At 4:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Toledo Rockets (271) and the Wyoming Cowboys (272) in the Arizona Bowl. THE SITUATION: Toledo (11-2) had their 11-game winning streak snapped in a 23-14 loss to Miami (OH) as a 6.5-point favorite in the Mid-American Conference Championship Game on December 2nd. Wyoming (8-4) has won two games in a row after their 42-6 victory at Nevada as an 11-point favorite on November 25th. This game is being played at the Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Arizona.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Rockets will be without their top two offensive players in this game after both starting quarterback DeQuan Finn and running back Peny Boone entered the transfer portal. Finn was the Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Year while Boone rushed for 1400 yards on 7.2 Yards-Per-Carry. Their losses are significant. As it is, while Toledo generated 428.8 total Yards-Per-Game resulting in 33.6 Points-Per-Game, those drop to 399.3 YPG and 25.9 PPG when they are playing away from home. The Rockets have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after an upset loss — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. Toledo has a tough defense that held their opponents to just 329.7 total YPG and 20.6 PPG. Cornerback Quinyon Mitchell is expected to opt-put — but the Rockets' secondary is loaded with experience and talent led by safety Maxen Hook who is a two-time All-MAC award winner. Toledo has only forced one turnover in their last three games — but they have then played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total after failing to force more than one turnover in three straight games. They have played 12 of their last 14 games Under the Total after failing to force more than one turnover in their last game. Wyoming held the Wolf Pack to just 201 yards in their most recent game. The Cowboys held their opponents to only 22.9 PPG this season. Wyoming has played 31 of their last 46 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game. And while they limited Nevada to just 3.65 Yards-Per-Play, they have then played 4 straight Unders after holding their last opponent to 4.0 or fewer YPP. They outgained the Wolf Pack by +208 net yards — and they have played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total on the road after outgaining their previous opponent by +225 or more YPG. The Cowboys have only given up 85 total rushing yards in their last two games — and they have played 38 of their last 57 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 125 rushing yards in two or more games in a row. With this being head coach Craig Bohl’s final game with the team before his retirement, a spirited effort is expected. But the offensive side of the ball has faced some turmoil after offensive coordinator Tim Polasek left to take the head coaching job at North Dakota State. In their five games away from home, the Cowboys generated only 286.6 total YPG resulting in just 20.0 PPG. Wyoming has played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 42.5-49 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Toledo is outscoring their opponents by +13.0 PPG — and the Cowboys have played 38 of their last 57 games Under the Total against teams outscoring their opponents by +10.0 or more PPG. The Rockets have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 30 of their last 46 games Under the Total against opponents winning 60-75% of their games. 25* CFB Group of Five Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Toledo Rockets (271) and the Wyoming Cowboys (272). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Ohio State Buckeyes (264) minus the points versus the Missouri Tigers (263) in the Cotton Bowl. THE SITUATION: Ohio State (11-1) looks to rebound from their 30-24 loss at Michigan as a 3-point underdog on November 25th. Missouri (10-2) has won three games in a row after their 48-14 win at Arkansas as a 9-point favorite on November 24th. This game is being played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BUCKEYES MINUS THE POINTS: Ohio State outgained the Wolverines by a +38 net yards but was held back by a -2 net turnover margin. The Buckeyes have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 28 games after a straight-up loss. This team is dealing with several opt-outs and transfers. Wide receiver Marvin Harrison, Jr. and defensive tackle Mike Hall are opting out for the NFL. The long transfer portal list includes starting quarterback Kyle McCord, wide receiver Julian Fleming, and reliable running back Chip Trayanum. But Ohio State still has plenty of high-end talent playing in this game who are future NFL players. Star running back TreVeyon Henderson has decided to play in this game — and that speaks loudly as to how seriously this team is treating this contest. Wide receiver Emeka Egbuka is playing and will use this game to showcase his skills as the clear number one option. The defense still has defensive end Jack Sawyer, defensive tackle Tyleik Williams, and cornerbacks Denzel Burke and Jordan Hancock. This bowl game offers head coach Ryan Day to begin auditioning for starting jobs for next season. Perhaps the biggest beneficiary of bowl practices is redshirt freshman quarterback Devin Brown. While he lost the competition for the starting job to McCord in the spring, his athleticism still got him onto the field for 72 snaps including some important goal-line sequences before he got injured in the Penn State game. Brown is yet another blue-chipper — and he may not be a drop off from McCord whose up-and-down play led to him leaving the program (for Syracuse!). Ohio State does significantly better than Missouri in recruiting season after season. Look for defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to get back to his roots regarding aggressive schemes after he scaled things back after Michigan and Georgia consistently burned them on explosive plays. The Buckeyes have not forced more than one turnover in seven straight games — but they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games after playing three or more games in a row after failing to force more than one turnover in a game. Additionally, Ohio State has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when getting two or more weeks of rest and preparation. Missouri only gained 370 total yards against the Razorbacks despite scoring 48 points. The Tigers have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after a win on the road by 28 or more points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after a win by 21 or more points. Their win against Arkansas came after a 33-31 win against Florida the previous week — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after playing two or more games in a row where 60 or more combined points were scored. Missouri was one of the surprise teams in the country this season — they pulled off three upset victories to reach ten wins. They also benefited from a 4-0 record in games decided by one scoring possession — and they also enjoyed a +4 net turnover margin. First-year offensive coordinator Kirby Moore did a nice job installing game plans that put junior quarterback Brady Cook into a position to succeed — and five-start wide receiver Luther Burden III is a future NFL start. But the Buckeyes have studied these schemes for a month. The Tigers' defense will be down to starters with cornerback Ennis Rakestraw and linebacker Ty’ron Hopper dealing with injuries.

FINAL TAKE: Missouri has failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 20 games in December -- and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games in non-conference play. Ohio State has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on a neutral field with the Total set at 49.5-52. 25* College Football Game of the Month is with the Ohio State Buckeyes (264) minus the points versus the Missouri Tigers (263). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Memphis Tigers (261) plus the points versus the Iowa State Cyclones (262) in the Liberty Bowl. THE SITUATION: Memphis (9-3) won for the fifth time in their last six games with their 45-21 victory at Temple as a 13-point favorite on November 24th. Iowa State (7-5) has won two of their last three games after their 42-35 upset win at Kansas State as a 10-point underdog on November 25th. This game is being played at the Tigers home field at the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TIGERS PLUS THE POINTS: Memphis hosts this game — and while I do not expect a rowdy afternoon crowd for this game, I find much of the home-field advantage in football coming from familiarity and lack of travel which the Tigers will enjoy for this contest. The Tigers won four of their five home games this season to extend their home winning streak since 2017 to 29-5 straight-up — and they have a 55-11 record at home in the last ten seasons. Furthermore, Memphis has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games at home as an underdog getting 7.5 to 10 points. The Tigers have played four straight Overs after their final regular season game with the Owls flew Over the 64-point Total — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after playing four or more Overs in a row. Head coach Ryan Silverfield is dealing with some missing players including two starters on the offensive line who are in the transfer portal. But junior quarterback Seth Henigan is playing after passing for 3519 yards with 28 touchdown passes, four rushing touchdowns, and only nine interceptions. He has his two favorite targets for this game in Roc Taylor and Demeer Blankumsee who combined for 1806 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. Running back Blake Watson is also playing in this game after rushing for 104 yards with 14 touchdowns. Memphis ranked tenth in the nation in Points-Per-Play on offense while generating 453.2 total Yards-Per-Game and 39.7 Points-Per-Game. The Cyclones struggle against potent offensive teams as they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games against opponents who generate 450 or more YPG. To make matters worse, they will be without their star cornerback T.J. Tampa who opted out for this game to prepare for the NFL draft. Iowa State has failed to cover the point spreading in 12 of their last 17 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a straight-up win against a Big 12 rival. They have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after scoring 37 or more points in their last game. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after winning four or five of their last six contests. The Cyclones have also failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games in the second half of the season.

FINAL TAKE: Iowa State Matt Campbell usually gets the most out of his roster - but the overall athleticism on the roster remains a question that was only made worse by the gambling scandal that impacted the team early in the season. It is telling that the Cyclones have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games against teams with a winning record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 straight games against teams winning 75% or more of their games. 10* CFB Memphis-Iowa State ESPN Special with the Memphis Tigers (261) plus the points versus the Iowa State Cyclones (262). Best of luck for us — Frank. 

At 9:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Oklahoma Sooners (256) plus the points versus the Arizona Wildcats (255) in the Alamo Bowl. THE SITUATION: Oklahoma (10-2) has won three games in a row after their 69-45 victory as a 10-point favorite against TCU on November 24th. Arizona (9-3) has won six games in a row with their 59-23 victory at Arizona State as a 10.5-point favorite on November 25th. This game is being played at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SOONERS PLUS THE POINTS: Oklahoma has two new faces playing big roles with their offense since the victory against the Horned Frogs. Offensive coordinator Jeff Libby left the program to take the head coaching job at Mississippi State — so head coach Brent Venables tapped offensive analyst Seth Littrell as the new play-caller and offensive coordinator. Venables hired Littrell after he was let go as the North Texas head coach. He has previous experience as an offensive coordinator at Arizona, Indiana, and then North Carolina which got him the head coaching gig at North Texas. He runs an Air Raid offense as well — so there should be no drop-off. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel entered the transfer portal and will play at Oregon next season — so that opens the door for the Sooners to begin the Jackson Arnold era. The five-star freshman is considered a potential future first-round draft pick in the NFL. He completed 18 of 24 passes this season for 202 yards with an 8.4 Yards-Per-Attempt average with two touchdown passes and no interceptions. He is a threat with his legs as well with 78 rushing yards in his limited time on the field — and he thrives in operating within inside zone read rushing schemes. The Wildcats are vulnerable in this area — they allowed an Opponent Success Rate of 41% against inside zone rushing plays. If this was an early September game, Arnold would be given much respect — and after a few weeks of practice with the first team for bowl prep after being with the team all year, he should be ready to roll. Oklahoma has a long transfer and opt-out list — but the biggest losses are three starters on the offensive line. Arnold still has great weapons at his disposal in Drake Stoops, Nic Anderson, and Jalil Farooq. The defense got some great news when junior linebacker Danny Stutsman and junior safety Billy Bowman both announced they were returning for their senior seasons — and both are playing in this game. Oklahoma has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after covering the point spread in a victory as a double-digit favorite. They have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a game where both teams scored 30 or more points. The Sooners have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games on the road after allowing 42 or more points in their last game. Additionally, Oklahoma has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games against teams outside the Big 12 — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games with the Total set in the 56.5-63 point range. Arizona may be due for an emotional letdown after their surprising regular season in the Pac-12 where they upset Oregon State, UCLA, and Utah. The Wildcats have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after winning five games in a row — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games on the road after scoring 35 or more points in a victory over a Pac-12 rival. Arizona covered the point spread in ten of their twelve games this season — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 14 games after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven contests. Before beating the Sun Devils to conclude their regular season, they upset Utah by a 42-18 score — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after winning two games in a row by double-digits against Pac-12 opponents. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 13 games on the road after scoring 37 or more points in their last two contests. The offense improved when head coach Jedd Fisch turned to redshirt freshman Noah Fifita as his starting quarterback — but the underlying metrics do raise some concerns. He had seven “Big Time” throws but eight turnover-worthy plays despite only five interceptions. That negative ratio is worrisome — especially with the Sooners given a month of preparation time. Fifita has a low adjusted completion percentage of 34% on his 38 throws of 20 or more air yards. To compound matters, Arizona star left tackle Jordan Morgan opted out for this game leaving the blind side duties to sophomore Joseph Borjon who only was involved in 175 plays this season.

FINAL TAKE: Arizona has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 bowl games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games when favored on a neutral field. Oklahoma has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games played on a neutral field. 10* CFB Thursday Late Show Bailout with the Oklahoma Sooners (256) plus the points versus the Arizona Wildcats (255). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New York Jets (101) and the Cleveland Browns (102). THE SITUATION: New York (6-9) has won two of their last three games after a 30-28 victory against Washington as a 3-point favorite on Sunday. Cleveland (10-5) has won three straight games as well as six of their last eight contests after their 36-32 victory at Houston as a 3-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Cleveland held the Texans to just 250 total yards last week — a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown helped the Texans keep the game close. The Browns have played 11 of their last 17 games Under the Total after winning six or seven of their last eight games. The Browns return home where they have held their last three opponents to 27 combined points when playing at home — and they have not allowed more than 17 points in four straight home games as well as six of their seven contests. Cleveland is limiting their guests to a mere 197.9 total YPG resulting in 13.1 PPG. The Browns have played 6 of their last 7 home games Under the Total. New York has played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total after a straight-up win where they failed to cover the point spread as the favorite — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after winning two of their last three games. The Jets have not scored more than 13 points in four straight games and five of their last six contests. The New York offensive line has been a mess all season — and now their best lineman Duane Brown is out the season with a back injury.  

FINAL TAKE: The Jets have played 16 of their last 23 games Under the Total after the first month of the season — and the Browns have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total in Weeks 14-17 of the season. 10* NFL Thursday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the New York Jets (101) and the Cleveland Browns (102). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Cleveland Browns (102) minus the points versus the New York  Jets (101). THE SITUATION: Cleveland (10-5) has won three straight games as well as six of their last eight contests after their 36-32 victory at Houston as a 3-point favorite on Sunday. New York (6-9) has won two of their last three games after a 30-28 victory against Washington as a 3-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BROWNS MINUS THE POINTS: Cleveland dominated the Texans in yardage by generating 418 total yards and outgaining Houston by +168 net yards. A 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown helped the Texans keep the game close. The Browns are getting great play from quarterback Joe Flacco who completed 27 of 42 passes for 368 yards with three touchdowns. Flacco is 3-1 in his four starts for the team while averaging 326.8 passing Yards-Per-Game and 7.5 Yards-Per-Attempt. He has unlocked the vertical passing game for head coach Kevin Stefanski that even Deshaun Watson was not able to accomplish. In his last three starts, Flacco is leading an offense that is generating 394.7 total YPG and 29.0 PPG. Cleveland has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after playing a game that finished Over the Total. They have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after winning four or five of their last six games. The Browns return home where they have been outstanding. They have held their last three opponents to 27 combined points when playing at home — and they have not allowed more than 17 points in four straight home games as well as six of their seven contests. Cleveland is limiting their guests to a mere 197.9 total YPG resulting in 13.1 PPG. They are outscoring their opponents by +7.4 PPG and outgaining them by +119.9 YPGG. The Browns have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 25 of their last 34 home games with the Total set in the 32.5-35 point range. New York has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight-up win at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after a win by three points or less. The Jets held the ball for 36:16 minutes while gaining 26 first downs — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 24 of their last 33 games after gaining at least 24 first downs while controlling the time of possession for 34 or more minutes. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games after losing four or five of their last six contests. They have only covered the point spread once in their last nine games — and they have then failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games after covering the point spread just once in their last four contests. The Jets were dominating the Commanders by going into halftime with a 27-7 score — but they almost gave the game away by getting outscored by a 21-3 margin in the second half. Their good defense is regressing after being asked to do so much this season — New York has given up 61 combined points in their last two games while surrendering 27 or more points in five of their last eight contests. The Jets have not scored more than 13 points in four straight games and five of their last six contests. In his lone start on the road this season, Trevor Siemian completed only 14 of 26 passes for just 110 yards with two interceptions in a 30-0 shutout loss at Miami. The New York offensive line has been a mess all season — and now their best lineman Duane Brown is out the season with a back injury. The Jets have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 21 games on the road.

FINAL TAKE: New York can play the role of the spoiler tonight — but after the announcement this week from owner Woody Johnson that Aaron Rodgers will get his way with general manager Joe Douglas and head coach Robert Saleh will return next season, I’m not sure the sense of urgency is as strong with this group. The Jets have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 22 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points — and the Browns have covered the point spread in 5 straight games at home when favored. 25* NFL Thursday Night Football Game of the Year with the Cleveland Browns (102) minus the points versus the New York  Jets (101). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the UNLV Rebels (240) plus the points versus the Kansas Jayhawks (239) in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl. THE SITUATION: UNLV (9-4) has lost two games in a row after their 44-20 loss at home to Boise State as a 2.5-point underdog in the Mountain West Conference Championship Game. Kansas (8-4) snapped a two-game losing streak with their 49-16 victory at Cincinnati as a 7-point favorite on November 25th. This game will be played at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona.

REASONS TO TAKE THE REBELS PLUS THE POINTS: UNLV has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 road games after playing a game where 60 or more combined points were scored. The Rebels have allowed 477.0 total Yards-Per-Game in their last three contests — but they have then covered the point spread in 18 of their last 23 road games after allowing 475 or more YPG in their last three contests. Operating the GoGo offense under offensive coordinator Brennan Marion, the Rebels are generating 425.0 YPG and 34.7 PPG when playing on the road. The GoGo approach operates without a huddle with heavy pre-snap motions while deploying almost every formation imaginable to confuse their opponents. Kansas held the Bearcats to just 111 passing yards in their final regular season game — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 25 games after allowing no more than 125 passing yards in their last game. The Jayhawks generated 562 yards of offense in that game — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after gaining 525 or more yards in their last game. The program has since lost offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki who left the for same job at Penn State — so head coach Lance Leipold elevated quarterbacks coach Jim Zebrowski was elevated to co-offensive coordinator and veteran OC Jeff Grimes was already hired to be the new offensive coordinator and will coach this game. The offense also suffered a blow with starting left tackle Dominick Puni opting out for this game leaving them having to start a freshman to protect quarterback Jason Bean’s blind side. The Jayhawks rushed for 312 yards against Cincinnati — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 21 games after rushing for 300 or more yards in their last game. And while they rushed for 234 yards in their previous game against Kansas State, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games after rushing for 225 or more yards in two straight games. The Jayhawks give up their share of points — when playing away from home, their opponents are generating 430.6 total Yards-Per-Game resulting in 28.0 Points-Per-Game. One of their problems is they do not stop drives by forcing turnovers — they have not forced more than one turnover in four straight games.

FINAL TAKE: UNLV has covered the point spread in 8 straight games against teams outside the Mountain West Conference. 8* CFB Tuesday Late Show Bailout with the UNLV Rebels (240) plus the points versus the Kansas Jayhawks (239). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Kansas Jayhawks (239) and the UNLV Rebels (240) in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl. THE SITUATION: Kansas (8-4) snapped a two-game losing streak with their 49-16 victory at Cincinnati as a 7-point favorite on November 25th. UNLV (9-4) has lost two games in a row after their 44-20 loss at home to Boise State as a 2.5-point underdog in the Mountain West Conference Championship Game. This game will be played at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Jayhawks generated 562 total yards against the Bearcats — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after gaining at least 475 or more yards in their last game. They have also played 15 of their last 20 games Over the Total after a double-digit win against a Big 12 conference rival — and they have played 6 straight Overs after losing two of their last three games. The program did lose offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki who left the for same job at Penn State — so head coach Lance Leipold elevated quarterbacks coach Jim Zebrowski was elevated to co-offensive coordinator and veteran OC Jeff Grimes was already hired to be the new offensive coordinator and will coach this game. Quarterback Jason Bean will lead an offense that ranks ninth in Pass Success Rate. Bean joins running back Devin Neal to form an explosive rushing attack that ranks 17th in Rushing Success Rate. By deploying plenty of counter schemes, Kansas sees 25% of their rushing plays go for at least 12 yards. But the Jayhawks give up their share of points — when playing away from home, their opponents are generating 430.6 total Yards-Per-Game resulting in  28.0 Points-Per-Game. One of their problems is they do not stop drives by forcing turnovers — they have not forced more than one turnover in four straight games. Kansas has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after failing to force more than one turnover in their last game — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total after failing to force more than one turnover in two straight games. And in their last 33 games after not forcing more than one turnover in three straight games, they played 23 of those games Over the Total. UNLV has played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss to a Mountain West Conference rival — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a loss at home to a conference opponent. They have also played 39 of their last 60 games Over the Total after losing two games in a row to a conference opponent. Operating the GoGo offense under offensive coordinator Brennan Marion, the Rebels are generating 425.0 YPG and 34.7 PPG when playing on the road. The GoGo approach operates without a huddle with heavy pre-snap motions while deploying almost every formation imaginable to confuse their opponents. But the UNLV defense is vulnerable as they have given up 477.0 YPG and 36.0 PPG in their last three contests. They rank 126th in Opponent Pass Success Rate Allowed. The Rebels allowed 8.24 Yards-Per-Play to the Broncos in the MWC Championship Game — and they have played 15 of their last 19 games Over the Total after allowing 7.25 or more YPP in their last contest. That game against Boise State finished Over the 62.5-point Total — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total.

FINAL TAKE: UNLV has scored 31 or more points in nine of their games — and Kansas has scored 31 or more points in eight of their contests. The Jayhawks have played 22 of their last 31 games Over the Total when getting at least two weeks of rest and preparation. 25* CFB Tuesday ESPN Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Kansas Jayhawks (239) and the UNLV Rebels (240). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:30 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Rice Owls (238) plus the points versus the Texas State Bobcats (237) in the First Responder Bowl. THE SITUATION: Rice (6-6) won their final two games of the season after a 24-21 victory against Florida Atlantic as a 4-point favorite on November 25th. Texas State (7-5) snapped their two-game losing streak with a 52-44 upset win against South Alabama as a 6-point underdog on November 25th. This game is being played at the Gerald Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas.

REASONS TO TAKE THE OWLS PLUS THE POINTS: This is an important game for Rice after they won their final two games of the season to become bowl-eligible. Winning this game would secure the Owls their first winning season in their six seasons under head coach Mike Bloomgren. They reached a bowl game last year despite a 5-7 record but lost 38-24 to Southern Mississippi in what was their first bowl game in eight seasons. Bloomgren is recruiting well — and this game offers an opportunity to showcase his program to a national audience and potential recruits. It is telling that he has no players opting out or entering the transfer portal. Sixth-year senior quarter J.T. Daniels did announce his retirement from college football due to medical reasons — but the offense is in good hands in redshirt freshman  A.J. Padgett who has 225 snaps under his belt after starting the last few games. Padgett completed 24 of 37 passes for 255 yards with three touchdowns and one interception against FAU. Padgett started in the Owls’ bowl game last year — and this start gives him a head start to claim the starting QB job next season. Rice usually builds off their momentum. They have covered the point spread in four of their last six games — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six contests. And while they outgained FAU by +194 net yards, they have then covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after outgaining their previous opponent by +175 or more Yards-Per-Game. They did not force a turnover in that game — but they have then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after not forcing more than one turnover in their last contest. Florida Atlantic did average 6.49 Yards-Per-Play against them — but Rice has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games after allowing their previous opponent to generate 6.25 or more YPP. Texas State will be playing in their first-ever bowl game in what has been a triumphant season under first-year head coach G.J. Kinne. But the Bobcats have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win against a conference opponent. Texas State generated 479 total yards against the Jaguars in their previous game — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after gaining 475 or more yards in their last contest. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after scoring 50 or more points in their last game. The Bobcats have a dynamic offense — but they are vulnerable against good passing teams as they rank 105th in Opponent Pass Success Rate Allowed. Rice ranks 28th in Pass Success Rate. The Owls should be able to slow down the Texas State passing attack as well — they rank 35th in Opponent Pass Success Rate Allowed.

FINAL TAKE: Rice has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games when playing on field turf which is the surface at Gerald Ford Stadium. 10* CFB First Responder Bowl ESPN Special with the Rice Owls (238) plus the points versus the Texas State Bobcats (237). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Baltimore Ravens (481) plus the points versus the San Francisco 49ers (482). THE SITUATION: Baltimore (11-3) has won four games in a row as well as eight of their last nine contests after their 23-7 victory at Jacksonville as a 4-point favorite last Sunday. San Francisco (11-3) has won six games in a row with their 45-29 win at Arizona as a 12-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAVENS PLUS THE POINTS: Lamar Jackson has had great success in his career against teams from the NFC opponents — Baltimore has a 16-1 straight-up record in non-conference games with Jackson under center. The conventional wisdom is that teams unfamiliar with Jackson struggle to adapt to his unique skill set. Most teams do not have a player close to his talents who can come close to replicating his actions to practice against. The 49ers lack a speedy linebacker or safety who can effectively spy against him during the game. Furthermore, in Jackson’s last five games against teams ranking in the top-five in total defense, the Ravens have won all five of those games while scoring more than 25 Points-Per-Game with Jackson accounting for 11 touchdowns. While that 16-1 straight-up record against the NFC does not take into account the point spread, it certainly is an intriguing number when Baltimore is an underdog. Jackson combines with an outstanding defense that leads the NFL in scoring defense and sacks. The Ravens have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. Baltimore rushed for 251 yards against the Jaguars — and they have covered the point spread in 28 of their last 41 road games after rushing for 175 or more yards in their last contest. San Francisco actually got outgained by -30 net yards last week against the Cardinals. While nitpicking a 16-point win on the road against a division rival might be making too much of things, the fact that Arizona did generate 436 yards of offense against the 49ers' defense is cause for concern. The Cardinals generated 6.32 Yards-Per-Play against them after Seattle averaged 6.35 YPP the previous week — and the 49ers have failed to cover the point spread in 23 of their last 33 games after giving up 6.0 or more YPP in two straight games. San Francisco has also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a double-digit win on the road. And while the 49ers have scored 27 or more points in six straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after scoring 25 or more points in two or more games in a row.

FINAL TAKE: The Ravens have covered the point spread in 26 of their last 39 road games with the Total set in the 45.5-49 point range. 20* NFL Baltimore-San Francisco ABC-TV Special with the Baltimore Ravens (481) plus the points versus the San Francisco 49ers (482). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Baltimore Ravens (481) and the San Francisco 49ers (482). THE SITUATION: Baltimore (11-3) has won four games in a row as well as eight of their last nine contests after their 23-7 victory at Jacksonville as a 4-point favorite last Sunday. San Francisco (11-3) has won six games in a row with their 45-29 win at Arizona as a 12-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Ravens generated 396 yards of offense last week but did not push things with the scoreboard with them dominating the Jaguars. Baltimore has scored 31 or more points in six of their last eight games — and they are scoring 27.4 Points-Per-Game. In Lamar Jackson’s last five games against teams ranking in the top five in total defense, the Ravens are averaging more than 25 Points-Per-Game with Jackson accounting for 11 touchdowns. Baltimore has played 8 of their last 12 games Over the Total after a double-digit win — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after a win by 14 or more points. The Ravens have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after allowing no more than 14 points in their last game. Despite leading the NFL in scoring defense, Baltimore can get embroiled in shootouts. Cleveland scored 33 points against them in their upset victory that saw 64 combined points scored and the Los Angeles Rams scored 31 points against them two weeks ago in the Ravens win that had 68 combined points scored. Now Baltimore goes back on the road where they have played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total as an underdog. San Francisco has scored 27 or more points in six straight games. The 49ers have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a double-digit victory. Furthermore, they have played 4 straight Overs after a point spread victory when they covered a double-digit point spread win. Additionally, San Francisco has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after scoring 25 or more points in two straight games — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after scoring 25 or more points in three straight games. While nitpicking a 16-point win on the road against a division rival might be making too much of things, the fact that Arizona did generate 436 yards of offense against the 49ers' defense is cause for concern. The Cardinals generated 6.32 Yards-Per-Play against them after Seattle averaged 6.35 YPP the previous week — far above their 5.2 YPP defensive average for the season. The 49ers return home where have played 9 of their last 12 home games Over the Total when the favorite. They have also played 7 of their last 11 games Over the Total with the Total set in the 42.5-49 point range.

FINAL TAKE: San Francisco has played 8 of their last 9 games at home Over the Total when favored by 3.5 to 7 points — and Baltimore has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. 10* NFL Monday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Over the Total in the game between the Baltimore Ravens (481) and the San Francisco 49ers (482). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Las Vegas Raiders (477) and the Kansas City Chiefs (478). THE SITUATION: Las Vegas (6-8) snapped a three-game losing streak with their 63-21 victory against the Los Angeles Chargers as a 3-point favorite on December 14th. Kansas City (9-5) snapped their two-game losing streak with their 27-17 victory at New England as a 10.5-point favorite last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Raiders' unlikely offensive explosion was due primarily to the Chargers lack of focus in head coach Brandon Staley’s final game with the team — and their +5 net turnover margin helped put them in scoring position (and they scored a defensive touchdown on an interception). Las Vegas only gained 378 total yards in the game. They had not scored more than 17 points in four straight games and six of their last seven before that outburst on Thursday night. The Raiders have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after scoring 30 or more points in their last game. They have played 14 of their last 21 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a win at home. They have also played 15 of their last 19 games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total. While the offense has been mostly subpar with rookie Aidan O’Connell at quarterback, the Las Vegas defense has been much better since Antonio Pierce took over as interim head coach. Under his leadership, the Raiders are holding their opponents to 15.5 Ppints-Per-Game after giving up more than 24 PPG under previous head coach Josh McDaniels. Now Las Vegas goes back on the road where they have played 16 of their last 24 games Under the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total as an underdog. They have also played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total with the Total set in the 35.5-42 point range.  Kansas City held the Patriots to just 206 total yards last week in their 10-point victory. The Chiefs have held five of their last six opponents to no more than 21 points. But it is the offense that has been the bigger surprise for the defending Super Bowl champions as they have not scored more than 21 points in five of their last seven contests. Tight end Travis Kelce is beginning to show his age and the wide receiver corps has not seen a reliable second option emerge. Head coach Andy Reid is so fed up with Kadarius Toney’s mistakes that he did not even practice this week — and he is not active for this game. Rookie Rashee Rice has shown flashes — but this team would be much better off if he was the third option rather than the second. Kansas City has not rushed for more than 82 yards in two straight games as well — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after failing to rush for more than  99 yards in two straight games. The Chiefs have lost the turnover battle in three straight games — and they have played 5 straight Unders after posting a -1 or worse turnover margin in three or more games in a row. They return home where they are holding their guests to 281.8 total YPG resulting in just 16.2 PPG. Kansas City has played 19 of their last 28 games Under the Total at home — and they have played 5 of their last 6 home games Under the Total when favored.

FINAL TAKE: The Chiefs have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total against AFC opponents — and the Raiders have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total against conference rivals. 10* NFL Monday Afternoon Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Las Vegas Raiders (477) and the Kansas City Chiefs (478). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New England Patriots (475) and the Denver Broncos (476). THE SITUATION: New England (3-11) has lost six of their last seven games after their 27-17 loss to Kansas City as a 10.5-point underdog on Sunday. Denver (7-7) has lost two of their last three games after their 42-17 loss at Detroit as a 5.5-point underdog last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Broncos gave up 185 rushing yards last week to the Lions — but they have then played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after allowing 175 or more rushing yards in their last game. Denver has covered the point spread once in their last three games — and they have then played 12 of their last 18 games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in two of their last three games including four of these last five circumstances. Denver generated only 297.0 total Yards-Per-Game in their last three games resulting in just 19.3 Points-Per-Game. But their defense is holding their opponents to 330.9 total YPG resulting in 20.1 PPG for these foes. Now they host a Patriots offense decimated by injuries. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson remains out — and wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Kendrick Bourne are dealing with injuries as well. Additionally, tight Hunter Henry is out tonight with an ankle injury after leading the team last week with nine targets, seven catches, 66 receiving yards, and one of the team’s two touchdowns. Bailey Zappe remains their starting quarterback with Mac Jones permanently benched. Zappe is limited at quarterback — his initial flash when he started a handful of games last season had much to do with the benefit of playing teams with bad defenses. Now the book is out on him — and he is severely undermanned tonight. As it is, the Patriots have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a loss at home — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a loss by double-digits. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after losing two of their last three games — and they have played 26 of their last 38 games Under the Total after losing five or six of their last seven contests. New England is generating only 255.3 total Yards-Per-Game in their last three contests which is resulting in just 12.7 Points-Per-Game. Now they go back on the road where they are scoring 12.3 PPG and averaging 287.7 total YPG.

FINAL TAKE: We have gotten burned with our Under plays lately — but following the evidence remains the best long-term approach for success. The Patriots have played 7 of their last 10 games on the road Under the Total with the Total set in the 35.5-42 point range. The Broncos have played 22 of their last 33 games Under the Total against AFC rivals. 10* NFL Sunday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the New England Patriots (475) and the Denver Broncos (476). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Denver Broncos (476) minus the points versus the New England Patriots (475). THE SITUATION: Denver (7-7) has lost two of their last three games after their 42-17 loss at Detroit as a 5.5-point underdog last Saturday. New England (3-11) has lost six of their last seven games after their 27-17 loss to Kansas City as a 10.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BRONCOS MINUS THE POINTS: We were on the Lions last Saturday night — but I like the bounce-back spot for Denver who return home again after playing their last three games on the road. The Broncos have a 4-3 record against teams who were in a position to make the playoffs before games started today. They have beaten both Kansas City and Cleveland at home by 15 and 17 points respectively — so this revamped group under head coach Sean Payton that is emphasizing ball control, running the football, and not asking Russell Wilson to do too much has proven capable of covering a point spread of seven or so points when playing at home. Denver has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after losing by ten or more points in their last game. And while they went into halftime trailing by a 21-0 score last week, they have then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after failing to score more than three points in their last game. The Broncos did not force a turnover last week — but they still have 17 takeaways in their last seven games while forcing multiple turnovers in five of those contests. Now they host a Patriots team that has committed at least one turnover in 11 straight games — and they have only played one clean game where they did not turn the ball over. They are averaging 1.6 turnovers per game. New England has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after losing two of their last three games. Furthermore, the Patriots have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight road games after losing three of their last four games. New England is generating only 255.3 total Yards-Per-Game in their last three contests which is resulting in just 12.7 Points-Per-Game. On the road, the Patriots are scoring 12.3 PPG and averaging 287.7 total YPG. Bailey Zappe is limited at quarterback — his initial flash when he started a handful of games last season had much to do with the benefit of playing teams with bad defenses. Now the book is out on him — and he is severely undermanned tonight. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson remains out — and wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Kendrick Bourne are dealing with injuries as well. Additionally, tight Hunter Henry is out tonight with an ankle injury after leading the team last week with nine targets, seven catches, 66 receiving yards, and one of the team’s two touchdowns.

FINAL TAKE: The Patriots are getting outscored by -7.4 PPG when playing on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games as an underdog. It is a drag to play on the road in high altitude in Denver on Christmas Eve — especially when it has already been a lost season. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Game of the Month with the Denver Broncos (476) minus the points versus the New England Patriots (475). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Jacksonville Jaguars (469) minus the point(s) versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (470). THE SITUATION: Jacksonville (8-6) has lost three games in a row after their 23-7 loss to Baltimore as a 4-point underdog last Sunday. Tampa Bay (7-7) has won three games in a row with their 34-20 upset victory at Green Bay as a 3.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE JAGUARS MINUS THE POINT(S): Jacksonville is expected to play this afternoon after clearing the concussion protocol yesterday and then getting through the pre-game drills on the field earlier this afternoon. Obviously, his presence on the field makes a big difference in backing the Jaguars as a road favorite as opposed to C.J. Beathard. Jacksonville was held scoreless in the first half last week in their loss to the Ravens — but they have then covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after failing to score more than three points in the first half of their previous game. Now they go back on the road where they have played well by winning five of their six games. They are outgaining their home hosts by +28.2 net Yards-Per-Game. They are also outscoring the home teams by +6.8 Points-Per-Game while holding them to just 19.1 PPG. The Jaguars have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games when favored. Additionally, Jacksonville has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games when favored. Baker Mayfield completed 22 of 28 passes for 381 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions in his spectacular effort against the Packers — but Tampa Bay has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after passing for at least 350 yards in their last game. The Buccaneers have also failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 19 games after playing a game that finished Over the Total. Tampa Bay returns home where they are just 3-3 and scoring only 16.3 PPG. The Bucs are getting outscored by -0.7 PPG and outgained by -21.2 net YPG. Tampa Bay has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight home games when they are the underdogs.

FINAL TAKE: The Buccaneers have failed to cover the point spread in 8 straight home games with the Total set in the 42.5-49 point range — and the Jaguars have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games with the Total set in the 42.5-49 point range. 10* NFL Sunday Afternoon Discounted Deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars (469) minus the point(s) versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (470). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Chargers (456) plus the points versus the Buffalo Bills (455). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (5-9) has lost two straight games as well as five of their last six contests after their 63-31 loss at Las Vegas as a 3-point underdog on December 14th. Buffalo (8-6) has won two games in a row with their 31-10 victory against Dallas as a 2.5-point favorite last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CHARGERS PLUS THE POINTS: A periodic reminder that we bet numbers rather than teams — and these are too many points for a home dog that will have something to prove now that their unpopular head coach is now gone. Brandon Staley was finally fired last Friday after the team sent their message to ownership in their complete and utter no-show against the Raiders on prime-time television. We were on Las Vegas for that game — but now after that public embarrassment, expect one of the hardest efforts from this Los Angeles team now that the proverbial Wicked Witch of the West is finally dead. The coordinators' responsibilities remain basically in tact with outside linebackers coach Giff Smith being tapped as the interim head coach for the rest of the season. Like interim head coach Antonio Pierce with the Raiders, Smith is very popular in the locker room — I expect this group to play hard out of professional pride. Frankly, the defense cannot play worse — and I expect a much better performance now that defensive coordinator Derrick Ansley is calling plays rather than Staley’s schemes that seemed to be Aaron Donald-dependent from his one year as the DC with the Los Angeles Rams. As it is, the Chargers have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a double-digit loss. Additionally, they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after losing two games in a row — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after losing four of their last five games. Furthermore, while Los Angeles has not covered the point spread in their last two games and they have covered the point spread only once in their last six games, they have then covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after failing to cover the point spread in two or more games in a row — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after failing to cover the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. Look for the Chargers to attempt to run the ball more to protect their defense and ask less of backup quarterback Easton Stick (playing for Justin Herbert who is out the season) as they have not rushed for more than 92 yards in four straight games. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after failing to rush for 100 or more yards in two straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after failing to rush for 100 or more yards in three straight games. Buffalo has covered the point spread in their last two games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after covering the point spread in two of their last three games. The Bills have not allowed more than 17 points in their last two games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after not allowing more than 17 points in their last two games. They have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after playing a home game that finished Under the Total. Buffalo got their ground game going by rushing for 266 yards last week — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after rushing for 250 or more yards in their last game. Much of the Bills’ success has been protecting the football as they have won the turnover battle in four straight games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after winning the turnover battle in four or more games in a row. Buffalo has not been dominant on the road this season where they have a 2-5 record. While they are outscoring their opponents by +9.0 Points-Per-Game and outgaining them by +64.0 net Yards-Per-Game, they are outscoring their home hosts by just +1.9 PPG and outgaining them by +14.0 net YPG.

FINAL TAKE: After a three-week gauntlet where they played at Philadelphia, at Kansas City, and then home at Dallas in a must-win game, don’t be surprised if the Bills exhale in this contest. Buffalo has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after the first month of the season. 10* NFL Buffalo-LA Chargers Peacock Special with the Los Angeles Chargers (456). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be Under the Total in the game between the Buffalo Bills (455) and the Los Angeles Chargers (456). THE SITUATION:  Buffalo (8-6) has won two games in a row with their 31-10 victory against Dallas as a 2.5-point favorite last Sunday. Los Angeles (5-9) has lost two straight games as well as five of their last six contests after their 63-31 loss at Las Vegas as a 3-point underdog on December 14th.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Since replacing fired offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, new OC Joe Brady has committed to running the ball more. In the Bills' last five games, they have rushed for 879 yards for a 176 rushing Yards-Per-Game average. This has helped the Bills' defense as they have held their last four opponents to 17.5 Points-Per-Game. They limited the Cowboys to just 195 total yards last week. Now they go back on the road where they have played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total — and they have played 38 of their last 59 road games with the Total set in the 42.5-45 point range. Additionally, Buffalo has played 8 of their last 10 games overall Under the Total with the Total set in the 42.5-49 point range. And in their last 12 road games against AFC opponents, the Bills have played 10 of those games Under the Total. Across the sidelines, Brandon Staley was finally fired last Friday after the team sent their message to ownership in their complete and utter no-show against the Raiders on prime-time television. Frankly, the defense cannot play worse — and I expect a much better performance now that defensive coordinator Derrick Ansley is calling plays rather than Staley’s schemes that seemed to be Aaron Donald-dependent from his one year as the DC with the Los Angeles Rams. The Chargers have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. And while they allowed Las Vegas to generate 6.1 Yards-Per-Play last week, they have then played 4 of their last 6 games Under the Total after allowing 6.0 or more YPP in their last game. The defense was not really the problem last week as the Raiders only generated 378 total yards — it was their -5 net turnover margin that gave Las Vegas short fields as they raced out to a 42-0 halftime lead. The Chargers return home where they have played 31 of their last 47 home games Under the Total after a game where they posted a -2 or worse net turnover margin. They have played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total with the Total set in the 42.5-49 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Los Angeles has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after the first month of the season — and Buffalo has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after the first month of the season. 10* NFL Saturday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Buffalo Bills (455) and the Los Angeles Chargers (456). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Pittsburgh Steelers (454) plus the points versus the Cincinnati Bengals (453). THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (7-7) has lost three games in a row after their 30-13 loss at Indianapolis as a 1-point underdog on Saturday. Cincinnati (8-6) has won three games in a row after their 27-24 win in overtime as a 3-point favorite against Minnesota last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE STEELERS PLUS THE POINTS: The Bengals outlasted the Vikings last week despite getting outgained by -46 net yards and allowing the Nick Mullens-led offense to gain 424 yards against them. Cincinnati has averaged 418.0 total Yards-Per-Game in their last three games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games after generating 375 or more YPG in their last three contests. Quarterback Jake Browning has played far above expectations after not throwing a pass in a regular season game in his first two seasons with the Bengals. But now the Steelers have four games of tape on him to study his tendencies running the Cincinnati offense — and that includes their first-hand experience against him on November 26th when Pittsburgh won on the road by a 16-10 score while holding the Bengals to just 222 total yards. To compound matters for Browning, he will be without wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase who suffered a shoulder injury last week which will keep him out of this game. Now after playing their last two games at home, they go back on the road where they are generating only 316.0 total Yards-Per-Game on the road resulting in 20.8 Points-Per-Game. Cincinnati is also allowing their home hosts to average 380.8 YPG and 25.5 PPG. The Bengals have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games against fellow AFC opponents — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games against AFC North rivals. Pittsburgh has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a loss by 14 or more points. They have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a loss on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a loss on the road by 14 or more points. Furthermore, while the Steelers have not covered the point spread during their three-game losing streak, they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after losing three games in a row — and they have covered the point spread in 25 of their last 37 games after failing to cover the point spread in three straight contests. Additionally, Pittsburgh has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after allowing 30 or more points in their last contest. If there is a bright side during the Steelers’ three-game losing streak, it is that they have held those three opponents to just 185 passing YPG. But after gaining 421 total yards in their first game after offensive coordinator Matt Canada was let go (in their victory against the Bengals last month), the Steelers' offense has reverted to its lackluster form as they have gained only 265.7 total Yards-Per-Game in their last three games resulting in 13.7 Points-Per-Game. Now head coach Mike Tomlin turns to third-string quarterback Mason Rudolph under center with Mitch Trubisky ineffective and Kenny Pickett still injured, Rudolph does have experience as he has ten career NFL starts under his belt — and he is trusted by Tomlin which is why he has remained with the franchise over his six-year career. The Steelers have a good opportunity to have success running the football given the season-ending injury to defensive tackle D.J. Reader who is one of the best run defenders in the league. Pittsburgh has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after failing to score 14 or more points in their last game. They have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games at home as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Pittsburgh generated 4.6 Yards-Per-Carry for 153 rushing yards against the Bengals defense even with Reader patrolling the line of scrimmage in their 16-10 victory in Cincinnati on November 26th. The Bengals have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when attempting to avenge a loss by seven points or less. 10* NFL Cincinnati-Pittsburgh NBC-TV Special with the Pittsburgh Steelers (454) plus the points versus the Cincinnati Bengals (453). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Cincinnati Bengals (453) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (454). THE SITUATION: Cincinnati (8-6) has won three games in a row after their 27-24 win in overtime as a 3-point favorite against Minnesota last Saturday. Pittsburgh (7-7) has lost three games in a row after their 30-13 loss at Indianapolis as a 1-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bengals have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a narrow win by three points or less — and they have played 5 straight Unders after a victory by three points or less at home. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after playing a game at home where both teams scored 24 or more points. And while quarterback Jake Browning has led his team to at least 27 points in three straight games, Cincinnati has played 19 of their last 26 road games Under the Total after scoring 25 or more points in two or more games in a row. Browning has played far above expectations after not throwing a pass in a regular season game in his first two seasons with the Bengals. But now the Steelers have four games of tape on him to study his tendencies running the Cincinnati offense — and that includes their first-hand experience against him on November 26th when Pittsburgh won on the road by a 16-10 score while holding the Bengals to just 222 total yards. To compound matters for Browning, he will be without wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase who suffered a shoulder injury last week which will keep him out of this game. Now after playing their last two games at home, they go back on the road having played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a two-game home stand. As it is, Cincinnati is generating only 316.0 total Yards-Per-Game on the road resulting in 20.8 Points-Per-Game. The Bengals have played 18 of their last 27 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 5 of their last 7 road games Under the Total set in the 35.5-42 point range. Pittsburgh has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a loss by 14 or more points — and they have played 5 straight Unders after a loss on the road by 14 or more points. The Steelers have played their last two games Over the Total — but they have then played 11 of their last 6 games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total in their last game and they have played 4 straight Unders after playing two more Overs in a row. They return home where they have played 16 of their last 25 games Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total with the Total set in the 35.5-42 point range. Pittsburgh has also played 7 of their last 10 home games Under the Total as an underdog. After gaining 421 total yards in their first game after offensive coordinator Matt Canada was let go (in their victory against the Bengals last month), the Steelers' offense has reverted to its lackluster form as they have gained only 265.7 total Yards-Per-Game in their last three games resulting in 13.7 Points-Per-Game. Pittsburgh has not scored more than 18 points in five straight games — and now head coach Mike Tomlin turns to third-string quarterback Mason Rudolph under center with Mitch Trubisky ineffective and Kenny Pickett still injured. But if there is a bright side during the Steelers’ three-game losing streak, it is that they have held those three opponents to just 185 passing YPG.

FINAL TAKE: Pittsburgh has played 17 of their last 25 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range — and Cincinnati has played 18 of their last 27 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 25* AFC North Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Cincinnati Bengals (453) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (454). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Air Force Falcons (226) plus (or minus) the points versus the James Madison Dukes (225) in the Armed Forces Bowl. THE SITUATION: Air Force (8-4) limps into this game on a four-game losing streak after their 27-19 loss at Boise State as a 7-point underdog on November 24th. James Madison (11-1) rebounded from their first loss of the season to Appalachian State with a 56-14 victory at Coastal Carolina as an 8.5-point favorite on November 25th. This game is being played at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas.

REASONS TO TAKE THE FALCONS PLUS THE POINTS: Air Force opened their campaign with eight straight victories before a demoralizing 24-3  loss to Army that jeopardized their ability to claim their second-straight Commanders Cup. Senior quarterback Zac Larrier then got injured the next week at Hawai’i and did not play in the final two games of the regular season which played a big role in the Falcons slide. Larrier is expected to take the field this afternoon after taking part in bowl practices and being listed atop the quarterback depth chart of head coach Troy Calhoun. Air Force generated 33.6 Points-Per-Game during their eight-game winning streak while scoring at least 30 points five times — so Larrier’s return is a big boost to their offensive attack as the former 200-meter track champion is a threat with his legs in the flexbone system. And with Larrier’s arm, this offense led the nation in Passing Explosiveness for the times they did go to the air. The Falcons will also bring a very good defense with them that held their opponents to 278.8 total Yards-Per-Game and 17.9 PPG. Air Force ranks 34th in the nation in Opponent Rush Success Rate Allowed and 30th in Opponent Pass Success Rate Allowed. The Falcons have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games on a neutral field as an underdog getting up to three points. Air Force should have close to a full roster for this game with opt-outs and transfers rarely an issue for service academy programs — and the injury list is light. James Madison has many players entering the transfer portal — but all of these players are still playing in this game as they try to end a great season on a high note. But they will not have head coach Curt Cignetti who left the program to take the Indiana head coaching job — and he took offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan, quarterbacks coach Tino Sunseri, and defensive coordinator Bryant Haines with him. Offensive line coach Damian Wroblewski serves as the interim head coach — but only four other assistant coaches remain which required the program to hire five temporary coaches to help prepare for this game. I don’t love that dynamic for the Dukes — and I have no idea how effective the coaching will be on defense to address the unique Air Force flexbone triple option attack. It is fair to say that this is less than ideal. James Madison has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a double-digit win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after winning four or five of their last six games. And while they held a 28-0 halftime lead against the Chanticleers in their last game, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after not allowing more than three points in the first half of their last game. Having senior quarterback Jordan McCloud under center one more time before he transfers away from the program certainly helps — but while the Dukes’ passing attack ranked fifth in Passing Success Rate, they ranked just 91st in Pass Explosiveness. Their rushing game ranked just 101st in Rushing Explosiveness as well.

FINAL TAKE: While many think the name of the game in handicapping college bowl games is assessing “motivation”, I consider that folly. First, it just guessing — and if you are guessing, you are losing. Most of the time, there is a lack of evidence for the guess since it is impossible to read the hearts and minds of the players. Secondly, the oddsmakers already take the “motivation” narrative into account — so basing bets on that analysis is actually counter-productive since one is simply doubling down on that guess.  That said, I suspect the James Madison players will be motivated. But we don’t have to guess about Air Force as Calhoun consistently has his teams ready to play in bowl games. Here is actual evidence: the Falcons have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 24 games in December including 11 of their last 17 bowl games. They have covered the point spread in 8 of their 12 bowl games under Calhoun — and that is a trend that refutes the trendy conventional wisdom that Air Force loses its strategic edge with their unique offensive schemes since their opponents have more time to prepare. 25* CFB Group of Five Game of the Year with the Air Force Falcons (226) plus (or minus) the points versus the James Madison Dukes (225). Best of luck for us — Frank.                                              

At 6:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (220) plus the points versus the Central Florida Knights (219) in the Gasparilla Bowl. THE SITUATION: Georgia Tech (6-6) has lost two of their last three games after their 31-23 loss to Georgia as a 24-point underdog on November 25th. Central Florida (6-6) has won three of their last four games after their 27-13 victory against Houston as a 14-point favorite on November 25th. This game is being played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, Florida.

REASONS TO TAKE THE YELLOW JACKETS PLUS THE POINTS: Georgia Tech was inconsistent this season — they upset Miami (FL) and North Carolina while playing Georgia close but got blown out by Clemson and Ole Miss while losing by double-digits to Bowling Green. This is an important game in the first full season under head coach Brent Key — so I look for a strong effort tonight. The biggest question I had for this team in my offseason deep dive regarded whether their 4-4 record after Key took over as the interim head coach last season was a product of a genuine turnaround of the program or just the proverbial dead cat bounce after the end of the Geoff Collins four-era era with the program? Key seems to have this program moving in the right direction. With former Texas A&M transfer Hunter King at quarterback, the Yellow Jackets finally found a consistent offensive identity in the aftermath of moving away from the Paul Johnson triple option era of the last decade that led to hiring Geoff Collins from Temple to attempt to oversee the transition to a pro-style offense. Georgia Tech generated 432.7 total Yards-Per-Game resulting in 31.2 Points-Per-Game. King tossed 26 touchdown passes. The primary strength of the offense comes from their rushing attack which ranks 22nd in the FBS in Rushing Success Rate and sixth in Offensive Line Yards. They have rushed for 200 or more yards in five of their last six contests. The Yellow Jackets have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after losing two of their last three games. They have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games as an underdog. Central Florida gained 476 total yards in their win against the Cougars — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games after gaining 475 or more yards in their last game. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after a point spread victory. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game. Led by quarterback John Rhys Plumlee, the Knights enjoy a good balanced offense — but the Yellow Jackets should have success running the ball against them. Central Florida ranks 124th in Opponent Rush Success Rate Allowed and 112th in Opponent Offensive Line Yards Allowed. They allowed four Big 12 foes to rush for at least 200 yards against them including Kansas to rolled up 399 rushing yards against them. The Knights have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games when favored by 3.5 to 10 points.

FINAL TAKE: The transfer portal and opt-out situation for this game are relatively minor and pretty balanced. UCF will miss four players who entered the transfer portal with the biggest loss being starting cornerback Corey Thornton. Georgia Tech will be without defensive end Kyle Kennard and cornerback Kenan Johnson who are in the transfer portal. The Yellow Jackets have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games on a neutral field as an underdog — and the Knights have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on a neutral field as a favorite laying up to seven points. 10* CFB Gasparilla Bowl ESPN Special with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (220) plus the points versus the Central Florida Knights (219). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the New Orleans Saints (451) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Rams (452). THE SITUATION: The New Orleans Saints (7-7) have won two games in a row after their 24-6 victory against the New York Giants as a 6.5-pint favorite last Sunday. The Los Angeles Rams (7-7) have won four of their last five games after their 28-20 victory against Washington as a 6.5-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SAINTS PLUS THE POINTS: New Orleans remains firmly in the NFC playoff race as they are tied with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for first place in the NFC South while being in a multi-team tie for the second and third spots in the NFC wildcard race. The Saints held the Giants to just 193 yards in their win on Sunday. New Orleans has an underappreciated defense that is holding their opponents to 311.9 total Yards-Per-Game and 19.7 Points-Per-Game — both those marks rank sixth best in the NFL. They also rank fourth in the league by holding their opponents to just a 34% success rate on third downs. The Saints have held their last three opponents to only 281.0 total YPG resulting in just 15.0 PPG. New Orleans preceded their dominant victory against the Giants with a 28-6 victory against Carolina — and they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 26 games after winning their last two games by 14 or more points. The Saints have failed to rush for more than 97 yards in their last two games — but they have then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after not rushing for 100 or more yards in two straight games. They go back on the road where they are holding their home hosts to just 312.4 total YPG resulting in only 19.0 PPG — and they are outscoring these teams by +3.3 PPG and outgaining them by +47.6 net YPG. New Orleans has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games on the road as an underdog. Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after winning four or five of their last six games. The Rams are healthy again and feasting on subpar teams — but quarterback Matthew Stafford has lost all four of his starts this season against a top-ten scoring defense. And on the other side of the ball, Aaron Donald has not been as dominant — in his last four games, he has only eight tackles, one tackle for loss, and just 0.5 sacks. Los Angeles stays at home where they simply do not retain much home-field advantage in that market — they have failed to cover the point spread in 45 of their last 70 home games with the Total set in the 42.5-45 point range. The Rams have also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 home games when favored by up to seven points.

FINAL TAKE: The good news on the injury front for New Orleans is that wide receiver Chris Olave is “good to go” to take the field tonight after he missed last week’s game due to an ankle injury. The Saints have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games in the final four weeks of the season. 10* NFL Thursday Night Discounted Deal with the New Orleans Saints (451) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Rams (452). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Saints (451) and the Los Angeles Rams (452). THE SITUATION: The New Orleans Saints (7-7) have won two games in a row after their 24-6 victory against the New York Giants as a 6.5-pint favorite last Sunday. The Los Angeles Rams (7-7) have won four of their last five games after their 28-20 victory against Washington as a 6.5-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Saints held the Giants to just 193 yards in their win on Sunday. New Orleans has an underappreciated defense that is holding their opponents to 311.9 total Yards-Per-Game and 19.7 Points-Per-Game — both those marks rank sixth best in the NFL. They also rank fourth in the league by holding their opponents to just a 34% success rate on third downs. The Saints have held their last three opponents to only 281.0 total YPG resulting in just 15.0 PPG. New Orleans has played 6 straight Unders after holding their last opponent to under ten points. They have also played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory. The Saints have played two straight Unders — and not only have them played 20 of their last 28 games Under the Total after playing an Under in their last game, they have played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total after playing two or more Unders in a row. The problem for this team is that they managed only 296 total yards in beating the Giants last week. New Orleans is generating only 288.3 total YPG in their last three contests. Now they go on the road where they are holding their home hosts to just 312.4 total YPG and 19.0 PPG. The Saints have played 16 of their last 24 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 8 of their last 11 road games Under the Total as an underdog. They have also played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. Los Angeles held the Commanders to just 297 total yards in their win last week. The Rams have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after winning two of their last three games. And while they have covered the point spread in four straight contests, they have then played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in two or more games in a row. The Los Angeles offense has generated 418.9 total YPG in their last three games — and they have gained at least 399 yards in four straight contests. But the Rams have then played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after gaining at least 375 yards in two or more games in a row. They stay at home where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total — and they have played 12 of their last 17 home games Under the Total with the Total set at 45.5 or higher. Los Angeles has also played 13 of their last 21 home games Under the Total when favored. The Rams are only scoring 23.0 PPG at home at SoFi Stadium — but they are holding their guests to 20.1 PPG.

FINAL TAKE: The Saints have played 9 straight Unders in the final four weeks of the season — and they have played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total when playing on a Thursday. 25* NFL Thursday Night Football Total of the Year is with Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Saints (451) and the Los Angeles Rams (452). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Eagles (327) and the Seattle Seahawks (328). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (10-3) has lost two games in a row after their 33-13 loss at Dallas as a 3.5-point underdog on Sunday. Seattle (6-7) has lost four games in a row after their 28-16 loss at San Francisco as a 16.5-point underdog last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: As of this writing early afternoon in Las Vegas, the quarterback battle appears to be Jalen Hurts dealing with a flu bug or something against Drew Lock. Given both of these quarterback situations, I expect both of these teams to attempt to impose their physicality by running the football and controlling the line of scrimmage. Hurts did not travel with the team but is in Seattle — he will be a game-time decision. I expect him to play — but I won’t be mad if backup Marcus Mariota instead takes the field. But I do think it is fair to not expect Hurts to be 100% which is bad news for an offense that has only scored 32 combined points in their last two games. The Eagles have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss. The Philadelphia defense needs help after allowing 451.7 Yards-Per-Game in their last three games. Head coach Nick Sirianni has shaken things up by moving defensive coordinator Sean Desai up to the booth to be able to observe the field better. It’s unclear if Matt Patricia will now be calling the plays or if he will be on the sidelines to relay the defensive play calls to the defense. At the very least, I suspect the Eagles' defense to shake some things up tonight. Not playing the Buffalo, San Francisco, and Dallas offenses will certainly help as Sirianni’s group has gone through a gauntlet recently. Philly stays on the road where they have played 15 of their last 25 road games Under the Total. Seattle has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after losing four of their last five games. And while they have covered the point spread in their last two games, they have then played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in their previous two games. The Seahawks surrendered 354 passing yards last week to the 49ers — but they have played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after allowing 300 or more passing yards in their last game.  Seattle returns home where they have played 6 of their last 8 home games Under the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Seahawks have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total against teams winning 75% or more of their games — and they have played 4 straight Unders on Monday Night Football. 10* NFL Monday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Eagles (327) and the Seattle Seahawks (328). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Seattle Seahawks (328) plus the points versus the Philadelphia Eagles (327). THE SITUATION: Seattle (6-7) has lost four games in a row after their 28-16 loss at San Francisco as a 16.5-point underdog last Sunday. Philadelphia (10-3) has lost two games in a row after their 33-13 loss at Dallas as a 3.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SEAHAWKS PLUS THE POINTS: As of this writing early afternoon in Las Vegas, the quarterback battle appears to be Jalen Hurts dealing with a flu bug or something against Drew Lock. Given the number of more than a field goal, I like the Seahawks as a home underdog. Hurts did not travel with the team but is in Seattle — he will be a game-time decision. I expect him to play — but I won’t be mad if backup Marcus Mariota instead takes the field. But I do think it is fair to not expect Hurts to be 100% which is bad news for an offense that has only scored 32 combined points in their last two games. The Eagles have gone through a gauntlet of a schedule that started at home against Dallas before playing at Kansas City, going home for Buffalo and San Francisco before traveling to Dallas last week. While some observers think this is their “get-right” game, I do not consider playing in Seattle for a prime-time game against a Seahawks team playing for their playoff lives to be an easy assignment. Philly has their two games with the New York Giants coming up with Arizona sandwiched in the middle — those are the “get-right” opportunities. The Eagles have been outscored by -43 combined points in their last two games. And while I still consider them a legitimate threat to return to win the NFC and return to the Super Bowl, their ten victories are accompanied by historic numbers of underachievement. Since 2000, there have been 107 teams to win at least 10 games after the first 14 weeks of the season — and Philadelphia ranks 104th of those 107 teams with just a +21 net point differential. The Eagles defense is simply getting pounded. They have allowed 156 rushing Yards-Per-Game in their last four contests. Their weak secondary is giving up 260 passing YPG. Opponents are converting on 48.1% of their third down opportunities — and the Eagles' sack rate of 6.3% on opponent third down pass plays is last in the league. They are also allowing their opponents to score touchdowns on 70% of their trips inside the Red Zone. Resiliency has not been a feature for head coach Nick Sirianni’s team lately as they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 13 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss to an NFC East rival. They have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a double-digit loss. And while they have not covered the point spread in their last two games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after failing to cover the point spread in two straight games. Additionally, the Eagles have scored only six points in the first half of their last two games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after failing to score more than seven points in the first half in two straight contests. Moving forward, Philadelphia has failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games against teams with a winning percentage in the 40-49% range — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games in the final four weeks of the season. Seattle is desperate for a victory tonight to keep them on pace with the NFC logjam for the three wildcard slots with Minnesota, the LA Rams, New Orleans, and Tampa Bay all at 7-7 (with the Saints or Buccaneers likely to win the NFC South). Lock did not play badly against the stout 49ers defense last week — while he did throw two interceptions in a losing effort, he completed 22 of 31 passes for 269 yards with two touchdown passes. He has great wide receivers to help him out — especially D.K. Metcalf who has been outstanding lately. Running back Kemba Walker returned to action last week — and he should be closer to full health tonight with another week (and a day) to rest up for this showdown. The Seahawks have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 27 games after losing two games in a row under head coach Pete Carroll — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after losing two in a row. Furthermore, they have covered the point spread in all 6 of their games under Carroll after losing three or more games in a row (including last week). And while Seattle has allowed 28 or more points in three straight games, they have then covered the point spread in 20 of their 27 games in the Carroll era after allowing 24 or more points in two straight games including 8 of these last 9 circumstances. The Seahawks have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 home games as an underdog. And while the Eagles are allowing 353.9 total YPG, Seattle has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games against teams allowing 350 or more YPG.

FINAL TAKE: There are some fascinating historical numbers behind this game. Carroll’s teams have an 18-6 straight-up record against opponents who have lost two games in a row by 20 or more points. And then there is the Seahawks' remarkable record in prime-time games. Seattle leads the NFL with a 29-12 all-time record on Monday Night Football. Since 2010, Seattle has a 34-16-1 straight up record in prime time with a 13-4 record on Monday Night Football. It will be rockin’ at Lumen Field tonight in what is one of the true home-field advantages in the NFL. 25* NFL Monday Night Football Game of the Year with the Seattle Seahawks (328) plus the points versus the Philadelphia Eagles (327). Best of luck for us — Frank. 

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Jacksonville Jaguars (330) plus the points versus the Baltimore Ravens (329). THE SITUATION: Jacksonville (8-5) has lost two games in a row after their 31-27 loss at Cleveland as a 2-point underdog on Sunday. Baltimore (10-3) has won three straight games as well as seven of their last eight contests after their 37-31 victory in overtime against the Los Angeles Rams as a 7.5-point favorite last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE JAGUARS PLUS THE POINTS: The Ravens generated 449 yards of offense against the Rams' defense despite being without the injured tight end Matt Andrews. Baltimore generates 372.5 total YPG and 27.8 PPG on the season — but now they go on the road where those numbers plummet to just 23.3 PPG and 339.2 YPG in their six games on the road. The Ravens have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games after a straight-up win at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after gaining at least 400 yards in their last game. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after winning three of their last four contests — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after winning four of their last five games. Jacksonville has only won two of their last four games — but they have amped things up on the offensive side of the ball as they are scoring 29.0 PPG since only managing a field goal in their loss to San Francisco back on November 12th. The Jaguars have played their last two games Over the Total — but they have then covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after playing two or more Overs in a row. They have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after the first month of the season.

FINAL TAKE: Jacksonville has covered the point spread in 13 of their last 21 games against teams with a winning record. 10* NFL Sunday Night Discounted Deal with Jacksonville Jaguars (330) plus the points versus the Baltimore Ravens (329).  Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Baltimore Ravens (329) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (330). THE SITUATION: Baltimore (10-3) has won three straight games as well as seven of their last eight contests after their 37-31 victory in overtime against the Los Angeles Rams as a 7.5-point favorite last Sunday. Jacksonville (8-5) has lost two games in a row after their 31-27 loss at Cleveland as a 2-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: While Lamar Jackson gets most of the attention, it is the Ravens' defense that has led the way for them this season. The Baltimore defense ranks second in the league in efficiency according to the DVOAS metrics at the Football Outsiders (now at FTN). Defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald is dialing up impressive schemes that have generated 49 combined sacks from 15 different players and each position group. The Ravens have played 11 of their last 12 games Under the Total after winning their last game by six points or less. They have also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a victory where they did not cover the point spread as the favorite. Additionally, Baltimore has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a win where they scored 31 or more points — and they have played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a game where 50 or more combined points were scored. They have also played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total after winning six or seven of their last eight games. The Ravens go back on the road where they are holding their opponents to 259.8 total Yards-Per-Game which is resulting in just 15.7 Points-Per-Game. But while Baltimore generates 372.5 total YPG and 27.8 PPG on the season, those numbers plummet to just 23.3 PPG and 339.2 YPG in their six games on the road. Baltimore has played 5 of their last 7 games on the road with the Total set in the 35.5-42 point range. Jacksonville managed only 293 total yards last week in their loss a Cleveland. Now they return home where they are generating 315.7 total YPG resulting ing 21.8 PPG — those are drops by -2.2 PPG and -27.0 YPG from their season averages. The Jaguars have played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total after allowing 30 or more points in their last game — and they have played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a game where 50 or more combined points were scored.

FINAL TAKE: Jacksonville has played 10 of their last 14 home games Under the Total as an underdog — and Baltimore has played 10 of their last 14 road games Under the Total when favored. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Total of the Month is with Under the Total in the game between the Baltimore Ravens (329) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (330). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between Denver Broncos (311) and the Detroit Lions (312). THE SITUATION: Denver (7-6) has won six of their last seven contests after their 24-7 upset win in Los Angeles against the Chargers on Sunday. Detroit (9-4) has lost two of their last three games after their 28-13 upset loss at Chicago as a 3-point favorite last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Denver has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after an upset victory — and they have played 8 straight Unders after a win by double-digits. The Broncos have also played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a straight-up victory — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a win on the road. Additionally, Denver has played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game. The Broncos have held their last three opponents to just 301.7 total Yards-Per-Game resulting in only 13.7 Points-Per-Game. They stay on the road where they have played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total — and they have also played 17 of their last 23 games Under the Total as an underdog. Detroit has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss — and they have played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a double-digit upset loss as a road favorite. They have also played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Lions are only scoring 22.7 Points-Per-Game in their last three games — but they return home where they are holding their opponents to 297.7 total Yards-Per-Game resulting in 22.7 PPG.

FINAL TAKE: The Lions have played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total when playing a team from the AFC. 10* NFL Saturday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between Denver Broncos (311) and the Detroit Lions (312). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Detroit Lions (312) minus the points versus the Denver Broncos (311). THE SITUATION: Detroit (9-4) has lost two of their last three games after their 28-13 upset loss at Chicago as a 3-point favorite last Sunday. Denver (7-6) has won six of their last seven contests after their 24-7 upset win in Los Angeles against the Chargers on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE LIONS MINUS THE POINTS: I have been skeptical of the enormous hype surrounding this Detroit team ever since they played the role of the spoiler in beating Green Bay in Lambeau Field to ruin their postseason aspirations in the final game of the regular season last year — and as many supporters jump off their bandwagon now after a difficult stretch, this looks like a great opportunity to back them as they return home to Ford Field after a two-game road trip. As it is, the Lions have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a loss on the road by 14 or more points. Additionally, they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 25 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games after a point spread loss. Turnovers have been one of the big issues as Detroit has 13 turnovers in their last six games while posting a -8 net turnover margin during that span. A -3 net turnover margin last week played a big role in their loss to the Bears — but they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after a game where they endured a -2 or worse net turnover margin. The Lions return home having covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a two-game road trip. Detroit is outscoring their guests by +6.0 Points-Per-Game and outgaining them by +107.1 net Yards-Per-Game with them generating 406.8 YPG resulting in 28.7 PPG. And the Lions' defense has been much better at home where they allowing only 297.7 YPG. Quarterback Jared Goff plays at his best when at home in the controlled temperature of an indoor stadium — he is completing  69.8% of his passes with a QBR of 99.6 at home as compared to his 64.4% completion percentage and QBR of 90.8 when on the road this season. Detroit has covered the point spread in 13 of their last 20 home games with the Total set at 45.5 or higher — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games when favored by up to seven points. Hosting the Broncos who have forced 17 turnovers in their last six games offers head coach Dan Campbell the opportunity to stress the importance of protecting the football. Injuries have played a role in the Lions' subpar play recently — but they get perhaps the best center in the league back with Frank Ragnow returning from injury. The Lions should get back to running the football against this suspect Broncos run defense that is allowing 5.5 Yards-Per-Carry and 162 rushing YPG when on the road this season. And even if one wants to throw out their disaster in Miami where they lost by a 70-20 score while giving up 350 rushing yards, Denver still allowed 192 rushing yards to Buffalo and 175 to Minnesota — and now they play a Detroit team that ranks fifth in the NFL by averaging 137.5 rushing YPG. The Broncos have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after an upset win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games after an upset win by ten or more points as an underdog on the road. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a win by 14 or more points. And in their last 9 games after winning two of their last three games, they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of those contests. If head coach Sean Payton has “fixed” Russell Wilson, it has been by having him run the Taysom Hill offense from his Saints-coaching days. While Wilson had 33 pass attempts in their easy win against the Chargers, that game was just the second time in his last eight games that he had more than 29 passes. The Broncos have scored more than 24 points only once in their last nine games despite their defense forcing turnovers at a very high rate. They have generated only 299.3 total YPG in their last three games — and they average just 295.8 total YPG when playing on the road. Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 21 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games as an underdog of seven points or less.

FINAL TAKE: Detroit plays their first game at home since embarrassing themselves in front of their home fans against Chicago on Thanksgiving — and it should be an electric atmosphere for this Saturday night prime-time game on national television. The Lions have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games in December. 25* NFL Game of the Month with the Detroit Lions (312) minus the points versus the Denver Broncos (311). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Pittsburgh Steelers (305) plus the points versus the Indianapolis Colts (306). THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (7-6) has lost two straight games and three of their last four contests after their 21-18 upset loss to New England as a 5.5-point favorite back on December 7th. Indianapolis (7-6) had their four-game winning streak snapped with a 34-14 loss at Cincinnati as a 2.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE STEELERS PLUS THE POINTS: I expected Pittsburgh to respond to their upset loss at home to Arizona with another flat effort at home as a favorite to a struggling Patriots team. The Steelers did not seem ready to play in that game on a short week despite playing at home in a prime time audience. They dug themselves a big hole by spotting New England a 21-3 lead midway through the second quarter. Usually, this team responds with good efforts after a bad performance under head coach Mike Tomlin — so that loss to the Patriots was out of character. But Pittsburgh has still covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games after a point spread loss. Furthermore, they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 19 games after a loss at home by three points or less. The Steelers have only covered the point spread in three of their last four games — but they have then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after failing to cover the point spread in three of their last four contests. They have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after losing three of their last four games. Despite their recent struggles, Pittsburgh is still outgaining their opponents by +65.0 net Yards-Per-game. While Mitchell Trubisky has been spotty in replacing the injured Kenny Pickett at quarterback, the Steelers' defense remains stout. They have held their last three opponents to just 269.0 total YPG resulting in only 18.3 Points-Per-Game. They go back on the road where they have a 3-2 record due to their defense holding their home hosts to only 17.6 PPG. Pittsburgh has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 15 road games as an underdog getting up to seven points — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games as an underdog of up to three points. The Steelers should be able to get their ground game going with Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren against this Colts defense that allows 132 rushing YPG. Indianapolis has been pretty fortunate to remain in the AFC playoff hunt as they got outgained in yardage in four of their last five games despite winning four of those contests. The Colts have won five of their seven games decided by one scoring possession. Winning close games has obscured that they are getting outscored and outgained in yardage for the season. Indy has covered the point spread in four of their last five games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. They return home where they are only 2-4 this season. They are getting outscored by -2.3 net PPG at home while getting outgained in yardage. The Colts are allowing their guests to generate 4.4 Yards-Per-Carry in the ground game and 380.3 total YPG resulting in 28.8 PPG. Indianapolis has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games at home when favored by up to seven points. They will be without running back Jonathan Taylor who is out with a thumb injury.

FINAL TAKE: The Colts have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a winning percentage in the 51-60% range — and Pittsburgh has covered the point spread in 16 of their last 23 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 10* NFL Pittsburgh-Indianapolis NFL Network Special with the Pittsburgh Steelers (305) plus the points versus the Indianapolis Colts (306). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Miami (OH) Redhawks (205) plus the points versus the Appalachian State Mountaineers (206) in the Cure Bowl. THE SITUATION: Miami (OH) has won five games in a row after their 23-14 upset victory against Toledo as a 6.5-point underdog in the Mid-American Conference Championship Game on December 2nd. Appalachian State (8-5) had their five-game winning streak snapped in a 49-23 loss at Troy as a 5.5-point underdog in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game on December 2nd. This game is being played at the FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Florida.

REASONS TO TAKE THE REDHAWKS PLUS THE POINTS: Miami (OH) will be using sophomore Henry Hesson at quarterback this afternoon given Aveon Smith’s decision to enter the transfer portal. Smith had been the team’s starting quarterback since Brett Gabbert suffered a season-ending leg injury. Frankly, while Smith was productive with his legs, he was not offering the RedHawks much offense in the passing game. Miami (OH) was always going to rely on the other two phases of the game. They are allowing only 16.2 Points-Per-Game this season while giving up just 326.7 total Yards-Per-Game. The RedHawks also have an outstanding special teams unit under head coach Chuck Martin. Miami (OH) has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after a straight-up win. Additionally, they have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 31 games after winning two or more games in a row — and they have covered the point spread in 30 of their last 41 games after winning three or more games in a row. They have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after playing a game that finished Under the Total. The Total was set in the 43.5 range against the Rockets in the MAC Championship Game — and they held Toledo to only 97 rushing yards on 29 carries. The RedHawks have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after not allowing more than 100 rushing yards in their last game. Appalachian State may have trouble getting up for this game after getting blown out in their championship game. The Mountaineers have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after a straight-up loss on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after a straight-up loss to a Sun Belt Conference rival. And while Appalachian State had covered the point spread in four straight contests before the loss to the Trojans, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 22 games after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six contests. The Mountaineers are down four players who entered the transfer portal since that game with the biggest loss being their top running back Nate Noel who gained 834 rushing yards this season. Appalachian State is not a good defensive team as they allow their opponents to generate 389.9 total YPG which results in 28.4 PPG after Troy generated 463 yards against them — and they allow 30.9 PPG when playing on the road. The Mountaineers have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games in December.

FINAL TAKE: Appalachian State has failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games when favorite — and Miami (OH) has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games as an underdog getting 3.5-10 points. The RedHawks have also covered the point spread in all 4 of their bowl games under Martin’s tenure. 10* CFB Saturday Daily Discounted Deal with the Miami (OH) Redhawks (205) plus the points versus the Appalachian State Mountaineers (206). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Chargers (301) and the Las Vegas Raiders (302). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (5-8) has lost four of their last five games after their 24-7 upset loss at home to Denver as a 3-point favorite on Sunday. Las Vegas (5-8) has lost three games in a row after their 3-0 loss at home to Minnesota as a 3-point underdog last Sunday.  

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Chargers only managed 283 total yards last week in their loss to the Broncos. Los Angeles has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. And while they have only covered the point spread once in their last five contests, they have then played 9 straight Unders after failing to cover the point spread in at least two of their last three games. The Chargers have played four straight Unders — but they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after playing an Under in their last game and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after playing two or more Unders in a row. Backup quarterback Easton Stick makes his first career start tonight despite being in the league for five seasons — and he will have a limited supporting cast tonight. Wide receiver Keenan Allen is out tonight — and the offense was already missing wide receiver Mike Williams due to his season-ending injury. Wide receiver Joshua Palmer returns from injury — but he is not a number one option and rookie Quentin Johnston has been a bust with his inability to run NFL routes or comprehend the playbook. The season-ending injury to center Corey Linsley earlier this year was a big blow to the offense. Los Angeles goes back on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 10 road games Under the Total as an underdog. Additionally, the Chargers have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total in the second half of the season. Las Vegas only managed 202 total yards last week in their shutout loss — but they did hold the Vikings to just 231 total yards. The Raiders have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 straight Unders after a point spread loss. Furthermore, they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after failing to score more than three points in the first half of their last game. And while they endured a -3 net turnover margin last week, they have played 6 straight Unders after posting a -3 or worse net turnover margin in their last game. Head coach Antonio Pierce has not named his starting quarterback tonight although the expectation is that it will remain rookie Aidan O’Connell — but the offense may be without running back Josh Jacobs and wide receiver Davante Adams who are both listed as questionable. The Raiders stay at home on the short week — and their defense has been stout when playing at Allegiant Stadium where they are holding their opponents to 301.4 YPG which is resulting in just 15.0 PPG. Las Vegas has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total at home.

FINAL TAKE: The Raiders have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against AFC opponents. The Chargers have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total against AFC opponents — and they have played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total against AFC West rivals. 10* NFL Thursday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Chargers (301) and the Las Vegas Raiders (302). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Las Vegas Raiders (302) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Chargers (301). THE SITUATION: Las Vegas (5-8) has lost three games in a row after their 3-0 loss at home to Minnesota as a 3-point underdog last Sunday. Los Angeles (5-8) has lost four of their last five games after their 24-7 upset loss at home to Denver as a 3-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAIDERS MINUS THE POINTS: While both of these teams are dealing with a host of injuries, the internal cohesion of these two squads is quite different. For Las Vegas, the Wicked Witch of the West, Josh McDaniels, has already been fired — so the locker room is happy. The players like interim head coach Antonio Pierce — and the former New York Giants star linebacker remains a candidate to be named the head coach moving forward. The team has consistently played hard for him since he took over — and they have taken the field for him despite being on the injured list during the week. So while defensive end Maxx Crosby and wide receiver Davante Adams are listed as questionable, I expect both to play. Crosby did not practice this week which is not unusual on a short week. Adams came down with an illness yesterday but he should be able to play through it 36 hours later. Crosby and Adams will be the best two players on the field if they play tonight — and that is a consideration I undervalued earlier this year when the Raiders hosted Green Bay. Superstars matter — especially in games between two mediocre teams. Running back Josh Jacobs' questionable status is more in doubt with a quad — but if he plays, Pierce says it will be the “Josh Jacobs Show” and we should be in great shape. Even if he doesn’t, home-field advantage should help pave the way for this team. Las Vegas has been solid at home with a 4-3 record along with a +2.0 net Points-Per-Game margin and a +6.7 net Yards-Per-Game mark. The Raiders' defense has been stout when playing at Allegiant Stadium where they are holding their opponents to 301.4 YPG which is resulting in just 15.0 PPG. Las Vegas has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 home games when favored by up to three points. They have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after losing three games in a row. Furthermore, they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after not allowing more than three points in their last game. The expectation is that Pierce will turn back to Aidan O’Connell at quarterback after not committing to a starter after the offense failed to score a point. As long as it is not Brian Hoyer, the Raiders offense should rebound with a better effort. They have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after not scoring more than three points in the first half of their last game. The story of Los Angeles is much more dire. Their season is done after the season-ending right finger injury to quarterback Justin Herbert last week. Backup quarterback Easton Stick makes his first career start tonight despite being in the league for five seasons. Head coach Brandon Staley will almost certainly be fired at the end of the season (although I thought he was a goner last year at this time). First-year offensive coordinator Kellen Moore is also likely to be let go — if not, management would have elevated him to be the interim head coach to give him a test run as the potential next head coach. Given comments to the press like from veteran Austin Ekeler, the team does not particularly like Staley with his reckless fourth down decisions and failure to improve the defense. In hindsight, his resume from being the defensive coordinator during the Los Angeles Rams Super Bowl run seems to be thanks to the presence of Aaron Donald. I’m skeptical regarding the kind of effort the Chargers’ players are going to provide tonight for their lame-duck coaches. Injuries leave the remaining talent thin. Wide receiver Keenan Allen is out tonight — and the offense was already missing wide receiver Mike Williams to his season-ending injury. Wide receiver Joshua Palmer returns from injury — but he is not a number one option and rookie Quentin Johnston has been a bust with his inability to run NFL routes or comprehend the playbook. The season-ending injury to center Corey Linsley earlier this year was a big blow to the offense. And on the other side of the ball, defensive stalwart Nick Bosa is out tonight with a sprained foot. Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams from the AFC. Furthermore, the Chargers have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after the first month of the season.

FINAL TAKE: Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread 6 of their last 9 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range — and the Raiders have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 25* AFC West Game of the Year with the Las Vegas Raiders (302) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Chargers (301). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the New York Giants (132) plus the points versus the Green Bay Packers (131). THE SITUATION: New York (4-8) has pulled off two straight upset wins after their 10-7 victory against New England as a 3.5-point underdog back on November 26th. Green Bay (6-6) has pulled off three straight upset victories after their 27-19 win against Kansas City as a 6-point underdog last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GIANTS PLUS THE POINTS: New York should be motivated to embrace the spoiler role at home against the Packers — and they will benefit from the extra week off to rest and prepare for their opportunity to play in front of a nationally televised audience. The Giants held the Patriots to just 283 total yards in pulling that upset two weeks ago. After getting torched by Las Vegas and Dallas, the New York defense has allowed only 26 combined points in their last two games. They have held five of their last seven opponents to under 20 points — and they have had an extra week to prepare against Jordan Love and this Packers offense. The Giants have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game. Their victory against the Patriots came on the heels of a 12-point upset victory against Washington — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after covering the point spread in two of their last three games. After forcing six turnovers against the Commanders, the Giants posted a +2 net turnover margin against the Patriots with three takeaways — and they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 22 games after posting a +2 or better net turnover margin in two or more games in a row. They stay at home for this one where they are holding their guests to 270.6 total YPG and only 18.2 PPG. New York has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 home games with the Total set in the 35.5-42 point range. Green Bay goes back on the road where they are only generating 324.2 total YPG which is resulting in 23.3 PPG. And while the Giants are allowing 136 rushing YPG, the Packers have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games against teams who are allowing 130 or more rushing YPG. Furthermore, while New York is getting outscored by -11.0 net PPG this season, Green Bay has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games against teams getting outscored by -6.0 or more PPG.

FINAL TAKE: Green Bay has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 road games when favored. New York has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games after the first month of the season. 10* NFL Monday Night Discounted Deal with the New York Giants (132) plus the points versus the Green Bay Packers (131). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Tennessee Titans (129) and the Miami Dolphins (130). THE SITUATION: Tennessee (4-8) has lost four of their last five games after their 31-28 loss in overtime at home to Indianapolis as a 1-point underdog last Sunday. Miami (9-3) has won three straight games after their 45-15 victory at Washington as a 9-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: In a losing effort, quarterback Will Levis completed only 16 of 33 passes for 224 yards. After making a big splash in his opening game by throwing four touchdown passes against Atlanta, Levis has only three touchdown passes in his last five games. Behind a porous offensive line, Levis has been sacked 20 times which is the third most in the NFL during that span. I don’t see the Titans putting up many points against what is a surging Dolphins defense. Tennessee had not scored more than 17 points in four straight games before last week — and they still have not scored more than 17 points in six of their last eight contests. The Titans have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a loss to an AFC South rival. And while their game with the Colts finished Over the Total, they have played 12 of their 16 games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total. The Tennessee run defense has played better lately as they have not allowed more than 96 rushing yards in two straight games and three of their last four contests — and they have played 13 of their last 14 games Under the Total after not allowing 100 or more rushing yards in two or more games in a row. The Titans outrushed the Colts by +122 net rushing yards — and they have played 7 straight Unders after outrushing their last opponent by +75 or more rushing yards. And while they gave up 300 passing yards to Indianapolis, they have then played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after allowing 300 or more passing yards in their last contest. They go back on the road where they are generating only 249.1 total Yards-Per-Game which results in just 12.3 Points-Per-Game. They have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 9 of their last 11 road games Under the Total against AFC rivals. They have also played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total in the last four weeks of the season under head coach Mike Vrabel. While Miami’s offensive attack gets most of the attention, it is the play of their defense that has them in contention to claim the top seed in the AFC playoff race. The Dolphins have responded to first-year defensive coordinator Vic Fangio — and they have been much better since getting cornerback Jalen Ramsey back from injury. Miami has held their last three opponents to just 41 combined points with none of those teams scoring more than 15 points. They have not allowed more than 21 points in five straight games — and they have held seven of their last eight opponents to no more than 21 points after their debacle against Buffalo where they gave up 48 points. The Dolphins have scored 79 combined points in their last two games — but they have played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a game where 50 or more combined points were scored. They have also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a game where 60 or more combined points were scored. Teams rarely put up big numbers against a Vrabel-coached team (and the Colts scored one of their touchdowns on a blocked punt on special teams). The Titans have held nine of their 12 opponents to 27 or fewer points — and they have held eight of their opponents to no more than 24 points. Miami has played 9 of their 13 home games Under the Total with Mike McDaniel as their head coach — and they have played 6 of their last 9 home games Under the Total with the Total set from 42.5 to 49.

FINAL TAKE: The Dolphins have been favored by double-digits four times under McDaniel — and 3 of those games finished Under the Total. Miami has also played 3 of their last 4 home games Under the Total when favored by 10.5 to 14 points. 10* NFL Monday Daily Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Tennessee Titans (129) and the Miami Dolphins (130). Best of luck for us — Frank. 

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Green Bay Packers (131) and the New York Giants (132). THE SITUATION: Green Bay (6-6) has pulled off three straight upset victories after their 27-19 win against Kansas City as a 6-point underdog last Sunday. New York (4-8) has pulled off two straight upset wins after their 10-7 victory against New England as a 3.5-point underdog back on November 26th.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Giants held the Patriots to just 283 total yards in pulling that upset two weeks ago. After getting torched by Las Vegas and Dallas, the New York defense has allowed only 26 combined points in their last two games. They have held five of their last seven opponents to under 20 points — and they have had an extra week to prepare against Jordan Love and this Packers offense. But the Giants managed only 220 total yards against New England last week — and in their last three games, they are generating just 228.0 total Yards-Per-Game. In their last four games, they are scoring just 16.5 Points-Per-Game — and they have scored more than 17 points only once in their last ten games. New York has played 36 of their last 48 games Under the Total after a win by three points or less — and they have played 18 of their last 25 home games Under the Total after a win at home by three points or less. They have played 7 straight home games Under the Total after failing to score more than 14 points in their last game. And in their last 56 games after holding their previous opponent to less than 10 points, they have played 39 of those games Under the Total. They do stay at home for this one where they are generating just 237.8 total YPG which is resulting in a mere 7.4 PPG — but they are holding their guests to 270.6 total YPG and only 18.2 PPG. The Giants have played 16 of their last 20 games Under the Total at home. Green Bay held the Chiefs offense to just 337 total yards of offense in their victory last week. The Packers are ninth in the NFL by holding their opponents to just 20.5 PPG. Linebacker Rashan Gary is becoming a superstar in the league — he has 9.5 sacks this season with 4.5 of them coming in the last three weeks. Green Bay has played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after pulling off two straight upset victories. They have played 10 of their last 16 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in two straight games — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in three straight games. The Packers' three straight victories have coincided with them winning the turnover battle in all three games. They have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after two straight games where they won the turnover battle — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total after winning the turnover battle for three straight contests. And while they have scored 56 combined points in two straight games, they have then played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after scoring 25 or more points in two or more games in a row. Now they go back on the road where they are only generating 324.2 total YPG which is resulting in 23.3 PPG.

FINAL TAKE: Green Bay has played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points — and the Giants have played 13 of their last 14 home games Under the Total as an underdog. 25* NFL Monday Night Football Total of the Month is with Under the Total in the game between the Green Bay Packers (131) and the New York Giants (132). Best of luck for us — Frank. 

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Eagles (127) and the Dallas Cowboys (128). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (10-2) had their five-game winning streak snapped in a 42-19 loss to San Francisco as a 3-point underdog last Sunday. Dallas (9-3) has won four games in a row after their 41-35 victory against Seattle as a 9.5-point favorite back on November 30th.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Eagles have played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss at home — and they have played 19 of their last 27 road games Under the Total after a double-digit loss at home. Philadelphia’s defense should play better tonight after allowing the 49ers to generate 8.56 Yards-Per-Play en route to their 456 yards of offense. The Eagles have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing 35 or more points in their last game — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after allowing 6.0 or more YPP in their last contest. Additionally, Philadelphia has played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a game where 60 or more combined points were scored. And while the Eagles have played two straight high-scoring games where at least 61 combined points were scored, they have then played 33 of their last 49 games Under the Total after two games in a row where 50 or more combined points were scored. They go back on the road where they have played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total with the Total set at 45.5 or higher — and they have played 5 of their last 8 road games Under the Total as an underdog. Dallas is scoring 42.0 Points-Per-Game in their last four games — and they have scored at least 33 points during that span. But the Cowboys have then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after scoring 30 or more points in four or more games in a row. The Dallas defense has something to prove after allowing the Seahawks to generate 6.44 Yards-Per-Play which resulted in 406 total yards — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after allowing 30 or more points in their last game. They have also played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after allowing 400 or more yards in their last contest. They stay at home where they are holding their opponents to just 283.7 total YPG which is resulting in only 15.8 PPG.

FINAL TAKE: Dallas has revenge on their mind from their 28-23 loss at Philadelphia on November 5th in a game where they held the Eagles to under 300 yards of offense — and in their three previous opportunities in the last three years to avenge a loss where they allowed 28 or more points, all 3 of those games finished Under the Total. Philadelphia has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams winning 75% or more of their games. 10* NFL Sunday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Eagles (127) and the Dallas Cowboys (128). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Dallas Cowboys (128) minus the points versus the Philadelphia Eagles (127). THE SITUATION: Dallas (9-3) has won four games in a row after their 41-35 victory against Seattle as a 9.5-point favorite back on November 30th. Philadelphia (10-2) had their five-game winning streak snapped in a 42-19 loss to San Francisco as a 3-point underdog last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE COWBOYS MINUS THE POINTS: This is the Dallas Super Bowl as they both host their arch-rivals and have the opportunity to post their first victory against a team with a winning record this season. Head coach Mike McCarthy missing time this week after an emergency appendectomy is not ideal — but the team had extra days to rest and prepare for this rematch from just last month so I don’t consider those circumstances substantial enough to change the play. The Cowboys' offense has been on another level since their bye week when McCarthy decided to be more aggressive in the passing game. Dak Prescott is playing as well as he has in his entire career — he leads the NFL with 26 touchdown passes. Wide receiver Brandin Cooks has stepped up as a dangerous second option to CeeDee Lamb in the passing game. Left tackle Tyron Smith is playing at a very high level again. Dallas is scoring 42.0 Points-Per-Game in their last four games. The Cowboys' defense has something to prove after allowing the Seahawks to generate 6.44 Yards-Per-Play which resulted in 406 total yards — but they have covered the point spread in 10 straight games after allowing 400 or more yards in their last contest. They have also covered the point spread in 13 straight games after allowing their last opponent to generate 6.0 or more YPP. Additionally, Dallas has covered the point spread in 12 of their last 14 games after a point spread loss — and they have covered the point spread in 7 straight games after allowing 30 or more points. The Cowboys stay at home where they have won 14 of their last 15 games going back to last season. They are generating 438.0 total Yards-Per-Game at home which is resulting in 41.0 PPG this season — and they are outscoring their guests by +24.2 net PPG with their defense only allowing 15.8 PPG. Dallas has covered the point spread in 16 of their last 24 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 home games when favored by up to seven points. I don’t love fading a team that just got beat by 23 points — but this looks like a lull period for the Eagles who are in a terrible situational spot. Teams tend to struggle after playing the physical 49ers in the previous week — and this has been a  brutal stretch of games for Philadelphia having previously played Buffalo, Kansas City, and the Cowboys in their first meeting this season. Philly surviving this stretch with a 3-2 mark was considered a very acceptable result before the season started — and they have already clinched that accomplishment even with a loss tonight. The Eagles have been getting by with smoke and mirrors as well — they have been outgained in yardage in five straight contests. Furthermore, their net point differential mark of +58 points is a historically low number — since 2008, that mark ranks 56 of the 58 NFL teams that had won at least ten games after Week 13. Philly’s linebackers have been a weak link — and the defense is not generating enough pass rush. Since Week Eight, the Eagles rank 28th in the NFL with a sack rate of 4.4% — and their 10 sacks during that span that ranks 27th in the league. Their sack rate of 5.3% on third down this season ranks 30th in the NFL. Philadelphia’s pass defense ranks second-to-last in the league by allowing 260 YPG — and they rank 31st in the league in touchdown passes allowed. In their last four games, they are allowing 29.0 PPG. The Eagles have not been resilient lately as they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss at home. They have only scored six and seven points in the first half of their last two games — and they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after not scoring more than seven points in the first half in two straight games. They had covered the point spread in three straight games before their blowout loss to the 49ers — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after covering the point spread in three of their last four games.

FINAL TAKE: Prescott thrives against divisional rivals — he has a 30-8 straight-up record in starts against the NFC East with 72 touchdown passes and only 20 interceptions while posting a Passer Rating of 101. Against the Eagles at home at A&T Stadium, Prescott has a 5-1 career record with 12 touchdown passes. In the their 28-23 loss at Philadelphia on November 5th, Dallas got inside the Eagles’ territory in their final four possessions but only came away with nine points due to some unusual circumstances. Dallas has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games when favored — and Philadelphia has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games as an underdog. 25* NFC East Game of the Year with the Dallas Cowboys (128) minus the points versus the Philadelphia Eagles (127). Best of luck for us — Frank. 

At 4:25 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Denver Broncos (123) and the Los Angeles Chargers (124). THE SITUATION: Denver (6-6) had their five-game winning streak snapped in a 22-17 loss at Houston as a 3-point underdog last Sunday. Los Angeles (5-7) ended their three-game losing streak with their 6-0 victory at New England as a 4.5-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Broncos only gained 282 total yards last week with head coach Sean Payton continuing to deploy his Russell Wilson “fix” by asking him to not pass the football — he only had 26 pass attempts last week but still threw three interceptions. After starting the season by throwing 32 or more times in four of his five games. Wilson has not thrown more than 29 passes in six of his last seven games with Payton trying to deploy a ball-control offense to help his defense (and not ask too much of Wilson). Denver is holding their last seven opponents to 17.3 Points-Per-Game. Since Week Eight, the Broncos' defense leads the NFL with 15 takeaways — and they are second in the league with an Opponent’ Third Down Success Rate of 29.0 and an Opponents’ Passer Rating of 73.9. But Denver is generating only 290.3 total Yards-Per-Game — and they are averaging just 290.6 total YPG on the road. The Broncos game with the Texans finished Under the 47-point Total for that game — and they have played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Under the Total. They have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after winning two of their last three games. They stay on the road where they have played 14 of their last 21 games Under the Total — and they have played 13 of their last 17 road games Under the Total in the second half of the season against teams winning 40-49% of their games. They have played 16 of their last 22 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 10 of their last 14 road games Under the Total as a dog. Furthermore, the Broncos have played 18 of their last 25 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. And in their last 27 games with the Total set in the 42.5-49 point range, Denver has played 18 of these games Under the Total. Los Angeles head coach Brandon Staley seems to be using his final weeks as the Chargers head coach by finally trying to do things to help his defense — perhaps with the hopes that he can get a job in the league again as a defensive coordinator. Unfortunately for quarterback Justin Herbert, he has done so by neutering the offensive side of the ball. Los Angeles managed only 241 total yards en route to their six points against the Patriots last week. The Chargers are generating only 304.7 total YPG in their last three games which is resulting in just 12.0 PPG. But they have held their last three opponents to 338.3 total YPG and 14.3 PPG. Injuries have played a role in slowing down the offense. The offensive line has struggled without center Corey Linsley. Running back Austin Ekeler seems to have lost a step — and Staley has even gone so far as to open up the lead-back role into an open competition with Joshua Kelley. The injuries to wide receivers Mike Williams and Joshua Palmer have left Herbert without a viable second option to Keenan Allen — and rookie Quentin Johnston appears to be a bust as he struggles with the playbook and route running. Los Angeles has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a straight-up win on the road — and they have played 12 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a win by six points or less. They have also played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Under the Total. They return home where they have played 32 of their last 45 home games Under the Total as a favorite of up to three points.

FINAL TAKE: The Chargers have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after the first month of the season — and the Broncos have played 22 of their last 32 games Under the Total after the first month of the season. 10* NFL Sunday Afternoon Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Denver Broncos (123) and the Los Angeles Chargers (124). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Navy Midshipmen (104) plus the points versus the Army Black Knights (103). THE SITUATION: Navy (5-6) looks to bounce back from their 59-14 loss at SMU as an 18.5-point underdog on November 25th. Army (5-6) comes off a 28-21 upset victory as a 1-point underdog against Coastal Carolina on November 18th. This game is being played on a neutral field at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MIDSHIPMEN PLUS THE POINTS: Navy got outgained by -224 net yards against the Mustangs two weeks ago — but they have then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after getting outgained by -175 or more yards in their last game. The Midshipmen only managed to generate 3.61 Yards-Per-Play in that game — but they have then covered the point spread in 29 of their last 41 games after failing to generate more than 3.75 YPP in their last contest. And while SMU averaged 7.57 YPP in that game, Navy has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after allowing their last opponent to generate 6.25 or more YPP. The Midshipmen have also covered the point spread 8 of their last 9 games after failing to average at least 3.25 YPP in their last game while allowing their last opponent to average at least 6.75 YPP. Navy has a good run defense that ranks 32nd in the nation Opponent Rush Success Rate Allowed. The Midshipmen have not allowed more than 118 rushing yards in four straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 30 of their last 45 games after not allowing more than 125 rushing yards in two or more games in a row. They have also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games after not allowing more than 125 rushing yards in three or more games in a row. In a game between two teams that average 46 and 48 rushing attempts per game respectively, the Midshipmen have the edge in run defense. Army ranks 93rd in the nation in Opponent Rush Success Rate Allowed — and they rank 116th in Opponent Rushing Explosiveness Allowed. Army allowed the Chanticleers to generate 7.68 YPP in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after allowing their previous opponent to generate at least 7.25 YPP. The Black Knights have also failed to cover the point spread in 44 of their last 65 games when playing off a bye week.

FINAL TAKE: Army has failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games as a favorite — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games played on a neutral field when favored by up to seven points. Navy has covered the point spread in 16 of their last 25 games as an underdog. 10* CFB Army-Navy CBS-TV Special with the Navy Midshipmen (104) plus the points versus the Army Black Knights (103). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Pittsburgh Steelers (102) minus the points versus the New England Patriots (101). THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (7-5) has lost two of their last three games after their 24-10 upset loss to Arizona as a 6-point favorite last Sunday. New England (2-10) has lost five games in a row after their 6-0 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers as a 4.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE STEELERS MINUS THE POINTS: In this ugly matchup being played on a short week, if there is one reliable element to this contest, it is how head coach Mike Tomlin gets his team to respond after a bad loss. Pittsburgh has covered the point spread in 17 of their last 23 home games after an upset loss by double-digits. They have also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 home games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight home games after a loss by 14 or more points. Additionally, the Steelers have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games after a point spread loss. And they have covered the point spread in 7 straight home games after playing a game where they failed to score more than 14 points. Pittsburgh did outgain the Cardinals by +35 net yards in the loss. They will have running back Najee Harris available for this game after being listed as questionable with a knee injury. And backup quarterback Mitchell Trubisky should play better tonight with a few days of preparation as the starter for the injured Kenny Pickett. He was solid in relief on Sunday completing 11 of 17 passes for 117 yards while accounting for the lone touchdown with his pass to Dionte Johnson. Trubisky has a career 31-25 record as a starting quarterback. The Steelers' defense has been outstanding this season — after holding Arizona to just 282 total yards last week, they have held their last three opponents to just 254.3 total Yards-Per-Game which has resulted in only 15.7 Points-Per-Game. Pittsburgh has held eight of their last nine opponents to 20 points or less. They face a woeful Patriots offense that has not scored more than seven points in three straight games — and they have not scored more than 17 points in 11 straight contests. New England has failed to score more than seven points five times this season. The offensive line has struggled. The wide receiver room lacks speed. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson may be the best playmaker on offense but he is out with a high ankle sprain. Wide receiver Demario Douglas is also out. Ezekiel Elliott is averaging only 3.8 Yards-Per-Carry — and asking him to be the bell cow back on a short week is ambitious. Mac Jones deserved getting benched — but Bailey Zappe is not in a position to do much better. His decent numbers last season were helped by a soft slate of defenses he was fortunate to face. He is completing only 59.8% of his passes this season with no touchdowns and two interceptions. He is averaging a mere 4.7 Yards-Per-Attempt — and he has a QBR of 50.2. On the road, the Patriots are generating only 285.2 total Yards-Per-Game which is resulting in just 10.8 PPG. New England has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games on the road as an underdog getting up to seven points. And while the Patriots have covered the point spread only once in their last nine contests, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after failing to cover the point spread in five or six of their last seven contests.

FINAL TAKE: The Patriots are the first team since the 1938 Chicago Cardinals to lose three games in a row despite not giving up more than 10 points. They have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games as an underdog. 10* NFL Thursday Daily Discounted Deal with the  Pittsburgh Steelers (102) minus the points versus the New England Patriots (101). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New England Patriots (101) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (102). THE SITUATION: New England (2-10) has lost five games in a row after their 6-0 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers as a 4.5-point underdog last Sunday. Pittsburgh (7-5) has lost two of their last three games after their 24-10 upset loss to Arizona as a 6-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Just an ugly matchup between two offenses stuck in the 20th century relying on backup quarterbacks — and all of this on a short week. The small Total would even be considered quite low for a preseason game — but with both of these defenses being very good, there is a good chance that at least one of these teams will not reach double-digits. The Steelers' defense has been outstanding this season — after holding Arizona to just 282 total yards last week, they have held their last three opponents to just 254.3 total Yards-Per-Game which has resulted in only 15.7 Points-Per-Game. Pittsburgh has held eight of their last nine opponents to 20 points or less. But they have scored 16 points or less in three straight games — and they are generating only 287.3 total Yards-Per-Game at home which is resulting in just 16.1 Points-Per-Game. The Steelers have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after an upset loss — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a loss by 14 or more points. They only scored three points in the first half last week — and they have played 6 straight Unders after failing to score more than three points in the first half of their last game. And while Pittsburgh has played three straight Unders, they have then played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after playing two or more Unders in a row. They face a woeful Patriots offense that has not scored more than seven points in three straight games — and they have not scored more than 17 points in 11 straight contests. New England has failed to score more than seven points five times this season. The offensive line has struggled. The wide receiver room lacks speed. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson may be the best playmaker on offense but he is out with a high ankle sprain. Wide receiver Demario Douglas is also out. Ezekiel Elliott is averaging only 3.8 Yards-Per-Carry — and asking him to be the bell cow back on a short week is ambitious. Mac Jones deserved getting benched — but Bailey Zappe is not in a position to do much better. His decent numbers last season were helped by a soft slate of defenses he was fortunate to face. He is completing only 59.8% of his passes this season with no touchdowns and two interceptions. He is averaging a mere 4.7 Yards-Per-Attempt — and he has a QBR of 50.2. He passed for only 141 yards last week despite playing the entire game — and New England has played 6 straight Unders after not passing for more than 150 yards in their last contest. On the road, the Patriots are generating only 285.2 total Yards-Per-Game which is resulting in just 10.8 PPG. But the New England defense continues to play well despite all this. They have held their last three opponents to 10 points or less — and those opponents are generating just 241.7 total Yards-Per-Game. The Patriots have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 20 of their last 24 games Under the Total after losing six or seven of their last eight contests. They have played four straight Unders coming into this game — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after playing an Under in their last contest. They have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after playing two or more Unders in a row. And in their last 10 games after failing to score more than 14 points in their last game, they have played 9 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: The Patriots have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road — and the Steelers have played 16 of their last 24 games at home Under the Total including five of their seven home games this season. 10* NFL New England-Pittsburgh Amazon Prime O/U Special with Under the Total in the game between the New England Patriots (101) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (102). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Cincinnati Bengals (473) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (474). THE SITUATION: Cincinnati (5-6) has lost three straight games after their 16-10 loss to Pittsburgh as a 2-point underdog last Sunday. Jacksonville (8-3) has won two straight games after their 24-21 victory as a 1-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bengals offense simply takes a big without the injured Joe Burrow under center. They are scoring only 15 Points-Per-Game in their last eight games without Burrow as their starting quarterback. With Jake Browning under center, Cincinnati only registered ten first downs and just 222 total yards of offense. The lack of a credible ground game was always going to be a problem for this team in attempting to make a Super Bowl run this year. Running back Joe Mixon has lost a step (or two) — he is generating only 3.9 Yards-Per-Carry this season after posting that same number last year. The offense misses Samaje Perine who they did not resign in the offseason — and rookie Chase Brown has not been able to take his place as a third down back or even a change-of-pace back (although he may get opportunities tonight, out of desperation). Cincinnati has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss at home — and they have played 5 straight Unders after losing two or more games in a row. The Bengals have failed to cover the point spread in three straight games — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in two straight games. The Cincinnati defense allowed 421 yards last week — but they did not break as they held the Steelers to only those 16 points. They have played 25 of their last 36 road games Under the Total after getting outgained by -150 or more yards in their last contest. And while the Bengals have allowed at least 405 yards in three straight games, they have then played 19 of their last 27 road games Under the Total after allowing 375 or more yards in two or more games in a row. Cincinnati goes back on the road where they have played 18 of their last 26 games Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 6 road games Under the Total with the Total set in the 35.5 to 42 point range. Jacksonville has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win on the road — and they have played 13 of their last 20 games Under the Total after a point spread win. And while they have won four of their last five games, they have then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after winning four of their last five games. The Jaguars generated 6.54 Yarsds-Per-Play against the Texans — but they have played 5 straight Unders after averaging 6.5 or more YPP in their last game. There is a perception regarding how good Trevor Lawrence is already — and he may develop into an elite quarterback. But he has thrown only four touchdown passes in the last four weeks. In their last three games, Jacksonville has scored only 20.3 PPG. And in their five games at home, they are generating just 303.6 total YPG which is resulting in only 20.0 PPG. The Jaguars have played 13 of their last 21 games at home Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Jacksonville has played 23 of their last 35 games Under the Total when playing on a grass field. The Bengals have played 15 of their last 21 games Under the Total against AFC opponents. Lastly, Cincinnati has played 17 of their last 22 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total on the road. 10* NFL Cincinnati-Jacksonville ABC-TV/ESPN O/U Special with Under the Total in the game between the Cincinnati Bengals (473) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (474). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Cincinnati Bengals (473) plus the points versus the Jacksonville Jaguars (474). THE SITUATION: Cincinnati (5-6) has lost three straight games after their 16-10 loss to Pittsburgh as a 2-point underdog last Sunday. Jacksonville (8-3) has won two straight games after their 24-21 victory as a 1-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BENGALS PLUS THE POINTS: A weekly reminder that we bet numbers rather than teams. The Jaguars have won 13 of their last 16 games going back to last season — but there is a perception in some ranks of what this team is (already) that does not match their underlying metrics. Don’t get me wrong: Jacksonville may someday win a Super Bowl with Trevor Lawrence at quarterback. I just don’t think they are there yet. The Jaguars are only outgaining their opponents by +1.8 net Yards-Per-Game. They have a 3-0 record in games decided by seven points or less. They benefit from playing in a weak division (but that seems to be changing). Lawrence has thrown only four touchdown passes in the last four weeks. In their last three games, Jacksonville has scored only 20.3 PPG. And in their five games at home, they are generating just 303.6 total YPG which is resulting in only 20.0 PPG. The Jaguars are 6-0 on the road — but they have a 2-3 record at home while getting outscored by -4.4 PPG and getting outgained by -54.6 net YPG. Jacksonville has failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 24 home games when favored by 7.5 to 10 points. They have covered the point spread in their last two games as a favorite — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 22 games after covering their last two games as the favorite. And while they have gained 389 and 445 total yards in their last two games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 30 of their last 45 games after gaining 375 or more yards in two or more games in a row. Cincinnati is not going to make the playoffs since Joe Burrow suffered a season-ending injury — but this is a proud team that can play the role of the spoiler tonight. Jake Browning completed 19 of 26 passes last week but for only 227 yards — but wide receiver Tee Higgins returns to action tonight after missing the last three games due to injury. His presence will make a big difference since he is the target that can punish opposing defenses when they double-cover Ja’Marr Chase. The Bengals have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after a loss by six points or less in their last game. And while they have not covered the point spread in three straight games, they have then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after failing to cover the point spread in two or more games in a row. In defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, I Trust — and the Cincy defense should travel tonight. Cincinnati has covered the point spread in 19 of their last 27 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 36 of their last 56 road games during Weeks 10-13.

FINAL TAKE: The Bengals should be competitive tonight — they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games on the road as an underdog and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. 10* NFL Monday Daily Discounted Deal with the Cincinnati Bengals (473) plus the points versus the Jacksonville Jaguars (474). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Kansas City Chiefs (471) and the Green Bay Packers (472). THE SITUATION: Kansas City (8-3) has won two of their last three games after their 31-17 victory at Las Vegas as a 9.5-point favorite last Sunday. Green Bay (5-6) has won three of their last four games after their 29-22 upset win against Detroit as an 8.5-point underdog last Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Despite scoring 31 points last week against the Raiders, the Chiefs are scoring only 19.5 Points-Per-Game in their last four games. Kansas City is generating only 339.2 total Yards-Per-Game when playing on the road which is resulting in 21.3 PPG. The lack of emergence of a number one wide receiver is apparent. Rookie Rashee Rice did catch eight balls last week against Las Vegas — but the rookie had not been targeted more than six times in his previous seven games. The bigger story is the slow decline of Travis Kelce’s productivity. No, it has done nothing to do with his Hollywood business relationship with What’s Her Name — but that arrangement just in time for his appearance on about a half dozen television commercials and her concert movie does indicate that the 34-year-old is thinking about life after football. He’s slowing down — and the fact that defenses can double-team him without getting burned elsewhere on the field is hurting this offensive attack. But the Kansas City defense has become outstanding as they are holding their opponents to 290.0 total YPG which is resulting in just 16.5 PPG. The Chiefs have played 16 of their last 23 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory. They have covered the point spread in two of their last three games — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in two of their last three games. Additionally, Kansas City has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing on grass. And in their last 27 games as a favorite, they have played 18 of these games Under the Total. Green Bay has played 14 of their last 20 games Under the Total after an upset victory against an NFC North rival — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after an upset victory against a divisional rival as an underdog getting six or more points. They have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a win on the road. The Packers have pulled off two straight upset victories after upsetting the Los Angeles Chargers at home two weeks ago — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after pulling off two straight upset victories. Green Bay has won the turnover battle in their last two games — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after posting a +1 or better net turnover margin in their last game. Despite those victories, the Packers are scoring only 23.7 PPG in their last three contests. They return home to Lambeau Field where they are generating just 325.6 total YPG which is resulting in 18.2 PPG. But the Green Bay defense holds their guests to just 316.0 total YPG which is only resulting in 19.6 PPG. The Packers have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total at home — and they have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total against AFC opponents.

FINAL TAKE: Green Bay has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after the first month of the season — and Kansas City has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after the first month of the season. 25* NFL Non-Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Kansas City Chiefs (471) and the Green Bay Packers (472). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Kansas City Chiefs (471) minus the points versus the Green Bay Packers (472). THE SITUATION: Kansas City (8-3) has won two of their last three games after their 31-17 victory at Las Vegas as a 9.5-point favorite last Sunday. Green Bay (5-6) has won three of their last four games after their 29-22 upset win against Detroit as an 8.5-point underdog last Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CHIEFS MINUS THE POINTS: Kansas City should continue to build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after a victory against an AFC West rival in their last game. They have covered the point spread in five of their last seven games — and they have then covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. The Chiefs' defense is outstanding as they are holding their opponents to 290.0 total YPG which is resulting in just 16.5 PPG. Look for head coach Andy Reid to get his ground game cranking up against a Packers defense that has allowed 5.4 Yards-Per-Carry in their last three games which has resulted in 165 rushing Yards-Per-Game. Green Bay has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after pulling off an upset victory against an NFC North rival as an underdog getting six or more points. The Packers have pulled off two straight upset victories after upsetting the Los Angeles Chargers at home two weeks ago — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after winning three of their last four contests. Despite those triumphs, Green Bay is allowing their opponents to generate 394.0 total YPG in their last three games— and they are scoring only 23.7 PPG in their last three contests. They return home to Lambeau Field where they are generating just 325.6 total YPG which is resulting in 18.2 PPG.

FINAL TAKE: Green Bay has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games against teams winning 60-75% of their games — and the Chiefs have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games on the road against teams winning 40-49% of their games. 10* NFL Monday Night Discounted Deal with the Kansas City Chiefs (471) minus the points versus the Green Bay Packers (472). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Carolina Panthers (459) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (460). THE SITUATION: Carolina (1-10) has lost four games in a row after their 17-10 loss at Tennessee as a 4-point underdog last Sunday. Tampa Bay (4-7) has lost two games in a row and six of their last seven after a 27-20 loss at Indianapolis on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Panthers managed only 258 total yards last week in their loss against the Titans — and that was the final straw for head coach Frank Reich who was fired earlier in the week. Bill Walsh calling the plays would not make a dramatic difference for this Carolina offense that lacks playmakers. They have scored only 12.5 Points-Per-Game in their last four contests. The Panthers have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They also have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss on the road. And in their last 13 games after not scoring more than 14 points in their last game, they have played 9 of these games Under the Total. Carolina is playing good defense lately — they have held their last three opponents 290.0 total YPG which has resulted in only 22.0 PPG. They stay on the road where they have played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 35.5-42 point range. Tampa Bay managed only 298 total yards last week in their last against the Colts. Head coach Todd Bowles was as angry as he gets after the game regarding some of the fundamental play from his players on defense as they gave up 394 total yards in that game. Look for that to get cleaned up for this contest. The Buccaneers have played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after losing two games in a row. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after losing five or six of their last seven games. They return home where they are scoring only 15.4 PPG — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total. They have also played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total when favored.  

FINAL TAKE: The Panthers have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against NFC opponents — and they have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total against NFC South rivals. The Buccaneers have played 16 of their last 20 games Under the Total against the NFC. 8* NFL Sunday Afternoon Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Carolina Panthers (459) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (460). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Houston Texans (465) minus the points versus the Denver Broncos (466). THE SITUATION: Houston (6-5) had their three-game winning streak snapped in a 24-21 loss to Jacksonville as a 1-point underdog last Sunday. Denver (6-5) has won five games in a row after their 29-12 win against Cleveland as a 1-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TEXANS MINUS THE POINTS: The Broncos are demonstrating the importance of winning the turnover battle as they enjoy a +13 net turnover margin during their five-game winning streak. They have committed only three turnovers over that span -- and it is not a coincidence that head coach Sean Payton has asked Russell Wilson to throw more than 29 passes only once in their last six games. Payton may be “letting Russ cook” but the portions are smaller. Denver is running the ball, shortening the game, and keeping their defense rested — and this recipe works if the game remains close. Winning the turnover battle is critical. But the Regression Gods are fickle when it comes to turnovers — and it has become clear that Payton prefers his quarterback to not get into a pass duel with the opposing quarterback. The Broncos gained only 294 yards last week in their win over the Browns and rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Denver has won the turnover battle in five straight games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 23 games after posting a +1 net turnover margin in three or more games in a row. And while they have covered the point spread in four of their last five games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after covering the point spread in three of their last four games. Now after playing their last two games at home, they go back on the road where they are generating only 292.8 total Yards-Per-Game which is resulting in just 20.8 Points-Per-Game. Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 19 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games as an underdog of up to seven points. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after playing their last two games at home. Houston has covered the point spread in 18 of their last 25 home games after a loss at home. They have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games are a loss by three points or less to an AFC South rival. The Texans have not covered the point spread in their last two games — but they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after failing to cover the point spread in two straight games. Houston is dealing with injuries on the offensive side of the ball — and tight end Dalton Schultz is out for this game. But the good news is that wide receivers Tank Dell and Noah Brown are expected to play after being listed as questionable this week. Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud has been a revelation by averaging 296. passing YPG with 19 touchdown passes and just five interceptions. The Texans have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games in December.

FINAL TAKE: The Broncos have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 23 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. This is Denver’s just fifth game on the road all season — so their stats are propped up by playing seven of their first 11 games on the road (and, apparently, we have to throw out the 70-20 loss at Miami). 10* NFL Sunday Afternoon Discounted Deal with the Houston Texans (465) minus the points versus the Denver Broncos (466). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Indianapolis Colts (461) and the Tennessee Titans (462). THE SITUATION: Indianapolis (6-5) has won three games in a row after their 27-20 victory against Tampa Bay as a 2.5-point favorite last Sunday. Tennessee (4-7) snapped their three-game losing streak with a 17-10 victory against Carolina as a 4-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Colts held the Buccaneers to just 298 yards last week as they continue to play very good defense. Through Week Eight of the season, Indianapolis was giving up 371 Yards-Per-Game which resulted in 28 Points-Per-Game. Since Week Nine in their three games (including their bye week), they have held their last three opponents to just 304.3 YPG and 13.0 PPG — and none of those opponents scored more than 20 points. They have risen to 11th in the NFL in the Defensive DVOA metrics at Football Outsiders (now located at FTN). Digging deeper into those numbers, through the first eight weeks of the season they were allowing 247 passing YPG and their opponents were scoring touchdowns in the Red Zone at a 64% clip. Since then, they are giving up only 161 passing YPG — and their opponents are scoring touchdowns in just 22% of their trips inside the Red Zone. The Colts defense is doing a great job in forcing turnovers — they have forced at least one turnover in 16 straight games and they have eight takeaways in their last four contests. Indianapolis has played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after winning three of their last four games. Now they face a Titans team generating only 284.0 total YPG — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams who are not averaging more than 285 YPG. Gardner Minshew has been steady under center for this team replacing the injured Anthony Richardson — but this is the Colts' just second true road game in their last six contests after one of their technical road games was in Germany. They are generating just 299.2 total YPG on the road which is resulting in 22.0 PPG. Indianapolis has played 5 straight road games Under the Total when favored — and they have played 12 of their last 18 games Under the Total when favored. They will be without running back Jonathan Taylor who is nursing a thumb injury. Minshew has not thrown a touchdown pass in his last 87 throws. Tennessee only managed 264 total yards last week — but they did hold the Panthers to just 258 yards of offense in their victory. Since making a big splash in his professional debut against Atlanta at the end of October, rookie quarterback Will Levis has been only okay since. He has only thrown two touchdown passes in his last four starts — and he is completing under 60% of his passes. Running back Derrick Henry appears to have lost a step or two. The Titans are averaging only 103 rushing YPG this season which ranks 21st in the league and is the lowest number for this team since 2015. Tennessee has scored no more than 17 points in four straight games — and they have generated just 236.0 total YPG in their last three contests which is resulting in only 12.3 PPG. But the Titans have not allowed more than 20 points in three of their last four contests. They stay at home where they are holding their guests to just 288.3 total YPG and 15.0 PPG. Tennessee has played 16 of their last 22 home games Under the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total with the Total set in the 38.5-42 point range. Additionally, the Titans have played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. They have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Furthermore, while the Colts are allowing 24.4 PPG, Tennessee has played 6 straight Unders against teams allowing 24.0 or more PPG.

FINAL TAKE: The Titans have played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total against AFC South rivals — and Indianapolis has played 10 of their last 16 games Under the Total against division foes. Tennessee is avenging a 23-16 loss in Indy as a 2-point road favorite on October 8th — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when avenging an upset loss. 25* AFC South Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Indianapolis Colts (461) and the Tennessee Titans (462). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Louisville Cardinals (322) plus the points versus the Florida State Seminoles (321) in the ACC Championship Game. THE SITUATION: Louisville (10-2) saw their four-game winning streak snapped in a 38-31 upset loss to Kentucky as a 7.5-point favorite last Saturday. Florida State (12-0) continued their unbeaten season with their 24-15 win at Florida as a 6.5-point favorite on Saturday. This game is being played on a neutral field at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CARDINALS PLUS THE POINTS: I was looking to fade the Seminoles even before the season-ending injury to senior quarterback Jordan Travis. Junior Tate Rodemaker is a big drop in talent — but now his presence in this game is doubtful after he suffered a concussion in last week’s game. He was not great even against subpar Florida defense as he completed 12 of 25 passes for 134 yards. He is a game-time decision — and even if miraculously passes the strict concussion protocols, he has a big challenge tonight. If Rodemaker cannot go, then it is freshman Brock Glenn who will get the start. On the plus side, Glenn was a four-star recruit out of Tennessee who flipped his commitment from Ohio State back to Florida State after long being a target by the Seminoles. However, in my deep dive into the recruiting archives on his history, I am seeing comments such as “will need a year or two of development” before being ready to play at the Power Five level — so this is far from ideal for someone playing against high school players last year. He missed three weeks of practice time due to injury — and he only has four pass attempts in game action this season. He is a pro-style quarterback who will run the ball with his above-average athleticism — but he is not a speedster. He had a proclivity to throw interceptions in high school. Florida State already faces tons of pressure of needing to win this game to make the College Football Playoff. They enjoyed a soft schedule after getting by LSU early in the season — and that was a game where Travis carried them with his play-making against what we would learn was a bad Tigers defense. The Seminoles were very fortunate to beat Clemson who outgained them by +118 net yards. They also got outgained in yardage by Boston College and Miami (FL) but pulled out games decided by one-scoring possession with Travis at quarterback. Florida State only ran for 90 yards last week on 31 carries despite needing to rely on their running backs given the Travis injury — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after failing to rush for more than 100 yards in their last game. While Trey Benson has rushed for a lot of yards, the Seminoles rank 109th in Rushing Success Rate. The problem is their offensive line as they rank only 123rd in the nation in Line Yards. Florida State has failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after winning eight or more games in a row. Louisville has an excellent defense that holds their opponents to 317.2 total Yards-Per-Game and 20.0 Points-Per-Game. They rank 14th in the nation in Opponent Success Rate Allowed. The Cardinals' defense is balanced as they rank 17th in Opponent Pass Success Rate Allowed and 16th in Opponent Rush Success Rate Allowed. They have a very good defensive line led by defensive end Ashton Gillotte that ranks fifth in the nation in Opponent Line Yards Allowed. They have generated 30 sacks and 54 tackles for loss — and that will likely spell trouble for the freshman quarterback in his first collegiate start. On offense, the Cardinals are led by an experienced graduate student Jack Plummer who is five years of experience learning under head coach Jeff Brohm in operating his version of the Air Raid offense. Louisville ranks 18th in the nation in Success Rate on offense -- and they are balanced. They rank 20th in the nation in Rush Success Rate and 11th in the nation in Pass Success Rate. The Cardinals have the opportunity to redeem themselves by giving last week’s in-state rivalry game away against the Wildcats. They gave the ball away three times in the second half including two times inside their 40-yard line to gift Kentucky 10 points and blow their 10-point second-half lead. Louisville has covered the point spread in 6 straight games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after a point spread loss.

FINAL TAKE: If the play at quarterback will not make the difference in this game, the Cardinals have the edge in head coaches as well. Brohm’s teams have covered the point spread in 28 of their 45 games as an underdog going back to his six seasons at Purdue — and his teams have covered the point spread in 13 of their 16 games against teams who are outscoring their opponents by +17.0 or more PPG (Florida State: +22.0 PPG). Florida State head coach Mike Norvell’s teams have failed to cover the point spread against teams winning 75% or more of their games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games in December. 25* CFB Conference Championship Game of the Year with the Louisville Cardinals (322) plus the points versus the Florida State Seminoles (321). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Michigan Wolverines (323) minus the points versus the Iowa Hawkeyes (324) in the Big Ten Championship Game. THE SITUATION: Michigan (12-0) continued their unbeaten season with their 30-24 win against Ohio State as a 3-point favorite last Saturday. Iowa (10-2) has won four straight games after their 13-10 upset win at Nebraska as a 2.5-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WOLVERINES MINUS THE POINTS: Michigan should continue their run tonight with a statement victory in the Big Ten Championship Game — they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games on the road after a straight-up win at home. They have also covered the point spread in 6 straight games after a win by seven points or less against a Big Ten rival. It is going to be difficult for the the anemic Hawkeyes offense to put up many points against this Wolverines defense that ranks number one in the nation by holding their opponents to just 10.6 Points-Per-Game. They rank second in the nation in Points Allowed per Possession. Since getting upset on the road to Iowa in 2016, Michigan has held the Hawkeyes to just 20 combined points in their last three meetings with a Kirk Ferentz team. Head coach Jim Harbaugh returns to the sideline — and he is well aware that risky play-calling is what will give Iowa opportunities. The Hawkeyes once again have a great defense — but they have only forced two turnovers in their last five games. Iowa has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after not forcing more than one turnover in four straight games. They have failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after an upset victory against a Big Ten rival. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after playing a game where no more than 24 combined points were scored. The Hawkeyes have only scored 16 combined points in their last two appearances in the Big 10 Championship Game.

FINAL TAKE: While I don’t love laying more than three touchdowns, the Wolverines have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games when favored by 21.5 to 31.5 points. The Hawkeyes have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games as an underdog getting 21.5 to 31 points. Michigan has scored at least 30 points in 11 of their 12 games — and Iowa has failed to score more than 15 points in five of their last six games. 8* CFB Michigan-Iowa Fox-TV Special with the Michigan Wolverines (323) minus the points versus the Iowa Hawkeyes (324). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Tulane Green Wave (316) minus the points versus the SMU Mustangs (315) in the American Athletic Conference Championship Game. THE SITUATION: Tulane (11-1) has won ten straight games after their 29-16 win against UTSA as a 3.5-point favorite last Friday. SMU (10-2) has won eight games in a row after their 59-14 victory against Navy as an 18.5-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GREEN WAVE MINUS THE POINTS: The Mustangs suffered a big blow last week in the win against the Midshipmen with third-year sophomore quarterback Preston Stone suffering a season-ending broken leg. The former four-star quarterback ranked 32nd in the nation in Total QBR. It will be redshirt freshman Kevin Jennings in his absence who is not nearly as a touted recruit coming out of high school — and this will be his first collegiate start after throwing 24 passes this season mostly in mop-up duty. This is not a good spot for SMU which can struggle with consistency. They have failed to cover the point spread in 32 of their last 48 road games after a straight-up win against a conference rival. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games on the road after a win at home by 17 or points. And while the Mustangs have covered the point spread in five of their last seven games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 19 games after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven contests. And in their last 6 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range, they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of those contests. Tulane has won 23 of their last 26 games under head coach Willie Fritz — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after winning eight or more of their last 10 games. The Green Wave have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games at home after a victory against a conference opponent. They have a future NFL quarterback under center in Michael Pratt who has thrown 48 touchdown passes the last two seasons with only nine interceptions.

FINAL TAKE: Tulane is scoring 30.9 Points-Per-Game at home — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games at home.  SMU has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 24 of their last  35 road games as an underdog of up to seven points. 10* CFB Saturday Afternoon Discounted Deal with the Tulane Green Wave (316) minus the points versus the SMU Mustangs (315). Best of luck for us — Frank. 

At 4:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Georgia Bulldogs (317) and the Alabama Crimson Tide (318) in the SEC Championship Game. THE SITUATION: Georgia (12-0) has won 29 straight games after their 31-23 victory against Georgia Tech as a 24-point favorite last Saturday. Alabama (11-1) has won ten straight games after a 27-24 win at Auburn on Saturday. This game is being played on a neutral field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: This Bulldogs team is not quite as stout as it has been the previous two seasons. Being a feeder to the NFL has eventually taken its toll on this unit, especially up front. Georgia only ranks 81st in the nation in Opponent Rush Success Rate Allowed — and they have struggled against mobile quarterbacks. Now they face Jalen Milroe who has a body type like another former Crimson Tide quarterback — Jalen Hurts. Milroe is averaging 7.24 Yards-Per-Carry (excluding sacks). The Bulldogs have allowed 20 or more points in six of their last nine games after the Yellow Jackets put up 23 points on the scoreboard. Georgia has played 11 of their last 17 games Over the Total after a straight-up win where they did not cover the point spread including five of those six circumstances this season. They have also played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a point-spread loss. And in their last 9 games after winning three or more games in a row, they have played 6 of those games Over the Total. But while their defensive front is not quite as dominant this season, the Georgia offensive line is stacked with at least four future NFLers in that group. The Bulldogs have allowed only ten quarterback sacks all season — and quarterback Carson Beck has been outstanding when given time in the pocket. When not facing pressure, Beck has completed 75% of his passes for 3189 passing yards with 17 touchdown passes. Georgia ranks third in the nation in Pass Success Rate — and they should be able to run the ball against an Alabama front that is not as stout either from past seasons as they rank 63rd in the nation in Line Yards Allowed. The Bulldogs have played 5 of their last 8 games Over the Total against SEC opponents. Alabama has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total in conference play. Since returning to the field after getting benched early in the season, Milroe has 26 touchdowns and only five turnovers. He has a big arm — and he ranks fourth in the nation by averaging 21.2 yards per pass attempt of at least 20 air yards. The Crimson Tide generated 451 total yards last week against the Tigers — including that miracle fourth-and-31-yard conversion to win the game. Alabama is going to be feisty in this game. The Crimson Tide has played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 13 of their last 19 games Over the Total after a win against an SEC rival. They have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a win by six points or less. They had scored at least 34 points in four straight games before only scoring 27 points last week in the Iron Bowl. The Crimson Tide have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total with the Total set in the 49.5-56 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Alabama has won 16 straight games played in Atlanta — so they are not going to back down to the reigning two-time National Champions. Despite their mutual reputations for defense, these two teams have played 9 of their last 11 meetings against each other Over the Total — and the last three SEC Championship Games have finished Over the Total. 25* CFB SEC Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Georgia Bulldogs (317) and the Alabama Crimson Tide (318). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Miami (OH) RedHawks (311) plus the points versus the Toledo Rockets (312) in the Mid-American Conference Championship Game. THE SITUATION: Miami (OH) has won four games in a row after their 17-15 win at Ball State as a 5-point favorite last Saturday. Toledo (11-1) won their 11th straight game last Friday in a 32-17 victory at Central Michigan as a 10-point favorite. This game is being played on a neutral field at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.

REASONS TO TAKE THE REDHAWKS PLUS THE POINTS: Miami (OH) is the Group of Five version of the Iowa Hawkeyes under head coach Chuck Martin in his tenth season with the program. The RedHawks can struggle to score — they are a run-first team that will play at a slow pace to shorten the game. But their defense is excellent — they rank 15th in the nation in Bill Connelly’s SP+ tempo-free metrics. They have held their last four opponents to just 41 combined points with none of those foes scoring more than 16 points. For the season, Miami (OH) is allowing just 323.1 total Yards-Per-Game which is resulting in only 16.3 PPG. The RedHawks special teams are outstanding as well — Connelly ranks them the best unit in the nation using his SP+ metrics. And this is a team that does not make many mistakes as they rank 11th in the nation in fewest penalty yards. They held the Rockets to just 318 total yards in their first meeting of the season on October 21st in a 21-17 loss as a home underdog getting 2-points. It was in that game that junior quarterback Brett Gabbert suffered his season-ending leg injury. Redshirt sophomore Aveon Smith stepped up in his absence to win the last four games of the season under center. He made nine starts last season for this team (after Gabbert went down with season-ending shoulder injury) including their 24-20 loss to UAB in the Bahamas Bowl — so he has plenty of experience. While Smith is capable with his arm, he offers Miami (OH) a rushing threat — the team is RPO-heavy with him at quarterback. The Redhawks have covered the point spread in 6 straight road games after a point spread loss. And while they got outrushed by -228 net yards to the Cardinals last week, they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after getting outrushed by -125 or more yards. Miami (OH) has covered the point spread in 21 of their last 30 games after winning four or more games in a row — and they have covered the point spread in 25 of their last 33 games after winning four of their last five games. Furthermore, the RedHawks have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 10 points. Toledo may be due for an emotional letdown after their strong run through the regular season after an opening-week loss at Illinois. The Rockets have failed to cover the point spread in 27 of their last 40 road games after winning three games in a row — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games on the road after beating three straight MAC rivals. They did generate 6.28 Yards-Per-Play last week against the Chippewas — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after generating 6.25 or more YPP in their last game. And while Toledo has scored at least 31 points in four straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 33 of their last 51 road games after scoring 31 or more points in two straight games. The Rockets' offense was propped up all season by a soft schedule consisting of mostly mediocre defenses. Their non-conference schedule was against Texas Southern, San Jose State, and the Fighting Illini. They only managed 318 total yards against the RedHawks in the first meeting between these two teams. Junior quarterback DeQaun Finn is prone to mistakes. While he threw 21 touchdown passes with just eight interceptions in the regular season, his “Big Time” throws dropped to just 17 — and he committed 14 turnover-worthy plays according to the metrics at Pro Football Focus. Toledo failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games played on a neutral field — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games played on a neutral field when listed as the favorite.

FINAL TAKE: Miami (OH) has covered the point spread in  8 of their last 10 opportunities for revenge — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when avenging a loss of seven points or less. The underdog has won four of the last five Mid-American Conference Championship Games — and three of those dogs were getting more than 3.5 points. 25* CFB Mid-American Conference Game of the Year with the Miami (OH) RedHawks (311) plus the points versus the Toledo Rockets (312). Best of luck for us — Frank.  

At 8:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Oregon Ducks (305) and the Washington Huskies (306) in the Pac-12 Championship Game. THE SITUATION: Oregon (11-1) has won six games in a row after their 31-7 victory against Oregon State as a 13.5-point favorite last Friday. Washington (12-0) continued their unbeaten season with a 24-21 victory against Washington State as a 16-point favorite on Saturday. This game will be played on a neutral field at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Total is in the mid-60s for this rematch from the Huskies’ 36-33 victory at home in that shootout on October 14th — but look for this to be a lower-scoring game this time around. Washington only gained 306 total yards last week their narrow win against the Huskies in the Apple Cup. There are whispers that star quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. is slowed by an injury. The Huskies have not scored more than 24 points in three of their last six games. They are generating only 346.7 total Yards-Per-Game in their last three games which has resulted in 27.0 Points-Per-Game — a healthy number but not indicative of an elite offense clicking on all cyclones. Head coach Karen DeBoer has leaned more on his rushing attack — perhaps to take some pressure on the defense that is not a great unit against the run. After running the ball only 23 times against the Ducks (37.0% of their offensive snaps), they then ran the ball just 15 times the next week (23.0% of their offensive snaps) against Arizona State in that narrow 15-7 win. It was then that things began to change. In their 42-33 win against Stanford, they ran the ball 27 times representing 40.9% of their offensive snaps. The big change came when the Huskies played the powerful USC offense the next week. Washington ran the ball 40 times representing 57.1% of their offensive snaps — and they have continued to run the ball closer to the 50% of the time ever since. On the season, the Huskies run the ball on 41.7% of their snaps. Since the Arizona State game, they have run the ball in 46.2% of their snaps — and they have run the ball in 47.3% of their snaps since the USC game which I suspect will be their template for success in this contest. Running the ball will keep Bo Nix off the field while resting the Washington defense. The Huskies have played  5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a win at home — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a win at home against a Pac-12 rival. They have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up win where they did not cover the point spread as the favorite. And in their last 10 games after beating a conference rival by seven points or less, they have played 8 of those games Under the Total. Washington has not rushed for more than 125 yards in three straight games — and they have played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after not rushing for more than 125 yards in two or more games in a row. The Huskies do have an outstanding secondary — they rank 14th in the nation in Opponent Pass Success Rate Allowed. But Washington's run defense is their weakness as they rank 129th in Opponent Rush Success Rate Allowed and 132nd in Opponent Line Yards Allowed. This is where I expect the Ducks to go to work in this rematch. Oregon ranks second in the nation in Rushing Success Rate behind running back Bucky Irving. They also rank fourth in the nation in Line Yards — so their offensive should dominate the Washington defensive front. The Ducks have played 4 of their last 6 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from a loss on the road. They have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up win at home — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a win by 21 or more points. They have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a win by double-digits against a conference opponent. Oregon dominated their in-state rival Beavers — they generated 28 first downs while controlling the Time of Possession for 34:03 minutes. The Ducks have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a game where they were on offense for 34 or more minutes while generating 34 or more first downs. Oregon’s defense is outstanding — they have held their last six opponents to 16.0 PPG.

FINAL TAKE: The Ducks have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing on grass — and they have played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total when favored. The Huskies have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total as an underdog. 10* CFB Friday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Oregon Ducks (305) and the Washington Huskies (306). Best of luck for us — Frank.      

At 8:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Oregon Ducks (305) minus the points versus the Washington Huskies (306) in the Pac-12 Championship Game. THE SITUATION: Oregon (11-1) has won six games in a row after their 31-7 victory against Oregon State as a 13.5-point favorite last Friday. Washington (12-0) continued their unbeaten season with a 24-21 victory against Washington State as a 16-point favorite on Saturday. This game will be played on a neutral field at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.

REASONS TO TAKE THE DUCKS MINUS THE POINTS: Oregon dominated the Beavers as they outgained them by +207 net yards. They have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a double-digit win against a Pac-12 rival — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a win by 21 or more points. The Ducks have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after winning three or more games in a row against a conference opponent. The Oregon defense is outstanding — they have held their last six opponents to 16.0 PPG — and there are whispers that star quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. is slowed by an injury. The Huskies have not scored more than 24 points in three of their last six games. They are generating only 346.7 total Yards-Per-Game in their last three games which has resulted in 27.0 Points-Per-Game — a healthy number but not indicative of an elite offense clicking on all cyclones. Washington does not have an outstanding secondary — they rank 14th in the nation in Opponent Pass Success Rate Allowed. But Washington's run defense is their weakness as they rank 129th in Opponent Rush Success Rate Allowed and 132nd in Opponent Line Yards Allowed. This is where I expect the Ducks to go to work in this rematch. Oregon ranks second in the nation in Rushing Success Rate behind running back Bucky Irving. They also rank fourth in the nation in Line Yards — so their offensive should dominate the Washington defensive front. The Ducks have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games when favored. Washington has failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 26 games against Pac-12 opponents. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win against a conference opponent — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 24 games after a narrow win by three points or less against a Pac-12 opponent.

FINAL TAKE: Oregon has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games with the Total set in the 63.5-70 point range — and Washington has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games with the Total set in the 63.5-70 point range. 8* CFB Oregon-Washington ABC-TV Special with the Oregon Ducks (305) minus the points versus the Washington Huskies (306). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New Mexico State Aggies (307) and the Liberty Flames (308) in the Conference USA Championship Game. THE SITUATION: New Mexico State (10-3) is on an eight-game winning streak after their 20-17 upset win at Jacksonville State as a 2.5-point underdog last Saturday. Liberty (12-0) remained undefeated this season with their 42-28 victory at UTEP as a 17-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Aggies held the Gamecocks to just 333 total yards last week. They have held their last three opponents to just 327.7 total Yards-Per-Game which has resulted in them scoring only 18.7 Points-Per-Game. New Mexico State’s defense ranks 39th in the nation using Bill Connelly’s SP+ tempo-free metrics. Head coach Jerry Kill deploys a ball control offense — they pass the ball at the 103rd lowest rate in the FBS. The Aggies have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a win against a conference opponent. They have played 4 straight Unders after an upset victory — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a point-spread victory. New Mexico State has held their last two opponents to 85 and 65 rushing yards — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 125 rushing yards in two straight games. The Aggies already play tough defense against the pass — they rank 27th in the nation in Opponent Pass Success Rate Allowed. On the other side of the ball, New Mexico is a good running team that ranks sixth in the nation in Rushing Success Rate — so they should be able to sustain some drives. But they have not scored more than 28 points in eight of their last 11 games. On the other hand, they have held nine of their last 10 opponents to no more than 24 points. The Aggies play on the road at Williams Stadium having played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total as an underdog. Liberty held the Miners to just 271 total yards last week — and they have played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory against a conference rival. The Flames took a 28-7 lead at halftime in that game — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after scoring 24 or more points in the first half of their last contest. They have also played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after scoring 42 or more points. Frankly, Liberty has been feasting on some of the worst defenses in the nation with nine of their 12 opponents ranking 85th or lower in Connelly’s SP+ tempo-free defensive ratings. When they played a Jacksonville State team that ranks 49th in the SP+ defensive rankings, their 31 points were the second-fewest of the season— and their 422 total yards in the game were -76.9 fewer than their season average. On the other side of the ball, Liberty has held their last three opponents to only 314.0 total YPG which has resulted in just 21.0 PPG. They rank 43rd in the SP+ defensive rankings — and their Havoc Rate is seventh best in the nation. The Flames host this championship game having played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total with the Total set in the 56.5-63 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Liberty won the first meeting between these teams by 16 points — although their 33 points were the third-fewest they scored all season. The Aggies have played 3 of their last 4 games Under the Total when attempting to avenge a loss at home. Both of these teams play at a slower pace — New Mexico State ranks 309th in the nation by averaging 30.9 seconds per play and the Flames average 28.8 seconds per play which ranks 97th.  25* CBB Conference USA Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the New Mexico State Aggies (307) and the Liberty Flames (308). Best of luck for us — Frank.  

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Seattle Seahawks (303) plus the points versus the Dallas Cowboys (304). THE SITUATION: Seattle (6-5) has lost three of their last four games after their 31-13 loss to San Francisco as a 7-point underdog last Thursday. Dallas (8-3) has won three games in a row as well as five of their last six after their 45-10 victory against Washington as a 13.5-point favorite on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SEAHAWKS PLUS THE POINTS: Seattle has covered the point spread in 21 of their last 31 games after a loss at home under head coach Pete Carroll. Their loss to the 49ers finished just above the 43-point total — and they have covered the point spread in 3 of their 4 games this season after playing a game that finished Over the Total in their last game. The Seahawks only scored 16 points in their previous game on the road against the Los Angeles Rams when quarterback Geno Smith got knocked out of the game with an elbow injury to his throwing arm. Head coach Pete Carroll claimed it is a “night and day” difference between Smith in practice last week and now in preparation for this game. Seattle has covered the point spread in 43 of their last 65 games after failing to score more than 17 points in two straight games. They have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after losing two games in a row. Dallas is riding high now — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games after a win by 28 or more points. Since their loss on the road against Philadelphia, they have won three straight games by 23 or more points— but they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after winning two games in a row by 10 or more points and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games after winning three games in a row by 10 or more points. The Cowboys have covered the point spread in five of their last six games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 38 of their last 55 games after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven games.

FINAL TAKE: In Seattle’s last 43 games on the road when listed as an underdog in the 7.5-14-point range, they have covered the point spread in 29 of these games. 10* NFL Thursday Daily Discounted Deal with the Seattle Seahawks (303) plus the points versus the Dallas Cowboys (304). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Seattle Seahawks (303) and the Dallas Cowboys (304). THE SITUATION: Seattle (6-5) has lost three of their last four games after their 31-13 loss to San Francisco as a 7-point underdog last Thursday. Dallas (8-3) has won three games in a row as well as five of their last six after their 45-10 victory against Washington as a 13.5-point favorite on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Cowboys have scored at least 33 points in three straight games as well as four of their last five contests with the lone exception being their 28-23 loss at Philadelphia at the beginning of the month. They generated 431 yards against the Commanders despite having their offense on the field for only 23:06 minutes of that game. Dak Prescott is playing as well as he has at any time in his career after completing 22 of 32 passes against Washington for 331 yards with four touchdown passes and no interceptions. The Cowboys have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a point spread victory. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a double-digit victory — and they have played 11 of their last 16 games Over the Total after a win at home. Furthermore, Dallas has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after scoring 30 or more points in their last game — and they have played 6 straight home games Over the Total after scoring 25 or more points in two straight contests. They have also played 6 straight home games Over the Total after winning five or six of their last seven games. The Cowboys are generating 443.4 total Yards-Per-Game at home this season which is resulting in a whopping 41.0 Points-Per-Game.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Chicago Bears (273) plus the points versus the Minnesota Vikings (274). THE SITUATION: Chicago (3-8) has lost three of their last four games after their 31-26 loss at Detroit as a 7.5-point underdog last Sunday. Minnesota (6-5) had their five-game winning streak snapped in a 21-20 loss at Denver as a 2.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BEARS PLUS THE POINTS: Chicago had a 98.2% win probability to beat the Lions with just 4:15 minutes left in the fourth quarter — but they then gave up two touchdowns in those final four minutes to blow that game. The bigger takeaway from that result is that this Bears team is better than their record. They have -3 net losses in their four games decided by one scoring possession. They are only getting outgained by -2.0 Yards-Per-Game which is the type of mark for a 5-6 or even 6-5 team. They have played four games without starting quarterback Justin Fields — and the third-year pro is playing better after a slow start to the season. He completed 16 of 23 passes for 169 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions against Detroit last week. Fields is playing for his professional future right now with Chicago in a position to take draft one of the top college quarterbacks in the upcoming NFL draft. After staying in the pocket early in the season, Fields is using his legs more to gain yards — he rushed for 104 yards against the Lions on 18 carries. Fields was very productive last season when he was given the green light to run the ball. With everyone in this organization on the hot seat including Fields himself, expect him to continue to be aggressive with his legs. He has also been more effective in the passing game — since Week Four, Fields ranks seventh in the NFL in Expected Points Added per Dropback. The defense is playing better as of late as well — they have held their last three opponents to just 284.0 total YPG and only 22.7 PPG. In their last three games, the Bears are outgaining their opponents by +49.3 net YPG despite relying on rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent in two of those contests. Chicago has covered the point spread in 26 of their last 44 games after a straight-up loss where they covered the point spreads as the underdog. The Bears have also covered the point spread in 3 of their 4 games this season after losing two of their last three games. Minnesota endured a -3 net turnover margin in their loss to the Broncos last week — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after posting a -2 or worse net turnover margin in their last game. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 19 games after winning two of their last three games. The Vikings have held their last two opponents to just 65 and 46 rushing yards — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 25 of their last 37 games after not giving up more than 75 rushing yards in two straight games.  

FINAL TAKE: Chicago will be looking to avenge a 19-13 loss at home to Minnesota as a 3-point home underdog on October 15th. Despite Fields suffering the hand injury that kept him out for a month in that game, the Bears still outgained the Vikings by a 275-220 margin in yards fueled by a rushing attack that gained 162 yards by averaging 4.5 Yards-Per-Carry. 10* NFL Monday Night Discounted Deal with the Chicago Bears (273) plus the points versus the Minnesota Vikings (274). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Chicago Bears (273) and the Minnesota Vikings (274). THE SITUATION: Chicago (3-8) has lost three of their last four games after their 31-26 loss at Detroit as a 7.5-point underdog last Sunday. Minnesota (6-5) had their five-game winning streak snapped in a 21-20 loss at Denver as a 2.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Bears are giving up 28.8 Points-Per-Game when on the road this season after the Lions scored two touchdowns in the final four minutes of the game to steal that victory. Chicago has played 7 straight Overs after a loss by six points or less in their last game. They have played 6 straight Overs on the road after a game where 50 or more combined points were scored. They have also played 6 straight Overs on the road after losing three of their last 4 games. The Bears did get Justin Fields back under center last week and he played well by completing 16 of 23 passes for 169 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. Fields is playing for his professional future right now with Chicago in a position to take draft one of the top college quarterbacks in the upcoming NFL draft. After staying in the pocket early in the season, Fields is using his legs more to gain yards — he rushed for 104 yards against the Lions on 18 carries. Fields was very productive last season when he was given the green light to run the ball. With everyone in this organization on the hot seat including Fields himself, expect him to to continue to be aggressive with his legs. He has also been more effective in the passing game — since Week Four, Fields ranks seventh in the NFL in Expected Points Added per Dropback. And while the Vikings generate 5.8 Yards-Per-Play, the Bears have played 10 of their last 14 games Over the Total in the second half of the season against opponents who average 5.65 or more YPP. Minnesota has played 14 of their last 18 games at home Over the Total after a straight-up where they covered the point spread as an underdog. They have also played 15 of their last 19 games Over the Total after winning two of their last three games — and they have played 7 straight Overs at home after winning four or five of their last six games. Even without the injured Kirk Cousins, the Vikings are generating 378.7 total Yards-Per-Game in their last three games which is resulting in 26.0 PPG. At home, Minnesota is averaging 402.6 total YPG. Joshua Dobbs is making a strong case that he should be one of the 32 starting quarterbacks in the league. In his three starts in a Vikings uniform, he has completed 65.6% of his passes for 647 yards with four touchdown passes and only one interception. He is another mobile quarterback as well who has rushed for 131 in his last three games on a 5.7 Yards-Per-Carry average and another three touchdowns. The Bears allow opposing quarterbacks to complete 68.4% of their passes — and Minnesota has played 14 of their last 19 games in the second half of the season Over the Total against teams who allow opposing QBs to complete 61% or more of their passes. The Bears are completing 64% of their passes this season — and the Vikings have played 14 of their last 16 games Over the Total in the second half of the season against teams who are completing 64% of their passes.

FINAL TAKE: Minnesota has played 16 of their last 21 games Over the Total in the second half of the season — and Chicago has played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total in the second half of the season against teams with a winning record. 25* NFC North Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Chicago Bears (273) and the Minnesota Vikings (274). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Baltimore Ravens (271) and the Los Angeles Chargers (272). THE SITUATION:  Baltimore (8-3) has won five of their last six games after their 34-20 win against Cincinnati as a 4-point favorite on November 16th. Los Angeles (4-6) has lost two games in a row after their 23-20 upset loss to Green Bay as a 3-point favorite last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Ravens offense is getting most of the attention for head coach John Harbaugh’s team after they scored at least 31 points in their fifth straight game — but the play of the Baltimore defense deserves more attention. They held the Bengals to just 272 yards last week in their 14-point victory. The Ravens are holding their opponents to just 273.5 total Yards-Per-Game which is resulting in only 16.1 Points-Per-Game — and their defense has been stingy on the road where they are holding their home hosts to just 256.0 total YPG and 16.8 PPG. Baltimore has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after beating an AFC North rival. They have also played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after winning six or seven of their last eight games. Additionally, the Ravens have played 41 of their last 63 games Under the Total after scoring 25 or more points in two straight games — and they have played 14 of their last 22 games Under the Total after scoring 25 or more points in three or more games in a row. Baltimore has played two straight Overs with both those contests seeing 54 or more combined points — but they have then played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after playing two or more Overs in a row. They have also played 4 straight Unders after playing two or more games in a row where 50 or more combined points were scored. They go back on the road where they are averaging -31.7 fewer YPG than their season average — and that is resulting in them scoring -3.8 fewer PPG away from home. To compound matters, Lamar Jackson will be without his favorite target Mark Andrews after he suffered an ankle injury last week that will keep him out for an extended period. The Ravens have played 9 of their last 13 road games Under the Total when favored — and they have played 22 of their last 33 games Under the Total as a favorite in general. Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in two straight games — and they have played 7 straight Unders after failing to cover the point spread in two of their last three games. The Chargers have covered the point spread twice in their last seven games — and they have played 33 of their last 51 games at home Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six contests. Los Angeles did generate 6.57 Yards-Per-Play against the Packers last week — but they have then played 35 of their last 48 home games Under the Total after generating 6.5 or more YPP in their last game.

FINAL TAKE: Los Angeles has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after the first month of the season — and the Ravens have played 13 of their last 20 games Under the Total in the second half of the season. 10* NFL Sunday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Baltimore Ravens (271) and the Los Angeles Chargers (272). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Chargers (272) plus the points versus the Baltimore Ravens (271). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (4-6) has lost two games in a row after their 23-20 upset loss to Green Bay as a 3-point favorite last Sunday. Baltimore (8-3) has won five of their last six games after their 34-20 win against Cincinnati as a 4-point favorite on November 16th.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CHARGERS PLUS THE POINTS: We are probably destined to experience moments of infuriation tonight by having a rooting interest in head coach Brandon Staley’s game management tonight. But we are betting numbers rather than endorsing head coaches — and we do get to cheer Justin Herbert in his heroic efforts to overcome his coaching. Five of the Chargers’ six losses have been by three points or less. They have suffered three upset losses this season — but they have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games as an underdog. They will play with desperation tonight with their season on the line — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after an upset loss. They have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after a loss on the road. Furthermore, while they have lost and failed to cover the point spread in their last two games, they have then covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after losing two or more games in a row — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after failing to cover the point spread in two or more games in a row. Los Angeles does return home to SoFi where they are scoring a healthy 28.6 Points-Per-Game. Baltimore is riding high right now —  but they did benefit from a scheduling quirk that had them play their last three games at home. The Ravens tend to get overvalued by the betting public in moments like this. They have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a win against an AFC North rival — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after a double-digit victory. They have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games after a point spread victory. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after winning three of their last four games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after winning five or six of their last seven games. The Baltimore offense is clicking after generating 405 yards against the Bengals last week. The Ravens have scored 31 or more points in five straight games — and they have averaged 408.7 Yards-Per-Game in their last three contests. But Baltimore has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after scoring 25 or more points in two or more games in a row. Additionally, they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after gaining 400 or more yards in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after averaging 400 or more YPG in their last three games. Lamar Jackson has been great this season — but now he has to run the offense without his favorite target Mark Andrews given the ankle injury he suffered last week.

FINAL TAKE: The Ravens have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games against teams with a losing record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 road games when favored. 25* AFC Game of the Month with the Los Angeles Chargers (272) plus the points versus the Baltimore Ravens (271). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Saints (261) and the Atlanta Falcons (262). THE SITUATION: New Orleans (5-5) had their two-game winning streak snapped in a 27-19 upset loss at Minnesota as a 3-point favorite back on November 12th. Atlanta (4-6) suffered their third straight upset loss in their 25-23 loss at Arizona as a 2-point underdog on November 12th.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Saints only managed 280 yards of offense against the Vikings' defense in their last game. Quarterback Derek Carr got knocked out of that contest — but he has cleared the concussion protocol and will play in this game. New Orleans only managed a field goal in the first half of that contest — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after not scoring more than three points in the first half of their last game. They only rushed for 65 yards as well against Minnesota — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after failing to rush for more than 75 yards in their last game. The Saints have not covered the point spread in their last two games — and they have covered the point spread just once in their last five games. New Orleans has played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in two straight games — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six games. They go back on the road where they are holding their opponents to 298.5 total Yards-Per-Game which results in their home hosts scoring 18.2 Points-Per-Game. The Saints have played 15 of their last 23 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 35.5-42 point range. Atlanta has played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after losing two or more games in a row. Their loss to the Cardinals two weeks ago was preceded by a 31-28 loss at home to Minnesota — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after losing two games in a row by three points or less. The Falcons return home where they have played 13 of their last 21 games Under the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 9 home games Under the Total as the underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Saints have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total against NFC South rivals — and Atlanta has played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total in the second half of the season. 8* NFL Sunday Afternoon Discounted Deal with Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Saints (261) and the Atlanta Falcons (262). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (253) and the Indianapolis Colts (254). THE SITUATION: Tampa Bay (4-6) has lost five of their last six games after their 27-14 loss at San Francisco as a 13.5-point underdog last Sunday. Indianapolis (5-5) won their second game in a row with their 10-6 victory against New England in Germany as a 2-point favorite back on November 12th.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Buccaneers have failed to score more than 20 points in five of their last six games — and now starting running back Rachaad White was a late addition to the injury report yesterday as questionable. Tampa Bay only managed 287 total yards last week against the 49ers. They are scoring only 19.7 Points-Per-Game and averaging 304.7 Yards-Per-Game this season. The Buccaneers have played 14 of their last 18 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a loss on the road. They have also played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss. The Bucs have struggled to get a running game going all season which has left the offense imbalanced as too reliant on the passing attack behind Baker Mayfield — so the potential absence of White is particularly concerning. Tampa Bay has not rushed for more than 81 yards in six straight games — and they have then played 18 of their last 24 games Under the Total after failing to rush for more than 99 yards in four or more games in a row including playing Unders in seven of their last eight games Under the Total under those circumstances. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after failing to rush for more than 99 yards in five straight contests. The Buccaneers stay on the road where they have played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total — and they have played 6 straight Unders on the road having lost two of their last three games. They have also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total on the road with the Total set in the 42.5-49 point range. Indianapolis only managed to generate 264 yards of offense two weeks ago against the Patriots defense. In their last three games with Gardner Minshew as their starting quarterback. the Colts are averaging just 277.7 total YPG which is resulting in only 21.3 PPG. Management released their veteran linebacker Shaq Leonard this week in a cost-cutting move made possible by the improved play of their younger players on their roster. Indy has allowed only 19 combined points in their last two games. The defense has produced 30 sacks this season from 12 different players — and they have 61 tackles for loss along with 65 hits on the quarterback which made Leonard’s contract expendable. Indianapolis has played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a game where no more than 19 combined points were scored. They have played two Unders in a row — and they have then played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after playing two or more Unders in a row. They return home where they have played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 42.5-49 point range — and they have played 12 of their last 14 home games Under the Total in the second half of the season against teams winning 40-49% of their games.

FINAL TAKE: The Colts have played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total as the favorite — and the Buccaneers have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total as an underdog. 25* NFL Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (253) and the Indianapolis Colts (254). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the California Golden Bears (199) plus the points versus the UCLA Bruins (200). THE SITUATION: California (5-6) has won two games in a row after their 27-15 victory at Stanford as a 7-point favorite last Saturday. UCLA (7-4) ended their two-game losing streak with their 38-20 upset win at USC as a 5-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GOLDEN BEARS PLUS THE POINTS: Cal dominated the Cardinal last week by gaining 455 yards of offense while holding them to just 289 total yards. Now this team needs to win this game to become bowl eligible for head coach Justin Wilcox who may be coaching for his job. The Golden Bears have not allowed more than 125 rushing yards in their last two games — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after not allowing more than 125 rushing yards in two straight games. Their game with Stanford finished Under the Total — and they have covered the point spread in 26 of their last 39 games after playing a game that finished Under the Total. And while they were on a four-game losing streak before winning their last two games, they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games after losing four or five of their last six games. The Golden Bears have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 23 games in November. And while the Bruins are outscoring their opponents by +10.8 net Points-Per-Game, Cal has covered the point spread in 14 of their last 22 games against teams outscoring their opponents by +10.0 or more PPG. UCLA is a prime suspect for an emotional letdown after their upset victory against the Trojans last week. They did get outgained by -33 net yards by USC last week but their 11-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown was the winning difference for them. The Bruins have nothing at stake for this game outside of Senior Night — but head coach Chip Kelly may still be on the hot seat given the whispers a few weeks ago. The Golden Bears are scoring 31.5 PPG — and UCLA has failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games against teams who are scoring 31.0 or more PPG.

FINAL TAKE: The Bruins have failed to cover the point spread in 26 of their last 33 home games when favored by 7.5 to 14 points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight home games when favored by 7.5 to 14 points with Kelly as their head coach. California has covered the point spread in 23 of their last 33 road games as an underdog getting 7.5 to 14 points including eight of those last ten situations. 10* CFB Saturday Late Show Bailout with the California Golden Bears (199) plus the points versus the UCLA Bruins (200). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Miami (OH) RedHawks (175) and the Ball State Cardinals (176). THE SITUATION: Miami (OH) (9-2) has won three games in a row after their 23-10 victory against Buffalo as a 7.5-point favorite last Saturday. Ball State (4-7) has won three of their last four games after their 34-3 win against Kent State as a 10.5-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The RedHawks have already clinched their spot in the Mid-American Conference Championship Game next week against Toledo. They held the Bulls to just 278 yards last week — but they managed only 13 first downs while gaining 346 yards in the victory. Miami (OH) has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 12 of their last 18 games Under the Total after a point spread win. Additionally, the RedHawks have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a double-digit win against a MAC rival. They have played 14 of their last 22 games Under the Total after winning four of their last five games. Miami (OH) is favored in this game despite not having anything at stake — and they have played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total when favored. Ball State has played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a win by 28 or more points. They held the Golden Flashes to just 97 total yards in their victory last week. The Cardinals stay at home this week where they have played 14 of their last 17 games Under the Total — and they have played 16 of their last 25 games Under the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Ball State has played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total after the first month of the season — and they have played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total in November. The RedHawks have played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total after the first month of the season. 8* CFB Saturday Afternoon Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Miami (OH) RedHawks (175) and the Ball State Cardinals (176). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Kentucky Wildcats (147) and the Louisville Cardinals (148). THE SITUATION: Kentucky (6-5) has lost five of their last six games after their 17-14 loss at South Carolina as a 2.5-point underdog last Saturday. Louisville (10-1) has won four games in a row after their 38-31 upset win at Miami (FL) as a 1-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Wildcats held the Gamecocks to only 257 yards of offense last week — but they only managed 293 total yards in the three-point loss. Kentucky’s defense has been solid as they have held their last three opponents to just 307.0 total Yards-Per-Game — but they are only generating 272.7 total YPG in their last three games which is resulting in just 19.7 Points-Per-Game. The Wildcats have played 42 of their last 65 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 26 of their last 39 games Under the Total after a loss by seven points or less to an SEC rival including four straight Under in those circumstances. Kentucky has also played 6 straight games Under the Total on the road after a point-spread loss. Additionally, the Wildcats have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Under the Total. Kentucky will find it difficult to move the ball against this Cardinals defense. The Wildcats rank 71st in the nation Rushing Success Rate behind a mediocre offensive line that ranks 99th in Line Yards. Louisville ranks 17th in the nation in Opponent Rushing Success Rate Allowed fueled by a defensive line that ranks 6th in Line Yards. The Cardinals also rank 17th in Opponent Passing Success Allowed. Kentucky stays on the road where they are generating only 278.3 total YPG — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total on the road. Louisville has the ACC Championship Game on deck next week against Florida State. The Cardinals have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after winning five or six of their last seven games. And while they have scored at least 31 points in three straight games, they have then played 30 of their last 46 games Under the Total after scoring 31 or more points in three or more games in a row. They did allow the Hurricanes to generate 7.47 Yards-Per-Play last week — but they have then played 11 of their last 12 home games Under the Total after allowing 7.25 or more YPP. They return home where they have held their guests to just 277.8 total YPG which is resulting in only 12.5 PPG. The Cardinals have played 8 of their last 9 home games Under the Total when favored in the 7.5-10 point range. Louisville does play at a methodical pace on offense to help keep their defense rested — they rank 100th in the nation in seconds-per-play. But the Cardinals rank only 91st in the FBS in Offensive Line Yards — and now they face this Kentucky defense that ranks 35th in the nation in Opponent Line Yards Allowed.

FINAL TAKE: The Wildcats have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 10 points — and Louisville has played 27 of their last 40 games Under the Total as a favorite laying 3.5 to 10 points including eight of those last ten circumstances. 25* College Football Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Kentucky Wildcats (147) and the Louisville Cardinals (148). Best of luck for us — Frank. 

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Seattle Seahawks (110) plus the points versus the San Francisco 49ers (109). THE SITUATION: Seattle (6-4) has lost two of their last three games after a 17-16 loss in Los Angeles against the Rams as a 1.5-point underdog on Sunday. San Francisco (7-3) has won two games in a row after their 27-14 win against Tampa Bay as a 13.5-point favorite last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SEAHAWKS PLUS THE POINTS: Seattle lost a tough one last week with Jason Myers missing a potential game-winning field goal as time expired against the Rams. It looks like quarterback Geno Smith will give it a go tonight despite injuring his elbow late in that game last week. He did manage to return to the action and lead the Seahawks to a potential game-winning kick. They will be without starting running back Kenneth Walker III in this contest due to injury — but that opens the door for rookie Zach Charbonnet to demonstrate what he can do as the featured back after starring in college at Michigan and then UCLA. The Seahawks' defense did hold Los Angeles to 267 total yards last week. Since getting Jamal Adams back from injury, they have held five of their last seven opponents to 20 or fewer points. Seattle knows this 49ers team very well after playing them three times last season after losing to them in the playoffs on the road by a 41-23 score. The Seahawks have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a loss by three points or less — and they have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 34 home games under head coach Pete Carroll after losing their previous game on the road. San Francisco is healthy again on offense with wide receiver Deebo Samuel and left tackle Trent Williams back from injury — but they suffered a big blow on the other side of the line of scrimmage last week after All-Pro safety Talanga Hufanga injured his knee which will keep him out the rest of the season. The 49ers go back on the road where they score -2.3 fewer PPG than their season average — and they are only generating 346.6 total YPG on the road. San Francisco has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after the first month of the season.

FINAL TAKE: The 49ers have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 21 road games when favored by 7.5 to 10 points including failing to cover the point spread in those last three situations. The Seahawks have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games as an underdog. 10* NFL Thursday Night Discounted Deal with the Seattle Seahawks (110) plus the points versus the San Francisco 49ers (109). Best of luck for us -- Frank.       

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the San Francisco 49ers (109) and the Seattle Seahawks (110). THE SITUATION: San Francisco (7-3) has won two games in a row after their 27-14 win against Tampa Bay as a 13.5-point favorite last Sunday. Seattle (6-4) has lost two of their last three games after a 17-16 loss in Los Angeles against the Rams as a 1.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The 49ers held the Buccaneers to just 287 total yards last week to control that game. San Francisco has held seven of their opponents to less than 20 points — and their last three opponents have scored only 16.0 Points-Per-Game against them. The addition of defensive end Chase Young from Washington at the trade deadline gave them a second dynamic pass rusher to pair with Nick Bosa on the other side. The 49ers have played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total after winning four of their last five games. They enjoyed a +2 net turnover margin against Tampa Bay last week — and they have played 8 of their last 13 games Under the Total after posting a +2 or better net turnover margin in their last contest. Quarterback Brock Purdy posted a perfect passer rating in the game by completing 21 of 25 passes for 333 yards last week — but the Niners have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after passing for 300 or more yards in their last contest. They generated 7.64 Yards-Per-Play in that game — but they have played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after averaging 7.0 or more YPP in their last contest. Now San Francisco goes back on the road where they score -2.3 fewer PPG than their season average — and they are only generating 346.6 total YPG on the road. The Niners have played 16 of their last 24 games on the road Under the Total — and they have played 12 of their last 17 road games Under the Total with the Total set in the 42.5-49 point range. The 49ers have played 21 of their last 30 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Furthermore, San Francisco has played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total when playing on a Thursday. Seattle only gained 291 total yards last week in their loss to the Rams. It looks like quarterback Geno Smith will give it a go tonight despite injuring his elbow late in that game last week. While he did manage to return to the action and lead the Seahawks to a potential game-winning field goal (Jason Myers missed the kick), it would not be terribly surprising if he was less than 100% in this game or got knocked out of the game against this now even better Niners pass rush. Seattle has only generated 310.3 total YPG in their last three games which has resulted in a 16.0 PPG scoring average — and they will be without starting running back Kenneth Walker III in this contest due to injury. The Seahawks' defense did hold Los Angeles to 267 total yards last week. Since getting Jamal Adams back from injury, they have held five of their last seven opponents to 20 or fewer points. Seattle has played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 42.5-49 point range — and they have played 9 of their last 14 home games Under the Total with the Total set in the 42.5-49 point range. The Niners score 27.9 PPG — but the Seahawks have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against teams scoring 27 or more PPG. They have played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Additionally, Seattle has played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total against NFC West rivals — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total in November.

FINAL TAKE: The Seahawks have played 6 of their last 7 home games Under the Total as an underdog — and the 49ers have played 11 of their last 17 road games Under the Total when favored. 25* NFC West Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the San Francisco 49ers (109) and the Seattle Seahawks (110). Best of luck for us — Frank.   

At 4:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Washington Commanders (107) and the Dallas Cowboys (108). THE SITUATION: Washington (4-7) lost for the fourth time in their last five games in a 31-19 upset loss at home against the New York Giants as a 7.5-point favorite last Sunday. Dallas (7-3) won for the fourth time in their last five games with their 33-10 victory at Carolina as an 11-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Commanders generated 403 yards of offense last week — but it was six turnovers that did them in. Despite their losing run, the Washington offense is beginning to click under first-year offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy. In their last three games, the Commanders are generating 397.0 total Yards-Per-Game — and they are scoring a healthy 24.0  Points-Per-Game in their last four games despite only reaching 19 points last week. But the defense has been a disaster for Washington. They rank last in the NFL by allowing 27.7 PPG — and they have given up 29 or more points in three of their last four contests. They are 29th in the league by giving up 372.8 YPG — and that mark rises to 398.0 YPG when they are playing on the road. The biggest problem has been their secondary as the Commanders are giving up 259 passing YPG which is the third most in the NFL. Washington has played 4 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total when playing with six days or less of rest. And while the Cowboys average 32:31 minutes per game in Time of Possession, the Commanders have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total against teams who average 32 or more minutes per game with the football. Dallas has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a point-spread win. The Cowboys are scoring 39.0 PPG in their last four games while reaching at least 33 points in three of those games. Quarterback Dak Prescott has produced a Passer Rating of 119 in his last five contests. The Dallas defense has held their last three opponents to just 217.0 total YPG in their last three games — but they have then played 11 of their last 17 games Over the Total after holding their last three opponents to 225.0 or fewer YPG. The Cowboys have benefited from facing a slate of mediocre quarterbacks: Daniel Jones (twice), Mac Jones, Bryce Young, Joshua Dobbs (with Arizona), and Zac Wilson. Sam Howell may remind everyone about the significant loss which was the season-ending injury to cornerback Trevor Diggs. Dallas returns home where they have played 13 of their last 20  home games Over the Total when favored — and they have played 5 of their last 7 home games Over the Total when favored by 7.5 to 14 points.

FINAL TAKE: The Cowboys have played 7 of their last 8 home games Over the Total with the Total set in the 42.5-49 point range — and the Commanders have played 8 of their last 11 road games Over the Total with the Total set in that 42.5-49 point range. 10* NFL Washington-Dallas CBS-TV O/U Special with Over the Total in the game between the Washington Commanders (107) and the Dallas Cowboys (108). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Philadelphia Eagles (475) plus the points versus the Kansas City Chiefs (476). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (8-1) has won three games in a row after their 28-23 victory at home against Dallas as a 3-point favorite on November 5th. Kansas City (7-2) has won seven of their last eight contests after their 21-14 upset win against Miami in Germany on November 5th.

REASONS TO TAKE THE EAGLES PLUS THE POINTS: Philadelphia comes into this Super Bowl rematch with confidence and momentum. The Eagles have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a win at home by six points or less. They have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games after a win at home — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a victory at home against an NFC East rival. The Philly defense has struggled lately after the Cowboys generated 6.25 Yards-Per-Play to gain 406 yards against them — but the Eagles have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after allowing 6.0 or more YPP in their last game. Washington generated 6.94 YPP for 472 yards against them in their previous game — but they have then covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 road games after allowing 375 or more yards in two straight contests and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 22 road games after allowing their last two opponents to generate 6.0 or more YPP. They have also covered the point spread in 30 of their last 45 games after a game where 50 or more combined points were scored. I suspect that head coach Nick Sirianni will want to win this game at the line of scrimmage with a dominating rushing attack — and that will help protect his defense. They are averaging 33:49 minutes per game on offense with them rushing the ball 32 times per game — and now they face a Kansas City run defense that ranks last in ESPN’s Run Stop Win Rate metric. With the Eagles’ tush-push nearly unstoppable, the game plan will be long drives with running plays acceptable on third down since Sirianni will going for it on fourth down. Philadelphia wants to wear down the Chiefs, keep Patrick Mahomes off the field, and send a strong statement about their physical toughness. On the road, the Eagles are holding their home hosts to just 304.2 total Yards-Per-Game which is resulting in only 19.2 Points-Per-Game. Kansas City has failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games against opponents who average 32 or more minutes of Time of Possession on offense. The Chiefs only gained 267 yards in their victory against the Dolphins —but they contained that potent offense to just 292 total yards. They scored all 21 of their points in the first half and almost blew their three-touchdown halftime lead. Kansas City has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after posting a halftime lead of 14 or more points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after leading by 21 or more points at halftime in their last contest. The Chiefs return home to Arrowhead Stadium where they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 home games when favored by up to seven points.

FINAL TAKE: Andy Reid is great coming off the bye week — but that is a straight-up number that does not take the point spread into account. For the record, the Eagles have covered the point spread in their two regular season games off the bye week under Sirianni. More importantly, the Eagles have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 10* NFL Monday Night Discounted Deal with the Philadelphia Eagles (475) plus the points versus the Kansas City Chiefs (476). Best of luck for us — Frank.  

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Eagles (475) and the Kansas City Chiefs (476). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (8-1) has won three games in a row after their 28-23 victory at home against Dallas as a 3-point favorite on November 5th. Kansas City (7-2) has won seven of their last eight contests after their 21-14 upset win against Miami in Germany on November 5th.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Eagles outlasted the Cowboys despite only gaining 292 total yards against them. With tight end Dallas Goedert out for this game with a forearm injury and Jalen Hurts dealing with a nagging knee injury, the Philly offense is not as powerful as the one that lost by a 38-35 score to the Chiefs in the Super Bowl last February 12th. The victory came on the heels of a 38-31 win at Washington the week prior — and the Eagles have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after winning two games in a row against NFC East rivals by seven points or less. They were trailing at halftime by a 17-14 score to the Cowboys after going into halftime with a 17-10 deficit to the Commanders — and they have played 17 of their last 26 games Under the Total after allowing 17 or more points in the first half in two straight games. Furthermore, Philadelphia has played 11 of their last 18 games Under the Total after a game where 50 or more combined points were scored — and they have played 32 of their last 48 games Under the Total after playing two straight games where 50 or more combined points were scored. I suspect that head coach Nick Sirianni will want to win this game at the line of scrimmage with a dominating rushing attack. They are averaging 33:49 minutes per game on offense with them rushing the ball 32 times per game — and now they face a Kansas City run defense that ranks last in ESPN’s Run Stop Win Rate metric. With the Eagles’ tush-push nearly unstoppable, the game plan will be long drives with running plays acceptable on third down since Sirianni will going for it on fourth down. Philadelphia wants to wear down the Chiefs, keep Patrick Mahomes off the field, and send a strong statement about their physical toughness. On the road, the Eagles are holding their home hosts to just 304.2 total Yards-Per-Game which is resulting in only 19.2 Points-Per-Game. Philadelphia has played 7 of their last 11 road games Under the Total with the Total set in the 45.5-49 point range. Kansas City only gained 267 yards in their victory against the Dolphins —but they contained that potent offense to just 292 total yards. The Chiefs’ defense has become elite — they lead the NFL by holding their opponents to 15.9 PPG and 288.2 total YPG. They lead the league by allowing only 176 passing YPG. They rank first in the NFL in both sacks and                               Quarterback Hits per Game (at 7). Kansas City has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after playing an Under in their last game. But they have struggled to get their run game going lately as they have not rushed for more than 96 yards in five straight games. By averaging only 3.7 Yards-Per-Carry in their last three games, the offense is getting off schedule and Mahomes is facing too many third-and-long situations. When Mahomes had Tyreek Hill as a weapon, he could overcome those circumstances — but his young wide receiving corps now is unreliable and drop too many passes. It is not a coincidence that the Chiefs have played all five of those games Under the Total because they cannot sustain drives — and they lack the explosiveness in their pass game now. Mahomes intended air yards per pass attempt is at a career low this season. Kansas City has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after failing to rush for more than 99 yards in two or more games in a row. They return home where they are holding their guests to 281.5 total YPG which is resulting in just 14.0 PPG. The Chiefs have played 11 of their last 14 home games Under the Total — and they have played 6 straight those games Under the Total in November. They have also played 15 of their last 23 home games Under the Total with the Total set at 45.5 or higher. They have also played 17 of their last 25 games Under the Total when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Both of these teams are coming off bye weeks. Head coach Andy Reid’s teams going back his tenure in Philadelphia have played 26 of their 33 games Under the Total after a bye week — and his Chiefs teams have played 12 of their 15 games Under the Total after a bye week. The Eagles have played 26 of their last 38 games Under the Total after a bye week — and Sirianni’s teams have played 5 of their 6 games Under the Total against opponents winning 75% or more of their games. 25* NFL Monday Night Football Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Eagles (475) and the Kansas City Chiefs (476). Best of luck for us — Frank.   

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Minnesota Vikings (473) and the Denver Broncos (474). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (6-4) has won five games in a row after their 27-19 victory as a 3-point underdog last Sunday. Denver (4-5) has won three games in a row after their 24-22 upset win at Buffalo as a 7.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE VIKINGS PLUS THE POINTS: The Broncos followed up their upset victory against Kansas City by stunning the Bills on Monday Night Football despite getting outgained by -69 net yards in that game. The formula for success for head coach Sean Payton has been running the football, burning time off the clock with an opportunistic defense that has forced nine turnovers in their last four games. The Denver defense is playing better when not being asked to be on the field as long — they rank ninth in Defensive DVOA since Week Six according to the metrics at Football Outsiders (now at FTN). The Broncos have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after an upset victory. The Broncos have run the ball 40 and 38 times in each of the last two weeks. But what happens if that “Plan A” fails? The Vikings rank fifth in the NFL by holding their opponents to 3.7 rushing Yards-Per-Carry — and their last three opponents have averaged only 83 rushing Yards-Per-Game. Even during this three-game winning streak, Denver is generating only 293.0 total Yards-Per-Game. The Broncos are averaging only 309.2 YPG at home where they have played 14 of their last 22 games Under the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 8 home games Under the Total as a favorite of three points or loss. Minnesota followed up their upset victory on the road against Atlanta with their upset win at home against the Saints last week. The Vikings have played 8 of their last 13 games Under the Total after pulling off two straight upset victories. And while they raced out to a 24-3 halftime lead last week, they have then played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total after taking a halftime lead of 21 or more points in their last contest. Minnesota's improved play starts with their defense that just held the Saints to 280 total yards. They have held four of their last five opponents to under 20 points — and they rank eighth in Defensive DVOA for the entire season.

FINAL TAKE: Denver has played 8 straight Unders from Weeks 10 through 13. 10* NFL Sunday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Minnesota Vikings (473) and the Denver Broncos (474). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Minnesota Vikings (473) plus the points versus the Denver Broncos (474). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (6-4) has won five games in a row after their 27-19 victory as a 3-point underdog last Sunday. Denver (4-5) has won three games in a row after their 24-22 upset win at Buffalo as a 7.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE VIKINGS PLUS THE POINTS: The Broncos followed up their upset victory against Kansas City by stunning the Bills on Monday Night Football despite getting outgained by -69 net yards in that game. The formula for success for head coach Sean Payton has been running the football, burning time off the clock with an opportunistic defense that has forced nine turnovers in their last four games. The Denver defense is playing better when not being asked to be on the field as long — they rank ninth in Defensive DVOA since Week Six according to the metrics at Football Outsiders (now at FTN). But the Vikings’ defense ranks sixth in Defensive DVOA over that span — more on that group below. Payton is being credited for “fixing” Russell Wilson who “was never, ever washed” — the problem was last year’s head coach Nathaniel Hackett (who apparently forced-fed him a box of donuts every morning while the former Seattle quarterback was giving him the playbook that would finally “Let Russ Cook”). Sarcasm aside, credit goes to Payton for getting this team to play much better than their 50-point loss to Miami earlier this season. Let’s leave it as simply ironic that the recipe to get Russ Cooking again came from the old Seahawks playbook under the much-maligned offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer who was accused of holding Wilson back. A big question in the offseason was whether Payton could use his old blueprints that were successful with his quarterback in New Orleans — but who would have guessed that those game plans were initially designed for Taysom Hill rather than Drew Brees? And that’s my point: Wilson is playing better because he is not being asked to do much. He has less than 30 pass attempts in four straight games. The last time Wilson did not pass the ball at least 30 times was early in the 2018-19 campaign after he endured six sacks in the opening two games of the season (and it was later in the year when the “Let Russ Cook” mantra was born criticizing Schottenheimer for not drawing up more passing plays). While Wilson’s touchdown-to-interception ratio is great, that’s not why Denver gave him $161 million in guaranteed money along with a $500K signing bonus. Even with the fewer dropbacks, Wilson has still been sacked at least four times in four of his last five games. The Broncos have run the ball 40 and 38 times in each of the last two weeks. But what happens if that “Plan A” fails? The Vikings rank fifth in the NFL by holding their opponents to 3.7 rushing Yards-Per-Carry — and their last three opponents have averaged only 83 rushing Yards-Per-Game. Denver has lost all four games this season when Wilson is asked to pass the ball more than 29 times. Even during this three-game winning streak, Denver is generating only 293.0 total YPG — and they have been getting outgained by -32.0 net YPG in those contests. At home, the Broncos are averaging only 309.2 YPG while getting outgained by -23.2 net YPG. The Broncos have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after an upset victory in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after covering the point spread in three of their last four games. Denver has also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 home games when favored — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 home games when favorited by up to three points. Minnesota's improved play starts with their defense that just held the Saints to 280 total yards. They have held four of their last five opponents to under 20 points — and they rank eighth in Defensive DVOA for the entire season. Quarterback Josh Dobbs has been productive with his arm and his legs while not making mistakes. He has completed 67.2% of his passes in his two starts for the Vikings for 426 passing yards while adding another 110 rushing yards. For the season including his time with Arizona, he has 11 touchdown passes and five interceptions (none with Minnesota). He will not have Justin Jefferson to throw to just yet for this game — but rookie Jordan Addison has been a breakout star in his absence and tight end T.J. Hockensen has been reliable. Dobbs’ threat with his legs has unlocked their running game as they have generated 133.5 rushing YPG in his two games while running the ball 33 times in both games. The Vikings have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after winning three or more games in a row. They held the Saints to only 65 rushing yards last week — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after not allowing more than 75 rushing yards in their last game. They have won four of their five games on the road this season while outscoring their opponents by +5.0 PPG and holding their home hosts to 19.6 PPG. Minnesota has covered the point spread in 12 of their last 19 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games in November.

FINAL TAKE: Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games when favored — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Game of the Month with the Minnesota Vikings (473) plus the points versus the Denver Broncos (474). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:25 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Buffalo Bills (472) minus the points versus the New York Jets (471). THE SITUATION: Buffalo (5-5) has lost three of their last four games after their 24-22 upset loss against Denver as a 7.5-point favorite on Monday. New York (4-5) has lost two games in a row after their 16-12 upset loss at Las Vegas as a 1-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BILLS MINUS THE POINTS: Buffalo outgained the Broncos by +69 net yards despite having their offense on the field for just 22:39 minutes of that game. Once again, turnovers did the Bills in with Josh Allen throwing two interceptions with the team spotting Denver a -3 net turnover margin. Buffalo has now lost the turnover battle in five straight games — and it is a leading reason why the Bills have failed to cover the point spread in six straight contests. Feeling something had to be done to change the temperature inside the club, head coach Sean McDermott fired offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey and replaced him with former Joe Burrow guru at LSU   Joe Brady. The production of the offense remains good — Buffalo ranks second in the NFL in Success Rate, fourth in Expected Points Added per play, and third in 3rd Down Efficiency. The Bills' fortunes will change when they stop making so many mistakes with the football. Buffalo has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after enduring a -2 or worse net turnover margin in their last game. They have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after losing the turnover battle in four or more games in a row. Furthermore, they have covered the point spread in 26 of their last 37 games after failing to cover the point spread in three or more games in a row — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after failing to cover the point spread in four or more games in a row. And in their last 11 games after failing to cover the point spread in six or seven of their last eight games, they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of those contests. The Bills did rush for 192 yards last week which was an encouraging long-term sign for them moving forward — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after rushing for 175 or more yards in their last game. They have also covered the point spread in 14 of their last 18 home games coming off playing on Monday Night Football. Now they play a Jets team that has forced only two turnovers in their last three games. New York has failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 25 games after an upset loss as a road favorite. The Jets offense is simply too limited with Zach Wilson under center with him still making rookie mistakes. They have not scored a touchdown in 11 straight quarters. Wilson has only one touchdown pass in his last 189 throws over the last five games. His Passer Rating of 74 this season is last in the NFL for starting quarterbacks. Granted, a banged-up offensive line that was going to be a problem for this team even when at full strength has compounded the matter. And now wide receiver Garrett Wilson is listed as questionable with an elbow injury. The Jets rank 30th in the NFL by scoring just 16.0 Points-Per-Game — and they are last in the league with only eight offensive touchdowns, last with a 25.0% 3rd Down Rate, and last with a 22.7% Red Zone Touchdown Rate. Wilson has attempted 40 and 49 passes in the last two weeks which is far from ideal — and New York has failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 15 games after playing two games in a row where they attempted 40 or more passes. They have played four straight Unders — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after playing two or more Unders in a row. Furthermore, the Jets have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 road games played on turf. They have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games with the Total set in the 35.5-42 point range — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 19 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games against AFC East rivals.

FINAL TAKE: Buffalo will have the additional motivation to avenge their 22-16 upset loss in New York against the Jets in the opening week of the season on September 11th — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games when playing with revenge from a loss by seven points or less. The Bills have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a losing record in the second half of the season. 25* AFC East Game of the Month with the Buffalo Bills (472) minus the points versus the New York Jets (471). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Tennessee Titans (459) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (460). THE SITUATION: Tennessee (3-6) has lost four of their last five games after their 20-6 loss at Tampa Bay as a 2.5-point underdog last Sunday. Jacksonville (6-3) had their five-game winning streak snapped in a 34-3 loss to San Francisco as a 3-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Titans have scored only 22 combined points in their last two games with rookie Will Levis under center. They gained only 209 total yards last week against the Buccaneers defense. Tennessee has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after losing two of their last three games. And while they covered the point spread only once in their last five games, they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in three of their last four games. They stay on the road where they have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total. They have also played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 35.5-42 point range — and they have played 11 of their last 17 road games Under the Total as an underdog. Jacksonville has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a loss by 14 or more points — and they have played 5 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss at home. The Jaguars scored their lone field goal in the first half last week — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after failing to score more than three points in the first half in the previous game. They have also played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after allowing 30 or more points in their last contest. A -4 net turnover margin held Jacksonville back last week — and they have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a game where they had a -2 or worse net turnover margin. They have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after enduring a -3 or worse net turnover margin in their last contest. They stay at home where they have played 13 of their last 20 games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Jacksonville has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total in games played in November — and Tennessee has played 20 of their last 29 games Under the Total after the first month of the season. 10* NFL Sunday Afternoon Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Tennessee Titans (459) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (460). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Oregon State Beavers (380) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the Washington Huskies (379). THE SITUATION: Oregon State (8-2) has won five of their last six games after their 62-17 victory against Stanford as a 21.5-point favorite last Saturday. Washington (10-0) remained unbeaten this season with their 35-28 victory against Utah as a 9.5-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BEAVERS MINUS THE POINTS: The Huskies have been living dangerously since their triumphant victory against Oregon last month. Their last four victories have all been by ten points or less including a shaky 15-7 win against Arizona State. While the Washington offense is dynamic with Michael Penix, Jr. under center, their defense is below average. The Huskies rank 68th in the nation in Points Allowed per Opponent’s Scoring Opportunities inside their 40-yard line. They do not put pressure on the quarterback as they rank 131st in the nation in both sacks per drop back and run stuff rate. Opponents are converting on 42.2% of their third downs, the 102nd-worst mark in the FBS. They also rank 127th in the nation in Opponents Rush Success Rate Allowed — and that is a scary number when playing this Oregon State team. As it is, Washington has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a win against a Pac-12 rival. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games after a point spread loss. The Utes generated 6.70 Yards-Per-Play against them — and the Huskies have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after allowing their previous opponent to average 6.25 or more YPP. Washington has scored at least 35 points in their last three games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after scoring 31 or more points in three or more games in a row. Now they go on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games away from home. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 22 games after the first month of the season. Oregon State has covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after scoring 37 or more points in their last contest. Additionally, the Beavers have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after a win against a Pac-12 rival — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after a double-digit win against a conference opponent. They outgained the Cardinal by +274 net yards last week — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 14 games after outgaining their previous opponent by +125 or more net yards. Oregon State is a physical team that can make things very difficult for the Huskies. They have a great offensive line that is healthy again with center Jake Levengood returning to action. Led by running backs Damien Martinez and Deshaun Fenwick, the Beavers rank third in the nation in Rushing Success Rate. Those two running backs are combining to average 152.1 rushing YPG. Oregon State also ranks 15th in the nation in Passing Explosiveness with D.J. Uiagalelei under center. He ranks 13th in the nation by averaging 10.9 air yards per pass — and he has 42 completions of 20 or more yards, ranking 10th in the nation. The Beavers rank 23rd in the nation in Points Allowed per Scoring Opportunity. Their defense will make things difficult on Penix — opposing quarterbacks are completing under 60% of their passes with just four touchdown passes and ten interceptions. In the last three seasons, Oregon State has given up only 14 touchdown passes while picking off 25 passes.

FINAL TAKE: Oregon State will be motivated to avenge a 24-21 loss at Washington as a 4.5-point underdog last season on November 4th. The Beavers get this rematch in Corvallis where they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 18 games while beating the point spread number by at least 10 points in those contests. 25* CFB Pac-12 Game of the Year with the Oregon State Beavers (380) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the Washington Huskies (379). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Houston Cougars (404) plus the points versus the Oklahoma State Cowboys (403). THE SITUATION: Houston (4-6) lost for the third time in their last four games in a 24-14 upset loss to Cincinnati as a 3-point favorite last Saturday. Oklahoma State (7-3) had their five-game winning streak snapped in a 45-3 upset loss at Central Florida on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE COUGARS PLUS THE POINTS: Houston will have plenty of motivation on Senior Day this afternoon. They need to win the final two games of the season to become bowl-eligible. They can also play the role of spoiler and ruin the Cowboys' Big 12 Championship Game aspirations. The Cougars have bounced back to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 15 games after an upset loss to a conference rival as a home favorite. They have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a loss to a conference opponent — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a double-digit loss to a conference rival. They have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games after a point spread loss. And while the Bearcats outgained them by -129 net yards, they have then covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after getting outgained by -125 or more yards. Houston has covered the point spread once in their last three games — but they have covered the point spread in 33 of their last 50 home games after failing to cover the point spread in two of their last three games. Oklahoma State has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after a blowout loss by 35 or more points. It may be difficult for the Cowboys to pick themselves off the mat after such a deflating loss where they gave up a whopping 592 total yards of offense. The offense really struggled as well with senior quarterback Alex Bowman throwing three interceptions. That game was just the fourth time in the last three years that Oklahoma State did not score more than 14 points nor score more than three points in the first half (they were shut out in the first half last week). The Cowboys have failed to cover the point spread in all 3 of those previous games after not scoring more than 14 points in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in all 3 games after not scoring more than three points in the first half of their last game. They could not get their ground game going against the Knights as they ran for just 52 yards on 25 carries — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after failing to rush for more than 100 yards in their last contest. Now they stay on the road where they are getting outscored by -5.7 Points-Per-Game — and they are getting outgained by -71.7 net Yards-Per-Game given their defense surrendering 442.0 YPG to their home hosts. Oklahoma State has failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 26 road games with the Total set in the 56.5-62 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Houston has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games as an underdog. 10* CFB Saturday Afternoon Discounted Deal with the Houston Cougars (404) plus the points versus the Oklahoma State Cowboys (403). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Cincinnati Bengals (311) plus the points versus the Baltimore Ravens (312). THE SITUATION: Cincinnati (5-4) saw their four-game winning streak snapped in a 30-27 upset loss to Houston as a 5.5-point favorite on Sunday. Baltimore (7-3) had their four-game winning streak end in a 33-31 upset loss to Cleveland as a 6-point favorite last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BENGALS PLUS THE POINTS: Cincinnati should rebound with a strong effort after getting their winning streak on their home field by that plucky Texans team. The Bengals have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a straight-up loss. They have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a narrow loss by six points or less — and they have covered the point spread in 26 of their last 39 games after a loss by six points or less. The Cincinnati defense will have something to prove tonight after surrendering a whopping 544 yards of offense to the Texans last week. After finishing tied for fifth in the NFL last season by allowing 20.1 Points-Per-Game and ranking fifth in the league in Defensive DVOA using the metrics at Football Outsiders (now at FTN), the Cincinnati defense struggled earlier in the season when quarterback Joe Burrow was not 100% with his calf injury. The Bengals had held their previous three opponents to 18 or fewer points before rookie C.J. Stroud gashed them for 356 passing yards. While Houston generated 7.45 Yards-Per-Play, Cincinnati has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after allowing 6.5 or more YPP in their last game. They go back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games on the road as an underdog. They have also covered the point spread in 7 straight road games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 7 points. Baltimore only gained 306 yards last week in their loss to the Bengals. The Ravens will be without their best offensive lineman with left tackle Ronnie Stanley out with a knee injury. Baltimore has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games after winning three of their last four games. And while they have scored 31 or more points in four straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after scoring 25 or more points in two or more games in a row. The Ravens will not probably not have cornerback Marlon Humphrey who is doubtful with a calf injury. Baltimore stays at home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games when favored.
 
FINAL TAKE: This showdown is a rematch of the Ravens’ 27-24 upset win on the road against the Bengals as a 3-point underdog on September 17th — and Cincinnati has covered the point spread in 21 of their last 33 games when avenging an upset loss including covering the point spread in their last four opportunities for revenge from an upset setback. 10* NFL Thursday Night Discounted Deal with the Cincinnati Bengals (311) plus the points versus the Baltimore Ravens (312). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Cincinnati Bengals (311) and the Baltimore Ravens (312). THE SITUATION: Cincinnati (5-4) saw their four-game winning streak snapped in a 30-27 upset loss to Houston as a 5.5-point favorite on Sunday. Baltimore (7-3) had their four-game winning streak end in a 33-31 upset loss to Cleveland as a 6-point favorite last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bengals' defense will have something to prove tonight after surrendering a whopping 544 yards of offense to the Texans last week. After finishing tied for fifth in the NFL last season by allowing 20.1 Points-Per-Game and ranking fifth in the league in Defensive DVOA using the metrics at Football Outsiders (now at FTN), the Cincinnati defense struggled earlier in the season when quarterback Joe Burrow was not 100% with his calf injury. The Bengals had held their previous three opponents to 18 or fewer points before rookie C.J. Stroud gashed them for 356 passing yards. But Cincinnati has played 29 of their last 39 games Under the Total on the road after allowing 300 or more passing yards in their last game — and they have played 37 of their last 52 road games Under the Total after allowing 30 or more points in their last contest. They have also played 20 of their last 23 road games Under the Total after allowing 450 or more yards in their last game — and they have played 10 of their last 11 road games Under the Total after a game where 50 or more combined points were scored. Additionally, the Bengals have played 6 straight Unders after a straight-up loss at home — and they have played 8 of their last 9 road games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Cincinnati offense will not be at 100% tonight with wide receiver Tee Higgins out with a hamstring injury. Missing Higgins hurts because the Bengals are not getting enough from their running game — they have not rushed for more than 66 yards in their last two games which means that the Ravens' defense can focus on taking away wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase without getting burned too badly. Cincinnati has played 16 of their last 21 road games Under the Total after failing to rush for more than 75 yards in two straight games. In their four road games this season, they are only generating 283.3 total Yards-Per-Game which is resulting in just 17.8 PPG. The Bengals have played 18 of their last 25 games on the road Under the Total — and they have played 45 of their last 63 road games Under the Total with the Total set at 45.5 or higher. Furthermore, Cincinnati has played 16 of their last 20 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 12 of their last 14 road games Under the Total as a dog. Baltimore only gained 306 yards last week in their loss to the Bengals. The Ravens will be without their best offensive lineman with left tackle Ronnie Stanley out with a knee injury. Baltimore has played 13 of their last 20 games Under the Total after a point spread loss — and they have also played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after winning three of their last four contests. They have covered the point spread just once in their last three games — and they have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in two of their last three games. They have played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a game where 50 or more combined points were scored. And while they have scored 31 or more points in four straight games, they have then played 41 of their last 62 games Under the Total after scoring 25 or more points in two or more games in a row. The Ravens will not probably not have cornerback Marlon Humphrey who is doubtful with a calf injury — but they still have cornerback Brandon Stephens to cover Chase.  They rank second in the NFL in Defensive DVOA — and they are holding their opponents to just 273.6 total YPG which is resulting in a mere 15.7 PPG. They stay at home where they have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total — and they have played 12 of their last 18 games Under the Total at home when favored. Baltimore has also played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: This showdown is a rematch of the Ravens’ 27-24 upset win on the road against the Bengals as a 3-point underdog on September 17th — and Cincinnati has played 10 of their last 12 road games Under the Total when avenging a narrow loss by three points or less to their opponent. 25* AFC North Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Cincinnati Bengals (311) and the Baltimore Ravens (312). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Ohio Bobcats (310) minus the points versus the Central Michigan Chippewas (309). THE SITUATION: Ohio (7-3) has won two of their last three games after their 20-10 win at Buffalo as a 9-point favorite last Tuesday. Central Michigan (5-5) has lost two of their last three games with their 38-28 loss at Western Michigan as a 3-point underdog on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BOBCATS MINUS THE POINTS: Ohio should build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a win on the road against a Mid-American Conference rival — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a win against a conference opponent. Additionally, they have covered the point spread in 6 straight home games after a point spread win — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a double-digit win on the road. Furthermore, the Bobcats have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after not allowing more than 14 points in their last contest. The biggest question I had for this team in the offseason was how quickly could Kurtis Rourke regain the form that led him to winning the Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Year last season The fifth-year quarterback threw 25 touchdown passes with only four interceptions while posting an adjusted completion percentage of 78% before getting injured near the end of the season and missing the MAC Championship Game and the Arizona Bowl. Tim Albin is building a culture in his image in his third year as the Bobcats’ head coach — but they lost six of the 14 players on defense that played at least 300 snaps. After a dramatic improvement on defense in the second half of the season, their biggest weakness appears to be a defensive line that returns only one starter for their 4-3 look — and they replaced both safeties from a unit that ranked 117th in Opponent Pass Success Rate. Well, Rourke has been solid, if not spectacular so far this season. He ranks 21st in the nation with a 50% positive Expected Points Added rate per dropback. The Ohio defense has been outstanding as they rank 8th in the nation in Opponent Rush Stuff Rate and 11th in Opponent Offensive Line Yards Allowed. The Bobcats have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 26 games at home with the Total set in the 42.5-49 point range. Central Michigan has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a straight-up loss on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games after a point setback. The biggest question I had for this team in my offseason deep dive regarded whether their disappointing 4-8 season last year was a fluke — or a harbinger of a slide in the Chippewas program. This team finished 9-4 in 2021 — and they had a 26-13 record in the first three seasons under head coach Jim McElwain before the dip last year. The Chippewas were only outgained by -7.1 YPG but suffered three upset losses while ranking second in the FBS with a -18 net turnover margin. Nine starters returned on defense from a group whose 11 of 18 players who were on the field for 150 or more snaps were freshmen or sophomores. But McElwain has questions at quarterback and seems to lack playmakers on offense. After ten games into this season, it looks like their success in 2021 was an aberration. Sophomore quarterback Jase Bauer ranks 107th of 146 qualifying QBs in EPA per dropback — and he ranks 109th in completion percentage. Central Michigan generates only 313.3 Yards-Per-Game on the road which results in just 19.3 Points-Per-Game.

FINAL TAKE: The Chippewas have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games in conference action including losing the point spread in five of their last six games against MAC rivals — and the Bobcats have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 23 games against conference opponents. 8* CFB Wednesday Daily Discounted Deal with the Ohio Bobcats (310) minus the points versus the Central Michigan Chippewas (309). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Buffalo Bills (266) and the Denver Broncos (265). THE SITUATION:  Denver (3-5) has won two games in a row with their 24-9 upset win against Kansas City as a 7-point underdog back on October 29th. Buffalo (5-4) lost for the second time in their last three games after a 24-18 loss at Cincinnati as a 1.5-point underdog last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Buffalo only managed 317 total yards last week on the road against the Bengals. Their defense allowed 397 total yards to Cincinnati who averaged 7.49 Yards-Per-Play. The Bills have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after allowing their last opponent to generate 6.0 or more YPP. They did limit the Bengals to just 54 rushing yards — and they have played 9 of their last 14 Under the Total after not allowing more than 75 rushing yards in their last contest. Buffalo’s run defense is playing better as they have held their last three opponents to just 3.6 Yards-Per-Carry — and they have not given up more than 96 rushing yards in three straight games. This run defense will be critical in slowing down the Broncos offense that has become run-first to compensate for the limitations of Russell Wilson at this point in his career. Wilson only attempted 19 passes against the Chiefs while running the ball 40 times. Denver has played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 7 straight Unders after a double-digit upset win as an underdog getting six or more points. They have also played 6 straight Unders after a double-digit victory. The Broncos' focus on running the ball is helping their defense as well as they have not given up more than 19 points in their last three games. All three of those games finished Under the Total — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after playing three or more Unders in a row. They have also played 20 of their last 26 games Under the Total after playing an Under in their last game. They had not scored more than 21 points in three straight games and four of their last five before that contest. They go back on the road where they are only generating 290.3 total YPG which is resulting in just 19.7 PPG. The Broncos have played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 8 of their last 12 road games Under the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Denver has played 7 straight games Under the Total in Weeks 10-13 — and 6 of the last 8 games between these teams in Buffalo have finished Under the Total. 10* NFL Monday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Buffalo Bills (266) and the Denver Broncos (265). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Buffalo Bills (266) minus the points versus the Denver Broncos (265). THE SITUATION: Buffalo (5-4) lost for the second time in their last three games after a 24-18 loss at Cincinnati as a 1.5-point underdog last Sunday. Denver (3-5) has won two games in a row with their 24-9 upset win against Kansas City as a 7-point underdog back on October 29th.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BILLS MINUS THE POINTS: The “sharps” are on the Broncos tonight while the public is backing the Bills. It is interesting that Buffalo is laying about a touchdown despite seeing their last five games all decided by six points or less. The thing about the “sharps” is that they are wrong lots of times — just the public is. I suspect this is a “get right” game for a Bills team under sharp scrutiny right now. The Bills were 6-3 at this point of the season last year before they rattled off seven straight victories. The conventional wisdom of the very smart sports people is that Buffalo’s offense is faltering — but the numbers tell a different story. Their Success Rate is up from 47.5% last year to 47.8% this season — and their Expected Points Per Drive from 0.47 last season has risen to 0.66 EPA/Drive this year. The DVOA metrics at Football Outsiders (now at FTN) rank them as the second-best offense in the league. The Bills are not meeting point spread expectations as they have failed to cover the point spread in five straight games. Buffalo has covered the point spread in 26 of their last 36 games after failing to cover the point spread in three straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 23 of their last 34 games after failing to cover the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. They have also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after failing to cover the point spread in four straight games. Turnovers are hurting this team — and Josh Allen has been too loose with the football trying to force big plays. After their -2 net turnover margin last week, they have lost the turnover battle in four straight contests. But the Bills have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after posting a -2 or worse net turnover margin in their last game. They have also covered the point spread in 18 of their last 26 games after losing the turnover battle in three straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after losing the turnover battle in four straight games. Furthermore, Buffalo has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after a straight-up loss. They return home to Highmark Stadium where they are 4-0 while scoring 31.0 Points-Per-Game while outscoring their opponents by +16.7 PPG and outgaining their guests by +84.0 net Yards-Per-Game. Denver returns to the field after benefiting from Patrick Mahomes playing a rare bad game while being under the weather — they enjoyed a +4 net turnover margin after forcing five Chiefs turnovers. But the Broncos only gained 240 yards in that game despite their offense being on the field for 33:47 minutes. They had not scored more than 21 points in three straight games and four of their last five before that contest. But Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after an upset victory against an AFC West rival — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 19 games after an upset win by 14 or more points. Additionally, they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a win by 14 or more points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after winning two of their last three games. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a game where they posted a +2 or better net turnover margin. They go back on the road where they are only generating 290.3 total YPG which is resulting in just 19.7 PPG. Their defense is giving up 528.7 total YPG on the road which is resulting in their home hoss generating 39.0 PPG.

FINAL TAKE: The Broncos have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last road games as an underdog getting up to seven points. 25* NFL Monday Night Football Game of the Month with the Buffalo Bills (266) minus the points versus the Denver (265). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the New York Jets (263) minus the point(s) versus the Las Vegas Raiders (264). THE SITUATION: New York (4-4) saw their three-game winning streak snapped in a 27-6 loss at home to the Los Angeles Chargers as a 3.5-point underdog on Monday. Las Vegas (4-5) ended their two-game losing streak with a 30-6 victory at home against the New York Giants as a 1-point favorite last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The best unit in this game is the New York defense which is almost single-handedly keeping them in the playoff hunt. The Jets have held four of their opponents to 16 points or less. They are holding their opponents to 312.0 total YPG which is resulting in just 19.5 PPG — and their last three opponents to only 244.3 total YPG which is leading to 17.0 PPG. The Jets limited Justin Herbert to just 136 passing yards last week and just 193 total yards to the Chargers. After their embarrassing effort on national television on Monday, they should play better on, yet again, national television tonight. New York has covered the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after a loss by 21 or more points. And after the Giants only gained 194 yards against them two weeks ago, the Jets have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games after not allowing more than 250 total yards in two straight games. Las Vegas played their best game of the season last week as the locker room came together to celebrate that the Wicked Witch of the West, head coach Josh McDaniels, had been sacked. I am encouraged by the leadership qualities of interim head coach Antonio Pierce — but it is difficult for any football team to sustain high emotions for multiple weeks at a time. The Raiders have enjoyed a +2 net turnover margin in two straight games — but they have ten failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games after generating a +2 or better net turnover margin in two straight games. The Raiders offense is only producing 242.0 total YPG which has resulted in 18.7 PPG. Aidan O’Connell was solid taking over as the starting quarterback last week by completing 16 of 25 passes for a pedestrian 205 yards — but he is not likely to put up big numbers. Now he faces the toughest defense he has ever played against in his life — and he is taking sacks once in every 12 dropbacks. The Raiders have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after scoring 30 or more points in their last game.

FINAL TAKE: I have one nice thing to comment about Jets’ quarterback Zach Wilson: he has thrown only one interception in his last six games this season. He may have a short leash if he struggles with the near-permanent Aaron Rodgers backup, Tim Boyle, waiting in the wings. Las Vegas has failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 28 home games with the Total set in the 35.5-38 point range. 10* NFL Sunday Night Discounted Deal with the New York Jets (263) minus the point(s) versus the Las Vegas Raiders (264). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New York Jets (263) and the Las Vegas Raiders (264). THE SITUATION: New York (4-4) saw their three-game winning streak snapped in a 27-6 loss at home to the Los Angeles Chargers as a 3.5-point underdog on Monday. Las Vegas (4-5) ended their two-game losing streak with a 30-6 victory at home against the New York Giants as a 1-point favorite last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: These low-totals in the 30s deserve extra scrutiny since it does not take much to produce a game script that will lead to an Over. On the other hand, these college football Totals for Iowa in the 20s keep hitting — and the betting public is generally loathe to take Unders because they do not want to “root against scoring.” I like cashing winning tickets and can adjust my rooting interests accordingly (and what’s wrong with rooting for the defense?). My Reports are long because I am showing you (much, not all) of my work — and when weighing the evidence, the Under remains compelling. The Jets have not scored more than 20 points in six of their eight games — and they have only scored more than 23 points once this season. They only managed 270 total yards last week in their loss to the Chargers. What is worse — Zach Wilson or the New York battered offensive line? Either way, Wilson has been sacked at least four times in four straight games after the Chargers got to him eight times last week. In his last four games, Wilson is getting sacked every 7.8 pass plays — and he has only one touchdown over that span. They have scored only 19 combined points in their last two games — and they are generating 255.0 total Yards-Per-Game in their last three games which is resulting in just 13.0 Points-Per-Game during that span. The Jets have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after failing to score more than 17 points in two straight games. They have played 5 straight Unders after winning three of their last four games. But the New York defense is keeping this team in the playoff hunt as they have held four of their opponents to 16 points or less. They are holding their opponents to 312.0 total YPG which is resulting in just 19.5 PPG — and their last three opponents to only 244.3 total YPG which is leading to 17.0 PPG. The Jets held Justin Herbert to just 136 passing yards last week and just 193 total yards to the Chargers. New York has played three straight Unders — and they have then played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after playing two or more Unders in a row. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when favored. Las Vegas had great energy on defense under interim head coach Antonio Pierce — led by Maxx Crosby, they generated eight sacks while holding the Giants to only 277 total yards. The Raiders have held three of their last five opponents to no more than 17 points. In their four games at home, they have held their guests to just 288.5 total YPG which is resulting in 14.8 PPG. Las Vegas has played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 9 of their last 11 home games Under the Total after a victory. But the Raiders offense is only producing 242.0 total YPG which has resulted in 18.7 PPG. Aidan O’Connell was solid taking over as the starting quarterback last week by completing 16 of 25 passes for a pedestrian 205 yards — but he is not likely to put up big numbers. Now he faces the toughest defense he has ever played against in his life — and he is taking sacks once in every 12 dropbacks. Las Vegas has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 35.5-42 point range.

FINAL TAKE: The Raiders have played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total in the second half of the season — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. The Jets have played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total after the first month of the season — and they have played 11 of their last 17 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the New York Jets (263) and the Las Vegas Raiders (264). Best of luck for us — Frank.At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New York Jets (263) and the Las Vegas Raiders (264). THE SITUATION: New York (4-4) saw their three-game winning streak snapped in a 27-6 loss at home to the Los Angeles Chargers as a 3.5-point underdog on Monday. Las Vegas (4-5) ended their two-game losing streak with a 30-6 victory at home against the New York Giants as a 1-point favorite last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: These low-totals in the 30s deserve extra scrutiny since it does not take much to produce a game script that will lead to an Over. On the other hand, these college football Totals for Iowa in the 20s keep hitting — and the betting public is generally loathe to take Unders because they do not want to “root against scoring.” I like cashing winning tickets and can adjust my rooting interests accordingly (and what’s wrong with rooting for the defense?). My Reports are long because I am showing you (much, not all) of my work — and when weighing the evidence, the Under remains compelling. The Jets have not scored more than 20 points in six of their eight games — and they have only scored more than 23 points once this season. They only managed 270 total yards last week in their loss to the Chargers. What is worse — Zach Wilson or the New York battered offensive line? Either way, Wilson has been sacked at least four times in four straight games after the Chargers got to him eight times last week. In his last four games, Wilson is getting sacked every 7.8 pass plays — and he has only one touchdown over that span. They have scored only 19 combined points in their last two games — and they are generating 255.0 total Yards-Per-Game in their last three games which is resulting in just 13.0 Points-Per-Game during that span. The Jets have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after failing to score more than 17 points in two straight games. They have played 5 straight Unders after winning three of their last four games. But the New York defense is keeping this team in the playoff hunt as they have held four of their opponents to 16 points or less. They are holding their opponents to 312.0 total YPG which is resulting in just 19.5 PPG — and their last three opponents to only 244.3 total YPG which is leading to 17.0 PPG. The Jets held Justin Herbert to just 136 passing yards last week and just 193 total yards to the Chargers. New York has played three straight Unders — and they have then played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after playing two or more Unders in a row. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when favored. Las Vegas had great energy on defense under interim head coach Antonio Pierce — led by Maxx Crosby, they generated eight sacks while holding the Giants to only 277 total yards. The Raiders have held three of their last five opponents to no more than 17 points. In their four games at home, they have held their guests to just 288.5 total YPG which is resulting in 14.8 PPG. Las Vegas has played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 9 of their last 11 home games Under the Total after a victory. But the Raiders offense is only producing 242.0 total YPG which has resulted in 18.7 PPG. Aidan O’Connell was solid taking over as the starting quarterback last week by completing 16 of 25 passes for a pedestrian 205 yards — but he is not likely to put up big numbers. Now he faces the toughest defense he has ever played against in his life — and he is taking sacks once in every 12 dropbacks. Las Vegas has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 35.5-42 point range.

FINAL TAKE: The Raiders have played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total in the second half of the season — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. The Jets have played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total after the first month of the season — and they have played 11 of their last 17 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the New York Jets (263) and the Las Vegas Raiders (264). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Chargers (258) plus the points versus the Detroit Lions (257). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (4-4) has won two games in a row after their 27-6 win in New York against the Jets as a 3-point favorite on Monday. Detroit (6-2) has won five of their last six games after their 26-14 win at home against Las Vegas as a 7-point favorite back on October 30th.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CHARGERS PLUS THE POINTS: The Lions have emerged as the darlings of the NFL this season — and bettors certainly adore them after starting the season with a 6-2 ATS mark after closing out last season on a 9-1 ATS run. Time for my weekly reminder that we bet numbers rather than teams. I don’t think the Lions have proven enough to be treated as road favorites — traveling out west, mind you — against AFC playoff teams. Yet Detroit is a popular choice for betters even in this spot. The biggest game the Lions have played in the Dan Campbell era was not their opening game of the season in Kansas City (which they pulled the upset, of course) — it was their lone point spread loss in the second half of the season last year when they got beat at Carolina as a 1.5 road favorite on December 24th by a 37-23 score against a Panthers team with Steve Wilks serving as an interim head coach. The Lions are taking care of business now after their statement win against the Chiefs (playing without Travis Kelce) — but they have benefited from some soft competition. Their five victories against Atlanta, Green Bay, Carolina, Tampa Bay, and Las Vegas represent five teams with losing records that combine for a 15-28 mark. Their lone loss during their last six games was their 38-6 blowout loss at Baltimore that has somehow just gotten excused away as “everyone knows that NFC teams can’t beat Lamar Jackson the first time they play him” — as if the Ravens average margin of victory in that 18-1 mark against NFC with Lamar is 20 Points-Per-Game or something. Can we just slow our roll a bit before we crown Detroit as champions? They have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 23 games after winning six or seven of their last eight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 17 games on the road after winning six or seven of their last eight games. They did hold the Raiders to just 157 total yards in the game where the Las Vegas locker room coup against Josh McDaniels came to fruition — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after not allowing more than 200 total yards in their last game. Jared Goff is playing great — but he remains much more effective when playing at home where he has a 106.5 QBR along with a 72.2% completion percentage, an 8.1 Yards-Per-Attempt average with eight touchdown passes, and three interceptions. Those numbers dip when on the road this season where he has an 88.0 QBR with a 65.0% completion percentage, a 6.9 YPA, four touchdown passes, and two interceptions. The Lions have failed to cover the point spread in 30 of their last 44 road games when favored by up to seven points. I am not sold at all on this Los Angeles team under head coach Brandon Staley — but they made the playoffs last year and will be in the mix to return to the postseason again this year as long as Justin Herbert is still under center. The encouraging aspect of this team is the improved play of their defense, albeit against lesser competition. They registered eight sacks last week against the Jets while posting a +3 net turnover margin. They are tied for first in the NFL with a +9 net turnover margin. They have held four of their last five opponents to 20 points or less with the lone exception being Kansas City. These are good signs for a defense that boasts Nick Bosa, Khalil Mack, and Derwin James. The Chargers have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a win by 10 or more points — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a win by 14 or more points. They have only registered three wins by double-digits on the road in the last three seasons — and they covered the point spread in all 3 games after that accomplishment. They have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game. Their improved defense — and not getting into shootouts — is a more reliable formula for success for them. Los Angeles has played five straight Unders — and they have then covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after playing two or more Unders in a row. They have also covered the point spread in 7 straight games after playing three or more Unders in a row and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after playing four or more Unders in a row.

FINAL TAKE: Three of the Chargers' four losses have been decided by three points or less — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games as an underdog. 25* NFL Underdog of the Month with the Los Angeles Chargers (258) plus the points versus the Detroit Lions (257). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Tennessee Titans (253) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (254). THE SITUATION: Tennessee (3-5) has lost three of their last four games after their 20-16 loss at Pittsburgh as a 3-point underdog back on November 2nd. Tampa Bay (3-5) has lost four games in a row after their 39-37 loss at Houston as a 2.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Titans only rushed for 105 yards against the Steelers' defense last week with the offense relying on the arm of rookie quarterback Will Levis who passed for 262 yards. With this being his third NFL start, the initial book is being written on the former Kentucky QB — so he will likely experience some growing pains sooner rather than later as opposing defensive coaches discover his tendencies and weaknesses. Tennessee has not scored more than 16 points in five of their eight games this year — and they have failed to score more than 16 points in three of their last four contests. The Titans have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after losing two of their last three games. They have not covered the point spread in three of their last four games — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after failing to cover the point spread in three of their last four contests. They stay on the road where they have played 10 of their last 16 games Under the Total. Additionally, Tennessee has played 14 of their last 21 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Tampa Bay had not scored more than 18 points in three straight games before exploding for their highest-scoring output of the season. But the Buccaneers got torched by C.J. Stroud who broke a rookie quarterback passing record with 443 passing yards. Head coach Todd Bowles was embarrassed by the play of his defense — and he certainly worked his team and coaching staff hard this week to take care of business against another first-year QB this afternoon. Tampa Bay has a solid defense still that has held five of their opponents to 20 points or less. The Buccaneers have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a loss on the road — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after allowing 30 or more points in their last contest. They have played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total. Furthermore, Tampa Bay has played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a game where 50 or more combined points were scored — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a game where 60 or more combined points were scored.  

FINAL TAKE: The Titans have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total in November — and the Buccaneers have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total in Weeks 10-13. 10* NFL Sunday Afternoon Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Tennessee Titans (253) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (254). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:15 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Iowa State Cyclones (171) and the BYU Cougars (172). THE SITUATION: Iowa State (5-4) saw their three-game winning streak snapped in a 28-21 upset loss at home to Kansas as a 2.5-point favorite last Saturday. BYU (5-4) has lost three of their last four games after their 37-7 loss at West Virginia as a 12-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Cyclones only managed 333 yards against the suspect Jayhawks defense last week. They have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a loss to a Big 12 rival — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after an upset loss to a conference rival. They have also played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a loss at home. The Cyclones did hold Kansas to just 74 rushing yards last week -- and they have played 16 of their last 22 road games Under the Total after not allowing more than 100 rushing yards in their last contest. Iowa State is a good defensive team that ranks in the top 40 in the nation in Opponent Quality Drives Allowed and Opponent Finishing Drives Allowed. They also rank 16th in the FBS in Opponent Line Yards Allowed. The Cyclones have held their last three opponents to just 293.7 total Yards-Per-Game which has resulted in just 18.7 Points-Per-Game. But Iowa State struggles to move the football as they are scoring just 21.8 PPG on the road. Freshman quarterback Rocco Becht has thrown seven interceptions which makes the passing attack unreliable. But the Cyclones running game ranks 131st in the nation in Success Rate — and they are last in the nation in Line Yards established by their offensive line. Iowa State also ranks 100th in Finishing Drives — so Red Zone chances should more often result in field goal attempts. The Cyclones only gained 75 rushing yards last week — and they have then played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after failing to rush for more than 100 rushing yards in their last game. BYU only gained 243 total yards last week in scoring only seven points last week against the Mountaineers. Fifth-year quarterback Kedon Slovis missed that game with an arm injury that has him questionable for this contest. Junior college transfer Jake Retzlaff completed only 24 of 42 passes for 210 yards under center in his absence. In their last three games, the Cougars are generating only 282.0 total YPG which results in only 13.3 PPG. And while BYU has scored only a field goal in the first half of their last two games, they have played 25 of their last 35 games Under the Total after failing to score more than 7 points in the first half in two straight games. Furthermore, the Cougars have played 16 of their last 22 games Under the Total after a loss on the road by 21 or more points. BYU surrendered 567 total yards to West Virginia with 336 of those yards being gained on the ground — but they have played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total after allowing 525 or more yards in their last game. They have also played 16 of their last 22 games Under the Total after giving up 275 or more yards in their last game. The Cougars do rank 37th in the nation in Opponent Finishing Drives Rate Allowed — and they come back home where they are allowing only 14.3 PPG with their 354.5 YPG allowed -56.4 net YPG below their season average overall.

FINAL TAKE: Iowa State has played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total in November — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total with the Total set at 42 or lower. 10* CFB Saturday Late Show O/U Bailout with Under the Total in the game between the Iowa State Cyclones (171) and the BYU Cougars (172). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (136) plus the points versus the North Carolina State Wolfpack (135). THE SITUATION: Wake Forest (4-5) has lost two games in a row as well as five of their last six after their 24-21 loss at Duke as a 7-point underdog last Saturday. North Carolina State (6-3) pulled off their second-straight upset victory in a 20-6 win against Miami (FL) at home as a 6.5-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE DEMON DEACONS PLUS THE POINTS: Wake Forest lost to the Blue Devils despite outgaining them by +133 net yards in that game. Look for the Demon Deacons to respond this afternoon with a strong effort as they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after a loss to an ACC rival. They have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a loss by seven points or less against a conference rival — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a loss by six points or less. The biggest question I had for this team in the preseason deep dive was whether Wake Forest’s seven-game bowl streak was in jeopardy this year in the tenth season under head coach Dave Clawson. Only 11 starters returned from the group that finished 8-5 with a 27-17 victory against Missouri in the Outback Bowl. The offense lost four-year starting quarterback Sam Hartman with his decision to transfer to Notre Dame. Clawson is getting solid play out of fourth-year sophomore Mitch Griffis at quarterback — he completed 16 of 19 passes for 241 yards while adding 55 yards on the ground with two touchdowns in the losing effort against Duke. The Demon Deacons played what still remains a good Clemson team close earlier this season in a 17-12 loss. With four victories and games at Notre Dame and Syracuse on deck, this is likely the critical game to maintain Clawson’s bowl streak alive. NC State was riding high after following up their 24-17 upset win against Clemson as a 10-point underdog with their upset win against the Hurricanes. But then sophomore quarterback M.J. Morris surprised the coaching staff by retaining his year of eligibility by taking his redshirt option for the rest of the season. Now head coach Dave Doeren has to turn back to Brennan Armstrong who got benched at the end of September for Morris due to ineffective play. Expectations were high when Armstrong transferred in from Virginia to reunite with offensive coordinator Robert Anae who was his former OC with the Cavaliers. But Armstrong did not fit with Doeren’s more compact offensive philosophy than his successful 2021 campaign with Anae. He completed only 58.8% of his passes with five touchdown passes and six interceptions. His 6.1 Yards-Per-Attempt average is a career-low. The Wolfpack appear primed for an emotional letdown under these circumstances — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after winning two games in a row while also failing to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after covering the point spread in two straight contests. Both of their upset wins were at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after winning two games in a row at home. Now they go back on the road where they are only scoring 17.0 Points-Per-Game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after playing their last two games at home. Furthermore, they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight road games with the Total set in the 42.5-49 point range. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 40 of their last 60 road games when favored including five of their last seven games under those circumstances. NC State may have six wins but they have benefitted from a 3-1 record in games decided by one scoring possession. They have been outgained this season by -13.6 net Yards-Per-Game.

FINAL TAKE: Wake Forest has a 51-38-1 ATS record as an underdog under Clawson — and they have covered the point spread in 30 of their 48 games as an underdog following a loss with Clawson as their head coach. This is the Demon Deacons' last home game of the season — and they have covered the point spread in 3 of their last 4 home games as an underdog. 25* CFB ACC Underdog of the Year with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (136) plus the points versus the North Carolina State Wolfpack (135). Best of luck for us — Frank.    

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Virginia Tech Hokies (133) minus the points versus the Boston College Eagles (134). THE SITUATION: Virginia Tech (4-5) had their two-game winning streak snapped in a 34-3 loss at Louisville as a 9-point underdog last Saturday. Boston College (6-3) has won five games in a row with their 17-10 win at Syracuse as a 1-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HOKIES MINUS THE POINTS: Despite their 6-3 record, the Eagles are a home underdog in this game. While the betting public is on Boston College this afternoon, one look at their resume explains why they are getting the points. Five of their six wins have been by one scoring possession — and their victories are against a bevy of suspect teams like Army, Connecticut, Virginia, Holy Cross, an erratic Georgia Tech team, and the Orange. They have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after a win against an ACC rival. And while that game finished below the 47.5-point total, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games after a game that finished Under the Total. The Eagles forced four Syracuse turnovers — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after forcing three or more turnovers in their last game. The biggest question I had for this team in my offseason deep dive was whether head coach Jeff Hafley learned the wrong lessons after some initial success using the transfer portal. The former Ohio State defensive coordinator landed quarterback Phil Jurkovec as a transfer from Notre Dame in his first season with the Eagles. But after some initial success with the portal, Hafley may have sacrificed the culture of his program as now more players are leaving than he is bringing in as he enters his fourth season. Hafley was likely too dependent on the portal to offer some quick fixes as the recruiting classes from the high school ranks have waned. After a 3-9 season where they finished 2-6 in conference play with ACC opponents outgaining them by -81.6 net Yards-Per-Game, Hafley is on the hot seat. He is getting some wins now against lesser competition — but this remains a team that has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 home games as an underdog getting up to three points. Virginia Tech had been playing better lately with the move to sophomore Kyron Drones at quarterback — they upset Pittsburgh and beat Wake Forest and Syracuse over a four-game stretch with their lone loss being at Florida State. But they were flat on the road against the Cardinals while gaining only 140 total yards. The Hokies have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a loss to an ACC rival — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a loss to a conference opponent by 10 or more points. And while they only generated 2.75 Yards-Per-Play last week, they have then covered the point spread in 20 of their last 26 games after failing to average more than 3.75 YPP in their last game. Virginia Tech has lost both of their games decided by one scoring possession. They have outgained their opponents by +30.9 net Yards-Per-Game.

FINAL TAKE: The Hokies have covered the point spread in 31 of their last 47 road games when favored by seven points or less. 10* CFB Saturday Discounted Deal with the Virginia Tech Hokies (133) minus the points versus the Boston College Eagles (134). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Carolina Panthers (113) and the Chicago Bears (114). THE SITUATION: Carolina (1-7) responded to their first victory of the season against Houston with a 27-13 loss at home to Indianapolis as a 1.5-point underdog last Sunday. Chicago (2-7) has lost three of their last four games after their 24-17 loss at New Orleans as a 10-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: These Totals set in the 30s are dangerous — like the trouble that may triggered by uttering “Beetlejuice”, I fear even mentioning the two other units that can score touchdowns besides the offense. A non-offensive touchdown puts these Unders at severe risk — but the betting public knows that too. Frankly, these teams play a lot of Overs — and I considered the Over strongly. But the reason why these teams are playing so many higher-scoring games is because they have played some of the better offenses in the league. Both of these teams are improving on the defensive side of the ball. Carolina held the Texans to only 229 total yards of offense two weeks ago — just before C.J. Stroud then set a rookie record for passing yards last week when he torched a good Tampa Bay defense for 470 passing yards. They then held the Colts to just 198 total yards — but two Bryce Young interceptions were returned for touchdowns (not going to say Beetlejuice) in that contest to launch Indianapolis to 28 points. Young only had four interceptions going into that game — and the Panthers have just 11 turnovers on the season. Expect head coach Frank Reich to dial up a conservative game plan like he did in their 15-13 win against Houston. Carolina trailed by a 20-3 score at halftime against Indy — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after failing to score more than a field goal in the first half of their last game. They have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a loss by 14 or more points. The Panthers have only covered the point spread once in their last six games — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in four of their last five games. They have also played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after losing four of their last five games. The Carolina offense lacks weapons to help their rookie quarterback — they are generating only 265.0 total Yards-Per-Game in their last three games which is generating 16.3 Points-Per-Game. I thought their offensive line would be a strength for them this season — but perhaps the season-ending bicep injury to left guard Brady Christensen early in the year has disproportionately impacted the cohesion of that unit. The Panthers are averaging only 3.9 Yards-Per-Carry despite investing in running back Miles Sanders as a free agent who had a 5.0 YPC average in his career during his time with Philadelphia. Not surprisingly, Young has been more effective at home where he is completing 68.9% of his passes with an 81.3 QBR. On the road, his completion percentage drops to 58.1% with a QBR of 72.2. His road 5.25 Yards-Per-Attempt compares to his meager 5.5 YPA mark when playing at home — Reich has him only dinking and dunking. The Bears' defense is starting to play better — they held the Saints to only 301 total yards last week in a losing effort. Chicago has held their last three opponents to just 296.0 total YPG which has resulted in 22.0 PPG. Some critics questioned the trading of a second-round draft pick for Washington defensive end Montez Sweat last week — but this team was starving for any semblance of a pass rush. They would not have made the deal if they were not confident they could sign Sweat to a contract extension — which quickly did. He offers them a good foundation for finally getting some “war daddies” on the defensive line. It’s a start. The Bears' run defense has already been solid — they are holding their opponents to 3.3 YPC which is resulting in just 80 rushing YPG. At home, their opponents are generating just 3.1 YPG and gaining a meter 68 rushing YPG. They have not allowed more than 97 rushing yards in six straight games — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 99 rushing yards in two or more games in a row. Chicago has also played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a point spread win. It was turnovers that did the Bears in last week with rookie Tyson Bagent throwing three picks and the Bears enduring a -5 net turnover margin. I like some things about the rookie from Shepard University who should have been drafted after his impressive Senior Bowl performance — but offensive coordinator Luke Getsy is limiting his passes down the field and opponents are getting a book on him now (and not getting fooled by an opening bomb in their first series as if that suggests the playbook is opening up). Chicago is going to focus on running the ball against a Panthers defense that is allowing 4.4 YPC and 132 rushing YPG. Al Michaels will be especially grumpy that his immense talent is wasted on calling a game between these with a collective 3-14 record (that’s $333K per win for his tonight’s wage) — but he will cheer up when discovering he will be early for his dinner reservations at Gene and Georgetti’s as this is going to be a quick game with fewer offensive possessions. The Bears have played 32 of their last 53 games Under the Total after a game where they had a -3 or worse turnover margin.

FINAL TAKE: Carolina has played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total on Thursday nights. 20* NFL Carolina-Chicago Amazon Prime O/U Special with Under the Total in the game between the Carolina Panthers (113) and the Chicago Bears (114). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Chicago Bears (114) minus the points versus the Carolina Panthers (113). THE SITUATION: Chicago (2-7) has lost three of their last four games after their 24-17 loss at New Orleans as a 10-point underdog on Sunday. Carolina (1-7) responded to their first victory of the season against Houston with a 27-13 loss at home to Indianapolis as a 1.5-point underdog last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BEARS MINUS THE POINTS:  Al Michaels will be especially grumpy tonight that his “immense” talent is being wasted on calling a game between these with a collective 3-14 record (that’s $333K per win for his tonight’s wage). These are not good football teams — but there is more reason for optimism with the Bears playing at home at Soldier Field tonight. They have some building blocks. D.J. Moore is the difference maker at wide receiver that the Panthers’ rookie quarterback Bryce Young really needs (of course, Moore was the necessary piece for Chicago to trade their number one pick to Carolina so they could draft Young). Tremaine Edmunds is a playmaker being asked to take the traditional Bears’ middle linebacker role heralded by Dick Butkus, Mike Singletary, and Brian Urlacher. Some critics questioned the trading of a second-round draft pick for Washington defensive end Montez Sweat last week — but this team was starving for any semblance of a pass rush. They would not have made the deal if they were not confident they could sign Sweat to a contract extension — which quickly did. He offers them a good foundation for finally getting some “war daddies” on the defensive line. It’s a start. The Bears' run defense has already been solid — they are holding their opponents to 3.3 YPC which is resulting in just 80 rushing YPG. At home, their opponents are generating just 3.1 YPG and gaining a meter 68 rushing YPG. The Bears' defense is starting to play better — they held the Saints to only 301 total yards last week in a losing effort. Chicago has held their last three opponents to just 296.0 total YPG which has resulted in 22.0 PPG. And while running back Khalil Herbert is not likely to be activated off the injured list for tonight’s game, the Bears rushing attack is in good hands with the underappreciated veteran D’Onta Foreman who will have revenge on his mind tonight facing his former team. Foreman ran the ball 20 times of 83 yards last week against a good Saints’ defense — and now he returns home where he is generating 4.7 Yards-Per-Carry. Chicago is going to focus on running the ball against a Panthers defense that is allowing 4.4 YPC and 132 rushing YPG. The Bears outgained New Orleans on the road last week by a 368 to 301 margin — but it was turnovers that did the Bears in last week with rookie Tyson Bagent throwing three picks and the Bears enduring a -5 net turnover margin. I like some things about the rookie from Shepard University who should have been drafted after his impressive Senior Bowl performance. Chicago has covered the point spread in 26 of their last 44 games after a point spread cover where they lost the game as an underdog. Carolina has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after a straight-up loss at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games on the road after a straight-up loss. The Panthers' offense lacks weapons to help their rookie quarterback — they are generating only 265.0 total Yards-Per-Game in their last three games which is generating 16.3 Points-Per-Game. I thought their offensive line would be a strength for them this season — but perhaps the season-ending bicep injury to left guard Brady Christensen early in the year has disproportionately impacted the cohesion of that unit. The Panthers are averaging only 3.9 Yards-Per-Carry despite investing in running back Miles Sanders as a free agent who had a 5.0 YPC average in his career during his time with Philadelphia. Not surprisingly, Young has been more effective at home where he is completing 68.9% of his passes with an 81.3 QBR. On the road, his completion percentage drops to 58.1% with a QBR of 72.2. His road 5.25 Yards-Per-Attempt compares to his meager 5.5 YPA mark when playing at home — Reich has him only dinking and dunking. Now after playing their last two games at home, the Panthers go back on the road where they are winless in four games while getting outscored by -15.8 net Points-Per-Game. Carolina has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a two-game home stand. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 21 games on the road including failing to cover the point spread in all four of their games away from home this season. And while the Panthers have only covered the point spread once in their last six games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after failing to cover the point spread in six or seven of their last eight games. Additionally, Carolina has failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games against teams with a losing record. Furthermore, the Panthers are dealing with a bevy of injuries impacting what was already a suspect roster — most notably, their best defensive player Brian Burns is out with a concussion, safety Jeremy Chin is on injured reserve, and wide receiver D.J. Chark is doubtful.

FINAL TAKE: Chicago returns home where they are outgaining their opponents by +71.2 net YPG — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games after losing their last two games on the road. 10* NFL Thursday Night Discounted Deal with Chicago Bears (114) minus the points versus the Carolina Panthers (113). Best of luck for us — Frank.  

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the New York Jets (476) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Chargers (475). THE SITUATION: New York (4-3) has won three games in a row with their 13-10 win as the technical road team against the New York Giants as a 3-point favorite on Sunday. Los Angeles (3-4) snapped their two-game losing streak with a 30-13 win against Chicago as a 10-point favorite last Sunday night.

REASONS TO TAKE THE JETS PLUS THE POINTS: New York is rounding into form with Zach Wilson under center with three straight victories and a 3-0-1 ATS mark in their last four games after their push against the Giants. Despite all the criticism he receives, the Jets have a 9-7 straight-up record with Wilson as their starting quarterback. He has not thrown an interception in four of his last five games which puts his defense in a position to win games. The Jets have an outstanding defense that ranks seventh in Defensive DVOA according to the metrics at Football Outsiders (now at FTN). They are allowing only 17.0 Points-Per-Game at home — and they have held their last three opponents to 283.7 total Yards-Per-Game which has resulted in only 15.0 PPG. New York has covered the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after winning three of their last four games — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after covering the point spread in at least two of their last three games. The Chargers offense is banged up. Quarterback Justin Herbert is getting better but his left thumb is not 100% which impacts his ability to take snaps under center. Even worse, Herbert is missing two of his top three targets with wide receiver Mike Williams out the season and now Joshua Palmer on the injured list with a knee injury. That means more playing time for rookie wide receiver Quentin Johnston — but while he oozes with talent, he has struggled learning an NFL playbook after only running routes on one side of the field when starring at TCU. And don’t underestimate the impact of the loss of center, Corey Linsley, to a heart issue to this offense. With cornerbacks Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed, the Jets can slow down Keenan Allen and force Herbert to use his targets that were fourth or lower on the depth chart in training camp. My biggest question for the Chargers in my deep dive in the offseason was whether Brandon Staley is really a genius — or was his brilliance all simply stemming from the fortune of having Aaron Donald roaming the line of scrimmage back when he was defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams. Staley was the defensive coordinator for the Rams' 2021 Super Bowl-winning team — and his aggressive man defense was successful because Donald could consistently generate pressure on the quarterback without the need for blitzes. But with a force in the middle like Donald for the Chargers, Staley’s defenses have been below average. Los Angeles has ranked 23rd and 20th in total defense the last two seasons with run defense being the biggest problem as they have ranked 30th and 28th in the NFL by allowing 138.9 and 145.8 rushing YPG. Overcompensating to slow down the pass has not been effective without a player of Donald’s talent. Staley was only a defensive coordinator for one year with the Rams before being given the Chargers job. His reputation as being a brilliant mind seems to be cemented by his reliance on The Analytics to justify his fourth-down aggressiveness. The underlying truth that is presumed whenever The Analytics are invoked to absolve coaches like Staley from showing their work as to why going for it on fourth down at your own 25-yard line actually improves win probabilities — just trust the good people at NextGen and ESPN who do not have any ulterior motives to sell snake oil. But after overseeing his team blow a 27-point lead to Jacksonville in the playoffs, we should wonder if some of these analytics companies promoting the “revolution” are not the only con artists in this story. Staley cannot get his side of the ball right — and he compounds that problem by consistently getting outmaneuvered in the game management department. Justin Herbert tends to bail him out — but we are left to wonder how much Staley is holding back the immense talent that his quarterback possesses. The Chargers rank 28th in the NFL in Defensive DVOA according to the metrics at Football Outsiders (now at FTN).

FINAL TAKE: On the road, Los Angeles is getting outscored by -4.3 Points-Per-Game and getting outgained by -41.3 net Yards-Per-Game due to their porous defense that is allowing 433.0 YPGG which is resulting in 27.3 PPG for their home hosts. The Chargers have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on the road when favored. 10* NFL Monday Night Discounted Deal with the New York Jets (476) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Chargers (475). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Chargers (475) and the New York Jets (476). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (3-4) snapped their two-game losing streak with a 30-13 win against Chicago as a 10-point favorite last Sunday night. New York (4-3) has won three games in a row with their 13-10 win as the technical road team against the New York Giants as a 3-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Chargers might have played their best defensive game of the season last week by holding the Bears to just 295 total yards of offense. In theory, a defense that sports linebackers Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack along with safety Derwin James should be pretty good. They have held three of their last four opponents to 20 points or less. But the offense only scored 17 points in two straight games before taking advantage of the suspect Bears defense last week. This Los Angeles offense is banged up. Quarterback Justin Herbert is getting better but his left thumb is not 100% which impacts his ability to take snaps under center. Even worse, Herbert is missing two of his top three targets with wide receiver Mike Williams out the season and now Joshua Palmer on the injured list with a knee injury. That means more playing time for rookie wide receiver Quentin Johnston — but while he oozes with talent, he has struggled learning an NFL playbook after only running routes on one side of the field when starring at TCU. And don’t underestimate the impact of the loss of center, Corey Linsley, to a heart issue to this offense. The Chargers have played 13 of their last 20 games Under the Total after a straight-up win. And while they have only covered the point spread once in their last four games, they have then played 6 straight Unders after not covering the point spread in two of their last three games. Los Angeles has also played 20 of their last 32 games Under the Total on Monday Night Football including their last four appearances. New York has played 15 of their last 19 home games Under the Total after a win by three points or less — and they have played 10 of their last 12 home games Under the Total after a win on the road by three points or less. The Jets won their previous game by a 20-14 score against Philadelphia — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after winning two games in a row by six points or less. They had covered the point spread in three straight games before their push last week — and they have played 6 straight Unders after covering the point spread in three of their last four games. New York has an outstanding defense that ranks seventh in Defensive DVOA according to the metrics at Football Outsiders (now at FTN). With cornerbacks Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed, the Jets can slow down Keenan Allen and force Herbert to use his targets that were fourth or lower on the depth chart in training camp. They are allowing only 17.0 Points-Per-Game at home — and they have held their last three opponents to 283.7 total Yards-Per-Game which has resulted in only 15.0 PPG. But the offense remains limited with Zach Wilson under center. They have not scored more than 20 points in five of their seven games — and they have scored 13 or fewer points thee times. They are last in the NFL with only 102 first downs on the season. New York has played 5 of their last 6 games at home Under the Total —  and they have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total at home as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Jets have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams winning 40-49% of their games —  and they have played 10 of their last 16 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 25* AFC Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Chargers (475) and the New York Jets (476). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Buffalo Bills (473) and the Cincinnati Bengals (474). THE SITUATION: Buffalo (5-3) has won three games in a row after their 24-18 win against Tampa Bay as a 10-point favorite last Sunday. Cincinnati (4-3) is also on a three-game winning streak after their 31-17 upset win at San Francisco as a 4.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bills are only averaging 21.0 Points-Per-Game since Week Five — and quarterback Josh Allen is dealing with a bum shoulder going into this game. Allen did pass for 324 yards in the game — but his team has played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a game where they passed for 300 or more yards. Buffalo’s defense stepped up last week by holding the Buccaneers to just 302 total yards — and Tampa Bay only got to 18 points from a fortunate fourth down play late in that game (that ruined our Bills play against the spread). While the Buffalo defense is dealing with injuries to Matt Milano and Tre’Davious White, they are still effective on that side of the field this season. They are holding their opponents to just 326.1 total Yards-Per-Game which has resulted in 17.0 Points-Per-Game. They have held their last three opponents to 327.7 total YPG and 18.7 PPG which takes into account their defensive injuries. The Bills have also played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after winning two of their last three games. They go back on the road where they have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total. Additionally, they have played 7 straight road games Under the Total with the Total set at 45.5 or higher — and they have played 7 straight road games Under the Total with the Total set at 49.5 or higher. Furthermore, Buffalo has played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total during Weeks Five through Nine. Cincinnati certainly has their mojo back on offense after Joe Burrow was dealing with a nagging calf injury from the summer. But while the Bengals are scoring 27.3 PPG with Burrow putting up big numbers, they are only generating 331.3 total YPG during that span. It is in big games like this where the loss of running back Samaje Perine in the offseason in free agency may reveal itself. Burrow’s return to full health has helped take some pressure off the Cincinnati defense — they have held their last three opponents to 16.7 PPG. The Bengals return home where they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total with the Total set at 45 or higher. They have also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Toal with the Total set at 49.5 or higher. They have played 14 of their last 22 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total against teams winning 60-75% of their games. Furthermore, Cincinnati has played 16 of their last 23 games Under the Total with the Total set in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: The Bengals have played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total against teams from the AFC — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games at home Under the Total when hosting the Bills. 20* NFL Cincinnati-Buffalo NBC-TV O/U Special with Under the Total in the game between the Buffalo Bills (473) and the Cincinnati Bengals (474). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be the Buffalo Bills (473) plus the points versus the Cincinnati Bengals (474).THE SITUATION: Buffalo (5-3) has won three games in a row after their 24-18 win against Tampa Bay as a 10-point favorite last Sunday. Cincinnati (4-3) is also on a three-game winning streak after their 31-17 upset win at San Francisco as a 4.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE BILLS PLUS THE POINTS: Cincinnati certainly has their mojo back on offense after Joe Burrow was dealing with a nagging calf injury from the summer — and the Bengals are the popular choice tonight for the betting public and experts that consider themselves “sharps” tonight. But while the Bengals are scoring 27.3 PPG with Burrow putting up big numbers, they are only generating 331.3 total YPG during that span. It is in big games like this where the loss of running back Samaje Perine in the offseason in free agency may reveal itself. Cincinnati looks great after their upset win against the Niners last week — but two items that contextualize that upset victory. First, San Francisco was less than full strength in that game missing Trent Williams, arguably the best left tackle in the world, and wide receiver Deebo Samuel who seems to be the critical piece for quarterback Brock Purdy to succeed in the passing game. Second, the 49ers still outgained the Bengals last week by +60 net yards after piling up 460 total yards against them (even without Williams and Samuel). And while that was just the third upset victory by double-digit by Cincinnati in the last three years, they have failed to cover the point spread all 3 times in their next contest. They return home where they are favored by three points or less for just the fourth time in three seasons — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 3 of those games. I think the bettors are neglecting to appreciate just how important this game is for the Bills given the emotions around the Damar Hamlin. Admittedly, Buffalo has been inconsistent this season — but while many decry their flat performances, there are two things I find encouraging about this team when it comes to big games like this. First, they are not trying to win the Super Bowl in September. I think the team was wound up way too tightly last year as if they could quickly resolve the anguish of losing that epic playoff game to Kansas City in the final 12 seconds two years ago. That sentiment was embodied by offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey’s meltdown when the offense failed to execute on a fourth down play that cost them their game in Miami. Head coach Sean McDermott called out his team’s lack of intensity in the preseason — and they have been flat in a few games in the regular season. But after a highly emotional year, playing the long game is sensible. They will be up for this game. Second, while they were lethargic against the New York Giants for that prime-time game earlier this year, their ability to commit and then execute a four-minute and eight-minute offense by sticking with their running game is precisely the missing ingredient this team has lacked the last few seasons. Buffalo has not covered the point spread in four straight games — but they have then covered the point spread in 26 of their last 35 games after failing to cover the point spread in three or more games in a row. They have also covered the point spread in 8 straight games after failing to cover the point spread in four straight contests. Committing fewer turnovers would certainly help their cause — they have lost the turnover battle in three straight games. The Bills have then covered the point spread in 18 of their last 25 games after posting a -1 or worse net turnover margin in three straight contests.

FINAL TAKE: While the Buffalo defense is dealing with injuries to Matt Milano and Tre’Davious White, they are still effective on that side of the field this season. They are holding their opponents to just 326.1 total Yards-Per-Game which has resulted in 17.0 Points-Per-Game. They have held their last three opponents to 327.7 total YPG and 18.7 PPG which takes into account their defensive injuries. The Bengals have failed to cover the point spread in 48 of their last 77 games against teams not allowing more than 17.0 PPG — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 35 games against those teams in the second half of the season. We were on the Bengals that Monday night game that got canceled — I think they were on the way to winning and covering as an underdog. Now the script has flipped with Buffalo the underdog. 10* NFL Sunday Night Discounted Deal with Buffalo Bills (473) plus the points versus the Cincinnati Bengals (474). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:25 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Cowboys (471) and the Philadelphia Eagles (472). THE SITUATION: Dallas (5-2) has won three of their last four games after their 43-30 victory against the Los Angeles Rams as a 7-point favorite last Sunday. Philadelphia (7-1) has won two games in a row with their 38-31 win at Washington as a 7-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Dallas comes off perhaps their best game of the season where they gained 24 first downs and had their offense on the field for 35:28 minutes. Controlling the time of possession will be the formula for success against the Eagles to keep the Cowboys' defense fresh — this is the expressed reason why head coach Mike McCarthy parted ways with previous offensive coordinator Kellen Moore to take over the play-calling himself. As it is, Dallas has played 26 of their last 39 games Under the Total after a game where they gained 24 or more first downs and held on to the football for at least 34 minutes. The Cowboys have generated 6.45 Yards-Per-Play and 6.10 YPP in their last two games — but they have then played 24 of their last 34 games Under the Total after averaging 6.0 or more in two straight games. Dallas has scored 30 or more points in all three of their games at home — but it has been a different story on the road. They scored two non-offensive touchdowns in their opening 40-0 win in New York against the Giants — but they have only scored 56 combined points in their next three games on the road.  But this stout Cowboys defense should have something to prove after giving up 40 points in San Francisco a few weeks ago. Dallas ranks third in the NFL in Defensive DVOA according to the metrics at Football Outsiders (now residing at FTN). They have not allowed more than 92 rushing yards in their last two games — and they have then played 38 of their last 57 games Under the Total on the road after not allowing more than 99 rushing yards in two straight games. Philadelphia has played 21 of their last 26 games Under the Total after a game where both teams scored 30 or more points — and they have played 24 of their last 33 games Under the Total after a game on the road where both teams scored at least 24 points. The Eagles have also played 17 of their last 23 home games Under the Total after a win against a division rival by seven points or less. Additionally, Philadelphia has played 40 of their last 62 games Under the Total after scoring 35 or more points in their last game. And while the Eagles gave up 472 total yards to the Commanders last week, they have then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing 400 or more yards.

FINAL TAKE: Dallas has played 9 of their last 10 games in expected close games where they are listed in the +/- 3-point range. 25* NFC East Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Cowboys (471) and the Philadelphia Eagles (472). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Seattle Seahawks (455) plus the points versus the Baltimore Ravens (456). THE SITUATION: Seattle (5-2) has won five of their last six games after their 24-20 win against Cleveland as a 4.5-point favorite last Sunday. Baltimore (6-2) has won three games in a row after their 31-24 victory at Arizona as a 10-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SEAHAWKS PLUS THE POINTS: The Ravens handled the Cardinals despite a sluggish effort where they got outgained by -42 net yards after their offense only managed 268 total yards of offense. Baltimore has then failed to cover the point spread 6 of their last 9 games after a win on the road — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after winning three or more games in a row. The Ravens have scored 69 combined points in their last two games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after scoring 25 or more points in two straight games. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after scoring 30 or more points in their last contest. Seattle has improved their defense by acquiring Leonard Williams from the New York Giants at the trade deadline. Head coach Pete Carroll also reunited with pass rusher Frank Clark who he drafted out of Michigan before he went on to win Super Bowls with Kansas City. He was an unsigned free agent this year. This Seahawks defense had already held four of their last five opponents to 20 points or less. The Ravens average 143 rushing Yards-Per-Game — but Seattle has covered the point spread in 41 of their last 61 games in the second half of the season against teams who average 130 or more rushing YPG.

FINAL TAKE: The Seahawks have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 7 points — and Baltimore has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 home games when favored. 8* NFL Sunday Afternoon Discounted Deal with the Seattle Seahawks (455) plus the points versus the Baltimore Ravens (456). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:30 AM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Miami Dolphins (451) and the Kansas City Chiefs (452). THE SITUATION: Miami (6-2) has won three of their last four games after their 31-17 victory against New England as a 7.5-point favorite last Sunday. Kansas City (6-2) had their six-game winning streak snapped in a 24-9 loss at Denver as a 7-point favorite on Sunday. This game is being played on a neutral field at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt, Germany.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Patrick Mahomes was under the weather last week which goes a long way to explain why he completed only 24 of 38 passes for 241 yards and the Chiefs managed to score only nine points against the Broncos' defense that was torched by the Dolphins for 70 points. But the Kansas City offense has not been as efficient this season even before that game. Besides tight end Travis Kelce, the wide receiving corps has not been reliable since they are dropping too many passes in a trend that started in their opening game against Detroit. The Chiefs have scored 23 or fewer points in five of their eight games. Look for Kansas City to attempt to get their running game going to slow down the Miami offense and keep them off the field after failing to rush for 96 yards in four straight games. The Chiefs have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after failing to rush for more than 99 yards in two or more games in a row. They have also played four of their last five games Under the Total when coming off a game that finished Under the Total. Additionally, they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total in November. Kansas City can afford to slow this game down because they have the best defensive unit in the Patrick Mahomes era. They have not allowed more than 24 points all season — and they have held six of their eight opponents to 20 or fewer points. The Defensive DVOA metrics at Football Outsiders (now housed at FTN) rank the Chiefs' defense as the fifth best in the league. They rank second in the league by holding their opponents to just 287.8 Yards-Per-Game. They held the Broncos to just 87 passing yards last week — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after not passing for more than 150 yards in their last contest. Kansas City also ranks second in the league in sacks — and pressure on the Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa is the way to slow down the Miami offense. Tagovailoa has only won once in his seven games in the NFL when sacked four or more times. Don’t be surprised if head coach Mike McDaniel leans heavily on the running game against this Chiefs defense playing without injured linebackers Nick Bolton and Willie Gay. The Dolphins have played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total. They held the Patriots to just 141 passing yards last week — and they have played 33 of their last 51 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 150 passing yards in their last game. The Miami defense will be ready for this showdown with this being the healthiest they have been on that side of the ball all season. It will be interesting to see what defensive coordinator Vic Fangio dials up — especially with a healthy cornerback Jalen Ramsey. The Dolphins have held five of their eight opponents to 21 or fewer points. Miami has played  13 of their last 21 games Under the Total with the Total set at 49.5 or higher. They have also played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total against fellow AFC opponents.

FINAL TAKE: The Frankfurt weather may not agree with those expecting a shootout in this game — the temperature is in the 50s but with winds at 16 miles per hour and a good chance of some rain (not great for the Chiefs' already slippery hands). The Dolphins have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total on a neutral field — and Kansas City has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total on grass. 10* NFL Miami-Kansas City Germany O/U Special with Under the Total in the game between the Miami Dolphins (451) and the Kansas City Chiefs (452). Best of luck for us — Frank.