Wild Card Playoffs: Detroit – New Orleans and Atlanta – New York

NFC Wild Card Weekend Playoffs Begin Saturday

The first thing everyone needs to understand right now is that this is the NFC Wild Card PLAYOFFS, and NFC Playoff Odds mean one thing! Playoffs is your key word, and this is where your newcomers, charlatans and conservative sticklers fall to the wayside or what is more commonly known as GO HOME!

I’ve got a couple more foshos in different area codes for your plays in the NFC Wild Card Race, and the Favorites seem to be Favorites for my FAVORITES!

NFC Wild Card Playoff–Detroit Lions(10-6) at New Orleans Saints(13-3)
Saturday, January 7, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. ET on NBC
Mercedes Benz Superdome (76,468) – New Orleans, Louisiana

Did anybody else notice the records Matt Flynn set against the Detroit Lions’ secondary last week for your NFC Playoff Odds? Well, Flynn is Aaron Rodgers back-up for the 71.2% of us that didn’t know, and Drew Brees (ahhhh, you have heard of him right with 71.2% completions this year) is coming into this game after shredding Dan Marino’s single season passing yards record.

New Orleans is on an eight game destruction path not allowing anyone to raise the water over sea level on them. The Lions will not get out of their cage even with Suh playing in this rematch from earlier in season when he was suspended.

The picture from last year’s shocker, of a “beast mode” Marshawn Lynch, has to be in every one of these Saints’ players as they prepare to host another team they are favored by double digits over, the Detroit Lions.

The fact that they lost to the Seattle Seahawks, who were a non-worthy of anything but a Sea-Chicken Ass Kickin’ after a losing record of 7-9, has to burn the Saints ….marching in. My best guess is that Coach Sean Payton lets the team relive that debacle last year on a limited basis. This is a different team when NFC Playoff Odds are on the line, plus Detroit doesn’t have any RBs that could enter “puppy mode” let alone “beast mode”.

I know Matthew Stafford threw for over 5K passing yards this year including 408 yards and a touchdown against the Saints December 4th. I guess I should tell you that while this game will not be as close as that one, Detroit lost to New Orleans 31-17.

For those of you dying to bet the OVER on this game, I would lean that way on the total but….I DO NOT think Detroit scores as many points as all you Motor City folks think. If it goes over, Saints score 40 plus points by my calculations.

NFC PlayoffOdds:

Detroit Lions- (ML +450) +10 ½
New Orleans Saints- (ML -600) -10 ½
Over/Under Total – 59

NFC Playoff Odds Betting Advice – Bet New Orleans Saints To Cover -10 ½

NFC Wild Card Playoffs – Atlanta Falcons(10-6) at New York Giants(9-7)
Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. ET on FOX
MetLife Stadium (82,566) – East Rutherford, New Jersey

We have a couple of quarterbacks dying to be elite, and one of these generals is closer to that goal and the key to this advance in NFL Playoff Betting.

Both of these team’s pass defenses STINK! They’re both in the bottom half of stank in the NFL against the aerial attack. The big difference in this game will be the Giants’ defensive front that will make Saving Private Ryan look like a romantic comedy. For betting purposes, neither team has really excelled either. Atlanta enters this game with a 7-8-1 Against the Spread mark for the season while New York just shuffles that to 8-7-1 Against the Spread. Looking to the OVER/UNDER for a clearer picture? Well you’re out of luck -0 Atlanta is 7-9 and New York is another 8-7-1. OK, so trends won’t help us as much, so let’s go with personnel and our gut feeling.

I can respect the Falcons resurgence (especially Matt Ryan’s) after the mid-season Suzy Slack-Ass Slow Roll Scared offensive show they tried to make work, but I am looking hard into this lack of heart in an inconsistent quarterback here. Julio Jones absolutely helps now that he is healthy, but I think the Giants scare the Falcons into a case where there is no possibility for Saving Quarterback Ryan.

Eli Manning is having a career year and can find his targets on a more consistent basis. Victor Cruz Control is a monster in the making – he can turn a simple swing pass into a 90 yard TD almost at will. Toss in a solid RB tandem of the Jacobs and Bradshaw and it’s a nas-tay offense. The Falcons have great skill players as well – including the man whose legs are as big as my house, Michael Turner – but for some reason their offense doesn’t run quite as well and putting up big numbers is never certain.

In a lot of ways these teams are pretty equal. Offense can be explosive, defense can be good. When it comes to betting though I’ll take the team that has proven “can” is possible: New York has been there before and this team has come abck from adversity in the playoffs. Atlanta looks better yerar upon year, then they crap in the bed when the Playoffs start. New York by a FG? Yeah, I’ll take that.

NFC Playoff Odds:

Atlanta Falcons- (ML +130) +3
New York Giants- (ML -150) -3
Over/Under Total – 47

NFC Playoff Odds Betting Advice – Bet New York Giants To Cover -3

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Wild Card Playoffs: Cincinnati – Houston and Pittsburgh – Denver

A Tale of Two Games – Cincinnati vs. Houston and Pittsburgh vs. Denver

Cincinnati is lucky just to get into the AFC Playoffs after losing straight up in Week 17.  The team with the most attractive or ugliest, depending on your taste, uniforms in the National Football League, lost 16 to 24 to Baltimore but because New York lost to Miami and Denver lost at home, Cincinnati got the nod.  They might have gotten another nod in facing Houston who has lost three straight games.  What was Houston’s last victory?  A 20 to 19 win over Cincinnati on Dec. 11.

In the second AFC Wildcard game, Pittsburgh travels to Denver with their starting running back out because of an ACL tear suffered in Week 17.  Pittsburgh, because of their experience in the NFL Playoffs, is still a 9 point favorite over the home team.

Keep reading for more info on this weekend’s AFC Wildcard Matchups in Pro Football betting action.

Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans

When:  Jan. 7 at 4:30 pm EST

Betting Line:  Houston -3, Total 38   

Analysis:  At first glance it doesn’t look like Cincinnati has much of a shot in this game.  Their two best players on offense, QB Andy Dalton and WR A.J. Green, are both rookies, they’re on the road, and they’re 1-5-2 against the spread in their last 8 games.  That’s not very good.  But, then, football handicappers take a look at the Houston Texans and realize that the Bengals actually have a big shot to not only cover the spread but to also win straight up. 

Houston’s defense has been brilliant, but with QB Matt Schaub on the bench, the offense has sputtered.  Three straight losses to Carolina (13 to 28), Indianapolis (16 to 19), and Tennessee (22 to 23), have led many to question whether or not the Texans can take down the Bengals in this AFC Wildcard contest.  QB Taylor Yates and WR Andre Johnson, although both probable, may not be at 100% and Cincinnati’s defense is ranked 7th in the NFL.

The difficulty of handicapping this game is reflected in bettors’ sentiment.  52% favor the Bengals while 48% favor the Texans.  Using trends is meaningless since neither team has real playoff experience and both sport unproven quarterbacks.  To me, the Bengals’ chances come down to how well their defense stops Houston’s rushing attack.  If Cincinnati’s D keeps Arian Foster and Ben Tate under control, like they did to Steven Jackson by holding him to 71 yards in, then the Bengals can upset the Texans.

If Cincinnati’s D allows Foster and Tate to run all over them, like they did when giving up over 190 yards and 2 touchdowns to Ray Rice this past Sunday, then the Bengals will lose.  In the first game between these two, Cincinnati held Foster to 41 total yards and Tate to 67 although 44 of Tate’s 67 came via a single run.

I believe that the Bengals’ defense repeats that performance this Saturday.  They’ll keep Foster and Tate under control while Yates (or God-forbid, his replace Jake Delhomme) struggles in the passing game.  I like the Bengals to at least cover the 3 points while also having a shot to beat the Texans straight up in this contest.

Pick:  Cincinnati Bengals

Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos

When:  Jan. 8, 4:30 pm EST

Betting Line:  Pittsburgh -9, Total 34.5

Analysis:  Man, the shine has worn off on The Savior’s halo hasn’t it?  NFL defensive coordinators, like I predicted many weeks ago, have figured out how to stop Mr. Tebow.  During Denver’s three game losing streak, Tebow has gotten progressively worse.  He completed 50% of his passes against New England in Week 15, 44.8% of his passes versus Buffalo in Week 16, and 27.3% of his passes against Kansas City in Week 17.  These are Timmy’s last three QB ratings:  80.5, 37.9, and 20.6.  20.6…in the words of my two-year-old son, wow. 

Does Denver have any shot against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday? Well, unless Tebow has learned how to throw the football, then, no. Pittsburgh has the ultimate QB spy in strong safety Troy Polamalu.  Polamalu is fast enough to contain Tebow.  Yes, Pitt free safety Ryan Clark won’t play but why does it matter?  Tebow can’t throw.

Pittsburgh losing running back Rashard Mendenhall on offense due to the ACL tear is bad news for the Steelers but back up RB Isaac Redman is more than capable of picking up the slack.  Redman averaged almost 5 yards per carry versus Cleveland in Week 17 after Mendenhall went down and Denver’s D allows over 120 yards per game on the ground.

Speaking of the Broncos’ defense, the unit simply hasn’t been playing nearly as well recently has it had during Denver’s winning streak.  The Broncos gave up 141 yards on the ground and 310 yards through the air to the Patriots in Week 15.  Then, in Week 16, the Broncos gave up 161 yards on the ground and 190 yards through the air to the Buffalo Bills.  Holding KC to only 106 yards on the ground in Week 17 was nice, but Pittsburgh’s offense is much, much better than Kansas City’s.

If Denver cornerback Champ Bailey shuts down WR Mike Wallace, then now healthy QB Big Ben Roethlisberger is going to find old pro Hines Ward, tight end Heath Miller or incredibly fast Antonio Brown.

Denver doesn’t have much of a shot of keeping this one close.  I like Pittsburgh to run and pass all over Denver on offense and to shut down Tebow and the Broncos’ rushing game on defense.  It’s a lot of points to give up, but I don’t see how I can go the other way.  The Steelers cover the 9 point spread in this Wild Card weekend Pro Football playoff betting action. 

Pick:  Pittsburgh Steelers

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Week 17 Pro Football Trio of Free Picks

Week 17 Free Picks and Betting Preview

It’s all about the Playoff Push in Week 17 of Pro Football betting as Baltimore takes on Cincinnati with plenty at stake for both teams: Baltimore can clinch the AFC North and Cincinnati needs a victory for a AFC Wild-Card berth. In other key games the Denver Broncos host the Kansas City Chiefs with a chance to win the AFC West, and the Dallas Cowboys battle Eli Manning and the New York Giants with the NFC East title on the line.

Before getting into that, let me just write that anybody angry at New Orleans Saints’ coach Sean Payton for continuing to pass against Atlanta, therefore allowing QB Drew Brees to break Dan Marino’s single season passing yardage mark, makes no sense.  The Dirty Birds gave up 164 rush yards on the ground, 147 return yards, committed 7 penalties, and was 0 for 3 in Red Zone Efficiency. 

Can’t stop the run, horrible on special teams, a penalty machine, terrible in the Red Zone, and you’re crying about Brees breaking a record against you?  Really, ATL?  Really?

Check out a trio of Week 17 of Football action below.

Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals

When:  Jan. 1 at 4:15 pm EST

Betting Line:  Baltimore -1.5, Total 38   

Analysis:  Baltimore is a strange team.  They’ve gone 5 and 1 straight-up in their last 6 games but only 2-3-1 against the spread in those last 6 games.  They’re hard to figure out, which is why I’m backing the youngsters over in the great city of Cincinnati to win this game on Sunday.  Cincy is only 3 and 4 ATS at home this season, but I love the Dalton to Green connection as well as the fact that they’ve won two straight games, albeit over St. Louis and Arizona, after losing two straight versus Pittsburgh and Houston.  The Bengals are a good team and Baltimore’s defense appears more tired at this point in the season than Cincinnati’s.  I’m with the Bengals.

Pick:  Cincinnati

Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos

When:  Jan. 1, 4:15 pm EST

Betting Line:  Denver -3.5, Total 37

Analysis:  Forget about the fact that Denver beat Kansas City 17 to 10 in November when handicapping this game.  With Romeo Crennel as the head coach, KC’s D has been downright awesome lately.  KC took down Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers straight-up in Week 15.  Then, in Week 16, they held Raiders’ QB Carson Palmer to 16 out of 26 for 237 yards and 2 picks.  Also in Week 16, Denver QB Tim Tebow went 13 out of 30 for 185 yards and 4 picks.  Tebow’s horrible game was against a Buffalo D that, after shutting down the Broncos, allows 128 yards on the ground and 225 yards through the air.  What do you think KC’s D is going to do to Tim Tebow on Jan. 1?  Lots of bad things, my friends, lots and lots of bad things.

Pick:  Kansas City

Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants

When:  Jan.1 at 8:20 pm EST

Betting Line:  NYG -3, Total 46.5

Analysis:  Dallas just isn’t a very good team.  Can we all admit that?  The defense is terrible, it allows 337 yards and 21 points per game on average and gave up 281 passing yards, 105 rushing yards, and 20 points to Philly in a home game in Week 16.  The offense is down to a running back that was sitting on a couch, Sammy Morris, three weeks ago, and the team has no heart.  From coach to players, the team threw in the towel against the Eagles last Sunday.  The New York Giants at least try to play football.  NYG almost beat Green Bay earlier in December, did beat Dallas on the road, threw in a clunker against the Redskins, but bounced back beautifully in Week 16 with a 29 to 14 smack down of the New York Jets.  NYG will cover the number in this Week 17 Pro Football betting game easily because Dallas’s brass is so smart that they think they can beat the G-Men with Tony Romo, who isn’t that good anyhow, and his busted throwing hand.  That’s genius.

Pick:  New York Giants

In Week 16 Football New Yorkers Prepare For the Worst and the Best

Week 16 Pro Football Free Picks

The NFL Playoff implications are huge this week, so make sure you follow my advice on these Pro Football Week 16 Bets.

New York Giants at New York Jets – Saturday, December 24 at 1:00 ET – ESPN-TV
New York Giants              +3 -120 (ML +120)
New York Jets                   -3 +100 (ML -140)
Over/Under Total            46

If there is one game to have the fans wired for sound, damn is this it! Can you imagine New Yahkers and New Joiseys guyz and goilz smack-talkin’ it up about their teams and mostly HATIN’ on the enemy teams? I can’t think of much more entertaining-it’s like Jersey Shore meets Real Life Dumb-Ass Housewives from ANY county!

The quarterbacks in this one give a major advantage to the Giants. Mark Sanchez can be forced to make mistakes (and horrible photo shoots) with just a little bit of pressure. He’s no Joe Namath behind center or behind the camera, so this is the Giants’ MUST on defense. This should be a given, but the rush from the Giants has not been stellar as of late. This will change for NFL Week 16 Bets NOW!

Eli Manning is having a Peyton type year, and we will see how the big man steps up against Cromartie and Revis Island. I don’t expect Victor Cruz “Teams aren’t really that scared of him anymore” to do much against the Island. That statement Just shows how scared they really are. Cruz should’ve been a baller and instead of “aren’t really that scared” should’ve said “I’ll beat that bitch down just like all my Giant Homeys will down to 3rd string.”

The Giants are 1-5 in their last 6, and Jets are 6-1 at home this season, but that doesn’t scare me one bit. Take the Moneyline on Giants.

Pick: Giants +120 Moneyline

Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots – Saturday, December 24 at 1:00 ET – CBS-TV
Miami Dolphins                 +9.5 (ML +385)
New England Patriots     -9.5 (ML -465)
Over/Under Total            48

Welcome to the Brady-Bilichick show courtesy of the over-rated Miami Dolphins. If New England can just defeat two teams with 5-9 records (Miami and Buffalo) they get to play at cozy, freezing-ass home field. That doesn’t sound good to me, but believe me it is BIG, BIG, BIG for New England in Pro Football Week 16 Bets.

The Patriots can’t afford (they can afford money) to lose anyone on defense, and they did just that losing defensive end Andre Carter for the season. He had the team high 10 sacks, and now will be the most high in offseason going through bags.

The Pats are manhandling the closest brain to man Dolphins 117-45 the last 3 times these teams have smacked each other around (mostly New England slapping Miami), and this match will be very close to the average score of 39-15 Patriots drubbing of the Dolphins. Don’t believe the hype. Believe Brady and Belichick bombarding Miami.

There will be BOMBS a PLENTY in this OVER the total Tea Party.

Pick: Patriots -9.5 over Dolphins and Bet OVER 48 Total Points

Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys – Saturday, December 24 at 4:15 ET – CBS-TV
Philadelphia Eagles          +2
Dallas Cowboys                 -2
Over/Under Total            50.5

The Cowboys should let their cheerleaders try closing these games out as you will see in my NFL Week 16 Bets advice. Romo’s smug answer to any question “we just need to get better, need to learn from mistakes and we will do better” has grown weary with even the most DIE-HARD Dallas fans.

The Eagles actually have a better road game record than at home, and if you know the fans in Philly you will understand. Vick owned Dallas earlier in the year and will again. Look for Felix Jones to have a huge day out of the backfield from Michael Vick’s screen passes.

The problem is that Romo is going to get owned by the Eagles secondary hawking at least 2 interceptions by the fading and collapsing Dallas Cowboys.

Pick: Eagles +1.5 over Cowboys

Week 16 Night Games Nothing to Sleep On

Week 16 Night Games Free Picks

Three Week 16 Pro Football night matchups will take place this week – and BetUS NFL gridiron gamblers everywhere are going to get a trio of great chances to cash in with potentially winning wagers as I offer up my one-of-a-kind expert pro football picks.

That’s right BetUS gridiron gamblers, thanks to this trifecta of expert picks from the nation’s No. 1 handicapper – you’ll get the insight you’ll need in order to make three bankroll-boosting bets this weekend.

Okay, with that long-winded diatribe out of the way, let me get busy!

Houston at Indianapolis
Thursday, Dec. 22, 2011 8:20 PM ET

The Colts got a huge win in Week 15 by beating Tennessee 27-13 to easily cash in as a 6.5-point home underdog and move to a perfect 3-0 ATS over their L/3 games. The Houston Texans took a 28-13 loss to Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers on the chin as they saw their seven-game SU and five-game ATS winning streaks come to an abrupt halt.

While I really think the Colts are going to show up and bring their collective ‘A’ game, I like the Houston Texans and their No.1 defense to win this contest and cash in for BetUS football bettors.

The Texans have gone 4-0 ATS in their last four road games, 4-0-1 ATS in their L/5 games against AFC teams and an identical 4-0-1 ATS in their last five games versus teams from the AFC South.

While Houston has gone 6-1-1 ATS in their L/8 games overall, the Colts are 1-4 ATS in their L/5 home games.

Chicago at Green Bay
Sunday, Dec. 25, 2011 8:30 PM ET

I’m going to get right to the point for my longtime BetUS faithful that have a lot of things to do this Christmas weekend. The Green Bay Packers are not going to lose this contest against the banged-up Chicago bears, making the only question surrounding this contest, whether or not the Pack are going to cover the spread as 13-point home favorites.

Um, yes, the Packers are going to win – and they’re going to cash in too.

Chicago is 4-9-1 ATS in their last 14 games in December while the Packers have gone 4-0 ATS in their L/4 games following an SU loss and an even more impressive 8-0 ATS in their last eight games following an ATS loss.

Sorry Chicago, but last week’s loss means the Packers will be back on track in a big way in this contest as they win and cash in!

Atlanta at New Orleans
Monday, Dec. 26, 2011 8:30 PM ET

With the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints combining to average a whopping 57.0 points per game, the best play for this Monday Night Football matchup is to simply play the Over.

The Falcons have scored an enormous 72 points in winning their last two games combined while the Saints have scored a whopping 64 combined points over their last two games.

At least one team in this NFC South divisional rivalry has topped the 25-point plateau in each of the last eight meetings and I expect that to happen again in this one.

The Over is 7-2 in Atlanta’s last nine road games versus a team with a winning home record and 6-2 in the Saints last eight Monday games.

Play the Over here gridiron gamblers and call it a wrap.

Week 15 Pro Football – Trio of Free Picks

Week 15 Pro Football Free Picks

Oakland lay down like a big dog and blew out my parlay in Week 14.  It’s not as bad as it sounds, though.  The New England Patriots’ and Washington Redskins’ game went over by a mile, the total was 47.5 and the two teams scored a total of 61, while the Atlanta Falcons produced a furious comeback to score a 31 to 23 victory over Carolina.

All in all, I made a decent profit in Week 14, which brings me to advice regarding parlays.  The reason to play a parlay is to lower your risk while not lowering your reward.  For example, instead of playing $100 bucks on a parlay, football bettors play $50 in order to win $100 profit. Lowering your risk is the advantage to playing parlays.

Check out a trio of Week 15 of Football action below.

Carolina Panthers at Houston Texans

When:  Dec. 18 at 1:00 pm EST

Betting Line:  Houston -6.5, Total 45.5   

Analysis:  54% of sports gamblers are on the Panthers in this game.  I’m not one of them.  Carolina has a very good offense, but putting up 23 against Atlanta’s D is much different than putting up 23 against Houston’s D.  The Texans have the #1 ranked defense in the NFL in terms of yards allowed per game.  Houston allows only 274.9 per.  The D allows only 183.5 yards per through the air and 91 on the ground.  The offense, even with Taylor Yates at the controls, has been good enough recently when putting up 20 versus Cincinnati and 17 versus Atlanta.  Carolina’s D is much worse than either the Dirty Birds’ defense or the Bengals’ defense.  The most obvious trend in this contest is the fact that Carolina is 1 and 6 ATS in their last 7 games as a dog on the road.

Pick:  Houston Texans

New York Jets at Philadelphia Eagles

When:  Dec. 18, 4:15 pm EST

Betting Line:  Philadelphia -3, Total 44

Analysis:  I’m actually confused as to why the Eagles are favored in this game.  Philly put a beating on Miami, 26 to 10, in their last, but that was Miami.  NYJ has won 3 games in a row, 28 to 24 over the Buffalo Bills, 34 to 19 on the road versus Washington, and 37 to 10 over the Kansas City Chiefs.  J-E-T-S has covered in 2 out of their last 3 games while Philly is 2 and 4 ATS in their last 6.  The Jets are 9 and 1 ATS in their last 10 games as a dog of .5 to 3 points on the road and 5 and 1 ATS versus a team with a losing record.  Philly is going to have a ton of trouble stopping NYJ’s rushing attack.

Pick:  New York Jets

New England Patriots at Denver Broncos

When:  Dec. 17 at 1:00 pm EST

Betting Line:  New England -6, Total 45.5

Analysis:  My editor Mike calls this game the “Handsome Bowl”.  That’s actually a fact, not an opinion.  The two most beautiful men in football, El Guapo Uno (Tom Brady) and El Guapo Dos (Tim Tebow) lead their respective teams onto the field with most football handicappers, 72% of them, expecting the Tebow magic to run out once they kick the ball off.  I have to agree with my peers in this game.  First, the Broncos have no passing game meaning that New England can put eight in the box to take away Tebow’s terrific runs.  Second, linebacker Von Miller, the Broncos’ pass rush specialist, is wearing a cast on his hand and forearm.  It’s going to be tough for Von to wrap up if or when he gets Brady in his grasps.  Finally, New England has won 4 games in a row but they have a ton to play for since they’re fighting for home field advantage throughout the AFC Playoffs against Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Houston, who, like the Pats, are 10 and 3 on the season.  A big loss is in the cards for the Denver Prayers on Sunday.

Pick:  New England Patriots

Week 15 Night Games Could Make or Break Your Day

Free Picks on Week 15 Football Night Games

BetUS NFL gamblers are in for a treat thanks to the four, value-packed picks you’re about to get on a quartet of Week 15 matchups that are all offering gridiron gamblers a ton of value.

Atlanta, Dallas and Baltimore will look to shore up their respective playoff hopes while the Steelers and Niners will meet in what looks like the best game of the week on Monday night.

Okay, with that said, let’s get started with these four picks for Week 15 Football action.

Jacksonville at Atlanta – Thursday Night 8:20 PM ET
Atlanta Falcons -11

The Jacksonville Jaguars (4-9) snapped their three-game losing streak by pounding the snot out of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in its 41-14 blowout win in Week 14 to cash in as a 3-point home underdog. The Atlanta Falcons (8-5) squeaked past Cam Newton and the Panthers in its 31-23 win in Week 13 while cashing in as a 3-point road favorite following an ugly 0-3-1 ATS mark in its previous four games. The Falcons are averaging almost nine points per game more than the Jaguars while allowing just 1.1 points per game more than the Jags defensively. Despite the fact that the Jags looked really good in beating the Bucs last week, this pick is as simple as pie with Atlanta clearly being the superior team in this contest – and one that wants to shore up its playoff hopes with a big win here. The Falcons are 89-2 ATS in its L/11 games in the month of December and are the pick to win and cash in here!

Dallas at Tampa Bay – Saturday 8:20 PM ET
Dallas Cowboys -7

The Dallas Cowboys are a complete mess with their idiotic style of play (and coaching) helping the ‘Boys drop each of their last two games, including their heartbreaking 37-34 loss to the Giants in Week 14. Still, Dallas is the easy pick in this contest as they face a Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that is reeling from seven straight losses, including their 41-14 blowout at the hands of the Jags the last time out. The Buccaneers have recorded a pitiful 6-20 ATS mark in their L/26 home games and I just don’t see them cashing in against Dallas.

Baltimore at San Diego – Sunday 8:20 PM ET
Baltimore Ravens -1.5

The Baltimore Ravens have won four straight, including their 24-10 win over Indianapolis the last time out despite having their modest two-game ATS winning streak snapped at two games. The San Diego Chargers have won two straight, using an explosive offense that has scored at least 37 points in each contest, including their 37-10 Week 14 win over Buffalo. Believe it or not NFL gamblers, I like the San Diego Chargers to pull off the ‘upset’ here against a Ravens team that has recorded three absolutely head-scratching losses this season. Besides, the home team in this series s 6-2 ATS in their L/8 meetings.

Pittsburgh at San Francisco – Monday 8:30 PM ET
San Francisco 49ers -2.5

The Steelers have won four consecutive games, including their 14-3 win over lowly Cleveland the last time out. Unfortunately for their betting backers, Pittsburgh has alternated ATS wins and losses over their L/6 games. San Francisco has lost two of its last three games, including their 21-19 road loss to Arizona in Week 14.  The Niners’ recent play makes this pick a lot easier since they’re the up-and-coming team that wants to be like the experienced Steelers. I like Pittsburgh to pick up the outright road win here, mostly because they have the edge in experience, not to mention the fact that they’ve gone 4-1 ATS in their last five games against a team with a winning record.

Week 14 Football – Trio of Free Picks

Week 14 Pro Football Trio of Free Picks

Week 13 was an absolute disaster.  The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got behind in a game again and had to play catch up.  Why was that a problem?  They couldn’t use their excellent RB, LeGarrette Blount, to wear down Carolina.

The Falcons lost to Houston even though Houston started their third string QB, and the Raiders, getting their asses handed to them for most of the game, found a way to put up 14 points in the 4th quarter to blow over the total.  No use crying about it.  Back to the board for Week 14!

Check out a trio of Week 14 of Football action below.

New England Patriots at Washington Redskins

When:  Dec. 11 at 1:00 pm EST

Betting Line:  New England -9, Total 47.5    

Analysis:  New England has looked exceptional lately but they did allow the Indianapolis Colts to score 24 points against them as 21 point favorites.  Washington’s offense is averaging about 17 points a game.  New England’s defense is allowing 20.6 points per game.  I don’t see NE shutting down the ‘Skin’s O and the ‘Skin’s D definitely won’t shut down New England’s offense.  What does it mean?  It means this game should go over.  After all, the over is 11 and 4 in New England’s last 15 games and 23 and 8 in New England’s last 31 games.

Pick:  Over 47.5

Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers

When:  Dec. 11, 1:00 pm EST

Betting Line:  Atlanta -2.5, Total 48.5

Analysis:  The last time these two squads met the Dirty Birds registered a 31 to 17 victory. Atlanta is 5 and 2 in their last 7 games straight up and is coming off of a loss to the Houston Texans where their D actually played very well. In fact, Atlanta’s defense has allowed only one team, the New Orleans Saints, to score 20 points or more in their past 7 games. I just don’t see Carolina doing to Atlanta what they did to the Bucs last Sunday and the Falcons know that they must win this game in order to stay in the wildcard hunt. Also, Atlanta’s QB might be more Matty Ice than Matty Melt-down, like he was versus Houston, on Dec. 11.  This trend helps: the Dirty Birds are 15-5-1 ATS versus a team with a losing record.

Pick:  Atlanta to cover

Oakland Raiders at Green Bay Packers

When:  Dec. 11 at 4:15 pm EST

Betting Line:  Green Bay -12.5, Total 52.5

Analysis: The gambler inside of me says to bet the Raiders on the moneyline: Oakland is much better than what they showed versus Miami last Sunday. Not only that, but I witnessed numerous chinks in Green Bay’s armor against the Giants last Sunday. GB will supposedly play this one without Charles Woodson, meaning Carson Palmer and the Raiders passing game should be very effective. I also love how the Raiders are averaging 141 yards per game on the ground and GB is giving up 105 yards per game on the ground. Oak Town has a shot. They match up very well with Green Bay. But, the better wager is to do a simple parlay in this Week 14 Pro Football matchup. Neither of these teams play defense while both teams have excellent offenses. 

Pick:  Parlay, Oakland to Over 52.5

Week 13 Football Free Picks – Thursday, Sunday and Monday

Week 13 Night Games Are Worth Staying Up For

The reeling Philadelphia Eagles and San Diego Chargers will look to get back in the win column following losses in their respective last contests while a red-hot Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints will look to light up the scoreboard once again when they host the rebuilding Detroit Lions in an intriguing NFC matchup that will likely have playoff implications.

All of that and much more is highlighted in this Week 13 pro football trio of expert NFL free picks. Okay, BetUS gridiron gamblers, with that said, let’s get started making more money than ever.

Philadelphia at Seattle
Thursday, Dec. 1, 8:20 PM ET
NFL Odds
Philadelphia Eagles -3

The Scoop: The Philadelphia Eagles (4-7 SU, 4-7 ATS, 6-5 O/U) were supposed to be a ‘super team’ after their big free agent haul this past offseason, but they’ll enter their Week 13 matchup against the mediocre Seattle Seahawks (4-7 SU, 6-4-1 ATS, 6-5 O/U) with an identical 4-7 SU mark that has both teams facing a major uphill battle in their respective quests to reach the postseason.

Philadelphia has lost three of its last four games and is coming off a discouraging 38-20 home blowout loss against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in Week 12 while failing to cover the spread as a 3-point home underdog to fall to 1-3 ATS over its L/4 games.

Seattle has played a bit better than Philly lately but saw its modest two-game winning streak get snapped in its heartbreaking 23-17 loss against Washington while also seeing its three-game ATS winning streak come to an abrupt halt by failing to cover the spread as a 3-point home favorite.

Analysis:  I know the wheels are very wobbly for the Philadelphia Eagles at this point of the season, but I really like the Birds to respond in a big way in this matchup against a Seahawks team that doesn’t have nearly the talent or experience.

Not only have the Birds gone 4-0 ATS in their L/4 Thursday night games, but they’re also 7-2 ATS in their last nine games following a double-digit home loss, a telling trend that gridiron gamblers should be very aware of.

Seattle has compiled some very nice ATS trends coming into this contest, with an eye-opening 6-1-1 ATS mark in their last eight games as an underdog and 5-1 ATS mark in their last six games against their NFC counterparts. However, Seattle is also ranked in the bottom third in the league in every meaningful offensive statistical category and I believe they’ll struggle to score in this contest.

Cementing my pick for an Eagles win and ATS cover is the fact that the Favorite in this rivalry has gone 5-1 ATS in the last half-dozen meetings while the Road team has gone a perfect 6-0 ATS over the same span. Philadelphia is just too desperate to lose this contest BetUS gridiron gamblers.

NFL Pick: Philadelphia Eagles -3 Points

 

Detroit at New Orleans
Sunday, Dec. 4, 8:20 PM ET
NFL Odds
New Orleans Saints -9

The Scoop: The Detroit Lions (7-4 SU, 6-4-1 ATS, 7-4 O/U) are an absolute mess right now BetUS pro football bettors, while the New Orleans Saints (8-3 SU, 7-4 ATS, 6-5 O/U) and quarterback Drew Brees in particular, are coming off a stunning performance the last time out.

Detroit has lost two of its last three games including their 27-15 Week 12 loss to Green Bay while failing to cover the NFL betting line as a 4-point home underdog to fall to 1-2 ATS over the last three games.

New Orleans obliterated the New York Giants 49-24 on Monday night as Brees completed 24 of 38 passes for 363 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. The Saints cashed in as a 7-point home favorite to improve to a spotless 3-0 SU and ATS over its last three.

Analysis: I know the Detroit Lions aren’t playing very well right now, but I believe there are actually some silver linings to take out of their most recent loss to Green Bay and they way the held the explosive Packers to ‘just’ 27 points.

Both teams in this matchup allow just about 22 points per game defensively while the Saints are putting up just four more points per game than the Lions.

While New Orleans has gone 5-0 ATS in their last five home games and 4-1 ATS in their L/5 games overall, Detroit has racked up an impressive 5-1-1 ATS mark in its last seven road games and 6-2 ATS mark in their last eight games as an underdog.

The Saints have given up at least 23 points in three of their last four games and I think Matt Stafford and the Lions’ offense will find a way to keep the final score close enough against a Saints’ defense that ranks a dismal 27th against the pass, to make an ATS win stand up.

NFL Pick: Detroit Lions +9 Points

 

San Diego at Jacksonville
Monday, Dec. 5, 8:30 PM ET

NFL Odds
San Diego Chargers -3

The Scoop: The San Diego Chargers (4-7 SU, 2-9 ATS, 5-6 O/U) are the biggest disappointment in the league this side of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Phillip Rivers and company have lost a whopping six consecutive games, including their heartbreaking 16-13 overtime loss to Denver in Week 12.  The Chargers failed to cover the NFL betting odds as a 4.5-point home favorite to fall to pitiful 0-6 ATS over their last half-dozen games.

The Jacksonville Jaguars (3-8 SU, 4-6-1 ATS, 1-10 O/U) have lost two in a row and three of four overall, including their hard-fought 20-13 loss to Houston in Week 12 while narrowly failing to cover the spread as a 6-point home underdog to fall to 0-2 ATS over their last two games.

Analysis: The Jacksonville Jaguars will be in almost absolute turmoil after firing longtime head coach Jack Del Rio earlier this week, meaning this contest is more of a lock than anything else.

The Chargers are far more talented than the Jaguars in spite of their uninspiring SU record and the Bolts average 10.1 points per game more offensively than the Jacksonville.

While San Diego has been held to 20 points or less in three consecutive games, they’ll be facing a Jaguars team that is even more offensively-challenged, having been held to 17 points or each of their last three games as well.

I’m fully expecting the Chargers to light up the scoreboard en route to the big SU and ATS win over a Jaguars team that has really struggled lately and will be in a state of influx because of the firing of Del Rio.

The Chargers are 12-5 ATS in their last 17 games in the month of December while Jacksonville has gone 1-4 ATS in their last five games against a team with a losing record and 1-8-1 ATS in their L/11 games as an underdog.

Jaguars rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert has really struggled lately and has completed just 48.4 percent of his passes on the season while throwing six touchdown passes – and six picks on the season.

The San Diego Chargers are one of the biggest disappointments in the entire league, but I like them to get back in the win column in Week 13 of pro football action.

NFL Pick: San Diego Chargers -3 Points

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Week 13 Brings a Lucky Trio of Free Picks

Week 13 Pro Football Free Picks

Out of whack lines are all the rage in the NFL in Week 13. Take the Indianapolis vs. New England contest. Usually one of the star attraction games of the season, the Indy vs. NE game, according to the odds makers at least, is a bit of a joke this season.

Indy is a 21 point dog to the high-flying New England Patriots. The total is 49.5.  Since the Colts average less than 14 points per game, the odds makers are expecting the Patriots to score close to 38 on Sunday.  That’s a bit much, don’t you think?  Still, the Colts are so horrific that I’m not sure that I can take the 21 or wager under the total.

Check out a trio of Week 13 of Football action below.

Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

When:  Dec. 4 at 1:00 pm EST

Betting Line:  Tampa Bay -3.5, Total 48.5   

Analysis:  The Carolina Panthers are being given the benefit of the doubt because Tampa Bay is 1 and 4 ATS in their last 5 games overall.  Tampa Bay has also lost 5 straight games in a row. Carolina is 2 and 3 straight-up in their last 5 games. So, on the surface, it looks like the Panthers should be able to cover this spread, right? Not really.  The Buccaneer’s 5 losses are to Chicago, New Orleans, Houston, Green Bay and Tennessee. Carolina’s 3 losses are to Minnesota, Tennessee and Detroit. More importantly, Carolina is giving up 137.5 yards per game on the ground and Tampa Bay’s LeGarrette Blount has turned into a very good running back. Tampa Bay is 6-2-1 ATS versus a team with a losing record. So, there is a trend that favors the Bucs in this game.  I like them to cover.

Pick: Tampa Bay to cover

Atlanta Falcons at Houston Texans

When:  Dec. 4, 1:00 pm EST

Betting Line:  Atlanta -2.5, Total 38.5

Analysis: The Houston Texans are so desperate for a QB that they recently signed Jake Delhomme, the man who has brought down two teams and three coaches. It’s especially bad considering Delhomme hasn’t played in at least a year. The betting line, which opened at Atlanta -1.5, has already gained a full point in less than 24 hours. Expect the line to go to -3.5 or even -4.5 by game time on Sunday. So, if you agree with me, that the Falcons will cover, jump on it as soon as you can.  ATL is 7 and 1 ATS in their last 8 games on the road versus a team with a winning record and also 11 and 5 ATS in their last 16 games on the road and 6 and 2 ATS in their last 8 games as a road favorite. Oh, yes, QB #1 for the Falcons, Matt Ryan, will be playing on Sunday.    

Pick:  Atlanta to cover

Oakland Raiders at Miami Dolphins

When:  Dec. 4 at 1:00 pm EST

Betting Line:  Miami -2.5, Total 43

Analysis: There are nice trends for both teams in this game. The Fins are 5 and 0 ATS in their last 5 games while the Oakland Raiders are 7 and 1 ATS in their last 8 games as an underdog. The Raiders are also 6 and 0 ATS in their last 6 games on the road. There are definitely reasons to like Oakland in this game but football betting handicappers can’t sleep on the Fins either. So, what should a handicapper do?  How about going under the total of 43?  The under is 9-1-1 this season in Miami games. The under is 5 and 6 in Oakland’s games this season. The under looks like a solid wager to me!

Pick:  Under 43

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