Sports Picks & Predictions

*4 Star NFL Early Bird Special* The Kansas City Chiefs defense is one of the best in the NFL. The Chiefs offense is one of the worst in the NFL when it comes to putting up yardage. They are especially bad through the air. San Diego's defense has been gradually improving over the last few games. The Chargers are very reliant on throwing the football offensively. They really don't have much of a running game. Expect the Chiefs to put a ton of heat on Phillip Rivers and make life miserable for him. KC has the best pass rush in the NFL.

The under is 5-0 in the Chiefs last 5 November games. The under is 6-0 in the Chargers last 6 against the AFC. The under is 6-1 in the Chiefs last 7 vs. a team with a losing record. A 17-1 angle here. Take the under.

*3 Star NFL 100% Angle Total* The Tampa Bay Bucs still aren't a good football team, but their offense has been much better over the last few weeks. Glennon is starting to get into a bit of a rhythm and it is turning into much better productivity for this group. Tampa Bay got an amazing performance out of Bobby Rainey last week at RB, so they might have found a really nice new weapon. Detroit's offense can score on anyone, and this Tampa Bay defense has been a big disappointment this season. Both of these offenses have a big advantage here.

The over is 6-0 in Tampa's last 6 games. The over is 5-0 in their last 5 against the NFC. The over is 5-0 in the Lions last 5 home games. The over is 4-0 in the Lions last 4 after allowing 250 yards or more passing in the last game. The over is 4-0 in the Lions last 4 home games vs. a team with a losing road record. The over is 4-0 in TB's last 4 after allowing 350 yards or more last game. The over is 4-0 in Tampa's last 4 after gaining 350 yards or more. A 32-0 angle here. Take the over.

*3 Star NFL Moneyline CASH* The Chicago Bears are in a tough spot here. They are still without Jay Cutler. While McCown has done a pretty good job for the team, they are clearly much better off with Cutler in the lineup. The Bears picked up a hard win at home last week in OT over the Ravens. Chicago's defense isn't looking good at all of late. The Ravens ran the ball at will against them, and Baltimore hadn't been able to run against anyone before that. The Rams are running it well with Stacy right now, and Clemons is doing a solid job at QB. Jeff Fisher is doing a nice job with this Rams team. Look for the Rams to be motivated at home and pick up a nice win. Take St. Louis ML.

*3 Star NFL ATS Bookie CRUSHER* The New York Jets aren't as good as they looked earlier this year. I give Rex Ryan and the coaching staff credit for making this team look decent early on, but they aren't very talented. Geno Smith makes too many mistakes with the football, and there aren't playmakers around him. Baltimore isn't even close to the team they were last year, but the Ravens still have pride, and they play very well at home. The Ravens have covered the spread in 5 of their last 6 home games. The Jets are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 road games. Lay the points here. *Note- If you can get -3 on the Ravens I would bump this up to a 4 star rated play.*

*3 Star NFL Monday Night Football Total* The New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers meet in what should be a great game Monday night. New England's defense is much improved from a couple years ago. Carolina's offense still isn't elite, but the Panthers defense is amazing. Carolina is first in total defense in the NFL. If you haven't bought into this defense being elite, then you should do it now. New England's offense definitely isn't what it was the past few years, and Carolina's defense should be well-prepared for this one. The Panthers haven't given up more than 15 points in their last 5 games. Take the under.

*4 Star NFL 49ers/Saints Total DOMINATION* The San Francisco 49ers and New Orleans Saints meet in a key matchup in New Orleans this weekend. The 49ers were humbled last week by Carolina at home. Colin Kaepernick is starting to get criticized by the experts. The 49ers need to establish the run here, and I think they can against a Saints front seven that isn't very good. New Orleans has been able to move the ball well against everyone they have faced. The Saints are really tough to stop in the Superdome. I think this total is several points too low.

The over is 6-0 in the Niners last 6 road games vs. a team with a winning record. The over is 5-0 in the Saints last 5 on turf. The over is 4-0 in the Saints last 4 overall. The over is 6-0 in the Saints last 6 home games vs. a team with a winning record. The over is 4-0-1 in the last 5 meetings. A 25-0 angle. Take the over.

*3 Star NFL 100% Angle Total* The Miami Dolphins have been in the news for all the wrong reasons of late. Miami's offense is a complete mess right now. The offensive line was already terrible, and without Incognito and Martin they are even worse. San Diego's defensive line should control the line of scrimmage in this one. The Dolphins still have a pretty solid defense, and the Chargers have had trouble converting in the red zone this season.

The under is 5-0 in the Chargers last 5 vs. the AFC. The under is 5-0-1 in the Dolphins last 6 during week 11. The under is 9-0 in the Dolphins last 9 games against teams allowing 350 yards or more per game. The under is 9-0 in the last 9 meetings between these two teams. A 28-0 angle. Take the under.

*3 Star NFL Early Bird Special* The Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles have a lot in common. Both of these teams have offenses that can score a lot of points quickly. They both also have defenses that can give up a lot of points in a short amount of time. The last few times these teams have gotten together it has been very high scoring. I don't see any reason to expect anything different in this game. Nick Foles is playing great for the Eagles and the Redskins secondary is terrible. RG3 is starting to look like himself once again, and he has had a ton of success against the Eagles in the past. Take the over here.

*4 Star NFL Cowboys/Saints CASH* The Dallas Cowboys beat the Minnesota Vikings last week, but they weren't a bit impressive in that win. New Orleans is a beast at home under Sean Payton. Drew Brees and the entire Saints offense is red hot again this year, and now they have a much improved defense with Rob Ryan at the controls. I think he'll be able to slow down Romo and the Cowboys offense better because of his familiarity with the system. Dallas isn't an elite team, and New Orleans is. This is a statement game for the Saints.

How good have the Saints been at home under Sean Payton? New Orleans is 13-0 ATS in the Superdome with Sean Payton on the sidelines since 2011. The Saints are also 5-0 ATS in their last 5 after allowing more than 150 rushing yards in their last game. An 18-0 angle here. Take New Orleans.

*3 Star NFL 100% Angle ATS Play* The Denver Broncos are a very good football team, but they have shown some vulnerability on the road. They squeaked out a win, but no cover against Dallas on the road. They were then beaten by Indianapolis on the road. San Diego has been great at home this year. The Chargers have dominated Dallas and Indianapolis both at home. San Diego is getting much better quarterback play from Rivers this year, and Danny Woodhead has fit into their offensive system really well. While the Broncos offense is great, their pass defense has been bad all season long. San Diego will fight hard in this one, and I think this game goes down to the wire.

The Chargers are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 after a loss. They are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 following an ATS loss. They are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 against a team with a winning record. A 14-0 angle backs this play. Take the Chargers.

*3 Star NFL Total DOMINATION* The Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers meet for what should be a very good game on Sunday afternoon. The 49ers started a little slowly, but this offense is on fire right now. San Francisco has scored 31 points or more in five straight games. San Francisco also had a bye to prepare for this game, and I think that gives Jim Harbaugh and this offense an edge when it comes to facing a solid Panthers defense. On the other side, Carolina's offense is clicking in a big way right now. The Panthers have scored at least 30 points in four straight games. The 49ers run defense isn't all that good, and the Panthers should find room to run.

The over is 15-2 in the 49ers last 17 following a bye week. The over is 9-0 in Carolina's last 9 games against a team averaging at least 27 points per game. The over is 7-0 in the 49ers last 7 against teams averaging at least 24 points per game in the last half of the season. A 31-2 angle backs this one. Take the over.

*3 Star NFL Totals TKO* The Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers meet Sunday. This is a game I selected on Monday before Aaron Rodgers went down with an injury. At this number (52), I would not have selected the over in this game with Rodgers out, but at a current level of 46.5 I do believe the 'over' is worth a look. Seneca Wallace will be better with a week of practice, and this Eagles defense is pathetic. Philly's offense should find plenty of holes in a weak Green Bay secondary. There's a good chance this game gets into the low 50's. I recommend a play on the over at 48 or less.

*3 Star NFL ATS Bookie CRUSHER* The Baltimore Ravens are just 3-5 on the year. The defending Super Bowl champs clearly aren't going to repeat, but it's hard to imagine them bowing out of the playoff race this early. This is a great spot to expect a huge effort out of the Ravens. Baltimore hasn't lost ATS at home this year, and Joe Flacco has played much better at home than on the road. While the Bengals do have a very good defense, they aren't even close to full strength. Cincinnati comes into this one with key injuries all over the defensive unit. Baltimore's pass rush will get after Andy Dalton, and he's prone to turning it over. Expect a max effort from Baltimore. Take the Ravens.

*3 Star NFL Early Bird Special* The Seattle Seahawks haven't played well the last two weeks, but Pete Carroll should have no trouble getting his team motivated for this game. Seattle lost a heart breaker to Atlanta in the playoffs last year, and you better believe this team remembers that very well. Seattle is on the way up, while Atlanta is a shell of its former self. Matt Ryan is looking bad without top options to throw it to, and the Falcons defense isn't very good. Seattle has a great secondary, and the Falcons simply cannot run the football. Look for Seattle to come out and make a statement here. Seattle wins this one much bigger than the linesmakers are suggesting.

Seattle is 14-1 ATS in their last 15 games following a game where they gained 6 yards or more per play. The Falcons are 1-5 ATS in their last 6. A 19-2 angle here. Take Seattle.

*5 Star NFL Thursday TOP Play Total* The Washington Redskins are one of my favorite teams to play the 'over' with because of their horrible defense and very well-balanced offense. RG3 wasn't himself at the beginning of the season, but he is playing well right now. How about Minnesota's defense? The Vikings have allowed at least 23 points in every game this year, and they have allowed 27 or more in every game but one. This Minnesota defense is a shell of its former self. Washington is giving up 31.6 points per game, so even though the Vikings offense isn't special they should be able to score plenty here. In the last two weeks, Minnesota put up 31 on Green Bay and 23 against Dallas. Christian Ponder is playing pretty well, and Adrian Peterson is running the ball as well as ever.

The over is 5-0 in the Vikings last 5 home games. The over is 6-0 in their last 6 home games against a team with a losing road record. The over is 6-1 in the Vikings last 7 games against a team with a losing record overall. A 19-1 angle backs this play. Take the over big! *Note- I would rate this a 5 star play up to 50 and a 4 star play to 51.*

*4 Star NFL ATS Play of Week* The Baltimore Ravens clearly aren't the same team they were last year when they won the Super Bowl, but I believe this team still has a run in them. Baltimore is better than their 3-4 record would indicate. The Ravens had a week off before this game, which was huge to help them get healthy. John Harbaugh knows the Ravens need this game badly if they are going to get back into the playoffs. The Ravens have won 11 straight games against the Browns. Baltimore has also won five straight games following their bye week. This 16-0 angle isn't one that should be overlooked. The Browns are a bit better this year than they have been in the past, but the Ravens have a huge talent advantage. Cleveland doesn't have the offensive weapons that the Ravens have. Take Baltimore in this one.

*4 Star NFL Total Domination* The Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns have a long history of playing hard fought low scoring battles against each other. Earlier this year, the Ravens won 14-6 over Cleveland in Baltimore. Cleveland is really lacking play makers on the offensive side, but the Browns defense is very good. Joe Haden and the secondary have given Joe Flacco a hard time the last couple years. Baltimore's pass rush will disrupt Cleveland's offense in this one as well. I was very surprised to see 41.5 here. I lined this one at 37 points.

The under is 4-0 in the Ravens last 4 against a team with a losing record. The under is 8-0 in the Browns last 8 against a team with a losing record. The under is 4-0 in the Browns last 4 after gaining 250 yards or more passing in the previous game. The under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these two in Cleveland. The under is 6-0 in the last 6 meetings between these two teams overall. A 26-0 angle backs this one. Take the under.

*3 Star NFL Eagles/Raiders ATS Cash* The Philadelphia Eagles have been an absolute trainwreck the last couple weeks. The offense was great through the first few weeks, but they have been awful the last two games. Philadelphia's defense is still a major weakness. Oakland is better than most people (myself included) expected this year. The Raiders appear to have found a quarterback for the future in Terrelle Pryor. Pryor is an excellent runner who makes plays with his feet. The passing game is slowly coming around. Oakland's defense is in the top half of the NFL in the major categories as well. Oakland is the more consistent team. I'll back them at home. Take Oakland.

*3 Star NFL 100% Angle ATS CRUSHER* The Seattle Seahawks were very fortunate to beat the St. Louis Rams last Monday night. Seattle didn't come ready to play in that one, and you better believe they heard about it after the game. Pete Carroll's team is much much better at home with the amazing home field advantage in Seattle. Tampa Bay comes in with an inexperienced quarterback in Glennon, and this is a disastrous setup for them. Seattle feasts on inexperienced quarterbacks at home. Tampa Bay is 0-7 and the Bucs aren't showing any real signs of improvement.

Tampa Bay is 0-5 ATS in their last 5 following a loss. They are 0-4 ATS following an ATS loss. They are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 against the NFC. They are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games overall. The Bucs are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 after losing by 14 points or more. Tampa Bay is 0-4 ATS in their last 4 after allowing 30 points or more. Seattle is 4-0 ATS after less than 150 yards through the air in their last game. They are 5-0 ATS after allowing less than 15 points in their last game. A 36-0 angle backs this play. Take Seattle.

*3 Star NFL Early Bird Special* The Minnesota Vikings offense isn't great, but the Dallas Cowboys defense is dead last in the NFL in yards allowed per game so far this year. Adrian Peterson should be able to do some damage here. On the other side, the Vikings defense is miserable. Minnesota has allowed 32.1 points per game so far this year. Tony Romo and the Cowboys offense are out to prove something this week after coming up just short against Detroit. Dez Bryant had an outburst last week, and I'm thinking he'll have a big game here.

The over is 10-1 in the Vikings last 11 games during week 9. The over is 7-0 in Dallas' last 7 home games after having won 2 of their last 3 games. The over is 4-0 in the Vikings last 4 after allowing 250 yards or more through the air the previous day. A 21-1 angle. Take the over.

*3 Star Monday Night Football Total Domination* The St. Louis Rams offense is going to look a whole lot different without Sam Bradford under center. Bradford went down with a season-ending injury last week, and I believe the Rams are going to struggle in a big way to score points without him. Kellen Clemens will start here for the Rams. Clemens hasn't been good in his NFL career, and the Rams have virtually no running game. How do the Rams score points here? The Rams defense does play much better at home, and I expect them to fight to keep this game competitive, at least for a while. The posted total here hasn't been adjusted down enough for Bradford's injury. The under is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings between these two teams. Take the under.

*5 Star NFL TOP Play of the Week* The Washington Redskins defense has been one of the worst in the NFL for the past two years. The Redskins are giving up 30.7 points per game, and now they'll go up against the highest scoring team in the league. Denver is ticked off after losing last week in Indy, and the Broncos should light up the scoreboard here. RG3 wasn't completely ready at the beginning of the season, but he has looked much better in the past couple games. This Denver defense isn't very good. They are actually dead last in the NFL in pass yards allowed per game. The Redskins have one of the most balanced offenses in the league, and they should score plenty too.

The over is 4-0-1 in the Broncos last 5 against a team with a losing record. The over is 13-3 in the Broncos last 16 October games. The over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings between these two. *Note- The line has moved up since I selected this game on Sunday, but my numbers had this one at 66 points. I would play this up to 61 points.* Take the over big here!

*4 Star NFL 100% Angle ATS Play* The New York Giants only have one win, but if they win this Sunday they will legitimately still have a chance in the crazy mess that is the NFC East. The Giants have played much better football the last two weeks. They narrowly lost at Soldier Field and then dominated Minnesota. The Giants are a better team than they showed early in the year, and I think they can take advantage of a weak Eagles secondary here. Philadelphia is dead last in the NFL in pass defense. Eli Manning has the pass catchers to tear apart this secondary. Mike Vick is still dinged up and the Eagles have been terrible at home over the last couple years.

The Eagles are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games following a double digit home loss. They are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 home games against a team with a losing road record. They are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 after gaining less than 90 rushing yards in the previous game. Philadelphia is 0-7-1 ATS in their last 8 after allowing more than 350 yards of offense in their last game. A 22-0 angle here. Take the Giants.

*3 Star NFL Early Bird Special* The New Orleans Saints are very tough to beat at home. They are even tougher to beat off a bye week. Sean Payton has established himself as one of the brightest minds in the league, and you better believe he will have his team ready to play after an extra week of preparation. The Buffalo Bills have been playing better than expected, but the Bills aren't even on the same level as the Saints. Thad Lewis has been pretty good as their quarterback, but this is a tough environment. In addition, C.J. Spiller is now listed as questionable for this game, and that is huge. Fred Jackson will play, but he isn't 100 percent. The Saints should roll here.

The favorite is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings between these teams. The Bills are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games. The Saints are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games following a bye week. New Orleans is 8-0 ATS in their last 8 home games when playing against a defense that allows 350 or more yards per game. Buffalo is 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games following an upset win. A 27-1 angle backs this. Take the Saints.

*3 Star NFL ATS Value Play* The Miami Dolphins have been proven as a fraud over the last few weeks. They started off the season red hot, but the Dolphins have completely fallen apart of late. Miami has an extremely inconsistent offense, and that offense puts too much pressure on the Dolphins defense. New England is 5-2 but the Patriots haven't played very well in 2013. Tom Brady got a key weapon back last week in tight end Rob Gronkowski. Look for that to make a huge difference moving forward for this Patriots offense. I don't think the Dolphins have the schemes to slow down Brady and the improved Patriots offense. Miami's offense won't be able to keep up. Take New England.

*3 Star NFL Total DOMINATION* The Cleveland Browns offense isn't any good. Jason Campbell comes in here and it's hard to expect him to be much better than Brandon Weeden. Campbell doesn't have much help around him. After the Browns got rid of Trent Richardson, the offense became helpless. Defensively, Cleveland is a very solid unit. The Browns are 7th in the NFL in total defense. Kansas City is 1st in the NFL in points per game allowed. The Chiefs are giving up just 11.8 points per game. No opponent has scored more than 17 points on the Chiefs. KC's offense isn't high-powered and they are content to win low scoring games.

The under is 4-0 in the Browns last 4 during week 8. The under is 7-1 in Cleveland's last 8 after throwing for less than 150 yards in the previous game. The under is 21-5 in the Chiefs last 26 home games. The under is 7-1 in KC's last 8 following a win. The under is 12-2 in Cleveland's last 14 after scoring 14 or less in the previous game. A 51-9 angle backs this. Take the under.

*4 Star NFL Play of the Week* The Baltimore Ravens are the defending Super Bowl champs, but they still aren't getting the kind of respect they deserve. I've won backing the Ravens two of the last three weeks, and I'll go back to the well again here. Pittsburgh did play better last week, but they definitely didn't prove they have fixed all their problems. Remember, this Steelers win was against a Jets team that simply isn't that talented. The Ravens have a great pass rush to exploit Pittsburgh's biggest weakness which is their offensive line play. Ray Rice is starting to get going, and he is dangerous weapon for the Ravens offense. The Steelers offense relies solely on Roethlisberger and the passing game, and the Ravens pass rush should tee off on them here. Baltimore is the better team, and getting points I have to take the Ravens.

The Ravens are 4-0 ATS following an ATS loss. They are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 against a team with a losing record. Pittsburgh is 3-11 ATS in their last 14 games following an ATS win. Take Baltimore.

*3 Star NFL Total DOMINATION* The Cleveland Browns offense is a real mess right now. Only Brian Hoyer has had any real success moving this team, and he is injured. Brandon Weeden has been bad all year, and the Packers defense has looked much better the last couple weeks. Green Bay's offense is missing several play makers right now, and I'm not sure they'll score as easily as most think here. The Browns defense is pretty good, especially in the secondary where they have Joe Haden and T.J. Ward. The Packers last two games finished at 31 and 36 points. The Browns know they can't win a shootout with the Packers and I expect them to try to slow this game down and control the ball. The under is 6-1 in the Browns last 7 during week 7. The under is 5-1-1 in the Browns last 7 road games against a team with a winning home record. Take the under.

*3 Star NFL Oddsmaker ERROR* The San Francisco 49ers weren't on top of their game earlier this year, but this team has looked much better the last couple weeks. San Francisco is an elite team that is capable of beating just about anyone in the NFL by a big margin when they are playing well. The Titans are a bit overrated now in my opinion. They only lost to the Seahawks by 7 last week, but the Titans were badly outplayed in that game. The Titans haven't played a difficult schedule at all this season. Tennessee's offense will get back Jake Locker for this one, but he is less than 100 percent. The 49ers defense should handle them. Offensively, the Niners running game is looking strong of late. The Titans are 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games against a team with a winning road record. The 49ers are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 October games. Take San Francisco.

*3 Star NFL Early Bird Special* The New England Patriots got a bit fortunate to sneak past the Saints last week. This week they are matched up an inferior Jets team. The Jets outplayed New England on the road earlier this year, but the Patriots still won because they forced so many turnovers from Geno Smith. I expect the Patriots to be better prepared for this one. Rob Gronkowksi is expected back on the field here, and he instantly becomes Tom Brady's best pass catcher. He will be a huge boost to this offense. The Jets offense looked terrible last week against Pittsburgh and I expect the same against the Pats defensive schemes. New England is 12-2 ATS in their last 14 games played on the road against the Jets. The Patriots are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 games during week 7. Take New England.

*3 Star NFL ATS Value Play* Cincinnati isn't a bad team, but they haven't proven they are elite this year. Andy Dalton has been very underwhelming so far this season. Dalton has been a turnover machine, and this Lions defense thrives on turnovers. The Lions have forced 13 turnovers already this year. The Bengals have turned it over 12 times. Dalton is going to have a lot of heat on him in this one against a Lions defense that has a very strong front four. On the other side, the Lions offense is much better with a healthy Reggie Bush. Bush keeps the opponents off guard and the Bengals defense isn't going to know what's coming here. Matt Stafford is a better QB than Andy Dalton, and there is a good chance he'll have Calvin Johnson back for this game. Detroit is only laying 2.5 at home against a Bengals team with plenty to prove. I'll take the home team. Take Detroit.

*3 Star NFL Thursday Night CASH* The Seattle Seahawks dispatched the Arizona Cardinals 58-0 in Seattle in the last meeting between these two late last year. Arizona was very short-handed in that game, and the Cardinals are a much better team than they were at that point. It's also important to keep in mind that Arizona actually beat Seattle by a field goal at home last year. Bettors see that Seattle won big late last year and don't worry about laying the number here, but I think the value is on Arizona. Seattle isn't even close to the same team on the road. Arizona's front seven has been great at stopping the run, and the Seahawks are all about the running game on offense. Arizona has a bit of running game now, and Palmer can throw it deep to Fitzgerald. The Cardinals are a much more dangerous team than they were last year.

Arizona is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 following an ATS loss. They are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 after allowing more than 30 points in their previous game. The home team is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings between these two. A 14-0 angle backs this play. Take Arizona and the points. *Note- This line has been moving since I played it. I would suggest getting at least 6 points with the Cardinals here. Thank you.*

*4 Star NFL Colts/Chargers Moneyline CASH* The Indianapolis Colts were thought to be a team that might decline a bit from last year before the season. The Colts played pretty well early on, and then they made a huge move to get an elite running back in Trent Richardson. Andrew Luck is a terrific QB, and this offense is now balanced. The Colts defense has struggled against the run, but they are top notch against the pass. The Chargers can't run the ball well at all, so they are all about the pass. I trust Andrew Luck far more than Phillip Rivers to take care of the football. The Colts clearly have the better defense here as well. Remember, the Colts dominated the 49ers on the road a few weeks ago.

The Chargers are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 home games against a team with a winning road record. San Diego is 0-6 ATS in their last 6 October games. Indianapolis is 8-0 ATS in their last 8 against a team with a losing record. They are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 road games against a team with a losing home record. A 24-0 angle backs the Colts here. I'll take the moneyline here since I believe its the best value. Take the Colts.

*3 Star NFL Sunday Night Football Total* The Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys meet in an interesting Sunday Night game this week. These two teams have a rivalry that goes back a long ways. Robert Griffin III hasn't been very sharp early on this year, but I expect him to get much better as the season progresses. The Cowboys defense isn't very impressive, and Griffin has had plenty of success in Dallas before. Tony Romo had a terrific game last week, and I think he can back it up with another great performance against a really bad Washington defense in this one. The over is 16-2 in the Cowboys last 18 games against teams averaging at least 260 yards per game through the air. The over is 4-0 in the Cowboys last 4 against a team with a losing record. Take the over.

*4 Star NFL Play of the Week* The Arizona Cardinals defense is one of the best in the NFL right now. Arizona is third in the NFL against the run, and they have one of the best corners in the NFL in Patrick Peterson. San Francisco is all about the running game, and I expect the Cardinals to slow them down pretty well throughout this game. Arizona's offense hasn't been very good this year. Carson Palmer is far too inconsistent, and the Cardinals have virtually no running game. San Francisco's secondary is very good against the pass, and I don't see Arizona putting together long drives against the 49ers.

The under is 4-0 in the Cardinals last 4. The under is 5-0 in their last 5 October games. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 against the NFC. The under is 4-0 in the 49ers last 4 October games. The under is 7-0 in the Cardinals last 7 games following a win. A 24-0 angle backs this one. Take the under.

*3 Star NFL 100% Angle ATS CRUSHER* The Seattle Seahawks are in a great spot here. Seattle is coming off their first loss of the season. The Seahawks were beaten in Indianapolis by a good Colts team. Now, Seattle returns home to play against what I believe is an overrated Tennessee team. The Titans haven't played in a really hostile environment this year, and they'll be without starting quarterback Jake Locker in this one. Seattle's home field advantage is far bigger than anyone else's in the NFL, and the Seahawks still have a bad taste in their mouth from last week. Seattle is better than Tennessee on both sides of the ball. The Seahawks are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 following an ATS loss. Seattle is 9-0 ATS in their last 9 after gaining at least 6 yards per play in their previous game. Take Seattle here.

*3 Star NFL ATS Value Play* The Carolina Panthers have one of the best defenses in the NFL. Carolina has been solid both against the run and the pass. Adrian Peterson is the Vikings entire offense at this point, and I feel like the Panthers have the personnel to slow him down. I don't trust Matt Cassel as the team's new starter at all. Cam Newton and the Panthers offense has been up and down, but this Vikings defense has been terrible all season. Minnesota is 30th in the NFL in total defense. Minnesota has allowed at least 27 points in every single game so far this year. Carolina has the better defense and the better quarterback. Take the points here. Take Carolina.

*4 Star NFL Packers/Ravens ATS* The Green Bay Packers have a top quarterback in Aaron Rodgers, but their offensive line doesn't always do a good job protecting him. Baltimore can get after the quarterback, and I fully expect the Ravens to make Rodgers uncomfortable in this one. Baltimore's offense is much better when Ray Rice is a big part of the game plan, and he should be once again this week. Rice had a great game last weekend in the team's win at Miami. The Packers are without Clay Matthews, who is clearly the team's best defensive player. This Green Bay secondary has a lot of holes, and Joe Flacco should have a good game here. I like getting the points on the home underdog here.

Green Bay is 0-4 ATS in their last 4 road games. The Ravens are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 on turf. The Ravens are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 at home. The home team is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings between these teams. A 17-0 angle here. Take Baltimore.

*3 Star NFL Early Bird Special* The Kansas City Chiefs have stunned everyone with their red hot start. Many people expected this team to be better, but no one saw this team sitting at unbeaten heading into week 6. Oakland was considered by many to be at or near the bottom of the NFL power rankings this year. The Raiders aren't a good team, but they are definitely more competitive than expected. Oakland's defense has been pretty solid against both the run and the pass. Kansas City's offense is about ball control and letting their defense win the game. Oakland will struggle to score here, but I don't see the Chiefs putting up all that many points either.

The under is 14-2 in the Raiders last 16 during week 6. The under is 7-0 in their last 7 after allowing more than 250 passing yards in the previous game. The under is 11-1 in the Chiefs last 12 home games against a team with a losing road record. The under is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings between these two at KC. A 37-3 angle backs this one. Take the under.

*3 Star NFL Totals TKO* The Pittsburgh Steelers had a bye week to think about how awful they were through the first four contests of the season. Pittsburgh still has a very good defense, and I expect them to show up ready to play in this one. The Jets offense is still one of the worst in the league. Defensively, the Jets have been even better than expected. This sets up perfectly as a game where both teams will have to fight hard for all their yardage. Expect the scoring to consist of a lot of field goals. If you like defense, this should be your type of game. I think this stays in the low to mid 30's. Take the under.

*4 Star NFL Play of Week* The Denver Broncos are an offensive juggernaut. The Dallas Cowboys defense isn't terrible, but they didn't look very good last week against Phillip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers offense. Peyton Manning is going to pick apart this Cowboys secondary. The Broncos are averaging a ridiculous 44.8 points per game. I give them a very reasonable chance of hitting 40 again in this one. Dallas' offense will have plenty of opportunities too. The Denver defense isn't very good against the pass, and I see Dallas airing it out often after getting behind early on. Denver is giving up 316 passing yards per game.

The over is 8-0-1 in the Broncos last 9 games following a win by 10 points or more. The over is 4-0 in Denver's last 4 on turf. The over is 5-0 in the Cowboys last 5 during week 5 of the season. In all, a 17-0 angle backs this play. Take the over.

*4 Star NFL 100% Angle Total* The New Orleans Saints offense is firing on all cylinders once again. The Saints have Sean Payton back on the sideline, and Drew Brees is at his best once again. Brees has all kinds of weapons to work with, and this Saints offense is going to be hard for anyone to slow down. The Bears defense isn't what it used to be. Offensively, the Bears are much better than they were the last couple years. Chicago is averaging 31.8 points per game. The Bears defense is forcing turnovers that lead to a lot of points as well. Rob Ryan is improving this Saints defense, but they are going to get exposed sooner or later. This number is too low.

The over is 6-0 in the Bears last 6 games. The over is 4-0 in the Bears last 4 on grass. The over is 4-0 in the Bears last 4 against an NFC oppponent. The over is 4-0 in the Saints last 4 week five games. The over is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings between these teams. In all, a 23-0 angle backs this play. Take the over.

*3 Star NFL Total DOMINATION* The Jacksonville Jaguars are the worst team in the NFL by a mile right now. Their offense is just brutal. Jacksonville is averaging just 7.8 points per game this season. The Jaguars will likely have trouble scoring in St. Louis against a Rams defense that plays much better at home. The Jaguars defense isn't good, but they should be able to keep the Rams off the board enough to keep this one under the total. St. Louis has no real running game, and Sam Bradford has been struggling with inconsistency this year. The under is 5-0 in the Jaguars last 5 following a double digit loss at home. The under is 5-0 in the Jags last 5 after allowing more than 30 points. The under is 4-0 in their last 4 after allowing more than 250 yards through the air in the previous game. A 14-0 angle backs this play. Take the under.

*3 Star NFL ATS Best Bet* The Miami Dolphins were exposed last week in New Orleans. Miami was 3-0, but they aren't one of the top teams in the league. Cameron Wake is the team's best defensive player, but he is still dinged up. He might not play in this one, and if he does he won't be as effective as normal. Baltimore is 2-2, and the Ravens have played well off a loss in their last couple years. The Ravens should use Ray Rice early and often here, and that is always a good thing. Rice is one of the most versatile backs in the NFL. Baltimore is better than some believe, because the Ravens still have stars on both sides of the ball. The Ravens are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 against teams with a winning record. The Ravens are 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 road games against a team with a winning home record. Miami is 0-4 ATS in their last 4 after allowing 30 points or more in their previous game. Take Baltimore.

*3 Star NFL Early Bird Special* The Detroit Lions offense is so much better with Reggie Bush in the backfield. Bush can do it all, and that gives Matt Stafford and this offense the missing piece to the puzzle. Green Bay's offense is tremendous, but their defense is giving up points in bunches. The Packers first three games have finished with a total of 62, 58, and 64 points. Detroit is fully capable of getting into a shootout with the Packers, and that is what I expect in this one. The over is 4-0 in the Packers last 4 games overall. The over is 4-0 in the Packers last 4 home games against a team with a winning record. The over is 6-1 in Detroit's last 7 road games against a team with a losing home record. The over is 7-1 in the Packers last 8 after allowing less than 90 yards rushing the previous game. Take the over.

*3 Star NFL Dolphins/Saints ATS* The Miami Dolphins are 3-0, but they have been outgained in all three games. They aren't going to be able to continually get outgained and still win football games. The New Orleans Saints are much improved on the defensive side of the ball, and they are extremely tough to beat at home. Miami's defense is normally pretty good, but they are short-handed for this one. Cameron Wake may miss the game as well, and he is the Dolphins best defender. Ryan Tannehill isn't a bad QB, but he hasn't proven himself in a tough environment on the road yet. The Saints have far too many weapons for the Dolphins. The Dolphins are improved, but they aren't in the same class as the Saints. New Orleans is 11-0 ATS in their last 11 games at home when Sean Payton is on the sideline. The Saints are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 Monday Night Football games. The Saints are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games at home during primetime. In all, a 22-0 angle backs this play. Take the Saints.

*4 Star NFL Sunday Night Football ATS* The New England Patriots are 3-0 so far this year, but they have probably been the least impressive 3-0 team in the league. Atlanta is 1-2 on the year, but their two losses came in the last minute at Miami and at New Orleans. The Falcons haven't looked bad at all this year, and they are always extremely difficult to beat at home. The Falcons backs are against the wall here, and I expect them to come out ready to play. Matt Ryan has far more weapons to work with than Tom Brady does. The Patriots can't squeak out every tough game, and this is the best team they have played so far this year. The Falcons are 23-9 ATS in their last 32 following an ATS loss. Take Atlanta. *The line has moved throughout the week since I selected this one last Sunday night- I would play this up to Atlanta -3. Thank you.*

*4 Star NFL Play of Week* The Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos square off in a matchup of high-octane offenses. Neither of these teams will huddle up, and there will be a ton of plays run in this one. Peyton Manning has had a ton of great seasons in the NFL, but he is off to the fastest start of his career. Manning has 12 touchdown passes and 0 interceptions this year. This Eagles defense is giving up 323 yards per game through the air and Manning should shred them up here. On the other side, the Broncos have allowed at least 21 points in each game this year. The Eagles fast-paced offense can put up points as well. Denver is number one in total offense and Philly is number two in the NFL.

The over is 4-0 in the Broncos last 4 after allowing 90 yards or less on the ground in the previous game. The over is 5-0-1 in the Broncos last 6 following a win. The over is 7-0-1 in the Broncos last 8 following a win by 14 points or more. The over is 4-0-1 in the Broncos last 5 on grass. The over is 3-0-1 in their last 4 home games against a team with a losing record. The over is 5-0-1 in their last 6 following a game where they scored 30 points or more. The over is 7-0 in their last 7 after gaining at least 150 yards rushing in the previous game. The over is 4-0 in the Eagles last 4 after gaining at least 350 yards in their previous game. The over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these two. In all, a 43-0 angle backs this play. Take the over.

*3 Star NFL 100% Angle CASH* The Dallas Cowboys looked a lot better last weekend. While I'm not completely sold on the Cowboys, I do rate them as a much better team than the San Diego Chargers. Phillip Rivers just makes too many mistakes, and the Cowboys defense has proven very good at forcing turnovers. Dallas is a much more dangerous team when Murray is running the ball well, and he looked great last week. Tony Romo has far more weapons to work with than Phillip Rivers. The Cowboys defense has a lot more talent than the Chargers. Dallas is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 after accumulating 350 yards or more in the previous game. The Chargers are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 home games against a team with a winning road record. The road team is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings between these two. Take Dallas.

*3 Star NFL Oddsmaker Error* The Cleveland Browns picked up a nice win on the road in Minnesota last week, but I think people are a little too anxious to believe that Cleveland is much improved. The Browns still have a major question mark at quarterback and no real running back after Richardson was traded away. The Bengals lost a tough game in Chicago and then won against Pittsburgh and Green Bay. Cincinnati has a much more balanced team than Cleveland, and the Bengals appear to be much better this year than they have been in the past couple seasons. I think this is a case of two teams headed in different directions. This line is too short. Take advantage of it. Take Cincinnati.

*3 Star NFL Early Bird Special* The Chicago Bears have played three games that have went well over the posted total this year. Chicago's offense is improved, and their defense is forcing turnovers in a big way so far this season. Detroit's offense is one of the most dynamic in the league, and Reggie Bush will be back for this one. With Bush and Calvin Johnson around him, Matt Stafford should have a great season. Johnson should take advantage of a banged up Bears secondary. The Bears are averaging 31.7 points per game. The over is 5-0 in the Bears last 5. The over is 7-1 in the Bears last 8 road games. The over is 6-1 in the Bears last 7 during week 4. Take the over.

*3 Star NFL ATS Play of Week* The Detroit Lions and Washington Redskins are both going to be airing it out on Sunday afternoon. The Redskins secondary might be the worst in the league, and you better believe Matt Stafford and Calvin Johnson are going to exploit that. On the other side, Robert Griffin III has slowly improved in the first two weeks and I expect him to play his best game of the year so far in this one. Reggie Bush is questionable here, but I think the Lions score plenty whether he plays or not. Washington's offense is quite a bit more sharp at home.

The over is 6-0 in the Redskins last 6 September games. The over is 6-0 in Detroit's last 6 road games against a team with a losing home record. A nice 12-0 angle backs this play. Take the over.

*3 Star NFL Early Bird Special* The Green Bay Packers have the top ranked offense in the NFL right now. Don't be surprised if the Packers stay at or very close to the top of the NFL in total offense throughout the season. The Bengals have an elite front seven, but Cincinnati has some problems in the secondary. Look for Aaron Rodgers to expose Cincinnati's problems in the secondary in this game. The Bengals have more play makers on offense than they have had in a very long time. Gio Bernard is a great addition to this team, and A.J. Green is an elite receiver. The Packers defense has been giving up a lot of yards, and I think that continues here. Take the over.

*3 Star NFL Totals TKO* The Cleveland Browns offense was horrendous in the first two weeks. Now, they'll be without their starting quarterback and running back from the beginning of the season. The trade of Trent Richardson was a confusing one, and it is going to really hurt this offense. Cleveland is averaging 8 points per game so far this year, and now they are permanently without Richardson, who was their best player. Minnesota's offense is all about running the football, and the Browns are 5th in the NFL at stopping the run. Minnesota is likely to win, but I don't think they'll put up many points. Look for an ugly game here. Take the under in this one.

*3 Star Thursday Night Chiefs/Eagles ATS CASH* The Philadelphia Eagles got a lot of praise after their week one victory over the Washington Redskins. After week two, the Eagles were getting bashed by a lot of people once again. Chip Kelly has brought a much improved offensive scheme to Philadelphia, but if anything the Eagles defense is even worse than last year. This game has some extra story lines as Andy Reid comes back to face his old team. Reporters are trying to make that the big story here, but Andy Reid is too much of a professional to let that story line change the way his team prepares. I like what I've seen out of the Chiefs this year. Kansas City has 5 pro bowlers on their defense, and this should be a top 10 defense in the league this year. Alex Smith is a great game manager, and Jamaal Charles is an elite running back. Philadelphia just lost at home to a San Diego team that I rate much lower than the Chiefs. I'll take the better defense and grab the points here. The Eagles are 0-6-1 ATS in their last 7 games against teams with a winning record. They are 0-7-1 ATS in their last 8 after allowing more than 350 yards in their last game. Take the Chiefs.

*3 Star NFL Monday Night Football Total Domination* The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals are bitter rivals, and you better believe both teams want this game badly. Not only is this game a huge rivalry, but both teams really want to avoid going 0-2. The Steelers were embarrassed at home last week, while the Bengals blew a game in Chicago. The strength of both of these teams is their defense, and I expect both defenses to rise up and play great Monday night. The Steelers defense is still one of the best in the NFL, and they'll show pride in this game. The Bengals defensive front is very good, and I expect them to get after Big Ben here.

The under is 8-0 in the Steelers last 8 week 2 games. The under is 6-0 in the Bengals last 6 against the AFC. The under is 4-0 in the Bengals last 4 home games. The under is 4-0 in the Bengals last 4 games after gaining at least 250 yards passing in the previous game. In all, a 22-0 angle backs this play. Take the under.

*3 Star NFL 49ers/Seahawks ATS CASH* The San Francisco 49ers are most people's top ranked team in the NFL right now. I can't necessarily argue against the 49ers as a great team, but I will argue that Seattle has the single best home field advantage in football. That effect will be multiplied here as this is a night game in Seattle. You better believe this building will be absolutely rocking Sunday night. Colin Kaepernick picked apart the Packers defense, but this Seattle defense is one of the best in the NFL. Don't overlook Russell Wilson, who is a very good young quarterback. He knows how to win football games. The 49ers defense isn't quite as good as it was a couple years ago, and I think that shows up here. The Seahawks spanked the 49ers last time at home. It won't be as big of a margin here, but I think Seattle gets it done. Seattle is 10-1 ATS in their last 11 games against a team with a winning record. The 49ers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 against the NFC West. Take Seattle.

*3 Star NFL ATS CRUSHER* The Tampa Bay Bucs are coming off a disappointing last second loss to the New York Jets. While a lot of people are saying this is a great chance for them to catch the Saints napping, I don't see it that way. New Orleans should be highly motivated this year under Sean Payton. Payton missed all of last season, and the Saints basically wrote off the season. In 2013, expect a lot more out of the Saints. New Orleans has all kinds of offensive play makers, and I don't think the Bucs can keep up. Josh Freeman has to prove he is a capable NFL starter after a lot of bad mistakes the past year and a half. New Orleans should move to 2-0 with an easier than expected win. Take the Saints.

*3 Star NFL Early Bird Special* The Miami Dolphins had an impressive week one showing against Cleveland on the road. The Browns aren't an elite team, but they aren't as bad as many think. Miami's defense looked very tough in that game, and I think we'll see as the season moves along that this Dolphins defense is much improved this year. Ryan Tannehill isn't tremendous, but he is a solid quarterback for this system. The Colts were lucky to get out with a win against a bad Oakland team in week one. Indianapolis is one of the teams that I believe is overrated going into this year. Miami has the better defense and I think this line should be at least pick'em. Miami is 26-9 ATS in their last 35 road games against a team with a winning record. Grab the points here. Take Miami.

*4 Star Monday Night Texans/Chargers ATS SMASHER* There are sometimes when you need to not overanalyze a game. This is one of those times. Houston has an extremely well-balanced team. The Texans used to have a major weakness in the secondary, but they have since turned that weakness into a strength. Houston runs the ball as well as anyone in the league. Matt Schaub has even more weapons on the outside this year, and DeAndre Hopkins could be huge for this team. The Chargers are a team that has been subpar the last few years, and I actually think they are headed south at this point. Phillip Rivers is a turnover machine, and the Chargers don't have all that many talented players around him. The defense is no longer elite. Houston is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 September games. The Chargers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 home games. Take Houston.

*3 Star Eagles/Redskins Total Domination* The Philadelphia Eagles are going to be a completely different team this year. Chip Kelly's offenses were the best in the country at Oregon. Some think it will take a long time for the Eagles offense to look good, but I think they'll rack up the points right away against a bad Washington Redskins defense. At the same time, the Eagles defense wasn't very good last year, and I think they are a bit weaker heading into this season. RG3 isn't 100%, but he should be plenty good enough to pick apart this defense. Fast pace and lots of big plays should equal a very high scoring game. The over is 5-1 in the Eagles last 6 games. The over is 4-0 in the Redskins last 4 September games. Take the over.

*4 Star NFL Play of the Week* The Kansas City Chiefs went 2-14 last year, but this team is going to be much much better this year. Jamaal Charles is fresh and ready to go go this year, and he has a better quarterback in Alex Smith alongside. Kansas City has a very good defense built around some solid youngsters who are becoming all-pros. Jacksonville is a team that doesn't really have much of anything going for them. Blaine Gabbert isn't all that good, and he isn't even 100%. If he can't finish the game, Hanie will be in, and he hasn't proven anything. KC's defense should be licking its chops in this one. Kansas City is a team on the rise quickly, while Jacksonville is definitely one of the worst teams in the league. It is a perfect chance for Andy Reid to get off to a quick start with his new team. Take Kansas City.

*3 Star NFL Oddsmaker Error* The Tampa Bay Bucs should be a better team than they were last year. Revis instantly makes this defense better, and the fact that he isn't on the Jets defense instantly makes them worse. The Jets offense is a complete mess, and I expect Geno Smith to have some major problems in his first start in the NFL. Don't be surprised if Tampa Bay scores a couple times on defense or at least sets up quick scores with their defense. The Jets no longer have the players to win with the ground game, and they certainly don't have a good passing game. Nothing about this Jets team is good right now. It's going to be a long season for the Jets, and it starts here. Tampa Bay is 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 road games. Take Tampa Bay.

*3 Star Falcons/Saints ATS CRUSHER* The Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints meet in a high profile week one matchup in the Superdome on Sunday. The Saints are coming off essentially a "lost season" when Bountygate basically ended their season before it got started. Sean Payton will be back on the sideline here, and the Saints will be very fired up for this contest. Atlanta is a quality team, but I'm still not convinced they are any better than the Saints. The teams split in two very evenly played games last year. The Saints won at home by 4, and two years in the Superdome the Saints won by a score of 45-16. This is a great chance for the Saints to start the season by making a statement at home. New Orleans is 16-5 ATS in their last 21 home games. They are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 against Atlanta. Take the Saints here.

*3 Star NFL Opening Night Total Domination* The Baltimore Ravens beat the Denver Broncos 38-35 en route to a Super Bowl win last year. The Broncos and Ravens both got a lot worse on the defensive side of the ball in the offseason, and we get a total that is set at just 48.5. Von Miller is a huge loss for the Broncos, and the Ravens absolutely have the offensive weapons to put up big numbers against Denver. Peyton Manning and this Broncos offense can score against anyone, and Baltimore is going to miss Ray Lewis and Ed Reed this season. Denver's no huddle offense gets them extra plays throughout the course of the game. Look for this total to climb as the game draws near, so bet the over as early as possible. I think this one gets into the mid 50's. The over is 7-1 in the Ravens last 8 games in September. The over is 3-0-1 in the Broncos last 4 against the AFC. Take the over.

*3 Star Super Bowl Total Domination* The Baltimore Ravens used to be known for their superb defense. The defense is still pretty good, but it is far from what it used to be. You could make a good argument that Baltimore is better on the offensive side of the ball now. Joe Flacco is playing like an elite quarterback, and that makes all the difference in the world for this offense. Ray Rice is one of the best players in the NFL, and he is a guy the defense has to account for on every single play. San Francisco's defense carried it through most of last year and early on this year, but with the change to Colin Kaepernick, the 49ers are far more dangerous offensively. Kaepernick can beat a team with his feet or his arm. Frank Gore and LaMichael James are both very good in the backfield for San Francisco. The 49ers defense has given up quite a few yards in both playoff games. Green Bay scored 31 points and Atlanta put up 24. Look for both teams to be able to move the ball in this one. The over is 6-0 in the 49ers last 6 games. The over is 4-0 in the 49ers last 4 games on field turf. The over is 5-0 in the 49ers last 5 against a team with a winning record. Take the over.

*3 Star AFC Championship Total Domination* The Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots have definitely seen a lot of each other over the past few seasons. These teams know what the strengths of weaknesses of their opponent is very well. The Ravens defense hasn't been as good this year, but they still have play makers who will make it tough on Tom Brady. The Patriots defense is quite a bit better than it was last season. A big X factor to watch in this one is the weather. The wind is expected to be gusting up to 35 mph during this one, and that is no good for passing games. With a total this high and the weather looking that way, I like the under. The under is 5-2 in the Ravens last 7 playoff games. Take the under.

*3 Star NFC Title Total Domination* The San Francisco 49ers offense is a completely different animal with Colin Kaepernick at the helm. Kaepernick is explosive on the ground, which makes teams pay a lot of attention to him and leaves more running room for Frank Gore. The Falcons defense has relied on turnovers all year, and at some point it has to come back to bite them that they allow so many yards. Matt Ryan and the Falcons receivers are tremendous, and they should be able to throw it against the 49ers as long as Ryan gets some time to throw the ball. The over is 5-0 in San Francisco's last 5 games. The over is 4-0 in the 49ers last 4 against a team with a winning record. The over is 4-0 in Atlanta's last 4 home playoff games. Take the over.

*3 Star Texans/Patriots Total Domination* The Houston Texans and New England Patriots just met a few weeks ago and the Patriots won 42-14. I don't expect the same spread in this one, but I do think the Pats offense will put up a big number again. New England is playing excellent on offense right now, and other than J.J. Watt the Texans defense has regressed a bit. Arian Foster and the Texans running attack should be able to get going against a mediocre Pats defense. New England's games rarely stay under this number, and the weather looks pretty decent for Sunday. The over is 6-1 in the Patriots last 7 January games. The over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these teams. Take the over.

*3 Star Packers/49ers Total Domination* The Packers and Niners met in week one in Green Bay. In that game, we saw 52 points put up on the board. I believe both offenses are in better shape now than they were for that game. Aaron Rodgers has some of his receivers back and healthy. Rodgers is playing as well as ever right now. San Francisco's offense has more firepower with Kaepernick at quarterback. The running game is still terrific, and I'm not sure Green Bay can stop it. The 49ers defense isn't quite as good with a dinged up Justin Smith. Rodgers doesn't need much time to pick apart defenses. The over is 4-0 in the 49ers last 4 games. The over is 4-0 in the Niners last 4 home games. The over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these two teams. Take the over.

*3 Star Colts/Ravens Total Domination* The Baltimore Ravens defense gets a big boost from Ray Lewis being back in the lineup for this one. Baltimore's defense hasn't been nearly as good this season, but I think they'll pick up their game in the postseason. They still have guys like Lewis, Suggs, and Reed to lead the team. The Colts are too one-dimensional, and the Ravens should be able to get after Andrew Luck with their pass rush. The Ravens offense has been disappointing for much of the year. They have a lot of talent, but they haven't put it all together. The under is 5-0 in the Colts last 5 playoff road games. The under is 4-0 in the Ravens last 4 playoff home games. The under is 4-0 in the Ravens last 4 after allowing 90 yards of rushing or less in the previous game. The under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these two. I like the under here.

*3 Star Vikings/Packers Total Domination* Minnesota and Green Bay meet in the first round of the playoffs tonight at Lambeau. There is a public perception out there that points are extremely tough to come by at Lambeau in the playoffs because of the cold weather, but the numbers don't show that to be true. The over is actually 4-0 in the Packers last 4 home playoff games. Minnesota's pass defense has been a problem this year, and Aaron Rodgers is playing tremendous football right now. Nobody has been able to stop Adrian Peterson of late, including the Green Bay Packers. This total is set a little lower than it should be. The over is 18-7-1 in the last 26 meetings between these two teams. The over is 17-6 in the Packers last 23 home games. Take the over.

*3 Star NFL Play of the Week* The New Orleans Saints have shown that they are going to play all the way to the end this year. The Saints offense is clicking much better as the season moves along. Drew Brees and his receivers are starting to look like they have the last couple years. Carolina's defense has been good of late, but they haven't been able to even slow down the Saints the past couple years, and I don't think they'll slow them down here either. Carolina's offense should be able to move the ball against a Saints defense that is dead last in the NFL in total defense. Cam Newton is playing with a ton of confidence right now. The over is 13-3 in the Saints last 16 against the NFC. The over is 4-0 in the Panthers last 4 against the NFC South. Take the over.

*3 Star Giants/Ravens Moneyline CASH* The New York Giants have been in this spot before. In fact, they were in this spot last year before they went on a run and won the Super Bowl. New York is used to having their backs against the wall and having to win. Ahmad Bradshaw is expected back for this game, and that helps take some pressure off Eli Manning. The Ravens offense has been curiously bad of late, and the Baltimore defense is badly dinged up. The Giants have dominated both the 49ers and the Packers this year, and it won't surprise me if they win this game handily. The Giants need this game and I think they get it. The Ravens are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games in December. They are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 following a double digit home loss. Take the Giants in this big spot.

*3 Star NFL Early Bird Special* The Oakland Raiders haven't been competitive on the road this year. Oakland has won only once away from home and that was against the lowly Kansas City Chiefs. In their five losses on the road, four of them have been by more than 20 points. Basically, this Raiders team is no stranger to getting blown out on the road. It seems strange to lay this big of a number with a team that is 5-9 on the year, but the Panthers are playing very well right now. Cam Newton is playing the best football of his NFL career, and the Panthers defense has improved a lot. Carolina is 19-7 ATS in their last 26 December games. Oakland is 0-5-1 ATS in their last 6 following an ATS win. Take Carolina.

*3 Star NFL Total Domination* It looks like RG3 is a go for Sunday afternoon. Kirk Cousins has done great, but obviously RG3 is the man for this team when he is ready to go. There isn't a better play maker in the league at the quarterback position, and he is only a rookie. Philadelphia's defense has injury issues, and they don't rush the passer well. Washington put up 31 points a few weeks ago against the Eagles. Washington's defense isn't very good, and Nick Foles is starting to get in a rhythm with the Eagles offense. I think the Eagles can put up some points here as well. The over is 5-0 in the Eagles last 5 home games. The over is 6-1 in the Redskins last 7 following a victory of 14 points or more. Take the over.

*3 Star NFL Total Domination* The Carolina Panthers have really been on a roll of late. Cam Newton was in a sophomore slump for the first half of the season, but he has been great in the team's last few games. San Diego's offense looked great in Pittsburgh last week, and the Chargers seem to always make that late run at the end of the season. The Carolina defense isn't very good, and they haven't shut down many teams this year. The over is 5-0 in Carolina's last 5 games overall. The over is 5-1 in the Panthers last 6 December games. The over is 5-1 in the Chargers last 6 games against teams with a losing road record. Take the over.

*3 Star NFL Totals TKO* The Arizona Cardinals have the worst offense in the NFL right now, and it isn't even close. Arizona has scored a total of 6 points in their last two games. It's hard to believe, but the Cardinals were actually 4-0 at the start of the season. They have now lost 9 straight games. They haven't scored more than 19 points in any of those games. The Cardinals defense is still better than most realize, but they haven't gotten any help from the offense. The strength of this defense is their secondary. Detroit relies heavily on the pass, and I think Arizona can slow them down a bit. Detroit's defense should be able to keep the Cardinals offense out of the end zone most of the game. Take the under.

*3 Star NFL ATS Play of Week* The Minnesota Vikings are 7-6 this year, but they are just 1-5 on the road. Adrian Peterson is a superstar, but I still don't trust Christian Ponder or anyone else on this offense. The Rams defense is one of the most improved in the NFL. Look for St. Louis to stack the box and force Ponder to beat them with the pass. St. Louis has played well at home this year, and the Rams have pretty good balance on offense right now. Danny Amendola is expected back for this game, and that will help the offense a lot. The Rams are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following a win. The Vikings are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 road games. The favorite is 6-0 ATS in the last 6 meetings between these two teams. Take St. Louis.

*3 Star NFL Total Value Play* The Tampa Bay Bucs and New Orleans Saints are both probably out of the playoff picture at this point. Tampa Bay's offense has improved quite a bit as the season has gone along, but their pass defense is terrible. Tampa Bay ranks dead last in the league in pass defense. New Orleans can air it out with the best of them. The Saints put up 35 points at Tampa Bay earlier this year. The Saints defense is one of the worst in all of football. Tampa Bay has scored 30 points or more in 4 of their last 9 games. Don't be surprised if they do it again here. Take the over.

*3 Star Packers/Bears Moneyline CASH* The Green Bay Packers started the season 2-3, but they have only lost one game since. Green Bay's defense is playing much better than it was a year ago. As Aaron Rodgers gets more of his wide receivers back, I expect the Packers offense to hit its stride once again too. Chicago looked like a Super Bowl contender early in the year, but their flaws have been exposed in the past few weeks. Brandon Marshall has been great, but Cutler can't seem to get the ball to anyone else. Green Bay has beaten the Bears five straight times. I think this one will be hard fought, but I expect the Packers to win. The Packers have more depth and talent. Take Green Bay.

*3 Star NFL Play of the Week* The Miami Dolphins have an underrated defense. Miami is especially strong against the run. San Francisco can throw the football, but they still rely heavily on their rushing attack. It looks like Colin Kaepernick will get another start in this one. He certainly has the potential to be a special player, but he has plenty of room for improvement. The 49ers defense is the best in the NFL. San Francisco is giving up only 14 points per game this year! I expect both teams to settle for field goals in a low scoring battle. The under is 26-9 in Miami's last 35 road games. The under is 5-0 in the 49ers last 5 following a loss. Take the under.

*3 Star NFL Totals TKO* The Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals meet in a very important game Sunday afternoon. The Bengals have won four straight and they are right in the thick of the AFC playoff race. Dallas has struggled much of the year, but they are still 6-6 and very much alive. Tony Romo should be able to throw it against a Bengals secondary that has struggled this year. The Bengals offense has been much better of late, largely thanks to a strong offensive line and a great wide receiver in A.J. Green. BenJarvus Green-Ellis has three straight 100 yard rushing games. The over is 12-5 in the Cowboys last 17 against teams with a winning record. Take the over.

*3 Star NFL Early Bird Special* The Atlanta Falcons have the best record in the NFL, but their defense relies too heavily on forcing turnovers. Cam Newton and the Panthers offense have had a lot of success against the Falcons in their last few matchups. Look for Carolina to surprise some people and score several times in this on. On the other side, the Falcons offense is much better than it was a year ago. Matt Ryan has a tremendous group of pass catchers at his disposal. The Panthers don't have the personnel to stop the Falcons passing attack. The over is 4-0 in the Panthers last 4 games. The over is 7-1 in their last 8 vs. the NFC. The over is 5-1-2 in the last 8 meetings between these teams. Take the over.

*3 Star NFL ATS Bookie SMASHER* The San Diego Chargers have found ways to lose games that many people didn't think were possible this year. No loss was tougher for the Chargers than their brutal loss at the hands of the Ravens last week. In this game we have two teams going in different directions. The Bengals are playing their best football of the season right now. The Chargers are headed the wrong way in a hurry. Cincinnati's dominating win at home over the Giants served notice of this young team's potential. The Bengals are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 following an ATS win. The Chargers are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 home games against teams with a winning road record. Take the Bengals.

*3 Star NFL Early Bird Special* The Jacksonville Jaguars are probably a better football team with Chad Henne at the quarterback position. Henne has been solid throwing it around the past couple games. The Buffalo Bills spent a ton of money on their defense in the offseason, but they aren't any good defensively again this year. The Jaguars defense isn't very good either, but Jacksonville has been a covering machine on the road this year. Jacksonville is 6-0 ATS in their last 6 road games. The Bills are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games in week 13. Look for this one to be a sloppy game where a late field goal decides the winner. Take the dog here.

*3 Star NFL Play of Week* The Houston Texans are probably the most complete team in football right now. Other than one bad game against Green Bay at home, Houston has been terrific this year. The Texans are unbeaten on the road, and they are taking on a Titans team that hasn't shown much fight of late. Tennessee lost 51-20 to Chicago in their last home game. The Texans beat the Bears in the Windy City last month. Houston should have both Arian Foster and Ben Tate for this game, and that will likely be too much for the Titans run defense. The Texans are 16-5-2 in their last 23 vs. the AFC. The Titans are 0-5-1 ATS in their last 6 against the AFC South. Take Houston in this one.

*3 Star Sunday Night Total Domination* The Green Bay Packers offense hasn't been what they were last year, but they are still are a very formidable unit. The New York Giants defense has struggled against top quarterbacks this year, and the Packers have a terrific QB in Aaron Rodgers. Look for his quick passes to chew up this secondary. On the other side, the Packers secondary has given up a lot of yards this year. Eli Manning is putting up big numbers this year, and he has been good in the past against the Packers. The over is 11-4 in the Packers last 15 games against the NFC. The over is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings between these two teams. Take the over.

*3 Star 49ers/Saints Moneyline CASH* The San Francisco 49ers are definitely one of the best teams in the NFL, but I really like this spot for the Saints. New Orleans started 0-4, but they are back to 5-5. This is another must win game for the Saints. It looks like Colin Kapernick will get the start at QB for the Niners. He has a lot of upside, but I think it is a lot to ask of him to win at the SuperDome. The Saints will want revenge for last year's tough playoff loss at the 49ers as well. Look for Drew Brees and the Saints offense to pull this game out. The Saints are 15-3 ATS in their last 18 home games. They are 4-0 ATS in their last against the NFC. They are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 November games. Take the Saints.

*3 Star NFL Early Bird Special* Matt Ryan is having the best season of his career. Having said that, he played very poorly last weekend. Ryan should fare better against a Tampa Bay defense that ranks dead last in the NFL in pass defense. Opponents are racking up 313 yards through the air against Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay's offense has been on fire of late as well. The Bucs have scored at least 27 points in each of their last six games. Atlanta's defense relies on forcing turnovers, but Tampa Bay should be able to move the ball. The over is 7-0 in Tampa Bay's last 7 games. The over is 5-0 in the Bucs last 5 games following a victory. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 home games. Take the over.

*3 Star Patriots/Jets Total Domination* The New England Patriots offense is firing on all cylinders right now. No team in the NFL is scoring more than New England. Tom Brady has had quite a bit of success against the Jets in the past, and I think he'll have even more now without Revis on the outside for the Jets. New England's rushing attack has been very good this year, which helps Brady and the passing game in a big way. The Jets offense should be able to get their points against a mediocre Patriots defense. The over is 4-0 in the Patriots last 4 Thursday games. The over is 13-3 in their last 16 against a team with a losing record. The over is 6-0-1 in the last 7 meetings between these teams. Take the over.

*3 Star Redskins/Cowboys Turkey Total* The Washington Redskins offense has been terrific all year. RG3 has been everything anyone could have expected and more. The Redskins are very balanced on offense, and I expect them to move the ball well against Dallas. The Redskins defense has been bad all year. Washington's secondary is a major weakness. Tony Romo makes a lot of mistakes, but he can pick apart bad secondaries. Until last week, Washington had allowed at least 21 points in every game this year. Both teams should put up a decent amount of points here. Both of these teams have been on a recent under streak, which gives us great value here. Take the over.

*3 Star NFL Total Domination* The New Orleans Saints are still in a must win situation after a horribly slow start to the year. New Orleans' offense has been clicking after a bit of a slow start. Drew Brees seems to have a nice rhythm, and the Raiders defense hasn't been able to stop anyone lately. Oakland allowed 42 and 55 points in their last two games. New Orleans is absolutely capable of putting up 40 plus points here. The Saints defense isn't very good, and Carson Palmer should be able to find plenty of open receivers to help the Raiders get on the board a few times here. The over is 7-1 in the Raiders last 8 home games. The over is 11-3 in the Saints last 14 games. Take the over.

*3 Star NFL Play of the Week* The Washington Redskins offense was shockingly terrible last week against the Carolina Panthers. RG3 and the Redskins just couldn't get the job done in that game. I expect them to bounce back and be much better this weekend. Philadelphia will have Nick Foles starting at quarterback, and I actually think Foles will do a solid job for them. Washington's defense has given up at least 21 points in every single game this year, and the Eagles have some nice offensive weapons. Don't be surprised if Foles looks better than most expect in this game. Neither defense has been shutting anyone completely down this year. Look for a relatively high scoring game. The over is 6-2 in Washington's last 8 home games. Take the over.

*3 Star NFL Early Bird Special* The Cincinnati Bengals are coming off a big win against the New York Giants last week. The Bengals defense played by far its best game of the season in that one. This unit has been dinged up pretty badly this year, but they are slowly getting healthier. The Chiefs offense has been horrible of late, and I think the Bengals defense will play well again. Kansas City has a good pass rush, and I think they'll make life difficult on Andy Dalton in this game. The Bengals don't have much of a ground game to keep them honest. The under is 9-0 in the Chiefs last 9 home games against a team with a losing road record. The under is 7-0 in the Bengals last 7 games following a win by 14 points or more. Look for a low scoring game here.

*3 Star Thursday Night NFL ATS CASH* The Miami Dolphins absolutely laid an egg last weekend, but prior to that game the Dolphins have actually been surprisingly good this year. Miami's defense is excellent against the run because of a strong front seven, and they do a pretty good job rushing the passer as well. Buffalo's defense has a way of making the opposition look pretty good. Ryan Tannehill should bounce back from a very rough performance last week. Reggie Bush will have a new fire in him after being benched last week as well. The Dolphins have played in a ton of close games. In a game like this, I'll take the better defense with the points. The Bills are 1-8-1 ATS in their last 10 following an ATS win. The Dolphins are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 following a straight up loss. Take Miami.

*3 Star NFL Total Domination* The St. Louis Rams offense is one of the worst in the NFL. The reason the Rams have been more competitive this year is their defense is much improved. I don't expect the Rams to be able to do much offensively against the stacked 49ers defense. San Francisco is first in the NFL in points per game allowed at just 12.9 per contest. The Rams defensive strength is stopping the run, and we know that is what the 49ers normally do is run the football early and often. This is the type of game where I expect the Niners to get an early lead and then play it pretty safe the rest of the way. Don't be surprised if the Rams struggle to get above 10 points or so. The under is 6-2-1 in the 49ers last 9 games. The under is 4-0-1 in the 49ers last 5 against the NFC. Take the under.

*3 Star NFL Early Bird Special* The Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots have a real history of putting up big points when they meet. In 4 of the team's last 5 meetings, the final total has been at least 60 points. In the meeting earlier this year, the Patriots scored 31 points in the 4th quarter alone in a blowout win in Buffalo. New England ranks first in the NFL in total offense and points per game. The Patriots are averaging 33 points per game. Buffalo's defense has given up at least 35 points in 3 of their last 5 games. Buffalo's offense is getting healthier, and they should be able to put up points against a mediocre Pats defense. The over is 6-0 in the Pats last 6 games against a team with a losing record. The over is 5-0-1 in the Bills last 6 against the AFC East. Take the over.

*3 Star NFL ATS Play of the Week* The Minnesota Vikings jumped out to an impressive start to the season, but they have fallen back to earth over the last few weeks. Christian Ponder still has a lot of room for improvement in the passing game, and other than Adrian Peterson the Vikings don't have weapons on offense now that Harvin is out. The Vikings defense is dinged up now as well. Detroit started slowly, but they are coming on of late. Detroit has a much higher upside than the Vikings, and now that things are clicking I think the Lions will keep it rolling. Matt Stafford and the passing game are in sync well right now. The Lions defense has improved as the season has moved along. The Lions are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games. The Vikings are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4. Take Detroit.

*3 Star NFL Total Domination* The Seattle Seahawks are a completely different team at Qwest Field. Their defense has been dominating at home, even against some of the best offenses in the league. Seattle's run defense is amazing, and that really is Minnesota's bread and butter on offense. Seattle games often end up being field goal battles. Poor weather is expected in this one, which just makes me feel even more strongly about the under. Both defenses should have the upper hand in this game. The under is 6-1 in the Seahawks last 7 games against the NFC. The under is 5-2 in the Vikings last 7 games overall. Look for a very low scoring game. Take the under.