Sports Picks & Predictions

This is a play on the PHILADELPHIA EAGLES for our NFL Non-Conference Game of the Year. The surprise of the first half in the NFL has to include Buffalo which is off to a 5-1 start thanks to a strong defensive presence. The Bills are third in the NFL in total defense and scoring defense but have not played any team with a strong offense and that even includes New England which is a middle of the pack offense. This is a tough spot this week coming off a hard fought divisional win and going up a team that is desperate for a win to turn its season around. Buffalo is 14-28 ATS in its last 42 games coming off a home win against a division rival. The Eagles were embarrassed on national TV last Sunday night and nobody wants a part of this team at the betting window right now. Philadelphia has dropped two straight games and sits a game behind Dallas in the NFC East. The season is far from lost and this is their fifth road game of the season including this being their third straight. Philadelphia is 8-1 ATS in its last nine games when playing against a l team with a winning percentage of .750 or better. 10* (261) Philadelphia Eagles

This is a play on the DETROIT LIONS for our NFL Game of the Month. Detroit got hosed on Monday night as a couple late penalties cost them a chance at winning at Green Bay and improving to 3-1-1. The Lions could be 5-0 as they had Kansas City on the ropes and let Arizona back late in the game in their opener. Now they are catching points at home because of recency bias. The other part of that is how good Minnesota looked against the Eagles last week but the Vikings outgained Philadelphia by just 47 yards and were fortunate in facing a ravaged Eagles secondary. They been able to take advantage of suspect offensive lines but that will not be the case here as the Lions possess an under the radar solid offensive line. The Vikings are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games following a straight up win of more than 14 points while the Lions are 5-1 ATS in their last six games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game. 10* (458) Detroit Lions

This is a play on the INDIANAPOLIS COLTS for our NFL Sunday Enforcer. We lost playing against the Texans last week and this is another situation of recency bias. Houston is coming off a pair of big wins over Atlanta and Kansas City so this line had to be placed where it is knowing the public would be all over the Texans side. While they have been playing well, it was not that long ago that Houston put up 10 and 13 points against Carolina and Jacksonville respectively and that has been forgotten. The Colts are coming off that win over the Chiefs and had a bye last week so they have a solid scheduling edge this week as well. While Jacoby Brissett is no Andrew Luck, he lines up behind arguably the best offensive line in the NFL so the solid Houston pass rush will be limited here. Houston is 4-13 ATS in its last 17 road games off an upset win as an underdog while the Colts are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games against teams with a winning record. 10* (454) Indianapolis Colts

This is a play on the DENVER BRONCOS for our NFL Thursday Star Attraction. After opening the season 0-4, the Broncos have won their last two games as the defense has really stepped up, allowing just one touchdown over that span and recording their first shutout since 2017 last week. Part of the reason for this recent success on defense is that the Broncos have five takeaways the last two weeks after having none in their first four games. New head coach Vic Fangio a defensive guy so his system looks to be finally taking hold. Denver has been a bit unlucky along the way as it has outgained four of six opponents and three of the four losses were by one possession including as pair by just two points. Denver is +31.5 ypg in yardage differential while the Chiefs are -15.8 ypg and both have played similar ranked schedules. Kansas City has dropped two straight games as it has on the negative side of time of possession by a combined 77:03-42:57 so the secret could be out. Denver has the ability to smash it and can keep control of the ball. The public is all over Kansas City which comes as no surprise being a high profile team that has dropped two straight games yet the line has come down, going from as much as -5.5 down to -3. Here, we play against road teams off two or more consecutive upset losses as a favorite, with a winning record on the season playing a losing team. This situation is 31-9 ATS (77.5 percent) since 1983. 10* (304) Denver Broncos

This is a play on the GREEN BAY PACKERS for our NFL Monday Enforcer. First place is on the line tonight in the best division in football which is the only one in the NFL that boasts four winning teams. Detroit suffered its first loss of the season two weeks ago against Kansas City and that defeat is looking worse now with the Chiefs having lost their last two games, both coming at home. We think the Lions are a little overrated at this point as they are ranked No. 21 in the current power rankings. After sweeping the season series the last two years, Detroit has won four in a row against Green Bay for the first time since the 1982 and 1983 seasons and that certainly has the attention of the Packers. Green Bay is coming off a big win over Dallas last Sunday to remain in first place in the NFC North. The lone loss came here against the Eagles in a game where it actually outgained the Eagles by 155 total yards. Here, we play against underdogs or pickems that are averaging 5.8 or more yppl going up against teams allowing 5.8 or more yppl, after allowing 400 or more total yards in their previous game. This situation is 36-13 ATS (73.5 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (276) Green Bay Packers

This is a play on the KANSAS CITY CHIEFS for our AFC Game of the Year. All week, the media has been crushing Kansas City and Patrick Mahomes following the poor performance against the Colts and when elite teams are coming off games like that, bounce back efforts happen more often than not. The Chiefs were outgained by just seven yards against Indianapolis so there is no reason to take the loss from last week too serious. The Chiefs are 4-1 ATS in their last five home games against teams with a winning road record. Houston put up 53 points last week against Atlanta which was 43 more points than what they put up in their previous game against Carolina. The feedback is the opposite of Kansas City as everyone is gushing about Houston now. The Texans hit the road and going back, they are 3-10 ATS in their last 13 road games against teams with a winning home record. Remember, no team is as good as it looked or as bad as it looked in its previous game. 10* (258) Kansas City Chiefs

This is a play on the CLEVELAND BROWNS for our NFL Sunday Star Attraction. Seattle is coming off a big divisional win over the Rams last Thursday and while they have had extra time to prepare, this presents a letdown opportunity. Even more so, west coast teams traveling east for an early game. The Seahawks are 4-1 on the season despite getting outgained in two of their wins including a one-point win over lowly Cincinnati. The Seahawks are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games following a straight up win. Cleveland will be an unpopular play this week based on its awful performance Monday night as well as the fact it will have had for less days than Seattle to get ready. The Browns outgained three of their first four opponents so the game against the 49ers is an aberration and a dropped to touchdown pass by Antonio Calloway, who was rusty following a four-game suspension, impacted the game completely. The Browns are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following a straight up loss. 10* (256) Cleveland Browns

This is a play on the NEW YORK GIANTS for our NFL Thursday Star Attraction. This is the ultimate contrarian play as the Giants are now up to a 17-point underdog against New England as they looks to bounce back from a poor effort against the Vikings following a two-game winning streak. Many are pointing to injuries for New York as it will be without Saquon Barkley once again and will also be missing wide receiver Sterling Shephard and tight end Evan Engram. With the struggles of the Giants defense, Tom Brady is going to put up some points and Daniel Jones is going to have to hang with him. This is the fourth time already this season New England has been favored by more than two touchdowns which tells us one of two things. The Patriots are exceptionally good or the schedule has been exceptionally soft. We can all it a mix of both as New England has covered two of the three big spreads but those were against awful teams and taking out the game against the 4-1 Bills which they easily could have lost, the Patriots four other opponents are a combined 1-17. Here, we play against teams averaging 27 or more ppg going up against teams allowing between 23-27 ppg, after allowing 14 points or less in two straight games. This situation is 33-11 ATS (75 percent) since 1983. 10* (103) New York Giants

This is a play on the CLEVELAND BROWNS for our NFL Monday Star Attraction. San Francisco is off to a 3-0 start it is not overly impressive. The 49ers have defeated a poor Tampa Bay team, a winless Cincinnati team and a Pittsburgh team without its starting quarterback. Overall, those teams are a combined 3-12 and the strength of schedule is ranked No. 24. Even coming off a bye week, they are banged up. The 49ers suffered a significant loss in their latest win with a foot injury that will sideline cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon for at least a month. The other major injury the 49ers are dealing with is at left tackle, where veteran Joe Staley will miss at least six weeks with a broken leg. Cleveland is now 2-2 following its big win in Baltimore last Sunday and a win here is necessary to remain in first place in the AFC North which is now just a two-team race with Cincinnati and Pittsburgh out of it. This line opened at -3 and has steadily increased throughout the week so we are getting some great value. Here, we play against home favorites of 3.5 to 10 points that are averaging 370 or more ypg on offense going up against a team with a defense allowing between 335 and 370 ypg. This situation is 61-28 ATS (68.5 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (477) Cleveland Browns

This is a play on the INDIANAPOLIS COLTS for our NFL Sunday Star Attraction. Kansas City is rolling along again as it is off to a 4-0 start although it did fail to cover for the first time last Sunday against the Lions. The Chiefs have now scored 25 points in all 23 games he has been under center which is pretty extraordinary when you think about it. The problem is, Kansas City has not had a defense for him. That is the case again this season. Over the last two games, the Chiefs had Baltimore subdued but allowed a couple late scores to make things more interesting and needed a last minute touchdown last week after giving up 30 points to the Lions. Over the last two seasons, the Chiefs have been double-digit favorites only twice, both last year, going 1-1 ATS but those were against Arizona and Oakland, two of the worst teams in the league at the time. Indianapolis is not a bad team and this line is simply too high. In the playoff game last year, the line was -4 so this line is saying Andrew Luck is worth seven points and that is a bit inflated. 10* (475) Indianapolis Colts

This is a play on the PITTSBURGH STEELERS for our AFC North Game of the Year. Why is everybody so high on Baltimore? The Ravens opened the season with a 59-10 win over the Dolphins and we know what they are made of. They then struggled to beat the Cardinals, fell down big against Kansas City before a couple late scores and were blasted by Cleveland. The defense has been awful as they have allowed 500 yards in two straight games for the first time in franchise history and the 40 points allowed last week were the second most under head coach John Harbaugh. Offensively, Lamar Jackson has digressed since the first two games as last week, a 50-yard touchdown in the final minute skewed his numbers. The Steelers picked up their first win of the season over the Bengals as quarterback Mason Rudolph led a very efficient offense. There have been critics about how much he checked down but he got the job done and he will air it out more downfield against a banged up secondary. Pittsburgh has had trouble running the ball but Baltimore cannot stop the run, allowing 4.9 ypc which is fifth worst in the NFL. 10* (452) Pittsburgh Steelers

This is a play on the LOS ANGELES RAMS for our NFL Thursday Star Attraction. This line opened at a pickem and has been driven up a couple points as everyone is down on the Rams now after their pathetic defensive performance against the Buccaneers last Sunday. Los Angeles still outgained Tampa Bay by 54 total yards but they were undone by four turnovers that included three interceptions by Jared Goff. The Rams are now 3-1 on the season as they have outgained all four opponents. The Rams are 5-0 ATS in their last five games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game. A lot of people are sold on Seattle but we are not one of those. The Seahawks beat a bad Cincinnati team by one point, beat a Pittsburgh team that lost Ben Roethlisberger, lost to New Orleans and beat a bad Arizona team. Many will talk about how Seattle has the distinct rushing advantage here but that is not the case based upon the ypc model. Based on ypc averages, the Rams have a better ypc average on offense, allow fewer ypc on defense and have a positive differential between its offense and defense. The Seahawks are 1-5 ATS in their last six games after allowing less than 15 points in their previous game. Here, we play against home teams where the line is +3 to -3 after scoring 25 points or more in two straight games going up against an opponent after a playing a game where 50 total points or more were scored. This situation is 49-20 ATS (71 percent) since 1983. 10* (301) Los Angeles Rams

This is a play on the CINCINNATI BENGALS for our NFL Monday Enforcer. A few years ago this would have been a marquee Monday night game but now last place is on the line. Ben Roethlisberger's season-ending right-elbow injury and a defense that's been unable to get critical stops has Pittsburgh facing just its second 0-4 start in 1968. Not much was expected of Cincinnati this season and that has proven to be correct as the Bengals are also 0-3 but they have been more consistent of the two teams. Cincinnati had a chance last week against Buffalo but allowed a late touchdown to remain winless. It also could have won the season opener against Seattle but lost by a point despite outgaining the Seahawks by 197 total yards. The Bengals have lost eight straight and 11 of 12 against the Steelers but of course there is no Roethlisberger this time around. The Bengals are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 road games while the Steelers are 1-5 ATS in their last six games after allowing more than 150 yards rushing in their previous game. Here, we play on road teams that are getting outrushed by their opponents by 40 or more ypg on the season, after being outrushed by 100 or more yards last game. This situation is 23-4 ATS (85.2 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (277) Cincinnati Bengals

This is a play on the NEW ORLEANS SAINTS for our NFL Sunday Star Attraction. Dallas looks like one of the top teams in the league right now after starting the season 3-0 straight up and against the number. Digging deeper however shows this might not be the case. The Cowboys are ranked No. 8 in the Sagarin power rankings and this is due to the schedule they have seen as they have played the easiest schedule in the NFL as they have faced teams that are a combined 1-8. Certainly, this is not their fault but because of the record, they are being overvalued and that is the case here being listed as road favorites in one of the toughest environments in the league. New Orleans is 2-1 on the season which includes an impressive win over Seattle last week to conclude a two-game roadtrip. The stats were not pretty but things will get better. The Saints are entering their second full game with quarterback Teddy Bridgewater taking first-team snaps in place of the injured Drew Brees and expect to see progress from a unit that gained 265 yards and accounted for three of the Saints' five touchdowns. In those same Sagarin power rankings, New Orleans is actually one spot higher than Dallas which again proves the wrong team is favored. Here, we play against road favorites averaging 5.7 or more yppl, after gaining 450 or more total yards in two consecutive games. This situation is 31-9 ATS (77.5 percent) since 1983. 10* (276) New Orleans Saints

This is a play on the HOUSTON TEXANS for our NFL Game of the Month. The world got a taste of Kyle Allen last week in place of Cam Newton and he was great by going 19-26 for 261 yards and four touchdowns but that came against one of the projected worst defenses in the NFL. Additionally, there was not much tape on Allen so Arizona was prepared for what was coming but Houston has the luxury of a pair of game tapes. The Panthers put up a season-high 38 points last week and that output is keeping this line in check as the Texans are giving just a point and a half more than the Cardinals laid and there is no way those two teams are a difference of a point and a half. The Panthers are 1-8 ATS in their last nine games after allowing less than 250 total yards in their previous game. Houston is off to a 2-1 start following an upset win at Los Angeles last week over the Chargers. They could and should be 3-0 but allowed the Saints to drive downfield in under a minute to kick the game winning field goal. This is the first of two straight home games and Houston could take early charge in the AFC South with a sweep. Here, we play against road underdogs or pickems coming off an upset win by 14 points or more as an underdog. This situation is 141-87 ATS (61.8 percent) since 1983. 10* (252) Houston Texans

This is a play on the PHILADELPHIA EAGLES for our NFL Thursday Star Attraction. We love this spot for the Eagles on Thursday night. They have dropped two straight games by a combined seven points including a loss at home against Detroit this past Sunday despite outgaining the Lions by 86 total yards. Dropping to 1-3 will not completely kill their season, but it will not help matters as it is still a sizeable hole to climb out of. Only 27 teams that started the season 1-3 have made the playoffs so it is a challenge. The Eagles are 4-0 ATS in their last four games against teams with a winning record. Green Bay is off to a perfect 3-0 start and it is being led by the defense that is allowing just 11.7 ppg which is second best in the NFL. The issue is the Packers have been fortunate to keep the points off the board as they are No. 13 in total defense, allowing 328.3 ypg. A big reason for this variance is that Green Bay is +6 in turnover differential and this positive uptake will not last throughout the season. The Packers are getting outgained by 41.7 ypg which is not a good sign but the fact they are 3-0 straight up and ATS is putting the public behind them and in a big way. 10* (101) Philadelphia Eagles

This is a play on the WASHINGTON REDSKINS for our NFL Monday Enforcer. The Bears go into Monday night's matchup with the third-worst offense in the NFL through the first two weeks of the season. Chicago's offense has produced just one touchdown through two games, a one-yard-run by David Montgomery last week, and Mitch Trubisky is a combined 42 of 72 for 348 yards and an interception. They do get to face the third worst defense in the NFL and while some of that can be attributed to bad play, facing the Eagles and Cowboys the first two weeks did not help. On the other side, we know all about the stout Bears defense but the Washington offense has been pretty solid as Case Keenum has done his part, throwing for 601 yards and five touchdown passes with no interceptions. The Redskins have been solid in these spots are they are 8-0 ATS in their last eight games against winning teams when coming off a pair of losses. The Bears are 1-5 ATS in their last six road games against teams with a losing home record. Here, we play on underdogs or pickems that allowed 335 or more total ypg, after allowing 450 or more total yards in their previous game. This situation is 34-13 ATS (72.3 percent) since 1983. 10* (490) Washington Redskins

This is a play on the DENVER BRONCOS for our NFL Game of the Week. Denver is 0-2 for the first time since 1999 but it has played better than that 0-2 record indicates. The Broncos lost by eight points at Oakland in the season opener but outgained the Raiders and last week, they lost at home by two points against Chicago yet still outgained the Bears. Joe Flacco has been criticized but he has been very good with 280 ypg while tossing two touchdowns and just one pick. Green Bay is off to the opposite start with a 2-0 record but it has also been opposite in the stats. The Packers were outgained by both Chicago and Minnesota and coming of a pair of divisional wins, they are in for a letdown as well as a lookahead to the Eagles on a short week as they face Philadelphia next Thursday night. The line is way too big as records alone cannot dictate a line. Here, we play against favorites off a home win, in the first month of the season. This situation is 78-37 ATS (67.8 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (461) Denver Broncos

This is a play on the KANSAS CITY CHIEFS for our NFL Sunday Star Attraction. The Chiefs head back to Kansas City for their home opener after posting a pair of double-digit wins on the road. Playing Jacksonville and Oakland helps but those are not horrible teams. Patrick Mahomes has been sensational with 821 passing yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions. They have looked very impressive as expected and this has been a very odd line move as the number has come down from initial opening. The Chiefs are 17-8-1 ATS in their last 26 games following a straight up win. The line movement is due to the start of the Baltimore Ravens which are also off to a 2-0 start. Their level of opposition has been much worse though that has definitely played into the record. Lamar Jackson has been a pleasant early surprise but the jury is still out as facing the Dolphins, with the worse roster in the league, and the Cardinals, with the worst passing defense in the league last season, has played a role. Here we play on home favorites off a win by 10 points or more over a division rival, team that had a winning record last season. This situation is 37-12 (75.5 percent) since 1983. 9* (466) Kansas City Chiefs

This is a play on the TENNESSEE TITANS for our NFL Thursday Enforcer. We would normally take a look at the home underdog in a primetime game but not in this case as the Jaguars are a mess right now. They are down to their second string quarterback and last week, Jalen Ramsey got into a sideline fight with Doug Marrone and has now demanded a trade. From a matchup standpoint, the defenses should decide this game. Jacksonville is allowing 119.5 rushing ypg through two weeks, and with the Titans being a team that relies heavily on their running game, that is good news for Tennessee. On the other side, the Titans ranked eighth in the league in defense last year, and through two games in 2019, they have allowed just 32 points, and they have played some potent offenses. Offensively, look for Marcus Mariota to target tight end Delanie Walker and wide receiver Adam Humphries more than last week, especially on third down. Here, we play on road teams against division opponents, first month of the season, non-playoff team from last season who won four or more of their last five games. This situation is 30-9 ATS (76.9 percent) since 1983. 10* (301) Tennessee Titans

This is a play on the LOS ANGELES RAMS for our NFL Sunday Star Attraction. This is the rematch of that controversial NFC Championship Game and while the word revenge will be tossed around leading up to the game, we are not a fan of road revenge in this spot. The Rams are coming off a win in Carolina last Sunday by three points and while the offense did not look very good, we can expect a bounce back this week against a Saints defense that allowed 414 total yards against the Texans. New Orleans defeated Houston on Monday Night Football but we still cashed on the Texans and the Saints are now on a 1-10 ATS run in the first two weeks of the season the last six years. The Saints now hit the road for the first time where they were excellent last season but going back, they have failed to cover four straight games against teams with a winning record. Here, we play on home favorites that outscored opponents by 4.0 or more ppg last season, after scoring 30 points or more last game. This situation is 45-18 ATS (71.4 percent) since 1983. 10* (284) Los Angeles Rams

This is a play on the PITTSBURGH STEELERS for our NFL Game of the Week. Pittsburgh got hammered in New England last week by 30 points as the offense managed a mere field goal on 15 first downs. Playing that New England defense can do that to a team and we expect the Steelers to come out with a lot more fire than they showed last week. Returning home certainly helps where the Steelers are 23-9 over the last four seasons. Seattle is coming off a one-point win over Cincinnati at home and it did not look good in doing so. The Seahawks were outgained by 196 total yards and Ben Roethlisberger is licking his chops after Andy Dalton threw for a career high 418 yards. The public is down on the Steelers and is rushing to grab the points with Seattle as fast as they can. However, we have actually seen the line move to -4 in some places even though 75 percent of the bets are backing Seattle. Here, we play on teams that lost their opening game on the road and are back home in Week Two. This situation is 41-25-1 ATS (62.1 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (276) Pittsburgh Steelers

This is a play on the CAROLINA PANTHERS for our NFL Thursday Enforcer. It was a disappointing opening week for both Carolina and Tampa Bay as both lost at home in Week One. The Buccaneers were the bigger disappointment however as they lost to San Francisco in a bad way, committing four turnovers in the two-touchdown loss. The Panthers rallied from a 13-0 deficit to within three points on two different occasions but fell short against the Rams. After a sloe start, the offense moved the ball great in the second half under the new Norv Turner offense and we expect that to carry over into Thursday on a short turnaround that favors the home team. Carolina is 11-3 ATS in its last 14 home games after allowing 30 points or more last game and it falls into a great situation as we play on NFL division home teams on Thursdays coming off a home loss. This situation is 12-4 ATS (75 percent) since 1980. 10* (102) Carolina Panthers

This is a play on the HOUSTON TEXANS for our NFL Monday Enforcer. A lot of talk is about how New Orleans will be extremely motivated following the controversial playoff loss from last season against the Rams. That shows the short memory these people have considering the Saints lost on a last play against the Vikings in the playoffs two years ago and opened last season with a home loss against Tampa Bay. Houston is no less motivated to get the season off to a positive start as it is also coming off a playoff loss following an 11-2 end to the regular season. This line is severely overinflated for the Saints against a team that has one of the best overall rosters in the league. Here, we play against home teams that allowed 7.0 or more passing ypa last season, in non-conference games. This situation is 28-8 ATS (77.8 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (479) Houston Texans

This is a play on the CAROLINA PANTHERS for our NFL Game of the Week. The public are victims of recency bias and are inclined to back the Rams because of their Super Bowl trip. They opened as three-point road favorites and despite nearly 80 percent of bets backing Los Angeles, the line remained frozen. Late this week, the line has actually come down which makes this the perfect case of reverse line movement. Cam Newton is healthy and feels better than ever. Here, we play against the defending Super Bowl loser if on the road in the season opener in non-conference games. This situation is 14-1 ATS (93.3 percent) since 1990. 10* (468) Carolina Panthers

This is a play on the MIAMI DOLPHINS for our NFL Sunday Enforcer. The Miami fire sale continued this past week and the betting markets are making their adjustments. The Ravens opened as 3.5-point road favorites and they are receiving nearly 90 percent of bets, making them the top public play of Week One. This massive backing pushed Baltimore all the way to -7 midweek. As bad as Miami is considered to be, Baltimore is not a touchdown better, especially on the road. Here, we play on underdogs or pickems that allowed 385 or more total ypg last season. This situation is 30-8 ATS (78.9 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (460) Miami Dolphins

This is a play on the NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS for our Super Bowl LIII Winner. A ton of sharp money came in on New England as soon as the line was posted, which caused it to move 2 whole points in just nine minutes. It has gone up another half-point since then and settled in at 2.5 for most of this week despite a majority of later action coming in on the Rams. There are some spots where -2 is available at a little added juice but laying the 2.5 points is more than fine as it comes in under the key number of three. When it first came out, we had a lean on the Rams but based on the sharp money reports and matchup analysis, we have shifted to New England. Covers writer Patrick Everson spoke with Aaron Kessler at the Golden Nugget about what has been happening and what is to be predicted. "We were getting one-sided action early on the Patriots," Kessler said of what prompted the move to 3, and oddly enough, the first wager that came in at that number was a low-five-figure bet on the Patriots. But that course quickly changed. "We're back to 2.5 flat, plenty of Rams money flowing in. If I had to guess, I'd say it closes 2.5." The shift to the Patriots is mostly based on how its offensive line is playing and how it has protected Tom Brady. The majority of the talking heads and gasbags claim that the Rams have the talent up front to disrupt that offense line and make Brady move but we do not think that will be the case even though the defensive line is very talented. Running the ball behind that offensive line will be key as well. Since the Belichick-Brady era began in 2000, they are 11-0 in the postseason when a player rushes for 100 yards, and 51-1 in the regular season. The Rams allow a below average 4.8 ypc. Even though they are favored, New England is still acting like the underdog and that is a big motivational factor. New England is 17-4 ATS against teams allowing 350 or more ypg while the Rams are 5-15-1 ATS in their last 21 games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game. 10* (101) New England Patriots

This is a play on the KANSAS CITY CHIEFS for our NFL Playoff Game of the Year. This line is holding strong at -3 and will likely stay on this number before kickoff. Some demons were removed last week with Kansas City as it defeated the Colts and essentially removed any pressure going forward. The Chiefs have had one of their best seasons in years and appear to have finally found their franchise quarterback in Patrick Mahomes. But in order to complete their ascension, they will need to beat the very best the NFL has to offer in Bill Belichick and the Patriots. New England has had a dynasty going for a while now yet they are only 3-4 in the postseason on the road under Belichick, which opens the door for a team as well-coached and dangerous as the Chiefs to perhaps negate that advantage. Additionally, the Patriots went 3-5 on the road this season with all five of those losses coming against non-playoff teams. w England played a near flawless game last week against the Chargers but it did catch Los Angeles in a tough spot having to play its second straight road game on the east coast in an early game. Much is being said about how cold it is going to be in Kansas City and how good of a cold-weather quarterback Tom Brady is. Those claims are pretty false however as he is not great in real cold weather (20 and under). He has completed 125 of 223 passes (56.1 percent) for 1,307 yards, 10 touchdowns, and four interceptions while posting a QB rating of 80.7. here, we play on home favorites in the second half of the season that are outgaining opponents by 0.4 to 1 yppl going up against a team with a +/- 0.4 yppl differential, after gaining 400 or more total yards in their previous game. This situation is 72-37 ATS (66.1 percent) since 1983. 10* (314) Kansas City Chiefs

This is a play on the NEW ORLEANS SAINTS for our Sunday NFL Eagles/Saints Winner. This is the first time since 2009 that the Saints have had a first round bye and with this being one of the best home fields in the NFL, this is big for New Orleans. Since the beginning of the Drew Brees/Sean Payton era in 2006 the team has a 7-5 postseason record. Payton and Brees are 5-0 in home playoff games, including 2-0 at home in the divisional round. In those five home games, Brees threw for 1,529 yards with 12 touchdown passes against one interception and his career playoff passer rating in New Orleans is 116.8. Another big reason that New Orleans got a bye was for rest purposes as the offense started to look tired down the stretch. It was actually a two-week layoff for most starters as they rested Week 17. What Nick Foles has done has been incredible the last two seasons but this is where we feel the magic ends. Philadelphia was 6-7 and outside of the playoff picture when it turned to Foles. Including the playoffs, he has now started 12 games for Philadelphia the last two seasons, and the Eagles have won 10 of them. The Saints dominated Wentz in the first meeting this season and they should do the same to Foles this week. Philadelphia is 4-13 ATS revenging a road loss by 14 points while the Saints are 25-6 ATS in their last 31 home games against teams with a winning road record. Here, we play against road underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points that are coming off two consecutive road wins, with a winning record on the season playing another winning team. This situation is 25-5 ATS (83.3 percent) since 1983 with the average margin of victory being +14.1 ppg. 10* (308) New Orleans Saints

This is a play on the DALLAS COWBOYS for our Saturday NFL Cowboys/Rams Winner. The Rams stormed out of the gate with an 8-0 record but they became pretty average the rest of the season as they went 5-3 over the final eight games. With the exception of an early season win over the Chargers, Los Angeles struggled against playoff teams as it went 3-3 in six games with the three wins coming by a combined 10 points. Jared Goff was outstanding to start the season but over the last six weeks of the season, he has dealt with much more pressure, and as the pressure came, so did his mistakes. While the regression of Goff played a big part in the second half, the defense performed pretty bad as well. In those final six games against playoff teams, the Rams allowed 33.8 ppg and on the season, the Rams allowed a higher ypc average than any other team in the league. This means Ezekiel Elliott could go off again after gaining 137 yards against the Seahawks last week. Additionally, Dak Prescott kept the Seattle defense off balance with quarterback draws and sweeps and he will utilize that again in keeping the ultra-aggressive Rams front seven on their toes which will slow the pass rush down. On the other side, if the Cowboys defense plays a similar game that they did against the Saints, they can win this game outright. This is a home game for the Rams but the stadium will not be fully Los Angeles fans. A 50/50 split that some say is coming seems unlikely as the Rams' success the past two years has strengthened their hold on the bulk of locals but 60/40 or 65/35 isn't out of the question. Dallas is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 games against teams allowing 350 ypg. 10* (303) Dallas Cowboys

This is a play on the PHILADELPHIA EAGLES for our Sunday NFL Eagles/Bears Winner. The Eagles are back in the playoffs behind the arm of Nick Foles, who has made three starts, and a defense that has played well down the stretch. The defense has given up only 4.8 yppl in his starts (for reference, the Bears and Ravens tied for best in the NFL in the regular season, allowing 4.8 yppl), and a lot of this can be attributed to Foles and the offense in his ability to slow down the game. Facing the Bears defense will be a challenge but he was able to defeat the No. 8 pass defense of the Rams in his first start this year. We are catching an inflated number due to the Bears cover success of late as they are 9-1 ATS over their last 10 games. Chicago has impressed for sure and that defense is obviously the strength. The offense averaged just 5.6 yppl on the season and the Bears are not going to change much based on the somewhat limited Mitchell Trubisky. He has not exactly impressed since returning from his shoulder as they are averaging just 19.3 ppg and he has only four touchdowns compared to three interceptions in those four games. The Eagles are 8-1 ATS in their last nine games against defenses allowing 90 or fewer ypg rushing while Chicago is 7-18 ATS in its last 25 games off an upset win over a division rival as an underdog. Here, we play against favorites of 3.5 to 10 points after a game where they forced no turnovers going up against an opponent after a game where they committed one or less turnovers. This situation is 55-25 ATS (68.8 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (107) Philadelphia Eagles

This is a play on the DALLAS COWBOYS for our Saturday NFL Seahawks/Cowboys Winner. We expect to see a good deal of running the football in this matchup and the edge goes to Dallas in a strength against strength on one side and strength against weakness on the other. Seattle finished the regular season first in rushing yards per game and fifth in yards per carry so it will continue to try and pound the ball. However, this will be an excellent test against a Dallas defense ranked fifth in yards per carry allowed, led by linebackers Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch. On the other side, Dallas was ranked 10th in rushing offense led by Ezekiel Elliott who gashed the Seahawks defense with 127 yards on 16 carries (7.9 ypc) in the first meeting and this was a problem for the Seahawks all season. They finished dead last in the NFL in yards per carry average at 4.9 so Elliot should have another big game. The Cowboys are 16-4 in 20 games when he rushes for 100 yards and while one of those losses was against the Seahawks, that game was in Seattle and Dallas has only lost to Green Bay at home in those 100-yard games. The Cowboys are 7-0 ATS in their last seven games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game and they fall into a successful situation where we play on teams where the line is +3 to -3 averaging between 18 and 23 ppg going up against a team averaging between 23 and 27, after a playing a game where 60 total points or more were scored. This situation is 38-13 ATS (74.5 percent) since 1983. 10* (104) Dallas Cowboys

This is a play on the TENNESSEE TITANS for our NFL Sunday Night Primetime Winner. The Titans have won four in row, and their strength is their defense. Tennessee is second in the NFL in scoring defense, allowing just 18.0 ppg, and they have not yielded more than 16 points in any of their past three games. Some will scoff at that four-game winning streak considering the wins came against the Jets, Jaguars, Giants and Redskins but many will forget the two-game winning streak prior to that against the Patriots and Cowboys. Indianapolis has won eight of its last nine games but half of those wins came by a field goal or less, three coming at home and while blowout wins over Dallas and Tennessee look impressive, they were at home and the one against the Titans, Mariota left the game in the second quarter. Colts quarterback Andrew Luck has owned the Titans since he entered the league. He is 10-0 against Tennessee, but Luck noted this week that the past doesn't have any impact on this game and he is 100 percent correct. Here, we play against road teams in the second half of the season with a winning percentage between .600 and .750 after one or more consecutive wins, playing a team with a winning percentage between .501 and .600. This situation is 79-40 ATS (66.4 percent) since 1983. 10* (322) Tennessee Titans

This is a play on the HOUSTON TEXANS for our NFL Game of the Month. By way of CBS Sports, the Texas have four chances to secure a first round bye but only two are realistic. First, if they win Sunday against the Jaguars and have the Patriots lose or tie, they are the No. 2 seed. Second, the Texans can also win, have the Chiefs lose, the Chargers lose and get the strength of victory tiebreaker over the Chiefs. Houston lost to Philadelphia last week but became the sixth team since 1980 to reach the playoffs after a 0-3 start on Sunday evening when Pittsburgh lost to New Orleans. The Texans will rely on Deshaun Watson who has played clean football over the past five games, throwing eight touchdown passes with no interceptions and running for three more scores. The Jaguars defense played well again against Miami but they have a bigger challenge this week and the offense continues to sputter. Jacksonville is 4-18 ATS in its last 22 games after allowing 200 or less total yards in their previous game. Here, we play on teams in the second half of the season averaging fewer than 1.25 turnovers per game going up against teams forcing fewer than 1.25 tpg, after four consecutive games where they committed one or less turnovers. This situation is 52-27 ATS (65.8 percent) since 1983. 10* (314) Houston Texans

This is a play on the OAKLAND RAIDERS for our NFL Monday Enforcer. This is one of the better rivalries in the NFL and it should be no different tonight. The Raiders could be hosting their last ever game in Oakland so the scene will be pretty intense and gives the Raiders a significant edge. While it has been a disappointing season for the Raiders, they have played better of late as they have outgained three of their last opponents while one of the exceptions was getting outgained by Kansas City by just 27 yards. One of the players who has caught a lot of flak is Derek Carr but he has passed for 3,697 yards and 19 touchdowns and has not thrown an interception in the last nine games. The Broncos have lost two straight games following a three-game winning streak and the talk of head coach Vance Joseph of getting fired are getting stronger. Going back, the Broncos are 3-12 ATS in their last 15 games following an ATS loss including going 0-6 ATS in their last six games following consecutive losses against the spread. Here, we play against teams that are averaging 4.5 or more rushing ypc, after gaining 50 or less rushing yards last game. This situation is 62-32 ATS (66 percent) since 1983. 10* (132) Oakland Raiders

This is a play on the SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS for our NFL Game of the Week. The Bears have clinched a playoff berth thanks to a pair of home wins over the Rams and Packers. They finished 7-1 at home but they are only 3-3 on the road and while there was a blowout win at Buffalo, the other two victories were far from dominating as they were outgained in Detroit by 69 yards and won by just two points at Arizona. To their credit, all three road losses could have been wins but the makeup of this team shows that Chicago should not be laying a significant number on the road. The 49ers are just 4-10 on the season but continue to play hard and they are coming off a pair of impressive wins over Seattle and Denver. San Francisco is 0-7 on the road but it does have a winning record at home and can close the season with its first winning record at home since 2013. Quarterback Nick Mullens has been excellent since taking over as he has a QB Rating of 96 in his six games and he is 3-1 at home with the lone loss coming by just four points. Here, we play against road teams with a winning percentage between .600 and .750 after covering the spread in five or six out of their last seven games, playing a team with a losing record. This situation is 82-45 ATS (64.6 percent) since 1983. 10* (126) San Francisco 49ers

This is a play on the LOS ANGELES CHARGERS for our NFL Saturday Enforcer. Because the Chargers are coming off a Thursday game and are at home while Baltimore is travelling on a short week, Los Angeles has a significant situational edge. The Chargers are coming off a last-second victory at Kansas City that pulled them into a tie with the Chiefs atop the AFC West. Kansas City holds the tiebreaker, so Los Angeles will have to win out and hope for the Chiefs to lose once to claim the top seed. The Chargers have won four straight games, the last three without running back Melvin Gordon and those games were all close and with Gordon back, the offense gets back another weapon. The Chargers are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games against teams with a winning record. Baltimore has won four of its last five games which has coincided with quarterback Lamar Jackson taking over for Joe Flacco. However, Jackson has fumbled an NFL-high seven times since Week 11, losing three of those, and this Chargers defense is primed for takeaways. The Ravens might currently hold the final wild-card spot in the AFC, but that could change dramatically if they can't upset the Chargers. A Ravens victory gets them up to an 82 percent chance to make the playoffs, while a loss drops them to just 16 percent. The Ravens are 2-6-1 ATS in their last nine games after allowing less than 15 points in their previous game while going 1-4 ATS against teams with a winning record. 10* (124) Los Angeles Chargers

This is a play on the CAROLINA PANTHERS for our NFL Monday Enforcer. Halfway through the season, it looked as though the Panthers were going to make some noise as they were 6-2 and trailed New Orleans by just one game. Then came a five-game losing streak and now Carolina is fighting for its playoff life. While things are looking bleak, the Panthers have not been playing bad as they have outgained each of their last four opponents with all of the losses coming by just one possession. The schedule has not been on their side either with four of the last five games coming on the road. The Saints have not exactly been tearing things up of late as they are averaging just 262 ypg over their last three games and have been outgained in two of those while outgaining the Buccaneers by only 19 yards last week. This is the third straight road game for New Orleans which is never an ideal situation and the Saints close out with two home games. The Saints have been favored by more than a field goal on the road four times and while they have covered three of those, those were all against teams out of playoff contention. Carolina is 14-3 ATS in its last 17 home games in the second half of the season against teams averaging 375 or more ypg and here, we play against favorites that are outscoring opponents by 10 or more ppg, after allowing 14 points or less in two straight games. This situation is 35-12 ATS (74.5 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (332) Carolina Panthers

This is a play on the PITTSBURGH STEELERS as part of our NFL Sunday Trifecta. Pittsburgh had won six straight games but it has lost its last three games and is just a half-game ahead of Baltimore in the AFC North. There are five seven-win teams in the AFC so winning out could be the possibility for making the playoffs and it starts against a nemesis. The Steelers are 0-5 in their past five games against the Patriots, including a 27-24 loss at Heinz Field last December that prevented Pittsburgh from earning the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs. Pittsburgh is 19-8 ATS in its last 27 home games in the second half of the season against teams allowing 350 or more ypg. The Patriots are coming off the brutal loss against Miami and they are now a half-game behind Houston for the No. 2 seed and a first round bye. While this game means a lot for them as well, knowing they have the Bills and Jets at home to close the season helps. Here, we play on underdogs or pickems with a winning percentage between .501 and .600 in the second half of the season off an upset loss as a road favorite. This situation is 27-7 ATS (79.4 percent) since 1983. 10* (328) Pittsburgh Steelers

This is a play on the INDIANAPOLIS COLTS as part of our NFL Sunday Trifecta. The Cowboys have turned their season around as a 1-3 stretch has been followed up by a five-game winning streak which has propelled Dallas into first place in the NFC East. They have a two-game lead but hit the road after a three-game homestand and the Cowboys are just 2-4 on the road compared to being 6-1 at home. The Colts bounced back for us last week as they defeated the Texans, snapping their nine-game winning streak. They are tied with Baltimore for the final Wild Card spot in the AFC but are currently out based on the tiebreaker making this a must win. While it could be considered a letdown spot, Indianapolis is 19-8 ATS in its last 27 home games off an upset win as a road underdog. Here, we play against road underdogs or pickems in the second half of the season with a winning percentage between .600 and .750 after two or more consecutive wins playing a team with a winning percentage between .501 and .600. This situation is 36-13 ATS (73.5 percent) since 1983. 10* (314) Indianapolis Colts

This is a play on the HOUSTON TEXANS for our NFL Saturday Enforcer. As a situational handicapper for the most part, this one sets up very well and while this number does not look ideal, it is based on the talent gap and in this case, it is huge. Houston had its nine-game winning streak snapped at home last week against the Colts and now sits two games ahead of Indianapolis in the AFC South with a couple marginal tests remaining. While the Texans have had some close road games, five of the six came against teams still in the playoff hunt and the lone exception resulted in a 13-point win at Jacksonville. Houston is 19-7 ATS in its last 26 games after allowing 400 or more total ypg in their last three games. The Jets snapped a six-game losing streak with a win in Buffalo last week thanks to three Bills turnovers. New York has been outgained in seven of its last eight games including differentials in its last four games of -252, -160, -123 and -120. The Jets are ranked No. 30 in offensive efficiency and that has been the big downfall as the defense has at least been average. It could be even worse this week as New York could be without its leading rusher and second leading receiver. The Jets are 0-5 ATS in their last five games after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game. Here, we play on road favorites with a completion percentage of 60 percent or better, after allowing 7.0 or more passing ypa in three straight games. This situation is 45-18 ATS (71.4 percent) since 1983. 10* (303) Houston Texans

This is a play on the KANSAS CITY CHIEFS for our NFL Thursday Star Attraction. The Chargers do look appealing in this spot based on this being one of the best opportunities to snap their nine-game losing streak against Kansas City. But, there is plenty of motivation on the Chiefs side as well as they can wrap up the division with a win and likely clinch home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Kansas City is 6-0 at home and welcome the Chargers for their second meeting this season after winning in Los Angeles in the season opener. The last two games have been closer than expected but going back, the Chiefs have won the yardage battle in each of their last five games and by an average of 83.8 ypg. The one aspect where home field has made a huge difference is the defense as Kansas City allows 34.1 ppg on the road while giving up just 18.7 ppg at home. The Chargers have won three straight and nine of their last 10 games with the lone loss coming against Denver in a game they lost on a last second field goal. They are playing some of the best football in the NFL but this is a time of year where it has struggled and it is no coincidence. The Chargers are 3-8 in their last 11 games in December and they have lost four straight outright on the road outdoors. Injuries could play a big role here as well as Los Angeles will likely be without running back Melvin Gordon once again as he is doubtful and a game-time decision while Kansas City will be getting defensive back Eric Berry on the field for the first time this season. He we play on home favorites after having won three out of their last four games going up against an opponent, after having won eight or more out of their last 10 games. This situation is 25-5 ATS (83.3 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (302) Kansas City Chiefs

This is a play on the MINNESOTA VIKINGS for our NFL Monday Enforcer. The Vikings are 2-3-1 on the road and while that looks unimpressive, the schedule has been brutal by playing three divisional leaders as well as the Packers and Eagles. Minnesota is coming off a 24-10 loss in New England last Sunday and being a high profile game, most will remember that and carry that recency bias into this week. Additionally, the Seahawks have won three straight games including a 27-point win over the 49ers last week. Impressive on the scoreboard but not impressive in the stats as Seattle was outgained by 121 total yards and was fortunate to win the turnover battle 3-0. While Seattle has had the better ground game this season overall, we could see a flip tonight with Minnesota possessing the better rush game. The Vikings have talked all week of wanting to run it more, and especially to get running back Dalvin Cook, who is averaging 4.2 ypc, more touches. And given that Seattle comes into the game still ranked tied for last in rushing yards allowed per carry at 5.1, it makes sense for the Vikings to try to establish the run. on the other side, the Seahawks are a run-first team, but the only win they have by more than three points over a top-15 run defense is the Cowboys and that was only due to winning the turnover battle 3-0 as they were outrushed 166-113. Seattle will have to go against a Minnesota defense that allows just 3.7 ypc, fifth in the NFL, and has not allowed a run all season of longer than 21 yards compared to every other team that has allowed at least one run of 28 yards. Seattle is 4-17 ATS in its last 21 games off a win by 21 points or more over a division rival while the Vikings are 22-8-1 ATS in their last 31 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game. 10* (133) Minnesota Vikings

This is a play on the PHILADELPHIA EAGLES as part of our NFL Sunday Trifecta. The Eagles made it two straight wins with their win over Washington on Monday night as they caught a break with Colt McCoy having to exit early with a broken leg. Philadelphia is just one game behind Dallas in the NFC East and this is a must won considering the Cowboys won the first meeting as a loss here would realistically put the Eagles three games back. The Eagles are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games following a straight up win of more than 14 points. Dallas has won four straight games starting with that win over the Eagles and culminating with a win over the Saints last Thursday. Dallas has the edge with time off from playing on a Thursday but in a divisional game, we will grab the value. The Cowboys are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games after allowing less than 15 points in their previous game. Here, we play against home favorites of 3.5 to 10 points in the second half of the season in a game involving two teams with a +/- 3 ppg differential, after allowing three points or less in the first half last game. This situation is 40-11 ATS (78.4 percent) since 1983. 10* (129) Philadelphia Eagles

This is a play on the INDIANAPOLIS COLTS as part of our NFL Sunday Trifecta. We played against the Colts last week and while we were confident in the Jaguars defense, we did not expect a shutout. Now Andrew Luck will be out to bounce back which he has done the majority of time in the past. He is an incredible 16-2 straight up and ATS when coming off a loss if his team is .333 or better. The Colts are not in must win mode but they are close as a loss here will keep them at least a game out of the second Wild Card spot. Houston has won nine straight games and while we played against the Texans last week and lost, the dominations are still not there as they were outgained by the Browns with a 4-0 turnover advantage being the difference. Despite being as hot as they are, we feel the Texans are overvalued here as a field goal should be the line in this divisional matchup. Here, we play on underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points revenging a loss where opponent scored 35 or more points, off a loss by seven points or less to a division rival. This situation is 30-9 ATS (76.9 percent) since 1983. 9* (107) Indianapolis Colts

This is a play on the TENNESSEE TITANS for our NFL Thursday Enforcer. Tennessee snapped a two-game slide with a come-from-behind win over the Jets last Sunday as the Titans scored the game winning touchdown with 36 seconds left. They outgained the Jets by 123 total yards and the defense did its job once again as they did not allow and offensive touchdown. Obviously, the Jets offense is garbage but the same can be said about the opponent tonight as well. Tennessee is ranked No. 10 and No. 6 in total defense and scoring defense respectively and will square off against another backup quarterback. Jacksonville is coming off a win over the Colts but not too much can be read into that as it was outgained overall and was bailed out by some questionable Indianapolis moves by taking points off the board and eventually getting stopped on fourth down and not kicking a field goal on another fourth down which resulted in a sack and a turnover on downs. The Jaguars defense played at a high level after a stretch of poor showing and we suspect a reversal to that tonight as they hit the road where they are 1-4. The Jaguars are 8-17-1 ATS in their last 26 games after allowing less than 15 points in their previous game while the Titans are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game. 10* (102) Tennessee Titans

This is a play on the WASHINGTON REDSKINS for our NFL Monday Enforcer. The Eagles lost five of seven games culminating in a 48-7 loss at New Orleans two weeks ago. Things appeared bleak last week as the Eagles faced deficits of 12-0 and 19-3 but wound up rallying for a 25-22 win over the Giants. This may seem like the turning point for Philadelphia but it has not gotten there yet as there are issues on both sides. Washington lost quarterback Alex Smith to a gruesome leg injury and Colt McCoy got thrust into the starting lineup against the Cowboys on a short week. Now, he is coming off a long week after having played on Thanksgiving and while he definitely showed rust 11 days ago, he is in a much better spot now going from facing the No. 5 ranked defense to now facing the No. 24 ranked defense. Washington is 17-2 ATS in its last 19 games in the second half of the season against teams allowing 6.0 or more yppl while the Eagles are 0-6 ATS in their last six games against teams allowing 6.0 or more yppl. Additionally, we play against favorites of 3.5 to 10 points in the second half of the season coming off a win by three points or less over a division rival, with a winning percentage between .450 and .550. This situation is 24-5 ATS (82.8 percent) since 1983. 10* (379) Washington Redskins

This is a play on the CINCINNATI BENGALS for our NFL Game of the Week. The early line on this was Cincinnati -2.5 prior to last Sunday and there is no way Andy Dalton is worth 7.5 points so the value is squarely on the Bengals here. Jeff Driskel was decent last week after coming in and with a full week of preparation and having A.L. Green back, he is not a significant downgrade. The Broncos are coming off consecutive impressive wins over the Chargers and Steelers but what is not shown in the scores is that they were outgained by 154 and 219 total yards respectively. The only other road win for Denver was at 2-9 Arizona. Denver is 3-12 ATS in its last 15 games after allowing 99 or less rushing yards in five straight games while the Bengals are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games after allowing more than 30 points in their previous game. Here, we play against favorites of 3.5 to 10 points with a winning percentage between .400 and .499 after having won two out of their last three games, playing a losing team. This situation is 68-27 ATS (71.6 percent) since 1983. 10* (366) Cincinnati Bengals

This is a play on the DALLAS COWBOYS for our NFL Thursday Enforcer. The Saints are humming along with 10 straight wins and nine straight covers so the fact they are over a touchdown favorite here is no surprise. Things were looking bleak for Dallas after a home loss against Tennessee but it has won and covered three straight games since then and this is the perfect primetime matchup for the Cowboys to show they are still relevant. The New Orleans offense continues to light it up but the Cowboys defense is soaring and has allowed the third-fewest points (213), fourth-fewest rushing yards (1,030), fifth-fewest first downs (207) and seventh-fewest total yards (3,642). The Cowboys offense has improved drastically since receiver Amari Cooper joined the team. That was made clear by his performance last week against the Redskins as he had 180 yards, including touchdown catches of 40 and 90 yards. His presence is now big to keep the balance going. Ezekiel Elliott overtook Todd Gurley for NFL lead last week (1,074 yards rushing to 1,043). He has 18 100-yard games since joining league in 2016 and no other player has more than 12. He's averaging 161 scrimmage yards with four TDs in past four games and while the Saints rushing defense is the best in the league, a big reason for that is they have seen the fewest rushes against them. Here, we play against road favorites that are outrushing their opponents by 40 or more ypg, after outrushing opponent by 100 or more yards last game. This situation is 106-63 (62.7 percent) since 1983. 10* (302) Dallas Cowboys

This is a play on the TENNESSEE TITANS for our NFL Monday Enforcer. Houston is the hottest team in the AFC with seven consecutive wins and it returns home following a pair of two-point road victories. The Texans have been far from dominating however as four of those wins came by three points or less and the other three came against Buffalo, Jacksonville and Miami which all have losing records. Houston is now 0-6 ATS in its last six games following a win by three points or less while going 1-5 ATS in their last six home games. Tennessee is 8-2 ATS in its 10 divisional games with Marcus Mariota when coming off a loss. Before the Titans were obliterated at Indianapolis last week, they defeated Dallas by 14 and New England by 24. In those two games, Mariota threw four touchdown passes, ran for another and didn't suffer an interception so the fact he is playing tonight is important. Until last week, the Titans had not given up more than 27 points in any game and that 27 came in Week One in Miami. This defense is legit. Two weeks ago, the Titans used several blitz packages to take advantage of the Patriots offensive line and they will do the same against Houston. The Texans offensive line is much worse as the unit is ranked No. 24 in the league. Going back, the Titans are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game. 10* (273) Tennessee Titans

This is a play on the TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS as part of our NFL Sunday Trifecta. Since beating the Eagles on 9/24, Tampa Bay has gone 1-7 with the only win coming in overtime against Cleveland. However, the Buccaneers have won the yardage battle in six of those eight games as turnover and special teams have been a difference. The 49ers have found new life with Nick Mullens at quarterback but now he is making his first career road start and while Tampa Bay is not the most hostile of environments, it is on the road nonetheless. Here, we play on teams after five consecutive games where they forced one or fewer turnovers going up against an opponent after a game with a turnover margin of -2 or worse. This situation is 60-27 ATS (69 percent) since 1983. 10* (256) Tampa Bay Buccaneers

This is a play on the CAROLINA PANTHERS as part of our NFL Sunday Trifecta. Seattle snapped a two-game slide with a win over Green Bay last Thursday and is now just a game out of the second Wild Card spot in the NFC. The Seahawks are a respectable 3-3 on the road but while they are 3-1 against non-playoff teams, they lost both games against the Rama and Bears, two teams going into the postseason. Carolina is coming off another frustrating loss on the road where they have just one victory and that took a three-touchdown fourth quarter to accomplish. Carolina is 5-0 at home and falls into a great situation where we play against road teams where the line is +3 to -3 off two or more consecutive overs, averaging 23-27 ppg going up against teams allowing 23-27 ppg. This situation is 36-14 ATS (72 percent) since 1983. 10* (264) Carolina Panthers

This is a play on the ATLANTA FALCONS for our Thanksgiving Day Enforcer. Atlanta has dropped two straight games to fall to 4-6 in the season and are now a full five games behind New Orleans in the NFC South. While winning the division is almost out of the question at this point, the Falcons are still well alive in the Wild Card race as they trail Carolina by just two games but time is running out. We are more concerned with the spread here however as Atlanta is getting close to a full touchdown more than the Eagles got last week and there is not much difference between the Falcons and Eagles. New Orleans has won nine straight games while covering its last eight and the Saints are laying their biggest number of the season as the looks have been getting killed by New Orleans backers. The offense is humming along as the Saints are now averaging 37.8 ppg which leads the league but this is not the time to be laying this big of a number, especially against an Atlanta offense that can keep up. The Saints are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 games coming off a double-digit win going up against an opponent off consecutive losses while going 2-13 ATS in their last 15 games as favorites off a non-divisional game and playing a divisional opponent playing with revenge. Additionally, we play against favorites outscoring opponents by 10 or more ppg, after allowing 14 points or less in two straight games. This situation is 35-11 ATS (76.1 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (109) Atlanta Falcons

This is a play on the KANSAS CITY CHIEFS for our NFL Monday Enforcer. This game was moved from Mexico City to Los Angeles and while that benefits the Rams faithful, it helps Kansas City more than anything based on a betting perspective. The Rams were -3 on the neutral field and now are just a half-point higher after the game being moved to their home field and the number has nor moved at some places. While Los Angeles opened the season with three straight covers, it has gone 1-6 ATS in its last seven games as the defense has let opposing teams hang around and that is not an ideal situation for tonight. The Rams have allowed 31 or more points in four of their last seven games and an average of 27.9 ppg over that stretch after giving up just 12 ppg in their first three games. The Chiefs defense has been scrutinized all year but it has improved as the season has progressed and while this will be its biggest test it has faced, trending in the right direction is key. The Rams are 2-15 ATS in their last 17 games after allowing 400 or more total yards in two consecutive games while Kansas City has covered six straight road games following two or more consecutive wins. Additionally, we play on road underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points that have a completion percentage of 60 percent or better, after gaining 6.75 or more passing ypa in four straight games. This situation is 25-7 ATS (78.1 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (473) Kansas City Chiefs

This is a play on the OAKLAND RAIDERS for our NFL Game of the Week. Two of the worst teams in the NFL square off in Arizona and these teams should be a pickem on a neutral field which gives us a ton of value on the Raiders. Oakland has dropped five straight games and while the offense has been moving the ball, it has not been putting up points as the Raiders have scored a total of 22 points in four of those games. Arizona does possess an underrated defense but it is the other side of the ball where Oakland has a big edge. The Cardinals are second to last in the NFL in offensive efficiency and they are also second to last in scoring offense, averaging just 13.8 ppg. Arizona has outgained only one opponent all season and that was by just 54 yards in an 18-15 win over San Francisco. They are 5-1-1 ATS in their last seven games but all were as underdogs and they are now favored for just the second time all season and by the largest amount. Here, we play on teams after scoring nine points or less in two straight games. This situation is 39-13 ATS (75 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (469) Oakland Raiders

This is a play on the GREEN BAY PACKERS for our NFL Thursday Enforcer. This line opened at 2.5 and stayed there until last night but now it has climbed to 3 at most places which is what we were hoping for on the Green Bay side. Recent series history is swaying the public onto Seattle as the home team has won seven straight meetings and coupled with the Packers 0-4 record on the road, this is going to be a contrarian play. While the quarterbacks are the story here, this one could come down to the running game. Seattle leads the NFL in rushing offense with 152.2 ypg but Green Bay leads the league with 5.2 ypc so anyone that says the Seahawks have the edge there is mistaken. The total yardage number is inflated because Seattle is second in the league in rushing attempts and breaking down the offensive lines shows Green Bay with a massive edge as it is No. 4 in the Adjusted Line Yards formula with Seattle coming in at No. 15. Taking that a step further shows the Seahawks are third to last in the league in pass protection. The home field advantage for the Seahawks has declined as they are just 5-6 since the start of last season and they have been outgained in all three home games this season. Here, we play against home favorites with a winning percentage between .400 and .499 after covering the spread in four out of their last five games. This situation is 44-18 ATS (71 percent) since 1983. 10* (307) Green Bay Packers

This is a play on the GREEN BAY PACKERS for our NFL Game of the Week. Green Bay is coming off a brutal two-game roadtrip where it lost to the Rams and Patriots to fall to 3-4-1 on the season but it is just a game and a half back in the NFC North. This is a must win for the Packers however as they have to venture out on the road in two more tough environments after this in Seattle and Minnesota. This game sets up similar to the one against the Bills as Green Bay was coming of a bad road loss against Washington and bounced back as expected. Miami is not as bad as the Bills many will argue but the Dolphins are not far off. They have been outgained in seven of their last eight games including two wins against the Jets where they won the yardage battle by 105 and 107 yards. Turnovers have been the difference that has kept them above water. Now Miami heads to Green Bay where temperatures will be in the 20s at gametime. Brock Osweiler will be making his fifth start for the Dolphins and while he is 2-2, the offense has gotten worse moving forward especially last week where the only touchdown came on an interception return. Miami is 0-6 ATS in its last six road games against teams allowing 350 or more ypg while going 0-6 ATS in its last six road games after being outgained by 100 or more total yards last game. Additionally, Miami is 1-15 ATS in its last 16 games after a game with a turnover margin of +4 or better. 10* (262) Green Bay Packers

This is a play on the CINCINNATI BENGALS for our NFL Sunday Enforcer. The Saints are coming off a monster win last week against the Rams making a case from them now being the team to beat in the NFC. A big win at home like that can certainly produce a letdown and on top of that, they head home after this to face the Eagles next week and then play the Falcons four days later on Thanksgiving night. Despite a 7-1 record, New Orleans has not been dominating as it has outgained opponents just by 14.2 ypg. But that is not going to stop the public from loading up on the Saints especially with a Cincinnati team that the public thinks it is in disarray. The Bengals blew a 21-point lead against Tampa Bay and needed a last second field goal to pull out the win. They will be without A.J. Green for a couple games while the defense is on pace to break NFL records for yardage allowed so there is no way Cincinnati can keep up right. That is why they play the game and this is a big game for the Bengals as they are now a game behind the Steelers and they have a pair of divisional games on deck. The Bengals are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 home games against teams with a winning road record. Additionally, we play against road teams off a win as a home underdog, with a winning record playing another winning team in the second half of the season. This situation s 40-15 ATS (72.7 percent) since 1983. 10* (256) Cincinnati Bengals

This is a play on the CAROLINA PANTHERS for our NFL Thursday Game of the Month. The Steelers have won four straight games and are going to be a very popular public play at home on Thursday. This line was hit hard by Carolina money early and has come down but it is still above the key number for a team that is arguably better at this point. This could be considered a tough spot for the Steelers as they are coming off three straight divisional games. While the popular thinking is that the Steelers are a dominant team at home, they are just 2-7 over their last nine games at Heinz Field. Carolina has won three straight and five of its last six games with the lone loss coming at Washington in a game it should have won as it outgained the Redskins but lost the turnover battle 3-0. The Panthers are ranked No. 17 in total offense but a truer indication is that they are No. 5 in offensive efficiency which is a big factor in this matchup as the Steelers are ranked No. 21 in defensive efficiency. Taking both sides into account, Carolina is No. 3 in total efficiency while Pittsburgh is No. 11 and that is a very significant differential. Carolina is 17-5 ATS in its last 22 games after three consecutive games with a turnover margin of +1 or better while going 6-0 ATS in its last six games after gaining 6.0 or more yppl in their previous game. The Panthers fall into a situation where we play against favorites that are averaging 370 or more ypg going up against a team allowing between 335 to 370 ypg, after outgaining their opponent by 100 or more total yards in three consecutive games. This situation is 23-5 ATS (82.1 percent) since 1983. 10* (107) Carolina Panthers

This is a play on the TENNESSEE TITANS for our NFL Monday Night Enforcer. Both the AFC South and NFC East divisions are wide open so a win for either side would be huge. The Titans have lost three straight games but two of those could have been won as they were by a point apiece while the other was a shutout loss at home in horrendous weather. Tennessee is 1-3 away from home but those three losses have come by a combined nine points. Tennessee is 13-4 ATS in its last 17 games after one or more consecutive losses. The Cowboys are coming off a loss in Washington prior to its bye week and on the season, the home team is 7-0 in Dallas games which is a big reason this line is inflated. While the big news out of Dallas was the acquisition of wide receiver Amari Cooper, there was bigger news that nobody has talked about and that was it fired offensive line coach Paul Alexander and assistant offensive line coach Marc Colombo has been promoted to Alexander's position. The Cowboys also hired longtime NFL offensive line coach Hudson Houck as an advisor. this is not a good thing midway through the season. This offensive line has been pretty much below average all season and while Ezekiel Elliott is having a fine season, Dak Prescott has been sacked 23 times which is tied for 13th most in the league but that is through just seven games. The Cowboys 10.04 percent sack rate is fourth worst in the NFL. Here, we play on teams after five consecutive games where they forced one or fewer turnovers going up against an opponent after a game with a turnover margin of -2 or worse. This situation is 58-26 ATS (69 percent) since 1983. 10* (473) Tennessee Titans

This is a play on the BALTIMORE RAVENS for our AFC Game of the Year. Baltimore has bottomed out after a 3-1 start as it has lost three of its last four games to move to 4-4 and trails Pittsburgh by a game and a half in the AFC North. Three of the losses have come by a combined five points so the Ravens are better than the record shows and their poor game last week against the Panthers can be attributed to a possible lookahead to this week. Baltimore is 6-0 ATS under John Harbaugh after allowing 24 points or more in the first half last game. The Steelers are trending the other way as they have won three straight after a 1-2-1 start. These recent runs on both sides are keeping this number lower than it should be as lines under three are available across the industry. Pittsburgh is 6-17 ATS in its last 23 road games after covering the spread in four out of their last five games. Additionally, the Steelers are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games following a straight up win while the Ravens are 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a straight up loss. Here, we play against road teams with a winning percentage between .600 and .750 after covering the spread in four or five out of their last six games. This situation is 356-253 ATS (58.5 percent) since 1983. 10* (456) Baltimore Ravens

This is a play on the WASHINGTON REDSKINS for our NFL Sunday Enforcer. The Falcons are coming off a much needed bye week but this team is still a mess defensively. Injuries have played a big role and on the season, Atlanta is ranked second to last in the NFL in defensive efficiency and it is one of only three teams allowing 30 or more ppg on the season. While the Falcons have won two straight games, they were outgained in both of those and they have had the luxury of playing five of their last six games at home. Atlanta is 0-7 ATS in its last seven games after gaining 400 or more total yards in their previous game. The Redskins are in first place in the NFC East by a game and a half over the Eagles and two games over the Cowboys. Unlike Atlanta, the defense is leading the way as Washington is ranked No. 5 in scoring defense and has allowed 17 points or less in four of its last five games. Washington is 21-9 ATS in its last 30 games after three consecutive games with a turnover margin of +1 or better. Here, we play on home favorites that are outrushing opponents by 40 or more ypg going up against a team that is +/- 30 in rushing ypg differential, after outrushing opponent by 100 or more yards last game. This situation is 103-57 AT (64.4 percent) since 1983. 10* (462) Washington Redskins

This is a play on the SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS for our NFL Thursday Enforcer. While there have been some solid Thursday matchups through the first half of the season, this is not one of those but we can take advantage of a soft line where San Francisco has significant advantages. The 49ers have lost six straight games but four of those came against quality opponents and while the other two were against Arizona, last week was just by three points and the other came despite winning the yardage battle by 227 total yards. The big issue for the 49ers is at quarterback as C.J. Beathard is questionable with a wrist injury which means Nick Mullens could be making his maiden NFL start but whoever starts, it should not matter. Headed into Week Nine, the San Francisco offense ranks 22nd in the NFL, and while that number does not really strike fear into the opponent, what the group can do on the ground should. The 49ers are led by running back Matt Breida who has 487 rushing yards and two touchdowns along with a 5.8 ypc average and overall, they are ranked sixth in rushing offense with 133.6 ypg. The Raiders defense is ranked deal last against the rush and it does not stop there as they have given up seven passing plays more than 40 yards, tied for the fourth-most in the league. This is partly due to amassing only seven sacks, fewest in the league. The 49ers fall into a phenomenal rushing situation as we play against road teams averaging between 70-95 rushing ypg going up against a team allowing between 95-125 rushing ypg, after being outrushed by 75 or more yards in two straight games. This situation is 46-17 ATS (73 percent) since 1983 including a perfect 10-0 ATS the last five years. 10* (308) San Francisco 49ers

This is a play on the BUFFALO BILLS for our NFL Monday Night Enforcer. There is only one way to play this game as it is rare to get a home underdog at this number, especially in a divisional game but it is the Patriots and despite the pointspread, the public is all over them. New England has received 71 percent of the bets at offshore books which is tied for the most one-sided action in Week Eight with the Bengals and unfortunately, we all saw how that turned out. Over the last 10 years, there have been just 17 double-digit divisional home underdogs and those games have resulted with the home team taking the money in 13 of those games. This includes a 4-1 ATS mark on Monday nights with one of those wins coming last season as the Patriots were in a pretty similar spot as they were riding an eight-game winning streak and rolled into Miami as a double-digit favorite only to lose outright by a touchdown. The other two wins were the Rams in 2013 in a five-point loss to Seattle as 13-point underdogs and the Raiders in a four-point loss to San Diego as 10.5-point underdogs. New England has won four straight games after a 1-2 start and the offense has been on a roll, scoring 38 points three times and 43 points the other. Buffalo is down to its third quarterback this week as Derek Anderson will be making his second start but this will be his first one at home and his first one with more than three days to prepare so he should be better off than he was last week. In addition to the divisional home underdog situation, Buffalo falls into another where we play on underdogs of 10.5 or more points after a loss by 14 or more points going up against an opponent after scoring 30 points or more last game. This situation is 24-6 ATS (80 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (276) Buffalo Bills

This is a play on the GREEN BAY PACKERS for our NFC Game of the Year. Green Bay heads west following its bye week as it prepares to take on the meat of its schedule. The Packers, namely Aaron Rodgers, will be playing the respect card on Sunday as this line is out of control even if it is against the best team in the NFL at this point. Rodgers has never been an underdog by this many points and in his career, he has been an underdog of six or more points four times and he is a perfect 4-0 ATS. He has a healthy receiving corps this week Geronimo Allison and Randall Cobb were back practicing after missing the last game while Davante Adams should be back to 10 percent. Green Bay has gone 10-4-1 ATS when coming off a bye under head coach Mike McCarthy. The Rams are coming off their seventh straight win to open the season including the last three all coming on the road. They snapped a three-game ATS skid with the rout over the 49ers last week, the same 49ers team that nearly pulled off the upset two weeks ago in Green Bay and that is playing into this line. The Los Angeles offense is humming but the defense will again have its hands full on the interior where Rodgers could have a field day in the middle of the field. Here, we play on road underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points with a completion percentage of 60 percent or better, after gaining 7.0 or more passing ypa in three straight games. This situation is 36-15 ATS (70.6 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (271) Green Bay Packers

This is a play on the CINCINNATI BENGALS for our NFL Sunday Enforcer. The Bengals look to right the ship after suffering a pair of one-sided losses in their last two games. The lost to Pittsburgh by a touchdown but they were outgained by 206 yards and last week, they were torched by Kansas City by 35 points while getting outgained by 312 yards. A 4-1 start has been negated the last two weeks and this is a big game to get to 5-3 instead of 4-4 heading into their bye week. The Bengals can refocus on beating a handful of mediocre teams in the next month to rebuild their confidence especially on the defense where Cincinnati is on pace to allow 440 points, the most in 30 years. Tampa Bay is coming off an overtime win over Cleveland last week to improve to 3-3 and it hits the road where the defense has been atrocious as it has allowed an average of more than 40 ppg over the teams three 2018 road games. And they are banged up as the Buccaneers will be without two starting defensive linemen, tackle Gerald McCoy and end Vinny Curry, for a second straight game. Here, we play on home favorites of 3.5 to 10 points after a game where they committed 1 or fewer turnovers going up against an opponent after a game with a turnover margin of -3 or worse. This situation is 37-14 ATS (72.5 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (264) Cincinnati Bengals

This is a play on the HOUSTON TEXANS for our NFL Thursday Enforcer. Here we have two teams heading in opposite directions as Houston, after a 0-3 start, has won four straight games to take over the lead in the AFC South while the Dolphins have dropped three of their last four games after a 2-0 start. This is a number larger than we normally prefer to lay but it has not gone south of a touchdown so there is no value loss and laying over a touchdown is validated in this situation. The Texans are where they were expected to be before the season started and even that 0-3 start is not that bad on paper as one loss came at New England by a touchdown while the other two losses were against the Titans and Giants by a combined eight points and they won the yardage battle in both games by a combined 202 total yards. Houston is ranked No. 14 in total defense but it is ranked No. 5 in the more important defensive efficiency category according to Football Outsiders and it has picked it up over the last three games, allowing just 12 ppg. The Texans have not been dominant at home as they have failed to cover their last five games at NRG Stadium, but they welcome the perfect opponent. Miami is a mess right now as not only is it without starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill, two of the top three receivers were lost last week as Albert Wilson and Kenny Stills, who are tied for the lead in touchdowns with four apiece, both suffered injuries. Brock Osweiler has not looked bad over the last two games but he will be making his first road start and any talk of the revenge narrative because of Houston trading him can be tossed out the window. Going back, Miami is 0-7 ATS in its last seven road games following a loss, losing those games by an average of 15.6 ppg. 10* (104) Houston Texans

This is a play on the ATLANTA FALCONS for our NFL Monday Night Game of the Month. The Giants have had extra time to prepare for this Monday night game as they played last Thursday and were hammered by the Eagles by 21 points. That extra time means little as New York is going nowhere fast and has been stuck in neutral all season. It is three games behind the Redskins in the NFC East and this could very well be the last stand for Eli Manning, who is putting up decent numbers but they are not translating into wins. The Giants need to give Manning time to throw, and he might have it against Atlanta, which has not had much of a pass rush this season. Only four teams have fewer than the 10 sacks the Falcons have recorded this season. But New York can help add to that number as the Giants continue to make changes along what has been a porous offensive line for the past two seasons, benching disappointing right guard Patrick Omameh, in favor of backup interior lineman Spencer Pulley. While the Falcons sack numbers are low, the Giants have just seven and that is tied with the Raiders for fewest in the league. New York is ranked No. 27 in defensive efficiency and faces a potent offense where Matt Ryan has been on fire of late, throwing for 1,433 yards, 12 touchdowns and no interceptions over his last four games. This can be considered a must win for Atlanta heading into its bye week as a couple of late blown leads could come back to haunt them, but the Falcons are a couple plays from being 4-2 or even 5-1. And they have won two of three inside the NFC South, so they still control their own destiny. The Falcons have played a relatively tough schedule as they have faced only one team ranked outside the top 16 and that resulted in a win over Tampa Bay last week. Here, we play against underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points after a game where they forced no turnovers going up against an opponent after four consecutive games where they committed one or less turnovers. This situation is 43-15 ATS (74.1 percent) since 1983. 10* (476) Atlanta Falcons

This is a play on the WASHINGTON REDSKINS for our NFL Sunday Enforcer. If there was any question that the Dallas offense was struggling, last week should have answered that. Or at least many will think that but that is not the case as one week does not make a cure but that is what the public saw and now the line reflects that. The Cowboys improved to 3-3 with the victory but the venue has played a big part as they are 3-0 at home and 0-3 on the road. Dallas is 7-23 ATS in its last 30 road games after allowing nine points or less last game. Washington is coming off an impressive win over Carolina although it was outgained and took advantage of three Panthers turnovers. The defense is no joke as the Redskins are ranked No. 5 overall and No. 8 in scoring defense and this is with that New Orleans debacle from a couple weeks ago. They should be out for some payback as Dallas has won the last four meetings in this series that has always been notoriously close. Going back, the Redskins are 5-1 ATS in their last six home games. Here, we play against road underdogs or pickems off an upset win by 14 points or more as an underdog, with a winning percentage of between .450 and .550 on the season. This situation is 32-10 ATS (76.2 percent) since 1983. 10* (472) Washington Redskins

This is a play on the BALTIMORE RAVENS for our NFL Game of the Week. The Saints come in red hot having won four straight games following a season opening loss against Tampa Bay but they caught a momentum killer with a bye last week. The New Orleans offense is firing on all cylinders right now but it has yet to face a defense this strong, especially on the road where it has faced scoring defenses ranked No. 31 and No. 24. New Orleans is 4-15 ATS in its last 19 road games after scoring 25 points or more in three straight games. The Ravens are coming off a 21-0 shutout over Tennessee in sloppy conditions but even with that, this is a very strong defense. Baltimore is ranked No. in the NFL in both total defense and scoring defense as it has held all but one opponent to 14 or fewer points. The offense is not too shabby either as the Ravens are No. 9 in total offense and No. 12 in scoring offense and they face off against a Saints defense that is in the bottom third in both categories. The Ravens are 6-1-1 ATS in their last eight games against teams with a winning record. Here, we play against road underdogs or pickems after three or more consecutive wins against the spread, in the first half of the season. This situation is 30-8 ATS (78.9 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (470) Baltimore Ravens

This is a play on the ARIZONA CARDINALS for our NFL Thursday Enforcer. Arizona returns home following a two-game roadtrip where it split with San Francisco and Minnesota and looks to grab its first win at State Farm Stadium after starting the season 0-3. The Cardinals did look good in its last two home games, losing to Chicago and Seattle by a combined five points and Thursday presents a good opportunity to get the offense going. Arizona is dead last in the NFL in total offense and second to last in scoring offense but it has faced some strong defenses with four teams ranked at No. 11 or better in total defense and the other two coming in at No. 16 and No. 19. Denver will be the worst defense the Cardinals have faced and by a wide margin. The Broncos are near the bottom in numerous defensive categories and while they have faced the Rams and Chiefs, they have struggled against the rest of the schedule as well. In their last game against Minnesota, the Cardinals may have found something on offense they can use against the Broncos defense. The Cardinals used a hurry-up, no-huddle offense successfully, resulting in their one touchdown on offense in the fourth quarter and quarterback Josh Rosen looked comfortable which is no surprise since he has the on-huddle at UCLA. Their 302 offensive plays are the fewest by any team through that same time span since 2005 so the defense has been on the field for way too long. Despite that, he Arizona defense has not been horrible based on the schedule it has played and it will face a Broncos offense that has been inconsistent this season. The Cardinals are ranked No. 8 in defensive yppl at 5.4 despite being dead last in time of possession percentage and if they could keep that unit off the field, they could be even better. The Broncos are 3-13-1 ATS in their last 17 games after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game. 10* (302) Arizona Cardinals

This is a play on the GREEN BAY PACKERS for our NFL Monday Star Attraction. This is a big number to be laying down but the 49ers injury situation is not improving from earlier in the week. We already know Jimmy Garoppolo is out for the season but tonight, San Francisco will be without running back Matt Breida while three starting offensive linemen and a backup are all still listed as questionable. This is not ideal going up against a defense that has been underrated this season as the Packers are ranked No. 4 in total defense, allowing just 313.8 ypg while the scoring defense is also a top ten unit. C.J. Beathard gets the start and in just two games this season, he has thrown four interceptions giving him 10 career picks in only seven career starts. In the 28-18 loss to Arizona last week, Beathard completed 34 of 54 passes for 349 yards with two touchdowns and the 49ers rang up 447 yards of total offense. Of course, there were also five turnovers and that has plagued the 49ers offense all season. This is a big game for the Packers prior to their bye coming up next week as they are looking to bounce back from a loss to Detroit and they can move into first place with a victory. Following their bye, they have back-to-back games against the Rams and Patriots, both on the road, which puts more emphasis on this game. Many are down on this team but according to Pro Football Focus elite stats, the Packers enter Week Six as the 7th best team in the NFL with an 81.6 grade, while their offense ranks 6th with a 76.0 grade and their defense ranks 7th with a grade of 79.3. The Packers have outgained their last two opponents by 278 and 257 total yards so the offense continues to roll as well and while many are blaming the field goal kicking doing them in, the offense should not have put Mason Crosby in that position so many times by finishing 3-10 in third down. The Packers were unable to execute when needed but that should change at home against a mediocre San Francisco defense. 10* (278) Green Bay Packers

This is a play on the NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS for our NFL Sunday Night Game of the Year. The game of the season so far will take place Sunday night as Kansas City brings in a perfect 5-0 record and will try to win here for a second straight season. The Chiefs are coming off an impressive win over Jacksonville as the defense held the Jaguars to just 14 points and that was due to five turnover. The defense still allowed 502 total yards so it is still an issue and was masked by the final score. Kansas City has been outgained in four of five games and while the offense will still move the ball, this is the one matchup where they will not likely jump out to a big lead which they have done in three of their four games. The Chiefs are 1-4 ATS in their last five games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game. This is the third straight home game for the Patriots which is a significant advantage, even more so when playing with an extra three days of rest. They should excel against the Chiefs defense as quarterback Tom Brady has been very good this season and has recently gained steam while the Chiefs defense has not. The goal is at least 400 yards as going back to 2013, they are 32-2 when hitting that number. The history of Belichick-coached teams facing rookie quarterbacks is timely to revisit this week, and it starts with this: The Patriots are 9-0 at home against rookie signal-callers. It gets even better. Since 2007, quarterback Tom Brady is 59-2 at home against AFC opponents. The first loss was in a meaningless Week 17 game against the Buffalo Bills in 2014, when the Patriots had already clinched home-field advantage and Brady was pulled at halftime. The second was last season in their season opener and more important, it came against the Kansas City Chiefs which only adds to the motivation this Sunday night. Here, we play against road underdogs or pickems after three or more consecutive wins against the spread, in the first half of the season. This situation is 29-7 ATS (80.6 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (276) New England Patriots

This is a play on the MIAMI DOLPHINS for our NFL Sunday Enforcer. We were on Miami last week and things were looking good with the Dolphins possessing a 17-0 lead late in the third quarter and then the wheels fell off. The Bengals tied the game early in the fourth quarter by way of a 22-yard interception return for a touchdown and took the lead late with a field goal. Miami was still alive with over two minutes remaining but quarterback Ryan Tannehill was strip sacked and the fumble was returned for a touchdown. The Dolphins are back home following a two-game roadtrip that saw them lose to the Patriots as well in a blowout. Chicago has won three straight games but the Bears have benefitted from playing the 27th ranked schedule in the NFL. They are coming off a bye week and the early bye is not good here as it killed momentum from the winning streak including the victory over Tampa Bay which was one of the most complete games on both sides in a while. The question here is are the Bears six points better than the Dolphins on a neutral field? The simple answer is no as this line is based on recency bias. Looking at the Defense-adjusted Value Over Average (DVOA) provided by Football Outsiders for both teams, the Bears are 1st in defensive DVOA, while Miami checks in at 5th. The Bears are 17th offensively, with the Dolphins right behind them at 18 so these teams are more even that people think. The Chicago defense is a tough unit with the addition of Khalil Mack so the offensive line for the Dolphins has to step up which it did not do last Sunday. That was due to losing left tackle Laremy Tunsil with a concussion but he is projected to return this week as he is back at practice. Chicago is 0-8 ATS in its last eight road games after allowing 75 or fewer rushing yards last game and is 0-6 ATS in its last six road games after gaining 6.0 or more yppl last game. Additionally, we play against favorites that are outscoring opponents by 10 or more ppg, after allowing 14 points or less in two straight games. This situation is 33-9 ATS (78.6 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (256) Miami Dolphins

This is a play on the PHILADELPHIA EAGLES for our NFL Thursday Enforcer. Philadelphia is off to a 2-3 post-Super Bowl Champion start which is not overly surprising considering most teams not named the Patriots tend to go through a Super Bowl hangover. The Eagles three losses all could have been wins however as the net yardage differential in those games is a total wash at 0.0. Only seven previous defending Super Bowl champions that started 2-3, and only one of the previous seven rebounded to make the postseason. Their season is far from over as they can buck history simply because they are located in the NFC East. Philadelphia is a half-game behind Washington, along with Dallas, and a game ahead of the Giants and this division is the only one with a team possessing first place that is not above .500. The Eagles simply have to win the close games they have been losing and they need to get the offense on track as their 20.6 ppg is ranked No. 25 in the league. Enter the Giants, which have allowed 33 points in each of their last two games including an excruciating last second loss against Carolina last week to drop them to 1-4. While they are not dead either because of the weakness of the division, they are a mess inside he locker room. The offense finally showed something against the Panthers but they will struggle against a strong Eagles defensive front as the offensive line has stunk it up. New York is No. 28 in rushing offense while Philadelphia is ranked No. 2 in rushing defense so any resemblance of balance on Thursday will be a tall order. The Giants are 0-6 ATS in their last six games following a ATS win while the Eagles are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game and fall into a solid situation where we play on road favorites after two or more consecutive losses, with a winning percentage of between .400 and .499 on the season. This situation is 35-11 ATS (76.1 percent) since 1983. 10* (103) Philadelphia Eagles

This is a play on the WASHINGTON REDSKINS for our NFL Monday Star Attraction. The Saints are off to a 3-1 start to the season but they are overpriced as being a big, primetime public home team, the line has been inflated. They are coming off a pair of road wins but they were against teams that are a combined 2-8 so not much should be taken from that. The home edge is always a big one here and tonight it will be electric with Drew Brees likely to pass Peyton Manning as the All-Time Passing Leader but that is certainly no reason to bet on a team. Even more so knowing the Saints are 1-5 ATS in their last six Monday night games. Washington is 2-1 coming off its bye week which is a good thing now but could catch up to the Redskins later with it being so early. They were able rest and recover some injuries as running back Adrian Peterson (ankle) is ready to go and cornerback Josh Norman (hamstring) and left tackle Trent Williams (knee surgery) had time to heal and ease their way into practice this week. Alex Smith has proven to be a good pickup from the Chiefs as he manages the offense just like he did in Kansas City. Washington has an assorted array of skill talent, as well a solid offensive line, for a balanced attack that can get to a Saints defense which is allowing 30.2 ppg despite playing four teams that are a combined 5-10-1 with none possessing a winning record. The scoring defense is ranked No. 30 in the NFL while the total defense is ranked in the bottom quarter of the league. Washington is tops in the league in total defense but that is against a small sample size however it has been successful at disrupting opposing quarterbacks this season, ranking top-10 in pressures and that is important against Brees. New Orleans is just 12-32 ATS in its last 44 home games after a game with a turnover margin of +2 or better. Meanwhile the Redskins are 6-2 ATS in their last eight road games against teams with a winning home record. 10* (477) Washington Redskins

This is a play on the SEATTLE SEAHAWKS for our NFL Sunday Enforcer. The Rams are off and running to a 4-0 start and their +73 scoring differential leads the NFL. They lead the league in total offense, averaging 125 ypg on the ground and 343 ypg through the air and they have scored at least 33 points every game this season. The schedule has been in their favor with three home games and the lone road game coming in Oakland and it has now been well over month since they left the state of California. Despite laying over a touchdown on the road, the public is all over the Rams which does not come as much of a surprise as recreational bettors are reacting to recent results while sharps like getting a 2-2 team as a touchdown or more underdog at home. The Rams are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game. After losing its first two games by one possession, Seattle has bounced back with two straight wins including a last second victory over Arizona last week. The Seahawks have rediscovered their run game with consecutive 100-yard rushers and their defense has held three straight opponents to under 305 total yards of offense. Seattle is not without its problems and the one most talked about most is the offense line. But according to analysis based on new player tracking information, the much-maligned Seahawks offensive line might actually be decent at pass blocking, and it might not have been bad last season, either. The Seahawks have the fourth-best PBWR (pass block win rate) 2.5 seconds after the snap so they could have some success against the Rams defense. This is a big revenge game for Seattle and as much as the Seahawks would like to forget that day last December, a 42-7 loss to Los Angeles lingers. This is a situation the Seahawks have thrived in as they are 11-0 ATS in their last 11 games as home underdogs of two or more points while going 11-1 ATS in their last 12 games as underdogs playing with revenge against a .500 or better opponent. 10* (474) Seattle Seahawks

This is a play on the CLEVELAND BROWNS for our AFC North Game of the Year. Cleveland comes into Week Five at 1-2-1 and it has played a lot better than that record shows. Two missed field goals and two bad referee calls last week has put the Browns in this spot and had those gone the other way, they could feasibly be 4-0 right now. While a lot of the hype is surrounding Baker Mayfield and the improved defense, and as it well should, the improvement overall can partly be attributed to not making mistakes. Prone to turnovers in past years, the Browns have the best turnover ratio in the NFL through the first quarter of the season. Mayfield is the type of quarterback that the Ravens have traditionally struggled against. He is mobile, he can beat you in unconventional ways and he has the arm talent to do damage. Cleveland finished No. 18 last season in rushing offense but it is currently No. 2 in that category, averaging 15.8 ypg. Baltimore is coming off a huge win in Pittsburgh last week to move to 3-1 on the season and that presents us with a great letdown opportunity. The last time Cleveland defeated Baltimore was back in October of 2015 and that situation is very similar to this week as the Ravens were coming off a win at Pittsburgh. Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco has traditionally had his best games against the Browns but this will be the best Browns team that has faced. The recency bias is in full effect here after last week with the Baltimore win over Pittsburgh coupled with the Brown allowing 45 points last week against the Raiders. Baltimore falls into a negative situation where we play against favorites that are outscoring opponents by 10 or more ppg, after allowing 14 points or less in two straight games. This situation is 32-9 ATS (78 percent) over the last 10 seasons. This includes a 14-2 ATS record over the last five seasons. 10* (452) Cleveland Browns

This is a play on the INDIANAPOLIS COLTS for our AFC Thursday Game of the Year. Indianapolis enters Week Five with a 1-3 record and with a few bounces its way, it could be 3-1 or 4-0 as the three losses have been that close to going either way. In their last road game, the Colts lost at Philadelphia where they were getting 6.5 points and went down by just four. Now they are getting over a field goal more and at this point in the season, New England is not three points better than the Eagles so this is an inflated line based on who it is and not what it is. Andrew Luck is coming off his best game of the season as he threw for 464 yards and four touchdowns and on the season, he is completing over 67 percent of his passes which is by far the best of his career. The Patriots passing defense is ranked in the top ten in the league but they have not been overly tested yet with Matthew Stafford cutting them up pretty good and while DeShawn Watson is considered near the top, it was his first game back from injury. The Patriots put their most complete game together last week against Miami as they outgained the Dolphins by 277 total yards. They have looked dominant at home and not so much on the road but just because they blew out Miami last week, they should not be put on this high of a pedestal. There are issues all over the place that can be exploited. In making another line comparison, New England was favored by 6.5 points over Miami and we are here to say that Miami is not a over a field goal better than the Colts despite the 3-1 record compared to the 1-3 record. As a matter of fact, look at most power rankings and you will find the Colts ahead of Miami. Here, we play against home favorites of 3.5 to 10 points in a game involving two teams with a +/- 3 ppg differential.), after allowing three points or less in the first half last game. This situation is 46-19 ATS (70.8 percent) since 1983. 10* (301) Indianapolis Colts

This is a play on the DENVER BRONCOS for our NFL Monday Star Attraction. The red hot Chiefs travel to Denver to take on their rival as they will be going for a sixth straight victory in this series. Kansas City is off to a 3-0 start thanks to an offense that has yet to be stopped. The problem is, the defense has yet to stop anyone and the fact the Chiefs have been outgained in all three games is concerning. The Chiefs defense has combined to miss 36 tackles so far this season, which is the most among NFL defenses and it will not be getting any better this week as it has now been 48 days since safety Eric Berry practiced or played and he is again listed as doubtful. The Chiefs come in as the road favorite, which is rare in this series as it has happened only twice in 30 years and it is because of their hot start which can offer us opportunities in a market that tends to overreact week-to-week. Denver is off to a 2-1 start as it looks to improve to 3-0 at home following a loss in Baltimore last week. It will be up to the defense to come through here and try and slow down Mahomes and company. The Broncos possess a solid pass rush that can get to the quarterback and in this case, they will be looking to rattle Mahomes who tends to hold the ball longer than he should. Arguably one of the best cornerbacks in the game, Chris Harris Jr. has continued to shut down opposing receivers and he will be tested for sure by Tyreek Hill but he will play a key role. On the other side, the Broncos offense is middle of the pack but the rushing offense leads the way as they are ranked No. 4 in the NFL at 144.7 ypg while their 5.2 ypc average is also good for No. 4 in the league. Here, we play against road favorites that are averaging 27 or more ppg, after leading in their previous game by 21 or more points at the half. This situation is 47-20 ATS (70.1 percent) since 1983. 10* (278) Denver Broncos

This is a play on the CHICAGO BEARS for our NFL Game of the Week. The Bears are back home following a scare in Arizona as they rallied from a 14-0 deficit to win 16-14. The defense was the story once again as they allowed 221 total yards and are now ranked No. 5 in total defense and No. 8 in scoring defense. The unit is second in the NFL in takeaways with eight and as we saw last Monday, Tampa Bay is prone to give it up and overall, the Buccaneers are ranked No. 25 in giveaways. The Buccaneers offense has been one of the big stories in the NFL but they have yet to face a defense like this and Chicago can take a script from Pittsburgh from last Monday night. In the first two games of the season, the Tampa Bay offense did not face a lot of pressure and it took advantage of that but last week, the Steelers applied a ton of pressure from their defensive front and some blitz packages. As great as Ryan Fitzpatrick has been, he looked flustered when he was under pressure and this Sunday will be even worse for him. This has been a horrible spot throughout his career as he has just one win in 18 tried coming off a loss when facing an above .500 team coming off a win. Chicago has a glaring weakness on offense and that is the passing game. Mitch Trubisky is ranked No. 26 in Total QBR but he gets a big break this week as he squares off against the worst passing defense in the NFL as Tampa Bay is allowing 363 ypg through the air. Facing Drew Brees and Ben Roethlisberger will do that but there are issues nonetheless and they are relying heavily on three rookies. This is the fourth game in the new system for the offense and we will continue to see improvements and this is the perfect week to get it jumpstarted. Head coach Matt Nagy said they will scale it back some but that does not mean it will be going vanilla. Going back, the Bears are 10-3-1 ATS in their last 14 home games. 10* (264) Chicago Bears

This is a play on the HOUSTON TEXANS for our Sunday NFL Enforcer. The Colts are off to a 1-2 start following a loss in Philadelphia last week and come in as a slight favorite back home. While the Colts have looked like an improved team, especially on the defensive side of the ball, there are still concerns entering the Week Four matchup on Sunday. Andrew Luck has shown signs of his former self but he is still not 100 percent back and there are fears his shoulder is far from 100 percent after Jacoby Brissett was brought in last week to throw the ball for the 50-yard hail mary. Luck is ranked No. 13 in Total QBR. It does not help that the running game is non-existent as the Colts are averaging a mere 82.3 ypg which is No. 29 in the NFL. The Texans defense has not lived up to the hype yet this season as they are ranked No. 17 but J.J. Watt looks to be back into the groove and the rushing defense has been solid mainly because they have not allowed big plays. The passing defense has been solid as the Texans are ranked No. 12 and the Indianapolis offensive line is below average and it will be missing some pieces this week. According to Pro Football Focus, the Colts line is ranked No. 22 and the tackles have been the weakness, allowing 31 pressures through three games. The explosive Houston offense that appeared when Deshawn Watson entered the lineup last season has not been great but they are way above average and have the playmakers to compliment Watson. Houston is ranked No. 8 in total offense and Watson has thrown for 300 yards in back-to-back games, the first time a Houston quarterback has done that since 2012. That is hard to ignore as it the fact the Colts are allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete 71.2 percent of their passes. Here, we play on road teams averaging 265 passing ypg and allowing 7.0 or more passing ypa in two straight games going up teams allowing 230-265 ypg passing. This situation is 29-6 ATS (82.9 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (253) Houston Texans

This is a play on the MINNESOTA VIKINGS for our NFL Thursday Game of the Month. This is a huge game for the Vikings as they are 1-1-1 and while it is still early, not picking up a win in three straight games and having to travel to Philadelphia for their next game would put them in a tough spot. The Rams are off to a 3-0 start and they have the edge here based on the short week and travel and while the first three Thursday night games have been won and covered by the home team, we see that switching up this week, at least the cover part. This line is inflated due to recency bias and because the home team has dominated there nights. Taking nothing away from the Rams as this team is extremely talented but while they have outscored opponents 102-36, they have not exactly played a brutal schedule. Their opponents, Oakland, Arizona and the Los Angeles Chargers, are 1-8 overall. The Vikings will look to bounce back after the ugly 27-6 home loss to Buffalo. Minnesota, a 17-point favorite, fell behind 27-0 at halftime. While many consider the Rams to have the best roster in the NFL, Minnesota is not far behind from top to bottom. Last week was brutal and can be chalked up as an aberration. In the loss to Buffalo, Pro Football Focus reported that the Vikings offensive line surrendered 29 pressures (two sacks, three hits and 24 hurries), the highest total of any team in Week Three so it is pretty clear Minnesota came in complexly unfocused. While this is a tough travel spot for the Vikings, they have done a good job to accommodate. They left Tuesday evening following practice, a day earlier than they usually fly to road games, to try to better acclimate themselves to the two-hour time change. Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins ranks second in the NFL with 965 passing yards. In September games since the start of 2017, he has thrown for 1,749 yards, 12 touchdowns and three interceptions, totaling a 101.5 passer rating. 10* (101) Minnesota Vikings

This is a play on the PITTSBURGH STEELERS for our NFL Monday Star Attraction. Coming into this game, many would have thought these records would have been reversed with Pittsburgh being undefeated and Tampa Bay being winless. Instead, the Steelers are winless and are in dire need of a victory before their Sunday night showdown against the Ravens and we feel they step it up big time on the road. Despite not picking up a victory, Pittsburgh has outgained both opponents and it can take advantage of a very soft defense tonight. One thing working in their favor is that the game will be played in prime time as the Steelers have won their past 10 prime time games, including their last five on the road. Line movement has been working in their favor as well as the Steelers got as high as three-point favorites in some spots, but they are now either an underdog or a pickem across the board. Those type of line movements are often a market overreaction to recent history and that is usually the case when they occur in primetime games. Tampa Bay is off to a surprising 2-0 start behind the arm of Ryan Fitzpatrick and an offense that leads the NFL in total yardage and scoring offense. The problem is the defense as Tampa Bay is No. 31 in yards allowed and No. 29 in yppl and making matters worse, the Buccaneers will be without Vita Vea and Beau Allen, which are two significant injuries along the defensive line. The Steelers defense got lit up last week as they tried to disguise things while trying to matchup against the Chiefs pre-snap motion but they will keep in less complicated this week. Pittsburgh gets cornerback Joe Haden back tonight which is a huge lift for the secondary. Here, we play against home teams where the line is +3 to -3 after allowing 99 or fewer rushing yards in two straight games going up against an opponent after gaining 50 or fewer rushing yards last game. This situation is 28-8 ATS (77.8 percent) since 1983. 10* (489) Pittsburgh Steelers

This is a play on the CAROLINA PANTHERS for our NFL Game of the Month. We played against Carolina last week as it lost in Atlanta but we will be backing the Panthers as they head back home in a favorable contrarian matchup. Their first home game resulted in an eight-point win over the Cowboys as the defense dominated for three and a half quarters. Carolina had a streak of 21 consecutive games without allowing a 100-yard rusher snapped against the Falcons when Tevin Coleman ran for 107 yards, but the Panthers catch a break this week as Joe Mixon is out with a knee injury so Cincinnati has to turn to Giovani Bernard who has only three 100-yard rushing games in his career. Offensively for Carolina, the key will be not be Cam Newton but Christian McCaffrey. His strength goes against a Cincinnati weakness as while he is a talented rusher, what sets him apart is his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and make people miss in space and the Bengals linebackers are not good in pass coverage. Cincinnati has been among the early-season surprises in the NFL, winning their first two games by identical 34-23 scores. The Bengals are ranked third in scoring but just No. 18 in total offense so that offense may not be as good as one may think. They have benefitted from a defensive touchdown and despite the 2-0 record, they have been outgained in both games. The defense is tied for No. 27 in total defense so of the seven 2-0 teams, this could be the biggest fraud. Carolina is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 home games over seven years after allowing 6.5 or more yppl in their previous game while going 5-0 ATS in its last five games after allowing more than 30 points in its previous game. 10* (464) Carolina Panthers

This is a play on the SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS for our NFL Sunday Enforcer. Taking nothing away from what the Chiefs have done to start the season but the overreactions are hitting hard and that brings value to the other side. More than 70 percent of bets are on Kansas City, which enters Week Three as the highest-scoring offense in the NFL. Quarterback Pat Mahomes looks like he could be the real thing and everybody is loving this team right now with their impressive wins the Chargers and Steelers. But there is more to it than that and not in a good way. Kansas City has been outgained in each of the first two games due to a defense that is ranked dead last and it is not even close as it is allowing 508 ypg. While it is only two games, to put that into perspective, Tampa Bay had the worst defense last season at 378.1 ypg. The 49ers were able to pick up their first win of the season last week at home against Detroit. They did have a chance to beat Minnesota as they lost by eight points no thanks to four turnovers, one that took place in the redzone and another that was returned for a touchdown. Kansas City is one of three teams to open the season with two straight road games, Houston and Seattle being the other two, and while the public thinks that this is a huge edge for the home team, that is hardly the case. Play against home teams in Week Three after opening the season with two straight road games. This situation is 26-9-2 ATS (74.3 percent) since 2003. Making this play even stronger is the fact the Chiefs are 2-0 ATS and San Francisco is 0-2 ATS and going the opposite way in this ATS matchup in Week Three has resulted in a 68 percent winning result. 10* (479) San Francisco 49ers

This is a play on the CLEVELAND BROWNS for our NFL Thursday Enforcer. Cleveland is a couple kicks away from being 2-0 on the season, instead it remains winless since December 24, 2016 as it has gone 19 games without a victory. This is one of the last big chances to grab a victory as the upcoming seven-game schedule is not easy as the Browns have three difficult road games and the four home games are against the Ravens, Chargers, Chiefs and Falcons. Cleveland was fortunate to tie with Pittsburgh as it was outgained by 145 yards but it won the yardage battle last week against New Orleans as this defense has come to play thus far in the early part of the season. The players know they are close and are in a good spot in a nationally televised game. The Jets shocked many on opening Monday night as they defeated the Lions thanks to a 31-point third quarter but despite winning by 31 points, they only outgained Detroit by 10 yards. They did a better job on the stat sheet last week against Miami as Sam Darnold threw for 334 yards but he threw two picks and was not nearly as efficient as in his first game. This is a very difficult spot for a rookie quarterback coming off a Sunday game and playing on the first short week of his career. Additionally, this is the third game in 11 days for New York and Darnold will have to deal with a hyper-aggressive defensive coordinator in Gregg Williams, who loves to call blitzes, especially against young quarterbacks. In the first two games, the Browns blitzed 40 times out of 84 dropbacks, a league-high 47.6 percentage, against two Hall of Fame quarterbacks and that number figures to climb against Darnold. 10* (302) Cleveland Browns

This is a play on the CHICAGO BEARS for our NFL Monday Star Attraction. Chicago blew a big chance last week as it blew a 20-0 lead against Green Bay but it did show that the Bears have turned a corner after four straight miserable seasons where they have gone 19-45. The Bears are back in Chicago for their home opener as head coach Matt Nagy looks for his first victory. It has not been a good start for first year head coaches as they have gone a combined 2-11 heading into tonight but Chicago has a good matchup edge. The Seattle defense is in rough shape for tonight. Linebacker Bobby Wagner became the third Pro Bowl veteran ruled out tonight as he will miss with a groin injury and this is a big deal. Second-year free-agent Austin Calitro will start for Wagner and since he cannot play weakside linebacker Mychal Kendricks to play weakside linebacker against the Bears after just two practices with the team. Both starting cornerbacks are hurt and rookie right cornerback Tre Flowers is doubtful to play while they cut their starting defensive tackle Tom Johnson for concern with depth behind banged-up strong safety Bradley McDougald. The offense struggled last week against Denver as it managed only 306 total yards. The goal heading into this season was to run the ball better and Seattle managed only 64 yards on 16 carries and it will not get any easier on Monday night. The offensive line allowed six sacks and although a couple of those were on quarterback Russell Wilson for not throwing the ball away, it was clear right tackle Germain Ifedi was outclassed by linebacker Von Miller. Now comes Khalil Mack. The Bears offense was vertical in the first half but they pulled back in the second half for no apparent reason. Of 21 passing attempts after halftime, nine did not even cross the line of scrimmage while five more were within 5 yards of the line. The Bears need to open it back up. 10* (290) Chicago Bears

This is a play on the JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS for our Sunday NFL Enforcer. The Jaguars went to New York and took care of the Giants behind their powerful defense as they allowed just 324 total yards and 68 of those came on one play, a touchdown run by Saquon Barkley. The challenge will be tougher this week however but Jacksonville should be up for that challenge as it has had this game circled for eight months. The Jaguars have a chance to erase the bad feelings that came from a tough loss in the AFC Championship and they are well aware of the magnitude of this game. Jacksonville was second in the NFL last season in takeaways with 33 but it only had one in the last meeting and that is the key to winning or losing against New England. When the Patriots have a positive turnover differential in the Belichick era, they are 143-15 and when they lose the turnover battle, they are 37-42. The Jaguars style offensively and defensively gives them a chance to win this statistic no matter the opponent. More good news is that Jacksonville pass rusher Dante Fowler, who sacked Brady on two occasions in the AFC Championship, will make his season debut after sitting out the opener due to suspension for violation of the NFL's personal conduct policy. The Patriots were firing on all cylinders last week against Houston as the offense put up 389 yards of offense but it will be tougher heading out on the road in what is expected to be a tough environment. The defense played well also and while the Jacksonville offense is not going to put a scare into anybody, it is efficient and limits its mistakes. Quarterback Blake Bortles can extend plays and hurt defenses with his legs, as seen on his 41-yard run against New York last weekend. Jacksonville has covered seven straight games as an underdog going up against an opponent off a win. 10* (284) Jacksonville Jaguars

This is a play on the INDIANAPOLIS COLTS for our NFL Game of the Week. One of the takeaways from Week One into Week Two is overreaction from the first game of the season. That is represented in several lines this week with this being one of those. The Colts are coming off a loss in the first game back for Andrew Luck as they were defeated by the Bengals by 11 points but it was misleading. Indianapolis was driving late in the fourth quarter down four points but tight end Jack Doyle fumbled the ball and Cincinnati returned it for a touchdown. The Colts outgained the Bengals by 50 yards but because of the loss and the big Washington win, the early line from last week of -3 went up to -5 at the true open and has gone up even more since then. While Luck may not be 100 percent in his comeback, he played well last week and this has been a great spot throughout his career as the Colts are 22-6 ATS when coming off a loss with Luck at quarterback. Washington was very impressive against Arizona in its opener as it outgained the Cardinals by 216 yards and held them to just six points which was a garbage touchdown with five minutes left with the score at 24-0. Again, an overreaction to one game and while the Redskins did dominate, doing it again seems unlikely even though they do head home. Most impressive was the fact they ran for 182 yards on 42 carries (4.3 ypg) which caused them to hold the ball for over 17 more minutes than the Cardinals. That being said, playing out west in the opener was a disadvantage because of travel to and from. The Redskins are 0-4 ATS in their last four games after allowing less than 250 total yards in their previous game while the Colts are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a double-digit loss at home. 10* (261) Indianapolis Colts

This is a play on the CINCINNATI BENGALS for our NFL Thursday Star Attraction. Public reaction after one week has the Ravens as one of the top teams in the NFL following their convincing 47-3 win on opening Sunday. Granted, this is a good team but we are not ready to put them at the top of the football hierarchy just yet. Baltimore has not made the playoffs since 2014 and there is no significant difference in its roster with the exception of upgrades at wide receiver. The win last week came against one of the worst rosters in football so getting carried away with it is a bit of an overreaction. Joe Flacco had a great game and is getting all of the accolades but the other side cannot be overlooked. The Bengals took care of the Colts last week thanks to a late turnover that stalled a possible winning drive and put the game out of reach. Andy Daulton is constantly being criticized but last week, he completed 21 of 28 passes for 243 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Indianapolis. Dalton has plenty of dangerous targets, from perennial Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Green to tight end Tyler Eifert to running back Joe Mixon. The running game could be a big difference as the Ravens do not have one. Ravens starting running back Alex Collins carried just seven times for 13 yards and lost a fumble while Mixon put together a solid opening game. With the exception of two Week 17 meetings, five of the last seven meetings has seen this line falls between 2.5 and 3.5 which is typical for a divisional game such as this so the value is on the home side anything under a field goal. Additionally, road teams that are coming off a win in their season opener where they scored 40 or more points are 10-21-2 in the last 33 instances. 10* (102) Cincinnati Bengals

This is a play on the OAKLAND RAIDERS for our NFL Monday Star Attraction. Most of the talk about Oakland has been negative, centering on how new head coach Jon Gruden has not been on the sidelines for ten years and the poor handling of the linebacker Khalil Mack situation. Gruden made a lot of moves this offseason by bringing in so many veteran players as he turned over a roster that has done very little, in a very long time. There is concern over his old style and how he is going to adjust after not coaching for 10 years but that is offset by the fact he showed nothing during the preseason so the Rams have little to go off of. There is concern that the Raiders are the oldest team in the NFL but that is overblown completely especially when the average age is 27.4 years. As for the Rams, they upgraded their roster with a lot of high-profile moves but early season cohesiveness could be an issue. The Rams rested their offensive starters all preseason, only giving suspended guard Jamon Brown any work. The starting defense only played seven snaps in the third game against the Texans, but that was barely two series of action. As for that defense, while all of the talk is about the strength of the defensive line, there are issues at linebacker and that could be a big problem against the Raiders power running game. This is a great early season situation for the Raiders as going back to 1980, Monday Night home underdogs is season opener are 15-5 ATS. 10* (482) Oakland Raiders

This is a play on the HOUSTON TEXANS for our NFL Game of the Week. Houston and New England met last September and that was the Deshawn Watson breakout game. While he did throw two picks, he went 22-33 for 301 yards and two touchdowns and the Texans easily covered. He is healthy and Houston is in for a big season. The Patriots not favored by nearly as much this time around but this number is too high for a depleted New England team to be laying. Tom Brady is still one of the best quarterbacks in the league but we could see some struggles early in the season as he has no one to throw to. Additionally, he could struggle here staying upright as the Patriots lost left tackle Nate Solder to the Giants in free agency, and then proceeded to lose first-round pick Isaiah Wynn to a torn Achilles back in August. While New England has been a perennial strong starters, it is just 2-2 over the last four years, and the win gap for those two victories has only gotten smaller with an average of 4.5 ppg and it has failed to cover four of its last five season openers. The Texans defense was one of the worst last season but they should get back to form this year as defensive end J.J. Watt and linebacker Whitney Mercilus return and they added safely Tyrann Mathieu to help in the secondary. While Watson is the key to the offense, this is a big spot for Lamar Miller to put up a big game to keep the Patriots defense off balance. 10* (465) Houston Texans

This is a play on the PHILADELPHIA EAGLES for our NFL Thursday Season Opening Enforcer. Everyone has likely heard of the Super Bowl hangover but it does not pertain to the first week of the next season. Since the NFL began its current format for the Kickoff Opener with the winners of the previous Super Bowl playing host to the first game of the season, defending champions are 11-2 in those games (not counting Baltimore in 2013 since its game was moved to the road because of an Orioles scheduling conflict). The defending home team went 8-4-1 ATS. Going back further prior to the Thursday Kickoff Opener, defending Super Bowl Champions have gone 15-2 straight up and 11-5-1 ATS the last 17. One of those two losses was last season when Kansas City surprised the Patriots but it was definitely a fluke as the Chiefs scored three fourth quarter touchdowns thanks to the emergence of Kareem Hunt, who at that time was a relevant unknown. The Eagles look to keep their momentum going from their Super Bowl win over New England and they will go with Nick Foles at quarterback to give Carson Wentz another 10 days to be fully cleared. We know what Foles can do and we take advantage of this based on the line move that has gone under the key number of three. Atlanta will be playing with some revenge after coming two yards short of advancing to the NFC Championship. We are not an advocate of road revenge especially in a case like this with a short number against a team celebrating its first ever championship. The Eagles are 7-2 ATS in their last nine home games while going 6-0 ATS in its last six games where the line is +3 to -3 over the last two seasons. 10* (452) Philadelphia Eagles

By now you have heard that the Eagles are biggest underdog in the Super Bowl since 2009 and the dogs have ruled this game by going 11-4 over the last 16 Super Bowls (Super Bowl XLIX closed as a pickem). We were on the underdog last year, but overtime killed that, but we will be backing the underdog again this year based on Philadelphia possessing the better defense which has been a huge aspect in the outcome of this game. This is the eighth Super Bowl for Tom Brady and Bill Belichick and they have gone 5-2 in the previous seven editions. The average margin of victory in those seven games is 3.7 ppg with the biggest margin of victory being six points from last season in overtime. There have been many better Patriots teams than this one, yet they have not been able to dominate the big game and we expect the same here as the Eagles present a huge challenge. The Eagles were not expected to make any sort of run after Carson Wentz went down but Nick Foles has been sensational, yet no one gives him a chance. He is coming off two great postseason games against Atlanta and Minnesota defenses that came in ranked No. 9 and No. 1 respectively overall. Granted, those games were at home but even going to a neutral environment should not affect things much considering that New England is ranked No. 29 in total defense in the NFL. Ignore the talk about how much the Patriots defense has improved since Week Five because they have played the weakest schedule in the NFL over that stretch. The Patriots have allowed opposing quarterbacks to produce an 89.5 passer rating. Since 2001, only the 2008 team, which failed to qualify for the postseason, was worse (89.8). Foles does not need to have a similar game like last week for the Eagles to win as he has a defense behind him that can take the game over, just like the Jaguars did for three quarters. The Philadelphia defense is quick and athletic, and it is not so different in skill level or speed from the Jacksonville defense that should have put the AFC Championship away. 10* (101) Philadelphia Eagles

This is a play on the PHILADELPHIA EAGLES for our NFL Sunday Enforcer. The Eagles won for us last weekend and we are backing them again for a lot of the same reasons, namely the defense that is underrated. What was written last week goes for this week as well. The loss of Carson Wentz is huge for the Eagles as many are saying the Super Bowl is now out of reach and that is being shown in this line. While there is a downgrade at quarterback for Philadelphia, Nick Foles is more than adequate to carry the team with his 87.4 career passer rating to go along with 61 touchdowns and 29 interceptions. He was above average last week against the Falcons, going 23-30 for 246 yards. The one thing being overshadowed is the Eagles defense that is No. 4 in the NFL in both total defense and scoring defense. That defense is even better at home where they are allowing just 13.4 ppg and 280.6 ypg and this is where the difference will lie once again. If not for a miracle, the Vikings would not be here but here they are and are laying points on the road as well. If this was the Saints and Drew Brees, who has plenty of playoff experience, the line would be the same and the Saints may have been the play. Minnesota does not have the same amount of experience and while it possesses the No. 1 defense, as mentioned, the Eagles stop unit is not too shabby either. Case Keenum has had a great season but take him off the turf with his speedy receivers and his numbers go down as he has a QB rating of 105.1 in nine games on turf indoors and just an 88.7 QB rating in six games on grass. 10* (314) Philadelphia Eagles

This is a play on the JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS for our NFL Game of the Month. Jacksonville won its second straight playoff game despite losing the yardage battle, but it was different this time around. The Jaguars were outgained by 167 yards against the Steelers and that can be looked at one of two ways. Jacksonville could have been dominated on the field and was fortunate to win the turnover battle or we can find out how the yardage differential was generated which can make a big difference. While the former was partly true with the turnover advantage, most of the Pittsburgh yards came late in the game when the Jaguars were ahead, so a lot of those Pittsburgh yards were garbage yards. The Jaguars ran 61 offensive plays, and the Steelers defense finished with no sacks, no takeaways, only one tackle for loss when defending the Jacksonville 35 running plays, and only four hits on quarterback Blake Bortles. That efficiency can work against the Patriots as well as winning the game will mean mistake-free play. The defense matches up so well with the Patriots offense as they have the pass rush to get to quarterback Tom Brady, they have the physical corners to that negate the New England wide receivers who do not have the breakaway speed to begin with and they have the inside strength that can take Rob Gronkowski out of the game. This line is telling us the Jaguars have a 20 percent chance of winning and their chances are better than that with this defense no matter where this game is being played. The Patriots are publicly inflated based on name and history, but they would have been better off seeing Pittsburgh instead of Jacksonville and we will see why on Sunday as this will be no cakewalk to the Super Bowl. 10* (311) Jacksonville Jaguars

This is a play on the PITTSBURGH STEELERS for our NFL Game of the Week. We played against Jacksonville last week and it survived an ugly game at home against the Bills as the defense stepped up when needed but the offense was horrific with just 230 yards. While Blake Bortles managed the team during the season to get the Jaguars to this point, he is not the answer as he missed so many throws against Buffalo and the Steelers will make him pay this week unless he improved immensely in a week which is not likely. You can look at the first meeting where Jacksonville won 30-9 but the Jaguars were outgained by close to 60 yards, scored two defensive touchdowns, Ben Roethlisberger tossed five interceptions and Leonard Fournette ripped off a 90-yard touchdown run with less than two minutes left when the game was already decided. It was the worst game of the season for the Steelers by far and while finding motivation in the playoffs is never an issue, Pittsburgh should bring a little extra this week based on that performance. Pittsburgh was a suspect call against the Patriots from finishing the season 11-0 so it is playing at a high level and despite most of the players having two straight weeks off, that should give them a lot of extra energy and these veteran players do not have to worry about rust. The best possible news is the return of wide receiver Antonio Brown who misses two and a half games with a calf injury. The Steelers add to their 7-1 ATS run in home playoff games. 10* (306) Pittsburgh Steelers

This is a play on the PHILADELPHIA EAGLES for our NFL Saturday Enforcer. The loss of Carson Wentz is huge for the Eagles as many are saying the Super Bowl is now out of reach and that is being shown in this line. While there is a downgrade at quarterback for Philadelphia, Nick Foles is more than adequate to carry the team with his 87.4 career passer rating to go along with 61 touchdowns and 29 interceptions. The one thing being overshadowed is the Eagles defense that is No. 4 in the NFL in both total defense and scoring defense. That defense is even better at home where they are allowing just 13.4 ppg and 280.6 ypg and this is where the difference will lie. We won with Atlanta last weekend over the Rams as it got fortunate because of a pair of fumbles and it was outgained by 39 yards overall. The cover was never in jeopardy, but the public will see that win and give the Falcons too much credit. Despite a 6-3 record on the road, Atlanta is getting outscored on average as the defense has not played as good away from home which comes as no surprise. The playoff experience is important as mentioned last week but there is too much of an adjustment with this line as the Falcons go from +6.5 road underdogs to -3 road favorites and this is the first time since the NFL expanded the playoff field to 12 teams that a No. 1 seed is an underdog in the divisional round. 10* (302) Philadelphia Eagles

This is a play on the BUFFALO BILLS for our NFL Game of the Week. The Bills snuck into the playoffs thanks to Baltimore losing at home against Cincinnati and while many will not be giving them a chance, they are the type of team that can keep their momentum going. The elation they showed after they made the playoffs shows how much this means to them and their fans, yet the number shows they have no chance. We figure the questionable status of LeSean McCoy is inflating this number somewhat, but he made it to the practice field on Thursday, so he could be able to give it a go. The offense will have struggles against the Jacksonville defense, but we are banking on the bills defense to hold its own as well in what we expect to be a lower scoring game, and the total is backing that up, which favors the underdog. Buffalo enters the playoffs with a -57 scoring differential, the fifth worst in the Super Bowl era but that can be attributed to two bad games against New England, a fluky bad effort at home against New Orleans and the Nathan Peterman experiment against the Chargers. Jacksonville went 6-2 at home this season, all six wins against non-playoff teams and the two losses against playoff teams. Conversely, Buffalo went 3-5 on the road but half of those games were against playoff teams and half of those resulted in wins over Atlanta and Kansas City. The Jaguars were one of the big surprises in the NFL this season but still remain one of the least trustable teams in the league. Limping in with losses in their final two games and playing the easiest schedule in the NFL make them very vulnerable. 10* (105) Buffalo Bills