jr. has been officially ruled out against Tennessee on Sunday with a quad issue, marking the second consecutive week he?ll be on the sideline. While this is obviously bad news for the Giants offense as a whole, it could actually be a boost for Saquon Barkley. Last week, in OBJ?s absence, Barkley went off for 197 combined on just 18 touches. He could have had upwards of 250 yards had the Giants not sat him for most of the second half as they nursed a huge lead against Washington.
Barkley could be the most consistent running back in football at the moment as he has posted 100-plus rushing yards in each of his last four. His matchup isn?t ideal this week as he goes against a Titans defense ranked 17th in overall DVOA, but is proving to be matchup proof, as evidenced by his 146 total yards against Chicago?s top-ranked defense in DVOA two weeks ago. Barkley?s usage should be through the roof in what should be a tight game (TEN -1, O/U 43.5) and we?re looking to get a winner out of Barkley for the second consecutive week by taking the Over for his combined yardage total.
STAFFORD?S BAD BACK
Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford is listed as questionable with a back issue. He was limited at practice all week but the situation was the same last week and he wound up playing through his injury at Arizona. He?s expected to do the same this week as the Lions visit Buffalo on Sunday.
Last week, Stafford was obviously not comfortable and wound up throwing for just 101 yards on 23 attempts against Arizona?s 10th-ranked passing defense in DVOA. On Sunday, he faces Buffalo?s ninth-ranked passing defense, using the same metric. Last week, he was in a dome and this week, he gets to deal with temperatures that will hover around the freezing mark. There?s also the fact that Detroit?s offense is completely depleted with Kerryon Johnson and Marvin Jones Jr. already ruled out. Take the Under for his passing yards total, which should be set around the 230 mark.
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Top 6 picks for Week 15 of Westgate SuperBook NFL handicapping contest (3,123 entries)
1) Indianapolis Colts -3 (999)
2) Tennessee Titans +2.5 (911)
3) Seattle Seahawks -4.5 (877)
4) New England Patriots -2.5 (865)
5) Green Bay Packers +6 (743)
6) Cleveland Browns +3 (701)
Season record: 43-38-3
1) Indianapolis Colts -3 (999)
2) Tennessee Titans +2.5 (911)
3) Seattle Seahawks -4.5 (877)
4) New England Patriots -2.5 (865)
5) Green Bay Packers +6 (743)
6) Cleveland Browns +3 (701)
Season record: 43-38-3
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Total Talk - Week 15
Chris David
Week 14 Recap
The ?under? went 9-7 last week and that record could?ve been better if it wasn?t for some late scoring surges. Bettors on the Ravens-Chiefs ?under? had a great chance to win but that was before Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes pulled off a ridiculous fourth down conversion.
While that was tough to watch for some, the Dallas-Philadelphia outcome was a punch to the stomach for bettors on the low side. The Cowboys led 6-0 at halftime and 9-6 after three quarters before the pair combined for 31 points in the fourth, 28 of those coming in the final 7:36. Dallas wide receiver Amari Cooper has single handily now cashed Cowboy-Over combinations twice this season, the first coming on Thanksgiving.
We did some ?over? tickets get squeezed last week as well. Carolina and Cleveland were knotted 17-17 at halftime and only scored 12 second-half points. Also, the Bengals and Chargers had 29 combined points at halftime and they played to a 9-9 score in the final 30 minutes.
If you?ve been betting NFL on a regular basis, you?ve seen these decisions before and you?ll definitely see them again. Through 14 weeks, the ?under? sits at 108-100 on the season.
2018 Total Results - Game & Halves
O/U Game 1st Half 2nd Half
Week 14 7-9 7-9 5-11
O/U Game 1st Half 2nd Half
Year-to-Date 100-108 104-104 91-112-5
2018 Results - Other
O/U AFC-NFC Divisional Indoor Coast to Coast
Week 14 0-2 5-2 0-2 0-2
O/U AFC-NFC Divisional Indoor Coast to Coast
Year-to-Date 27-21 32-37 18-22 10-6
Line Moves and Public Leans
Listed below are the largest line moves for Week 15 as of Saturday morning per BookMaker.eu.
New Orleans at Carolina: 54 to 50 ?
Philadelphia at L.A. Rams: 54 ? to 52
Green Bay at Chicago: 46 ? to 44 ?
New England at Pittsburgh: 52 ? to 54
Miami at Minnesota: 43 to 44 ?
Detroit at Buffalo: 38 to 39 ?
Listed below are the five largest leans for Week 15 per the betting trend percentages as of Saturday morning.
New England at Pittsburgh: Over 95%
Arizona at Atlanta: Over 89%
Green Bay at Chicago: Under 86%
Oakland at Cincinnati: Over 82%
Seattle at San Francisco: Under 76%
Keep an Eye On
-- There are six non-conference games on tap this weekend and the home team is favored in five of the six matchups. The ?over? has gone 27-21 (56%) in these contests this season.
-- There are only three games listed with totals in the fifties this week and that includes the ?Game of the Week? from Western Pennsylvania between the Steelers and Patriots. The ?under? is on a 3-1 run in this series and that includes last year?s 27-24 road win by New England. The game (52 ?) should?ve at least gone to overtime but Big Ben tried to do too much late and was picked off in the endzone. The Steelers (34.5 PPG) have proven that they can score at Heinz Field this season and even though the Patriots put up 33 last week at Miami, the club is only averaging 23.3 PPG on the road. As Micah Roberts reported in his weekly Vegas Money Moves piece, bettors are riding New England heavily in this matchup and the ?over? is also getting attention. Make a note that the often-wagered Patriots-Over combo has only hit twice this season.
-- The Coast-to-Coast situation have watched the ?over? go 10-6 this season and we?ve got three matchups on tap this weekend ? Oakland at Cincinnati, Arizona at Atlanta, Philadelphia at L.A. Rams. Of these games, the Raiders-Bengals ?over? (46) might have a shot based on defensive tendencies for both clubs. Plus, it?s a meaningless game for the pair and Oakland has allowed 28 and 34 points in its first two games played in the Eastern Time Zone.
-- The ?Road Total System? is in play this week as New Orleans will be playing its third straight road game at Carolina on Monday. The trend calls for bettors to play the ?over? in any game when the visitor is playing their third consecutive road game. Unfortunately, it?s gone 0-2 this season with losers occurring in Week 6 (Ravens) and Week 7 (Rams). Including those results, the ?over? sits at 44-25 (64%) over the last 12 seasons with this situation.
Divisional Matchups
The ?over? rebounded with a 5-2 mark in divisional games last week and the high side is on a 6-2 run when you include Thursday?s result between the Chargers and Chiefs. Including that result, the ?under? has gone 37-33 in divisional matchups this season.
Green Bay at Chicago: A lot of early money coming in on the ?under? in this game even though this has been an ?over? series with eight of the last 10 going to the high side. The pair met in Week 1 and Green Bay stole a 24-23 win over the Bears at home as an injured QB Aaron Rodgers rallied the Packers to 21 points in the fourth quarter. The Chicago defense collapsed in that game but it?s a much-improved unit right now and it?s been great at home (17.6 PPG). On the other side, Green Bay has been a mess defensively (28.8 PPG) on the road but my confidence on the Bears offense isn?t that high. A win for Chicago would clinch the division and eliminate Green Bay from the playoffs, so I?m buying the narrative of a conservative game-plan where QB Mitch Trubisky doesn?t make mistakes.
Seattle at San Francisco: The pair met in Week 13 and Seattle blasted San Francisco 43-16 as the ?over? (45) connected easily. The ?under? cashed in the two previous meetings and the low side is on a 3-1 run in the last four meetings from San Francisco. The 49ers have allowed 28 and 33 points at home in their first two divisional games and they only averaged 14 points per game, both losses. The Seahawks have averaged 25.3 PPG in away games this season, yet the ?under? holds a 4-3 mark.
Carolina at New Orleans: (See Below)
Under the Lights
The ?under? went 2-1 in the primetime games last week and it could?ve been 3-0 if Tennessee didn?t explode against Jacksonville. We saw another rough beat this past Thursday as the Chargers rallied past the Chiefs and if Kansas City makes a late stop, that?s another ?under? ticket. Including that result, the ?over? sits at 23-21 in games played under the lights this season.
Primetime Total Results (O/U): TNF (10-5), SNF (5-9), MNF (8-7)
Philadelphia at L.A. Rams: Nick Foles is expected to start at QB for the Eagles as Carson Wentz sits with a lingering back issue. Foles started the first two games of the season and he didn?t look like the player that won the Super Bowl last season, with Philadelphia managing just 18 and 21 points. The Rams (32.7 PPG) still own the third best scoring offense in the league but the unit hasn?t looked as sharp lately and they were held to a season-low six points last Sunday at Chicago. This Eagles defense is very banged up and the unit is allowing 448 yards per game on the road, which is ranked 31st in the league. If there was an was an opportunity for the Rams offense to get right, it should happen on SNF. Last season, Philadelphia outlasted Los Angeles 43-35 at the Coliseum and the ?over? (47) was never in doubt.
New Orleans at Carolina: This will be the first meeting between the pair this season and they?ll also square off in Week 17 from New Orleans. The ?over? is on a 7-1 run in this series and the Saints have had their way with the Panthers, winning three straight and four of the last five while averaging 31.4 PPG during this span. Carolina is a mess right now, losers in five straight games. To be fair, four of the games were on the road and the last four setbacks came by one score. At home, Carolina has averaged 30.8 PPG this season and that?s led to a 5-1 ?over? mark. As noted above, the Saints fit the ?Road Total System? angle and visitors have averaged 30 PPG in those contests.
Fearless Predictions
Unfortunately, last week?s quartet of plays ($190) featured not one but two of the ?bad beats? mentioned above last week and that kept us in the red. I actually had a chance to juice out but the teaser collapsed with the Giants-Redskins outburst. Only three weeks left in the regular season and hopefully I can keep the bankroll up ($865) with the final 12 plays of the season. As always, Press, Pass or Fade but in the end ? Good Luck!
Best Over: Oakland-Cincinnati 46
Best Under: Detroit-Buffalo 39 ?
Best Team Total: Over Tampa Bay 19 ?
Three-Team Total Teaser (+7.5, +105)
Over Arizona-Atlanta 36 ?
Under Washington-Jacksonville 44
Over New England-Pittsburgh 46 ?
Chris David
Week 14 Recap
The ?under? went 9-7 last week and that record could?ve been better if it wasn?t for some late scoring surges. Bettors on the Ravens-Chiefs ?under? had a great chance to win but that was before Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes pulled off a ridiculous fourth down conversion.
While that was tough to watch for some, the Dallas-Philadelphia outcome was a punch to the stomach for bettors on the low side. The Cowboys led 6-0 at halftime and 9-6 after three quarters before the pair combined for 31 points in the fourth, 28 of those coming in the final 7:36. Dallas wide receiver Amari Cooper has single handily now cashed Cowboy-Over combinations twice this season, the first coming on Thanksgiving.
We did some ?over? tickets get squeezed last week as well. Carolina and Cleveland were knotted 17-17 at halftime and only scored 12 second-half points. Also, the Bengals and Chargers had 29 combined points at halftime and they played to a 9-9 score in the final 30 minutes.
If you?ve been betting NFL on a regular basis, you?ve seen these decisions before and you?ll definitely see them again. Through 14 weeks, the ?under? sits at 108-100 on the season.
2018 Total Results - Game & Halves
O/U Game 1st Half 2nd Half
Week 14 7-9 7-9 5-11
O/U Game 1st Half 2nd Half
Year-to-Date 100-108 104-104 91-112-5
2018 Results - Other
O/U AFC-NFC Divisional Indoor Coast to Coast
Week 14 0-2 5-2 0-2 0-2
O/U AFC-NFC Divisional Indoor Coast to Coast
Year-to-Date 27-21 32-37 18-22 10-6
Line Moves and Public Leans
Listed below are the largest line moves for Week 15 as of Saturday morning per BookMaker.eu.
New Orleans at Carolina: 54 to 50 ?
Philadelphia at L.A. Rams: 54 ? to 52
Green Bay at Chicago: 46 ? to 44 ?
New England at Pittsburgh: 52 ? to 54
Miami at Minnesota: 43 to 44 ?
Detroit at Buffalo: 38 to 39 ?
Listed below are the five largest leans for Week 15 per the betting trend percentages as of Saturday morning.
New England at Pittsburgh: Over 95%
Arizona at Atlanta: Over 89%
Green Bay at Chicago: Under 86%
Oakland at Cincinnati: Over 82%
Seattle at San Francisco: Under 76%
Keep an Eye On
-- There are six non-conference games on tap this weekend and the home team is favored in five of the six matchups. The ?over? has gone 27-21 (56%) in these contests this season.
-- There are only three games listed with totals in the fifties this week and that includes the ?Game of the Week? from Western Pennsylvania between the Steelers and Patriots. The ?under? is on a 3-1 run in this series and that includes last year?s 27-24 road win by New England. The game (52 ?) should?ve at least gone to overtime but Big Ben tried to do too much late and was picked off in the endzone. The Steelers (34.5 PPG) have proven that they can score at Heinz Field this season and even though the Patriots put up 33 last week at Miami, the club is only averaging 23.3 PPG on the road. As Micah Roberts reported in his weekly Vegas Money Moves piece, bettors are riding New England heavily in this matchup and the ?over? is also getting attention. Make a note that the often-wagered Patriots-Over combo has only hit twice this season.
-- The Coast-to-Coast situation have watched the ?over? go 10-6 this season and we?ve got three matchups on tap this weekend ? Oakland at Cincinnati, Arizona at Atlanta, Philadelphia at L.A. Rams. Of these games, the Raiders-Bengals ?over? (46) might have a shot based on defensive tendencies for both clubs. Plus, it?s a meaningless game for the pair and Oakland has allowed 28 and 34 points in its first two games played in the Eastern Time Zone.
-- The ?Road Total System? is in play this week as New Orleans will be playing its third straight road game at Carolina on Monday. The trend calls for bettors to play the ?over? in any game when the visitor is playing their third consecutive road game. Unfortunately, it?s gone 0-2 this season with losers occurring in Week 6 (Ravens) and Week 7 (Rams). Including those results, the ?over? sits at 44-25 (64%) over the last 12 seasons with this situation.
Divisional Matchups
The ?over? rebounded with a 5-2 mark in divisional games last week and the high side is on a 6-2 run when you include Thursday?s result between the Chargers and Chiefs. Including that result, the ?under? has gone 37-33 in divisional matchups this season.
Green Bay at Chicago: A lot of early money coming in on the ?under? in this game even though this has been an ?over? series with eight of the last 10 going to the high side. The pair met in Week 1 and Green Bay stole a 24-23 win over the Bears at home as an injured QB Aaron Rodgers rallied the Packers to 21 points in the fourth quarter. The Chicago defense collapsed in that game but it?s a much-improved unit right now and it?s been great at home (17.6 PPG). On the other side, Green Bay has been a mess defensively (28.8 PPG) on the road but my confidence on the Bears offense isn?t that high. A win for Chicago would clinch the division and eliminate Green Bay from the playoffs, so I?m buying the narrative of a conservative game-plan where QB Mitch Trubisky doesn?t make mistakes.
Seattle at San Francisco: The pair met in Week 13 and Seattle blasted San Francisco 43-16 as the ?over? (45) connected easily. The ?under? cashed in the two previous meetings and the low side is on a 3-1 run in the last four meetings from San Francisco. The 49ers have allowed 28 and 33 points at home in their first two divisional games and they only averaged 14 points per game, both losses. The Seahawks have averaged 25.3 PPG in away games this season, yet the ?under? holds a 4-3 mark.
Carolina at New Orleans: (See Below)
Under the Lights
The ?under? went 2-1 in the primetime games last week and it could?ve been 3-0 if Tennessee didn?t explode against Jacksonville. We saw another rough beat this past Thursday as the Chargers rallied past the Chiefs and if Kansas City makes a late stop, that?s another ?under? ticket. Including that result, the ?over? sits at 23-21 in games played under the lights this season.
Primetime Total Results (O/U): TNF (10-5), SNF (5-9), MNF (8-7)
Philadelphia at L.A. Rams: Nick Foles is expected to start at QB for the Eagles as Carson Wentz sits with a lingering back issue. Foles started the first two games of the season and he didn?t look like the player that won the Super Bowl last season, with Philadelphia managing just 18 and 21 points. The Rams (32.7 PPG) still own the third best scoring offense in the league but the unit hasn?t looked as sharp lately and they were held to a season-low six points last Sunday at Chicago. This Eagles defense is very banged up and the unit is allowing 448 yards per game on the road, which is ranked 31st in the league. If there was an was an opportunity for the Rams offense to get right, it should happen on SNF. Last season, Philadelphia outlasted Los Angeles 43-35 at the Coliseum and the ?over? (47) was never in doubt.
New Orleans at Carolina: This will be the first meeting between the pair this season and they?ll also square off in Week 17 from New Orleans. The ?over? is on a 7-1 run in this series and the Saints have had their way with the Panthers, winning three straight and four of the last five while averaging 31.4 PPG during this span. Carolina is a mess right now, losers in five straight games. To be fair, four of the games were on the road and the last four setbacks came by one score. At home, Carolina has averaged 30.8 PPG this season and that?s led to a 5-1 ?over? mark. As noted above, the Saints fit the ?Road Total System? angle and visitors have averaged 30 PPG in those contests.
Fearless Predictions
Unfortunately, last week?s quartet of plays ($190) featured not one but two of the ?bad beats? mentioned above last week and that kept us in the red. I actually had a chance to juice out but the teaser collapsed with the Giants-Redskins outburst. Only three weeks left in the regular season and hopefully I can keep the bankroll up ($865) with the final 12 plays of the season. As always, Press, Pass or Fade but in the end ? Good Luck!
Best Over: Oakland-Cincinnati 46
Best Under: Detroit-Buffalo 39 ?
Best Team Total: Over Tampa Bay 19 ?
Three-Team Total Teaser (+7.5, +105)
Over Arizona-Atlanta 36 ?
Under Washington-Jacksonville 44
Over New England-Pittsburgh 46 ?
Sunday Blitz - Week 15
December 15, 2018
By Kevin Rogers
GAMES TO WATCH
Cowboys at Colts (-3, 47 ?) ? 1:00 PM EST
Dallas (8-5 SU, 8-5 ATS) captured control of the NFC East not only by sweeping a three-game homestand, but also threw the knockout punch on defending champion Philadelphia last Sunday. Following wins over the Redskins and Saints, the Cowboys went back and forth with the rival Eagles until Dallas finished off Philadelphia in overtime, 29-23 to cash as 3 ?-point favorites. Amari Cooper hauled in the game-winning touchdown pass from Dak Prescott in overtime to cap off a 10-catch, 217-yard performance along with three touchdowns catches.
The Colts (7-6 SU, 6-6-1 ATS) rebounded from an ugly performance in a 6-0 setback at Jacksonville in Week 13 to top Houston last Sunday, 24-21 as four-point underdogs. Indianapolis opened things up by scoring 17 second quarter points, while Andrew Luck diced up the Houston defense for 399 yards and two touchdowns. The Colts have won six of the last seven games since a 1-5 start, while finished UNDER the total in four consecutive contests.
Dallas has won and covered five straight games, while winning two in a row on the road since starting 0-4 away from AT&T Stadium. The Colts started the season at 3-0-1 ATS when laying points, but have failed to cash in their last two opportunities when laying points. Dallas crushed Indianapolis in its last matchup in 2014 in Arlington, 42-7, as the Colts last beat the Cowboys in 2002.
Best Bet: Colts 27, Cowboys 21
Dolphins at Vikings (-7 ?, 44 ?) ? 1:00 PM EST
Last season, the Vikings (6-6-1 SU, 6-6-1 ATS) pulled off the Minneapolis Miracle by stunning the Saints in the divisional round of the playoffs with a last-second touchdown. Last Sunday, the Dolphins (7-6 SU, 8-5 ATS) put together the Miami Miracle by perfectly executing a pair of laterals in the final seconds, capped off by a Kenyan Drake touchdown to lift the ?Fins past the mighty Patriots, 34-33 as 9 ?-point underdogs.
The Dolphins improved to 6-1 at Hard Rock Stadium, while remaining alive in the AFC Wild Card race. The only problem is Miami needs to fix its road woes, as the Dolphins have lost five of six games away from south Florida, while last winning on the highway in Week 2 against the Jets. Since Ryan Tannehill returned under center for Miami, the Dolphins are 3-0 ATS the last three games, while going 6-2 ATS with their starting quarterback in the lineup this season.
Minnesota stunk it up at Seattle last Monday in a 21-7 setback as the lone touchdown for the Vikings came late in the fourth quarter. The Vikings are 4-2 at U.S. Bank Stadium, where they have played at only once in the past month in a 24-17 victory over the Packers. Since winning three straight games in October, the Vikings? offense has been limited to 20 points or less in four of the past six contests.
Best Bet: Vikings 23, Dolphins 19
Patriots (-2 ?, 54) at Steelers ? 4:25 PM EST
It?s not normal to see December road meltdowns by New England and Pittsburgh, but they both occurred on the same Sunday. The Patriots (9-4 SU, 8-5 ATS) couldn?t break away from the Dolphins, but led 33-28 in the final seconds. The Dolphins stunned New England with the Miami Miracle on a 69-yard touchdown to hand the Patriots their fourth road loss of the season. New England allowed at least 31 points on the road for the fourth time in 2018, while losing at Miami for the fifth time in six seasons.
The Steelers (7-5-1 SU, 6-6-1 ATS) were in firm control of the AFC North three weeks ago, but are now in danger of missing the playoffs with a poor finish. Pittsburgh has lost the last three games by seven points or less, including last Sunday?s 24-21 setback at Oakland as hefty 10 ?-point road favorites. Ben Roethlisberger suffered a rib injury, while the Raiders scored the go-ahead touchdown in the final minute for only their third win of the season. Pittsburgh fell to 3-6-1 ATS in the favorite role, but the Steelers are 3-0 ATS as an underdog.
These two rivals are meeting for the first time since the infamous catch/no-catch from Steelers? tight end Jesse James in New England?s 27-24 comeback victory at Heinz Field last December. That rally by the Patriots propelled New England to a home-field advantage in the AFC, while the Steelers eventually got bounced back Jacksonville in the divisional round. The Patriots have owned the Steelers through the years by capturing each of the past five matchups, while winning in three straight visits to Heinz Field.
Best Bet: Patriots 31, Steelers 24
SUPERCONTEST PICKS
Kevin Rogers (1-4 last week, 33-35-2 this season)
Bengals -3
Titans +2 ?
Packers +6
Falcons -8 ?
49ers +4 ?
Chris David (2-3 last week, 45-24-1 this season)
Bills -2 ?
Titans +2 ?
Bears -6
Falcons -8 ?
Rams -11
BEST TOTAL PLAY
OVER 44 ? Cardinals at Falcons
This is the lowest total the Falcons have seen at home since Week 2 against the Panthers, when Atlanta beat Carolina, 31-24 on a 44 total. Arizona?s offense has not been productive all season long, while scoring 33 points the past three weeks. Atlanta?s defense has been banged-up all season long, while Arizona has hit the OVER in three of five opportunities on the road with totals of 45 or less.
TRAP OF THE WEEK
The Seahawks have been one of the hottest teams in the NFL the last two months by winning six of their last eight games. Seattle seeks its fifth consecutive victory as the Seahawks face the 49ers for the second time in three weeks. The Seahawks pounded the Niners at CenturyLink Field in Week 13 as 10-point favorites, 43-16. San Francisco ended a three-game skid in a 20-14 triumph over Denver last Sunday as three-point underdogs to pick up its second consecutive home ?dog cover. Seattle is listed as a road favorite for the first time since Week 4 at Arizona in a non-cover in a 20-17 win as 3 ?-point chalk.
BIGGEST LINE MOVE
The Rams opened as 7 ?-point home favorites against the Eagles at the Westgate Superbook last Sunday. Following the announcement of Carson Wentz?s back injury, Los Angeles has moved up to a 12-point favorite at many sports books. The Eagles are 0-2 SU/ATS in the underdog role, as Nick Foles will look to work his magic from last season?s championship run the rest of the season.
BETCHA DIDN?T KNOW
The Lions have played their last four games indoors, as Detroit will head to not-so-warm weather in Buffalo on Sunday. Game-time temperature is set for 37 degrees and luckily no snow, but Detroit has won only once this season outdoors and that came at Miami in Week 7. Meanwhile, Buffalo is coming off a pair of four-point losses to the Dolphins and Jets, while seeking a second win against an NFC foe.
December 15, 2018
By Kevin Rogers
GAMES TO WATCH
Cowboys at Colts (-3, 47 ?) ? 1:00 PM EST
Dallas (8-5 SU, 8-5 ATS) captured control of the NFC East not only by sweeping a three-game homestand, but also threw the knockout punch on defending champion Philadelphia last Sunday. Following wins over the Redskins and Saints, the Cowboys went back and forth with the rival Eagles until Dallas finished off Philadelphia in overtime, 29-23 to cash as 3 ?-point favorites. Amari Cooper hauled in the game-winning touchdown pass from Dak Prescott in overtime to cap off a 10-catch, 217-yard performance along with three touchdowns catches.
The Colts (7-6 SU, 6-6-1 ATS) rebounded from an ugly performance in a 6-0 setback at Jacksonville in Week 13 to top Houston last Sunday, 24-21 as four-point underdogs. Indianapolis opened things up by scoring 17 second quarter points, while Andrew Luck diced up the Houston defense for 399 yards and two touchdowns. The Colts have won six of the last seven games since a 1-5 start, while finished UNDER the total in four consecutive contests.
Dallas has won and covered five straight games, while winning two in a row on the road since starting 0-4 away from AT&T Stadium. The Colts started the season at 3-0-1 ATS when laying points, but have failed to cash in their last two opportunities when laying points. Dallas crushed Indianapolis in its last matchup in 2014 in Arlington, 42-7, as the Colts last beat the Cowboys in 2002.
Best Bet: Colts 27, Cowboys 21
Dolphins at Vikings (-7 ?, 44 ?) ? 1:00 PM EST
Last season, the Vikings (6-6-1 SU, 6-6-1 ATS) pulled off the Minneapolis Miracle by stunning the Saints in the divisional round of the playoffs with a last-second touchdown. Last Sunday, the Dolphins (7-6 SU, 8-5 ATS) put together the Miami Miracle by perfectly executing a pair of laterals in the final seconds, capped off by a Kenyan Drake touchdown to lift the ?Fins past the mighty Patriots, 34-33 as 9 ?-point underdogs.
The Dolphins improved to 6-1 at Hard Rock Stadium, while remaining alive in the AFC Wild Card race. The only problem is Miami needs to fix its road woes, as the Dolphins have lost five of six games away from south Florida, while last winning on the highway in Week 2 against the Jets. Since Ryan Tannehill returned under center for Miami, the Dolphins are 3-0 ATS the last three games, while going 6-2 ATS with their starting quarterback in the lineup this season.
Minnesota stunk it up at Seattle last Monday in a 21-7 setback as the lone touchdown for the Vikings came late in the fourth quarter. The Vikings are 4-2 at U.S. Bank Stadium, where they have played at only once in the past month in a 24-17 victory over the Packers. Since winning three straight games in October, the Vikings? offense has been limited to 20 points or less in four of the past six contests.
Best Bet: Vikings 23, Dolphins 19
Patriots (-2 ?, 54) at Steelers ? 4:25 PM EST
It?s not normal to see December road meltdowns by New England and Pittsburgh, but they both occurred on the same Sunday. The Patriots (9-4 SU, 8-5 ATS) couldn?t break away from the Dolphins, but led 33-28 in the final seconds. The Dolphins stunned New England with the Miami Miracle on a 69-yard touchdown to hand the Patriots their fourth road loss of the season. New England allowed at least 31 points on the road for the fourth time in 2018, while losing at Miami for the fifth time in six seasons.
The Steelers (7-5-1 SU, 6-6-1 ATS) were in firm control of the AFC North three weeks ago, but are now in danger of missing the playoffs with a poor finish. Pittsburgh has lost the last three games by seven points or less, including last Sunday?s 24-21 setback at Oakland as hefty 10 ?-point road favorites. Ben Roethlisberger suffered a rib injury, while the Raiders scored the go-ahead touchdown in the final minute for only their third win of the season. Pittsburgh fell to 3-6-1 ATS in the favorite role, but the Steelers are 3-0 ATS as an underdog.
These two rivals are meeting for the first time since the infamous catch/no-catch from Steelers? tight end Jesse James in New England?s 27-24 comeback victory at Heinz Field last December. That rally by the Patriots propelled New England to a home-field advantage in the AFC, while the Steelers eventually got bounced back Jacksonville in the divisional round. The Patriots have owned the Steelers through the years by capturing each of the past five matchups, while winning in three straight visits to Heinz Field.
Best Bet: Patriots 31, Steelers 24
SUPERCONTEST PICKS
Kevin Rogers (1-4 last week, 33-35-2 this season)
Bengals -3
Titans +2 ?
Packers +6
Falcons -8 ?
49ers +4 ?
Chris David (2-3 last week, 45-24-1 this season)
Bills -2 ?
Titans +2 ?
Bears -6
Falcons -8 ?
Rams -11
BEST TOTAL PLAY
OVER 44 ? Cardinals at Falcons
This is the lowest total the Falcons have seen at home since Week 2 against the Panthers, when Atlanta beat Carolina, 31-24 on a 44 total. Arizona?s offense has not been productive all season long, while scoring 33 points the past three weeks. Atlanta?s defense has been banged-up all season long, while Arizona has hit the OVER in three of five opportunities on the road with totals of 45 or less.
TRAP OF THE WEEK
The Seahawks have been one of the hottest teams in the NFL the last two months by winning six of their last eight games. Seattle seeks its fifth consecutive victory as the Seahawks face the 49ers for the second time in three weeks. The Seahawks pounded the Niners at CenturyLink Field in Week 13 as 10-point favorites, 43-16. San Francisco ended a three-game skid in a 20-14 triumph over Denver last Sunday as three-point underdogs to pick up its second consecutive home ?dog cover. Seattle is listed as a road favorite for the first time since Week 4 at Arizona in a non-cover in a 20-17 win as 3 ?-point chalk.
BIGGEST LINE MOVE
The Rams opened as 7 ?-point home favorites against the Eagles at the Westgate Superbook last Sunday. Following the announcement of Carson Wentz?s back injury, Los Angeles has moved up to a 12-point favorite at many sports books. The Eagles are 0-2 SU/ATS in the underdog role, as Nick Foles will look to work his magic from last season?s championship run the rest of the season.
BETCHA DIDN?T KNOW
The Lions have played their last four games indoors, as Detroit will head to not-so-warm weather in Buffalo on Sunday. Game-time temperature is set for 37 degrees and luckily no snow, but Detroit has won only once this season outdoors and that came at Miami in Week 7. Meanwhile, Buffalo is coming off a pair of four-point losses to the Dolphins and Jets, while seeking a second win against an NFC foe.
Deshaun Watston, Texans rally to top Jets
December 15, 2018
By The Associated Press
DENVER (AP) Baker Mayfield capitalized on Denver's depleted cornerback corps and dubious decisions in leading the Cleveland Browns past the Broncos 17-16 on Saturday night, keeping alive their slim hopes of ending the NFL's longest playoff drought.
Mayfield's 2-yard TD toss to Antonio Calloway with just under 12 minutes left provided the winning margin for the Browns (6-7-1). They snapped an 11-game losing streak to the Broncos (6-8).
Improving to 3-28 on the road over the last four seasons, the Browns still have a shot at their first winning season since 2007 and even their first playoff berth since 2002 thanks to their first win over Denver since 1990.
Calloway's touchdown made it 17-13 and came with safety Justin Simmons in coverage because the Broncos were down five cornerbacks.
The Broncos responded with a 13-play drive that ate up more than seven minutes, but coach Vance Joseph inexplicably sent in kicker Brandon McManus for a field goal instead of going for it on fourth-and-1 from the Cleveland 6 with 4:35 remaining.
TEXANS 29, JETS 22
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - Deshaun Watson threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to DeAndre Hopkins with 2:15 left, lifting the Houston Texans to a 29-22 comeback victory over Sam Darnold and the New York Jets on Saturday night.
After Darnold and the Jets took their first lead of the game on Elijah McGuire's 2-yard touchdown run, Watson and the Texans (10-4) answered right back.
A holding call on cornerback Morris Claiborne on third down prolonged the drive, and Watson completed passes of 20 and 3 yards to Demaryius Thomas and 7 yards to Hopkins to get to New York's 14. Watson then found Hopkins streaking down the left sideline and launched a pass that the receiver somehow came down with despite being tightly covered by Claiborne.
Ka'imi Fairbairn's 40-yard field goal made it 29-22 with 54 seconds left. Darnold and the Jets (4-10) had one more opportunity to try to tie - or win - but Houston held on.
December 15, 2018
By The Associated Press
DENVER (AP) Baker Mayfield capitalized on Denver's depleted cornerback corps and dubious decisions in leading the Cleveland Browns past the Broncos 17-16 on Saturday night, keeping alive their slim hopes of ending the NFL's longest playoff drought.
Mayfield's 2-yard TD toss to Antonio Calloway with just under 12 minutes left provided the winning margin for the Browns (6-7-1). They snapped an 11-game losing streak to the Broncos (6-8).
Improving to 3-28 on the road over the last four seasons, the Browns still have a shot at their first winning season since 2007 and even their first playoff berth since 2002 thanks to their first win over Denver since 1990.
Calloway's touchdown made it 17-13 and came with safety Justin Simmons in coverage because the Broncos were down five cornerbacks.
The Broncos responded with a 13-play drive that ate up more than seven minutes, but coach Vance Joseph inexplicably sent in kicker Brandon McManus for a field goal instead of going for it on fourth-and-1 from the Cleveland 6 with 4:35 remaining.
TEXANS 29, JETS 22
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - Deshaun Watson threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to DeAndre Hopkins with 2:15 left, lifting the Houston Texans to a 29-22 comeback victory over Sam Darnold and the New York Jets on Saturday night.
After Darnold and the Jets took their first lead of the game on Elijah McGuire's 2-yard touchdown run, Watson and the Texans (10-4) answered right back.
A holding call on cornerback Morris Claiborne on third down prolonged the drive, and Watson completed passes of 20 and 3 yards to Demaryius Thomas and 7 yards to Hopkins to get to New York's 14. Watson then found Hopkins streaking down the left sideline and launched a pass that the receiver somehow came down with despite being tightly covered by Claiborne.
Ka'imi Fairbairn's 40-yard field goal made it 29-22 with 54 seconds left. Darnold and the Jets (4-10) had one more opportunity to try to tie - or win - but Houston held on.
NFL December's Best Bets and Opinions
DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD
12/15/2018 3-0-1 100.00% +15.00
12/13/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
12/10/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
12/09/2018 11-13-0 45.83% -16.50
12/06/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
12/03/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
12/02/2018 12-11-0 52.17% -0.50
Totals...............31-27-0.....53.44%.....+6.50
********************
Best Bets For December
DATE........................ATS..................U NITS....................O/U................UNITS..............TOTAL
12/15/2018............1 - 0................+5.00.......................2 - 0................+10.00.........+15.00
12/13/2018............1 - 0................+5.00.......................0 - 1.................-5.50............-0.50
12/10/2018............0 - 1.................-5.50.......................0 - 1.................-5.50............-11.00
12/09/2018............3 - 3.................-1.50.......................5 - 6.................-3.00.............-4.50
12/06/2018............1 - 0 ................+5.00......................1 - 0................+5.00............+10.00
12/03/2018............1 - 0.................+5.00......................1 - 0................+5.00............+10.00
12/02/2018............3 - 4..................-7.00......................0 - 3................-16.50............-23.50
Totals.....................10 - 8...............+6.00....................9 - 11...............-10.50..............-4.50
DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD
12/15/2018 3-0-1 100.00% +15.00
12/13/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
12/10/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
12/09/2018 11-13-0 45.83% -16.50
12/06/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
12/03/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
12/02/2018 12-11-0 52.17% -0.50
Totals...............31-27-0.....53.44%.....+6.50
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Best Bets For December
DATE........................ATS..................U NITS....................O/U................UNITS..............TOTAL
12/15/2018............1 - 0................+5.00.......................2 - 0................+10.00.........+15.00
12/13/2018............1 - 0................+5.00.......................0 - 1.................-5.50............-0.50
12/10/2018............0 - 1.................-5.50.......................0 - 1.................-5.50............-11.00
12/09/2018............3 - 3.................-1.50.......................5 - 6.................-3.00.............-4.50
12/06/2018............1 - 0 ................+5.00......................1 - 0................+5.00............+10.00
12/03/2018............1 - 0.................+5.00......................1 - 0................+5.00............+10.00
12/02/2018............3 - 4..................-7.00......................0 - 3................-16.50............-23.50
Totals.....................10 - 8...............+6.00....................9 - 11...............-10.50..............-4.50
Sunday?s 6-pack
Top 6 picks for Week 15 of Westgate SuperBook NFL handicapping contest:
1) Indianapolis Colts -3 (999)
2) Tennessee Titans +2.5 (911)
3) Seattle Seahawks -4.5 (877)
4) New England Patriots -2.5 (865)
5) Green Bay Packers +6 (743)
6) Cleveland Browns +3 (701)- W
Season record: 44-38-3
Las Vegas Fact of the Day
?Alcohol can be detrimental to anyone hoping to beat the house.?
C. Trent Rosencrans, explaining why casinos sometimes give out free drinks
Sunday?s quiz
Where is Baylor University located?
Saturday?s quiz
Los Angeles Rams? owner Stan Kroenke also owns the Denver Nuggets in the NBA and the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL.
Friday?s quiz
Philip Rivers played his college football at NC State.
****************************
Sunday?s Den: Wrapping up a sports Saturday??.
Noon-2pm:
? Kansas 74, Villanova 71? Villanova?s bench (3 guys) scored zero points, was 0-4 from floor in 29 combined minutes. Wildcats were 8-28 on the arc, still hung tough but fell short.
? Tennessee 102, Memphis 92? Vols were 39-46 on foul line, Memphis 16-22.
? SMU 81, Georgetown 73? Patrick Ewing in his 2nd year as the Hoyas? coach; they lost seven of last nine games LY, finished 15-15. Georgetown is 7-3 now, vs schedule #255- this loss ain?t going to look good on Selection Sunday. Coach Ewing needs a big guy like Ewing the player.
? Tulane 41, Louisiana 24- First bowl of the season is the Cure Bowl in Orlando. Shouldn?t these teams be playing in Shreveport or New Orleans? Green Wave banks its first bowl win since 2002; good win for the AAC.
2pm-4pm:
? Notre Dame 88, Purdue 80? Boilermakers lost for fifth time in last seven games.
? Seton Hall 72, Rutgers 66? Underrated rivalry from the Garden State. Rutgers lost its 4th game in a row; they were outscored 21-10 on foul line.
? Utah State 52, North Texas 13? Utah State plays New Mexico every year, every other year in this stadium; Aggies lost their coach to Texas Tech, sometimes teams like that don?t react well in this situation, but Utah State led 38-7 at halftime in a commanding performance, showing that they really did deserve to be in a better bowl.
4pm-6pm:
? Indiana 71, Butler 68? Hoosiers were holding ball for last shot and kind of screwed things up, so kid jacks a 35-footer at the buzzer and drains it. Not the play anyone drew up, but it was a game-winner. Exciting ballgame.
? Kentucky 88, Utah 61? Pac-12 is really struggling so far this season.
? Belmont 74, UCLA 72? UCLA went 9-24 on foul line in second half.
? Texans 29, Jets 22? Houston scored 10 points in last 2:15 of game
6pm-8pm:
? Arizona State 76, Georgia 74? Sun Devils were down 47-33 at halftime.
? North Carolina 103. Gonzaga 90? Probably Zags? last loss until March.
? Fresno State 31, Arizona State 20? Herm Edwards finishes his first year at ASU 7-6. I went to Las Vegas Bowl few years ago and damn near froze my butt off; had to move around stadium and stay in sun. Didn?t dress warm enough.
? Georgia Southern 23, Eastern Michigan 21? Georgia Southern ran ball for 331 yards.
8pm-10pm:
? If you like college basketball, I recommend you get ESPN+; its only $5 a month, and you get ton of games in mid-major and low-major leagues, so that is fun. I have it and will cancel it as soon as basketball season is over, then get it again next winter.
? Mississippi State 70, Cincinnati 59? 9-1 Bulldogs made 12-23 on arc; Cincy was 3-14.
? Oklahoma 81, USC 70? Trojans shot 34.8% from floor, turned ball over 18 times.
? Browns 17, Broncos 16? Cleveland has won four of its last five games. If you want to be an NFL head coach, I?m guessing John Elway will be accepting applications soon.
10pm-midnight:
? Appalachian State 45, Middle Tennessee State 13? How would you like to be the coach in charge of bed checks at the New Orleans Bowl? Good luck there.
? UNLV 92, BYU 90 OT? Rebels blew a 17-point halftime lead, needed a 3-pointer at buzzer in OT to pull out this win at T-Mobile Arena.
? Thunder 110, Clippers 104? Clippers lost five of their last six games.
? Carson Wentz (back) is definitely out for the Eagles? game in LA Sunday night.
Elsewhere??
6) Upsets of the Day:
? Oral Roberts (+11) 59, Richmond 52
? Old Dominion (+10.5) 68, Syracuse 62
? Belmont (+7.5) 74, UCLA 72
? Charleston (+7) 83, VCU 79
? Mississippi State (+5) 70, Cincinnati 59
? Notre Dame (+4.5) 88, Purdue 80
? SMU (+4.5) 81, Georgetown 73
5) Boston Red Sox went $40M over the tax threshold, so they owe $11,951,091 in luxury tax for going so far over the limit. Only other team that owes money is the Washington Nationals, who didn?t make the playoffs last year, but still owe $2,386,097, Whoops.
If you have to pay a luxury tax and still miss the playoffs, either the GM or manager (or both) should be fired, right? Somebody screwed up.
Boston?s top draft pick in June?s amateur draft also got dropped ten spots as a penalty.
4) This was the first time in 16 years the Bronx Bombers finished under the tax threshold; seeing the Red Sox lift the World Series trophy this past October will probably spur Bronx to spend ridiculous amounts of money this coming season.
3) Providence freshman guard AJ Reeves, the Friars? 2nd-leading scorer, will miss four to six weeks because of a foot injury.
2) Former ESPN guy Charlie Steiner signed a 3-year extension to continue as the Dodgers? radio voice. Do yourself a favor, go to YouTube and look up ?Charlie Steiner outtakes? when he gets laughing and can?t stop several times while doing SportsCenter. Good stuff.
1) The line in my neighborhood deli was out the door at noontime Saturday, so good for them, its a terrific place (Pellegrino?s on Central Ave) but I?m not a fan of waiting on line, so had to go elsewhere for lunch. Too bad, they have terrific subs.
Top 6 picks for Week 15 of Westgate SuperBook NFL handicapping contest:
1) Indianapolis Colts -3 (999)
2) Tennessee Titans +2.5 (911)
3) Seattle Seahawks -4.5 (877)
4) New England Patriots -2.5 (865)
5) Green Bay Packers +6 (743)
6) Cleveland Browns +3 (701)- W
Season record: 44-38-3
Las Vegas Fact of the Day
?Alcohol can be detrimental to anyone hoping to beat the house.?
C. Trent Rosencrans, explaining why casinos sometimes give out free drinks
Sunday?s quiz
Where is Baylor University located?
Saturday?s quiz
Los Angeles Rams? owner Stan Kroenke also owns the Denver Nuggets in the NBA and the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL.
Friday?s quiz
Philip Rivers played his college football at NC State.
****************************
Sunday?s Den: Wrapping up a sports Saturday??.
Noon-2pm:
? Kansas 74, Villanova 71? Villanova?s bench (3 guys) scored zero points, was 0-4 from floor in 29 combined minutes. Wildcats were 8-28 on the arc, still hung tough but fell short.
? Tennessee 102, Memphis 92? Vols were 39-46 on foul line, Memphis 16-22.
? SMU 81, Georgetown 73? Patrick Ewing in his 2nd year as the Hoyas? coach; they lost seven of last nine games LY, finished 15-15. Georgetown is 7-3 now, vs schedule #255- this loss ain?t going to look good on Selection Sunday. Coach Ewing needs a big guy like Ewing the player.
? Tulane 41, Louisiana 24- First bowl of the season is the Cure Bowl in Orlando. Shouldn?t these teams be playing in Shreveport or New Orleans? Green Wave banks its first bowl win since 2002; good win for the AAC.
2pm-4pm:
? Notre Dame 88, Purdue 80? Boilermakers lost for fifth time in last seven games.
? Seton Hall 72, Rutgers 66? Underrated rivalry from the Garden State. Rutgers lost its 4th game in a row; they were outscored 21-10 on foul line.
? Utah State 52, North Texas 13? Utah State plays New Mexico every year, every other year in this stadium; Aggies lost their coach to Texas Tech, sometimes teams like that don?t react well in this situation, but Utah State led 38-7 at halftime in a commanding performance, showing that they really did deserve to be in a better bowl.
4pm-6pm:
? Indiana 71, Butler 68? Hoosiers were holding ball for last shot and kind of screwed things up, so kid jacks a 35-footer at the buzzer and drains it. Not the play anyone drew up, but it was a game-winner. Exciting ballgame.
? Kentucky 88, Utah 61? Pac-12 is really struggling so far this season.
? Belmont 74, UCLA 72? UCLA went 9-24 on foul line in second half.
? Texans 29, Jets 22? Houston scored 10 points in last 2:15 of game
6pm-8pm:
? Arizona State 76, Georgia 74? Sun Devils were down 47-33 at halftime.
? North Carolina 103. Gonzaga 90? Probably Zags? last loss until March.
? Fresno State 31, Arizona State 20? Herm Edwards finishes his first year at ASU 7-6. I went to Las Vegas Bowl few years ago and damn near froze my butt off; had to move around stadium and stay in sun. Didn?t dress warm enough.
? Georgia Southern 23, Eastern Michigan 21? Georgia Southern ran ball for 331 yards.
8pm-10pm:
? If you like college basketball, I recommend you get ESPN+; its only $5 a month, and you get ton of games in mid-major and low-major leagues, so that is fun. I have it and will cancel it as soon as basketball season is over, then get it again next winter.
? Mississippi State 70, Cincinnati 59? 9-1 Bulldogs made 12-23 on arc; Cincy was 3-14.
? Oklahoma 81, USC 70? Trojans shot 34.8% from floor, turned ball over 18 times.
? Browns 17, Broncos 16? Cleveland has won four of its last five games. If you want to be an NFL head coach, I?m guessing John Elway will be accepting applications soon.
10pm-midnight:
? Appalachian State 45, Middle Tennessee State 13? How would you like to be the coach in charge of bed checks at the New Orleans Bowl? Good luck there.
? UNLV 92, BYU 90 OT? Rebels blew a 17-point halftime lead, needed a 3-pointer at buzzer in OT to pull out this win at T-Mobile Arena.
? Thunder 110, Clippers 104? Clippers lost five of their last six games.
? Carson Wentz (back) is definitely out for the Eagles? game in LA Sunday night.
Elsewhere??
6) Upsets of the Day:
? Oral Roberts (+11) 59, Richmond 52
? Old Dominion (+10.5) 68, Syracuse 62
? Belmont (+7.5) 74, UCLA 72
? Charleston (+7) 83, VCU 79
? Mississippi State (+5) 70, Cincinnati 59
? Notre Dame (+4.5) 88, Purdue 80
? SMU (+4.5) 81, Georgetown 73
5) Boston Red Sox went $40M over the tax threshold, so they owe $11,951,091 in luxury tax for going so far over the limit. Only other team that owes money is the Washington Nationals, who didn?t make the playoffs last year, but still owe $2,386,097, Whoops.
If you have to pay a luxury tax and still miss the playoffs, either the GM or manager (or both) should be fired, right? Somebody screwed up.
Boston?s top draft pick in June?s amateur draft also got dropped ten spots as a penalty.
4) This was the first time in 16 years the Bronx Bombers finished under the tax threshold; seeing the Red Sox lift the World Series trophy this past October will probably spur Bronx to spend ridiculous amounts of money this coming season.
3) Providence freshman guard AJ Reeves, the Friars? 2nd-leading scorer, will miss four to six weeks because of a foot injury.
2) Former ESPN guy Charlie Steiner signed a 3-year extension to continue as the Dodgers? radio voice. Do yourself a favor, go to YouTube and look up ?Charlie Steiner outtakes? when he gets laughing and can?t stop several times while doing SportsCenter. Good stuff.
1) The line in my neighborhood deli was out the door at noontime Saturday, so good for them, its a terrific place (Pellegrino?s on Central Ave) but I?m not a fan of waiting on line, so had to go elsewhere for lunch. Too bad, they have terrific subs.
- Sep 10, 2018
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NFL WEATHER ALERT
Lions at Bills
A cold drizzle is expected throughout today's game. Temps expected slightly above freezing (34 degrees) with very little wind (2-3 MPH).
Pointspread: Bills -2.5
Total: 40
Bucs at Ravens
Light rain expected throughout the game with air temps around 40 degrees (wind chill in the low 30's). An 11-12 MPH wind is in the forecast blowing end zone-to-end zone.
Pointspread: Ravens -8.5
Total: 46
Titans at Giants
Light rain expected throughout the game with air temps around 39-40 degrees (wind chill in the low 30's). An 12-13 MPH wind is in the forecast blowing end zone-to-end zone.
Pointspread: Titans -1
Total: 43
Lions at Bills
A cold drizzle is expected throughout today's game. Temps expected slightly above freezing (34 degrees) with very little wind (2-3 MPH).
Pointspread: Bills -2.5
Total: 40
Bucs at Ravens
Light rain expected throughout the game with air temps around 40 degrees (wind chill in the low 30's). An 11-12 MPH wind is in the forecast blowing end zone-to-end zone.
Pointspread: Ravens -8.5
Total: 46
Titans at Giants
Light rain expected throughout the game with air temps around 39-40 degrees (wind chill in the low 30's). An 12-13 MPH wind is in the forecast blowing end zone-to-end zone.
Pointspread: Titans -1
Total: 43
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS
GB at CHI 01:00 PM
CHI -5.0
O 46.5
ARI at ATL 01:00 PM
ARI +8.5
O 43.5
MIA at MIN 01:00 PM
MIA +7.5
O 45.0
WAS at JAC 01:00 PM
JAC -7.5
U 36.5
OAK at CIN 01:00 PM
OAK +3.0
O 46.0
TB at BAL 01:00 PM
BAL -8.5
U 45.5
DET at BUF 01:00 PM
BUF -2.5
U 39.5
TEN at NYG 01:00 PM
NYG +1.0
U 43.0
DAL at IND 01:00 PM
IND -3.0
U 46.5
SEA at SF 04:05 PM
SF +3.5
U 44.5
NE at PIT 04:25 PM
NE -2.5
U 54.0
PHI at LAR 08:20 PM
LAR -13.0
U 52.0
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS
GB at CHI 01:00 PM
CHI -5.0
O 46.5
ARI at ATL 01:00 PM
ARI +8.5
O 43.5
MIA at MIN 01:00 PM
MIA +7.5
O 45.0
WAS at JAC 01:00 PM
JAC -7.5
U 36.5
OAK at CIN 01:00 PM
OAK +3.0
O 46.0
TB at BAL 01:00 PM
BAL -8.5
U 45.5
DET at BUF 01:00 PM
BUF -2.5
U 39.5
TEN at NYG 01:00 PM
NYG +1.0
U 43.0
DAL at IND 01:00 PM
IND -3.0
U 46.5
SEA at SF 04:05 PM
SF +3.5
U 44.5
NE at PIT 04:25 PM
NE -2.5
U 54.0
PHI at LAR 08:20 PM
LAR -13.0
U 52.0
- Sep 10, 2018
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Bettors backing Patriots' odds for NFL Week 15 battle vs. Steelers
Patrick Everson
Antonio Brown and the Steelers are on an ill-timed three-game SU and ATS skid. As such, Pittsburgh is a home underdog to New England in Week 15, and Patriots play has pushed this line up.
NFL Week 15 Sunday is a bit abbreviated with 12 games, since there were two Saturday matchups this week. Covers checks in on the action and line movement for four of those dozen contests, with insights from John Murray, director of The SuperBook at Westgate in Las Vegas.
New England Patriots at Pittsburgh Steelers ? Open: +1; Move: +1.5; Move: +2; Move: +2.5; Move: +2
New England absorbed one of the most unlikely losses of the season in Week 14. Leading 33-28 in the final seconds, the Patriots (9-4 SU, 8-5 ATS) gave up a 69-yard touchdown pass that included two laterals, losing to Miami 34-33 as 9.5-point favorites.
Pittsburgh was also dealt an upset loss as a hefty Week 14 road favorite. The Steelers (7-5-1 SU, 6-6-1 ATS) let Oakland hang around throughout, allowing a last-minute touchdown in tumbling 24-21 laying 10.5 points for their third consecutive SU and ATS setback.
?A lot of support for the Patriots this week has pushed this number up from Patriots -1 to -2.5 (-120),? Murray said of this 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff, which saw the line dip to 2 Saturday night. ?The tickets are more than 3/1 on the Patriots, and the Steelers are setting up to be our biggest need on Sunday. We also will be rooting for the Under, as the liability is building up on the Over. That?s not a big surprise for such a high-profile game.?
The SuperBook opened the total at 52 and reached 54 by Saturday morning.
Dallas Cowboys at Indianapolis Colts ? Open: -3; Move: None
Dallas put its season back together by winning and cashing five in a row. In Week 14, the Cowboys (8-5 SU and ATS) had to work overtime against Philadelphia, but came away with a 29-23 victory as 3.5-point home faves.
Indianapolis is in the midst of a solid second half of the season, as well, going 6-1 SU in its last seven games. The Colts (7-6 SU, 6-6-1 ATS) beat Houston 24-21 as 4-point road underdogs in Week 14.
The SuperBook stuck at Indy -3 all week, only making adjustments to the juice for this 1 p.m. ET start.
?The majority of the tickets have come in on the Cowboys, but sharp action has moved the number from Colts -3 (even) to Colts -3 (-120),? Murray said. ?This is a tough spot for the Cowboys. They basically locked up the NFC East with their win over the Eagles, and the Colts have been playing very well lately, with the exception of the game in Jacksonville two weeks ago.
?The Colts need this game to stay in the thick of the competitive AFC South race.?
Tennessee Titans at New York Giants ? Open: -2.5; Move: -3; Move: -1.5; Move: -2; Move: -1.5; Move: -1; Move: Pick; Move: +1
Tennessee wouldn?t be in the playoffs if the season ended today, but could still possibly land a postseason berth. The Titans (7-6 SU and ATS) followed a two-game skid with two victories, including last week?s 30-9 rout of Jacksonville giving 5.5 points in the Thursday nighter.
New York is technically not eliminated from playoff contention yet, but would need an unlikely share of help to get there. The Giants (5-8 SU, 7-5-1 ATS) are 4-1 SU and 4-0-1 ATS in their last five outings, blowing out Washington 40-16 as 3-point road favorites in Week 14.
?There?s been a lot of sharp action on the Titans, moving this line from Titans +2.5 to Titans -1,? Murray said of another 1 p.m. ET meeting. ?I?ve said this a few times the last few weeks: If you?re a Giants fan, you should be worried about them winning too many games and talking themselves into another season of Eli. The Giants are better off losing. The Titans are still in the AFC playoff mix.?
Philadelphia Eagles at Los Angeles Rams ? Open: -7.5; Move: -8; Move: -8.5; Move: -9; Move: -10; Move: -9.5; Move: -10.5; Move: -11; Move: -11.5; Move: -12; Move: -12.5; Move: -13
Los Angeles had the NFC?s No. 1 playoff seed in its hands heading into the Week 14 Sunday nighter, but the offense froze up in frigid Chicago. The Rams (11-2 SU, 5-7-1 ATS) netted just two first-half field goals in a 15-6 setback as 3-point faves.
Defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia is on the brink of elimination from postseason consideration. In Week 14, the Eagles (6-7 SU, 4-9 ATS) got a late touchdown to force overtime at Dallas, but never saw the ball in the extra frame and lost 29-23 as 3.5-point pups.
The Eagles will be without quarterback Carson Wentz, who has a back injury, which helped impact the big movement in this contest.
?We have been staying ahead of the market in this game and have actually taken mostly money on the Eagles, despite the line moving up to -13,? Murray said of the Sunday nighter, an 8:20 p.m. ET kick. ?There will be a lot of moneyline parlay and teaser bets closing with the Rams.?
Patrick Everson
Antonio Brown and the Steelers are on an ill-timed three-game SU and ATS skid. As such, Pittsburgh is a home underdog to New England in Week 15, and Patriots play has pushed this line up.
NFL Week 15 Sunday is a bit abbreviated with 12 games, since there were two Saturday matchups this week. Covers checks in on the action and line movement for four of those dozen contests, with insights from John Murray, director of The SuperBook at Westgate in Las Vegas.
New England Patriots at Pittsburgh Steelers ? Open: +1; Move: +1.5; Move: +2; Move: +2.5; Move: +2
New England absorbed one of the most unlikely losses of the season in Week 14. Leading 33-28 in the final seconds, the Patriots (9-4 SU, 8-5 ATS) gave up a 69-yard touchdown pass that included two laterals, losing to Miami 34-33 as 9.5-point favorites.
Pittsburgh was also dealt an upset loss as a hefty Week 14 road favorite. The Steelers (7-5-1 SU, 6-6-1 ATS) let Oakland hang around throughout, allowing a last-minute touchdown in tumbling 24-21 laying 10.5 points for their third consecutive SU and ATS setback.
?A lot of support for the Patriots this week has pushed this number up from Patriots -1 to -2.5 (-120),? Murray said of this 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff, which saw the line dip to 2 Saturday night. ?The tickets are more than 3/1 on the Patriots, and the Steelers are setting up to be our biggest need on Sunday. We also will be rooting for the Under, as the liability is building up on the Over. That?s not a big surprise for such a high-profile game.?
The SuperBook opened the total at 52 and reached 54 by Saturday morning.
Dallas Cowboys at Indianapolis Colts ? Open: -3; Move: None
Dallas put its season back together by winning and cashing five in a row. In Week 14, the Cowboys (8-5 SU and ATS) had to work overtime against Philadelphia, but came away with a 29-23 victory as 3.5-point home faves.
Indianapolis is in the midst of a solid second half of the season, as well, going 6-1 SU in its last seven games. The Colts (7-6 SU, 6-6-1 ATS) beat Houston 24-21 as 4-point road underdogs in Week 14.
The SuperBook stuck at Indy -3 all week, only making adjustments to the juice for this 1 p.m. ET start.
?The majority of the tickets have come in on the Cowboys, but sharp action has moved the number from Colts -3 (even) to Colts -3 (-120),? Murray said. ?This is a tough spot for the Cowboys. They basically locked up the NFC East with their win over the Eagles, and the Colts have been playing very well lately, with the exception of the game in Jacksonville two weeks ago.
?The Colts need this game to stay in the thick of the competitive AFC South race.?
Tennessee Titans at New York Giants ? Open: -2.5; Move: -3; Move: -1.5; Move: -2; Move: -1.5; Move: -1; Move: Pick; Move: +1
Tennessee wouldn?t be in the playoffs if the season ended today, but could still possibly land a postseason berth. The Titans (7-6 SU and ATS) followed a two-game skid with two victories, including last week?s 30-9 rout of Jacksonville giving 5.5 points in the Thursday nighter.
New York is technically not eliminated from playoff contention yet, but would need an unlikely share of help to get there. The Giants (5-8 SU, 7-5-1 ATS) are 4-1 SU and 4-0-1 ATS in their last five outings, blowing out Washington 40-16 as 3-point road favorites in Week 14.
?There?s been a lot of sharp action on the Titans, moving this line from Titans +2.5 to Titans -1,? Murray said of another 1 p.m. ET meeting. ?I?ve said this a few times the last few weeks: If you?re a Giants fan, you should be worried about them winning too many games and talking themselves into another season of Eli. The Giants are better off losing. The Titans are still in the AFC playoff mix.?
Philadelphia Eagles at Los Angeles Rams ? Open: -7.5; Move: -8; Move: -8.5; Move: -9; Move: -10; Move: -9.5; Move: -10.5; Move: -11; Move: -11.5; Move: -12; Move: -12.5; Move: -13
Los Angeles had the NFC?s No. 1 playoff seed in its hands heading into the Week 14 Sunday nighter, but the offense froze up in frigid Chicago. The Rams (11-2 SU, 5-7-1 ATS) netted just two first-half field goals in a 15-6 setback as 3-point faves.
Defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia is on the brink of elimination from postseason consideration. In Week 14, the Eagles (6-7 SU, 4-9 ATS) got a late touchdown to force overtime at Dallas, but never saw the ball in the extra frame and lost 29-23 as 3.5-point pups.
The Eagles will be without quarterback Carson Wentz, who has a back injury, which helped impact the big movement in this contest.
?We have been staying ahead of the market in this game and have actually taken mostly money on the Eagles, despite the line moving up to -13,? Murray said of the Sunday nighter, an 8:20 p.m. ET kick. ?There will be a lot of moneyline parlay and teaser bets closing with the Rams.?
Bills missing running backs McCoy and Ivory
December 16, 2018
By The Associated Press
Bills starting running back LeSean McCoy and his backup, Chris Ivory, are both inactive for Buffalo's home game against the Detroit Lions.
McCoy is out after hurting his left hamstring and Ivory hurt his left shoulder in a 27-23 loss to the New York Jets last weekend. The injuries leave Buffalo with two healthy running backs in rookies Marcus Murphy and Keith Ford, who was promoted from the practice squad this week.
Bills kicker Stephen Hauschka is active despite nursing a hip injury.
For the Lions, quarterback Matthew Stafford will make his 126th consecutive start despite being listed as questionable due to a back injury. Running back Kerryon Johnson will miss his fourth consecutive game with a knee injury.
Jaguars running back Carlos Hyde is a healthy scratch against Washington, a clear sign his days in Jacksonville are done. The Jags traded a fifth-round pick to Cleveland for Hyde in October. He is due to make $4.75 million in 2019, a salary Jacksonville seems unwilling to pay for a backup.
Colts receiver T.Y. Hilton is active despite missing all three days of practice this week with an injured ankle.
In other Week 15 lineup news around the league:
-Falcons receiver Julio Jones is active after missing practice one day this week with flu-like symptoms. Atlanta is still without running back Devonta Freeman and has the NFL's worst rushing attack. Tight end Austin Hooper is active despite a sore knee he hurt last week at Green Bay.
-Arizona running back David Johnson is playing despite a sore quadriceps, so Chase Edmonds should get plenty of chances. The Cardinals have placed 16 players on injured reserve this season. Arizona has the league's worst scoring offense and has placed six offensive linemen on IR.
-The Green Bay Packers will be without right tackle Bryan Bulaga and defensive lineman Kenny Clark for their game against the Chicago Bears. Bulaga is out with a knee injury. Jason Spriggs is expected to replace Bulaga at right tackle for the second straight week. Clark is out with an elbow injury.
-Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard, whose seven interceptions are tied for the league lead, missed his second straight game because of a knee injury. Minkah Fitzpatrick moved into the starting lineup in his place.
-Giants rookie QB Kyle Lauletta is back to being No. 3 after ugly debut in fourth quarter last week. Alex Tanney the backup to Eli Manning this week.
-Indy's starting center Ryan Kelly returns to the lineup after missing the previous three games with a sprained MCL in his left knee. Right guard Mark Glowinski was ruled out Friday with an injured ankle and Joe Haeg replaces him in the lineup.
-Cowboys guard Zack Martin will miss the first game of his five-year career, and his first chance to play in front of his hometown fans, because of a sprained MCL in his left knee. He will be replaced by Connor Williams and Xavier Su'a Filo replaces Williams at left guard.
-With Ravens QB Joe Flacco off the inactive list for the first time since Nov. 18, Robert Griffin III will be inactive for Baltimore.
-The Buccaneers will be without WR DeSean Jackson (thumb), who ranks third on the team with 40 catches and has scored 5 TDs.
-Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict is inactive for the second straight game with a concussion.
-The Raiders are missing left tackle Kelechi Osemele, sidelined for the second straight game with a toe injury. Right tackle Gabe Jackson is playing despite an elbow injury.
---
Here's the full list of inactives for the eary-afternoon games:
TENNESSEE-NEW YORK GIANTS
Titans: OLB Brian Orakpo, RB David Fluellen, TE Cole Wick, G Aaron Stinnie, OL Austin Pasztor, DE Matt Dickerson, RB Jeremy McNichols.
Giants: QB Kyle Lauletta, WR Odell Beckham Jr., DB Tony Lippett, S Kamrin Moore, C Evan Brown, TE Garrett Dickerson and DT John Jenkins.
GREEN BAY-CHICAGO
Packers: QB Tim Boyle, CB Natrell Jamerson, G Nico Siragusa, T Bryan Bulaga, G/T Adam Pankey, LB Kendall Donnerson, DL Kenny Clark.
Bears: QB Tyler Bray, WR Kevin White, FB Michael Burton, LB Kylie Fitts, OL Rashaad Coward, WR Javon Wims, DT Nick Williams.
DETROIT-BUFFALO
Lions: RB Kerryon Johnson (knee), WR Bruce Ellington (hamstring), DE Da'Shawn Hand (knee), OT Rick Wagner (concussion), S Charles Washington (hamstring), CB Marcus Cooper (back), FB Nick Bellore (ankle).
Bills: RBs LeSean McCoy (left hamstring) and Chris Ivory (left shoulder), S Dean Marlow, CB Ryan Lewis (concussion), OL Vladimir Ducasse, TE Logan Thomas (hamstring), QB Derek Anderson.
TAMPA BAY-BALTIMORE
Buccaneers: S Justin Evans (toe), WR DeSean Jackson (thumb), QB Ryan Griffin, CB David Rivers, LB Adarius Taylor, DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches, TE Tanner Hudson.
Ravens: OL Alex Lewis (shoulder), QB Robert Griffin III, WR Jordan Lasley, LB Tim Williams, RB Ty Montgomery, FB/DL Patrick Ricard, OL Zach Sieler.
ARIZONA-ATLANTA
Cardinals: WR Chad Williams, CB Quinten Rollins, CB Dontae Johnson, LB Jonathan Anderson, DE Vontarrius Dora, LT Zack Golditch, TE Darrell Daniels.
Falcons: K Giorgio Tavecchio, FB Ricky Ortiz, CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson, S Ryan Neal, RT Matt Gono, DT Justin Zimmer, DT Terrell McClain.
OAKLAND-CINCINNATI
Raiders: DE Kony Ealy, G Gabe Jackson, WR Keon Hatcher, CB Montrel Meander, OT Justin Murray, OL Kelechi Osemele, LB Kyle Wilber.
Bengals: CB KeiVarae Russell, CB Davontae Harris, LB Vontaze Burfict, OT Cedric Ogbuehi, WR Josh Malone, TE Jordan Franks, DE Kasim Edebali.
DALLAS-INDIANAPOLIS
Cowboys: QB Mike White, WR Tavon Austin, LB Chris Covington, G Zack Martin, TE Geoff Swaim, DT David Irving, DE Taco Charlton.
Colts: C Josh Andrews, WR Daurice Fountain, G Mark Glowinski, S Mike Mitchell, LB Skai Moore, DT Hassan Ridgeway, RB Jonathan Williams.
MIAMI-MINNESOTA
Dolphins: QB David Fales, CB Xavien Howard, C/G Hroniss Grasu, G Isaac Asiata, T Zach Sterup, DE Jonathan Woodard, WR Isaiah Ford.
Vikings: QB Kyle Sloter, WR Chad Beebe, RB Mike Boone, LB Devante Downs, C Brett Jones, DE Tashawn Bower.
WASHINGTON-JACKSONVILLE
Redskins: QB Colt McCoy, RB Samaje Perine, CB Greg Stroman, LB Ryan Anderson, OL Kyle Fuller, OL Tony Bergstrom, TE Jordan Reed.
Jaguars: WR DJ Chark, RT Jermey Parnell, PK Josh Lambo, LB Martrell Spaight, RB Carlos Hyde, CB Tyler Patmon, DT Eli Ankou.
---
December 16, 2018
By The Associated Press
Bills starting running back LeSean McCoy and his backup, Chris Ivory, are both inactive for Buffalo's home game against the Detroit Lions.
McCoy is out after hurting his left hamstring and Ivory hurt his left shoulder in a 27-23 loss to the New York Jets last weekend. The injuries leave Buffalo with two healthy running backs in rookies Marcus Murphy and Keith Ford, who was promoted from the practice squad this week.
Bills kicker Stephen Hauschka is active despite nursing a hip injury.
For the Lions, quarterback Matthew Stafford will make his 126th consecutive start despite being listed as questionable due to a back injury. Running back Kerryon Johnson will miss his fourth consecutive game with a knee injury.
Jaguars running back Carlos Hyde is a healthy scratch against Washington, a clear sign his days in Jacksonville are done. The Jags traded a fifth-round pick to Cleveland for Hyde in October. He is due to make $4.75 million in 2019, a salary Jacksonville seems unwilling to pay for a backup.
Colts receiver T.Y. Hilton is active despite missing all three days of practice this week with an injured ankle.
In other Week 15 lineup news around the league:
-Falcons receiver Julio Jones is active after missing practice one day this week with flu-like symptoms. Atlanta is still without running back Devonta Freeman and has the NFL's worst rushing attack. Tight end Austin Hooper is active despite a sore knee he hurt last week at Green Bay.
-Arizona running back David Johnson is playing despite a sore quadriceps, so Chase Edmonds should get plenty of chances. The Cardinals have placed 16 players on injured reserve this season. Arizona has the league's worst scoring offense and has placed six offensive linemen on IR.
-The Green Bay Packers will be without right tackle Bryan Bulaga and defensive lineman Kenny Clark for their game against the Chicago Bears. Bulaga is out with a knee injury. Jason Spriggs is expected to replace Bulaga at right tackle for the second straight week. Clark is out with an elbow injury.
-Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard, whose seven interceptions are tied for the league lead, missed his second straight game because of a knee injury. Minkah Fitzpatrick moved into the starting lineup in his place.
-Giants rookie QB Kyle Lauletta is back to being No. 3 after ugly debut in fourth quarter last week. Alex Tanney the backup to Eli Manning this week.
-Indy's starting center Ryan Kelly returns to the lineup after missing the previous three games with a sprained MCL in his left knee. Right guard Mark Glowinski was ruled out Friday with an injured ankle and Joe Haeg replaces him in the lineup.
-Cowboys guard Zack Martin will miss the first game of his five-year career, and his first chance to play in front of his hometown fans, because of a sprained MCL in his left knee. He will be replaced by Connor Williams and Xavier Su'a Filo replaces Williams at left guard.
-With Ravens QB Joe Flacco off the inactive list for the first time since Nov. 18, Robert Griffin III will be inactive for Baltimore.
-The Buccaneers will be without WR DeSean Jackson (thumb), who ranks third on the team with 40 catches and has scored 5 TDs.
-Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict is inactive for the second straight game with a concussion.
-The Raiders are missing left tackle Kelechi Osemele, sidelined for the second straight game with a toe injury. Right tackle Gabe Jackson is playing despite an elbow injury.
---
Here's the full list of inactives for the eary-afternoon games:
TENNESSEE-NEW YORK GIANTS
Titans: OLB Brian Orakpo, RB David Fluellen, TE Cole Wick, G Aaron Stinnie, OL Austin Pasztor, DE Matt Dickerson, RB Jeremy McNichols.
Giants: QB Kyle Lauletta, WR Odell Beckham Jr., DB Tony Lippett, S Kamrin Moore, C Evan Brown, TE Garrett Dickerson and DT John Jenkins.
GREEN BAY-CHICAGO
Packers: QB Tim Boyle, CB Natrell Jamerson, G Nico Siragusa, T Bryan Bulaga, G/T Adam Pankey, LB Kendall Donnerson, DL Kenny Clark.
Bears: QB Tyler Bray, WR Kevin White, FB Michael Burton, LB Kylie Fitts, OL Rashaad Coward, WR Javon Wims, DT Nick Williams.
DETROIT-BUFFALO
Lions: RB Kerryon Johnson (knee), WR Bruce Ellington (hamstring), DE Da'Shawn Hand (knee), OT Rick Wagner (concussion), S Charles Washington (hamstring), CB Marcus Cooper (back), FB Nick Bellore (ankle).
Bills: RBs LeSean McCoy (left hamstring) and Chris Ivory (left shoulder), S Dean Marlow, CB Ryan Lewis (concussion), OL Vladimir Ducasse, TE Logan Thomas (hamstring), QB Derek Anderson.
TAMPA BAY-BALTIMORE
Buccaneers: S Justin Evans (toe), WR DeSean Jackson (thumb), QB Ryan Griffin, CB David Rivers, LB Adarius Taylor, DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches, TE Tanner Hudson.
Ravens: OL Alex Lewis (shoulder), QB Robert Griffin III, WR Jordan Lasley, LB Tim Williams, RB Ty Montgomery, FB/DL Patrick Ricard, OL Zach Sieler.
ARIZONA-ATLANTA
Cardinals: WR Chad Williams, CB Quinten Rollins, CB Dontae Johnson, LB Jonathan Anderson, DE Vontarrius Dora, LT Zack Golditch, TE Darrell Daniels.
Falcons: K Giorgio Tavecchio, FB Ricky Ortiz, CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson, S Ryan Neal, RT Matt Gono, DT Justin Zimmer, DT Terrell McClain.
OAKLAND-CINCINNATI
Raiders: DE Kony Ealy, G Gabe Jackson, WR Keon Hatcher, CB Montrel Meander, OT Justin Murray, OL Kelechi Osemele, LB Kyle Wilber.
Bengals: CB KeiVarae Russell, CB Davontae Harris, LB Vontaze Burfict, OT Cedric Ogbuehi, WR Josh Malone, TE Jordan Franks, DE Kasim Edebali.
DALLAS-INDIANAPOLIS
Cowboys: QB Mike White, WR Tavon Austin, LB Chris Covington, G Zack Martin, TE Geoff Swaim, DT David Irving, DE Taco Charlton.
Colts: C Josh Andrews, WR Daurice Fountain, G Mark Glowinski, S Mike Mitchell, LB Skai Moore, DT Hassan Ridgeway, RB Jonathan Williams.
MIAMI-MINNESOTA
Dolphins: QB David Fales, CB Xavien Howard, C/G Hroniss Grasu, G Isaac Asiata, T Zach Sterup, DE Jonathan Woodard, WR Isaiah Ford.
Vikings: QB Kyle Sloter, WR Chad Beebe, RB Mike Boone, LB Devante Downs, C Brett Jones, DE Tashawn Bower.
WASHINGTON-JACKSONVILLE
Redskins: QB Colt McCoy, RB Samaje Perine, CB Greg Stroman, LB Ryan Anderson, OL Kyle Fuller, OL Tony Bergstrom, TE Jordan Reed.
Jaguars: WR DJ Chark, RT Jermey Parnell, PK Josh Lambo, LB Martrell Spaight, RB Carlos Hyde, CB Tyler Patmon, DT Eli Ankou.
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MNF - Saints at Panthers
Kevin Rogers
LAST WEEK
The Saints (11-2 SU, 10-3 ATS) rebounded from a loss in Week 13 at Dallas that snapped a 10-game winning streak to knock off the Buccaneers, 28-14 to cash as 10-point road favorites. Not only did New Orleans avenge a season-opening loss to Tampa Bay in which it allowed 48 points, but the Saints shut out the Buccaneers in the second half, 25-0 to overcome a 14-3 halftime deficit.
Drew Brees spearheaded the rally behind a touchdown pass and a touchdown run, while the Saints? defense limited the Bucs to under 300 yards after allowing 529 yards in the first matchup in Week 1. The Saints gave up 17 points or less for the fifth consecutive week, while Brees busted the 200-yard passing mark (barely with 201) for the first time in three games. With the victory, the Saints improved to 6-1 SU/ATS away from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
The Panthers (6-7 SU, 5-8 ATS) have gone through a free-fall at the absolute worst time. Carolina suffered its fifth consecutive loss in last Sunday?s 26-20 setback at Cleveland as short favorites. The schedule-makers weren?t kind to Carolina, who was playing its fourth road game in five weeks, but the Panthers couldn?t hold onto a pair of touchdown leads in the first half as well as a three-point advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
Cam Newton failed to throw a touchdown pass for the first time since Week 1 against Dallas, as the Panthers? quarterback totaled 265 yards through the air and an interception. The Panthers trailed by six in the final minutes and reached the three-yard line, but Carolina came up short on three plays to take the lead, including a pair of incomplete passes by Newton. Carolina was limited to 21 points or fewer for the fourth time during this skid, as the Panthers topped the 31-point mark in four of six wins this season.
ROAD IS WHERE THE HEART IS
It?s well-known how much of a home-field advantage the Saints own, but the road numbers for New Orleans are staggering. Sean Payton?s squad has won six of seven on the highway, including an impressive 4-1 SU/ATS mark in the road favorite role. It?s been a nice bounce-back for New Orleans, who closed out last season with four straight away defeats and a 1-3 ATS record. The UNDER has cashed in five of seven road games, while allowing 20 points or less five times.
BACK TO THE BANK
Carolina hasn?t been able to put things together on the road at 1-6 this season. But, the Panthers are a different team (like everyone else) playing at home as Ron Rivera?s team owns a 5-1 mark at Bank of America Stadium. The lone home defeat came in their last home appearance back in Week 12 against Seattle in a 30-27 setback in the final seconds. Prior to that loss, Carolina strung together a 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS mark in Charlotte, which included four games that eclipsed the OVER.
TOTAL TALK
The Saints are currently on a four-game UNDER streak, as New Orleans is seeing a total below 50 for the first time since Week 7 at Baltimore (49). The Panthers have finished UNDER the total three times in the last four contests, but have gone OVER the total in five straight home games.
TRIPLE REVENGE
Not only does Carolina want to end its drought, but the Panthers look to avenge three losses to their division rivals from last season. New Orleans dominated Carolina at Bank of America Stadium, 34-13 as five-point underdogs, highlighted by three interceptions of Newton. The Saints took care of the Panthers at the Superdome in early December, 31-21 to cash as six-point favorites for the season sweep.
What about the third matchup? The two teams hooked up in the Big Easy for an NFC Wild Card showdown that looked to be a blowout as New Orleans led Carolina, 21-6. The Panthers crept back to make it 24-19 as 6 ?-point underdogs, but Alvin Kamara?s two-yard touchdown run with five minutes remaining gave the Saints back a 12-point advantage. However, the Panthers marched right down the field and Christian McCaffrey capped off the drive with a 56-yard touchdown reception from Newton to pick up the cover in a 31-26 defeat.
The Saints are favored at Carolina for the first time since 2014 when New Orleans pulled off a 28-10 rout as three-point chalk. New Orleans has covered in each of its past four visits to Bank of America Stadium, while the two teams have split those matchups.
MONDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
New Orleans is making its second appearance on Monday night football this season, as the Saints routed the Redskins, 43-19 in Week 5 at home. However, the Saints own a 2-4 record in their last six Monday night contests since 2014 with the last road win coming at Chicago in December 2014 as a short favorite. The Panthers have won three of their last four Monday night games since 2015, while making their first appearance in 2018.
GAME PROPS ? Courtesy of Las Vegas Westgate Superbook
Total Gross Passing Yards ? Drew Brees
OVER 259 ? (-110)
UNDER 259 ? (-110)
Total Touchdown Passes ? Drew Brees
OVER 2 (-130)
UNDER 2 (+110)
Will Michael Thomas score a touchdown?
YES +105
NO -125
Total Completions ? Cam Newton
OVER 23 ? (-110)
UNDER 23 (-110)
Total Touchdown Passes ? Cam Newton
OVER 1 ? (-130)
UNDER 1 ? (+110)
Total Rushing + Receiving Yards ? Christian McCaffrey
OVER 112 ? (-110)
UNDER 112 ? (-110)
LINE MOVEMENT
The Saints opened up as 6 ?-point road favorites at the Westgate Superbook, but that line has slightly dropped to 6 at many sports books. The total opened at 52, but has quickly fallen to 49 ? at many locales, as this is the second-highest total Carolina has seen at home this season (55 ? vs. Tampa Bay in Week 9).
Kevin Rogers
LAST WEEK
The Saints (11-2 SU, 10-3 ATS) rebounded from a loss in Week 13 at Dallas that snapped a 10-game winning streak to knock off the Buccaneers, 28-14 to cash as 10-point road favorites. Not only did New Orleans avenge a season-opening loss to Tampa Bay in which it allowed 48 points, but the Saints shut out the Buccaneers in the second half, 25-0 to overcome a 14-3 halftime deficit.
Drew Brees spearheaded the rally behind a touchdown pass and a touchdown run, while the Saints? defense limited the Bucs to under 300 yards after allowing 529 yards in the first matchup in Week 1. The Saints gave up 17 points or less for the fifth consecutive week, while Brees busted the 200-yard passing mark (barely with 201) for the first time in three games. With the victory, the Saints improved to 6-1 SU/ATS away from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
The Panthers (6-7 SU, 5-8 ATS) have gone through a free-fall at the absolute worst time. Carolina suffered its fifth consecutive loss in last Sunday?s 26-20 setback at Cleveland as short favorites. The schedule-makers weren?t kind to Carolina, who was playing its fourth road game in five weeks, but the Panthers couldn?t hold onto a pair of touchdown leads in the first half as well as a three-point advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
Cam Newton failed to throw a touchdown pass for the first time since Week 1 against Dallas, as the Panthers? quarterback totaled 265 yards through the air and an interception. The Panthers trailed by six in the final minutes and reached the three-yard line, but Carolina came up short on three plays to take the lead, including a pair of incomplete passes by Newton. Carolina was limited to 21 points or fewer for the fourth time during this skid, as the Panthers topped the 31-point mark in four of six wins this season.
ROAD IS WHERE THE HEART IS
It?s well-known how much of a home-field advantage the Saints own, but the road numbers for New Orleans are staggering. Sean Payton?s squad has won six of seven on the highway, including an impressive 4-1 SU/ATS mark in the road favorite role. It?s been a nice bounce-back for New Orleans, who closed out last season with four straight away defeats and a 1-3 ATS record. The UNDER has cashed in five of seven road games, while allowing 20 points or less five times.
BACK TO THE BANK
Carolina hasn?t been able to put things together on the road at 1-6 this season. But, the Panthers are a different team (like everyone else) playing at home as Ron Rivera?s team owns a 5-1 mark at Bank of America Stadium. The lone home defeat came in their last home appearance back in Week 12 against Seattle in a 30-27 setback in the final seconds. Prior to that loss, Carolina strung together a 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS mark in Charlotte, which included four games that eclipsed the OVER.
TOTAL TALK
The Saints are currently on a four-game UNDER streak, as New Orleans is seeing a total below 50 for the first time since Week 7 at Baltimore (49). The Panthers have finished UNDER the total three times in the last four contests, but have gone OVER the total in five straight home games.
TRIPLE REVENGE
Not only does Carolina want to end its drought, but the Panthers look to avenge three losses to their division rivals from last season. New Orleans dominated Carolina at Bank of America Stadium, 34-13 as five-point underdogs, highlighted by three interceptions of Newton. The Saints took care of the Panthers at the Superdome in early December, 31-21 to cash as six-point favorites for the season sweep.
What about the third matchup? The two teams hooked up in the Big Easy for an NFC Wild Card showdown that looked to be a blowout as New Orleans led Carolina, 21-6. The Panthers crept back to make it 24-19 as 6 ?-point underdogs, but Alvin Kamara?s two-yard touchdown run with five minutes remaining gave the Saints back a 12-point advantage. However, the Panthers marched right down the field and Christian McCaffrey capped off the drive with a 56-yard touchdown reception from Newton to pick up the cover in a 31-26 defeat.
The Saints are favored at Carolina for the first time since 2014 when New Orleans pulled off a 28-10 rout as three-point chalk. New Orleans has covered in each of its past four visits to Bank of America Stadium, while the two teams have split those matchups.
MONDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
New Orleans is making its second appearance on Monday night football this season, as the Saints routed the Redskins, 43-19 in Week 5 at home. However, the Saints own a 2-4 record in their last six Monday night contests since 2014 with the last road win coming at Chicago in December 2014 as a short favorite. The Panthers have won three of their last four Monday night games since 2015, while making their first appearance in 2018.
GAME PROPS ? Courtesy of Las Vegas Westgate Superbook
Total Gross Passing Yards ? Drew Brees
OVER 259 ? (-110)
UNDER 259 ? (-110)
Total Touchdown Passes ? Drew Brees
OVER 2 (-130)
UNDER 2 (+110)
Will Michael Thomas score a touchdown?
YES +105
NO -125
Total Completions ? Cam Newton
OVER 23 ? (-110)
UNDER 23 (-110)
Total Touchdown Passes ? Cam Newton
OVER 1 ? (-130)
UNDER 1 ? (+110)
Total Rushing + Receiving Yards ? Christian McCaffrey
OVER 112 ? (-110)
UNDER 112 ? (-110)
LINE MOVEMENT
The Saints opened up as 6 ?-point road favorites at the Westgate Superbook, but that line has slightly dropped to 6 at many sports books. The total opened at 52, but has quickly fallen to 49 ? at many locales, as this is the second-highest total Carolina has seen at home this season (55 ? vs. Tampa Bay in Week 9).
Monday?s List of 13: Wrapping up an NFL Sunday??
Colts 23, Cowboys 0? Indy won for 7th time in its last eight games; Dallas had their five-game win streak snapped. Cowboys are 2-5 on road this season; they had ball twice in red zone, turned it over both times, and had a 47-yard FG blocked on their first drive of the game.
Colts are tied with Ravens/Titans for #6 seed in AFC with two weeks left; they ran ball for 178 yards in this game. Andrew Luck has to be Comeback Player of the Year, yes?
Vikings 41, Dolphins 17? Minnesota went right down field first three times they had ball, scoring on TD drives of 76-60-70 yards, then Cousins threw a pick-6 on 4th drive and things got a little dicey, but Vikings pulled away late.
Vikings had nine sacks; Miami had 12 first downs and only 37 net passing yards. Yardage in this game was 418-193. Minnesota is 5-2 as a home favorite this year, 22-7 under Zimmer. Miami is 7-14 as road underdogs under Gase- they lost their last six road games.
Bengals 30, Raiders 16? 1:00 games were lackluster Sunday; 14 of the 18 teams stayed under their team total for the game. Bengals out rushed Oakland 171-68; two of their three TD drives were less than 50 yards (45-21 yards)- they scored 30 points but gained only 294 yards.
Bengals snapped a 5-game losing streak with this win; they won their home finale the last seven years. Oakland heads home for what is likely their last-ever game in Oakland next Sunday. Cincy QB Driskel gets his first NFL win as a starting QB. Over is 5-2 in Bengals? last seven games.
Ravens 20, Buccaneers 12? Lamar Jackson is now 4-1 as a starting QB; Ravens ran ball for 242 yards, running 27 more plays (74-47) than Tampa Bay on a rainy day in Maryland. Tampa Bay went for two after its first TD and failed, then never scored another TD all day.
Buccaneers lost their last six road games; they?re 2-4-1 as road underdogs. Ravens are 5-2 SU at home- they?re tied with Colts/Titans for last playoff spot in AFC.
Bills 14, Lions 13? Buffalo is 3-2 in its last five games; they scored winning TD with 10:26 left and now they?re now- their win total for season is 6.5, so they?d have to win in Foxboro next week to have a shot at going over and that ain?t happening. Buffalo actually ran out of running backs in this game; all their active RB?s got hurt.
Detroit lost six of its last eight games; they scored 15.5 ppg the last four games. How is a team that pays its QB $28M a year this bad on offense? They have same offensive coaches they had last year; was Golden Tate that important a player for them? Seven of Lions? last eight games stayed under the total.
Bears 24, Packers 17? Just third win in last 17 series games for Chicago, as Bears clinch the NFC North for first time since 2010, going 7-1 at home for first time since ?05. Chicago is 10-0 this year when they allow less than 24 points. Chicago had a 10-yard edge in field position.
Packers lost six of their last eight games- they?re 0-7 on road, 1-3-1 as road underdogs. Interesting to see with Packers eliminated, if Aaron Rodgers plays the last two games.
Titans 17, Giants 0? Tennessee ran ball for 215 yards on a rainy, dismal day in Swamp Stadium. Titans have now won three games in row; this was only second loss in last six games for Giants.
This was the Titans? first shutout since a Christmas Day win over Dallas in 2000. Tennessee is tied for last playoff spot; those two 1-point losses back in October have to sting now. Titns are 8-6; this was only 4th time the season they led at halftime.
Redskins 16, Jaguars 13? Josh Johnson?s last NFL start was December 4, 2011, a 38-19 loss for Tampa Bay against the Panthers. Seven years later, he gets his first win (1-5) as an NFL starter, and the Redskins are still alive in the playoff race.- they?re half-game behind Minnesota for the #6 seed. Washington is 7-0 when they allow 17 or fewer points, 0-7 when they allow more.
Jacksonville had 20 net passing yards in this game, averaging 0.9 yards per attempt. Jaguars lost nine of their last ten games; they?ve scored one TD on their last 30 drives, and stayed under their team total in eight of last ten games. They should draft Kyler Murray.
Falcons 40, Cardinals 7? Atlanta took out its frustrations on the Cardinals as they snapped a 5-game losing skid; Falcons ran ball for 215 yards, outgained Arizona 435-253 and were +3 in turnovers. Atlanta also scored a defensive TD in breaking its 5-game losing streak.
Redbirds are 5-11 in last 16 games as road underdogs, 3-4 this year; they?ve lost by 10-33 points in their two games on artificial turf this season.
49ers 26, Seahawks 23 OT? Seattle went right down field and scored on their first drive, then missed PAT, 49ers ran kickoff back for a TD and Seahawks never led again. Seattle was flagged 14 times for 148 yards. Loss ends Seattle?s 4-game win streak.
49ers are 3-3 with Mullens at QB; do they keep him this winter, or get a pretty good draft pick for him in a trade? Seattle is now 3-8-1 in last dozen games as a road favorite.
Steelers 17, Patriots 10? New England finishes 3-5 on road, and were favored in all eight games; right now, they?re game behind Houston for #2 seed and first round bye in playoffs.
Patriots had ball in red zone on their last three drives, but scored total of 3 points, coming up empty on last two drives. Steelers snapped a 3-game skid with this win, stay ahead of Ravens in the AFC North. Six of last seven Patriot games, four of last five Steeler games stayed under.
Eagles 30, Rams 23:
? Philly hangs on for dear life, evens it record at 7-7.
? Eagles are half-game behind Minnesota for last playoff spot in NFC.
? Someone at The Mirage in Las Vegas bet $180,000 on the Rams? money line; there was a $115,000 bet made on over 26 points in the first half. Neither bet won.
? Rams turned ball over nine times in three games since their bye; they?ll need to win out to get the #2 seed and the first round bye in the playoffs.
Colts 23, Cowboys 0? Indy won for 7th time in its last eight games; Dallas had their five-game win streak snapped. Cowboys are 2-5 on road this season; they had ball twice in red zone, turned it over both times, and had a 47-yard FG blocked on their first drive of the game.
Colts are tied with Ravens/Titans for #6 seed in AFC with two weeks left; they ran ball for 178 yards in this game. Andrew Luck has to be Comeback Player of the Year, yes?
Vikings 41, Dolphins 17? Minnesota went right down field first three times they had ball, scoring on TD drives of 76-60-70 yards, then Cousins threw a pick-6 on 4th drive and things got a little dicey, but Vikings pulled away late.
Vikings had nine sacks; Miami had 12 first downs and only 37 net passing yards. Yardage in this game was 418-193. Minnesota is 5-2 as a home favorite this year, 22-7 under Zimmer. Miami is 7-14 as road underdogs under Gase- they lost their last six road games.
Bengals 30, Raiders 16? 1:00 games were lackluster Sunday; 14 of the 18 teams stayed under their team total for the game. Bengals out rushed Oakland 171-68; two of their three TD drives were less than 50 yards (45-21 yards)- they scored 30 points but gained only 294 yards.
Bengals snapped a 5-game losing streak with this win; they won their home finale the last seven years. Oakland heads home for what is likely their last-ever game in Oakland next Sunday. Cincy QB Driskel gets his first NFL win as a starting QB. Over is 5-2 in Bengals? last seven games.
Ravens 20, Buccaneers 12? Lamar Jackson is now 4-1 as a starting QB; Ravens ran ball for 242 yards, running 27 more plays (74-47) than Tampa Bay on a rainy day in Maryland. Tampa Bay went for two after its first TD and failed, then never scored another TD all day.
Buccaneers lost their last six road games; they?re 2-4-1 as road underdogs. Ravens are 5-2 SU at home- they?re tied with Colts/Titans for last playoff spot in AFC.
Bills 14, Lions 13? Buffalo is 3-2 in its last five games; they scored winning TD with 10:26 left and now they?re now- their win total for season is 6.5, so they?d have to win in Foxboro next week to have a shot at going over and that ain?t happening. Buffalo actually ran out of running backs in this game; all their active RB?s got hurt.
Detroit lost six of its last eight games; they scored 15.5 ppg the last four games. How is a team that pays its QB $28M a year this bad on offense? They have same offensive coaches they had last year; was Golden Tate that important a player for them? Seven of Lions? last eight games stayed under the total.
Bears 24, Packers 17? Just third win in last 17 series games for Chicago, as Bears clinch the NFC North for first time since 2010, going 7-1 at home for first time since ?05. Chicago is 10-0 this year when they allow less than 24 points. Chicago had a 10-yard edge in field position.
Packers lost six of their last eight games- they?re 0-7 on road, 1-3-1 as road underdogs. Interesting to see with Packers eliminated, if Aaron Rodgers plays the last two games.
Titans 17, Giants 0? Tennessee ran ball for 215 yards on a rainy, dismal day in Swamp Stadium. Titans have now won three games in row; this was only second loss in last six games for Giants.
This was the Titans? first shutout since a Christmas Day win over Dallas in 2000. Tennessee is tied for last playoff spot; those two 1-point losses back in October have to sting now. Titns are 8-6; this was only 4th time the season they led at halftime.
Redskins 16, Jaguars 13? Josh Johnson?s last NFL start was December 4, 2011, a 38-19 loss for Tampa Bay against the Panthers. Seven years later, he gets his first win (1-5) as an NFL starter, and the Redskins are still alive in the playoff race.- they?re half-game behind Minnesota for the #6 seed. Washington is 7-0 when they allow 17 or fewer points, 0-7 when they allow more.
Jacksonville had 20 net passing yards in this game, averaging 0.9 yards per attempt. Jaguars lost nine of their last ten games; they?ve scored one TD on their last 30 drives, and stayed under their team total in eight of last ten games. They should draft Kyler Murray.
Falcons 40, Cardinals 7? Atlanta took out its frustrations on the Cardinals as they snapped a 5-game losing skid; Falcons ran ball for 215 yards, outgained Arizona 435-253 and were +3 in turnovers. Atlanta also scored a defensive TD in breaking its 5-game losing streak.
Redbirds are 5-11 in last 16 games as road underdogs, 3-4 this year; they?ve lost by 10-33 points in their two games on artificial turf this season.
49ers 26, Seahawks 23 OT? Seattle went right down field and scored on their first drive, then missed PAT, 49ers ran kickoff back for a TD and Seahawks never led again. Seattle was flagged 14 times for 148 yards. Loss ends Seattle?s 4-game win streak.
49ers are 3-3 with Mullens at QB; do they keep him this winter, or get a pretty good draft pick for him in a trade? Seattle is now 3-8-1 in last dozen games as a road favorite.
Steelers 17, Patriots 10? New England finishes 3-5 on road, and were favored in all eight games; right now, they?re game behind Houston for #2 seed and first round bye in playoffs.
Patriots had ball in red zone on their last three drives, but scored total of 3 points, coming up empty on last two drives. Steelers snapped a 3-game skid with this win, stay ahead of Ravens in the AFC North. Six of last seven Patriot games, four of last five Steeler games stayed under.
Eagles 30, Rams 23:
? Philly hangs on for dear life, evens it record at 7-7.
? Eagles are half-game behind Minnesota for last playoff spot in NFC.
? Someone at The Mirage in Las Vegas bet $180,000 on the Rams? money line; there was a $115,000 bet made on over 26 points in the first half. Neither bet won.
? Rams turned ball over nine times in three games since their bye; they?ll need to win out to get the #2 seed and the first round bye in the playoffs.
NFL December's Best Bets and Opinions
DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD
12/16/2018 11-12-1 47.83% -11.00
12/15/2018 3-0-1 100.00% +15.00
12/13/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
12/10/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
12/09/2018 11-13-0 45.83% -16.50
12/06/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
12/03/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
12/02/2018 12-11-0 52.17% -0.50
Totals...............42-39-0.....51.85%.....-4.50
********************
Best Bets For December
DATE........................ATS..................U NITS....................O/U................UNITS..............TOTAL
12/16/2018............2 - 5................-17.50......................5 - 2................+14.00..........-3.50
12/15/2018............1 - 0................+5.00.......................2 - 0................+10.00.........+15.00
12/13/2018............1 - 0................+5.00.......................0 - 1.................-5.50............-0.50
12/10/2018............0 - 1.................-5.50.......................0 - 1.................-5.50............-11.00
12/09/2018............3 - 3.................-1.50.......................5 - 6.................-3.00.............-4.50
12/06/2018............1 - 0 ................+5.00......................1 - 0................+5.00............+10.00
12/03/2018............1 - 0.................+5.00......................1 - 0................+5.00............+10.00
12/02/2018............3 - 4..................-7.00......................0 - 3................-16.50............-23.50
Totals.....................12 - 13..............-11.50....................14 - 13.............+3.50..............-8.00
DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD
12/16/2018 11-12-1 47.83% -11.00
12/15/2018 3-0-1 100.00% +15.00
12/13/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
12/10/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
12/09/2018 11-13-0 45.83% -16.50
12/06/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
12/03/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
12/02/2018 12-11-0 52.17% -0.50
Totals...............42-39-0.....51.85%.....-4.50
********************
Best Bets For December
DATE........................ATS..................U NITS....................O/U................UNITS..............TOTAL
12/16/2018............2 - 5................-17.50......................5 - 2................+14.00..........-3.50
12/15/2018............1 - 0................+5.00.......................2 - 0................+10.00.........+15.00
12/13/2018............1 - 0................+5.00.......................0 - 1.................-5.50............-0.50
12/10/2018............0 - 1.................-5.50.......................0 - 1.................-5.50............-11.00
12/09/2018............3 - 3.................-1.50.......................5 - 6.................-3.00.............-4.50
12/06/2018............1 - 0 ................+5.00......................1 - 0................+5.00............+10.00
12/03/2018............1 - 0.................+5.00......................1 - 0................+5.00............+10.00
12/02/2018............3 - 4..................-7.00......................0 - 3................-16.50............-23.50
Totals.....................12 - 13..............-11.50....................14 - 13.............+3.50..............-8.00
Monday?s List of 13: Wrapping up an NFL Sunday??
Colts 23, Cowboys 0? Indy won for 7th time in its last eight games; Dallas had their five-game win streak snapped. Cowboys are 2-5 on road this season; they had ball twice in red zone, turned it over both times, and had a 47-yard FG blocked on their first drive of the game.
Colts are tied with Ravens/Titans for #6 seed in AFC with two weeks left; they ran ball for 178 yards in this game. Andrew Luck has to be Comeback Player of the Year, yes?
Vikings 41, Dolphins 17? Minnesota went right down field first three times they had ball, scoring on TD drives of 76-60-70 yards, then Cousins threw a pick-6 on 4th drive and things got a little dicey, but Vikings pulled away late.
Vikings had nine sacks; Miami had 12 first downs and only 37 net passing yards. Yardage in this game was 418-193. Minnesota is 5-2 as a home favorite this year, 22-7 under Zimmer. Miami is 7-14 as road underdogs under Gase- they lost their last six road games.
Bengals 30, Raiders 16? 1:00 games were lackluster Sunday; 14 of the 18 teams stayed under their team total for the game. Bengals out rushed Oakland 171-68; two of their three TD drives were less than 50 yards (45-21 yards)- they scored 30 points but gained only 294 yards.
Bengals snapped a 5-game losing streak with this win; they won their home finale the last seven years. Oakland heads home for what is likely their last-ever game in Oakland next Sunday. Cincy QB Driskel gets his first NFL win as a starting QB. Over is 5-2 in Bengals? last seven games.
Ravens 20, Buccaneers 12? Lamar Jackson is now 4-1 as a starting QB; Ravens ran ball for 242 yards, running 27 more plays (74-47) than Tampa Bay on a rainy day in Maryland. Tampa Bay went for two after its first TD and failed, then never scored another TD all day.
Buccaneers lost their last six road games; they?re 2-4-1 as road underdogs. Ravens are 5-2 SU at home- they?re tied with Colts/Titans for last playoff spot in AFC.
Bills 14, Lions 13? Buffalo is 3-2 in its last five games; they scored winning TD with 10:26 left and now they?re now- their win total for season is 6.5, so they?d have to win in Foxboro next week to have a shot at going over and that ain?t happening. Buffalo actually ran out of running backs in this game; all their active RB?s got hurt.
Detroit lost six of its last eight games; they scored 15.5 ppg the last four games. How is a team that pays its QB $28M a year this bad on offense? They have same offensive coaches they had last year; was Golden Tate that important a player for them? Seven of Lions? last eight games stayed under the total.
Bears 24, Packers 17? Just third win in last 17 series games for Chicago, as Bears clinch the NFC North for first time since 2010, going 7-1 at home for first time since ?05. Chicago is 10-0 this year when they allow less than 24 points. Chicago had a 10-yard edge in field position.
Packers lost six of their last eight games- they?re 0-7 on road, 1-3-1 as road underdogs. Interesting to see with Packers eliminated, if Aaron Rodgers plays the last two games.
Titans 17, Giants 0? Tennessee ran ball for 215 yards on a rainy, dismal day in Swamp Stadium. Titans have now won three games in row; this was only second loss in last six games for Giants.
This was the Titans? first shutout since a Christmas Day win over Dallas in 2000. Tennessee is tied for last playoff spot; those two 1-point losses back in October have to sting now. Titns are 8-6; this was only 4th time the season they led at halftime.
Redskins 16, Jaguars 13? Josh Johnson?s last NFL start was December 4, 2011, a 38-19 loss for Tampa Bay against the Panthers. Seven years later, he gets his first win (1-5) as an NFL starter, and the Redskins are still alive in the playoff race.- they?re half-game behind Minnesota for the #6 seed. Washington is 7-0 when they allow 17 or fewer points, 0-7 when they allow more.
Jacksonville had 20 net passing yards in this game, averaging 0.9 yards per attempt. Jaguars lost nine of their last ten games; they?ve scored one TD on their last 30 drives, and stayed under their team total in eight of last ten games. They should draft Kyler Murray.
Falcons 40, Cardinals 7? Atlanta took out its frustrations on the Cardinals as they snapped a 5-game losing skid; Falcons ran ball for 215 yards, outgained Arizona 435-253 and were +3 in turnovers. Atlanta also scored a defensive TD in breaking its 5-game losing streak.
Redbirds are 5-11 in last 16 games as road underdogs, 3-4 this year; they?ve lost by 10-33 points in their two games on artificial turf this season.
49ers 26, Seahawks 23 OT? Seattle went right down field and scored on their first drive, then missed PAT, 49ers ran kickoff back for a TD and Seahawks never led again. Seattle was flagged 14 times for 148 yards. Loss ends Seattle?s 4-game win streak.
49ers are 3-3 with Mullens at QB; do they keep him this winter, or get a pretty good draft pick for him in a trade? Seattle is now 3-8-1 in last dozen games as a road favorite.
Steelers 17, Patriots 10? New England finishes 3-5 on road, and were favored in all eight games; right now, they?re game behind Houston for #2 seed and first round bye in playoffs.
Patriots had ball in red zone on their last three drives, but scored total of 3 points, coming up empty on last two drives. Steelers snapped a 3-game skid with this win, stay ahead of Ravens in the AFC North. Six of last seven Patriot games, four of last five Steeler games stayed under.
Eagles 30, Rams 23:
? Philly hangs on for dear life, evens it record at 7-7.
? Eagles are half-game behind Minnesota for last playoff spot in NFC.
? Someone at The Mirage in Las Vegas bet $180,000 on the Rams? money line; there was a $115,000 bet made on over 26 points in the first half. Neither bet won.
? Rams turned ball over nine times in three games since their bye; they?ll need to win out to get the #2 seed and the first round bye in the playoffs.
Colts 23, Cowboys 0? Indy won for 7th time in its last eight games; Dallas had their five-game win streak snapped. Cowboys are 2-5 on road this season; they had ball twice in red zone, turned it over both times, and had a 47-yard FG blocked on their first drive of the game.
Colts are tied with Ravens/Titans for #6 seed in AFC with two weeks left; they ran ball for 178 yards in this game. Andrew Luck has to be Comeback Player of the Year, yes?
Vikings 41, Dolphins 17? Minnesota went right down field first three times they had ball, scoring on TD drives of 76-60-70 yards, then Cousins threw a pick-6 on 4th drive and things got a little dicey, but Vikings pulled away late.
Vikings had nine sacks; Miami had 12 first downs and only 37 net passing yards. Yardage in this game was 418-193. Minnesota is 5-2 as a home favorite this year, 22-7 under Zimmer. Miami is 7-14 as road underdogs under Gase- they lost their last six road games.
Bengals 30, Raiders 16? 1:00 games were lackluster Sunday; 14 of the 18 teams stayed under their team total for the game. Bengals out rushed Oakland 171-68; two of their three TD drives were less than 50 yards (45-21 yards)- they scored 30 points but gained only 294 yards.
Bengals snapped a 5-game losing streak with this win; they won their home finale the last seven years. Oakland heads home for what is likely their last-ever game in Oakland next Sunday. Cincy QB Driskel gets his first NFL win as a starting QB. Over is 5-2 in Bengals? last seven games.
Ravens 20, Buccaneers 12? Lamar Jackson is now 4-1 as a starting QB; Ravens ran ball for 242 yards, running 27 more plays (74-47) than Tampa Bay on a rainy day in Maryland. Tampa Bay went for two after its first TD and failed, then never scored another TD all day.
Buccaneers lost their last six road games; they?re 2-4-1 as road underdogs. Ravens are 5-2 SU at home- they?re tied with Colts/Titans for last playoff spot in AFC.
Bills 14, Lions 13? Buffalo is 3-2 in its last five games; they scored winning TD with 10:26 left and now they?re now- their win total for season is 6.5, so they?d have to win in Foxboro next week to have a shot at going over and that ain?t happening. Buffalo actually ran out of running backs in this game; all their active RB?s got hurt.
Detroit lost six of its last eight games; they scored 15.5 ppg the last four games. How is a team that pays its QB $28M a year this bad on offense? They have same offensive coaches they had last year; was Golden Tate that important a player for them? Seven of Lions? last eight games stayed under the total.
Bears 24, Packers 17? Just third win in last 17 series games for Chicago, as Bears clinch the NFC North for first time since 2010, going 7-1 at home for first time since ?05. Chicago is 10-0 this year when they allow less than 24 points. Chicago had a 10-yard edge in field position.
Packers lost six of their last eight games- they?re 0-7 on road, 1-3-1 as road underdogs. Interesting to see with Packers eliminated, if Aaron Rodgers plays the last two games.
Titans 17, Giants 0? Tennessee ran ball for 215 yards on a rainy, dismal day in Swamp Stadium. Titans have now won three games in row; this was only second loss in last six games for Giants.
This was the Titans? first shutout since a Christmas Day win over Dallas in 2000. Tennessee is tied for last playoff spot; those two 1-point losses back in October have to sting now. Titns are 8-6; this was only 4th time the season they led at halftime.
Redskins 16, Jaguars 13? Josh Johnson?s last NFL start was December 4, 2011, a 38-19 loss for Tampa Bay against the Panthers. Seven years later, he gets his first win (1-5) as an NFL starter, and the Redskins are still alive in the playoff race.- they?re half-game behind Minnesota for the #6 seed. Washington is 7-0 when they allow 17 or fewer points, 0-7 when they allow more.
Jacksonville had 20 net passing yards in this game, averaging 0.9 yards per attempt. Jaguars lost nine of their last ten games; they?ve scored one TD on their last 30 drives, and stayed under their team total in eight of last ten games. They should draft Kyler Murray.
Falcons 40, Cardinals 7? Atlanta took out its frustrations on the Cardinals as they snapped a 5-game losing skid; Falcons ran ball for 215 yards, outgained Arizona 435-253 and were +3 in turnovers. Atlanta also scored a defensive TD in breaking its 5-game losing streak.
Redbirds are 5-11 in last 16 games as road underdogs, 3-4 this year; they?ve lost by 10-33 points in their two games on artificial turf this season.
49ers 26, Seahawks 23 OT? Seattle went right down field and scored on their first drive, then missed PAT, 49ers ran kickoff back for a TD and Seahawks never led again. Seattle was flagged 14 times for 148 yards. Loss ends Seattle?s 4-game win streak.
49ers are 3-3 with Mullens at QB; do they keep him this winter, or get a pretty good draft pick for him in a trade? Seattle is now 3-8-1 in last dozen games as a road favorite.
Steelers 17, Patriots 10? New England finishes 3-5 on road, and were favored in all eight games; right now, they?re game behind Houston for #2 seed and first round bye in playoffs.
Patriots had ball in red zone on their last three drives, but scored total of 3 points, coming up empty on last two drives. Steelers snapped a 3-game skid with this win, stay ahead of Ravens in the AFC North. Six of last seven Patriot games, four of last five Steeler games stayed under.
Eagles 30, Rams 23:
? Philly hangs on for dear life, evens it record at 7-7.
? Eagles are half-game behind Minnesota for last playoff spot in NFC.
? Someone at The Mirage in Las Vegas bet $180,000 on the Rams? money line; there was a $115,000 bet made on over 26 points in the first half. Neither bet won.
? Rams turned ball over nine times in three games since their bye; they?ll need to win out to get the #2 seed and the first round bye in the playoffs.
*MNF - Saints at Panthers*
Kevin Rogers
*LAST WEEK*
The Saints (11-2 SU, 10-3 ATS) rebounded from a loss in Week 13 at Dallas that snapped a 10-game winning streak to knock off the Buccaneers, 28-14 to cash as 10-point road favorites. Not only did New Orleans avenge a season-opening loss to Tampa Bay in which it allowed 48 points, but the Saints shut out the Buccaneers in the second half, 25-0 to overcome a 14-3 halftime deficit.
Drew Brees spearheaded the rally behind a touchdown pass and a touchdown run, while the Saints? defense limited the Bucs to under 300 yards after allowing 529 yards in the first matchup in Week 1. The Saints gave up 17 points or less for the fifth consecutive week, while Brees busted the 200-yard passing mark (barely with 201) for the first time in three games. With the victory, the Saints improved to 6-1 SU/ATS away from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
The Panthers (6-7 SU, 5-8 ATS) have gone through a free-fall at the absolute worst time. Carolina suffered its fifth consecutive loss in last Sunday?s 26-20 setback at Cleveland as short favorites. The schedule-makers weren?t kind to Carolina, who was playing its fourth road game in five weeks, but the Panthers couldn?t hold onto a pair of touchdown leads in the first half as well as a three-point advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
Cam Newton failed to throw a touchdown pass for the first time since Week 1 against Dallas, as the Panthers? quarterback totaled 265 yards through the air and an interception. The Panthers trailed by six in the final minutes and reached the three-yard line, but Carolina came up short on three plays to take the lead, including a pair of incomplete passes by Newton. Carolina was limited to 21 points or fewer for the fourth time during this skid, as the Panthers topped the 31-point mark in four of six wins this season.
*ROAD IS WHERE THE HEART IS*
It?s well-known how much of a home-field advantage the Saints own, but the road numbers for New Orleans are staggering. Sean Payton?s squad has won six of seven on the highway, including an impressive 4-1 SU/ATS mark in the road favorite role. It?s been a nice bounce-back for New Orleans, who closed out last season with four straight away defeats and a 1-3 ATS record. The UNDER has cashed in five of seven road games, while allowing 20 points or less five times.
*BACK TO THE BANK*
Carolina hasn?t been able to put things together on the road at 1-6 this season. But, the Panthers are a different team (like everyone else) playing at home as Ron Rivera?s team owns a 5-1 mark at Bank of America Stadium. The lone home defeat came in their last home appearance back in Week 12 against Seattle in a 30-27 setback in the final seconds. Prior to that loss, Carolina strung together a 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS mark in Charlotte, which included four games that eclipsed the OVER.
*TOTAL TALK*
The Saints are currently on a four-game UNDER streak, as New Orleans is seeing a total below 50 for the first time since Week 7 at Baltimore (49). The Panthers have finished UNDER the total three times in the last four contests, but have gone OVER the total in five straight home games.
*TRIPLE REVENGE*
Not only does Carolina want to end its drought, but the Panthers look to avenge three losses to their division rivals from last season. New Orleans dominated Carolina at Bank of America Stadium, 34-13 as five-point underdogs, highlighted by three interceptions of Newton. The Saints took care of the Panthers at the Superdome in early December, 31-21 to cash as six-point favorites for the season sweep.
What about the third matchup? The two teams hooked up in the Big Easy for an NFC Wild Card showdown that looked to be a blowout as New Orleans led Carolina, 21-6. The Panthers crept back to make it 24-19 as 6 ?-point underdogs, but Alvin Kamara?s two-yard touchdown run with five minutes remaining gave the Saints back a 12-point advantage. However, the Panthers marched right down the field and Christian McCaffrey capped off the drive with a 56-yard touchdown reception from Newton to pick up the cover in a 31-26 defeat.
The Saints are favored at Carolina for the first time since 2014 when New Orleans pulled off a 28-10 rout as three-point chalk. New Orleans has covered in each of its past four visits to Bank of America Stadium, while the two teams have split those matchups.
*MONDAY NIGHT LIGHTS*
New Orleans is making its second appearance on Monday night football this season, as the Saints routed the Redskins, 43-19 in Week 5 at home. However, the Saints own a 2-4 record in their last six Monday night contests since 2014 with the last road win coming at Chicago in December 2014 as a short favorite. The Panthers have won three of their last four Monday night games since 2015, while making their first appearance in 2018.
*GAME PROPS* ? Courtesy of Las Vegas Westgate Superbook
Total Gross Passing Yards ? Drew Brees
OVER 259 ? (-110)
UNDER 259 ? (-110)
Total Touchdown Passes ? Drew Brees
OVER 2 (-130)
UNDER 2 (+110)
Will Michael Thomas score a touchdown?
YES +105
NO -125
Total Completions ? Cam Newton
OVER 23 ? (-110)
UNDER 23 (-110)
Total Touchdown Passes ? Cam Newton
OVER 1 ? (-130)
UNDER 1 ? (+110)
Total Rushing + Receiving Yards ? Christian McCaffrey
OVER 112 ? (-110)
UNDER 112 ? (-110)
*LINE MOVEMENT*
The Saints opened up as 6 ?-point road favorites at the Westgate Superbook, but that line has slightly dropped to 6 at many sports books. The total opened at 52, but has quickly fallen to 49 ? at many locales, as this is the second-highest total Carolina has seen at home this season (55 ? vs. Tampa Bay in Week 9).
Kevin Rogers
*LAST WEEK*
The Saints (11-2 SU, 10-3 ATS) rebounded from a loss in Week 13 at Dallas that snapped a 10-game winning streak to knock off the Buccaneers, 28-14 to cash as 10-point road favorites. Not only did New Orleans avenge a season-opening loss to Tampa Bay in which it allowed 48 points, but the Saints shut out the Buccaneers in the second half, 25-0 to overcome a 14-3 halftime deficit.
Drew Brees spearheaded the rally behind a touchdown pass and a touchdown run, while the Saints? defense limited the Bucs to under 300 yards after allowing 529 yards in the first matchup in Week 1. The Saints gave up 17 points or less for the fifth consecutive week, while Brees busted the 200-yard passing mark (barely with 201) for the first time in three games. With the victory, the Saints improved to 6-1 SU/ATS away from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
The Panthers (6-7 SU, 5-8 ATS) have gone through a free-fall at the absolute worst time. Carolina suffered its fifth consecutive loss in last Sunday?s 26-20 setback at Cleveland as short favorites. The schedule-makers weren?t kind to Carolina, who was playing its fourth road game in five weeks, but the Panthers couldn?t hold onto a pair of touchdown leads in the first half as well as a three-point advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
Cam Newton failed to throw a touchdown pass for the first time since Week 1 against Dallas, as the Panthers? quarterback totaled 265 yards through the air and an interception. The Panthers trailed by six in the final minutes and reached the three-yard line, but Carolina came up short on three plays to take the lead, including a pair of incomplete passes by Newton. Carolina was limited to 21 points or fewer for the fourth time during this skid, as the Panthers topped the 31-point mark in four of six wins this season.
*ROAD IS WHERE THE HEART IS*
It?s well-known how much of a home-field advantage the Saints own, but the road numbers for New Orleans are staggering. Sean Payton?s squad has won six of seven on the highway, including an impressive 4-1 SU/ATS mark in the road favorite role. It?s been a nice bounce-back for New Orleans, who closed out last season with four straight away defeats and a 1-3 ATS record. The UNDER has cashed in five of seven road games, while allowing 20 points or less five times.
*BACK TO THE BANK*
Carolina hasn?t been able to put things together on the road at 1-6 this season. But, the Panthers are a different team (like everyone else) playing at home as Ron Rivera?s team owns a 5-1 mark at Bank of America Stadium. The lone home defeat came in their last home appearance back in Week 12 against Seattle in a 30-27 setback in the final seconds. Prior to that loss, Carolina strung together a 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS mark in Charlotte, which included four games that eclipsed the OVER.
*TOTAL TALK*
The Saints are currently on a four-game UNDER streak, as New Orleans is seeing a total below 50 for the first time since Week 7 at Baltimore (49). The Panthers have finished UNDER the total three times in the last four contests, but have gone OVER the total in five straight home games.
*TRIPLE REVENGE*
Not only does Carolina want to end its drought, but the Panthers look to avenge three losses to their division rivals from last season. New Orleans dominated Carolina at Bank of America Stadium, 34-13 as five-point underdogs, highlighted by three interceptions of Newton. The Saints took care of the Panthers at the Superdome in early December, 31-21 to cash as six-point favorites for the season sweep.
What about the third matchup? The two teams hooked up in the Big Easy for an NFC Wild Card showdown that looked to be a blowout as New Orleans led Carolina, 21-6. The Panthers crept back to make it 24-19 as 6 ?-point underdogs, but Alvin Kamara?s two-yard touchdown run with five minutes remaining gave the Saints back a 12-point advantage. However, the Panthers marched right down the field and Christian McCaffrey capped off the drive with a 56-yard touchdown reception from Newton to pick up the cover in a 31-26 defeat.
The Saints are favored at Carolina for the first time since 2014 when New Orleans pulled off a 28-10 rout as three-point chalk. New Orleans has covered in each of its past four visits to Bank of America Stadium, while the two teams have split those matchups.
*MONDAY NIGHT LIGHTS*
New Orleans is making its second appearance on Monday night football this season, as the Saints routed the Redskins, 43-19 in Week 5 at home. However, the Saints own a 2-4 record in their last six Monday night contests since 2014 with the last road win coming at Chicago in December 2014 as a short favorite. The Panthers have won three of their last four Monday night games since 2015, while making their first appearance in 2018.
*GAME PROPS* ? Courtesy of Las Vegas Westgate Superbook
Total Gross Passing Yards ? Drew Brees
OVER 259 ? (-110)
UNDER 259 ? (-110)
Total Touchdown Passes ? Drew Brees
OVER 2 (-130)
UNDER 2 (+110)
Will Michael Thomas score a touchdown?
YES +105
NO -125
Total Completions ? Cam Newton
OVER 23 ? (-110)
UNDER 23 (-110)
Total Touchdown Passes ? Cam Newton
OVER 1 ? (-130)
UNDER 1 ? (+110)
Total Rushing + Receiving Yards ? Christian McCaffrey
OVER 112 ? (-110)
UNDER 112 ? (-110)
*LINE MOVEMENT*
The Saints opened up as 6 ?-point road favorites at the Westgate Superbook, but that line has slightly dropped to 6 at many sports books. The total opened at 52, but has quickly fallen to 49 ? at many locales, as this is the second-highest total Carolina has seen at home this season (55 ? vs. Tampa Bay in Week 9).
